To the Gouernour Angulo, declaring many good doctrines, with other con­solations to such as are Widowers.

THe fourth of Ianu­ary, I receyued your letters, which standing albeit more vpon varietie of wordes then necessitie of matter, yet they well expressed your setled gra­uetie, and no lesse resembled our auncient friendshippe. A­mongest other things bearing prayse to your behauiour, I am glad you haue forsaken the warres, and giuen ouer the regiment of Nanarre, for that I hold those people hard to reclaime, and not easie to gouern: And in this common absence of oures, albeit we could not cōueniently cōmunicate in the state and parts of our priuat conuersation, yet, for that you were employed out of the realme, I remayned alwayes in desire to knowe howe you kept societie with fortune, because such are the checkes and mutations which she bringes generally vppon the peo­ple of the world, that she neither dissembleth with the straū ­ger, and much lesse pardoneth such as be naturall. For which cause Cicero writing to his friēd Attiquus, restrayneth one friend to wishe to an other more then these thrée things, Three desires a­mongest friends to enioye health, to possesse honour, and not to suffer necessitie, the same well expressing a Christian modestie, and truly agrée­ing with humaine reason: For, to him that hath suffici­encie to furnish y ^e vse & necessitie of his life, what remaineth to be required more? who enioyeth continuall health, lacketh nothing to make vp the ful felicitie of his worldly delites: & [Page] what can that man haue lost in this worlde who neuer lost the reputation of honour? Therefore, neyther I for you, nor you to me, are bound to desire more one for an other, then to haue health for the solace of our transitory time: to enioye a compotent measure of wealth for the administration of our life: and to be raised to honour by the which we may re­tayne reputation: For, as all other thinges are passed to vs by fortune, not to honour vs, but to affront vs, So, sir, I wish you this moderation, to rest contented with that which God hath bestowed of you, and giue him often recompence of humble thankes for taking you out of so many daungers: for, as much do we owe to God for the daungers from which he deliuereth vs, as for the great wealth & dignities where­vnto he hath alwayes raised vs.

The propertie of Gods loue towards vs.God is so good and loues vs with so swéete affection, that alwayes he requireth vs, continually he doth vs good, neuer ceasseth to visite vs, and seldome spareth to aduertise vs: yea, he handleth vs not as our offences deserue, but as his mer­cie willeth: euill should it stand with vs sniners if, with the rod of sinne, God should do present iustice, séeing that such is the horrer and infamie of sinne, that if imediatly with the fact, God would put vs to punishments, our soules would be caried forthwith into the bottomes of hell.

As it is suffred in the high and hidden secretes of God, to dissemble some things, to pardon others, and correct the rest: so let vs remember that God vseth no small mercie to hym whom he chastiseth in this worlde, since that, to whome hée giues no affliction, it séemes he is of him much forgotten: Therefore when God administreth to vs diseases, sorrowes, deathes, and infelicities, they be not thinges wherewith hée chastiseth vs, but necessarie matters by the which he visiteth our fraile condicion: wherein his intention is not to loase vs, but to admonish vs: not to make vs stumble, but to holde vs from falling: not to poyson vs, but to purge vs: not to make vs slide into sinne, but to call vs to amendement of [Page 2] behauiour: so that with this full measure of bountie and mercie, he giues vs not onely that which we aske, but pre­pares vs more to that which he would we should demaund of him: this giues me occasion to smile that our power being little, our selues so small a thing, and our knowledge so slen­der, yet we thinke and conster to great importance all our enterprises, when in déede, that which in our opinion wée holde most profitable, takes sometime a contrary habit, and becomes most hurtfull and against vs.

By meanes whereof, the Lorde, with good reason vsing his wonderfull mercie, takes from vs those occasions where­with we may offend him, and leades vs in the exercise of such thinges as stand vs in most stéede to serue him.

God deales in one sort with the Christian sinner, and in an other maner with the iust man: to the sinner, he pardo­neth his offence, and from the iust, he takes away the occa­sions to sinne: by which, we finde that we stand more déepe­ly bound to him which suffreth vs not to fal, then to him that lendes vs his hand to helpe vs vp againe. This much (sir) to instruct you in patience for the losse of so good a wife, whose death, if you lament in the office of a good husband, I haue not ben without my sorow, according to the dutie of a faith­full friend: And albeit there is no doubt but your wife was a right worthy member of a noble house, and therewithall plentifully replenished with euery condicion appertayninge to the vertue and modestie of a woman, yet since in her crea­tion she brought with hir a subiection to death, I thinke your wisedome is too great, to make that grieuous to you, which nature ordeyneth common to all: yea if in your wife were fully filled a full example of all perfection, That, that is cō ­mon to all, ought not to be intollerable to one. you can not in better sort expresse your zeale, then to suffer God to haue his will without grudge: And if you reioysed in the vse of so hap­pie a wife whilest she liued, let your gladnes still continue, for that you hope she is now happely layde vp wyth God, with whom this is one familiar propertie, that the more ho­nest [Page] we be, the lesse while we liue, for that being deare to him he doth the sooner drawe vs to his kingdome. I knowe that in your wife, God had expressed a spirit of great méeke­nesse to you, made her very acceptable to her neighbours, most plawsible to your parents, & very pitifull to the poore, wherein by how much she was agréeable to all and her na­ture hurtfull to none, by so much haue you to hope that shée is already in the way to hir saluation. But séeing she is dead, and now set in the place of Gods eternall appointment, and since in the world is no power eftsones to raise her, let her rest at quiet in the ioyes of Paradise, and resort you here­after to a resolute patience. Become imediatly carefull for your life, and leaue of those funeralles, and vayne ceremo­nies for the dead, séeing that if God hath fulfilled his will to call her to him, it is to place her in his tabernacle of eternall rest, and leauing you still in the world, he doth it to none o­ther end but to giue you time of amendement: For where God promiseth to man long and many daies, it is vnder this warning, that he giue order to the correction of his life. Ma­ny times haue I spoken, and written, that the sounde and noyse of Belles, doth not so much benefite the dead, as do good to those that liue, for that as the dead, béeing wythout sence are also voyde of nature and habilitie to resume re­morse, so to such as liue the Belles giue warning of death, as those that are alreadie departed, yea they pronounce that we shall all be buried, as such as are alreadie put in the graue, and no more remembraunce remayne of vs then of them that lie couered with claye: which makes mée still maintaine, that albeit to the dead the Belles are merly vn­profitable, yet, to the liuing, they serue as officers to somon vs to the fatall banquet. They call vs to prepare our recko­ning, and make vs readie to appeare afore our soueraigne iudge to heare our sentence: yea they put vs in remembrance of the last houre of our miserable life, and then as I knowe none that wish to haue bene Emperours, so there is no [Page 3] doubt but many desire to haue liued in the state of poore heardsmen: But now to perswade with you somewhat fa­miliarlie, aswell to witnesse my good will, as to warne your frailtie, I wishe you to vse patience, not so much to expresse your grauetie, as to solace the heauinesse of your minde: and by so much haue you néede to cal for aid to the spirite of God, by how much the greatnes of your losse séemes to excéede the resistance of flesh and bloud: consider that to render retri­bucion is a dutie of nature, and a debt to be payed either in youth, in age, or at other season, and that not in the hand and discretion of man, but at the will and good pleasure of God, with whom we haue no power to contend, for that the thinges which he commaundeth ought to be accomplished, and what he willeth, is well worthy to be approued, being impossible that he should exact any vniust thing, he that is euen the selfe supreame and souereigne iustice. Be it (sir) that you are sory for her death, of whom can you redemaund your losse but of death, against whom there is neyther pre­scription nor authoritie: It is he in whom is wrought the very effect and stipend of sinne, and it is he that is the feare­full tirant ouer the world, Death the ve­ry effect and sti­pend of sinne. who yéeldes no compassion to the teares of men, takes no care of their sighes, scornes at their complaints, and playeth with their afflictions: he maketh great kinges fall as lowe as the ground: he deuides their principallities, destroyeth their heyres: he confoundes the proude and mightie, and rayseth the humble and méeke: hée neither pardoneth old men, nor pitieth the young sort: yea he hath authoritie to call all men to reckoning, and no man to demaund reason of him. The Philosopher Secundus, be­ing asked what death was, Aunswered that it was an eter­nall sléepe, a terror of riches, a desire of the miserable, VVhat death is. a sepe­ration of friends, a voyage vncertaine, a robber of men, a be­ginning of those that liue, and an end of such as die. Death hath this absolute libertie to enter where hee list without knocking at the gate: condemne whom he will & not heare [Page] them speake, and carie away what he thinkes good, without that euen the highest authoritie either can or dare resist him. Yea, we must be pleased with what he leaueth vs, and not complaine of that he takes from vs.

I doubt not but it is grieuous to you to féele the want of so deare a wife, aswell for the solace of your person, as direc­tion of your house and children: but séeing the chaunces of mortall creatures do shew that al men are subiect to the law of nature and fortune, All men subiect to the lawe of nature and for­tune. and that of necessitie this must passe so: put on a good countenaunce to the world, and shake of all inward heauines of mind, séeing y ^e care of thinges impossible is vaine and only proper to weake men: you know also that in this troublesome life, many mo in number are the things that amaze vs, then those that hurt vs: And therfore to wéepe much, to sigh often, to sorrowe alwaies, to weare attire of dule, to flée societie of friends, to retire into desolate & priuat places, & to delite in solitarines, be, in one of your grauetie, matters more to be rebuked, then affected, séeing, that as too great ioye estrangeth the heart into the like, so, for the most part much parplexitie & sorrow, bring with them the effect of dispaire: You ought not for the death of your wife, to be neg­ligent in the administration of your house, carelesse in y ^e state of your health, forgetfull to entertaine the reputation of your honour, nor vnmindful to direct your reuenue: For the passions and afflictions of the hart, Passions of the minde cured with the long­nesse of time. are neuer cured by newe grieues, but with the longnesse of time. One of the greatest trauels that we suffer in this transitory race, is, that sorowes & grieues enter our harts sodainly, which afterwards we cā ­not expell but with great time and vertue: And therfore we ought not at the first to vrge a troubled minde to forget his paine, but rather to perswade to moderate it: for that at the beginning the mind receiueth more comfort in debating the harme, then in speaking of the remedie: And therefore to a mind afflicted with gréene sorrowes, the best remedy is to deferre them, vntill by time they be more apt to receiue conso­lation: [Page 4] For as tract of time carieth with it a law of forget­fulnes of things past, so to a hart grieued, The remedie of a heart grieued. y ^e true & souereigne plasters, are, temperance, time, & forgetfulnes: So that, nei­ther because you are a widower, nor in respect of your passi­ons, you ought to cōmit to negligence the order of your per­son nor the nouriture of your children: for as it is no small fully to wéepe for the dead whom we haue no power to re­couer, so it can not but be a great madnesse to be carelesse of them that liue standing in the way of perdicion: withall, no man is bound to raise vp againe such as are dead, but euery one is tied to this dutie, to giue succours to them that liue. I hope (sir) you wil not lay afore you y ^e example of your neigh­bour & friend Roderico, who assone as he was in the state of a widower, put the coole on his head, eate not vppon any table cloth, was not serued in vessell of siluer, tooke not his seate in a chaire, was not séene to looke out of a windowe, in two monthes did not wash his face, and in a whole yeare did not lie out of his cloathes: All which I alleadge to you not so much to condemne Roderico for his follie past, as to put you in remembrance that to continue in ceremonies, is to offend god, and abuse the reputation of a wise man. One of the grea­test benefites that a man can haue in this life, is, to be thankfull to Gods prouidence and not to attribute any thing to fortune. The resolute man is neyther chaunged by a fro­ward fortune, nor raised into presumption by any prosperi­tie, but standes as a trée well rooted which albeit is shaken with diuerse windes, yet none can make it fal: And be it that aduersitie make some mutation in goods, yet it ought not to exchange the person, & much lesse haue power ouer our wise­dome: For the shamefast & noble mind loseth much more in loasing that he deserueth, then if he lost al the goods he was possest of: by which reason I accompt that no losse which falles in transitory goods, if, with the losse of them, hée recouer his shame and wisedome: for let not that man thinke he hath found little, which hath found himselfe: it [Page] is a thing to be wondered at, and no lesse worthy of slaunder that for the losse of any thing of right meane value, men omit no paine nor cost to recouer it: but if they loase shame, pati­ence, continencie, yea and conscience too, they will neither be sory for losing them nor make great search to recouer them. Oh corrupt nature of oures, which cares not how we faile, & makes lesse reckoning to go the right way, and that which worse is, after we haue folowed error, and falne from a faire path into a foule puddle, we will not onely not search to find our selues, but (according to our full wickednesse) we will not sée nor confesse that we are lost. All things in this world (what vile and base estimation so euer they beare) we do not only make care and cost to kéepe them, but also séeke out o­thers to ioyne with vs for their safetie, except our selues: who not only forbeare to watch and kéepe our selues, but al­so we search others to helpe to loase vs. I wish you for end, that you giue ouer to be priuat, and enter into the discharge of the requestes and legacies of your wife: so shall you expresse a dearer remembrance of hir, then with al the fune­rall ceremonies you can vse: for as she kéepes now no recko­ning whether you are serued vpon a table, at in a chaire, or vse your other obseruations of dignitie, so, you can not yéeld a more worthy recompence to the affectiō she bare you, then to visite hospitalles, and haunt sermons, and rather expresse the office of a true Christian, then mourne in the habite of a pitifull wydower.

From Logronio the xj. of August. 1523.

To Sir Peter Giron, banished into Oran, comforting such as liue in exile.

IT is written in the wonderfull visions of the prophet Daniel, that two Angels disputing afore God, the one mayntained that it was not méete to put the Hebrues in libertie, least they were conuerted to the Persians, and the other proued [Page 5] it necessary to giue them licence, to the ende they might do Sacrifice & reedifie the temple of Ierusalem: by which may be inferred, that, that which amongest the wicked is called stubburnes, with y ^e good sort is named zeale. This I write to bring into discourse the contents of your Fathers Letter and yours, in which I finde such contraritie, that it is harde to Iudge which is greater, eyther the sorowe of the Father, or the constant minde of the Sonne: the Father expressed great heauinesse seing his Sonne sent into Exile, vsing the nature of a pitifull Father, and the Sonne (according to the proper­tie of a noble minde) beares this disgrace without grudge or griefe: if this banishement had pleased your Father, and you likewise had declared signes of disdaine and dispight, he had abused the dignitie of a father, and you transgressed the law of a valiāt Knight: but seing you both perfourm y ^t which you ought, you haue no reason to distrust of y ^t which you desire: For my part, to satisfie the dutie I owe to the one, and exer­cise the good will I beare to the other, I thought it agréeing with your estate, and my profession, to recommend vnto you these Particuler instructions, which if you finde Te­dius to read, you shall at least féele wholesome to obserue, specially conteyning poyntes of Consolation in your present banishement: Now is the time wherein you are to call into exercise your Auncient wisedome to gouerne you, your setled discretion to minister consolation, and your va­liant minde to entertaine the reputation of your honour by some worthie enterprise which thrée thinges if you omit, you shall be holden a banished man euen in your owne Citie, where putting them in execution being exiled, you shall be sure to encrease y ^e renowne of a valiant knight. It is a verte­ous disposition to yéelde compassion to y ^e afflicted, but nature most of all doth chalenge it of those, The bonde of a friend. who prouing an estate of necessitie, haue founde comfort in others. And albeit one friend can owe no more to another, then to remedie his ne­cessities, & comfort his aduersities: yet the wordes of a friend [Page] do giue lyfe to the hart of his friend, if to the same be ioyned effectes of true affection: and as prosperitie and aduersitie haue such societie by kinde, that the one followeth the other as the shadow doth the man, Prosperit & ad­uersitie haue so­cietie together by nature. so also such perplexities as are fastened within a hart are hardly fogotten but with y ^e passi­ons of another mind y ^e languisheth, according to this exam­ple: At y ^e death of y ^e only sonne of Diomedes y ^e Gréeke (and vp­pon whome depended y ^e possibilitie of succession) there appea­red to this mourning father many affections of many his no­ble friends: amongst y ^e presse of others that came to visit and comfort his sorrowes, there resorted a pore woman demaun­ding iustice: Diomedes, seing her wéepe, & as it were accompa­nie him in his sorrowfull moodes, & his other friendes to deli­uer only reasons of consolation without teares, tolde them y ^e albeit his eares had receiued y ^e impression of their words, yet none had made passage into his hart but the sorrowful com­passion of that simple woman, in whome I haue receiued (sayth he) somuch the more comfort, by how much I sée her hart suffereth y ^e selfe same sorrowes which by effect I féele. According to the conformitie of this aunswere (sir) you may iudge my disposition, & therwithal take occasion to giue faith to my wordes, & belieue y ^e affection of my hart: for by y ^e fayth of a friend I sweare vnto you, that as I haue always folow­ed you w ^t an vnfeined zeale, so your presēt misfortune stands in such compassion with me, that if to my want were ioyned welth, & with my wil were matched conuenient libertie, you should know that though I am innocent of your fault, yet I would be partner of your paine: or if as you stand in ful power to distribute & dispose your goods, you had also y ^e facultie to impart your perplexities, y ^e world shuld be iudge whether my frendshp stretch to affect your goods, or to cōmunicate w ^t your fortune & calamitie: And as I cānot but cōfesse that you haue always expressed towards me one perpetual nobilitie & boū ­tie of mind, so I hope you wil not denie but I haue retributed that recōpence which belongs to y ^e power of so poore a friend: [Page 6] But as I know you haue this propertie in nature to kepe in continual memorie the good turnes you receiue of others, so, if I forget the benifites which you haue bestowed of me, let my profession suffer indignitie by the which I holde y ^e coun­tenaunce of my reputatiō: & so wil I wade no further in pro­testatiō, since great offers are vsed amongst staungers, and good déedes ought to be familiar with true meaning friendes: I know this banishement may bréede you some conceyt by the opinion which this court may haue of you, and I doubt not but asmuch the Ioye of your enimies will dispight you, as the displeasure of your friendes will grieue you, for that (in a chance of calamitie) most men are more sorie for y ^e their enimies can say, then for the martirdome they indure. Plu­tarke in his Apothegmes, recites of a famous Captaine and Louer of the Lacedemoniens, to whome a certaine Reader of the Atheniens, making his complaint, that the men at Armes in his Camp reproched thē of Athens, answered that as the thing that is well kept is hardely lost, & that nothing prouokes the thiefe sooner then necligence, so, if y ^e Atheniens had tied care and Circumspection to their wordes and Ac­tions, they had neither falne into y ^e Mouthes of the Lacede­moniēs, nor feared their malice: Job saith Factus sum mihi met ipsi grauis, meaning that the misaduentures and disgraces which happen to vs for the most part, our selues doe search them: For as the power of fortune is to do more harme in one hower, then good in many Hundreth yeares, so when the chaunge falleth, it blindes our eyes that we cannot de­serne it, and binds our handes that we cannot helpe it, Men are the in­struments of our owne mis­hapes. ma­king vs Instruments euen against our selues in the execu­tion of our proper mishap: But for your part (Sir) if you had eyther followed my direction, or ioyned your selfe to the aduise of the Constable your deare vncle, the ignorance and rashnesse of your hoate youth, had not caried you thus far to your own ruine, yea, you had preuēted that which now wyth payne you suffer. The vengeance which you sought to take [Page] ought not to be grounded vpon so small occasion, séeing often­times reason demaundes execution of a thing, which time will not suffer to be done, by which meane are spoyled many particuler causes, not for that they were not iust, but because they were not followed in season, for as conuenient is the ob­seruation of time & place to prosecute a businesse, as in due season to throw the séede into the earth to the end to haue a good haruest: therefore in your quarrell or pretence of action to y ^e Dukedom of Medina Sidonia, much better had it become the vertue of a noble Gentleman, and farre more suretie to your title, to haue demaunded it in Parliament by iustice, then to recommēd your selfe to the Bishop of Camore: I haue often tolde you that tyrants committe their triall to Armes, Tirantes vse tri­all by armes, but the iust sort referre their causes to the arbi­trement of the Lawes. and the iust sort referre their causes to the arbytrement of the Lawes: Euen so, when I sawe you ioyne your selfe to y ^e good Bishop, I felt great coniecture of the ill successe of your cause, in which I doubted not but he would rayse occasion to vndoe you, that earst made no conscience to put in perill the whole Realme, disobey the king, deceiue his confederates & dissemble euen with his own opinion. For where in one man doe méete incertaintie of affection, and malice of nature, there is no other hope in that man, then distrust, Periurie, wordes, and reuenge: I put you in remembrance of all these, more to reprehende you then to comfort you, and with all to reduce to your knowledge, that if you suffer any present af­fliction, thinke it is for no offence presently committed, but for the falt that then you did: for as euery offence hath his pu­nishement, so God being bound to no time vseth to visit our olde insolencies, euen whom we accompt our selues most in­nocent: More [...] is it to your wise friendes, to suffer your banishment obeying the Prince, then to sée you Duke of Me­dina with the displeasure of his Maiestie: and farre bet­ter shal you expresse that which is loked for of you, if simplie you attribute to the infirmitie of your discretion, that which in good equitie cannot but carie the very nature and ha­bite [Page 7] of a great falt. Oh how well doth it become the reputati­on of a valiant knight to deserue to be holden gratious in the sight of his prince, and with good and true seruices, to en­terteine the estate and fauour he hath of him, expressing al­wayes this true effect and example of readie obedience, that if eyther in the court, the Kingdome, or any dominion of the Prince, there moue any faction, trouble, quarrell, tumult or mutinie: he may with libertie be heard speake, and giue oc­casion to be employed: but not of himselfe to practice secreat confederacie, nor yet without Authoritie to intrude himselfe into the councell or managing of affayres of estate: For the businesse of kingdomes conteyne in them many secret diffi­culties, more daungerous to be reformed, then easie to wéeld, which we sée dayly in sundry cōmon weales euil gouerned, & worse reformed, for that, for the most part, the popular sort is ready to reuolt, and very hard to be appeased: great paine had Catiline to reforme Rome, Socrates Athens, Ptolome Pen­tapolis, Promotheus Egipt, and Plato the Siciliens: But in the ende of all these enterprises, where some of these noble men escaped death, the rest suffered banishement, & their comon­weales notwithstanding in more broyle then before: But now to the matter of your exile, and the remedies proper to men in your fortune, In which if I satisfie not your passion, I doubt not but the lawe of our frendship will leade you to iudge wel of my reasons, assuring you that I had rather suc­cour you then comfort you. For banished men. Weying (Sir) with your present condition being banished in Afrika, the consideration that you are of the frée Countrey of Spaine, I doubt not but the remembrance of the pleasures you haue passed in Spaine, will make this exchange more painfull to you being now restrained in Afrika, for the loue of our countrey is so natu­rall to vs and we so partiall in our proper affections, that al­beit fortune make vs forsake our natiue coūtrey, yet nature will neuer suffer vs to for get it: yea so great a vehemencie hath the loue which most men beare to their naturall cly­mates, [Page] y ^t they wil rather endure any iniury against their per­sonnes, then to heare their countreys euill spoken of the same parcialitie proceding for that men do not acknowledge that they are of the earth, liue in the earth, and must returne to the earth: when there is nothing belonging to them, but y ^e which they cary with them to their graue, Socrates instruc­ted his disciples not to atribute to themselues any particuler place or countrey: for (sayth he) albeit y ^e eternall prouidence giues vs peculiar meanes to cloath vs, & priuate houses to defend y ^e iniurie & passions of the ayre, yet nature hath left to vs all in common the vniuersall earth, which since, by y ^e ambicion of men hath bene diuided into Cantles. Plutarke, in his booke of exile reports that Hercules the Thebain, being asked by the Sidoniens of what countrey he was, aunswered: I am neyther of Thebes, Athens, nor Licaonia, but naturally of the whole countrey of Greece: Socrates séemes to be of the same opinion to y ^e great Sacrificator Architus, by whom be­ing asked of what place he was, he aunswered: that he was borne in y ^e world, & a natural heire of al the world: Plutarke rehearseth also that in the Ile of Cobde in Greece, was a Li­nage of Grecians called Agites, discended of y ^e notable Greeke Captaine called Agis the good: amongst these Agites this law was specially obserued, that none durst call himselfe natural of the Ile, vnlesse he had done some valiant act, meaning y ^e it is the countrey that ought to be commended for bringing forth such men, & not the people to be praysed to be eyther of this or that Region. So that (Sir) for my part, ioyning my selfe to the maner of these Ilande men, me thinkes I haue greater reason to estéeme you a valiant Affrikan Captaine, then a verteous Spanishe knight, seing that y ^e honour which you lost in Spaine, you haue recouered in Affrika: yea, if you conferre the vanities which you vsed in Spaine, with the ex­ercise you follow now in Affrika, you shall finde that banish­ment, better then ease, doth lead you to iudge of the precious value & estimation of time, yea, it will minister this discre­tion [Page 8] to you that if you féele any passion, it will appeare to you more by opinion, then by reason. In Spayne you wer noted to be a painefull follower of the pleasures of the fielde, a pleasaunt deuiser with Ladies, a swéete companion at sum­tuous Banquites, giuen ouer to the disorders of the Court, to go to bedde at midnight and rise at mid day, all which though they be delightes of a young courtier, yet they are no exercises of a valiant knight, for the titles, and vertuous re­nownes of our Auncestors, were not gotten by enterpri­ses of Hawking and Hunting, but with seruing theyr kings in the daungers of warres: The exercise which we are tolde you follow now in Orane, as to be sturring earlie, to breake your fast standing and whilest your Armour is in lacing, to be readie with the formost to distresse the Turkes, to ac­quaint your eare with the Musicke of the tromppet, to be painefull to march, and discréete to follow, and in all enter­prises, to giue example of courage to your Soldiours: out of these differences you may gather whether it is more a­gréeable to your renowne, and profitable to your estate, to be estéemed a valiant Captain, or an Amorous Courtier: be­sides, in Spaine you could but recyte the déedes of others, & now the whole court is in discourse of the daungers you e­scape. Writers of histories are tied to the factes of perticuler men, and to expresse in their Cronicles that in such a time, such a thing was done, in such a season, such an enterprise perfourmed: but it belonges to the honour of a good knight not only to say I was a leader in such a war, but also to bear vpon his body the signes of the perilles he had past: So that in consideration of the Successe of this Banishement, I sée not but it is a Fortune necessarye, Happie is the punishment by the which we are passed into greater perfect­ion. and an Estate working glorye to your Howse, and géeues no occasion of gréeffe to your personne: For right Blessed is that Mar­terdome by whose Paynes wée are passed into greater per­fection: The Consull Siluanus holding part wyth the SILLANS, in full Senate reproched Marius scornefully [Page] that he was to ambicious of honour, being so base of linage: To whome Marius aunswered, I confesse (sayth he) that thou art more aunciently discended then I, euenso I cannot deny but that I am betrer man then thou, because, where thy house is not furnished but with painted Armories which thou hast inherited of thy Auncesters, thou mayest sée in mine many streaming ensignes which I haue woonne with the perill of my lyfe: Then thinke your selfe happie, for that in Spaine you were no better then Siluanus, but in Affrika you are equall in Prowes with Marius, with whome, in place of painted Armories where with you were woont to hang your house in Spaine, you shall now retourne not one­ly with ensignes besprent with bloud, but also expressing your triumphes ouer y ^e common enimie of Christian fayth. There hath bene in the Ages past many great Personages, who no lesse desirous of renowne, then willing to win it by vertue, did not onely not grudge when they were Banished by Authoritie, but also of themselues and for themselues made a willing choise of exile, following the opinion and ex­ample of the right worthie Captaine Alcibiades, who in his Familiar deuice was woont to say, that fewe men in their naturalitie or simple nature become verteous: but the most sort following the passions of nature slide into many vices, according to the experience of a trée farre brought and newe replanted, which bringes forth fruite of farre more swéete and precious tast then others: euenso more glorie & renowne doe follow Noble men and mindes resolute in straunge and farre regions, then in their proper naturall countreys: yea, they had rather die poore abroade, then returne home loaden with wealth, and light with honour. Was not king Pir­rhus borne in a village of Athens, and afterwardes was cal­led Pirrhus the Epirote for that he vanquished that people? was not the good Scipio bredde vp in a towne of Campania, to whome after was added the Surname of Affricanus as sub­duing those Regions? Octauius Augustus wss nourished in [Page 9] village of Belistre, and after was raysed to the title of Octa­uius Germanicus, because he triumphed ouer the Almaines, & the good Titus was found in a poore village of Campania, and after was called Titus Palestinus, for preuailing ouer y ^e Pa­lestines: infinite is the number of such as haue sought fame in forraine regions, but more immortal & perpetual is y ^e me­morie of the enterprises which by the greatnesse of their cou­rage they atchieued: For as no Fortune can resist him to whome nature hath giuen magnanimitie of minde: No fortune can resist him to whom nature hath giuen magnanimitie of minde. so whe­ther at home or abroad, who is more wretched then he that estéemes himselfe vnhappy by the reputation of his courage. Many & many were the personages in the worlde past, who springing of base & darke place, of small renowne, and lesse wealth, haue, with the Fortune of their Banishment in countreyes, far remoued, euolted their linage, brought honor to their countreys, reputation to their posteritie, & riches to themselues. The valiant Themistocles & great captaine Pha­laris, with great ignominie to their persons & spoyle of their goods, were banished out of Athens, & chased out of al Greece: yet such equitie of méede followed their iust vertues, that by y ^e grace & fauour of king Ptolome in Alexādria, they retourned home with no lesse fame & honour to their countrey, they loa­den with riches to the encrease of their familie: yea, Themis­tocles, vsed oftētimes to say familiarly to his wyfe & children, Perieramus omnino nisi perijssemus, as who say, if they had not bene passed into the perplexities of banishment, they had vt­terly perished: for fortune oftentimes playes with banished men as doth the distiller of waters with his glasses or ear­then pottes, whome he takes downe, not to breake or leaue them, but to fill them and set them vp: with this example, we may apply y ^e misfortune of Joseph y ^e son of Jacob, in whose fall was wrought the meane to y ^e Jsraelites, that afterwards he was made Lord ouer the whole coūtrey of Egipt, & helper of y ^e Hebrewes: That which somtimes séemes to a man heauy & sorrowfull, becomes oftentimes y ^e meane of his comfort & [Page] gladnesse, and the same that in y ^e beginning séemeth to worke his disgrace, bréedes at last the very effect of his desired for­tune: euen as to him that thinkes himselfe in y ^e right path, it happeneth y ^e he is out of the way, as others suposing them­selues to be misse led & gone astray, are notwithstanding in the high way to their felicitie: Camilla for a disgrace happe­ning to him in Rome, was banished into Campania, where his vertues & seruice in the warres of that countrey succeded so happelie with him, that he retourned to Rome not as an offender, but in great triumph as Emperour: The iust & noble Emperour Traian, being banished out of Italie and withdrawne to the Citie of Agrepina, was addopted Heir of the empire there by the Emperour Nerua, his vncle, who communicated with him y ^e ensignes of the Emperiall estate: by which chaūge & chaūce of fortune, Traian would often say to his familiars, y ^t the bāishment which Domitian iudged him to, was his onely solicitor to the Empire. All these histories togither with the examples aswell of such as chused banish­ment to winne true renowne, as of others y ^e fell into exile by falt & sentence, I haue reduced (sir) to your memorie, to y ^e end that by their wisedome you should take comfort, and in their courage folow the example of their enterprises: for as the do­ings of others are but warninges to vs to direct well our e­states: so it cannot be but vaine to represent vnto you the ba­nishments they suffered, if you expresse not in your fortune the resolute minde which led them to the throane of their e­stimation: if you shew the true value & constancie of minde duely aperteining to a christiā knight, you may w ^t the oportu­nitie of the warres now against y ^e Turke; deserue to returne to Spain with as great honour: as Camilla was receiued in­to Rome: it behoueth you in that war of Affrique, to be libe­rall, secret, couragious, & modest, so shall all such as are sorie for the falt you haue made here, be recompensed w ^t gladnesse in y ^e effectes of your worthy behauiour there. Say with Dio­genes, that as they banishe you out of Spaine, so you banish [Page 10] them out of Affrique, so, shall they in short time returne to compassion for that they make you to suffer, & you in y ^e mean while beare with patience the iniurie you suppose is done to you: Men not accu­stomed to ad­uersitie haue least rule ouer their passions. For men not accustomed to aduersitie haue least rule ouer their passions, and such as neuer felt but prosperitie, can little iudge of the worthinesse of patience: I pray you vse this modestie in y ^e letters you write hither, that neyther the King may perceiue that you are gréeued wyth his sen­tence, nor your ennimies vnderstande your euill lyking to that place: For no lesse will they reioyce to heare you ab­horred there, then they were readie to procure your banishe­ment from your friendes and countrey here.

Such (Sir) as suffer exile, Priueledges of banished men. haue many notable priueledges which being incident to men, in y ^e estate, it is necessary you know some, to y ^e end you may take benifit of y ^e best: it is a pro­rogatiue to men exiled, y ^e they stand in grace of pitie with e­uery one, and seldome maliced of any, for that in common ex­perience men most naturally beare grudge to such as liue in wealth, and pitie such as are farre remoued from their comfort. Banished men during the time of their restraint are exempted from all importunities of such as borrow mo­ney, since no man néedes to doubt but the man exiled hath for the most part, want of money, & plentie of perplexities: such as are banished haue libertie to borrow of others without ey­ther blushing or blot of conscience, for that their goods are cō ­fisked, & they far from y ^e succour of their friendes, they are the men that most stand néede of the compassion of the worlde.

It is suffered to the banished man, to write into his coun­trey that he is sicke, when he enioyeth health, that he is in sorrow for his house, though he féele no remembrance therof, and that he is poore, when he hath ful plentie, and al to y ^e end the prince should the sooner pardon his falt, and his friendes the more readilie succour his wantes.

The banished man, w ^t out breach of honour, may be suffered to breake promise, being sufficiēt to acknowledge the fauors [Page] done to him, & to offer, when he is restored recompence accor­ding to the bountie of a gentleman: the banished man (with­out staine to his honour) hath libertie to liue in meane coun­tenaunce for that amongst good men his case is pitied, & with the wise no other port expected then according to the rate & measure of his fortune.

The banished man is not subiect to the terrours of law and iustice, for y ^e being far from his aduersaries, he may sléepe w ^t out feare, & rise with out care: he is frée from the variable cu­stomes & complexions of his wyfe, from the griefe of y ^e ill de­meanour of his children, & from y ^e distrust of his seruauntes, y ^e same being such a comfort peculiar only to exiles, y ^t many would be gladde to exchaunge their free condition, for the felicities of such Banishement.

The banished man standes exempt from all impostes & tributes, as in whose estate is sufficient griefe without ne­cessitie of other Affliction.

The Banished man being farre from his friendes, liues not in care of their calamities, and is not called to be a part­ner of their Quarrelles, which libertie many séeke for, who Aunswere for many, follow many, and spend much of many, not of franke wil, but to perfourme the dutie they haue pro­fessed. Many more are the prorogatiues of exile, which you may boldly chalenge and enioy in Affrika, and we by no right can demaund in Spaine: And yet I doubt not, but more deare should be to you the kinges Pardon to returne home, then all these goodly priuiledges which to your great comfort you enioy in Affrika: For the Puddle water in our owne countrey carieth a more swéete tast, then the most pleasant fountaine in any forreine Region: Let this be your Solace for the time to serue and hope in God, to the ende he may leade the minde of the Prince to consent to your libertie, wherein there shall want no furtherance, which eyther the Authoritie of your friendes, or my continuall councell, may bring to passe.

To Don FREDERIQVE of Portingall Archbishop of Sarragoce, and Viceroy of Catheliogne, wherin the Author recommends to him a Letter of y ^e Emperour M. Aurelius.

IN the selfe same yeare wherein the Prophete Jeremie bewayled in Ierusalem the Captiuitie of his people ledde into Babilon, Reigned in Bithinia the cruell king Dracon, a man of déep pollicie in affaires of estate, and no lesse vali­ant to beare and resist the rigoures of fortune, but withall so seueare in his commaundementes, that it may be doubted whether the lawes he instituted conteyned more crueltie to his subiects, then commoditie to his kingdoms: For amongst other statutes or strayght politiques, he ordeyned this lawe, A Lawe to pu­nishe vnthankefulnes by death. y ^e one neighbour hauing receiued of another any good turne, & afterwards was founde vnthankefull eyther to requite or confesse it, such one was punished with death: for as this is a propertie anexed to the good nature, to forget the benefits he doth himselfe, & kepe in continual memorie y ^e graces he hath receiued of others: so to ad impunity to ingratitude, is to cor­rupt y ^e worlde, euen as in other offences, to restraine iustice, is to support sin & suffer insolency, which is y ^e greatest errour that can happen in gouernment. This I say sir to put my selfe in remembrance of the manifolde benefites I haue re­ceiued by you, whereunto, hauing no power of recompence, at least if I should forbeare to acknowledg them, I cannot auoyd the merit of Dracons Law: For there can be no such iniurie offered to a frée mind & a bashfull face, then to be cal­led vnthankefull, since such reproches sinke most déepely into the reputation of honoure: so that, though my power bee small, & my possibilitie lesse, yet I will so honour the remem­brance of your benefites, y ^t in my will shalbe found no blame of ingratitude, nor in my life, any suspition of honest frēdship.

At our last being togither, you made me sweare to graunt to that you demaunded, without either libertie of excuse, or [Page] being made priuie to what you would aske, wherein as your Lordship was somwhat to oportunate, so I was not enough distréete, for that greater is y ^e reason to examine a demaund, then to consent to fulfill it. But touching your request to pen for you some Letters of M. Aurelius, I know not how I shal satisfie your desire, vnlesse you refourme your demaunde: for that of his morrall writings, I haue none, but eyther those which are alreadie published, or such as he left vnperfect: and for others, which, in the rage of his youth, he wrot to his A­marus friendes, as I haue alreadie published some by y ^e per­swasions of my priuate friendes, so, albeit at that time their opportunities enforced my will, yet it behoueth me now not to abuse the dutie of my profession: wherin, aswel by y ^e habite of religion, as my facultie of a diuine, I craue to be excused from writing such vanities, since, besides the offence to my grauitie, the example cannot but bring hurt to y ^e chast minds of young princes & great Ladies. But because as neare as I can, I will be thankefull to your request, and leaue you satis­fied of my good meaning, I haue sent you the Translation of one of his Letters, wherein you may iudge with what fideli­tie he entertayned his friendes, since he vsed such charitie and compassion to his Enimies.

I cannot denie the glorie I haue obteined by this battell, & much lesse hide y ^e perplexitie I féele for thy present misfor­tune, M. Aurelius to Popilion cap­taine of the partes. for noble mindes are bounde to shew no lesse compassi­on to such as are subdued, then to expresse ioye & gladnesse w ^t those that ar victors: Thou being chiefe of y ^e Partheus: did­est shew great courage to resist, and in me the leader of the Romaines was founde no want of force to fight, notwithstan­ding though thou lost the battell, & I remaine possessed of the victorie, God giues victories not to such as fight most, but where he loueth best. yet as I know y ^u wilt not acknowledge this chaunce to happen by any want of stomacke in thée, so, it belonges to my grauitie, not to atribute it altogither to y ^e greatnes of my vertue, since God doth alwaies minister victories not to such as doe their duties best, but to those that he loueth most: for y ^e [Page 12] effect of al things depending vpō god, man can haue no pow­er cōmaund the destenie of a battell, séeing he is not hable to stay y ^e course of the least planet in heauen. Darius against Alexander, Pompeius against Ceasar, & Hanniball against Sci­pio, had, aboue al equalitie, far greater armies then their eni­mies: by which thou hast reason to cōclude w ^t me, y ^t against y ^e anger of y ^e soueraigne god, cannot preuaile most huge & migh­tie hostes: I maruell ( Popilion) y ^t being great in byrth, valiant of stomacke, welthie in goodes, & mightie in estate & dignitie, why thou bearest with such sorrow y ^e losse of this battel, seing y ^e in no worldly thing fortune is more incertaine & variable, Fortune is most variable in the action of warre thē in y ^e action of war. It is tolde me thou withdrawest to so­litarie corners, & sekest out shaded places, thou eschewest the conuersatiō of men, & complaynest of y ^e gods, which extreame perplexities since y ^u were not woont to suffer in others, much lesse oughtest thou to giue place to them in thy selfe: so, that y ^e valiāt man loseth no reputatiō, for y ^e fortune faileth him, but is y ^e lesse estéemed if he want discressiō to bear hir mutability.

To assemble great Armies, is the office of princes, to leuie huge treasures, belonges to souereigne magistrates, to strike the ennimie is the part of a couragious Captaine, but to suf­fer infirmities, & dissemble mishaps, is a propertie duely an­nexed to noble and resolute mindes: So that one of the grea­test vertues that worldly men can expresse in their common behauiour of this lyfe, is neyther to rise proud by prosperitie, Fortune hath a free wil to com and go when she list. nor fall into dispaire by aduersitie: For fortune hauing a frée­wil to come & go when she list, y ^e wise man ought not to be so­ry to lose hir, nor reioyce to hold hir: such as in their misery shew heauy coūtenāce, do wel proue y ^t they made accoūt to be alwaies in prosperitie, which is a great folly to thinke, & no lesse simplicitie to hope for: seing y ^e giftes & graces of fortune haue no other thing more certaine in thē, thē to be for y ^e most part in all things most incertain, according to y ^e successe of y ^e day wherin y ^u gauest me battell: For there thou orderedst thy camp according to a wise captaine, madest choise of the place, [Page] in great policie, and tokest the aduauntage of the sonne, as a leader of long experience: in consideration of which thinges, thou hast cause to complaine against thy fortune which fa­uoured not thy vertue, & not blame thy discression wherein can be founde no errour: Consider that in wise and graue men, it is an office, that if they cannot do that they will, at least they yéelde to time and are content with that they may: And as the verteous & valiant minde ought not to grieue for not obteyning that which he would, but because he desired that which be ought not: so, Popilion, I wishe thée take héede, that the Honour which so many times thou hast wonne with the hazarde of thy valiant person in enterprises of Warre, He bears his miserie best that hydes it most. be not lost at this present for want of bearing well thy For­tune, Assuring thee that he beares his miserie best that hides it most: & as of al voluble things there is nothing more light then Renowne, so in cases of war and hazarde, it is not ynough for the valiant man to do what he maye, but also he is bounde to attempt nothing but what he ought: For as­well the consideration, as y ^e execution of a fact, belongs duely to a discréete minde· I heare thou wanderest here and there in great vncertaintie of minde, fearing that if thou be taken of my Souldiours, thou shalt be euill intreated of me, which if no man haue tolde thée, it is against reason thou belieue it of thy selfe, because to vs princes of Rome, it is familiar to shew our liberalitie to such as yéeld to vs, & with others that are our prisoners to cōmunicate in great clemencie: we raise armies against campes prowdely furnished, & cities strong­ly walled, but to captains in thy cōdition, we hold it more ho­nourable to minster comfort, then to ad encrease of afflicti­on: for as it suffiseth the valiant Captain to fight against the aduersary that resistes him, & dissemble with him y ^t flieth, so y ^e wise man ought to require no more of his enimy, thē y ^t he ac­knowledg y ^t he standes in feare of him: for if he feare him it is a good argument that he may be in suretie of him, because to daunted & timerus harts, is seldome left courage to renue an [Page 6] enterprise: & therfore a man takes a greater reuēge when he puts his enimie to flight, then if he take his life from him: for the sword dispatcheth a man in a day, but feare and remorse torment the minde continually: and better were it to suf­fer without feare that which we expect in griefe and sorowe, then by feare, to be alwayes in martyrdome: It is better to suffer that wee feare then by feare, to be al­vvayes in martirdome. it is right ter­rible to flesh and bloud to die of a sword, but to be in perpe­tuall sorowe and disquiet of mind, is the very furie and tor­ments of hell.

If thou eschewest my presence in feare that I wil not vse pitie to thée, thou art abused in the opinion of my disposition, and dost wrong to the reputation and experience of my acti­ons past: for, I neuer refused to shew mercie to him that as­ked it, and much lesse deceiued the expectation of him that put his trust in me: the doubt and feare that thus trauell thy minde, ought not to be so much of my person, as of the custome of fortune, who vseth not to vnloose her sharpe Ar­rowes with better wil against any, then such as thinke to be in most securitie of her, her nature being such as not to me­dle with those that she findes prepared the better to assure them, but followeth the fearefull and negligent, to the ende to deceiue them: yea, she preuayles euen ouer the counsels & actions of men, and being exempt to make reckoning to any, her prerogatiue is to require accompt of all men: I as­sure thée oh Popilion, that more do I feare the reuolucion of fortune at this houre, then I doubted hir afore the battel: For she delites not so much to kéepe vnder the vanquished, as to bridle and checke the victors: And worse doth she meane when she smiles the fairest, then when she frownes most. But now to speake on thy behalfe, I tell thée, that without daunger thou mayst resort to my presence, since in thy estate is no cause of suspicion, and in my hart no malice to thy per­son, for in déede that can not be called true victory, which bringes not with it some clemencie: And therefore he can not be named victorious, in whom resteth intent of rigor and [Page] crueltie: For Alexander, Julius Augustus, Titus, and Traianus woonne more renoume by the clemencie they vsed to their e­nemies, then by all the victories they obtayned in straunge regions: to obtayne a victory is a thing naturall & humane, but to giue pardon and life, is the gift and blessing of God, by which it comes to passe, that men estéeme not so much the greatnes of the immortall God for the punishmentes hée doth, as for the mercy he vseth: notwithstanding as I can not denie but that great is the value and estimation which we Romane Princes make of a victory woonne by battel, so also, I assure thée, we hold it more honorable to pardon such as offend vs, then to chastice those that resist our power: therfore, if thou flée from my presence, as fearing y ^e iustice which I haue executed vpon the Romanes, thou oughtest to take se­curitie and courage euen in that which makes thée ieolouse & doubtfull: For so much greater ought to be the clemencie, by how much the offender is in fault: and therfore as there is no offence which can not be either forgiuen or fauored, So right worthely may that pardon be called honorable and famous, which is giuen to an iniurie malicious and manifest, since al other common & light wrongs, with greater reason we may say we dissemble them, then that we pardon them.

The thing y ^e most drawes me, to enter frendship with thée, is, for that in our last capitulations, and truce, thou perfour­medst al that was concluded for the peace, and yet in the bat­tell, expressedst the partes of a valiant Captaine, the same giuing me cause to beleue, that as in the warres I found thée a iust enemie, so in time of peace thou wouldest proue to me an assured friend. Alexander neuer repented the pardon he gaue to Dyomedes the tyrant, nor M. Antho. the fauour he shewed to the great orator Cicero, neither shall I haue cause (I hope) to forthinke the respit I giue to thy [...]ife: for the noble mind, albeit he may haue occasion to be sory for the vnthankfulnes of his friend, yet hath he no licence to repēt him of the good turnes he doth for him: And therfore in the case of libe­ralitie, [Page 14] or clemencie, by how much the person is vnworthy that receiueth the benefit, by so much more is he to be cōmended that bestoweth it: For, that only may be sayde is giuen, when he that giueth, giues without respect: So that, That is frank gift which is gi­uen without re­spect. he that giues in hope of recompence, deserues not to be called libe­ral, but to pretend vsery: Thou knowest wel that in the time of the battell, & when the encoūter was most hot, I offred thée nothing worthy of reproch, euen so thou hast now to iudge, that if in the furie of warre, thou foundest me faithfull and merciful, I haue now no reason to exercise rigor holding thée within the precinct of my house: So that, if thou saw mercy in me at the instant when thy hands were busie to spill my bloud, thinke not that my clemencie shall faile thée, calling thée to the communion and felowship of my table. The priso­ners of thy campe can assure thée of my dealing, amongest whom, the hurt are cured at my charges, & the dead, buried according to the place of souldiers, wherein if I exercised this care vpon such as sought to spoyle me, thinke there is farre greater plentie of grace to thée that comes to serue me: And so leauing thée in the hands of thine owne counsell, I wishe thée those felicities, which thy honorable heart desireth.

To the Duke of ALVA, conteyning an exposition of a text of the Apostle, with other antiquities.

TOgether with your letter (right excel­lent Duke) I haue receiued your parti­cular remembrances, wherein albeit I find it strange, that you shoulde require aduise of me, you, on whom the mightie Caesar reapposeth most for the counsell of his affaires: yet, since it pleaseth you thus to exercise your humilitie, & publish science in me, it belongs to my dutie rather to put my imperfection to your iudgemēt, [Page] then to leaue your desire vnsatisfied: And albeit, in the con­sideration of your demaund, I find some perplexetie to aun­swere, for that your honour séemes to solicit me in one thing, and your conscience in an other: yet, I hope so to debate your difficulties, That man is happy that hath good desires. that in your conscience shall remayn no doubt, nor your reputation subiect to staine or burden: For swéete is the felicitie of that mind whose desires are innocent, and the workes of their life iust.

A Knight of the Gentiles and carelesse of the health of his soule, delites more in the greatnes & antiquitie of his race, then in the vertue whereof his nobilitie tooke beginning, which is found cōtrary in the inclination & action of the true Christian Knight: True nobilitie depends of ver­tue and al other things are to of fortune. For he estéemes true nobilitie to depend of vertue, & all other things to be of fortune: And therfore, to be a good Knight, & to a true Christian, accord well together in the law of Iesus Christ: because to the good & true Knight, it belongs to vse courage in the effect of warre, to be iust in his word, liberall of his purse, patient in aduersities, and to shew clemencie, where he hath cause and power of reuenge: all which are expressely commaunded in the deuine law, and are the most true & glittering ensignes of a good christian knight.

Saint Paule ministreth this aduise to his disciple Timothe, labora vt bonus miles, willing him to trauell as a good Knight, not in the toyles of a laborer, fisher, myller, or mariner, but in the labours of a good Christian Knight, in whom it is to be estéemed no lesse greatnesse of heart to resist vices, then to fight against enemies: And where he bids him bring forth y ^e exercise of a good Knight, he meaneth that the goodnes of a Christian knight consisteth not in pompe and great magnifi­cence, but in the tranquillitie and innocencie of a good consci­ence: for he that walloweth in the wealth of Cressus, & sléepes not in the bosome and quietnes of Abraham, holdes no more then if he were Lord of a goodly vessell replenished with cor­rupt and poysoned liccour: to haue riche tapistery, massiue plate, many great horses, with other preparations to sports [Page 15] and pleasures, bee thinges rather to kéepe our names in honour, then to minister sauetie to our soules, and yet as I can not déeme them to be instruments to entertayne our re­putation, so, with all I can not alowe that they are the very effects of our damnation: For we are bound to séeke God in humilitie and faith, and not to limit his power, nor debate what he ought to determine of our estate: And as I must con­fesse that (for the further value and reputation of Knightes and great Lordes) their houses are replenished, with chil­dren & youth of right honest sort: so I could wish that in their negligent or corrupt education, were suffred no libertie to in­solencie or vice, which then they best performe, when in thē ­selues is expressed no example of leude behauiour: For in the vertue of the maister, is wrought the effecte and example of reformation in the seruant, euen as the temperance of the Father is much to instruct his sonne in his due humilitie & obedience: So that who suffreth in his seruant lies, swearing, Much is in the Father, to make his children re­fourmed. blasphemie, whoredomes, or other dissolute or idle dispositi­on, albeit he be a Knight, yet he can not worthely be called a good Knight: For that the houses of good Knights ought to be as schooles of instruction to youth, and not tauernes to pro­fesse epicuritie: he that kéepes many haukes and hounds, pre­pares riche and costly banquets, holdes a house of generall repaire, and receiueth the vnthrifty and banished, and he that followeth the delites of the world, and forgets his office to god, such one in his behauiour bears reason to be called a gen­tle Knight, for that to such belong those ornamentes and en­seignes, more then to gētlemen folowing Christianitie. But acoording to the aduise of the Apostle, such one aspireth to be a good Knight, who striueth to be a good Christian, The lavve of Christ giues no libertie to do euill. for that by the law of Iesus Christ, none hath libertie to exercise any vice.

Touching the other doubt in your letter, I know not how to giue you any generall rule that hath bene obserued in all regions, for that, according to the diuersitie of nations, men [Page] haue alwayes vsed difference of customes: Licurgus the law-reader of the Lacedemoniens held such in most honour, whose beardes were most hoarie, and heads most white with age: Promotheus ordeined amongst the Egiptians, that to the peo­ple of iustice was transferred most honour: And king Drida­nius was wont to say to the Scicilians, that to the priests of the temple most honour was due: Bryas kyng of the Argiues gaue most honour to the Philosophers that read in schooles: Numa Pompilius amongest the Romanes was of opinion that he was worthy of most reputation, to whom had happened the victo­rie of any famous battell: But Anaxarchus the Philosopher ordeined amongest the Phenitiens, that in a commonweale such should be most honored, who, in time of peace, intertay­ned the state in tranquillitie, and in the furie of warre, was found a wise and valiant protector of their limittes: In all which, albeit there was iust merit of honour and reputation, yet, in common experience and reason of thinges we can not but confesse more desert of worthinesse and vertue in such, whose wisedome & discreation makes them hable to dis­semble & suffer: For, to be discréete in prosperitie, & patient in aduersitie, is the true mocion & effect of a valiant & vertuous mind. If you weigh these things with the nature and pro­pertie of the present time, you wil conclude with me (I doubt not) but that the imperfection of your demaund, takes away necessitie in me to make answere: For in these daies what is more familiar with y ^e most sort, then to scoffe at the reue­rence and dignitie of old age: to disobey magistrates, dispise iustice, scorne the Clergie, laugh at the want of Captaines, persecute the wise sort, and betray such as follow vertue and simplicitie of life: So that in an age thus hardned, and time so vnthankfull, that man takes vppon him no small enter­prise, who striues to be vertuous, since vertue is a thing that prepares vs to immortalitie, Vertue prepares vs to imortalitie and makes vs equall with the heauens: In times past, he that knewe most, was estée­med best: but now, who is most riche, is raysed to most ho­nour: [Page 16] So that the condicion of this age is, to estéeme men so much the more, by how much they wallowe in wealth, and to measure their reputation, not with the dignitie of their vertues, but according to the facultie and fulnesse of their richesse: For worldly men are so infected with corruption, and their nature so subiect to reuolucion and change, that in cases of promotion, high office and dignitie are rather bought with money, then deserued by vertue. In times past, there was no man areared to honour but he that deserue it: but now who are called but such as search it with money. In the former ages, men of science were searched for in farre coun­treys, but now though they knocke at our gates, they are not suffred to enter, no, our corruption & customes draw vs to o­ther delites. In that golden worlde, there was no senat, or counsell established, where was not resident some excellent Philosopher: and now where haue we any pallace, which is not replenished with scoffers & inuēters of vanitie: such was the felicitie of those daies, that he that was vertuous, had li­bertie to controle the wicked, wher now, there is no more cō ­mon subiectiō then that the good sort are reproued by the vile abiects & skomme of al people: In that most happy posterity, the good sort only had licence to speak, where now the wicked are they that know not how to hold their peace: yea in those florishing seasons, the chaffe was sifted frō y ^e corne, the wéede disseuered from the good herbe, good men preferred, & the wic­ked punished, yea vice was suffred to holde no societie with vertue: For that where vice is supported by authoritie, men grow worse and worse, To restraine punishment is a great error in gouernement. and where punishment is restrained there insolencie commaundes the lawes, which is the grea­test error that can be suffred in gouernement.

Touching your demaund, what maner of people in y ^e time of the Gentiles were called théeues, and the sortes of punish­ment they were put vnto: although there be great necessitie in your request, and no lesse insufficiencie in me to satisfie it, yet I will aunswere you with the opinion of Aulus Gelius, [Page] who discribing many orders of théeues, distinguished aswell their punishments, as some kindes of theftes, which accor­ding to the time and person that commits them, may often­times be taken for faultes, but not estéemed as theftes▪ For in paine & iudgement the qualetie with the quantetie, must be considered. The auncients held him as a théefe, who, ey­ther in the field, or towne, tooke away that which was an o­thers, and made no body priuie to it, or against the wil of the owner: he also was estéemed as a théefe, who borowed a horse for one dayes iorney, and retayned him longer: he also was accompted a théefe, who being put in trust with the kéepinge of other mens goods, conuerted them to his proper vse, as if they had bene his owne. Lastly he boore the name of a theefe, which borowed any thing for ten daies, & restored it not in twentie. And as all these in their seuerall kinds were estée­med robbers and théeues, so the law set downe for them va­rietie of punishment: For amongest the Gréekes, they were marked on the forhead with hot yrons, to the end to be more readily knowne. Punishments for theeues. The statutes of Licurgus were to cut of their noses: Promotheus ordayned that they should be com­mitted to children to punish them at their pleasure: by the law of Numa Pompilius, one of their handes was cut of. But the first that inuented to cut of their eares, or strangle them vpon gibbets, were the Goathes, who, (notwithstanding in other respects were Barbarus) yet vsed they seuere iustice to théeues and robbers: But at this day (sir) if there were cō ­mission to hang vp all the théeues in the world, I feare there would be more want of Gibbets, then of robbers to furnish them. And greatly haue we to desire with Diogeues, that the great théeues should not so hang vp the little ones, nor the lawes be made like to Spyder webbes, who suffer the great ones to pearce and passe thorow without punishment, and strangle the little flie, in whom is least offence.

To don FARDINANDO de TOLEDO, to whom ar expounded two Authorities of the Scripture, and the cu­stome of the Egiptians in the death of their frendes.

I Haue not thus long forborne to write to you, in any necligent respect, as remem­bring with what deuotion you required me, & with what humilitie and affectiō I am bounde to obey you: And now if my answere séeme to short to satisfy you, let the same discression which is woont to take all thinges in the best, beare now with my wretched infirmitie of the gowt, which hath made me such a Martir, that much lesse that I haue leasure to write, séeing I haue no habilitie to sturre or moue: Yea, it hath left no part frée in my body, except my hart to sighe, and my tongue to com­plaine: You require me to sende you in writing the expo­sition of those two partes of the Scripture which I pronoū ­ced not long since, afore the Maiestie of Caesar, which as I can not denie you considering your Authoritie, euen so, I hope you will wey the difficultie that belonges to it, since the Penne can geue no such grace to discribe a matter, as the Tongue to pronounce it. The first was written in the 19. of Leuiticus, in these wordes: Super mortuos non incidietis car­nes vestras neque figuras aliquas. &c. God, by Moyses, com­maunded here the Hebrewes that when any of their parents or friendes dyed they should not Shaue their heades, nor rent their Faces, and much lesse hurt any other part of the bodye, no, nor imprint any carrect in the same: By the meaning of which commaundement, we may gather that y ^e children of Jsraell hauing dwelt many yeares with the Egip­ans, learned of them many wicked and pernicious customes: For as (more then any other people) they were geuen to the Mathematyke Sciences, and other artes and faculties su­persticious, as Magicke and Nigromoncie, so there was no [Page] nation, that in the death of their friendes expressed greater ceremonies then the Egiptian, who showed signes of stron­ger frendship to his friende being dead, then when he liued: For, when eyther the Father lost his Sonne, or the Sonne bereaued of his Father, or any other man by death was de­priued of his priuate friende: they resorted forthwith to this custome, to shaue y ^e one halfe of their haire, expressing therby y ^t their frende being dead, they had lost y ^e one moytie of their hart: For which cause, God forbad y ^e Hebrews to make them­selues balde, to y ^e end they should not be like y ^e Egiptian wo­men, who in y ^e funerals of their husbands, parents, childrē, or great frends, vsed to scratch & disfigure their faces with their proper nailes: which custome god forbad in y ^e womē of Jsrael, least, for vsing y ^e ceremonies of y ^e Egiptiās they stood not subiect to y ^e scourges of Egipt: the inferiour sacrificators of Egipt, whē their high priestes died, vsed to make certaine carrects (ac­cording to their particuler fancie) in their handes, armes, or brestes, to y ^e end y ^t as often as they behelde them, they might expresse compassion & teares, as also at y ^e death of their king, all y ^e officers & seruants of his house, made woundes in their armes, hands, face, or head, euery one making his wound so much y ^e déeper, by how much he stood in fauor with the king: But God cōmaunding the Hebrues to refraine such wilfull hurting of thēselues, forbad them to imitate y ^e Egiptians, nor to folow y ^e customs of y ^e houshold seruants of their king: for y ^t in all those cerimonies were effects of superstiton, & only in­nouated by y ^e deuill, yea, they brought hurt to such as liued, & were in vaine to those y ^t were dead: In y ^e olde law God also forbad men to labor y ^e fielde with yokes of oxen & asses: And to Sowe in one grounde two kindes of graine, with such lyke, which were not without mistery, because all those cu­stomes depended vppon the Cerimonies of the Egyptans, which God would not should holde any vse amongest the people of Jsraell: But here we haue to note that God re­strayned not men to vse sorrow and teares in the death of [Page 18] their frendes: For, as other Cerimonies are in our will, ey­ther to doe, or not doe them, so sorrow and heauines for the losse or absence of a friende doe as naturallie follow flesh [...] and bloud, as our appetite to eate and drinke: and though by reason some men may dissemble them, yet by nature there are fewe that can auoyd them: Therfore God that made the hart, and ioyned to it his affections, neuer added any law to forbid teares and wéeping: séeing to the hart, (whose chiefest propertie consists in tendernes) there can be offered nothing more intollerable or grieuous: then to sée it selfe deuided frō the thing it holdes most deare: the same standing good in ap­parant example in the experience and disposition of any two creatures, who, (after their long conuersation together) if they be seperated, or their faunes enforced, will imediatly (according to their kinde) declare their passion: the Lion will roare, the Cow will yeall, the Swine will gront, & the Dog cannot but howle: much more then is the condition of Man subiect to sorrow and heauines, as in whom nature bréedes a more quicke and raging sence of passion for the discontinu­ance of their deare frendes: And if we haue compassion ouer the misaduenture of a straunger, or the losses of our neigh­bour suffering casualtie, or liuing in absence, are we restrai­ned to lesse remorce for the death of our great frend whom we see put into the graue? For which cause the Philosopher was of opinion that so many times did a man dye, how often he loste his friendes: For that since two hartes vnited in one honest affection, haue but one being and place of residence, it is good reason that we bewayle the death of our chosen friendes euen with the same nature and compassion which we would doe our owne: The Seconde part of y ^e discourse is drawne out of Deut. in this text: Eligite ex vobis viros sapientes, &c. my will is (sayth God) that all such as aspire to the administration of publike gouernemēt, shall be wise and noble: This commaundement was not pronounced of God without great misterie, but chiefely that [Page] gouernours should be both wise and noble, for that as wise­dome without noblenesse, is a troublesom thing, so nobility without wisedome is but as a soule without a body, or as a painted fire that becomes y ^e wall, but giues no heat to y ^e be­holder: Therfore as to be gouerned by a maiestrate flowing in science & knowledge, & fayling of noblenesse, is both mise­rable & troublesome: so, it cannot but be intollerable to liue vnder y ^e controulment of him, to whom fortune hath geuen greatnes of place & birth, & grace & nature denied discression & other temperances of y ^e spirit, so y ^t to make vp a full perfec­tion, it is necessary y ^e iudge haue knowlege to debate & deter­mine causes, & nobilitie to moderate y ^e residue of y ^e affections of y ^e minde, yet, The wisedome which god requires in y ^e ma­iestrates of his cōmon weale, ought not to stretch to subtlety or tiranny, but to be tempered w ^t modestie, swéetnes, & graci­ous behauiour, VVhat is required of a iudge in matters of councell. for a iudge, in y ^e office & causes of coūcel, is no lesse boūd to y ^e obseruation of y ^e law, religion, faith, & equitie, then to be voyd of all hate, enuy, feare, couetousnes, or other corrupt affectiōs, it was not without cause y ^t god cōmaūded to institute y ^e iudges ouer his people, of noble cōdition, seing it is a great argument of y ^e sewertie & tranquility of y ^e state, whose magestrate is compoūded of nobilitie and modestie. Therfore y ^e first gouernour y ^t administred y ^e cōmonweale of god, was y ^e easie & gracious Moyses, whom gods prouidence led to be nourished in y ^e court of Pharao by y ^e kings daughter, to y ^e end that in such societie & experience of so many wise and noble iudges, he might learne how to entreat & assure good men in their innocencie, & how to chastice y ^e euill amid their wickednes, A magistrate ought rather to be terrible in threates then in punishment. the affaires of war are far different from y ^e poli­cie & gouernemēt of a cōmonweale established: for y ^t in mat­ters of enterprise, it is méete y ^e captaine be valiant, but to go­uerne at home let y ^e magestrate expresse affabilitie & swéet­nes, for y ^t a ruler ought rather to be terrible in threats, then in punishement, & so to tēper his authoritie y ^t his people may feele his power rather with his liberality thē with iniuries: [Page 19] And albeit it is no generall rule that all the common sort be rude and barbarus, nor that euery courtier is fully furnish­ed with ciuillity: yet, in such as receiue their fourme & fashi­on in courts of princes, is alwayes found more respect, con­sideration, and iudgement of things, & are of a better correc­tiō of manners, then the others. There be few things which ought to be guided by rigor of iustice, but fewer to be gouer­ned by force, by which reason it behoueth the iudge to be wise and noble, to the ende that by wisedome he may know what iustice is, and by his nobilitie he may moderate the rigor of the lawe:

A Letter to a great learned man aunswering to certeine demaundes.

THis hath bene alwayes one strange proper­tie in your frendship, that the more I traue­led to serue you, the more you studied to tro­ble me, and that not so much for necessitie of matter as with intētion to exercize & proue my skill: wherein albeit to your wit is ioy­ned a naturall redines more then in many others, yet your curiousnes brings with it this suspition, that you haue more want of iudgment then lacke of time, specially desiring aun­swere to those demaundes whose vse ought to be famyliar with all men that beare opinion of knowledge or science. And where you Wrote too mée but in sport, and for the ex­ercize of your memorie, I will not wythstanding aunswere [Page] you in good earnest: Folowing therein the maner of the An­cient Orators, who in causes most base and of least impor­tance, expressed a greatest shew of their eloquence.

PLVTARKE writeth to the Emperour TRAIAN be­ing lately his Disciple and now raysed to the Empire. A Letter tending to instruct Princes newly raysed to principalities.

RIght excellent Prince: Albeit the long experience I haue had of the modera­tion of your will, together with what disposition you haue alwayes affected estates and dignities: Yet I haue ne­uer knowne you subiect to those de­sires which for the most part gouerne most mē, that is, to aspire to kingdoms and principallities. A man to forbeare to winne and pur­chase honor, is out of the limittes of wisedome, but not to giue libertie to the hart to desire it, is sure a vertue more di­uine then huntaine. For, that man doth enough who restrai­neth the action that his handes haue power to execute, and maketh his desires equall with thinges honest, indifferent, and reasonable: Wherein with iust cause may I say thy Empire is happie, since thou hast done Actes to deserue it, and vsed no corrupt industrie to purchase it: For, Vertue rayseth vertuous men. dignities apperteining properlie to vertue, vertue of her selfe trans­ferreth [Page] them, to those men to whom her selfe is conioyned. There haue bene many Emperours, who haue not bene so much honored for the estates they haue had, as for the me­rite of their vertues by the which they haue bene raysed vnto them. For, the honor of a man consistes not so much in the present office he hath, as in the vertues and merittes which followed his lyfe afore: So that it is to offices that men geue new honor, where to the personage belonges no­thing but paine and charge. And therefore remembring for mine owne part, that I haue gouerned thy youth and in­structed thy witte with good learning, I cannot but reioyce as much in thy excellent vertues, as in thy supreame. For­tune, alluding to my selfe no small happinesse, that in my time Rome hath a Lorde, euen he that hath bene my Di­sciple.

Principalities of tiranie are got by force, & susteyned by Arms, which as I haue always knowne to be far from thy nature & cōdition, so hast thou, now to remēber y ^t thou oughtest to doe nothing to bring thée into y ^e opinion & suspition of men. For, as the Empire is discended vnto thée with the voyce and consent of all men, so it belonges to thée to enter­teyne it with due iustice towardes all sortes: Wherein, if thou béest thankefull to the great God, patient in chaun­ces and fortunes, carefull in daungers, mylde to thy Peo­ple, and affable to straungers, not gréedie of riches, nor a lo­uer of thy proper desires, the burden of thy place will be ea­sie, thy renoume perpetuall, and all common weales and Posterities made happie by thy example. I aduize thée with great reason, not to be a follower of thy proper desires, for that there can be no worse gouernement then that which is managed by Opinion onely: Since he that Admini­streth in a Common Weale, ought to liue in Feare of all but much more of himselfe, for that much more is he Sub­iect to fayle and Erre following his will and fancie, then if hée Followed the Direction of his well aduized Coun­cell, assuring thée, that too auoyde Infamie too thy selfe, [Page 69] and preiudice to thy People, thou oughtest first to applie Correction to thy selfe afore thou Minister Discipline to others. Therefore, it were good that now that thou com­maundest, thou shouldest expresse thy selfe such one as when thou wast commaunded: For, other wayes little would it serue thée by thy vertues to haue deserued the Empire, if af­terwardes thy want of gouernement made thée vnworthie to vse it: It is more worthy too deserue honor then too possesse it. since it is more worthy to deserue honor thē to pos­sesse it. To atteine to honor is a worke humaine, but to pre­serue it is a grace diuine: And therefore thou hast to take héede, that though thou art a Souereigne Prince, yet thou hast no priueleadge to be in all thinges an absolute Lorde: For, amongst men there is no authoritie so supreame which hath not God to be iudge ouer them, and men to be behol­ders of what they doe. In which respect, now that thou art a Prince, thou hast a greater bonde to be good, and lesse ly­bertie to be euil, then when thy estate was priuate: So that the authoritie thou hast got to commaunde, leaues thée lesse libertie to offende, and no oportunitie at all to follow thy proper recreations. For if thy regiment aunswere not the expectation of the people of Rome, and thy behauiour be con­trarie to the desires and opinion of thy olde Mayster Plu­tarke, thou canst not but be subiect to many daungers, and offer my aged body into the hands of my aduersaries to suf­fer reuenge, since this is a common custome, that the faultes and abuses of the Disciple are transferred and heaped vpon the heade of the instructor and Mayster. And therefore ha­uing bene thy teacher, and thou my folower, lyke as the good that thou dost cannot but bring to me some honor, so also if thou dost euill, I can not but communicat in the infamie: which happened to Seneka, who boare imputation for the cruelties of Nero, and the Philosopher Chilo for the follies of his Disciple Leander: Who albeit were personages of such vertue as they had the credit to fashion and gouerne right mightie Princes: Yet for that they flattered their [Page] greatnesse with libertie and fauor, when they should haue distilled into their youth doctrines and rules of direction, they left to themselues perpetuall infamie, and to many common weales perill of subuersion. And as my penne hath not spared to discribe Princes & ages past, so be thou assu­red Oh Emperour, No prince but his behauiouris published. that neyther thy greatnesse nor my neg­ligence shall be fauored of such as are to come: For, other­wise it will not come to passe but that such as haue interest in the fault, should be also inheritors of the Punishment. Thou remembrest what I haue taught thée in thy youth, and wyth what councels I haue instructed thy ryper age, neyther art thou ignorant I know with what frankenesse I haue debated with thée by Letters since thou wast a Prince, and familiarlie communicated with thée in secret: wherein I stoode alwayes vppon these obseruations, not to make thée acquainted with any thing which should not bée for the seruice of God, for the aduauncement of the common weale, and furthering to thy reputation. And therefore, for any thing I haue written, spoken, or perswaded, I stand not in feare to be punished of God after my death, nor to be re­proched of men whilest I liue, accompting it to belong to the necessitie of thy age, & grauitie of my profession, to whis­per nothing in thine eare, which I might not haue publish­ed in the open Senate. And now, (afore I adressed this Let­ter vnto thée) examining my selfe, whether during the time I had thée vnder my Discipline, I had done or sayde in thy presence any thing which might prouoke thée to ill example, I finde that I neuer did any thing which became not well the ciuilitie of a good Romane, nor spake worde, which was not fully conuenient with the modestie of a correct Philoso­pher. So that if it please thée to make the rules and instruc­tions of thy youth, the compasse to direct the course of thy high gouernement and Reigne, thou shalt finde the néedle of thy lyfe and doinges to draw directly to a renoume of per­petuall fame and felicitie: Wherein I doe not so much put [Page 70] thée in remembrance, to the end thou shouldest gratifie me, but because thy lyfe being well instructed, there may folow better seruice and successe to thy estate, estéeming it inough for my recompence to vnderstande that the worlde holdes thee a good man. Princes ought not to measure thinges by re­porte but by e­quitie of conci­ence I beséeche thée take this last councell in good parte, that albeit thou art raysed to the Empire, it is not for that thou art of the house of Rome, but because thou hast bene a follower of vertue, who willeth Princes, not to measure thinges by common report of the People, but by iustice and equitie of conscience.

The Emperour TRAIAN writeth to his teacher PLV­TARKE, debating that albeit a good man may be Ba­nished, yet he is not for that dishonored.

AFore I had halfe read thy Letter, I had coniecture it came from thée, not so much for y ^e experience I haue of thy forme of writting, as by the grauitie of the matter it conteineth, the same being the occasion that I redde it often, séeming therein to sée thée write, and heare thée speake: yea I caused it to be redde at my Table, to the ende thy affecti­on might be knowne, and I put in remembrance how much I owe to thée. Where thou canst not belieue (as thou saiest) that I solicited the Kingdome, nor aspired to it by corrupt meanes, I will not denie but as a man I haue desired it, forbearing notwithstanding to rise to it by broakage or cor­ruption. For that I neuer knewe any man purchase honor by brybes, to whom the meane of such honor was not the cause of some notable infamie, as is truely veryfied in y ^e ex­ample of the good olde man Menander, who, for that hée practized the consulship by money, was past into Exile, and [Page] so (by the due iustice of the highest) lost his honor, his goodes, and lyfe. It was a doctrine reade in thy Vniuersitie, that more ought men to labor to deserue honor, then to be bolde to procure it, That is vnlaw­full which is got by vnlaw­full meanes. estéeming that vnlawfull which is gotten by vnlawfull meanes. He that is without credit ought to labor to winne it: And who is in infamie let him studie to bée made worthie of honor: But the man of vertue hath neuer no want of nobilitie, and much lesse can his honor be taken from him: since honor is ioyned to vertue as the brier is to the rease, and though all other thinges be of fortune, yet true Nobilitie dependes of vertue, as the house vppon his foundation. Many men haue refuzed offices, and yet much lesse that they liued in lesse loue and estimation, séeing the disclayming of dignities brought to them more honor then al y ^e victories they wonne in the warres, for that the successe of Conquestes follow for the most parte the iudgement of fortune, but the deniall of office and charge lyeth onely in the wisedome of man. I assure thée when the enseigne of the Empire was presented to me, I was no lesse ignorant of the chaunce then out of hope of the dignitie, knowing that it was solicited by others wyth no meane practize and cor­ruptions. But seeing it is the prouidence of the great God to make me his minister béeing called with the consent and will of all men, and that I haue assurance in thy aduice and councell, I doubt not but God will communicate with me in the gouernement, and restraine fortune for geuing me a­ny such sodeine mutation as may chaunge the courage and constancie of my minde: Assuring thée y ^t I acknowledge me to haue bene thy Disciple, euen with the same ioy where with thou saiest thou hast taught me, & now séest me Empe­rour. Wherin séeing y ^u wilt not from henceforth but call me Lorde, I will neuer speake of thée by other name then Fa­ther: And albeit I haue bene sought to, and councelled of many since my election to the kingdome, yet amongest all, I reserue my selfe to bée familiar onely with thée, conside­ring [Page 71] that in such as sue to giue me councell, is an intention to draw my will to theirs, where I know thou wilt not ad­uize me but for my profit and commoditie of my honor. Of­ten times I haue heard thée say, Such as giue councell to princes should be free from passi­ons. that in such as geue Coun­cell to Princes should be libertie and fréedome from all pas­sions and affections. For that in the action of Councell gi­uing, where the will is most inclined, there the spirite and witte haue most strength. That a Prince in all thinges doe his will, I doe not allow, and that he take Councell of eue­rie one, is lesse séemely: Therefore as to the affaires of a kingdome cannot but be a great necessitie of aduice, so let the Prince make this choyse of his Councellors, VVhat councelors Princes ought to chuse. rather to be Councelled by those of whom he is loued, then by such as himselfe loueth. For, in the affection of the Counceller to his Prince is great securitie and care of the common busi­nesse, where from such as be followers of the Prince, can grow no great matter of prouidence for the publike safetie as being men all together dedicated to the complexion and humors of the Prince. Wherin hauing had long experience of thy déepe insight in matters of policie, and no lesse expec­tation that thou wilt vse no lesse care to direct me now be­ing a Prince, then thou tookest paynes to instruct me when I followed thée as thy Disciple: I will that from henceforth to thée belong the chiefe charge to geue me Councell in my most weightie affaires, and to aduertize me of the imper­fections and faultes that from time to time appeare in me. For, as Rome holdes me for the protector of their common weale, so I reserue thée to be the beholder and examiner of me lyfe. And if at any time thou findest me frowarde to be warned by thée in thinges necessarie for my reformation: I pray thée conster it not to any displeasure towardes thée: Since, in such case, my passion shall not be for the warnings thou géeuest mée, but for the Shame that I haue Erred. And as to haue bene norished in thy house, to haue hearde thy Lectures, to haue imitated thy doctrines, and to haue li­ued [Page] vnder thy Discipline, haue bene (sure) principall means to preferre me to the Empire: So, it cannot but be ascribed too great inhumanitie to thée, if thou forbeare to helpe me to manage and guide that which thou hast procured me to win & get, estéeming it I assure thée, to my great felicitie to haue familaritie with such one as y ^u whose wisedome makes thée worthie to be a iudge of my Councelles, and in thy fayth I may be bolde to repoze the Controlement of my lyfe.

Lastly, where thou aduizest me to continue such one as I was before, with condition not to decline, I beleue thou drawest this warning from the example of Nero, whose go­uernement béeing well ordered for the first fiue yeares of his Reigne, he grewe afterwardes to encrease more in wic­kednesse then in dignitie. But rather then thou shalt finde me successor to the impudēcies and vilenesse of Nero, I pray thée pray to God to giue me no sufferāce to reigne in Rome, since that Tyrantes procure dignities to exercize Crueltie, and good men aspire to kingdomes to the end to maintaine vertue. By the miserie of vnfortunate men others are warned to take heede. And therefore to such as were good afore, and are corrupt by the place, there is more cause of pytie then ma­lice: For that if fortune rayse them, it is not to honor them, but to make them fall. And to wisemen the miserie of vn­fortunate men is an example to warne others to kéepe a meane in their happie estate.

The Emperour TRAIAN writing to the SENATE of Rome, discloseth the trauelles of Princes in their Go­uernementes.

IT is not vnknowne to vs that death hath called from you your dear Lord the Empe­rour and my late predecessor, whom if you Lament as in the losse of a iust Prince, I haue no lesse reason of sorrow for the want of a Father so graue and pitifull. When [Page 72] Children loaze a good Father, and a whole comunaltie a iust & vertuous prince, there can be no sorow more intolle­rable, or that worldly men cannot suffer losses of more hea­uie importance: Princes to com­mon weales are the same that God is too sin­ners. (since good Princes are the same to com­mon weales, that God is to sinners, who, though we forget to loue and obey him, yet he forbeares not to protect and prouide for vs. The death of a good man deserues to be sor­rowed of all, but the losse of a iust Prince ought to be ex­treamely and bitterly lamented: for that when a priuate man dyeth, there is lost but one, but when a good Prince is taken away there dyeth with him the felicitie of a whole kingdome: So that if GOD would suffer vs to sell the liues of good Princes already deade, the price sure would be to base to buy them againe with tears, since, euen with the most precious Golde and siluer can not be weighed downe the price and Raunsome of a vertuous man. If Treasure would haue redéemed the lyfe of Hector, the Troyans would haue furnished it in great aboundance: or if money might eftsoones haue breathed life into Haniball, there would haue bene found no want in the Carthaginiens. But God, God hath authoritie too dispose all thinges by the same pow­er where with he created them of nothing. hauing made all mortall thinges, hath authoritie to dispoze of them euen by the same power wherwith he hath Created them of nothing, reseruing onely to himselfe Immortalitie. How reuerent is the vertue of good men, and with what preroga­tiues they are indued, appears easelie in this, that men beare more honor to the Sepulchers of the vertuous, then to the emboasted Palaices of the wicked. The good and vertuous man, though he bée farre absent and out of vse and know­ledge, yet men loue him, serue him, and aunswere for him, where, to the wicked is geuen no credit in that he sayth, and much lesse are we thankefull to him in that hée doth for vs. For, to the euill man is appoynted this propertie of iustice, Due iustice for a wicked man. to be doubted most where he would faynest haue credit, and not to be beleued though he speake the trueth. Touching my election to the Empire, as it was left by my predecessor, de­maunded [Page] of the People, and approued by you, so I doubt not but my gouernment will be so much the more plausible and profitable to Rome, by how much in my adoption were ful­filled all thinges agréeable to God. And as it serues to little for men to chuse Princes, if they be not confirmed by God. So, there be certaine signes to discerne such as are called by God from others chosen by men. For, that which men by sodeine Councell aduaunceth, God by due iustice bringes downe: where those things which the mightie God planteth, albeit they stande open to all windes and receiue many ad­uersities, yet they neuer fall, yea, though they incline and bende, there is no power to remoue them. You know that albeit I was Nephewe to your predecessor, yet I neuer soli­cited him for the kingdome, and much lesse occupied my thoughtes to hope for it, hauing learned of my Mayster Plu­tarke, that honor ought rather to be deserued then purcha­sed. And as I will not denie but that a kingdome is a swéete pray, and that the present of so high and excellent a dignitie was welcome to me with inwarde gladnes: So also I can not but confesse that I finde great difference betwéene the trauelles of a Kingdome, and the securitie of a priuate lyfe: yea, after I had tasted of what bitter cares this swéete pray is compounded, I was sorie my weaknesse was so soone in­ticed, though it be too late to repent. For, of such qualitie is Imperie and gouernement, that if there be great honor to haue it, Princes subict to many per­plexities. there is no lesse paine and trauell to wéelde it. Oh to how many perplexities standes he Subiect, who byndes himselfe to gouerne others: For that, if he be iust, they will call him cruell: if he be pytifull, they will dispize him: if hée be liberall, they will hold him prodigall: if he be a husband of that he hath, they will say he is couetous: If he be peace­able, they will estéeme him a cowarde: if he be couragious, they will impute it to quarrelling: if he be graue, they wil note him proude: if he be affable, they will ascribe it light­nesse and simplicitie: if he be solitarie they will iudge him [Page 73] an Ipocrite: and if he be mery they will say he is dissolute. So that men most commonly wil vse more respect towards all others, then towardes him that gouerneth the whole. For, to the Prince they accompt the morcelles that he ea­teth, they measure his pases, they espie his wordes, they ob­serue what companie he kepeth, they iudge his workes, they are Ielouse ouer his Lookes and Iestures: Yea, they exa­mine and murmure at his Pastimes, and make coniecture euen of his secret thoughtes: Who then weygheth wyth the trauelles that bréede in principality, the Ielousies that stande as espialles ouer such as gouerne: will confesse (I doubt not) that as there is no estate more sure then that that is deuided from Empire and rule. So, gouernement béeing none other thing then the Foarge of enuie, the best cure and remedie is to forbeare to be absolute, and liue con­tented with us estate priuate: For, if a man can not but with great paine gouerne a Wyfe whom he hath chozen: trayne vp his Children whom he hath begotten: and in­struct his seruant whom he hath hyered hauing them all in his house. Farre greater paine shall he finde to enterteyne in one peace and vnitie a whole common weale deuided in to straunge dispositions. Sure the lyfe of Princes deserue great compassion, for that in fewe can they repose or trust, séeing often times they are most detected by those whom they most fauor: they can not eate without watching, sléepe without garde, speake without Ielousie, Perplexities of Princes. nor go without e­spiall, so that being Lordes ouer all, yet they are Prisoners euen to their proper vassals: Yea, if we consider the serui­tude of Princes, and the libertie of subiectes, we shall finde that in whom the kingdome hath most action, euen against him seruitude hath most power, so that though princes haue authoritie to geue libertie to others, yet their place will not suffer them to minister it to themselues: God hauing Crea­ted vs frée, we doe so delight to haue our libertie frée, that how neare so euer a man tough vs eyther in frendship, kin­dred, [Page] or bloud, yet we had rather he were our vassall, then our Lorde: For that, as libertie is as deare to vs as bloud and lyfe: All seruitude is miserable. so all seruitude is miserable according to the desire of Caesar who, in respect his Soldiours were made frée, wish­ed himselfe despised and worth nothing: We estéeme our selues so much, and follow our desires with such partiall af­fection, that as we shall neuer sée any man who of his pro­per will, wil be made bounde, so, we haue not read of any y ^t against his will was made Lorde. For, the harte without libertie takes pleasure in nothing, as well appeareth in the controuersies of men, whose warre we sée are not so much for the quarrell of obedience, as to establishe their authori­tie to commaunde: In Eating, in Drinking, in Speaking, in Garmentes, in Iestures, and in all other actions and af­fections men bée different, sauing in the desire of libertie wherein they are all conformable. All this I haue written vpon y ^e occasion of mine Empire, which being so vniuersal­lie offered, I haue thankefully accepted, though many times I finde wearinesse in so great a burden: For, a large Sea, and a great kingdome are two thinges pleasaunt to behold, and most perillous to proue: Notwithstanding, since by the will of God I am appoynted your Lorde, and by your pro­per consentes you are made my vassalles: I require to bée obeyed as Lorde in thinges that are iust, and pray you as Fathers to aduertise me when I doe things vnreasonable: Assuring you that if you fulfill the office of good Councel­lors, you shall finde in me that readie conformitie, that be­longes to the action of the commō weale. On whose behalfe I recommend vnto you the prouidence of the common trea­sure, aswell to consider by what meanes it is got, with what sewertie it is kept, as also to what vses it is transferred and employed: for the goodes of the common weale are not com­mitted to your confidence to the end to enioy them, but be­cause you might gouerne them.

And albeit the Warres of Germanie being lyke yet to be [Page 74] prolonged, for that the king of Dacia continueth in his re­uolt from the obedience of Rome, I shall be yet driuen to fo­low the occasion of the warres: yet in this absence I cannot be vnmindfull of the affaires of the state, as holding it lesse euill for a Prince to be negligent in the procéedings of war, then careles of the busines concerning y ^e gouernment of the cōmon weale: for, a good Prince ought to thinke, y ^t he is not chosen so much to folow y ^e wars, as to gouerne ciuily: The respect of a Prince in his election not so much to kil his enemies abroad, as to supplāt vices at hom: not so much to folow forreine affairs, as to kepe resort & re­sidence amongst his subiectes: not to take y ^e goods of others, but to doe iustice to euery one: not to pardon the riche, in respect of his wealth, not to denie iustice to the pore for his pouertie: not to geue rewardes all together for affection, nor to minister chastisement by passion onely: and not to denie iustice to him that demaundes it: nor shewe mercie but where it is deserued: Since whylest a Prince in the Warres cannot Fyght but for one and in his owne person, in the Common weale his absence geues libertie to many insolencies done too many innocents: Sure it is a iust re­warde of vertue, that of Captaines men come to be Empe­rours: But there is no conueniencie that Emperours di­scend to be captaines, for that in that realme is seldome sta­bilitie of peace & quiet, whose Prince is to much inclined to wars & enterprises: By these I pray you beleue that if the warres of Jermaine had not begone whilest I was in these parts, I had not made my selfe a partie to them, hauing al­wais this principal purpose to be reputed rather a ciuil go­uernour then a follower of Armes. I recomend to you chief­ly the honor of GOD, and establishement of the Church. For that, that king can not liue in sewertie, who prouides not to haue God honored and the ministerie mainteined: That king can not Reigne in suretie who prouides not too haue god serued Let Princes feare God, enterteine iustice, reuerence the ministers of the Church, and defende the poore. So shall they be perfect men, & pleasing to God who for recompence, [Page] will not suffer them to be forgotten of their frends, nor van­quished of their enemies. I wishe you also to communicate together in one frendship and fraternitie: For that, in com­mon weales greater are the harmes that rise by ciuill facti­ons of one neighbour against an other, then by the furie of forreine and publike enemies: I wishe you to cutte of all occasions of quarrelles, to be cherishers of the poore, preser­uers of the Fatherlesse, and protectors of y ^e Wydows: For that, Vertue consists more in works then in wordes. to none is God wont to minister more sharpe iustice then to such as restraine compassion to the pore, & suffer the innocent to receiue oppression. And, because vertue consistes more in workes, then in wordes: I exhort you to vse mo­destie in spéeche: to be patient to suffer: and prouident in your forme of liuing. For, it cannot but bring great falt and shame to a gouernour, to giue prayses to the people of his common weale, and in himselfe beare iust occasion of repre­hension: And therefore to such as manage estates and go­uernementes, it apperteynes to haue more confidence in their workes then in their wordes: For that the common People is more enclined to iudge of that which they sée, then to beléeue thinges which they heare. In affaires concerning the Senate, I would not haue any of you noted of Ambicion, Malice Fraude, nor Enuie: For that, to men of honor, truth and vertue, it is vnséemely to contende more for the Soue­reigntie and commaundement of a common weale, then for the aduauncement and profite of it. The Empire of the Greekes, hath bene alwayes contrarie to the gouernement of the Romaines aswell in Armes and Lawes, as in opini­ons: For, the Grecians had a singuler felicitie in eloquent speaking, and to vs hath belonged the propertie of wel wor­king: By this I exhort you being assembled in the Senate y ^t you bestow not more time to dispute & arguing of contro­uersies, then necessarilie apperteines to the true search and decision of the same: Since, if you will not entangle your iudgementes with passion and affections, you shall (with­out [Page 75] long argument) be easelie led to reason and conclusion. In this respect, many wise men haue thought it more ex­pedient that kinges and Emperours should suffer them­selues to be gouerned by men learned, then to be learned themselues: Forbidding them thereby to leaue to their pro­per opinions, of the which for the most parte they ought to be suspicious. Let your iudges and such as sitte in office to solicit the affaires of the common weale, be wise men, skil­full in lawes, expert in customes, discréete in thinges they haue to iudge, and circumspect in their conuersation and forme of lyfe. For, in instruction of lyfe and manners, more good doth the iudge w ^t his good example, then with his seuere punishement: and to the well gouernement of a common weale, more conducible and necessarie is the wise man, then he that is too wel learned. Therfore in causes of iustice and iudgement, haue regarde to minister the Lawes in Ciuill processes, and in matters criminall it is good to moderate their rigor: For that in the Creation of seuere and cruell Laws, the chiefe purpose was rather to kepe men in terror, then to haue the Lawes committed to extreame action: So that afore the publication of your sentence, you ought to cō ­sider the age of the offender, the time, the manner, the occa­sion, the confederacie, and the value of the offence, in all which circumstances may be helpes, though not to acquite the trespasse, yet to qualifye the rigor of the law: in the administration and office whereof we, ought to deale in the same rate and measure of mercie towards offenders, which God vseth with sinners, on whom he exerciseth com­passion aboue their desertes, and punisheth them vnder the merite of their transgressions. And as in criminall offen­ces Iudges ought to thinke that God is more offended then men: So, if it please him to remitte faultes done agaynst his maiestitie, it is a good example to warne vs not to exe­cute the Laws extreamely against those that offend others and not vs. Lastly, I wishe you (in cases of quarrell and [Page] wrong) that if your enemies doe you any iniurie, you will forbeare present reuenge: For that, to pardon many for the offence of one, holdes of the office of Christianitie, but to chastice many for the falt of one, apperteynes properly to Tirantes. It is better some time to dissem­ble an iniurie then to reuenge it. Yea, though in mans nature the dispight of an iniurie encreaseth y ^e desire of reuenge: yet, there be wrongs wherein often times men finde more sewertie to dissemble them then to reuenge them.

The SENATE of Rome writeth to TRAIAN their Emperour, partly to aunswere to some particulers of his former Letters: and withall expressing Documentes necessarie to the instruction of a Prince.

RIght Souereigne and worthie Empe­rour, Such was the compassion and re­garde of thy late Vncle and predecessor Nervus towardes thée, that in the very Article and extreame approch of death, he made no sorrow for that his children were dead which might haue inherited his possessions: but gaue thankes to God for leauing thée to succéede him in the Empire. So that albeit too the good Emperour were successors other then thou, both more deare in friendship, more bounde in seruice, and better ex­perienced in pollicie and Warres: Yet he vouchsafed to fixe his eye vpon thée onely, as in whom he had most opini­on and confidence that thou wouldest eftsoones reuiue the vertues and valour of the good. Augustus, and roote out the insolencies and Tirannies of Domitian. When thy Vncle tooke Possession of the Empire, he founde the Treasure dis­persed, the Senate in faction, the People in Mutinie, iustice ill obserued, and the common weale in generall ruine: but thou shalt come to great plentie of Riches, the Councell voyde of discention, the multitude ignorant in commotions, the iudges without corruption, and the whole state peacible, [Page 76] reformed, and florishing: beséeching thée, with the maistie of so large an Empire, to succéede also thy Vncle in custome and constitutions, séeing that newe Princes vnder cooller to innouate newe lawes, do for the most parte commit their common weales to perdition. Lyke as the Fourtéene Prin­ces that haue managed the Empire next afore thee, were al naturally of Rome, and thou the first Straunger adopted to the kingdome: Euen so we beséech the immortall God that as in thine vncle, our auncient Caesars haue taken ende, so al­so with thée may be brought good Fortune to Rome, where­in we hope so much the more, by how much thy vertues more then thy policie, made thée worthie of the Empire. VVhere vertue doth raise to honour, there GOD failes not to establish the dignitie. For that where vertue is the meane to procure honor, there God ne­uer fayles to establishe the place, and takes from fortune al power to minister aduersities to it.

Where by thy Letter thou geuest vs instructions what to doe, we are bolde also to aduertise thée what thou ough­test to fore sée. And séeing thou teachest vs how to obey thée, it is good equitie and iustice that we know the thinges wherin thou wilt commaund vs: For that, (by the occasion of the warres) hauing bene long disaquainted with the manners of Rome, and not knowing to what Lawes and Customes we are sworne: thou mayest perhaps decrée thinges to our domage and thine owne dishonor, Wherein, (according to thy wisedome) we hope thou wilt not holde it vnreasonable to be aduertised: For that Princes oftentimes are negligēt in many thinges, not so much for that they haue no desire to foresée, as because there are none that dare warne them. And therefore we besech thée turne not that to presumption which we present to thée of iust dutie & office, assuring thée that the affections of Subiects are more drawne by a gra­cious industrie, then by compulsion or force.

We beséech thée, that all those commaundementes which thou sendest from the Campe, with all such other orders as we establishe here, may be seuerely and firmely kept, since [Page] the benefit of Lawes consistes not to erect and ordeine, There is no be­nefite by lawes if they bee not executed. but in the due and iust excution of them.

Thou must not forget to haue patience to suffer such as are importunate, and dissemble with offendors: séeing it is a propertie dulie anexed to a good Prince, to punishe the in­iuries of the common weale, and pardon the insolences done agaynst himselfe. And as it belonges to a good Prince to haue more regarde to the benefite of his Countrey, then to the delightes of his person: So, where thou writest that thou wilt not sée Rome til thou hast giuen end to the warres of Germanie, we cannot but holde it a determination of a noble and valiant Emperour: For that such good Princes as thou art ought not to séeke out places for their recreati­on, but follow exercises to encrease their reputation. Thou recommendest to vs the veneration of the Temples and Seruice of God: we beséeche thée let that be an office iust and equall to thée also: since, our seruice to God can be a Sacrifice but of small importance, if with all thou makest it not perfect with the offer of the humilitie, obedience, and consent of thy harte. According to thy Councel, that wée hold frendship and communitie one with an other, we finde it a charge of very harde action, if in thée be not also accom­plished an equall and generall affection to vs all: For that, by the parcialitie of Princes embrasing some more then the rest, are oftentimes raysed factions and murmures amon­gest the People. Touching the reliefe of the pore and pro­tection of wydowes, we can not fullie perfourme our de­uotion that way, vnlesse thou commaund such as leuie thy Tributes to forbeare to molest them when they gather thy rightes: For; greater is the sinne to pill and oppresse the pore, then the merit to succour and ayde them. Thou war­nest vs that we be not tedious in the Senate, nor affectioned to our proper opinions: Which, being a Councell of great grauitie, is also accepted in dutie and good meaning, desiring thy wisedome to consider withall, that in businesses of great [Page 77] difficultie, the more serioussy matters are debated, the more truly are they resolued, and their inconueniences auoyded.

If (according to the aduertisement of thy Letter) thou wilt haue thy iudges honest in lyfe and iust in their office, thou must take héede that in such as thou chusest, there be no oc­casion or necessitie of reprehension. Touching thy aduice, that we restraine our Children to such education, that they bring no slaunder to the common weale: It behoues thee specially to let them be called from time to time to the ne­cessitie and seruice of the warres: For that, as there is no­thing that brings so easie and swéete a subiection to vice as the season and idlenesse of peace: So, there is no better meane to purge a common weale of loytring and vnprofi­table people, then to haue warres with Forraine enemies. We wil not repeat thy other aduertisementes, but studie to kepe them, estéeming them rather Lawes of a diuine spi­rite, then Councelles of a mortall man.

To a noble personage touching the difference betwene the friendship of men, and loue of God.

THe great Philosopher Eschinus, in a fa­mous inuectiue against his mortal ene­mie Demosthenes vseth these wordes: it belongeth to the Demosthenes according to the estimation which thou makest of thy wisedome, to be resolute in thy enterpri­ses, true in thy promises, wel aduised in thy counsels, and righteous in all that thou doest: all which fall out contrarie in thy behauiour and actions, for that of­tentimes thou art séene to do thinges which thou oughtest not, and no lesse often art heard to speake that which thou thinkest not. These wordes spoken by the Philosopher to the reproch of his enemie, deserue to be applied to all men, for that there are none that can worthely challenge the true merit and imputation of wisemen, if they expresse not as great modestie in their spéech, as equitie in their workes: it is a iust thing that euery one take héede to that he doth, and be well aduised in what he sayth, since amongest noble mindes more easely is satisfied an actuall wrong done a­gainst their persons, then an iniurious word vttered to the preiudice of their honour, alwayes esteming that the blowe of a sword hurtes but the flesh, but a word suggested to in­famie offendeth the reputation. This I say (sir) vppon the occasion of your letter charging me eftsones to repeat my late discourse vttered in the presence of the Emperour vp­pon this theame, that it is very hurtfull to haue Christ to our enemie, and a thing no lesse daungerous to haue man our friend: If, in your opinion I speake any thing which was not well studied and considered vppon, you do wrong to the grauetie of my profession, since it is my custome, neuer to pronounce wordes of such deuine and high subiect, but euen with the [Page 80] same attention and deuocion wherewith I would confesse my selfe to God, accompting it withall to too great a fault to publish any thing which might bréede scrupull in your Lordship, or murmure in so excellent an auditorie.

But now to our purpose, wherein I confirme eftsones, that if it be euill to haue the creator to our enemie, it can not be lesse daungerous to haue to our friend the creature. And if there be no necessitie to employ the Phisition and our friend but in times daungerous and doutfull, it can not but be to men a most assured counsell rather to eschew perils, then to entreate friendes: since friends being of the world, their friendship hath also his corruption of the world, in whom is more confusion then continuance of thinges. I do not say it is euill to haue friends, but that it is daungerous and painefull: for that the mightie thy friend is of estate, It is daūgeours too haue great frendes. by so much is thy daunger the greater to proue him, and thy care no lesse to obserue and kéepe him, séeing specially great friendship is not knowne but in extreme necessitie. Many and many are there now a dayes who would abstaine from many haynous and hurtfull faultes, if they had not confi­dence in the fauour and reskew of their friends, which be­ing a braunch of impunitie, can not but bring perill to a common weale where the due course & sinceritie of iustice is stopped by the corruption of perticuler fauour. This is one maner of election of friendes amongest men, that mée­ting by chaunce, or cōmoning together, or eating at one ta­ble, they suppose from the instant a perpetuall friendship to be established betwene them, which in good certaintie & truth can not be so, for that in times of necessitie and trial, there is no more proofe or effect of such friends, thē betwene the Crowe and the Kyte, of whom when it hapneth to the one to be bare of fethers, the other aunswereth that to him is no more then sufficeth him to flie. That which one friend doth for an other in these times, is, eyther to excuse or con­seale himselfe when there is néede of him, being more ready [Page] to lend him his conscience, then his money, that is eyther to go with him to the reuenge of an enemie, or to perfourme some exployt of vice, or at least to serue his turne with some false testimonie. Which sort of friendes, as they are most common and least rare, so let all men esteme it no small fe­licitie to be deuided from them, séeing they are more prodi­gall of their conscience then liberall of their goods. Who waigheth with the number of friends that are professed to hint, how many haue ministred the true office and qualitie of frendes to giue succours to his necessities, for one that he hath founde faythfull, I doubt not but he shall be hable to disclose an hundreth dessemblers: In which respect, I sayd not without great reason, that it was great perill to a man not to be consociate with a frende honest, firme, and ver­tuous, since, for no greaten cause then the action of a com­mon reuerence and ciuilytie, they are readie to require our goodds to loane, commaunde the vse and seruice of our house, and not sticke to bring our conscience in doubt, (occasions that many times mooue men to disclaime neighbourhoodes and frendships which they had begone in great good wil and deuotion. But right blessed and holy is the frendshippe of Iesus Christ, wherein can be no scrupull nor daunger. For that, in recompence of the affection he beares vs, he neyther demaundes our goodes, nor trobleth our conscience: his frendship is alwayes assured, for that it is wel establish­ed: it is certeine, since he neuer forgets vs: it is not fayned, since it correctes our conscience: it is iust for that it suffe­reth nothing vnreasonable: it is righteous since in it hée doth communicate to vs his grace, and it is most riche and plentiful as by whose meane he geues vs his glory. So that he onely may and ought to be called a frende holy, a frende iust, faythfull, profitable, and perpetual: For that the frends that he takes, he lookes not if they riche, and much lesse e­stéemes it to dishonor if they be pore, he chuseth for his frend whom he lyketh and after he haue once called him, he neuer [Page 81] forbeareth to loue and lyke him: He looketh not whether he be mightie or impotent, faire or deformed, or whether his condition be frée or bonde: No, he makes not so great rec­koning of the seruices we doe him, as of the loue which we beare to him: Jn charitate perpetua delexite: The loue, saith Iesus Christ by his Prophete, where with Christ loueth vs, is not feyned nor transitorie, but reteyneth always one per­petuall & setled stability, as appeareth most truely in this, y ^t by the meane of his grace we are made agréeable to him, a­fore we are able to doe any thing to deserue to be his frends: Such is the perpetuall perfection of his charitie, that the loue that he bears vs being his owne, the profit that comes of it apperteyns to vs, pretending no other thing in the loue which he beares to all Creatures then to make séene his so­uereigne bountie employed on our behalfes in most highe and worthie Charitie: the same being well expressed in the day of his Passion, when neyther the tormentes of his bo­die, nor the wickednesse of his People, could restraine the course of his great loue wherewith he Prayed for such as Crucifyed him, and pardone those that offended him: Yea, he prayed not onely for his Apostles and Disciples, but also for all the faythfull that beléeued in him and loued his Fa­ther, with whom as he was one selfe thing in Diuinitie, so he prayed to his Father, that all such as beléeued might be in him one body misticall through Charitie. Great was the loue of Iesus Christ in the wordes of his petition to his Fa­ther, séeing that albeit we were not then borne, no nor our farre auncient Fathers: yet he besought his Father in great feruencie for the estate of all his Church euen no lesse then for those that dyd communicate with him in the Supper. So that as he dyed for all, so he prayed for all: By which we haue good reason to beléeue, that séeing be remembred vs afore we came into the world, he will also kepe care o­uer such as are employed in his seruice. If Christ had not loued vs with that Charitie, and prayed for vs in such fer­uencie [Page] of zeale, what had become of vs: Sure, if there be in the Church of God at this present any obedience, patience, charitie, humilitie, or any abstinence or continencie, it ought all to be atributed to that loue which Christ expres­sed in the prayer that he commended to his Father for vs, Redéeming with his bloud our disfauour, and with his prai­er he restored vs eftsoones to an estate of Grace and recon­cilement. To loue those that are present, and such as are ab­sent, to beare affection to the Quicke, and remember such as are Dead happeneth often & is naturall, but to loue such as are to come and not yet borne, is a zeale that neuer was hearde of but in the person of our Redéemer, who prayeth for such as liue wickedly, and loueth good men although they are not yet borne: In worldly thinges, so straight is the co­pulation and vnitie betwéene lyfe and death, loue and hate, him that doth affect, and the thing affected, that al takes end together and in one houre: But to the frendship that Iesus Christ beares vs, belonges an other qualetie, for that his loue tooke beginning afore the foundation of the world, and will not ende, no not at the day of iudgement.

In this Letter is debated the difference betweene a ser­uaunt and a frende.

FInding in your last Letter more mat­ter worthie of rebuke, then méete to be answered, I am bolde to geue you this Councel, that in causes of importance, the Penne is not to bée vsed afore the matter be wel debated, lest others take occasion to iudge of your domges, and your selfe be denied of that you demaunde: This is also to bee obserued in speaking to any personage of estate, wyth whom we ought not to Communicate but with feare, reue­rence, and modestie.

[Page 82]By your Letter you wishe me to be your Mayster, and withall would chuse me to be your frende: Two estates no lesse different in qualitie, then incompatible in one person, and most vnlyke in office, for that a frende is chosen by wil, A frend chosen by will, & a master taken by necessitie. and a Mayster is taken by necessitie: A frende will consider, but a Mayster must be serued: A frende geues of liberali­tie, but a Lorde demaundes by authoritie: a Mayster hath libertie to be Angrie, but it belonges to a frende to suffer: And a frende pardoneth, but a Mayster punisheth. So that the comparison béeing so different, it cannot be possible that being your Master, I should beare vnto you the due respects of a frende: since, if I be your Mayster, you are bounde to serue me, feare me, follow me, and obey me: Offices preiu­diciall to the prerogatiues of a frende, and against the laws of that libertie and frée souereignetie which the hart of man desireth.

To require me with such rashenesse to be your frende, is (sure) to demaunde of me the most precious Iewell I haue in the worlde: For, to be your frende, is to binde me to loue you all my lyfe, deuiding my hart into youres, Offices of a friend. and making you euen an other moytie with my selfe, true frendship be­ing none other thing then an vnfayned consent of will and affections, and a transportation of two hartes into one bo­die: And therefore two frendes, if they will loue and liue in the true obseruations of frendship, ought to speak but wyth one Tongue, and loue with one harte, yea, they ought to Communicate together in one substance and rate of lyfe, and not grudge to suffer in common one perculier and sin­guler death: Amongest frendes, what is suffered of the one, ought not to be intollerable to the other, and albeit their thoughtes be proper to themselues, yet their persons, their goodes and fortunes, ought alwayes to be common: One frende ought not to say to an other I will not, or I cannot, since, it is principall priueleadge in frendship to finde no­thing impossible. Therefore, who ioynes in frendship with [Page] an other, VVe owe to our frendes al that we haue, only we ought to haue but one frende. bindes himselfe not to denie the thing that he de­maundes, nor to vse excuse in any thing that his frende re­quires him to doe: since in this consistes the full office of frendship to owe to our frendes euen our selues and all that we haue. By the Councell of Seneka the wise and discréete man ought to admitte but one frende, forséeing withall (as neare as he can) to haue no enemie at all: For, sayth he, if there be daūger in enemies, there can be no suretie in the multitude of frendes, since, in respect of their nomber, they bréede difference of consent and will with varietie of condi­cions, and where is no conformitie of manners, there can be no perfection in frendship. So straight is the rule of frend­ship, that of many that professe liberall affection, there are fewe that performe it, being an office perticuler to the Chil­dren of vanitie to haue readie tongues to promise and slowe handes to performe: True frendes are bounde to féele the aduersities of their frendes with no lesse affection then if they had proper interest in them: yea, it belonges to them to minister remedie to their necessities, and geue comfort to their miseries, estéeming it to apperteine to their dutie to communicate in all the fortunes of their frendes: The same agréeing with the resolution of Eschinus the Philoso­pher who being asked what was the greatest perplexitie of this lyfe, aunswered, that to loase thinges which we haue got with paine, and to be deuided from that which we loue, are the greatest afflictions that can trauell a humaine minde. The frend whō we chuse ought: to be wise and welthie. The frende whom we chuse, ought aboue all other thinges to be discréete, to the ende he may Councell vs, and of habilitie and wealth, the better to administer to our ne­cessities and lackes: For other wayes, if he beare no aduise and iudgement, wée shall want Councell to gouerne our prosperitie, and if he be pore, what meane is there to ioyne succours to our wantes? by which imperfection our prospe­ritie standes in hazarde for want to be warned, and in ad­uersitie we are subiect to dispaire or murmure by the into­lerable [Page 83] burden of our necessities, being no lesse hurtfull to be raised to wealth and dignitie without a frend to instruct vs to gouerne it, then to be extreme poore & haue no meane to releue vs: therefore amongst men there is nothing more necessary then to be enuironed, with friends, who in their presence may assist them with good counsell, and in their absence hold common faith & loyaltie. There be two things that proue the malice of y ^e world to be infinit, Two thinges that proue the malice of the world to be in­finite & therewithal warne all men to séeke securitie in a wise & wel hable friēd. The first is, y ^t to him that is ouerthrown there are very few that will lend their hand to helpe him vp againe: and to such as stand in wealth and fauour euery one studieth to cast stumbling blocks to make them fall. In which respect, that man is possest of no small treasure who hath admitted societie with a wise and wel aduised friend, whose qualitie ought to be such as to comfort his friend with his eye, to counsel him with his spéech, to succour him with his goods, to protect him with his power, and not only to do his best to kéepe him from falling, but if he be downe, to lend him his liberall hand to remount him. To the qualetie of our friend it appertaines to be discréete and secret, A friend must be doscreete and secret. least his lightnes make him intollerable to vs, and being lauish, hée can not but be troublesome to our affaires: and therefore as the bosome of our friend ought to be a place of retraict for al our counsels, opinions, actions, and enterprises, so, in the election of him, if we first séeke that we would, and suf­fer that we most feare, since true friendship to young men is a notable sobrietie, to old men an infalliable comfort, to the poore sufficient riches, and to the rich assured honour. Let no man disclose the secrets of his heart, but to such as he loueth with all his hart: since it is one chiefe branch of the office of a good friend to kéepe that he heareth, and con­ceale what he séeth, and therewithall a rule most infallible that who speakes without discretion shalbe aunswered [Page] with shame and confusion. A true friend ought neuer to flatter his friend, nor ioyne reproch to any pleasure he hath done for him, taking it for his recompence, that he hath don pleasure to him to whom he is bound by the merit and law of true friendship. For, in case of daunger and necessitie there ought betwene friends to be no delay of succours, no, no remedie ought to be required where all thinges are due by iustice, nothing ought to be holden perticular where all things deserue to be in common, nor no importunitie int [...]l­lerable, where ought to be no necessitie of request. It is not proper to all men to professe the qualetie of a friend: for that if they haue power, they may want disposition, if they haue counsel they may haue weakenes of action, and if they haue mindes to loue, yet they may be subiect to the error of inconstancie, so that in case of friendship men can haue no such full perfection, but that in some respect they suffer in­firmitie either by person or qualetie. And so if you waigh the office of a friend with the inconueniences annexed, and consider the state of a Lord with the seruices appertaining, I hope you will neither reteyne me for a maister, nor chuse me for a friend, since for the one I am vnhable, and to the other vnapt.

A letter to a noble personage, wherein is debated why God afflictes good men.

ALbeit I haue had smal meane hithervn­to to declare my good affection to you wardes, and lesse expectation of great things in so poore a state as mine: yet hath there not wanted good will to wish well with the best, and so wishing, as with effect I might expresse it, & leaue you satisfied of my good meaning, neither to merit the more [Page 84] nor to aduaunce the sooner, but only for the due respectes I owe to your greatnes and vertues, by whose aide I confesse I haue aspired to the successe and end of all my desires. And where my profession kéepes me so restrayned, that to your many benefites I can giue no equall recompence, I am glad that byt he request of your letter is ministred occasion to declare with what deuocion I wish to doe you seruice: praying you to estéeme me, not as I am, but as I desire to be on your behalfe.

You demaund by your letter why God suffreth so many aduersities to afflict good men? whereunto I aunswere, that to the man of vertue nothing can happen in ill, since accor­ding to the opinion of Philosophers, contraries can hold no consent nor vnitie together. For, aduersities albeit they haue custome to vex and trouble men, yet, they haue no power to change the constancie and courage of a valiant & resolute minde, who in all reuolutions reteynes one firme and immouable vertue: euen as a trée which being well roo­ted although he be shaked with many violent winds, yet in their furie is no power to supplant him. Men, thorowe ex­ercise of aduersities become humble, wise, and perfect, and the iust man is better reformed by the proofe of afflicti­ons, then by any other meane. For, knowing them to bée messengers and warninges of God, hee debates not the grieues he féeleth, but calleth his conscience to reckoning, he glorifieth himselfe in tribulation, knowing that tribula­tions bring patience, patience bréedes experience, Benefites com­ming by tribu­lation. experi­ence rayseth hope, and hope can not be confounded, for that the loue of God is dispersed into our hartes by the holy spi­rite that hath bene giuen to vs: he suffreth his sorrowes, but in the end he surmounts them, and is not ouercome by their violence, shewing then his owne greatnes and with what vertues he is enuironed, when he proueth what force his pacience is of: he taketh all thinges for exercise of his vertue, since vertue without aduersitie wythereth and loa­seth [Page] his force. True magnani­mitie heareth al fortunes. A noble mind ought not to feare hard and doubtfull thinges, nor complaine of any perplexitie he en­dureth: For, hauing true magnanimitie, he ought to take all thinges in good part, and hold no fortune grieuous. Let him not debate what he suffreth, but determine to endure to the end, since God neuer proueth his people aboue their power, nor vseth to visite their frayltie otherwayes then with a shaking rod, which rather threatneth then striketh: Yea it is one custome in Gods affection to correct those children whom he receiueth and loueth, to the end they may at­taine to a true strength, fayth, and perfection, not suffring the extremitie of his iustice to tempt them to murmure or dispaire, but mildly to prepare them, hauing appoynted to the godly no other passage to heauen but thorowe the fur­nace and fire of af [...]ictions. Creatures that be fat and hea­uie for want of exercise, become vnapt and idle, they are not tired by labour only, but withall through custome of ease and rest and by the heauie waight of their owne bo­dies: euen so that felicitie that hath suffred no communitie with misfortunes can haue no great continuance: but when it hath kept long warres with his incommodities, and by suffring iniuries is made hard, then is he in his perfection, and armed to resist all harmes, God suffring his people sometimes to encounter very rude and hard aduentures, the better to prepare them to a true iudgement and exami­nation of themselues. We haue no great néede to exercise mercie to a good man, No man miserable but he that esteemes him­selfe so. for that though in apparāce his estate séeme néedie, yet his vertue makes him no way miserable: No, no man is vnhappy but he that estéemes himselfe so by the base reputation of his courage. Demetrius was of opi­nion that there was no man vnhappie but hée to whom ad­uersitie neuer hapned. And as vertue and wisedome are hid oftentimes in those persons, whom eyther malice pur­sueth, enuie oppresseth, or fortune contemneth: so, for the most part, God suffreth aduersities to exercise their force [Page 85] against such as are most strong, not to tempt them aboue their power, but, through exercise to make them better esta­blished. Fortune proued the force of fire in Scaeuola, the violence of pouertie in Fabricius, the perplexities of banishment in Rutilius, torments in Regulus, poyson in Socrates, ingratitude in Scipio, persecution in Caesar, and death in Ca­to. There is nothing that sooner makes a man great and mightie, then the triall of a peruerse fortune: nor any thing bréedes a more stabilitie of fayth and patience, then the exercise of aduersities, as was well expressed in the won­derfull constancie of Scaeuola, whō wée may not call vnhap­pie for that hée burnt his right hand in the fier of his ene­mies, nor repute Fabricius wretched, for that whilest hée was absent from the gouernement of the common weale, he laboured his groundes with his owne handes, and much lesse may we referre to the conquest of fortune the vertue of Regulus, who béeing led to the Gibbot was made there a monument of fayth, and an example of patience. Let vs not estéeme those men wretched who suffer so great things, for that by the passion of them they are made happie, yea they are y ^e preparatiues to true felicitie, and the comforta­ble guides that leade men to the perpetual ioyes and tran­quilities of heauen.

The Author, vnder termes to reproue his friend that had charged him to haue taken out of his chamber a Pomander, speaketh iustly against such per­sons as delite to be perfumed.

IN a singuler combat betwéene two Ro­mane Knightes in the time and presence of Quintus Fabius, it hapned that the victor holding in his mercie & vnder his féete him that was vanquished: Thou shalt sayth he [Page] denie in this presence that thou hast sayd, and acknowledge thy report to bée false and wicked, or otherwise this sword shall minister reuenge to the vntruthes which thy lying tongue hath pronounced. Oh sayth the other, that thou knewest aswell how to vse the victorie, as thy fortune hath suffred thée to winne it, or that there were in thée as good desert or merit of Knighthode, as thou art my mortal enemie, then wouldest thou not be more desirous of my life, then to preserue thine honour: suffice thée y ^t thy counsell shall not tempt me to the preiudice of mine innocencie, for if my strength fayle to fight further, thou shalt find in mée no want of hart to die. By the discourse of this auncient ex­ample, I am bolde to make insinuation into the wronge you haue offred mée, making mée guiltie of the Pomander which you lacke, which you haue not onely layed to my charge in expresse termes betwéene you and mée, but also you haue of late accused mée by a publique letter compoun­ded of the vapoures of your braine, more full of choller then furnished wyth discreation, which giues mée occasion to say with the Romane Knight, that forgetting the regard of a friend, you are falne into the malice of an enemie, séeing you estéeme more your Pomander then mine honour. I am not determined to make accompt of the iniurie, and much lesse to answere your letter in passion, bearing more regard to the profession I followe, then to the house I am come of, since it is most sure that after my death there wilbe no ac­compt demaunded whether I haue vsed my selfe as a Knight, but rather if I haue liued as a Christian. And therefore the weapons wherewith I am bound to fight, are patience, hope, abstinence, charitie, and humilitie, armes alwayes sufficient to defend my person, and without the which I would not liue. But albeit, for many good re­spectes, I forbeare to ioyne reuenge to this iniurie, yet it is not without reason and libertie that I say my fancie. The thinges which the men of this worlde doe by passion [Page 86] onely, and without aduise, procéede indifferently of want of wisedome, & superfluous hope or ouerwéening, which in man of respect ought to be eschewed, for that they be two hu­mors so factious in mans bodie, that the end drawes him to doe nothing but what anger prouokes him vnto, and the o­ther is hatefull to all reason and Councell. And if for euery storme of fortune, we become weake and complaine, it can not follow but in time we shall imbrase dispaire, and hasten the vntimely destenie of our lyfe: Which seldome happe­neth to a man resolute and wise, with whom patience and reason haue more custome then choller and passion. It is without fruite to speake fruitfull thinges to a man possest with passion, for that he hath neyther sense to tast them, nor wisedome to féele them: Yea, it is in vaine to communicate with him that is obstinate, furious, or incredulous, for that, when we thinke them most apt to be perswaded, it is then they are furthest of from Councell, and in laboring to ap­pease them, oftentimes we geue encrease to their anger: specially if we reduce to their memorie thinges that were the cause of their paine. By these (Sir) you haue to gather, that to men of vertue, honestie and estate, (euen such as you ought to be) it apperteynes to take héede that they doe no­thing to make them hatefull: For that one fault onely suffi­seth to make infamous a whole race, dishonoring as well those that are past, as such as are present, leauing withall an infection of bloud to such as are to come. In Cassianus it is mencioned that certaine Pagans, vsing outrage and iniu­rie to a religions man of honest lyfe, asked him by disdaine what fruite or profite he had by his Christ? Is not this (an­swered he) a singuler fruit, not to be moued with the bitter wordes which you pronounce agaynst me, and so easely to pardon the heauie wronges you haue done to me? an aun­swere sure worthie to be written in the hartes of men, since thereby we are instructed how great is the vertue of pati­ence, and of what necessitie and profite to the lyfe of man. [Page] What meritte or estimation can be due to the impatient man? Aboue all other mortall vertues, patience is most necessarie. what wealth hath he that hath not the riches of pati­ence? and how doth that man liue, that liueth without pa­tience? The conuersation and lyfe of man hath often times néede of all the morrall vertues, but the vertue of patience aboue all others and at all houres and momentes is most necessarie: For that so many be the infelicities which sur­prise and trauell our humaine lyfe, that if we make not as good custome to beare and suffer them, as we doe to eate & drinke, we liue in vaine, and shall assuredly fynde trouble in stead of true tranquiletie. All which I applie to my selfe, and there with all doe let you know that if it were not fa­miliar with me to suffer & dissemble with such as you are, I had eare this in publyke sort defyed your malice, and mi­nistred reuenge to the iniurie you haue offered me. The de­termination of enterprises of warre belongs to the Prince, the affaires of the cōmon weale are referred to the Lawes, & al causes of controuersie are managed by iustice: but quar­relles that impeach honor are tryed by the Sworde, béeing albeit no lesse iust to chastice the corrupte Testimonies a­gainst our name and reputation, then to wéepe and vse con­trition for our proper sinnes: yet in regarde I am Chri­stian and no Pagan, and that I professe religion and am a Gentleman, I holde it more tollerable to forget this wrong then to reuenge it, alowing y ^e opinion of Alexāder the great, that to him that is iniuried is more néede of vertue and cou­rage to pardon his enemie, then to kill him. If you hadde charged me to haue taken away any trifle tending to re­creation of pastime, I would not haue denyed it, for that I know how farre in all thinges stretcheth the office of frends: but to say that I was so impudent to take your Pomander, or so vaine to weare it, you doe great wrong, for that the one had bene against my Conscience, and in the other had bene offence to my modestie and shame. And therefore I saye, that if to weare swéete smelles be no great sinne, at least it [Page 87] cannot but encline to voluptuousnesse, and partake wyth vanitie: Such a young and valiant Knight as you are, ought more to rayse his merit and renoume by actions of Chieualrie in forreine Warres, then wearing Muske in the seames of his Garmentes at home. To Women, The good wo­man will rather haue her vertues shine then her garmentes smel of muske. re­teyning by nature many ordinarie infirmities which with­out the helpe of swéete smelles would often times appeare loathsome, it is more tollerable to be perfumed then men: and yet the good woman will rather labor to haue her ver­tues to shine, then her Garmentes to smell of Muske: Yea, they are all bounde rather to liue well then to smell swéet: A Pomander how well so euer it be tempered, and how swéete so euer it smelles, yet can it cast his sauour no fur­ther then the length of a streat: Where a good renoume wil ring ouer a whole kingdome, and the fume of a wicked lyfe will smoake ouer a whole Worlde: So that whether she be maried, or Wydow, whether she be a Mayde or a Wyfe, let her alwayes liue in feare of slaunder, and thinke that the fame & report of honor is the swéetest Insence to make her acceptable to all men, being a thing most foule & loath­some that her Garmentes should be perfumed with swéete odors, and her lyfe putrifyed with euil conditions: I neuer read that any Woman hath remained vnmaried for lacke of being well perfumed, but many and many doe I sée refu­sed for want of vertue: for y ^t the man inquiring of the condi­tions of his Wyfe, will not so much care whether she smell swéete, as examine if shée be of good Lyfe: But let vs also speake of men to whom generally the Philosophers haue forbidden to weare perfumes or smelles: By which occasi­on Rome remained almost thrée Hundreth yeares without eyther Spice to eate, or perfumes to smell: but after the Warres began to discontinue, vices forgot not to réenter into custome: By which we may inferre that if there were no idle men in the world, there would be no such reckoning made of vanities and vice: Cicero sayth that the fiue vices, [Page] [...] [Page 87] [...] [Page] To erect Tombes, to weare Golde ringes, to vse Spice in Meates, to allay VVine with VVater, and to beare sweete Smelles: The men of Asia sent as presentes to the Romanes, in reuenge of the Cities and bloud that they had takē from them: By which I gather, that greater was the domage which Rome receiued by Asia, then Asia by Rome: For that the landes and Prouinces which the Romanes Conquered of the Asi­ans, were eftsoones reconquered and restored, but the vices of them of Asia remayned as a perpetuall inheritance a­mongest the Posterities of the Romanes: He that followeth the Warres to fight, and he that laboreth the earth to liue by it, hath more care to succéede his businesse then to smell to swéete odoures: Yea, it is familiar to vaine men, to séeke to smell swéete, and forget to liue well: In Rome it was for­bidden that neyther Mayd nor Wyfe should drinke Wine, nor Man buye Muske Aumber, or other perfuming smels: And it was as ordinarie with the Magestrates to chastise men that boare perfumes, as to punishe women that were founde Dronkardes: The same being verifyed by the ver­tuous Emperour Ʋespatian, who hauing the Penne in his hande readie to signe a dispatch which he had geuen to a Ro­mane Knight and féeling him smell of perfume, he did not onely reuoke his graunt, but with many threates banished him forthwith his presence: The Romanes persecuting Plu­tus (a Conspirator with the Triumuirie) founde him hid in a sellor by no other espiall or intelligence then by a swéete smel which he had scattered as he went: Haniball a valiant and happie Captaine in his youth, suffered his olde age to be seduced by the Dames of Capua, and swéet oyntments of Asia, who so effeminated the forces of his minde and body, that he did neuer afterwardes any thing worthie of report. The Romanes being in debate to chuse a Captaine to sende into the warres of Pannonia, referred the resolution to Cato Censorius, who, of two that stoode in that adoption, refused one of them béeing his nearkinsman, for that saith he I ne­uer [Page 88] knewe him to retourne wounded from warres, but I haue alwayes séene him go perfumed in the streates. The great Numantia in Spaine could neuer be wonne (notwith­standing fourtéen yeres séege of the Romanes) till Scipio pur­ged his Camp of loyterers, perfumers and whores.

Licurgus a notable law reader amongst the Lacedemoni­ans, erected and institution vppon grieuous paines, that no man should buie or sel any odiferous or swéete oyntments, vnlesse it were to offer in the temples or to make medcines for the sicke: By these examples may appeare how intol­lerable perfumes haue bene too wel ordered countreys, and how hurtfull to many perticular personages: it is a vice that slaundereth the magistrate, offendes the multitude, bréedes disease in the braine, and brings decay to the purse. For, to buy a payre of gloues of ten crownes, is more for curiositie, then necessitie: Yea there bee many vaine and light men that will not sticke to bestow a dozen crownes vppon a payre of swéete gloues for their Lady, that haue not the hart to bestowe a poore gowne vppon a student, nor in smaller things to minister to the necessities of their near parents: such men spend their portions more by opinion then in reason: and against such men is pronounced the threate of the Prophet. The time will come (sayth he) that the perfumed men shall suffer great paynes, and in place of precious oyntments, they shall féele most horrible stinckes: Yea such men are abhominable afore God, infamous to a common weale, and their qualitie daungerous to their conscience, and chargeable to their purses. In which respects, let all gentlemen practise more to liue vertuously, then to studie to be perfumed, since vnder heauen there is nothing that carieth a swéeter smell then a good renowme, nor any thing that sauoreth more horribly then y ^e fume and incense of wicked life. To be a good Christian, is a swéete oynt­ment: to haue a cleare conscience, smelles better then Ci­uit: and to be innocent in life and vertuous in example, is [Page] of farre greater merit and dignitie then all the perfumed Pomanders we can weare.

A letter to a perticuler friend, rebuking all such as of­fer outrage or iniurie to any that are newly conuerted to the fayth of Christ, calling them infidels or miscre­ants, or by any other name of reproch.

SIr, before the children of Israell issued out of Egypt, they had a Kyng, and no Law: but long time after their depar­ture, they liued vnder lawes, and were subiect to no kinges: Only there com­mō weales were administred by iudges, and their soules instructed by sacrifica­tors, of whom the last sauing one was Hely, A man very zealous to his countrey, but most negligent in the institu­tion of his house and posteritie: For, his children were so giuē ouer to disorders, so subiect to their perticuler willes, and so farre estraunged from vertue, that the scripture in the first Booke of the Kinges, detecteth them in this sort peccatum puerorum erat grāde nimis coram domino quia detra­hebant homines a sacrificio: the sinnes of the sonnes of Hely were too great in the sight of the Lord: For, not content to be wicked themselues, they laboured to drawe others from well doing: Of which sinne they were most of all other con­uinced, as perswading al others to do no sacrifice: by meane whereof, and for punishment of their faultes, the olde man perished sodainely, his children were slaine, and their wiues died of child: So that the punishment of the sinne of ill do­ing, and the Cryme of drawinge others from dooinge well, fell not onely vppon those that dyd it, but also vp­pon such as consented thereunto. I haue drawne this aun­cient historie into these perticulers, not so much to reproch you as to wish you to well waigh and note it: but chiefely to introduce occasion to aunswere certaine late spéeches of youres, which ought to haue bene as farre from your con­science, [Page 89] as they deserue no way to bée familiar wyth your nobilitie.

Plato entertayning an olde man as his speciall frende, ministred to him no small trauell to reforme his vices: and being oftentimes perswaded by his followers to loase no more time to take away such desperate and hardened faul­tes: Sure (sayth Plato) I had reason to be wearie to warne him, if I boare no more regard to the office of a frende, Not to doe ill is the office of an innocent. then to the hope I haue to doe good by my trauell: For so delicate is the law of frendship, that a frende ought rather to loase his paines, then leaue any scrupull in his loyaltie: This ex­ample serues aswel to our purpose as the figure of the great Priest Hely: and so to our matter. Not to doe ill I saye is the office of an innocent, euen so to geue ouer to doe well, belonges to a man negligent: To be holde to be wicked is the office of an euill man: But to be desperate and defende the ill, is the worke of a man wholie gouerned by the deuill: For that no man can be reformed of his sinne, if first he ac­knowledge not his fault: according to the which (Sir) I haue to charge you, that in that you disputed yesterday, you neyther shewed your selfe a knight, a Christian, nor a cour­tier: For, a Christian ought to estéeme his Conscience, the knight is tyed to his modestie, and the Courtier (aboue all others) ought to expresse affabilitie: And therefore, séeing that the honorable moare in the Court, is alreadie baptized and reconciled to the fayth of Iesus Christ, and that by my trauell and agaynst the wil of all the Moarishsect, you dyd agaynst the Charitie of a Christian, abused the profession of a Knight, and steyned the reputation of a ciuill Courtier when you called him Infidell, Miscreant, and infamous Moare: Are you that God whereof the Prophet speaketh, Scrutans corda et renes: Taking vpon you to know whether this Moare be a Miscreant or a Christian? It may be that you haue measured your merittes with his, and weyghed in one Balance his fayth and youres: or perhaps you haue [Page] Gods at commaundement to acquite your sinnes and giue you place amongest the iust, séeing you condemne others and iustifye your selfe: Wherein it séemes you remember not that to God onely is reserued the trueth of the secret of such as are ordeyned to be saued, and appoynted to be dam­ned: So that if this Moare beleue in God as well as you, if he be Baptized as lawfully as you, if he go to the Church with as good deuotion as you, and if we sée him doe no act, but of a Christian, and in you is found no miracle: I sée not how you haue any authoritie to call him Infidell, no more then he hath reason to doubt you to be a Christian. They be wordes of great rashenesse one man to vpbreade an o­ther wyth such iniuries: Séeing that to be a good Christian, we are not onely bounde to doe good déedes, but also to vse modestie and my lonesse in our speach: otherways if a Chri­stian call his neighbour Foole he shall be guiltie of Hell. And as there is no great difference of the iniurie for one man to call an other Foole, and to call him Dogge: So, to a man re­ceyued into the fayth, there can not be a greater reproche then to be called an euill Christian: For that to be tearmed Foole tendes but to the preiudice of the reputation of wise­dome, but to be called a wicked Christian toucheth a mans soule and defaceth his renoume: So that if Christ forbyd vs Christians to call one an other Foole, much lesse can he brooke the outrage of greater iniuries: Since by the Schole and rule of his Law we are taught to imbrase one an other wyth such sinceritie, as neyther to stryke wyth our handes, nor reproche or slaunder wyth our Tongues: When I re­buke you for ministring such inciuilitie to the poore Moare, you aunswered that it was an auncient custome of the coū ­trey to call them so, in which respect you helde it no offence to conscience to vpbreade them, nor breach of ciuilitie to vse the tearmes where wyth your Tongue was most enured: Oh that men of vertue and honor, taking vpon them to cor­rect a fault are bounde to great consideration of the estate [Page 90] and nature of the fault, lest in séeking to reforme others, they Condemne themselues: as may be iustly imputed a­gaynst you, who, in tourning the custome of the Countrey to the helpe of your fault to call him Infidell, you cōmitted the greater offence, according to the saying of God to Moy­ses: Take héede Oh Children of Jsraell, that when you enter into the Lande of Promise, you kéepe no custome wyth the Lawes of the Egiptians: Wherein we are warned that if the Lawe of our Countrey be euill, and the customes wic­ked, we ought not onely not to alow of them, but also not to obserue them, since it is as lawfull to discontinue an ill Cu­stome, as to forbeare to doe ill, and wyth as good lybertie may we reforme an ill Lawe though it hath stande by long continuance, as to translate any auncient Garment, and reduce him to the present fashion. The reuerent Moare founde himselfe much iniuried wyth your wordes, and the assistance not a little dishonored: yea, the remeynder of that race being in good towardnes to be adopted into the church, made their reckoning not to become Christians, if for their fayth, they should be vexed wyth such reproches: So that this your fault is the greater, for that in following the Chil­dren of Hely, you trouble such as are baptized, and are the cause that others will not come to Christendome: Ʋidi af­flictionem populi mei in Egipto. &c. I am not sayth God to Moyses so carelesse as men thinke of those that serue me, nor forgetfull to punishe offendours: Since I haue opened mine eares to the cyres of my People in Egipt, and doe sée the great tiranies which the Gouernours of the Kingdome vse agaynst them, for which cause I will draw them into libertie, and put the Egyptians to punishement: Wherein (wyth the exposition of S. Augustine vpon these wordes) the Hebrues felt themselues not somuch wronged, nor God was so greatly displeased wyth the trauelles they endured. as wyth the particuler iniuries which they receyued of the Egiptians: Which I beséeche you may warne you hereaf­ter [Page] not to be so rashe and abandoned to wordes, séeing I ne­uer knew any man minister iniuries to an other, but there was inquisition made of his owne lyfe and doinges, yea, e­uen to the desiphering of his race: which is falne out against your selfe, for that at the instant when you reproched the reuerent Moare and called him Infidell, there were that stoode behinde your backe, that sayde secretly, if he were de­scended of the Moares, your auncestors were of no better Linage: Such is the gaiue that People of ill Tongues doe reape, who, if they outrage such as are on line, others will deface their progenie that are dead: which being a iustice appoynted to such as are ministers in malice, yet there it may be auoyded, where is gouernement and restraint of Tongue: And therefore I wishe you to vse Charitie to the ende you may finde recompence of Charitie, and forbeare not to doe well the better to nourishe good example and kepe you from the imputation of the Sonnes of Hely.

A Letter to a Noble man touching familiarly how in­conuenient it is for a man maried, to haue a Woman frende besides his Wyfe.

SIr, it brings no smal griefe vnto me that after so long intermission of letters, there is present occasion giuen, not to common according to our custome, but to debate iniuries betwéene you and your Wyfe, who as I vnderstande hath no lesse néed of Consolation, then you of Correction: Wherein by how much I labor to séeke out in whom rest­eth the fault, by so much doe I finde you guiltie in the occa­sion, and in her no want of reason: assuring you that if I founde her as disordered, as you are reported to be disolute, I would as well pronounce her worthy of sentence, as with all men you are holden voyde of merit: And if there can be [Page 91] required of a man no more but that he bée good, the same ought most of all to be expressed in a woman, since in her is more subiection to iudgement, and lesse habilitie to cloake or couer, yea, if her vertues appeare not in example, her light burnes dimme, and as a shadowe doth but delude the worlde: which béeing farre otherwayes in the behauiour of your Wyfe and my néece, it may please you to pardon me if in this Letter I defend her innocencie, and proue your fault, since of frends Councell ought to be taken, and of pa­rents remedie is to be ministred.

Corinthus a notable tirant, afore he made choyce of his wife, desired of Demosthenes to know what condicions his wife ought chiefely to be furnished withall: Counsels in the choyse of a wife to whom the Philosopher gaue this counsell: Be sure (sayth he) that thy wife be rich to the end the necessities of thy life may be sup­plied, and the countenance of thy estate plentifully suppor­ted. Let her be nobly borne, the better to minister to thy re­putation and ioyne honour to thy posteritie. Let her bée young to the end her seruice may better delite thee, and thou haue no occasion to find mariage loathsome. Let hir be faire the better to content thy desires and conteyne thée from straunge affections. And let her be vertuous and wise, to the end thou maist with securitie reappose thy estate vppon her gouernement: For, who takes a wife without these cō ­dicions is sure to find that which he feareth, and misse of that that ought to make his mariage happy: since of all ac­cidents ordeyned to trouble the life of man, there can not be a more infelicitie then to be ill encountered in mariage. There is nothing in this world so perfect, nor any person so thorowly accomplished, to whom is not eyther further perfection to be added, or iust cause of reformation or amendement. And such is the infirmitie of our common nature, No mā agreeth with the cōdi­cion of his for­tune. that there are few of so full prosperitie, who in some respect complayine not against the qualitie of their estate: For, many we sée are raysed to great wealth, but they beare [Page] shame of their base linage: some enobled by birth and paren­tage, and yet are followed with pouertie: Many blissed both with riches and nobilitie, but they want the delite of children: and some gladded with procreation, and they eft­sones made sorie with their ill demeanor. And to speake of naturall thinges, we find by experience that if the fire comfort vs with his warmth, it vexeth vs againe with his heat: If the ayre minister recreation when it is temperat, it puts vs againe into passion when it is violent. If we prayse the earth for her fruite, we murmure against her when she is barraine. If we haue commoditie by riuers for the stay of our thirst and to bréede fishes for our noriture, they are in­tollerable on the other side when they ouerflow their chan­nels and drowne our fieldes and cattell. Too much meate bréedes indigestion, and too little makes the stomak weake: wāt of exercise brings sicknes, & too much labour is hurtfull: solitarinesse makes vs encline to melancholy, and too much conuersation is importunate: Riches are accompanied with care, and pouertie subiect to sorwe. But let vs ex­change these customes with the actions of auncient noble men in times past, in whom if there were causes of many merites, they boare also matter no lesse worthy of blame: For, the Gretians praised Hercules for his force, but they ac­cuse him of tirannies: The Lacedemonians attribute much to Licurgus for the zeale he bare to his common weale, but they note him for a most seuere and rigorous iudge: With the Egyptians Isis is famous for his patience, but they stayne him for his vnchastetie: The Athenians extoll Plato for his doctrine, but they accuse his great couetousnes: The Romanes make Caesar to be mercifull, and withall reapport him to be hautie and proud: So that if in men of so great accompt haue bene found imputation of vice and fault: you and I (sir) may well conclude that there is no bread with­out branne, no Nut without shell, no trée without barke, no corne without chaffe, nor any man without fault. All [Page 92] my life long I haue heard men complaine of women, and women murmure against men, in both which I thinke is one equall and common reason: For, since there resteth be­twene man and woman such difference in their creation, Man and woman differing in creatiō, must also differ in cō dicion. they must of congruent necessitie be contrarie in condicion: And therefore except in Iesus Christ, it is Blasphemie to thinke that any person is dispensed with all from erring, or acquited from falling.

This discourse (sir) haue I vsed y ^e better to bring into your remembraunce the mariage betwene you and my néece, which was accomplished rather by ioynt will and consent then by necessitie, eyther of you being in state well hable and sufficient to preferre you. And seeing you cannot denie that when you made choyse of her, you promised to serue her, and with great importunities disauowed your self from all others to cleaue vnto her: It is neyther reasonable nor iust that you now bequeath your selfe to the seruice of an o­ther, séeing by no equitie, you can be due to none other but to her only. If there be infirmities in her, I hope they are not so desperate, but the office of a good husband may either reforme or suffer them: and for imperfections, I sée not how she can be charged with any, hauing beautie, riches, linage and vertue. Oh how many wiues be there now a dayes, Infirmities in mariage. who, if they be riche, they lacke beautie: if they be faire, they want linage: if they haue high birth, they are voyd of vertue: If they be vertuous they are not young: And being young, they may perhappes want discretion and gouerne­ment: by meanes whereof as their husbandes haue where­vppon to repent, and their parents no small cause of sor­rowe: So, let all men esteme it no small felicitie to receiue in mariage a wife, well borne, young, fayre, riche, and ver­tuous, to whom he is bound as the soule to the bodie, and if he exchange & deuide himselfe to straungers, he stands, guil­tie of no small offence, and is subiect to no little daunger. I heare (sir) that you vse the seruice of other houses then your [Page] owne in the night: that you delite to walke the stréetes and behold the starres: that you visite Curtisanes, and haue fa­miliaritie with bawdes: exercises truly to decay your sub­stance, and bring daunger to your person. And I cannot maruaile a little, that hauing alreadie trauelled most re­gions in Christendome, which ought to suffice to establish the race of your youth, that now you will not séeke to put your mind in rest, Being once maried all men ought to be perticular to their wiues. the oportunitie so seruing, together wyth the commoditie of so good a wife and large liuing. The va­nities or follies which follow young men, are for the most part referred to the gréennes of their youth: but if wee haūt lightnes after we be maried, much lesse that we can be ex­cused, séeing all the world standes vp to condemne vs. And therefore, to make pilgrimage to such saintes as you wor­ship, or visit shaded houses wherein dwell no bodie but cur­tisanes with paynted faces, or to bee a straunger to your owne house wherein you find nothing but vertue and vertuous delites: it can not but bring preiudice to your ho­nour, hazard to your soule, slaunder to your posteritie, and spoyle to your patrimonie: For that, being so possest by straunge women, where they haue no possibilitie to marie with you, they will labour to plumbe vppon you till they haue left you neither fether nor flesh: If you haue no regard to your soule, at least looke back to the safetie of your goods: séeing that from the day you enter mariage and haue chil­dren, as touching your goods, you are no more Lord, but on­ly a tutor and kéeper of them: And therefore no lesse guiltie is he that loaseth his own goods, then he y ^t robbeth an other. But if you haue no respect to your goods, at least beare care to your honour, to the end you may more easely aspire to publike charge in the common weale, which being not di­stributed to young men full of libertie, but to men of setled stay and grauetie: It behoueth you to remayne no longer as you are, but to be such one as you esteme your selfe to be: If you beare no respect to your honour, at least vse conside­ration [Page 93] of your soule: For, so delicate is the lawe of Iesus Christ and so straite the cōmaundements of God, that they do not onely forbid men conuersation with straunge wo­men, but also condemne all desires that waye: It behoueth you also to haue care ouer the securitie of your person and health: since it commonly hapneth to the man that emboldneth himselfe to drinke of all Waters, and carieth a key to open other mennnes Lockes, that in séeking to dishonor his neighbour, he shall suggest perill to his owne lyfe: Your Wyfe will endure harde Fare, many frownings, restraint of libertie, all reproches, yea though they be thundred with stripes, with all other perplexities, vpon condition onely that you loue her alone, and séeke no knowlege with others: For, there is no greater dispaire to a Maried woman, then when her Husband dischargeth vpon her backe all his Iars, Quarrels, and passions, and reserueth his pleasures, ioyes, A great cause of vnkindnes of the wife a­gainst her hus­band. and companie for an other: Yea, it is harde in whether of the two resteth the greater harte, eyther as touching the Husbande to doe so, or in respect of the Wyfe to endure it: Oh it is intollerable to the Wyfe, to heare her husband me­rie abroade, and finde him frowarde at home, to haue him steale from her to enriche his frende, to communicate wyth his minion, and be a straunger to his Wife, and to minister to the wantes of his Concubine, and be wythout pitie to his proper Children: In the Lawe of Christianitie, the same fayth the woman is bounde to kepe to her Husband, he is al so bounde to obserue to her. But if Wyues had the lyke authoritie to chastise, as Husbandes take libertie to accuse, sure, they would neyther take to such sorrow the disorders of their Husbandes, nor in them would be founde such faci­litie to offende: Besides, from the season that Man and Wo­man be vnited by the holy promise and couenaunt of mari­age, they haue so small iurisdiction in perticuler ouer them­selues, that it is a kinde of theft, if eyther the one, or the o­ther, alien or deuide their bodies. Consider therefore (Sir) [Page] the great occasions you giue to your Wyfe, who, hauing youth, riches, and beutie, and courted with no simple impor­tunities: If she were otherwayes then she is, she would per­haps bestow her hart vpon some one of those many that be­stow vpon her their eyes: occasion may doe much, and there is no worse thing to tempt a Woman then the ill example of her husband. No worse thing to tempt a wife then the ill ex­ample of her husband. For your parte, if you thinke your Wyfe not worthie to receiue recompence of affection, at least haue consideration of her merit, and let not her loyaltie discouer your penurie, nor her constancie complaine of your want of honor. If you will not obserue to her the Law of a husband, for the respectes of your soule, your honor, your goodes, and your health: at least remember that what pleasures or feli­cyties you finde in the companie of your Concubine, are no­thing in regarde of the disquiets you shall finde when you come home: For, how wise, how secret, how temperate, or how holy so euer a Wyfe be, yet she had rather die then not to giue reuenge to the iniuries of her Husbande, or not to make him féele her Ielousie. And therefore to men that are drowned in fancie wyth forreyne Women, it is in vayne to repose in the Baude who will be corrupted, or in the Con­cubine whose indifferencie makes her a blab: Séeing in ca­ses of Ielousie, Wyues are so suttle, and wyth all so libe­rall, that the better to espie and trace out the Confedera­cies of their Husbandes, they will not sticke to corrupt hte Quicke by money, and Coniure the deade by Charmes. And so God graunt you that you want, and defende you from that you deserue.

Certaine testimonies of Pagan Authors seruing to ap­proue christian Religion: written in forme of a letter to a Noble man.

[Page 107] ACcordinge to your requeste I haue sente you here with my opinion, though not so liberally as you looked for, yet with that faith & indus­trie as may very well serue to satisfie your conscience, and leaue me [...]quited of my pro­mis, estéeming it to appertaine to me to instruct you, séeing of your selfe you expresse such desier to know and learn. And albeit the matter it selfe drawing many circumstances, re­quires a long time: yet, where thinges are debated faith­fully, and the resolution accepted diligently, that that is long séemes not tedious, and though it be little yet it may be e­nough for instruction, beseechinge you to waye my rea­sons which I haue not drawn out of dreames, but written them out of the best resolutions and agréementes of my bookes.

The vertue of christian religion is so great, the miracles that haue confirmed it haue ben so publike and euident, and the innocencie & holynes of lyfe of such as haue professed it, haue bin so cleare and manifest: that the very enemies haue bin driuen to beare testimony with it, notwithstandinge that they impugned it with all their industrie. Yea it is a thinge wonderful, & seruing sufficiently to declare that our religion is guided by the hand of God, that besides the large & great testimonies annexed to the gospel it selfe, yet the ad­uersaries beare with it such witnesse and authority to the dishonour of sathan & his errours, that by their owne confes­sions we sée, that the cause why they remaine in their hard­nes of hart without receiuing the light & way that leades to eternal life, hath proceded of their sinnes and blindnes, ma­king them subiect to the subtill suggestions and pollecies of the deuil: wherein for a proofe, I shal not so much néede to in­fer authorities of scripture and olde christian authors (who notwithstanding are sufficient to verifie and confirme our faith) as to take to my ayde the weapons of our enemies, to the ende that by the testimony of their proper consciences. [Page] wée may remaine absolued, and they condemned.

The firste testimony I will produce shalbe Tertulian a writer in the time of the primatiue church, a man of greate knowledge maintayning the cause of the Christians against the Pagans, and pleading and writinge publykely on the christians side. And hauing (as it were) but sipped and tas­ted of christianity Hee had more fully surfeyted of the Pa­gan faith to whom he bare a resolute zeale: hee was in the times of the Emperours Seuerus and Caracalla, being about two hundred thrée score and ten yeares after the death of Christ. All the argumentes which he inferreth against the Pagans, he deriueth from their proper historyes, and of thinges that were done in that tyme, showing the reason why Christ was not worshipped at Rome. The Romaines had this custome, not to Canonize any newe God (although the Emperour woulde haue it so) without the approbation and consent of the Senate, the same well appearinge in all the Romaine Edictes and histories, wherein is defended to receiue any Straunge GOD wythout the authoritie of the Senate, and that by reason of the great inconuenyen­ces happening by the lybertie that euerie one tooke to pa­tronise himselfe with one GOD a part, as may be séene in the times of the Bachanales and other seasons.

It happened that Pilat who had giuen sentence of death against Christ, notwithstanding he was stubburne in hys opinion, yet being conuinced both by his conscience, and the certainty he had of the restitution of him whom he had con­demned to death: Aduertised Tiberius the Emperour of all that had passed, touchinge the death and resurrection of our Lorde. The Emperour, obseruing with this report, the opi­nions and great renoune that went of his passion, wrote to the Senate, that it were good to canonize Iesus Christe for a God: But the Senate, whether it was for that they were not called to the first consult of this matter: or that they would not make thinges so easie to the Emperour, [Page 108] specially in a case of so great importance, fearing it woulde growe to example and consequence, helde opinion contrary to the Emperour, and would not suffer that CHRISTE should be worshipped as GOD. Whervpon the Emperour published an Edicte againste such as woulde accuse christi­ans, the deuill hauinge then stirred vp the Iewes and Gen­tilles to persecute those that had receiued the gospell, by which it came to passe that in the time of Tiberius the chris­tian church was somwhat in rest the gospell fructifiinge greatly amongest the gentiles. Thus much for Tertulian, who durste not haue written so in his time, if thinges had passed otherwayes: For, then was Rome in her estate, and statutes of the Senate were diligently preserued by regis­ters, where vnto Tertulian sendes the gentiles, referringe them to their proper actes and ordinaunces, wherein they may finde that the first persecution againste the christians was in the raigne of Nero: In all these are ministred many thinges of consideration, declaring that the affaires of the gospell haue bene managed by a special prouidence of God: For firste, GOD so wrought that Poncius Pilate who had passed CHRIST to execution, bare witnesse to his Father of the greatnesse of him whom he had condemned: Secondly the lawes of the Senate and contention that was betwéen the Emperour and the magistrates, make good fayth and proofe, that the refusing to canonize christ at Rome, was not by any default that was founde in him, but by reason of the vaine ordinances obserued there, by the libertie of which they had power to accept for GODS such as they woulde, and reiecte whom they helde not acceptable. Besides, the greate prouidence of GOD is knowne in this, that the diuinitie of Iesus Christe being sufficiently iustefied as wel by his workes as by hys holy doctrine, yea by the testymo­nyes of his enemyes: yet he would not suffer him to receiue this dishonour to be accepted of the people of Rome for god, and much lesse to be compared and placed amongest theyr [Page] false gods whom they worshipped, he which was true God, and had preached that there was but one God, and that al others were nothing els but abusers and spirites of the Deuill. This prouidence also shewed it selfe great in this, that albeit the Emperour was no christian, yet he forbad vppon great paines to trouble, persecute, or to accuse the christians: the same being the cause that the gospell was published in his first age, and that the gentilles and Pagans gaue eare to it: to the end that when the great persecutions should happen, the church might be found to haue some foundation, and certaine troupes of christians vnited by the holy word of the gospell. And therefore we haue to conclude, that all these things and accidentes haue ben guided & gouerned by the wisedome of God, séeing they serue to the approbati­on of so high a mistery. For our seconde testimony we will vse Plutarke, a Pagan borne and of no small authoritie a­mongst them, and at no time well disposed to the christians. He thinking to set downe a reason why the Oracles of the gentilles had taken ende, aledging many thinges according to his blindnes, and without any knowledge in the affaires of God, recites an historie by the relation of a frende of his of no small authoritie and knowledge as is suggested. To this was referred so much the more stabilitie of faith and credit, by howe muche he makes it to happen in hys time.

He saith that sailing into Italy, and being in a shippe ac­companied with his said frend and many others, about the euening they fel with the coast of certain Ilandes now cal­led Cuzolares confining vppon Italy, There the winde failed them, and by that necessitie were driuen to go on shoare in one of those Ilandes called Paff [...]e. Before the mariners had supped (the Sea being at a softe and still calme) they hard a voice comming out of the Iland which called one of the patrons of their ships, beinge an Egiptian, and had to name Tamus: which was vnknowne to many of the com­pany, [Page 109] suffisinge to see him a Captaine and Gouernour a­mongst them. This voice calling him thrée tymes, he aun­swered but to the thirde, as kinge what it would: to whom the voyce replyed aloude in these wordes. O Tamus when thou shalt ariue at Salus (nere to the Jle of Corfu) tell them that their great God Pan is dead. All the Nauie fell into greate feare and trouble of minde with the sounde of the voyce, and consulting what was to be done, Tamus to whom was committed the confidence of the message, resolued, that if the winde serued, he would passe by the place assigned by the voyce without saying any thing, giuing no other credit to it then as a vision or illuding suggestion, but if the winde sayled, then he promised to performe the imbassage. Accor­dinge to which resolution, the wynde abating, he was dry­uen to rest at anker euen in the same place. Tamus stan­dinge vppon the vppermoste hatches of the shippe, began to erye with a loude voyce The great God pan is dead. He had no sooner ended his spéeche, but there were heard ge­nerall lamentations, sighes, sorrowes, skrikinges, with straunge and wonderfull voyces, and that in maruelous multitudes. This accident was forthwith caried to the knowledge of Tyberius the Emperour, who raised all possi­ble diligence to vnderstand what might that GOD Pan be that they sayde was dead, wherein the wisemen and wy­sardes of that time, aunswered him according to their super­stitions and vaine coniectures. This Pan was a God which the gentiles worshipped, there being many other Gods of that name. And this happened about the time of the passion of Christ, as may be gathered by the yeares of the raigne of Tyberius the Emperour. In déed Pan in gréeke signifieth, al. Wherevpon many do gather that al this was spoken of the death of Iesus Christ, true God and lord ouer al things. But because the gentiles held Pan for a God, there is good con­gruency to take the death of this Pan for the spiritual death of the Prince of deuilles, for the destruction of his kingdom, [Page] and the ruin of his errours by the which he hath kept in cap­tiuitie all mankind. To this are conformable the noise and voyces of the spirites complayninge and lamentinge the ruin of their Prince and his spirituall death, being nowe made naked of the strength and forces wherwith he oppres­sed and vexed mankind. The same author affirmes that a­bout the same time one Demetrius passing by the yles Orca­des neare to England, was tolde that not long since, there was heard great whispering and howlings in the ayre, and many fearefull thinges séene, the wyse men of those Ilandes construing those prodigious things to y ^e death of some great god, which opinion hath some reference with the iudgemēts of y ^e other woonders. But these strange sights & significatiōs in the world, interpret in true testimony and iudgement the strangnes of the death of our souiour Iesus christ, and of the victories which he hath obtained, together with his trium­phant glory.

The third testimony we may draw from Traian the Em­perour, a Prince Pagan, & albeit much resolued into pagan­cy & a great persecutor of the christians: yet so qualified by the truth of the gospel, that he was constrained to moderate his crueltie, though not so much as he ought, yet so farre as ministred ease to the godly. Plinius Secundus established hys deputie in Asia against the christians, aduertiseth the Emperour that he founde no other ill in the christians, but y ^t they made certaine assemblies, not to erect any Monopolie, nor to commit theft, nor to vse ribaldrie, nor practise deceit, not to desier the goods of others, nor to execute any vylanus act: only the cause that they assembled together, was to commu­nicate in common and necessary actions: as to eate & drinke together offring no hurt or preiudice to any That which hée found most wicked & ill in them was, y ^t they were adicted to a certain superstiton, not declaring it, and so concluded that there was no ill in them. This was in the beginning of our christian religion, & yet in that time the professors of it were [Page 110] bitterly persecuted. But notwithstādinge they were accused and suffred imposition of great Crimes, yet when they came to the triall and proofe (no small matter amongst people Pa­gans) they were holden so guiltles, that euen their ennemies gaue testimony of their innocency (the Deuill notwithstan­ding keping them so blinde, that they had no iudgement of that which they did, nor vnderstood what they pursued, and much lesse knew what they were whom they caused to die so cruelly.) Plinie foūd thē not culpable in any thing except a certain superstition, and yet without an apparance of il: he estéemed it superstition to beléeue that one man dead on the crosse was the sauiour of all men, not considering further y ^e groundes of this religion. The assemblies they made were chiefly to celebrate the sacrament of the supper, which con­tained a greater mistery then Plinie could finde out. But the Emperour hauing this aduertisement from his deputy, for­bad ani more to enquire against christiās, willing notw ^tstanding y ^t such of them as were attainted & conuinced, should be punished & corrected. Tertulian deriding this edict, exclaimes against it saying: oh ordenance confused & foolish: he forbids inquisition because they be innocent, and yet leaues liber­ty to chastise them as offendours, in one instant he pardo­nith, and yet he is cruell: he confesseth innnocencie, and yet dissembleth it: if he will punish them, why defendes hee in­formation against them? And if hee will not haue them en­quired vpon, why doth he not absolue them? There are esta­blished in euery Prouince prouostes to apprehende and im­prison théeues & robbers: and euery one hath liberty to kill a publike enemie, and to execute such as the lawe hath con­uict of treason: But alone touching the christians, it is not suffred that they bee cifted as offendours, and yet is it lawefull that euery one accuse them, as though they bee thinges different to cutte of any one as an offendour, or to present him as a malefactor: Wherein thys Edicte suffereth thys contraryetie, denyinge information [Page] and enquirie against the christians, and yet leaues libertie to punish them if they be found guiltie. For, if no man in­forme againste a christian, howe shall he be founde guiltie? And in case of information, what meane is there to accuse him, and so consequently to punnishe him not findinge hym culpable of any thing. So that the Emperour would that they were punished not as culpable, but only for that they were Christians. In all which as may be discerned the testimony which the firste Christians had of theyr proper ennemyes, together with the simplycitie of the statutes by whose meane they were persecuted: Euen so in all these thinges is matter tending to the aduowing and iustificati­on of our iueice.

The Fourth testimonie wée may draw out of the doings of Adrian, a Prince Pagan and dieng in the same superstiti­on. Who, vpon the viewe and consideration of certain inhi­hitions deliuered to him in writing by Quadratus a Disci­ple of the Apostles, and Aristides a Philosopher conuerted to christianitie, dispatched commissioners to his proconsull of Asia, enioyning him not to molest the christians, for that they are and beare the name of christians. He had not sure erected this Edict, had hee not bene well informed of the innocency and iustice of such as followed christian religion, and had some taste by the doctrine of Quadratus and Aristi­des of the reasons appertaining to the mistery of the gospel. For he deuised to builde Temples dedicated to the seruice and woorshipping of Christ, wherein his counsell restray­ned hym, alleadginge that in that example woulde be ge­nerall conuersion to christianitie. In this may be discerned the conscience of his councellours, who stoode vpon no other impediments, but a certain feare that by y ^t meane the mul­titude would come to y ^e knowledge of y ^e truth. Those tēples that he did build were not subect to idolatrie, neither would he suffer customes of superstition, beeing for those respectes [Page 111] called the temples of Adrian.

Marcus Antonius Aurelius, declared in fauour of the christians, that they worshipped the immortal God: he gaue libertie to whom would be a christian, and forbad expressely that they should be molested.

The Emperour Alexander Seuerus published a lawe in grace of the christians, that they should not be persecuted, and much lesse restrained to vse publike conference and ac­tion of their religion: he had hanging in his Oratorie the I­mage of a Crucifix, and deuised to builde a Temple wherein Christ should be worshipped, but he suffered many impedi­mentes that drew him from it. All this was wrought by Gods prouidence, foreséeing that the Sauiour of the worlde shoulde not be put amongst other false Gods. This Prince in all his deuises and spéeches had great familiaritie wyth this principall point of christian discipline. Not to do to an o­ther that which he would not haue done to himself: wherin was good declaration that his conscience could not denie that truth which those men professed that were persecuted of the world.

Ʋalerius Maximus the Emperour was a great vexer of the christians, yet the truth of the gospell, and the chastise­mentes of God which he had bitterly felt, made him often­times reuoke the straight and seueare Edictes which he had ordeined against the christians, giuinge libertie to who would professe the state and opinion of christianitie, and they not to be vexed by any persecutions. All these men and great Princes were sworne ennemies to the religion, and died in their ignorance and blindnes, whose testimonies are of no small effect against the ennemies of Christ. For, when they ceased to vexe and persecute the church, and beare fa­uour to the christians, it procéeded of none other motion thē of the puretie of religion, and of the iustice and innocencye of those that professed it, together with their constancie in all actes of vertue, bearing withal a setled hatred to all vices: [Page] They saw also the sundry maruelles and prodigious things which were don daily for the reformation of that doctrine, and felt the anger of GOD and his chastisementes thun­dered vppon such as persecuted the churche. So that it séemes that in those thinges was a spirit enforcinge those mightie Princes to testifie for that doctrine and beare fa­uour to it, to the ende that on all sides errour and false­hoode might be driuen away, as béeing not hable to remaine where the lighte of the gospell should dispearse his beames. In that time when the gospell began to be planted and sow­en, and that the name of a christian was so dearely solde to him that bare it: the prouidence of God raised a meane to remoue the crosse from the churche, to the end shée were not so oppressed with persecutions, as not to haue leasure to recouer breath and eftsones take fresh courage. Thys respitte was giuen by the meanes to haue conuersation with the Pagans, and yet remained from the Emperour Tiberius vntill Nero, who was the first that persecuted the primatiue churche: yea this persecution brought greate slaughter to the christians, euen to the principalles of the church, and Christes Disciples, hauinge brought to perfec­tion their race and course, and accomplished all those thinges that appertained to their time, and for the which they had bene myraculously preserued. The Emperour Domitian contynued this affliction, and by him notwyth­standinge the goodnesse of GOD wroughte a meane to cease and remoue all those tormentes, for that by the hate which Domitian boare to the doinges of his predecessour Nero, he with the Senate brake all the statutes and orde­nances of Nero: By which was ministred to the churche good oportunitie to reenter into comforte and courage, bringinge some reste to the gospell, the better to haue it communicated in some sewertie, and to plant it with grea­ter power: So that in good viewe and consideration of these affaires and actions, we may discerne in these discourses [Page 112] of the christian church, a woonderfull fauour and prouidence of GOD, séekinge on the one side to proue and examine his churche by a rigorous crosse, shewinge her the traces and steppes of her Sauiour, to the ende to followe hym: and on the other side, he exhibited a Fatherly loue and in­comprehensible prouidence, making her truly to se, that neither the furie of the kingdome of Sathan, nor the rage of his ministers, are sufficient to supplant and roote it out of the worlde: yea hauinge on her part the infinitte power of GOD, she shall stande eternally, and yet the worlde not know the meane how she is preserued. By this meane also may bee discerned how readily and feruently the yre of GOD is kindled againste the aduersaries of the gos­pell, séeinge that all the Romaine Emperours which per­secuted it, suffered wicked and monstrous endes: As of the contrary, such as were moderate and temperate, founde fauour with GOD, and were lesse punnished of the world, laying them in comparison wyth Nero, Domitian and such other like Princes whom the Deuill helde in hys deuo­tion to persecute the churche. By these meaness the Pry­matiue churche was mayntained sometimes in one estate, sometimes in an other, vntill the raigne of Julian the A­postat, who being a christian in hys beginninge, was sedu­ced by Libinius Sofista his schoolmaister to abandon Christi­an faith, and restore Paganry, together wyth the sacrifices and superstitions which had bene abolished by the lighte of the gospell. By these it is woonderfull to see howe christian faith encreased, séeinge the impedimentes of per­secution that were raised against it: But much more are to be woondered at the respytes, succours, and comfortes which euen her proper ennemyes ministred vnto her, as well appeareth no lesse by the relation of those myghty Princes & Emperours before declared, then also by the per­secution of this Iulian, in whom Gods prouidence wrought [Page] no lesse benefitte and fauour then in any of the rest: séeing that notwithstandinge this Prince persecuted the church with greater arte and hate then any of his predecessours: yet God forbare not to raise her into an estate of great spi­rituall prosperitie, this tirant séeing as well in his life as his death, euident tokens that God was his enemie. For, euen in his time the gospell was preached and receyued by the greatest part of the world, by which, the wisedome and goodnes of God disclosed manifestly, that that which floated and florished in despite of the industrie, crueltie and power of the worlde, was come from Heauen, from whence was ministred vnto it all fauour, succour and ayde.

The Originall of tirrannie and Idolattie, together with the punishments of tirantes and Idolators: how Abra­ham was chosen chéefe of the Hebrewes.

YOur letter, no lesse full of modestie and swéetenesse, then replenished with doc­trine and iudgement, bringes no small delight to me, for that to your déepe sci­ence already in thinges, I finde remey­ning a zealous desier yet to know more: wherin I can not but accompt it to be­long to my office, to adde to your zeale and trauell, my faith and diligence, though not able to teach you further, yet, as touching the request of your letter, to shew my opinion, lea­uing it to be controlled by that fauour and wisedome where with you are wonte to measure and iudge the errours of your frendes. But touching the matter, as you haue to re­member that out of the race of Cain, issued Nembroth the great tirant: Who, by his ambition and pride subdued all men and Nations of his time, enforcing them to liue vnder his tribute and customes: So, there is no doubt but these tirranous spirittes are most hurtfull to the world, and by the [Page 113] Scriptue reputed as ennemies of God: For, their desier to heare rule, makes them breake all order of iustice, bearing no regarde to lawes nor ordinaunces: Yea, in respect to en­crease & maintaine their principallitie, they giue suffrāce to all men to be insolent, with liberty to committe disordered actions. In y ^e time of Nembroth were many possessed with this wicked spirit of pride and ambition, who assemblinge together conspired to builde a tower of incomparable rate of height and measure, to the ende to perpetuat their name and reputation amongst men. But God, beholding their ar­rogant intentions and willing to manifest the wickednesse of that tyrannye, and presumption of that pryde bréeding so many miseries and euils, let fall his anger vpon them, con­founding in such sort the Tongs of the builders and work­men, that one vnderstoode not an other, since they all spake vnknowne and straunge Languages. Afore the founda­tion of the Tower of Babilon, there was but one language in all the world, God then inflicting vpon the earth a won­derfull punishment by the confusion and diuersitie of spea­ches. But thus it happened that the first men hauing lyued but vnder the vse & knowledge of one tongue, and now bée­ing in confused & deuided into many, dispersed themselues thorow the worlde, by whose posterities haue bene continu­ed all those diuersities of languages that now reigne. This diuision of tongues was the cause that the Tower of Babi­lon was not ended, by which occasion also, the Princes of the earth leauing their tyranie, were driuen to search new coū ­treyes to inhabite euery, one following his language as an ensigne sunder the which they might plant and multi­ply. By this diuision of men and Countreys, people fell in­to so great erors, that forgetting the doctrine of God, Idolatri tooke his beginnig of infideliti. toge­ther wyth the promises he had made to men, the most part of the world became Idolators, declining to such superstiti­ons as the deuill inuented dayly to aduaunce his purposes. So that Idolatry toke his beginning of infidelitie, and the [Page] wicked inclinations of men, deliting leaue the right way & to folow that that leades to perdition. To this was much helping the forgetfulnesse of the trueth, and the negligence of men caring not to folow religion and doctrine and much lesse to teach it to others. An other originall or fountaine springes of the loue of our selues, called Selfeloue, together wyth an insaciable will which men haue to put themselues in libertie, inducing them faythfully to searche a thousand waies for their satisfaction, and by some meane to inuent abhominable Superstitions, whervnto the deuill is so rea­die to minister assistance wythall the art and fauor he can, that poore sinners, to make them the more hardened and de­sperate, fixing vpon certaine faulse and deceitfull experien­ces, attribute in the ende, dignitie to any thing of the which (according to their coniecture) they had receiued ayd or an­swere. In other places, they haue a certaine feare in their consciences which restraines them to demaund of God the things which themselues estéeme to be wicked & dishonest. By that it comes to passe, that they are pleased with the seruice of these faulse gods, who care not but only to be serued as gods, wythout regarding whether the men be iust or vn­rightful. For seing these dissembled Gods be deuils, in déed, & passible to all actions & councels of deuils, they are of cō ­mon congruency, enemies of iustice, & frends to wickednes, those be the preparations that the deuil finds in the harts of such as he hath enchaunted, abusing them with perswasion that there is a god of battels, & another of robberies, a God of drunkenes & another of whordome, all these Gods béeing most delyted with such as most are giuen to dishonest acts, infidelity also (the root of al sinnes) was one cause why those miserable people were ignorant of the greatnes & power of god: yea, they could not be brought to beléeue that one God was sufficient to furnish perticulerly al things necessary to the vse of men & seruice of the world, of this came the plura­lity of gods, men belieuing that they were restrained to precinct [Page 114] and limit, & that euery god had his perticuler estate to gouerne: Of which sprang the first Idolatry, for some wor­shipped the Sunne, with many other triffling and dishonest things, & others did worship to deuilles which abused them by illusions & oracles, yea somtimes by certaine aparances of remedies tending notwithstanding to their ruine. This blindnes was suffered by the iustice of god to punish such as leauing the light, run after darknesse, making themselues iudges of their proper affections, & ruled their hartes accor­ding to y ^e same how good or euil so euer they were: in which respect god willing to punish those vices & excesses, suffered the deuill to raise faulse signes & miracles, euen to aduance the destruction of such as fell into spoyle by their infidelitie and multitude of their transgressions.

And albeit Idolatrie was great before the flud, and that the worlde pursued alwayes his first corruption, béeing stirred vp by the Deuill who induced men to a forgetful­nesse of God: Yet, the mercie of God who had not for­gotten his Promises made to mankinde, so prouyded for the effect of his Promise, that he chused a People par­ticular to reestablish wyth him the trueth of his Promi­ses and alliaunces: To them he gaue a perfecte lyght to guyde them agaynst those Darkenesse and obstinacies which the Deuil raysed agaynst them, he established lawes and ordinaunces touching the Seruice of Religion, wyth expresse Commaundement that they obserue them, and bée attentiue to the worde of God the better to arme them agaynst the suttleties, suggestions, and illusions of the de­uill. So that there is (no dout) but this people was chosen to be a grayne wherein should be preserued the puritie of the séede of the doctrine & y ^e assurance of y ^e mercy of god, seruing withal to declare how wonderfull God is in his works & to remaine as a mirror to all natiōs to serue & honor but one God, confounding al other Gods, as faulse and of the deuil. In effect God saw good to continue the roote and stocke of [Page] his truth to his people whom he had chosen, to the ende the worlde might know that he drue to him his people by other meanes then did the deuil, wyth whom it hath ben alwaies familiar to lay snares and suttle traps to intice the frayltie of men. Abraham cho­sen chiefe of the people of God. Ouer this people of god Abraham was chosen chiefe and leader, as afore him were appointed Seth and Noe. But Abraham being a Chalde, and lyuing amongest an Idola­trous Nation, God sawe good to make a choyse of him and call him to himselfe, cōmaunding him to abandon his coun­trey and kindred, and go whether he would guide him, pro­mising to make him great, yea, euen a mightie ruler ouer a large people. All this conteynes as yet nothing but miste­ries of the diuine wisedome and of workes of iustice and mercie. For first, God chused for chieftayne of his people, a man who may serue for example to all posterities succée­ding him, for Fayth, Loue, Obedience, Truth, Iustice, Pa­cience, Charitie, knowledge of Sinne, and lastly for all, whatsoeuer may concerne the Honour and glory of God, and his Seruice. He was called of God to Serue as an ex­ample to his newe People, and all others, and in whome God would expresse wyth what fauour, support, and ayde, he followeth those that serue and honour him. To him all Princes and principall guides of people, ought to confyrme and referre their councels & actions, for God loues such as he as he was. But now to retourne to Abraham. God com­maunded him to forsake his countrey and the Religion of the Chaldees: Wherein first of all he shewed how hatefull that people was to him for renouncing his worde, yea the more fully to Punishe them, he tooke from them the Com­panie of a Personage which had knowledge of this Diui­nitie and frueth of his worde. This is it that the Pro­phete meanes saying, Wee haue Ministred Medicines to Babylon and yet shee hath receiued no Cure, and after wee haue abandoned her euery one. &c. Euenso the obstina­cie of the Chaldees agaynst the Doctrine of Abraham [Page] deserued to bée forsaken as a thing abandoned of the Phi­sitions.

Secondly it may be sayd that Abraham was withdraw­en from his Countrey, for that for the most part God bears vnto his such proportion of fauor, that he withdrawes them from il companies, & consequently from the punishments and corrections which he holdes readie to thunder vpon the heades of the wicked. By that meane he drue Lot out of So­dom, and preserued Helias in the time of famine, shewing in them the great care and speciall prouidence he hath ouer those that serue him. Thirdly in this euocation of Abra­ham is taught how néedeful it is to such as séeke to be of the nomber of Gods People, to be deuided and drawne from vices, and that they fixe not vppon the abuses of this world, séeing they ought to be a People seperate, and Subiect to no Communitie or traffyke wyth Sinners, and Idolators. For that cause the Scripture calleth the Children of God Banished and seperate from all men. Esay also Exhorteth the Faythfull to retyre from the Companie of the wicked, but specialsy suche as are Gods Seruauntes and Sacrify­cators, ordeyued to accomplishe the Statutes and Com­maundementes of God. Abraham issued out of the Re­gion of the Chaldees vppon the assuraunce of Gods Pro­mises to make him a guide & leader of a mightie people, and wythall to purchase such renoume and fauor, that who bles­sed that people should be blessed, & who accursed them should partake with the same, and that out of his séed should issue he that should bring felicitie and blessing to all the nations and kinreds of the earth. This promise is a reuiuing of that which had béene made to Adam and Heua, whereof the certayntie séemes to bée so much the more great, by how much God assigneth the Séede out of the which should issue the Messias and Sauiour of the Worlde. By this may be considered the great rewarde that such may hope for as fol­lowe [Page] the Lorde béeing called to the obedience of his Com­maundements, and are withdrawne from the delights and vanities of the worlde to followe bitter thinges, and of harde disgestion. For as God sheweth the fauor he beareth them chusing them for his seruice and aduaunsing them a­aboue all others: So doth he also expresse the perticular care he hath ouer his chosen, whom if he aduaunce on one behalfe, he doth also priueleadge on an other. But notwith­standing all those promises, Abraham forbare not to en­dure much, and to beare his Crosse wyth much trouble, fol­lowing alwayes the eternall will to shew that the bountie and iustice of God are pefect in all his workes. And albeit he liued in great perplexitie and pouertie and suffered ma­ny tribulations and persecutions, yet God deliuered him, and made him prosper that he was riche, mightie and vic­torious ouer his enemies. This is the true Image of the way of God and truth, and to it God calles vs wyth milke and delytes, as nursses vse to intice little Children, to the ende we know that all his wayes are founded vpon mercie and trueth, and that he is vpright in his worde to the iust, leauing vs to folow him by that way, & obey him as know­ing his will to be readie enclined to our health and benefite the same béeing the true ende and purpose for the which he hath chosen vs to serue his turne of vs. Persecutions are necessary for our felicities. Touching the crosse and persecution which Abraham suffered, they weare neces­sarye to his felicitie. For God vseth to proue our fayth, to showe by effect what loue wée beare him, and what pa­tience and Charitie wée haue, shewing wythall how much the worlde is our enemie, declaring it selfe for such one in all his actions, and that God onely hath created and redée­med vs, and onely ministreth all fauour to vs, to the ende wée should call him to our ayde in our necessities, and con­fesse him, whereby the remorce and féeling we haue of his [Page 116] mercie may enflame vs to yéeld him thanks. And that our fayth béeing tryed by the fire of tribulation and temptati­on, the vertue of our patience may encrease and our hope growe stronger dayly to resiste Sinne and the Worlde, vnder Assuraunce and Confydence of the Bowntie of God.

So that Abraham a man iuste was led in these Acci­dentes somtimes in glorie, and sometimes in tribulation: by the Contemplation of whose lyfe, all Christians may know how God handleth his chosen, and of what Conditi­on hée will chuse them, and wyth what courage hée will haue them learne to worshippe him. Abraham issuing out of the Lande of the Chaldees, Ledde wyth him Sara his Wyfe and Loth his Nephewe, together wyth all their Familie that was in Haram Instructed in the trueth of GOD according to the Reuelations that hadde béene made to their Predecessors. And from thence he went into the Region of Chanaan following the ordinaunce of God. The Chananites weare Idolators, and a Nation more Dedicated to Vices then any Clymatte of the worlde. By which meanes Abraham leauing one Countrey whose People weare nothing worth, was ledde into an other where the Inhabytauntes were worsse, and all thys by the wyll and ordinaunce of GOD, whose Mercye doth in suche sort Dispose his Actions, that what hée takes from some by Iustice, hée géeues to others by hys mercie: In suche sort that the Ende of his Woorks is alwayes good, although the wisedome of the world estéeme it contrarie.

This was one Singuler ill amongest other Wicked thinges whiche the Chaldees hadde, that béeinge Blyssed wyth the Presence and Industrye of a Vertuous Per­sonage, Preachinge and Teachinge them the Truethe: [Page] yet they made no accompt of his Doctrine, but dispised him and his aduertisementes. And therefore God depriued them of that benefite whereof they had made themselues vnworthie by the resistaunce which they shewed agaynst his worde.

Touching the Cananits as they were the most wicked race of the Worlde, so they had not as yet the knowledge of the trueth: In which respect it pleased the goodnesse of God to Communicate it to them by the meane of Abraham, whom he ledde into their Countrey: which benefite tor­ned afterwardes to their great condemnation, by reason of their reuoltes, stubburnesse, and obstinacie, by the which they prouoked the Ire of God against them. Of the contra­rie the fayth and patience of Abraham was well proued amongst this rebellious people the more to make him séeke his succours in God, who had drawne him out of the Land of the Chaldees.

God had determined to giue the Lande of Chanaan to the people whom he had chosen in his presence, shewing the greatnesse of his mercie towardes suche as follow him, to whom he giues Lande & Heritage. And of the contrarie, to shew his Ire agaynst sinners by the Punishement which he made of the Chananits & other nations possessing the said Lande. For this cause he willed that Abraham after the passion of many tribulations should dye in that Lande, to confyrme to him his promise, and to impatronize him of that Region for and in the name of suche as should discend of him. And long time after, yea, when it was impossible to men to occupie that Lande, he gaue that inheritaunce to the Children of Israell, to shew that he was iust and that his Promises were certaine. So that Abraham béeing at Sichem a Towne of Chanaan, God appeared to him and Promised to giue the sayde Lande to his séed. There Abra­ham builded an Aulter and dyd Sacrifyce, calling vpon the [Page 117] name of the Lorde: There he endured great Tribulations, in which was established assured testimony of his faith and patience: and on the otherside the Lordes goodnes was with him, deliuering him of his troubles, and communi­cated that which should happen to his people, reuiuing the alliance made with him: he assured him that in his seede all nations should receiue blissing, and promised that he should haue a sonne by Sara his wife being already aged. Thus the familie of Abraham multiplied frō one day to an other, which he gouerned by the preaching of the word, and all to entertaine them in the obseruation of Gods commaunde­ments and in his feare: The Lord then made alliance with him aswell in his owne name as for his successors, contayning these capitulations. First that Abraham and his, for following his truth and the obedience of the same, should bée his people, and hée would bée their GOD. That the séede of Abraham should serue him and reappose their hope in his promises made to them. That they kéepe the Lawes which he calleth Iustice, which hée had geuen them. Lastly that hée would bée their GOD, and protect and defend them in this world, and instruct them in the way to obtaine the life of the other world, pardoning all their sinnes in fauour and consideration of him which had bene promised for the redemption of man kind, and ordayned to surmount the forces of hell, and conquere the Deuill. In signe whereof hée ordayned that Abraham should bée circumcised together with all the male children discending of him and his whole familie, the same seruing as a monu­ment and perpetuall memorie of the alliance made be­twene GOD and them, and of the spirituall generation of the séede of Abraham, whom GOD adopted for his children in the name of him that was promised, by meane of which adoption this spirituall people should bée a conti­nuall enemie to the old Serpent and his workes. From [Page] that time the people of GOD more obserued outward ce­remonies then they had done. For, besides the sacrifices which they made, they adioyned circumcision, the same ser­uing them as a marke to declare outwardly the profession of their Religion, and that they should worship the only God which had geuen creation, and had promised redemp­tion of their sinnes.

The Author aunswereth a congratulotion sent to him vpon the gift of a Bishoppricke.

I Haue receiued your Letter, and doe re­fuse the horse you sent me, not for that he is vnworthy, but because I am curious. reseruing such as you are to giue mée good counsell, and my other more wel­thy friendes to minister to my wantes: In aduersities riche men must giue remedie, and wise men minister com­fort. For that aduersitie is truly vsed which expects his remedy of richmen, & his consolation from such as are wise. And béeing in the pension of the Prince for so many offices, and now raysed to the commidities of a large Bishoppricke, I sée not how I can suffer want, nor my friends to wish mée more, since to him that is already satisfied there remaynes no necessitie of further prouidence. The wiseman is contented and ex­presseth no want, but the mind of the foolish is subiect to care and thoughtes neuer being satisfied though hée flow in fulnesse, Liuing in the flesh it is harde to suffise the desiers of the flesh. so that his aboundance bréedes his extréeme po­uertie and miserie. That man néedeth little that measu­reth his fill according to the néede of kind and not after the rage of couetous. For, the nature of man desireth little, but our opinion is neuer satisfied, yea liuing in the flesh. It [Page 118] is hard to suffice the desires of the flesh. It is no small per­plexitie to a poore man to aske that he wanteth, but it is a great paine to the rich man to kéepe that which hée hath too much, séeing to gather riches the rich man is all alone, but to disperse them he hath too much company. This is one o­ther accident that fortune bringes with it, that who riseth a foote in authoritie, encreaseth most commonly an elne in necessitie, for that nowe a dayes our chiefest trauayle re­steth not so much to furnish our house, as to entertaine and féede our pompes. And albeit euery one is bound to procure that is necessary for him, yet withall hée ought to take héede not to affect or aspire to superfluitie: séeing if pouertie proue the patience of a good man, aboundance carieth light spirites into vaine glory and presumpcion: Yea, many there are who if they had not fulnesse of wealth, they would not with such swiftnesse followe vice and sinne, Riches are rea­dy instruments to vanitie. for that riches are readie instrumentes to va­nitie and apt cloakes to couer foule actions. I allow not for all this, that men should bée negligent to prouide things necessary for the vse of this life, séeing the néedie man can neuer haue too great contentment. The needy man can neues haue to great contentment. But great is Gods goodnes to that man to whom he hath geuen acompotent hauiour, enough to kéepe him from shameful pouertie: nei­ther suffring want for the necessary supplie of his life, nor yet wallowing in that aboundance that may lead him to his destruction.

I am tolde Sir, of the great pleasure you take, and the many rewardes you haue geuen to the messenger that brought you the newes of my election to a Bishoppricke: Wherein I estéeme your liberallitie much, but consent no whit to the ioy and gladnes you féele. For that, if you knew aswell as I what charge lieth vppon the gouernement of soules, you would be more sory for my insufficencie, then glad that I haue accepted y ^e dignitie, assuring you y ^t such is [Page] the qualety of gouernemente of common weales and spe­cially that of the Churche, that being of many desired, it is of few well exercised. It belonges to him that gouer­neth to bée learned, the better to knowe what hée doth: Wise to find out how hée ought to doe it: Discréete to at­tend and take the oportunitie, Respectes of a gouernour. and resolute in the action of iustice without corruption or feare of any: otherwayes hée shall but bring paynes to his person, and leaue daun­ger to his common weale. All these condicious may bée of one man desired, but they are hardly foūd to méete in ma­ny: For, to speake in truth and libertie, there is no man so good, in whom is not some faulte to bée corrected, and many imperfections to bée remedied. And therefore for one man to call an other vertuous without flatterie, it is to giue him the greatest title of the worlde, séeing it is found by experience, that the name of vertuous, is of many desired, but of very fewe deserued.

It is not without sorowe to good men to sée many vaine and glorious mindes nowe a dayes delited to bée honoured vppon the superscription of Letters with these titles, most high, most mightie, most magnificall, or most reuerent, estéeming it to dishonour if most vertuous bée put in, and leauing that title, not for a Noble man but for personages of meane estate. To such men I aunswere, that to call a man most high, belonges to a Kyng: to bée intituled most mightie belonges to a Ʋiceroy, to beare the name of most magnificall belonges to be a man of great estate: and to bée written right Reuerent it behoueth him to bée a great Prelate: but to bée called vertuous, it is first requisit that he be good. Therfore in the accompt of reputa­tion, it is more worthy to be called vertuous, then Noble or reuerent: It is more wor­thy to be called vertuous then noble or reue­rent. For that the one title discends together with the dignitie, & the other is the reward of y ^e vertue which we vse: So that it fals out in good experiēce y ^t this title of vertuous [Page 119] is of many desired, and not greatly deserued. I assure you sir) I am already so full with the trauell of gouernement and to be a Bishop, that if as I haue determined it with reason, I could conclude it with opinion, I would with as good hart refuse the charge, as others would accept it with gladnes: For that my naturall inclination beares more to séeke out the swéetenesse of Philosophie, then to trauell in the bitter perplexities of pollicie. In this many will say I write against my selfe, for that such vaine world­linges as I am employe not our skill and studie to search onely mediocretie to liue by, but to gather superfluities to serue our appetites, following not reason but opinion. And many doe I knowe in this world now a dayes, to whom of that little they haue there would yet remayne some thing, if they had none to content but themselues: but their endes tending more to satisfie that which their neighbours may saye, then to accomplish thinges which they are bound to doe: neyther the inheritance of their pa­rents, nor the vse of their friendes can suffize their prodi­gallitie. And therefore both troublesome, daungerous, and chargefull is the estate of Princes and great Lordes.: For, that to get riches they are alone, but the deuiding and partition of the same is subiect to the will of many: Yea in that respect they are no other then trivutaries and subiectes, since that of all that they possesse, most common­ly they haue the vse but of the least part. Wherein Mar­cus Aurelius writing to a deare friend of his, vseth this discourse. Many times it is agréeable enough that a man doe what hée would, but neuer is it lawfull to doe that hée ought not: For, to make warre against men, is often­times glory, but to bée at controuersie with reason is al­wayes attributed to follie. There bée many men wise, but more bée fooles, and the greatest foote of all is hée, who béeing at rest in his house, searcheth with diligence else­where, troubles, trauayles, and perplexities. For, that [Page] for the most part hée reapes no other fruite of the offices and estates which hée searcheth abrode, then to suffer con­tinually payne, care, and griefe at home: There is no doubt that to bée Emperour of Rome is not a greatnes aboue all the estates of the worlde. But waighing wyth his countenaunce and Maiestie the cares and infelicities that are annexed to the seate, there is farre greater securitie to followe a priuate lyfe, then to manage the affayres and trauayles of a Kyngdome. And because (good Pution) thou art so neare mée in friendshippe and opinion, In aduersities it is one comfort to knowe the vttermost mis­hap. I will debate it franckly wyth thée, though not so much for that thou desirest to knowe it, yet because it bringes ease to my harte to communicate my Fortune, as in all aduersities it is one chiefe comfort when men knowe the vttermost of their mishappes: But thus was the case.

The Emperour Anthonius adopting mée to his Sonne in Lawe, gaue mée to wyfe his Daughter, and for a Dow­rie endued mée wyth the Empire, two thinges very hono­rable, and euen so not a little troublesome: For that to the gouernement of the Empire is tied great payne and trauayle, and in Faustine my wyfe is great difficultie of moderation and modestie. Herein thou hast no reason to maruayle so much of that I write to thée now, as to won­der wyth what discretion I haue so long time suffered it, assuring thée, that the trauayles of the Kyngdome shor­ten my lyfe, and the libertie of my wyfe diminished mine honour. For, shée béeing the Daughter of an Emperour, the wyfe of an Emperour, hauing with all the helpe of riches, beautie, and authoritie, shée forbeares not to vse the priuilege of her libertie not as shée ought, but as shée list.

VVomen ra­ther desire libertie, then knowe how to vse it.This béeing a propertie anexed to most women rather to desire libertie, then that they knowe how to vse it. And that which worse is, shée will neuer suffer reformation [Page 120] of this error, wythout the preiudice of myne honour. So, that in a fourme of lyfe as this is, and wyth the felowship of a Wyfe such as is Faustine, it had bene better for mée to haue taken the state of a labourer, then to haue bene raysed to the place of the Empire. For that when the reckoninge is made, as there is no land so hard which the Plough doth not tourne vp, so there is no man so humble which will bée commaunded. I was neuer so well serued, as when I had but one Page, and now that I am Emperour, all men call mée seruauntes, and yet I am made seruaunt to them all. Wherein thou mayest sée a lamentable difference betwéene that I was then, and the condicion I liue in nowe: For when I followed the studie of Philosophie I had contentment of minde, where the pompes of the Empire so carieth mée into straunge spirites, that I haue forgot the vertue and Science I knew, and nowe am trauayled in infirmities which I can not auoide.

When I was a priuate man, all men held their eyes fixed vppon mée, and now that I am a Prince, there are fewe that employe not their tongues against mée, the same wel approuing, that as in Princes there is alwayes some­thing to bée warned, so in Subiectes are many thinges to bée corrected. All this (good Pution) I debate wyth thée, to the end, thou owe compassion to my estate past, and beare pitie to that I am nowe, hauing neyther time to communicate wyth those friendes wyth whom I haue ben brought vp, nor oportunitie to séeke my solace in the sci­ences I haue learned: For, of the one side the cares of the Kyngdome doe carie mée into thoughtes and heauines, and on the otherside the libertie of my Wife leaues mée in trouble of conscience.

Thus Sir, touching the congratulation you sent mée for the Bishoppricke, you are aunswered by Marcus Au­relius, by whom you sée, it is more suretie to the man of re­ligion [Page] and learning to follow the exercise of study, then to aspire after gouernment and rule: for that in the one he findes contentment with stabilitie, where the other mini­streth nothing but passion, perplexitie, and perpetuall sub­iection to reuolution and change.

The Author modestly reprehendeth his friend for not yéelding to his request.

I Vnderstand (Sir) that you make no lesse vaunt for denying my request, then I was shamefast to desire you, which hath giuen mée some occasion of debate eftsones betwéene your autho­ritie and my iudgement, and your fro­wardnes and my condicion. The man that doth ill is but simply wicked, but hée that glorieth in [Page 512] his ill, is not wythout a Sipirite of the Deuill. For, as the Condition of the Deuill is inclyned to deceaue, so the nature of the vayne and Frowarde is hardlye Cor­rected, and therefore to the Glorious and Obstynate manne it is in vayne to géeue Councell, and muche lesse to minister Correction, since where reason yéeldes to selfe wyll, and Sensualitie suffereth no Councell, there the mynde is tourned into Partialytie and all the Sen­ses resolued into Faction. I saye thus muche vppon the occasion of my Requeste to you to beare fauour to my Friende, to whom much lesse you Ministred any friende­shippe, séeing you would not once vouchesafe to bestowe an Aunswere to my Letter, an iniurie which I haue felt rather then Published, Considering that suche wronges as thys is ought eyther to bée thoroughly reuenged, or alto­gether Dissembled. I am not muche gréeued for that I dyd entreate you, since the Lawe of Nature leaues a Libertie for one manne to bée béeholding to an other, and amongest friendes that requeste ought not to bée intol­lerable whiche bringes as great necessitye to bée graun­ted, as reason to bée Demaunded, and wherein the grea­test Preiudice is to him that denyeth it. But touchinge the wronge you offer to repulse mée, I will not enforce it wyth Argument and woordes, Since my hearte is not vnarmed wyth Patience to beare it, Estéeming it to a true effecte of my vertue to suffer the Iniurie, since you make no Conscience to offer it: One of the thinges where­in Caesar shewed most Courage was, in that hée séemed most gladde when the Senate hadde denyed him anye thing, Affirming that there coulde not bée a greater glo­rye or Renoume to his Person, then when hée was most importunate to aske, they were most readie to denye, expressing his great Power to forbeare that hée desired, and their slender reasons to reiect him. The Letter I wrot you conteyned thinges indifferent, neyther vnméete [Page] to be required, nor worthie to be denyed, perswading you altogether to beare more respect to my friendship, then re­membraunce to the iniurie my friende hath done you: Wherein the griefe he published, and the request I made, ought sure to worke some impression in you, séeing that hee is no other then a Tyrant, who is not appeased by discréete Woordes, and mollifyed by pitifull Teares, that suffizing to Attonement betwéene man and man, He is a Tirant that is not ap­peased by teares which God holdeth for acceptable betwéene him and Sinners. And albeit no man ought to séeke his Reuenge, as by the same to throwe himselfe into destruction, Yet to him that is of base condition it is no dishonour to Reuenge, where to the man of might and Power, the most Honour is to Pardon. There can not be a more high reueng then to forgiue an in­iurie- For, that in the World, there is not a more haw­tie kynde of Reuenge then to forgéeue an iniurie by ver­tue: Notwythstanding I thinke there canne bée no rule certaine in the Action of Pardoning or reuenging wrongs: For that oftentimes the offence bringes wyth it that qua­letie that it can not bée Pardoned wythout committing a newe fault. But the offence of my friende, for whom I wrote, béeing not of that Condition, deserued to bée for­géeuen in common Christianitie, and to bée dissembled of you bearing a Reputation to bée Discréete, Wyse, and not Passioned. Suffer your selfe to be sought to, since euen the greatest Princes are bounde to heare Suters. Mis­lyke not opportunities, when the necessitie of the partie deserues to bée pytied, and disdayne not to receiue good Councell, since amongest men there canne bée no greater Treasure. Otherwayes, if you bée Rigorous, harde and obscinate, albeit you may haue the Companie of many Neyghbours, yet assure your selfe to want the Solace that is to be looked for in good frendes. And so God giue you that you desire, and defend you from that you deserue.

A Letter aduertising Parentes not to be Carelesse in the Education of their Children, and that a man of ho­nestie and vertue ought not to suffer ill resort or lewde demeanor in his house.

WHen Rome stood in her best Prosperitie, it was defended that none should doe Sacrifice in the Temple of Minerua but onely the Matrons of the Cytie: For which cause they vsed to couer the Images of men at suche time as the Women prepared to their Action of Sacrifice. But afterwardes their curiousnesse was cor­rupted by the wickednesse of one Claudius, who watching his opportunitie, defyled the fayre Matron Obelina as hée founde her praying alone: Wherein, notwithstanding he was accused and detected of Sacrileage, yet hée so solici­ted for himselfe by cauteile and corruption, that for Mo­ney the Iudges absolued him, béeing promised wythall by his industerie to possesse in that sort and place the fairest Ladyes in Rome, which accordingly he perfourmed: So that this wretched Claudius not satisfied wyth his proper Sinne, labored to giue meane of offence to others. Where­in he brought more slaunder to the Romanes for the prac­tises he made, then for his proper Transgression, for that the one was a fault of nature, and the other a wicked­nesse of corruption: By these I wishe yoou to bée aduerti­tised and rebuked, that in your house your Children are not onely Dishonest, but Couers also to the vices of others, which can not be without their great fault, and your iust infamie, For the vices of the Childe the Father deserues rebuke. for that in the vyces of the Children is due cause of Imputation to the Parentes. If you know it and Dissemble it, your Offence is the greater and if it bée [Page] not yet come to your knowledge it tournes to your more Negligence and Chalenge: For that the Wyfe and ho­nest man ought to kéepe more accompt of the Honour of his house, then of the money in his Coffers, since Money may bée redéemed wyth Money, but the spotte in a house can not bée repurged wyth all the Treasures in a Kinge­dome. The great Sacrifycator Hely was not Punished somuche for the Sinnes of himselfe as for that he Dissem­bled the vices of his Children: which was iustly layde vp­pon him, for that the Father carefull for the vertue and instruction of his Children ought to féede their infancie wyth Doctrine, and frame their youth with Discipline: Haue regarde to your honour, and watch ouer your flocke Corret your familie, and abollishe from your house infa­mie lest you deserue to be accused of all, and of none wor­thie to be excused, assuring you that as a man of reason ought not to be called wise so long as he suffereth his sonne to liue in vices. So if you apply not the medicine in time, the disease of your infamie will grow incurable, and as a Cancker, spred thorow your whole Posteritie: It cannot bée denyed but inclinations much hurt young people, euen so I holde it the greater ill not to haunt good and vertuous companies, for that a wicked inclination may bée resisted, but an ill Custome is seldome forgotten, since there is no­thing takes in vs more déeper impression then the thinges wherewith we haue continuall familiaritie, So that the fa­ther that will well gouerne his Childe, ought to holde him short, and cut of the libertie of his fancie, séeing that youth is not so tender to resist vices, as most harde and incapa­ble to receiue Councell. Many and many be the faultes which men Committe in this worlde whose punishmentes God transferres to others, except the offence of the Fa­ther for the ill Iustitution of hys Chylde, whose Abuses and Errours resolue oftentimes to a Scourge of the Fa­ther for his negligence. For, how many vices the Father [Page 127] hath suffered in the sonne in his youth, so many sorrowes shall afflict his old age, as a due iustice for that he was care­lesse. There is no honest man hath a more cruell ennemie, The Father ought not to suffer his chil­dren to be dissolute. then that poore Father who suffereth in his house dissolute children: For that where the hurts we haue by our enemies are causes to decrease our goodes, the vices of our children bring losse and spoyle to our honour. And where it may happen that an honest man may not receyne a blowe of his en­nemie once in his lyfe, the enormities of his owne children are sufficient to make him dye euery hower: So that the perplexities wée haue sometimes by straungers are dis­gested as thinges happeninge by straungers, as the wound that is outwarde may gréeue but not perishe the intrales: But the displeasures passing in our house pearse déeper, and as a martyr languishe the harte euen to death: And therefore by howe much the Father beareth pittie to hys wicked Sonne, by so much hee vseth extreame cruelty a­gainste himselfe: yea that day wherein he ministreth not correction to his Sonne, that daye doth he iustice of hys proper person, and sendes his renowne to question. The Romaynes had a Lawe called Faelcidia, by which the first offence of the Childe was pardoned, the Seconde punnish­ed, and for the third he was banished: which Law if it were eftsones reduced to practise in these tymes, wée should not sée so many youth runne hedlong into vices, nor so ma­ny Fathers suffer blame for their negligence: But because Fathers doe not chastise, and mothers too muche suffer, the childe takes boldnesse in vice, leauinge to the Parentes occasion to lament, but no lybertye of reme­die.

Where you wryte to me that you are old, & that your infirmityes make you weary, as though you liued to longe: I wishe you not to reckon your age so much by the nomber of yeares you haue lyued, as by the many trauelles you haue endured: For that to sensuallitie, to liue a hundred [Page] yeares séemes but a short time, and to the harte that is hea­uie and sorrowfull, the lyfe of a hundreth momentes is too long and wearie. It must not suffize you to séeme to bée olde, He onely is olde that puts ende to his olde cor­ruptions. but you must bée so in déede, séeing he onely may bée called olde who puttes ende to his olde vices. For little doth it profite to haue your head Graye and your Face Wrinckled, if your lyfe follow younge customes and your minde Féede vppon Greene desyres, the same béeing the cause why Olde men weakened wyth vice and Sinne, are Subiecte to feare Death and to dye soone, béeing wyth nothing so ill contented, as to bée deuided from their vices.

The Author writeth to his Sister seruing in Court: Partly hée instructes her how to liue in Court, and partly satisfyeth her request vnder a short Discription of Loue.

WEighing wyth the nature of the place where you are, the qualetie of the af­fection I beare to you, I dout whether it were better to vse playnesse accor­ding to good meaning, or dissemble, and so leaue you better contented. For, by the office of nature I cannot but warne you, and yet to the place where you are, nothing is lesse acceptable then to be instructed: the Court béeing a place that sometimes couereth or séeth not the faultes in their frendes, or else takes all thinges to blame, and findes no­thing in their foes that they may lyke. But béeing my Si­ster, I will vse my authoritie, though not to please you, yet to perswade you and acquite my selfe, béeing farre from my profession to deale in matters of loue, I that haue vnderta­ken the direction of consciences. And albeit my other tra­uels [Page 128] & priuat exercise make me very insufficiēt to debate w ^t you to your ful satisfactiō, yet taking y ^e opportunity as it is, I had rather put my imperfectiō vpōiudgment, then leaue you not instructed, hoping you wil no lesse answer for mine honor then for your sake you sée mée readie to hazarde it to Question. Where you write to me that he that presen­ted you wyth your laste, Iewell was your frende and Lo­uer I denye it, since there is difference béetwéene him that Loues, and one that is a Friende. For a friende doth al­wayes Loue, but he that Loues is not alwayes a friende: Which may bée well prooued in your Ladyes of the Court. For that in Seruice and Amarous deuotion you haue ma­ny that Serue you, Follow you, and desire you, who may rather bée called your Louers then your Friendes, since they intende no other thing then the practise of pleasure be­ing as voyde of intent of mariage as they are of vertue: Yea, hauing not the Spirite to iudge of honest Loue, nor true intention to follow it, they bring oftentimes dishonor to their Ladyes, whose simplicitie for the most parte falles into Slaunder by the Sutletie and malice of their Ser­uauntes. Suche one I feare is hée that hath béestowed the Iewell vppon you, which then you may best discerne when you finde him to Promise much and perfourme lit­tle, assuring you that then hée vseth the Sleyght of the Fowler, who wyth a Swéete Call bringes the Byrde to his Nette, and deceaues her to her Destruction. Consi­der therefore the place where you are, the Race that you come of, and what you pretende. The Courte giues you Libertie to doe muche ill, and little Instruction too Follow that is good: And if you Stande not Faste vp­pon those Vertues you Learned in the House of your father, the place it selfe will infect and change you, since fre­quentation drawes into one felowship & societie of Estate, things that of themselues are different: remēber also that to [Page] such as desire to be vertuous the house of the Prince is a schole house for their better instruction, and a place helping to their aduauncement. Wherein if any miscarie, the falt may be more in their proper negligence, then in the will of the Prince, since to maydes of honor seruing in Court it is a greater aduauncement to be maried by the fauor & con­sent of the Prince, then by y ^e patrimonies or portion which their parentes can leaue them. I haue oftentimes writ­ten vnto you, that if deuotion and conscience leade some women into Religion, vertue and good name rayse others to preferment in Court. Therefore I aduise you lay not vp great confidence in your beautie, & much lesse presume vpon the greatnesse of your race: For in Court, for one Gentleman that makes loue to your persones, you shall find twenty that spend the whole day to iudge of your liues, since beautie without vertue, and high kindred wythout good conditions, is no other thing then as a goodly gréene Trée that florisheth with leaues and blossomes, and brings forth no fruite: or as a stately carued Image, which men take great pleasure to beholde, but are gréeued when they finde it dead and without qualitie.

You and the other Ladies your companions would haue me write what loue is, wherein it consistes, and what be the fignes and tokens of true loue, estéeming me a man of studie, and an auncient Courtier. This office I might bet­ter tourne vppon your selues, for that, your beauties stan­ding in the eyes of men, leading them to sue, to serue, to so­licit and to loue you, mée thinkes it belonges to you to set downe the discription of loue, and to me to tell you what sorrow is. Séeing it is an action due to my place and age, to wéepe, fast, and praye, but to you it apperteynes to daunce, deuise, & tryffle. Notwythstanding as I haue told you in short what a frende is, so I will not sticke to fill vp y ^e residue of your desire, to debate briefly the nature of loue, not that I would instruct you, but to warne and aduise [Page 129] you, hoping you will rather Loue as a Christian, VVarninges for a Lady seruing in Courte. then as a Courtier. Wherein I recommende vnto you chiefely to bée wise in your wordes, discréete in your actions, secret in your thoughtes, particuler in your frendships, modest in your behauiour, and aboue all follow the instructions of your owne vertues, and flée the example of such as draw to vice: Yea, haue more regarde to your selfe then to any o­ther person, since in the ende your vertues are sure of their rewarde, for that God will preferre you to Mariage, and put into the minde of the Prince to endue you wyth wor­thie Portion. Take héede therefore you bée not lyght in lookes, vayne in life, lauishe of spéech, nor a scoffer at men, for that wyth Ladyes of these Conditions, men of the Court take pleasure to deuise, but none will haue fancie to Marie them. So that the best dowrie to aduaunce the Mariage of a young Lady is, when she bringes in her coun­tenaunce myldnesse, in her spéeche wisedome, in her beha­uiour modestie, and in her whole lyfe, vertue: For that there is no man, what vayne and lyght affections soeuer hée haue, but though hée take pleasure to sewe and serue a fayre Ladye, yet in case of Maryage, hée wyll séeke out Vertue, and reiect Beautie. But now to our purpose of Loue: It is an opinion wyth you Ladyes of the Court, that Loue, and to bée a Louer, consistes onely to be gaye in apparell, to be set out in diuersitie of Coullers of Fea­thers, to be pensiue, to be passioned, to solycite, to beholde, and often to entertaine his Lady wyth discourses of Loue: Thinges no lesse vayne and light, then most farre from the true propertie of loue: Séeing of this qualetye is the good and true loue, that to him that hath default of force, it géeues him strength, and in him that hath it alreadye, it confirmes it further. To him that is simple, VVhat true loue is. it géeues Quickenesse of spirite: To him that hath want of Cou­rage it géeues boldenesse and stomacke: By it the Coue­tou [...] man is made liberal, and it sets open the Purse of the [Page] nigarde: So that in the harte where he is entred he suffe­reth no imperfection nor inciuility, but lifts their thoughts vp to high actions, Loue bredes mani vertues and searching that he loueth, there are none perceiueth what he endureth: when we cast our eye vpon a thing, there is differenc to prayse it, and to loue it▪ for that the thing which we praise and loue not, assone as it is commended, it is forgotten, but that which we loue tru­ly wée laye vp in the the secret corner of our thoughtes, we plant it in our will and bring it forth in the fruite of our memorie: It stands always afore our eyes, & our eyes send it downe to the safe keeping of our harte: Loue is beste knowne to the harte that loueth, and he of himselfe onely feeles when he is content or miscontent, fauoured or not fauoured, suspected or trusted, mery or sadde, or in dispair or assured: Yea his passions are not knowne to others, if his affections be honest, for that he will rather suffer in griefe then giue cause of offence, estéeming his meritte so much the greater, by how much his martirdome is paine­full, and his passion so muche the more worthie, by how much his intention assureth his hope. To instruct you in the signes of suche as loue truely, you must obserue the be­hauiour of the parties when they depart one from ano­ther: For it is no other thing the seperation of two frends, then to deuide one hart into two moities, the same moste commonly appearing at the time of leaue taking, when in the one is disclosed want of wordes, and in the other aboundaunce of teares: you shall know likewise that loue that is accompanied with fastnesse, when the partie enter­priseth great things and estéemeth little those of base importance, loue alwaies enabling his subiects to high actions, & raising their thoughtes to great purposes. Properties in a t [...]ue louer Zo that the hart that loues lokes not to be commaunded, but learns to win merit by preuention: he offereth no excuse, but is rea­dy to execute: he is not required to be liberall, but finds out wherin he may be aceptable: he suspectes not his mi­stres, [Page 130] but takes all to the best, he beleeues no report, since he is assured of her vertue: he is not importunate, but makes his hope his felicitie: if she but begin to like, he puts wings to his affection, yea he makes her y ^e image of his thoughts, & liues wholy dedicated to her deuotion. And therefore if he loue dearly, hd liues in thought to please, in care to offende, in desire to suffer, & in feare to disclose, and louing much he giues much, thinking it no liberalitie if he refuse any thing, since if he haue once giuen his wil and consent, it is nothing to giue withal his abilitie and wealth: and being possest by another, he must think he hath nothing of his owne: In like sort the true louer studies to be circumspect in behauiour, estéeming it a swéet felicity to haue his thoughts & delytes priuate: he is modest in countenance the better to bleare the eyes of spies, & please the minde of his mistres. And he is patient to suffer, estéeming him not worthy of reward vn­lesse he endure to the ende. And where true loue is, there wronges must be borne, and no wordes deliuered to the dys­honour of his Lady: By whom if any occasion be giuen, yet he must alwayes haue this lesson, that patience is a vertue, and secret scilence doth best solicite, since the true Trum­pet of loue, is not the Tongue that speaketh, but the harte that sigheth. Yea as the Tongue is restrayned from speaking, but not the hearte from Louinge: So I holde it better to loue wyth sewertie, then to deceiue wyth swéet­nesse, since in the one is the vertue, and bringes his re­warde, and the other being the vice, is sure of his Pun­nishement. And so good Sister, if any your Seruauntes in Courte iudge me a louer by this short discourse I haue written, I praye you tell them that béeing a member of the worlde, I haue a propertie in worldly actions, and per­haps had bene as worldly as the best if Philosophie had not drawne me from the world.

To a Noble man, in Consolation for the death of his Daughter in Law.

THis hath bene alwayes a true obserua­tion from one time to an other, that a­fore any great chaūce or accident, there were forshewed certeine straunge and prodigious signes, which as the Gentils interpreted according to their Super­stitions, so it belonges to vs Christi­ans to take them as Aduertisementes and warninges: Séeing they are Messengers and Heraldes of God, not to amaze and confounde vs, but to warne and aduise vs, he delyting more to sée our liues amended, then to punishe vs according to our faults, according to that comfortable text of Dauid, Castigans castigauit me dominus sed morti non tradidit me: So liberall is the mercie of God my Sauiour towardes me, (sayth he) that albeit he hath threatened to strike me, yet he hath not so much as touched me. But com­ming somwhat more particulerly to your estate & my pur­pose, y ^t late importunate trauell which you toke in the mari­age of your sister: your great & heauy misfortune in y ^e burning of your house & castle, the late disagréement and faction be­twéene you and your bretherne, and this lamentable death of the Marques your Daughter in lawe, séeme to me to be thrée plagues most pitifull to heare, & gréeuous to endure: deseruing no lesse compassion, then the ten scourges where­with Egipt was afflicted, for that the one were thundered vpō a king tirant, & the other ministred to a christiā knight. Yea the plagues of Egipt were dispersed thorow the whole land, where your griefs are altogither within your hart: by means wherof, where afore you wer holdē but as a christiā, you are now of a cōfessor made a martir, not so much for y ^e aduersities y ^t are happened, as for y ^e patiēce you vse, bearing those crosses according to vertue, & not as mā vnfortunate. [Page 131] if you were persecuted as Noe was of y ^e Idolators, or as Io­seph by his Bretherne, or as the good man Iob by his frends, it could not be but very gréeuous, though nothing daun­gerous. For that as in the Palaice of Princes who is most Fauoured of the Prince, is best estéemed of the People: So in the house of God his preferment is greatest, whom Christ doth most chastise, since to none other ende are the Corrections hee géeues vs then to putte vs in Remem­braunce and prepare vs to one pefection. God suffered Tobyas to bée Blynde, Susanna to suffer Sentence, and Daniell to bée Imprisoned, not for that hée would them ill, but to erpresse the Loue hée bare them, this béeinge one propertie in Gods Affection to Chastise those that hée Loueth and leaue others to their Destruction. VVho is not af­flicted beares a signe that of god he is much forgotten. There is no greater Temptation then neuer to bée Tempted, and no more sorer Punishement, then of GOD neuer to bée Corrected, since who receaueth no Afflictions in this Worlde, beares a Signe that of GOD hée is muche forgotten: Yea, the Perplexityes wherewyth GOD vysiteth vs ought rather to bée called Aduertise­mentes: then Punishementes: For that they are Disci­plines necessarye to our amendement, and not Stumb­linge Blockes to make vs fall further. This made Da­uyd say, Omnes fluctus tuos induxisti super me. Psal. 81. All the tra­uelles and Daungers Oh Lorde, which thou weart woont Indifferently to impart to many, thou hast now redu­ced and retourned vppon mée onely. Job hauing loste his Goodes, his Cattell, and his Children, Iob. 6. sayde and de­maunded of GOD, In miserie it is one comfort to knovv the vtter most of our mishaps. Haec sit mihi consolatio vt affligens me dolore, no parcas, Greater Consolation coulde not the Lorde sende mée in this Worlde, then Punishing my faultes, to spare no sortes of sorrowe vppon mée, for that in a calamitie it is one comfort when men know the vtter most of their mishappes and that they can not bée Puni­nished further. Mihi absit gloriari, sayth Saynt Paule, Ni­si [Page] in Cruce Domini: Estéeming it no greater glorie then to endure troubles, as by that meanes to come to commu­nicate wyth the glorye of Christ. It is good the LORD laye his hande vppon vs, for that by it wée are ledde to hu­mylitie, and taught to enter into the consideration of our selues: And the Rewarde and Recompence that God Mynistreth to suche as Obeye and serue him, is to suffer them to bée Traueyled in Afflictions, Thorough exercise of aduersi­ties men are made humble. since hée knoweth that there is no better Passage to the Eternall Glorye and Felicyties of Heauen, then to beare the Crosse of Trybulation here in Earth. For, through Exercise of Aduersitie menne béecome Humble, and béeing often tryed they are the better Iustifyed, as the Mettall that pas­seth thorough many Fiers ryseth more to his fynenesse and Perfection. For my parte (Sir) albéeit I haue not the facultye of a Prophette, nor the inspyration of an A­postle: Yet I dare assure you, that if in Patience you receaue all your perplexities, you shall receaue your re­warde wyth others whom GOD hath made happye by Troubles: To the most, afflictions be but warninges. béeing no other thinge the Trybulation of the Iuste, then a warning of our faultes, and an aduertise­mente of that wée ought to doe. Wherein speakyng more particulerly, I saye, that to bée Sorrowfull for the death of your Daughter, you haue reason according to Fleshe and Bloude, as well for the Opinion of her Ver­tue, Beautie, Age, and Kyndred, as in regarde of the deare affection you bare her. But if you consider wyth­all your Office towardes GOD, you haue to thinke, that séeing hée hath so ordeyned, the beste Sacrifyce you canne Offer, is to reste satisfyed wyth his will: Not to Mur­mure of that is done, since of necessitie it must bée so, nor debate wyth him why hée hath done it, for that in his purposes is great Wisedome, which in the ende bringes forth all thinges for our beste. You must thinke (Sir) it is a voyage that must bée perfourmed by us all, and bée­ing [Page 132] a Tribute so due, hée is vnthankefull that payeth it with grudging: Since for this debt wée are taken out of al Debtes, and béeing cleared of all Bondes, wée remayne for euer most happely layde vp in the Frée felicities of God. It was a Lawe amongest the Lidians, that the Fa­ther Burying his Sonne, was not forth wyth comfor­ted till y ^e yeare was past, The hart that is newely gree­ued takes his beste comfort when hee hath time to lament his losse. as thinking it too soone to put con­solation to so great sorrowes: since the hearte that is but newely gréeued can not better bée comforted then to haue tyme to Lamente his losse: For that as menne in Sor­rowe féele their harmes more gréeuously, then that at the firste they canne géeue place to Comfort: So there canne bée no greater ease in the perplexities of Fortune then when they sée others Communicate in compassion wyth them. This I saye, for that where you may thinke I haue written this Letter too late, you may wythall knowe that I dyd it rather of Industerie, then of forgetfulnesse: Wherein because the Experience of the Disposition of heartes heauely Loaden wyth Sorrowe, made mée some­what doubtfull, whether out of hande I should comfort your gréene gréeues, or deferre them vntill by time they were more apt to receaue Consolation: I thought it not vn necessarye to suffer you to Waue in your heauy­nesse, till your Teares somewhat ceassing, your hearte might bée also reduced to Capacitie and Iudgement. In cases so resolute as Death, Menne are not to vse despe­rate Sorrowe, since there is no Remedie to recouer the losse, but rather to dissemble the chaunce by discression, ha­uing more néede of Magnanimitie and great courage to Dissemble a misefortune, then to assayle an Enemie. So that if your Daughter bée dead, your Complaintes are in vayne, since Sorrowe is no Remedie to restore her, and in Accidentes wythout helpe or hope, Necessi­tye driues menne to Comfort themselues, onelesse they thinke it a Remedye to their Losses to resiste the [Page] Eternall will and prouidence of God: In the mightie A­lexander it was hard to Iudge whether of these two things were most to be estéemed, eyther his high Fortune, or his great Discression, for that with Fortune hée subdued Kingdomes, and wyth Discression hée suffered and dissem­bled mishappes: Euenso hauing so well ouercome many Perilles according to the proportion of your place, where­in as you behaued your selfe as a valiant Knight: So in these stormes of nature, fleshe, and bloude, I wishe you consider what belonges to the law and modestie of a Chri­stian: Wherein then doe you best expresse your selfe a Christian, when for your misfortunes you giue thankes to God, and not complaine of him, taking that is happened not as a punishment in his displeasure but as a token of the remembraunce hée hath of you. Ezechiell. 222. Take héede the com­plaint of Ezechiell bée not ment by you, Fili hominis. &c. I haue put the house of Israell (sayth he) into a furnace of the Captiuity of Babilon, hoping that being within the fire of tribulation, she would resolue to pure Gold, or fine Siluer: But she is conuerted into Leather, Lead, Brasse, and Iron, This is the meaning of the lord by this figure: that man is conuerted into Lead, who being put into y ^e furnace of tribu­lation, cannot only not be amended, but from one day to a­nother growes worse & worse: That man becomes Iron, to whom God hauing sent some small punishement to aduer­tise him, in place to be amended, he ceasseth not to com­plaine: He is tourned into leather, who outwardly séemes to be of holy lyfe, and when any tribulation happeneth, he is founde an hipocrite. And that man is resolued into brasse who in condition is intractable, and in conscience negli­gent. So that with iust cause wée may say that farre grea­ter is the nomber of suche as in Tribulations are Con­uerted into Iron, Leather, Brasse, and Leade, then of them that become eyther Golde or Siluer. God kéepe vs from suche Transmutation, and géeue you Grace to [Page 133] make a better profite of your tribulations, geuing thankes to God, and dissembling them afore men, remembring that the patience of Job was the cause that God restored him to double of that he had taken from him.

One friend writeth to an other of the rage of En­uie, and the nature thereof.

[Page 139] SVch is the infirmitie of the present sea­son that men of vertue rising into fa­uour, find enuie to hinder their merit, Enuie an ene­mie to vertue. and malice to minister recompence to their painefull desertes, enuie being al­wayes such an enemie to vertue, that where it can not oppresse it, yet will it lie in waite to suppresse the glory therof. There is no felici­tie so well assured, nor estate so modest, which is not subiect to the inuasion of enuie: For that enuie being none other thing then a branch of iniustice, Enuie a branch of iniustice. it stirres vp the thoughts to wicked purposes, and armes the handes to actions of iniquitie. The enuious man hath no respect either to the vertue or fortune of any, but to the good thinges that are in them, not reioycing so much in the goods that are his owne, as in the domage & hurt hée doth to others: his office stretching chiefely to desire that no good thing happen to an other. Yea, hée will not sticke to suffer hurt himselfe vp­pon condicion to make his neighbour féele more harme, ac­cording to the Poeticall example following,

Jupiter, disposed to suruey the estate of the worlde, A poeticall ex­ample of an in­uious man and a couetous mā. sent downe for that purpose one of his Aungels disguised in the fourme of a man, whom he ordained to fall first into felow­ship with two men trauailers on the way as it séemed, and in that respect not the lesse conuenient for his companie. They perfourmed together many dayes iourneys wyth those delites and fortunes which happen to such as wan­der countreys. In the end the Angell hauing drawne from them all those thinges hée required to satisfie his desire, dis­closed vnto them whose messenger he was, and hauing power to dispose of the liberalitie of Jupiter, hée sayd that for their good companie hée would giue them present recom­pence. Whereuppon he willed them to aske what they would, and who made the first demaund should not onely [Page] haue fully all that he required, but the other should haue forthwith double as much. The one of these two trauay­lers was a couetous man, and the other an enuious man, betwene whom this offer of the Angell bred no small con­tention. For, the couetous man, who dwelles alwayes in­satiable in the desire of gaine, would not make the first de­maund, hauing regard to the wordes of the Angell promi­sing double to the second. The enuious man, on the other­side, whose condicion is to desire that no good happen to an other, vsed scilence, determining rather to loase the bene­fite of the first demaund, then that his companion should enioye the double of his gaine. Oh infinite malice and corruption of men in whom euen the certaintie of benefit bréedes emulation: the one not contented to haue more then he looked for, and the other not satisfied though he had all: the one afrayd to demaund least his friend should find fauour, and the other disdayning that the benefit should be deuided: The one gréedie to get the profit of both: the other for spite brought mischiefe to both. The one wretched in sci­lence, the other miserable in enuie. The one diuelish in co­uetousnesse, the other accursed in hatred. The one insati­able in desire, and the other infinite in malice. They both had appetite to drinke, and yet both languished in thirst. They both saw likelihode to get, and yet both suffred losse, not for that they néeded, but because their corruption so re­quired. For, being in this conflict who should aske first, and that of necessitie a demaund must be made, the enuious man, thinking by the sufferance of a simple harme in him­selfe, to bring double hurt to his fellowe, desired of the An­gell that one of his eyes might bée put out, wherewith at the instant hée lost one eye, and his companion was made blind of both. So that where the one refused to bée satisfi­ed with that which sufficed, the other was raysed as a scourge of his insatiable desires, and the one as wretched in spite, as his companion in couetousnesse, the one became [Page 140] the iust instrument of reuenge to another: A iustice of due force against such as striue in the quarell of enuie and co­uetousnes, both which, being contagious infections in the nature of man, the one poysoneth his soule, and the other consumes and dries vp his body: of all other vices in the world, enuie is the most auncient, of most custome, Enuie a vice most auncient. and of greatest continuance, yea euen to the end of the world. It tooke beginning in the serpent. It was familiar with Came. It hath continued from Adam to all the posterities of Iacob and Esau, Saule and Dauid, and Job and his progenie with many other, whose mutuall persecutions moued not so much by their great kingdomes, riches, and principalities, as for the enuie they bare one to an other, (enuie being of a nature to conspire against the vertues) Fortune, and glory of others: So that greater is the grudge that deriues from enuie, then y ^e dispite discending of iniuries: For, it hapneth oftentimes that the man that is wronged, doth either dis­semble or forget: But who is setled in enuie, leaues nothing vndone that may aduance the reuenge, (enuie being none other thing then a disdaine & contempt of an other mans glory,) as was wel expressed by the factions & quarelles be­twene Caesar and Pompei, who fought not so often for any priuate iniurie offred by either of them, as for the mutuall dispite they bare to their common fortune & glory. (Enuie alwaies bearing more malice to y ^e vertues & glory of men, Enuie beares more malice to the vertues of men then to their goods. then to their fortunes or goods): It is a canker that spreds into al cōplexions, & a bloud sturring in al sorts of men: For if he be a good man, his vertues make him subiect to enuie, & if he be wicked, his vices make him enuious, The best reme­die against en­uie is to forbear to be vertuous. so that of what temper so euer our condicion is, we are either disfauored by enuie, or els we persecute others for enuie. And therfore y ^e best remedie against enuie, is to forbeare to bée vertuous, or at least to estrange our selues from prosperitie that no man contemne vs, & liue cōtented w ^t aduersitie not disdaining y ^e happines of others: we néed haue no encōbrāce w ^t y ^e proud mā so long as we make our selues equal w ^t him. [Page] We néede not be infected by the lechour, if wée hold no con­uersation with him. It is hard to a­uoyd the eyes of the enuious mā We néede not feare the quareller, if wée expostulate no wordes with him: nor bée in daunger of the couetous man, so long as wée aske nothing of him. But it is hard to auoyd the eyes of the enuious man, for that if we climb into fauour, he wil espie vs, & if we fall infortune hée wil make vs cōtemne & murmure. Yea, there is no Sea which he sayles not ouer, no kingdome which he inuades not, no power to resist him, nor man hable to auoyd him. It beares no regard to the mightiest Prince, nor pitie to the meanest subiect. It fauoureth no man for his force, nor flattereth any for his beautie. It spited the wisedome of Salomon and riches of Cressus. It dispised the liberalitie of Alexander, and prowes of Hector. It controlled the elo­quence of Cicero, and enuied the fortune of Augustus, and bare malice to the iustice of Traian. All which graue and noble personages were not so replenished with graces and dignities, Enuie denieth to giue renoum to such as are dead. as pursued with nombers of enuious eyes: Yea enuie doth not only persecute men that liue, but it denieth renoume to such as are dead. Enuie to vertue, ielousie to fauour, and aduersitie to prosperitie, are so ioyned together by nature, that the one followeth the other as the shadowe doth the man. And as nature and conscience carie vs to owe compassion to such as bée poore and miserable: so am­bicion and corruption leade vs in enuie against those that stand in fortune and fauour. This being one proofe of the malice of the worlde, that to such as are downe, none wil lend their hand to helpe them vp againe, and to those that stand in grace, many are the espials to bring them out of fauour. Therfore let such as are rich & mightie be assured y ^t by how much great they are in place & dignitie, by so much more are they subiect to suspitiōs & enuie. Ther be certain Brotherhods of enuie whose principall office is to burie men quicke, & vncouer bodyes that are dead, & to those bro­therhoodes belong these lyberties and prerogatiues: They [Page 141] say no ill of the poore, but speake at large of the riche: Custome of the en [...]ious [...] They minister no succours themselues, and restreine others from Charitie: They haue mindes voyde of all compassion, but readie hands to receiue all that comes: They neuer speake wythout murmure, nor vse scilence wythout pretence of malice: They are suspicious of their enemies, and Tray­tors to their friendes: They séeke not to salue what is a misse, but are diligent supplantors of men of vertue. Last­ly, all that they say is spoken in malice and murmure, but they doe nothing according to trueth and good meaning: That more safe were it to holde conuersation wyth a Ty­rant then wyth a man possest wyth enuie, for that the one takes a way but the lyfe, and the other persecutes the re­noume and glorie: The tyrant hath couller of iustice to all that he doth, but the enuious man vnder pretence of seruice and frenshippe supplantes the merit of the vertuous euen lyke the Snake who lying secretly vnder the grasse, shootes out his sting when he is least feared: Hermocatus the laste tyrant in Scicilia at the very instant of his death, Recom­mended vnto his sonne, that he should not accustome him­selfe to hatred or malice, but rather labour to liue so well, that his vertues might make him enuied, since to be mali­cious expresseth a spirite of the Deuill, but to be dispised for vertue, is a swéete passion and not wythout his proper comfort. And so he willed his sonne not to leaue of to doe well for any murmure or spight of the people: For that be­sides that vertue was a thing that was hable to giue him immortalitie: To vertue also was ioyned this operation, that when she giues out her beames and brightnesse, euen her enemies are confounded, or at least yéelde to her glory: For vertue taking courage of her proper riches, Vertue hath no neede of praise. cares not for the fauor of the multitude, for that she hath no néede of prayse.

One friende reproueth an other, for that of a Gentle­man, he is become a marchaunt: This Letter tendeth to the rebuke of Couetousnesse.

I Haue hitherunto made it séen to y ^e world that I loued you wyth great ielousie, not for that I sawe you ill inclined, but bée­cause I feared you should fall into ill Councell, the tyme ministring to wic­ked spirites great facilitie to abuse such as stand not enuironed with good aduise. Wherein as I haue alwayes liued in care and studie of your well doing, estéeming it so much the more to my felici­tye and comfort, by how much I sawe you happie in vertue and fortune: So your outwarde towardnesse to all good thinges toke away all suspicion of ill desires, euen as in gréene leaues appearing in the outward branches, is good testimone that the trée is not dry or dead within. But as in al other things of the world, so in the customs of men chief­ly is found most detection, incertaintie, and change: which being true in you, in whom was least necessity, so to you more then any other is most iustice of reprofe: for that the familiar respect & coniecture of your life promised on thing, and the inward operation of your mind practised an other. Oftentimes haue I told you that, to forget to reuenge in­iuries and remember to requite benefits receiued: to beare fauour to good men and giue iustice to ill men: to bestowe good tournes vpon such as are present, and speake well by those that are absent: Means to wake a man be called good. And to estéeme little the losses of for­tune & to make great accompt of the reputation of honor: be things necessarily due to that man that amongst the good wilbe holden for good. But to be rash to reuenge wronges, and vnthankefull to minister recompence, to oppresse iust men and aduaunce the wicked: to backbyte such as are out [Page 142] of sight, and not be liberal to those that are present: And to beare heauely the chaunces of fortune, & weigh in light ba­launce the losse of honor: Are dispositions improper to good men, and guides that fayle not to leade their folowers into perpetuall contempt and infamie. Of this last sort, I will not accuse you for that my affection caryeth my iudgment into parcialitie: neither can I excuse you, vnlesse I will be guiltie in the office of a friende, considering wythall the re­port that goeth of your late chaunge from a Gentleman fo­lowing seruice, to a Marchant, making bargaines: a thing so much the more gréeuous to your frends, by how much it is slaunderous to you, and so much the lesse honorable for a Gentleman, by how muche it is an office Compounded vpon the spoiles and ruines of good men. Accursed is that office wherin you desire to liue pore, to the ende to dye rich. And tenne times accursed is that trade by the which one wicked man séekes to accomplish his Couetousnesse to the preiudice of many good men: I will not vpbrayd you wyth your predecessors, to whose vertue and glory you doe ma­nifest iniurie: But I can not but aduertise you of the in­famy which your couetousnesse wil leaue to your successiō & posteritie: wherein albeit to one so careles of his honour, there is no hope that councell can be acceptable, and that the couetous man in his owne wéening séemes to haue no necessitie of aduise: Yet I wish you remember that as the rasor though he be tēpered with his due proportion of stéele if he passe not by the grindstone to giue him an edge, is vn­apt to cut. So there is no man so ripe in forecast nor ready in wit & policy, who from one time to an other standes not in néed of directiō: Yea, Many thinges are of that qua­letie that the wisedome of man suffizeth not to assure them. many times we sée wise men fayle and erre, not for want of wisedome, but because thinges are of that qualetie that the wisedome of man suffiseth not to assure them. And therefore it béehoues menne not to bée Obstynate in wyll nor Particuler in Opinion, but too ioyne to their doinges the Aduertisementes of others, For [Page] the better sewertie and successe of their businesse: consider that the theatries or scaffoldes of this worlde whereon we Children of vanitie doe walke, haue their foundations vp­pon sande, and therefore their strength is but frayle. Yea, though the pillors be of Gold, and holden vp wyth Images of kinges, God hath com­municated all thinges to men sauing immor­talitie. yet they are subiect to shake and fall euen into the same golphes and bottomes which in other ages haue deuoured the treasures of their predecessors. God hath com­municated all thinges to men, sauing immortallitye which he hath reserued to himselfe for that he doth neuer die, and hath set men in an estate of casualtie and frayltie, for that in the ende all thinges take ende: Onely the good and ill renoume of men aspire greatly to perpetuitie, Good and ill renoume liue e­uer. for that they stande frée from fortune, and preuayle euen ouer the re­membraunce of time: The persons determine, but their renoume liues euer: the bodyes resolue to dust, and out of that is raysed an ayre which blowes abroade the reportes of their liues: Let no man beléeue in the worlde, for that it hath a custome to hyde vnder a litte Golde, a great deale of Drosse: Deceits of the vvorlde. vnder a resemblaunce of trueth, it leades vs in many deceiptes and to our very fewe and short delytes, it ioynes infinite greifs and displeasures. To whom it shews most fauour in him is most perill of distruction, For that the allurementes of the worlde be but baytes to beguile such as byte them, and who serues the worlde in disdayne and mockerie, findes his recompence most iust and true, where to him that loues it indéede, it ministreth rewardes in scorne. Finally in our most sewer sléepe it awakes vs wyth greatest perill: And when we thinke our estate beste established, it is then we are nearest our ouerthrow and ruine. How many haue we séene that wyth no small care haue trauelled all the dayes of their lyfe to enriche their sonne whom they loued best, and yet there comes an heire whom they thought not vppsn, who wyth great delyte re­ioyseth in the fruite and vse of all their paynefull trauels: [Page 143] It is a iust Sentence, that such as haue beguyled many, Gods iustice goeth by measure. should reape the recompence of their abuses, since Gods iustice goeth by measure, and hath regarde to the equitie of thinges wythout Parciallitie to persons. It is no indif­ferencie that that which a wicked Father hath heaped for on heire alone by the preiudice of many goodmen, should be enioyed by him many yeares: for that the line to measure all thinges ought to be equall, and goodes gotten by shyfte are for the most part lost wyth shame: the same falling out in common experience, that what the wicked Father wins wyth studie and sorrow, the vnthryftie sonne wastes in Solace and Negligence. The prodigall sonne scornes at the sighes of the couetous Eather. And what the one Plantes in toyle and care, the other remooues in ease and welfare, béeing a Lawe in Gods iustice that the Prodigall Sonne should scorne at the sighes of his Couetous Father. You séeme (according to the figure of the Scripture,) for the sil­ling of one Patte of Water, to wade continually wetshood in the lake of this miserable Worlde: You drye vp the no­ritour of your brayne wyth the fume of sighs: You breake your bodye wyth the toyles of this lyfe, and aduenture your honour to fyll but one Iarre or Pitcher wyth Wa­ter: and yet, lyke as for the time you liue, it will not quench your appetite, so in the ende you will be dryuen to dye of Thirst, and the Potte which wyth so great payne you haue fylled in your lyfe, shall after your death be broken against the walles of a prodigall heire, He is not riche that possesseth much. who will laugh to sée it runne as a ryuer, and reioyce to water the streates wyth the Ryches that you Locked full dearely in your sewrest Chestes. Remember, that he is not Ryche that posses­seth much goodes, but he whose desires are satisfyed, and his minde contented. Couetousnesse makes the hor­ders to be hated and liberalitye dravves loue to the spender. The liberall man liues in beste securi­tie, for that his liberalitie continues his friendes, and re­claimes his enemies: And Golde and Siluer giue better renoume to those that spende them, then to such as hoard them vp, for that couetousnesse makes the hoarders to bée [Page] hated, where liberalitye draweth loue to the spender. By these I wishe you to be aduised, that gayne and getting are weake pillors to vpholde good name, Honour & co­uetousnesse of themselues contrary. for that Couetous­nesse and honor are of themselues contrarye, and can holde no congruencie together in one man. All the vices of this worlde haue in themselues some taste, except Couetous­nesse, which bringes griefe for the goodes that others haue, and Ielousie and suspition for the riches that are euen vn­der our owne handes. For, to be riche, it belonges also to haue the fruition of riches, the same giuing pleasure to such as can take it, as the possession serueth to such as can vse it. The perplexities of the couetous man are to suspect his Seruauntes, Perplexities of the couetous man. and distrust his kindred, to set Espyalles ouer his Wyfe, and doubt his Children, to bée fearefull of the thiefe, and to be Ielouse euen of his owne shaddowe: Yea he is so miserable, that he settes more garde of his mo­ney then of his person. He takes no pleasure but in ca­sting his Reckoninges, in Compting his Siluer, in Sel­ling his Wares, and in multiplying his Commodities, estéeming it as his Paradice, to bée alwayes gayning and neuer spending, to bée alwayes winninig and ne­uer loasing, to bée alwayes receiuing and neuer lending, and to be alwayes getting as though he should neuer dye. But when there is question to disburse money, though it be for thinges necessarie: Oh, then he is as farre from modestye, as he is full of malice, accursing to the Diuell both Wyfe, Children, and Familie, and in that Passi­on hée estéemes suche to deceaue him most, in whom hée hath greatest reason to repose Confydence, and who in deede are the best Stewardes, and Husbandes of his com­modityes. So that if Couetous men would Consider what a swéete thing Lyberalitye is, they would tourne their desires to gayne much, into a disposition to géeue more, for that, it is not of so great value that which the Liberall man doth géeue, as is his recompence: Séeing that for [Page 144] the pleasure hée doth to anye, hée is to Redemaunde the Trybute of his Libertie. Yea, the Liberall man is the Lorde ouer those People where hee lyueth, and the lea­der of all suche as haue to doe wyth him: Dispraises in the couetous nigarde. For that their Recompence béeing certayne, there are none wyll denye him their Seruice: Where, to the Nygarde and Coue­tous man, where one wyll heare him, manye wyll feare him: where none wyll speake to him, manye wyll auoyde him: Where none wyll geeue him any thing, many wyll practise agaynst him: Where none will visitte him, ma­ny will abhorre him, where none wyll employe him, ma­ny wyll accurse him: Yea, who wyll Demaunde any thing of the Couetous man that denyeth all thinges to himselfe? or how hath he a mynde to succour Straungers that is not touched in Conscience to suffer his owne to Starue? Manye Couetous men doe wée sée now a dayes to whom God geeues Power to gette Ryches, Pollecye to kéepe them, Heartes to defende them, Lyfe to possesse them, but not Lybertye to reioyce and vse them: So that though they bee Lordes ouer the Ryches of others, yet they are Slaues euen to that whiche themselues Possesse. Wherein I am of Opinyon, that by so muche more Excellent is Honeste Pouertie then Cursed Coue­tousnesse: By how muche the Poore man is contented wyth Little, Pouertie more excelent then Couetousnesse. where to the Richeman a great deale seemes nothing. And therefore what mynde canne bée more Myserable then to sighe for the goodes of an other, more by desire then by default? The gréedie mynde caryeth no Disposition to Spende vppon his Parentes and friendes, séeing, hée accomptes that Stolne which hée employeth of himselfe: Therefore it is a false Witnesse to call the couetous man rich, since it is not he that hath riches, but ra­ther riches are maisters of him: For the which he takes no small paine to get them, vseth as great care to kéepe them, [Page] and suffereth no lesse griefe to forgoe them: Yea I accompt not the couetous riche men so happie, as the pore labourer and deluer of the earth: For that wyth his mattocke the one drawes reliefe and noriture out of the earth, and the other wretchedly hydes in the earth his treasure and feli­citie, and how secretly so euer it is hyd, yet he standes not so suspicious of any as of himselfe: For, if he haue two keyes to his Chest to kéepe his money from stealing, he suf­fereth ten cares in his harte to kéepe him from spending: So that the care being great to kéep, and the griefe no lesse to loase, I wishe all men well aduised how they beginne to get, since to saue a little of their wealth, they are subiect to put in hazarde much of their honor. Therefore who will be reuenged of a richeman, can wish him no greater passi­on then to liue long: For that greater is the penaunce by his long lyfe in couetousnesse, then any other reuenge that can be taken of him. Great is that ambicion, and slaunde­rous that couetousnesse, which neyther for shame of the worlde, nor for feare of death is restrained or moderated, and tenne times great is the abuse of him, who hauing no necessitie, séekes to exchaunge contentment for care, solace for sorrow, libertie for bondage, pleasure for paine, and watching for sléeping: Yea accursed is that man that fals from the reputation of seruice in warres, to the profession of broakage in martes and Marchaundise: And forbea­ring to climbe hilles and mountaynes to resist the enemie, is contented to kéepe the vally, and Robbe his Countrey­men that be passengers: euen lyke to many olde men, who when they waxe weake in force without, séeke to growe strong in malice wythin. By these (Sir) I wish you to con­sider what Dampnable office you haue taken in hand, and into what discredible Opinions you are growen, with bringing to your friendes no small griefe, and to your selfe a lamentable infamie. I aduise you, for ende, to chaunge your mind, séeing it is easier to suffer y ^t want of wealth thē [Page 145] to dissemble the abuse of honor.

A Letter in consolation declaring the discommodities of anger, and the benefites of patience.

I Would you were as good a Phisition as I know you to be a true christian: then would you eyther vse the proper reme­die to infelicities, which is patience, or at least shake of the heauinesse of your misfortune, which iustly béecomes a wiseman: For, as to all naturall infir­mities afflicting the body, phisicke is able to aforde cures proper and conuenient: So, when tribulations happen and the minde, is trauelled, the man of God will not con­test or argue why he is visited, but looke vp to the will of the Lorde, wyth, whom our medicines are alreadie compoun­ded, though not swéete and pleasaunt to our taste, yet neces­sarie and profitable to our saluation and health: And albe­it oftentimes he deales not wyth vs as we would and looke for, yet we finde from time to time that he trauelleth to our remedie, and knowing best the humor that offendes vs, he can in due season applye the medecine that best worketh to our deliuery: And therefore when we are in tribulati­on and séeme to aske of God in vaine, we ought not forth­with to enter into murmure, but to weigh with that little he denyeth vs then, the many graces he hath graunted vs afore, (it being to great an vnthankefulnesse to forget the many blessinges we haue receiued, and béeing denyed but small thinges, to rayse great complaynies agaynst him.) But as a mischiefe knowne of before and diligently looked for, is not so gréeuous as when it comes vppon a suddeyne: So for that I haue alwayes knowne you to bée resolute in the chaunces of tyme and fortune, I hope you stande now in leaste necessitie of Councell, when there is most occa­sion [Page] of courage or vertue, estéeming it all one to foresée a mischiefe, when you are sewer of the remedie. And yet béecause Afflictions are the true Touche stoanes to trye the Affections of Friendes, I thought good to offer myselfe to Communicate wyth you, not in direction, for that I know you hable and well aduised, but in Councell, which béeing faythfully giuen, ought to finde no season vnapt to be receiued.

Euery new mu­tation of mind bringes with it a new care.Lyke as in experience of Worldly thinges, euery newe mutation bringes wyth it for the present a newe care, and leaues notwythstanding the minde in greater sewertie at last: So, for your part, if you knewe the necessitie of afflie­tions & your owne debilitie: If you considered wel, of for­tune, and her chaunges: If you weighed men wyth their malices: And discerned betwéene the worlde and his al­lurementes: you would not suffer heauinesse for that which is necessary, nor séeke your succoures in thinges that en­tertaine your misery, since it is more miserable to be with out vertue, then to be afflicted: Such is the suttle malice of the world, that the lesse héed men giue to it, the more doth it prepare to strike them, to the end to giue them afterwards a greater wounde. Many men sounde and disposed, dye sooner of diseases newely growen, then the weake that haue languished many yeares in their infirmities: And therefore, séeing it is most sewer that the wretched man canne not passe wythout myserie, he is more Wise that canne taste his trauelles by little and little, then hée that tryeth them al together: For that, many thinges are Eaten by morsels, which if they weare Swallowed to­geather, He is wise that feeleth his tra­uels by little & little. woulde bringe Perill of Stranglinge: Euen so at sundrye times wée suffer many perplexities, which if they should trauell vs all at once, our frayltie weare too weake to resiste them, for that they woulde deuoure vs all in one daye. So that séeing God hath so ordeyned that what wée holde our selues most sewer of, wée sée often­times [Page 146] suffer most Perill. Why doe wée complayne of want of reste when wée haue vndertaken a Iourney wea­rie and troublesome? Why doe wée thinke muche to stomble, hauing chosen a stoanie way? How canne wée thinke to sléepe in securitie, when in the seames of our Bedde bée sowen thoughtes and cares? Lastly there is no reason to thinke wée should bée frée in Heauen, séeing wée stande bounde to the Worlde. There is no more Power in fortune to assure thinges, then in the Sea to bée calme, béeing Subiect to the Wyndes. And no more Authoritie hath shée to dispose thinges then the simple Ma­ryner, that committes his Sayles to the Wynde, which dryueth his Shippe not whether hée woulde, but whe­ther the Waues and Wynde doe shooue her. It is an in­fallible rule, All naturall thinges are subiect to chaunge that all Naturall courses are Subiect to mutation euery yeare, and all Worldely menne that hunte after Fortune, are sewer to suffer Eclipse euery moment. So that séeing Naturall thinges (béeing neces­sarie) canne not reteyne alwayes one essence and bée­ing: It is most iuste that the goodes of fortune perishe which are superfluous.

I am sorie for your miseaduenture, as if it hadde hap­pened to my selfe: And more sorie that I canne not as I woulde make knowne wyth what hearte I beare compas­sion to you: Since it is one principall office amongest Friendes to Communicate in fortunes, and though their persones bée deuided, yet to exercise Communitie of coun­cell, comforte, and remedie. So that hauing no possibilitie to come to you (standinge Subiect to the Seruice of the Prince:) and lesse expectation of reliefe (béeing not ha­ble to minister to mine owne wantes) I thought to vse the industrie of my Penne to declare the disposition of my harte, hoping you will accept that that is, and looke for no more then may be: and where in giuing you aduise to make [Page] no reckoning of that is happened, you may perhappes take occasion to thinke, that eyther I know not the grauetie of the chance, or els that I estéeme you to haue want of iudg­ment. I cannot but confesse to holde this opinion that al­beit you are subiect to passion as a man, yet your discressi­on makes you hable to suffer and dissemble according to reason and wisedome: For that, as in many iniuries there is more securitie to dissemble then to reuenge: In many iniu­ries ther is more securitie to dis­sēble a wrong then to reunge it. So when the might of our aduersary preuayles aboue our power, the best Councell is to suffer, séeing there is no possibilitie to reuenge. Therefore, if in the present wronges you sup­pose you haue receiued, you wyll consider the office of a Christian, and forget the Passion of a Persecutor, you will not so muche béeholde the malice of him that pursueth you, as the iustice of God that suffereth it, in whose presence you stande so guyltie and loaden wyth Sinne, that this Affliction ought not to séeme heauie, considering the grée­uous merittes of your lyfe past. For, if wée weygh in one Balaunce, our olde offences, and the Punnishements wée feele, wée shall finde our paynes farre inferiour to our wic­ked merittes, and our offences rather touched wyth a mylde iustice, then strayned to a due Correction: Wee may note also in Gods manner of visitation, a mercifull difference he vseth betwéene the Reprobate, & People pe­culiarly chosen to himselfe: For, to the one their myse­ries are but Stumbling blockes to make them fall fur­ther: And in the other, they worke repentaunce w ^t many o­ther perfections: Sewer, it belonges not to Christians to murmure at his Crosse, nor grudge to beare it, séeing his hande is not heauier then his mercie plentifull: Yea hee visiteth the afflicted wyth the same comfort that the Phi­sition doth his Patient, and succoureth the distressed as wée sée he relieueth the dry and thirstie grounde wyth the dew & drops of heauen: So y ^t let euery one acknowledge that y ^e tribulations which God suffereth, are not blockes to [Page 147] make vs stumble, nor heauie burdens whose weight may make vs fall, but they be furnaces necessarie to refine our fayth, and instrumentes working to our perfection, where­in who remaynes not constant to the ende can not be made pure mettall: For that to be afflicted, and not to suffer with patience, bringes forth no other fruite then as mettall thro­wen into the fire, and not passing thorow all his heates, comes out couered more wyth drosse then pure Golde: And albeit I cannot denie, but to be angry is naturall, and most sortes of men holding more of Fleshe and nature, then of spirite and grace, doe drawe most that way where they finde the appetite to haue most power of action: Yet for that anger hath his difinition and partes, respecting time, Euery reuenge ministreth occasions of further crueltie. occasion, and other circumstaunces, I thought good to offer you a short Discription: not thereby to leaue you in any affection to follow it, but to lead you out of the way of those inconueniencies which he bringes wyth him, hoping you will forbeare eftsones to pursue him whom you suppose to haue done you so great a displeasure, VVhat anger is seing euerie reuenge nourisheth occasions of newe Cruelties, and therfore more sewertie to some men to dissemble, then to execute. Anger is no other thing then a wicked desire of reuenge, an enemie to all good Councell, and a corrupter of euerie good conditi­on, Yea, that which we call anger, is no other thing then a vehement desire of reuenge, somtimes, respecting the occa­sion that is giuen, but for the most part pushed forwarde by a wicked minde of the partye whom he possesseth, Discriptions of an angry man. and when the punishment excéedes the fault, then it hath chan­ged the qualetie of anger into an habite of reuenge. The man that is angrie, beléeues no aduice of friendes, and is carelesse euen of his owne estate: He is suspicious of all men, and suddeine in his actions, his face is fierie, and his handes ready to strike, his thoughtes are malicious, and his tongue trayned to all speaches of dispight and reproache: He is dispossest of all temperance, modesty, and reason, and [Page] runnes as one Possest wyth a wicked Spirite to all actes of Crueltie, iniurie, and tyranny. Anger caryeth wyth it these wicked conditions, that for once that wée Lende him our will, hée will be alwayes after Lorde ouer all our doings, and doe all thinges that hée lyste agaynst our wyll. All men Posseste wyth anger are lyke to a Lamppe, who by the superfluitie of Oyle géeues no lyght, but castes out certayne sparckling snuffes and flames. But in a Mage­strate or man of Authoritie, there is nothing that more discouereth his vertue or vice, for that though he haue oc­casion to rebuke offences, yet he hath no permission to shew himselfe passionate. It is a iust thing that suche as offende the Lawes, should receiue the Punishments of the Lawes, but yet such ought to be the moderation of paynes, as that they aspire not to the degrée and effect of reuenge: since all men féele wyth more griefe the violent rygoure that is done them, then the iudiciall Punishement they receiue: So that a man to restraine or correct his An­ger, No greater tri­umph then too conquer affecti­ons. is not onely a vertue, but a grace supernaturall, for that in worldly thinges there can bée no greater kinde of Tryumph, then euerie one to haue the victory of his owne hearte. And albéeit Anger is then somewhat tollerable, when the occasion is iuste, yet béeing a vice so imperious in man, I would not wishe any sufferaunce géeuen to it, for that all that comes of it is wicked, and of his pro­per Nature hurtfull. There bée many thinges which in the beginning wée haue Power eyther to receaue or re­fuse, but if Anger haue once taken Possession of vs, it Sinkes (as a Stoane throwne into a Ryuer) and stayeth not tyll it come to the bottome of our hartes: and if reason ryse agaynst it. It wyll not bée remooued, for that it hath taken too déepe roote in our thoughtes and wil. The same béeing the cause, that all thinges that Angrie men doe, are of necessitie blinde and foolishe, for that it is not a thing easie that a man troubled wyth anger, should [Page 148] haue vse of reason: And dooing thinges without reason, hée doth them wythout art, and so by consequence wyth­out rule, wisedome, or discression. Let euery man therefore, Labour to hate Anger for the discommodities that are in it, and learne to bée temperate, Repentance the very stipend & effect of malice wherein is the true ver­tue and contentment. He that absteynes from speaking villanie, is most wyse, since Repentaunce is the verye stipende and effect of Malice, and there is seldome any thing vttered in Malice, which tournes not to the hurte of the speaker. Wée fynde by experience that to a man in Choller, it is a Principall Remedy to Correct his tongue, and delaye a little to doe Reuenge: For, men speake and doe many thinges in their Anger, which they wishe afterwardes had neuer passed their thoughtes. The man that is wronged, is not forthwyth to be delt withall to par­don the iniurie, but rather to delay and respitte the re­uenge: For that, VVhere is no capacitie of councell, there per­swasions are in vaine. a man dwelling in passion is not apt to pardon readely, if first he be not appeased. And therefore to séeke to reduce a man to reason, so long as hée is possest wyth the heate of his furie, is but losse of diligence: For that hauing no capacitye of councell, perswasions are in vaine, & where there is not a spirit tractable, there can be no possibility of reformation, being better to suffer his fu­ry, then to minister aduise, for that bathing in the heate of his anger, he standes more néede of a brydle then of a spur. Therfore whosoeuer hath conuersation with a man cholle­rike, standes in more necessity of polecie then of power, for that anger being to be appeased by discression, receiues no medecine if it be not perfect in time, place, qualetie, Time reformes more thinges then reason. and e­uery other circumstaunce conducible to purge but not to paine. There be more thinges which time moderates then that reason accordes, as are séene in the experience of many great quarrelles of many great personages, whom ney­ther friendes could entreat, nor enemies feare, nor Golde could allure, nor other presentes reclaime: And yet, after [Page] time haue had his Course, there hath bene founde a facili­tie in that which afore séemed difficult and desperate. Time hath power to change parties and passions, Time hath pow­er to moderate passions. & to newe men, to giue newe affections, by which it happeneth, that he that suffereth with the time, shal sée burne the hart of his aduer­sary in the same fire wherewyth he supposeth himselfe is consumed: the wise man hath his tongue in his hart, but he that is angrie and furious hath his hart in his tongue: The one is angrie for that he suffereth, and prayseth all that he speaketh, but the other is gréeued when his Tongue Runnes at Lybertye, and reioyseth most when hée suf­fereth most: Yea, Patience is the inuention of God, and leades men to beare all mutations wyth courage and con­stancie, and in Calamities not to bée vnfurnished of Re­medies.

Consideracions for Iudges cryminall, expressed in a famyliar Letter from one friende to an other, wherein is vsed a necessary Authoritie of a Philosopher.

[Page 158] CIcero in his discourse De amicitia, holdes this opinion Si omnia facienda sunt quae a mici vellent, tales non sunt amicitiased coniurationes. If we should accomplishe all things (sayth he) aswell good as ill which our frends require of vs, such frendship might rather be called coniuration of the wicked, then confederation of the good. For, albeit the law of frendship is hardly restrained to limit: yet, it is an error to make it an office passible to all actions without di­stinction of things, and consideration to the qualety of per­sons. Yea we must loue our frends no further then the Al­ter that is, for our frends we must not corrupt religion nor conscience. Scaurus and Cattiline the tirants of Rome, There can be no amitie vvher is no vertue. & Bru­tus and Cassius the murderers of Caesar helde great league & confederacie together, but in no sort they coulde be called frends, for that there can be no true amity where is no ver­tue, and that friendshippe is most accursed and infamous, where men become friendes to the ende to be enemies to others. I am bolde (sir) to vse this entrie into the aunswere of your last Letter, by the which you séeme to put me in re­membraunce of your frendship and my auncient fidelitie, hauing occasion now more then euer as you say to make tryall of your friendes to sée if they will fauour your ab­sence wyth the same affection wherewith they were wont to faune vpon you in your presence. For my part, I estéeme my selfe of no lesse fidelity then you suppose, and do confesse the honorable frendship you bear me, but vnder this condi­cion, y ^t you doe nothing worthie of rebuke, The magistrate ought too doe nothing of dis­honor. nor vnworthy to be defended, since in a magistrate albeit there may be ma­ny things to be amended, yet he ought to do nothing worthy of dishonor nor to deserue blame. It brings no small griefe vnto me to hears what faltes are heaped agaynst you tou­ching your gouernment in those parts, assuring you that [Page] if you had receiued Councell of the Doctrine of the Philo­sopher, Science and ex­periēce the two principal pillors that vphold cō mon weales. you had not brought such passion to your friendes, nor to your person such infamie and perill: Men that ma­nage estates, or take charge to gouerne common weales, ought to be circumspect in that they doe, and skilfull to vn­derstande what they iudge, séeing that science and experi­ence are the two principall pillors that vpholde common weales: we sée many who albeit haue red ouer the whole Volumes of the Lawes, yet when they leaue the vniuer­sities and come to administer affaires of estate, they dis­couer no small imperfections: For that he deserues not fully the name and reputation of a Councellour at Lawe that knoweth onely the body of the law, but he which can apply it in time and place: Séeing that to learne science a certayne discourse of time suffiseth, but to put it to confe­rence and vse, there is requisite a déepe and assured iudgement. And therefore all humaine Lawes béeing grounded more vppon reason then opinion, it happeneth oftentimes, that the man of the Countrey replenished wyth experience, holdes better course in gouernement and iudgement, then the graduat raysed to degrées of learning by the customes of the vniuersitie. But now to debate wyth you somwhat more particulerly, as I haue alwayes helde you in the opi­nion of a man wise and learned, and also a iudge and coun­celler resolute: So, by your late abuses in those partes, hea­ped agaynst you in great slaunder here, I am eyther other­wayes then I was wont to be, or at least you are not the same that I haue alwayes estéemed you, séeing that hauing commission from the Prince to chastise a sedicious Rebell both in body and goodes, you are accused to haue abused your authoritie wyth suspected fauor to his person, and cor­rupte affection to his house and goodes: hauing bene so long a Councellor, No Rebellion excusable. it is time for you to know that no rebellion is excusable, no though the oppression be intollerable, and it is as due iustice in the Prince to execute a Rebell as to [Page 159] defende an innocent: séeing he doth but blowe the Brande of sedicion vpon the head of the doers and so burneth them wyth their proper fire. Oh that pardon is wicked which bringes wyth it the hazarde of a Countrey, That pardon is wicked which bringes with it the hazard of a countrey. as on the con­trary, most happie is that punishment wherin is wrought the safetie of the state. To disobey the Prince, for not to breake or passe the lawe, or to infrindge the lawe to obey the Prince, be thinges that happen, albeit they ought not to be done: But (according to the propertie and effect of your action) to disobey the Prince, and be holde to breake the law: I know not how better to referre it then to mere contempt and follie: For that in all ages and estates, that hath bene a iust obseruation of the law, when he that was a Traytor to the Prince, and a troubler of the Realme, was executed both in goodes and lyfe, and his howse rased. But you haue not onely fauoured the lyfe of the Rebell wyth a suspected respyte of his person, but also as one en­tised wyth the beautie of his fayre howse, you haue not de­faced it as a monument of his offence, but séemed to reserue it for your speciall vse and profite: Wherein you are farre from the direction of the Philosopher. Nunquam deb et fi­eri iuditium in conspectu obiecti de quo iudicandum est. If it happen (sayth he) that any faire or riche thing fall into falt, let it not stande afore the eyes of the Iudge when he is to pronounce sentence, lest a couetous compassion of the thing preuayle aboue the vertue of equitie and reason: Homer recytes, that amongst the princes of Troy, there was great question, whether they should sende hoame agayne fayre Helene to her husbande or not: In which dispute (such was the incertayntie of their affections) they condemned her being absent, but eftsones reabsolued her when she stoode afore them bearing such compassion to her present beautie, that they had no power to doe iustice: Josephus lykewise in his discourse of the warres of the Jewes, sayth, that the good Emperour Tyrus hauing subdued the Countrey of Judea, [Page] and taken the great Cytie of Ierusalem, when he behelde wyth iudgement the riche and stately Temple of Salomon, the presence and maiestie of the thing caryed him into that compassion, that muchlesse that he suffered it to be defa­ced or razed, séeing he gaue strayt order that no pillage or spoyle should bée offered to it, till hee were gone out of A­sia, and retourned to Rome. In like sort it is written in the firste Booke of the Kinges, that God commaunded Kings Saule to aryse and put to the Swoorde the Prince of the Amalechytes, and all the men, women and Cattle wyth out exception which he founde: But Saule béeing subiect to a corrupt Pytie, killed onely all the leane, weake and deformed Cattell, sparing suche as were fayre and fatte: For which disobedience the Lorde was mooued to Anger, and the Kynge depryued of his kingdome. The good con­sull Marcus Marcellus séeing the Noble Cytie of Sarra­goce Burning, Commaunded to Quenche the fyre, estée­ming it great losse to Burne thinges so fayre and good­ly. But if these Noble men and also your Lordeshippe, had well studied the rule of Aristotle, That the thing riche and fayre ought not to stande in the eyes of the iudge at the tyme of Sentence, their errour had not bene so gennerall, nor your fault so apparant, wyth whom, séeing you are equall in offence, it is good reason you Communicate in payne and Punishement: Wherein it can not gréeue mée a little, that hauing in your hande the sworde of iu­stice, wyth creditte to examine and execute, you haue tour­ned your dutie into disobedience, and your office into neg­ligence, the same géeuing occasion to the Kinges officers here, not onely to accuse you, but Iudge you vnhable to wéelde authoritie, and not worthie of place in the admi­nistration of affayres: Estéeming you no better then a Traytor, for that you haue forborne to Punishe Treason. But the mischiefe béeing happened, I wishe you remem­ber that in cases of offence, the next way to reconcilement, [Page 160] is the offer of Satisfaction or Submission, Assuring you that to a minde so gratious as is the kinges, there is no offence so great which can not be eyther Pardoned or ex­cused: Wherein as most of your friendes here, are tra­uelled to lament your misfortune, so for my parte, you shall fynde mée to labour to restore you to fauour, not doub­ting but if you wyll expresse true Repentaunce, I wyll procure you Franke and readie forgéeuenesse.

A short Letter partly in rebuke and partly in perswasion.

WHen the miserie of others wil not make you kéepe a meane with your fortune, nor the experience of harmes past, touch you in example and warning: I sée no other safetie remayning, then may be hoped for in a ship, who tossed with many stormes séekes her securitie where the sea goeth most high and raging. But being hap­pie in friendes, you liue carelesse of chances, estéeming your selfe subiect to the sentence of Solomon, that that which the euill man feareth shall assuredly happen vnto him. I vnderstand by your messenger the state of your perplexitie, together with the possibilitie of your perill, if present pollicie be not vsed: for the which I am so much the more sory by how much our frendship is auncient, and so much the lesse care­lesse, by how much it ministreth interest to our common [Page 166] alliance: (Two qualities of such fast coniunction, that no­thing can dissolue them, for that alliance is congealed in the bloud, and friendship makes his knot in the hart: as touching the regard of a friend, I maruell I haue not heard of you thus long; for that amongst friends, when their per­sons are deuided, the next office is to communicate by in­telligence: but remembring that forgetfulnes is a swéete error, I haue long since cut of all expectation to heare front you, specially since you haue dedicated your selfe to sanctua­ries, churchyardes, and churches of refuge, where I thinke you establish your resort not so much for deuocion and re­morse, as to giue cooller to some abuse and wrong. Remem­ber that to offend God, and disobey iustice, is an act so duly deseruing punishment, that there is no doubt of the re­uenge, though not vppon the person of the imediat offen­der, yet vppon the posteritie & generation of his house: this being an infallible rule in the reuenge of God, that when he deferreth, he striketh with more vehemencie, redoubling the blow according to the time he spareth to strike. I pray you tell m [...], if it be ill done to hurt an other, why is it your practise, and if it be a vertue to make restitution, why for­beare you to satisfie the wronges you haue done: For my part, I can not accompt it either to honour or valiancie for a man, to put him selfe in necessitie for the safetie of his per­son, eschewing the face of iustice: no more is it wisedome in any man to offer his life to perill in hope of remedie. I doubt whether at this instant, you stand in greater neces­sitie of counsell then of reliefe, for that they bée two mi­series that goe ioyntly with afflictions. Amongest all your other friends debating of your fortune, I pray you think y ^t to giue you counsell I am very yong, & to minister to your wants, I am a religious man: And yet, by y ^e vertue of our friēdship, I cā not but send to you, though not to satisfie you, yet to shew my self careful, hoping, that séeing my facultie stretcheth no further, you wil accept my good wil, since that [Page] who giueth what he hath, can shew no greater liberalitie.

Touching your businesse, I wish you to withdraw your selfe from thence, and be more familiar here, by which meane you shalbe further deuided from your aduersaries, and find your iudges more fauorable, the same being also a degrée to appease the mindes of your enemies if you cease to search them further, that being the greatest reuenge you can giue to make small estimation of your enemies. There is no loue that weareth not, nor hatred that endeth not, if we giue place to time, and cut occasions from vs: For, as tract of time carieth with it a law of forgetfulnes of things past, so when the louer discontinueth, and the enemie is ab­sent, the loue is turned into forgetfulnes, and the hatred into a mountaine of smoke. Who wilbe frée from blame, must not only forbeare to do ill, but eschew the suspicion: e­uen so to purchase quiet, it is good to doe no wrong, but to keepe vs from quarrell, it is necessary to cut of occasions.

By the importunitie of your request to solicit your cause, you séeme to hold my friendship suspected: Wherein your error is so much the greater, by how much you know your businesse findes fauour by my diligence and industrie. And your selfe can giue good testimonie that from the beginning my friendship hath bene greater then your merit, and in my care and counsel haue consisted the whole course of your well doing: so that I wish your condicion better tempred, then to be bitter in hatred, and suspicious in friendship. You ought to know that in all things there is meane, but in the conuersation of a friend, with whom this is chiefely to bée obserued, either altogether to forsake him, or wholy to trust him, assuring you that y ^t mā is no friend that retayneth di­strust, séeing friendship requireth faith and merit. Amongst true friends nothing ought to be reiected, nor any thing to deserue suspicion. And albeit it is not out of pollicie to stand in distrust & doubt of our enemie, yet so simple ought we to be towardes our friend, as in his bosome to powre [Page 167] our secrets, and not to be Ielouse of any counsell he giueth, since true friendship can brooke no distrust, and where is no treason, there can be no possibilitie of deceite.

A Letter of a daintie Lady falne sicke for the death of her little dogge.

MAdame, taking the opportunitie as it is, I am bold to write to you, not so much to comfort your sorow, as to rebuke the occasion, estéeming me so much the lesse apt to minister remedie, by how much your disease is particuler, light, and fan­tastike. Amongest such as are sicke, it is a ready degrée to amendement, to re­appose hope in their Phisition: euen so where the cause is more then naturall, there the office of the Phisition is but vaine, for that the patient languisheth more by opinion thē by infirmitie. It ill becomes the Phisition to laught at the griefe of his Patient, and yet the cause being found vaine and easie, there is no reason he should make sorowe where the cure is neither desperate nor doubtfull: and more doth it concerme the comfort of the sick, that he be mery with the passion of his Patient, then to dissemble a heauines in that which of it selfe is both light and friuolous. It hath bene alwaies a condicion of the world that where some perished, others found safetie, where one receiued honour, an other suffered infamie: And where some find cause to smile and laugh, others are followed with teares & wéeping, al pro­ceding of the instabilitie and change that followeth all the thinges of the world. And as in one place of the sea we sée the water calme and mylde, and in an other full of tem­pest and storme: and one part of the land disposed to diuer­sitie of weathers, and an other quarter all cleare and re­solued. So it happeneth many times to the Children [Page] of men, that according to their diuersitie of complexions, they bring forth varietie of Passion, some suffring sicknes, when others enioy health, many subiect to malencolly, when others delite to be merie, and sundrie féele the head­ach with laughing, when the rest get sore eyes with teares and wéeping. So that it being a thing sure, that calmes succéede stormes, and stormes followe fayre weather, it is good that none swell and rise high in prosperitie, and much lesse be doubtfull in aduersitie: For that in the end there is no perplexitie which weareth not, nor any pleasure which loaseth not his proper qualitie. And as all thinges are to be taken in one of these thrée sortes, either to lament them, laugh at them, or dissemble them. So, good Madame, your Passion (rising but for the losse of your litle Dogge,) deserueth more to be laughed at then dissembled, séeing that as you loued it vainely, so, though you wéepe for it, yet your sorrowe can not bée but light. Our Moother Eue sorowed for her sonne Abell, and Mary Magdalen wept for her sinnes: but you bearing litle compassion to your present offences, and lesse consideration to your vertues past, forbeare not to shed teares for the losse of your litle Dogge. A passion heretofore neuer expressed by any, and much lesse conuenient to your reputation & grauetie: For that to great Ladies striuing to be holden modest and ver­tuous, it ought to be a chiefe care to auoyd the imputation of vanitie & lightnes. And true teares being no other thing the droppes of bloud which distil from the hart by the eyes, there is nothing wherein we can expresse better effect of true affection, then to wéepe for the losse of our friend: For that the sorowfull hart being enclosed within the intrailes, hauing neither féete to goe, nor handes to make signes, hée manifesteth by mouth that which hée loueth, and by his teares makes declaration of his payne. By which argu­ment (good Madam) I say it can not bée but you beare no small affection to your litle Dogge, séeing you mourne for [Page 168] him with so great apparance of sorowe. The tongue publi­sheth nothing but our thoughts, but in the teares is expres­sed the true propertie of our affection, whereuppon it fol­loweth, that though in men and women bée found some­time a custome of fayned wordes, yet, it can not bee but their teares for the most part are true and simple. And therfore it is a false testimonie against women to say that their teares bée alwayes fayned, although in this they may dissemble, when they wéepe for one thing, to say it is for an other, béeing a propertie very familiar with the most of them to haue two coollers to one meaning, and (as the say­ing is) to beare two complexions in one face. This I haue sayed for the defence of your sighes, and in fauour of your teares, which I thinke you haue shed with small deuocion, although with very franke and good hart, séeing (according to the reapport) you haue bene euer since tra­uailed with an Ague, and exercised in those passions that kéepe you continually in your Bedde. But to vse plaine­nes (according to my profession) I can not maruell so much at your teares, as I am sory that so small a thing should make you to wéepe, being a thing more vertuous to lament your sinnes, then to be heauie for the losse of your litle pup­pie. And I can not with patiēce beleue, y ^t being as you are, both noble & honorable, & therwithal reputed wise & vertu­ous, you haue bestowed your loue on a thing so vile & base séeing that such are they that loue, as is the thing that they loue: For that so great is y ^e force of loue, that he that loueth, suffreth conuersion into y ^e thing which he loueth, & therfore to loue things reasonable belongs to y ^e affectiōs of men, but in louing things brute & insensible, we cannot but be made like vnto them. Your friends here beare some shame, y ^t you haue chosen so base a subiect to gouern your affection, & (not w ^tout reason) do your enemies smile, & your friēds mourne at it, for that it is contrary to the vertue and reputation of any, either to fixe their eyes, or occupie their thoughts, but [Page] where the hart may be well employed, and the loue grati­fied. The best part of the body is the hart, and the most precious iewell of the hart, is the affection, which if it bée not well employed, the partie may esteme himselfe vnhap­pie, for that in that man there can be possibilitie to liue well, in whom is no proofe or meane of honest affection. What propertie of loue shold you beare to your little pup­pie, from who you could draw no other pleasure, then to araye your garments with haires, to make a noyse in your chamber when you would sléepe, to fill you ful of flease, and to be alwayes in feare to be stolne from you, all which con­clude against your wisedome, for mourning for a thing so harmefull and of so base importance. To loue a little dogge, a Monkie, a Parrot, or other singing Bird, is not ill, nor dishonest, if your affection be ioyned to this condicion, not to followe them otherwayes then with your eyes to behold them, and your eares to heare them, not estéeming them worthy of other affection: Séeing that of such thinges we may make our seruice and solace without ielousie to kéepe them, or compassion to loase them. Yea to make sorowe for such trifles, excedes the limits of an honorable Lady, & is contrary to the office of a good Christian. Wherein, if I were the iudge afore whom should be debated the loue you beare to your little Dogge, and the transgressions of your life, sure I could not but laugh at the follie of the one, and wéepe for the Offences of the other. It is Written that the great Alexander buried his horse, the Emperour Au­gustus his Parrot, and Prince Heliogabalus made a graue for his Sparow. at whose obsequies he prayed, and caused the body to be embawmed. If you had hard or read of these, it may be by their example, you would haue built a a tombe for your little Dogge, although I accompt to worse pur­pose the teares you haue let fall for him, then the sepul­chers and ceremonies which those Pagans made for their dead beastes. And so good Madame, God giue you a spirite [Page 169] to wéepe for your sinnes, and a mind to leaue of to mouone for thinges vaine and transitory.

To an olde Gentleman enamored of a young Ladie: this letter toucheth the perplexities which amorous Dames giue to their seruants and friendes.

AFter so long scilence, I wold some bet­ter occasion, had bene giuen, then to re­continue our auncient quarrell, wher­in is no expectation of other effect, then hapneth by the Chirurgion when hée commeth to reaue in an olde wound, which, by how much more it hath discontinued the vse and seruice of plaesters, by so much doth it bring payne to the patient, suffring the new opening of his hurt. And albeit amongest friendes there can not bée a more necessary action then to minister counsell, the same being the first effect of that fayth and vertue which ought to be considered in the election of friendes. Yet, to some men it is hatefull to be counselled in thinges contrary to their will and affection, esteming it better to dwell in the lust of their particular desires, then to be warned, euen as the miserable patient findes it swéeter to giue libertie to his wound, then to suffer it to haue cure with a litle paine in the beginning.

But, for my part, hauing ioyned alwayes our long friendship, an honest care of your weldoing: I can not hold my selfe discharged in office, if I debate not franckly the estate of your auncient abuses, although there remaynes no expectation of other fruite then hapneth to the Chirur­gion, who comming to vncouer an olde wound long cor­rupted, séemes griuous to his patient. I perceiue by your [Page] letter you are falen into a practise of new loues, which be­ing a new hurt to your olde wound, you séeme also to de­maund a new remedie at my hand, as though I had the fa­cultie, both to let bloud and close vp the vaine. I would I were with you, for that hauing libertie to communicate, there may be many things spoken, which are not conueniēt to be written. But more do I wish that you would haue vsed me in an other office, since for matters of loue, you are not now in age to follow it, and much lesse is it consonant to my grauetie to giue you counsell, my habit, my authori­tie, & my place being all against it. It is not to you and me to whom it belongeth to solicite in loue, and much lesse are we subiects wherin he takes his delites, grace & recreation. For that you being loden with yeres, and I tied to my pro­fession, in you is expressed too great debilitie, and in me no lesse want of libertie. Beleue not that your loue, is true loue, but rather sorow, not ioy, but perplexitie, not delite, but torment: not cōtentmēt, but griefe: not honest recreati­on, but very confusion: Séeing that in him that is a louer, must be looked for, youth, libertie, and liberalitie. Straw that is rotten and become doung, is better to fat land, then to lay vppon a house: and in a bodie broken and aged, is more vse and seruice of sorowe and infirmities, then possi­bilitie to suffer, beare passion, and solicit in loue: For that to Cupid and Venus are not acceptable any sortes of people, but young men to serue them, such as are liberall to spare for no cost, patient to endure, discréete to speake, secret to conceale, faythful to deserue, and constant to continue to the end. It is a miserie to be poore and proude, to be re­uengefull and dare not strike, to be sicke and farre from succour, to be subiect to our enemies, and lastly to suffer perill of life without refuge. But for an old man to bée in loue, is the greatest wretchednes that can trauell the life of man: For, the pooreman sometimes findeth pitie, but the old louer standes alwayes reiected. The coward finds [Page 170] friends to beare out his quarrels, but the amorous old man liues alwaies persecuted with passiōs. He that is sick liues vnder the climate of Gods prouidence, where the amo­rous old man is abandoned of all succour. He that is subiect to his enemies, is not sometimes without his seasons of consolation and quiet, where, to the old louer is no time of truce nor hope of reconcilement. Lastly there is no peril of life so desperate which may not be forséene or suffred: where the estate of the amorous old man is ioyned alwayes to daū ger. He is alwayes vexed with scornes of his Lady, defaced by his neighbours, robbed of his seruants, and seruiceable euen to the seasons and appoyntments of Bawdes, who are not without their pouders whose propertie is to trou­ble his sléepe on the night, and kéepe him ielouse on the day, leading his minde in Ague fits, sometimes hot and some­times colde, sometimes glad, and sometimes sorowfull, someiimes doubtfull, and sometimes assured, and alwaies in expectation but neuer satisfied. By meane wherof I hold al the faculties and sciences of the world possible to be lear­ned, but the trade to loue, which Salomon was too ignorant to write, and Ouid not hable to set down in rule & precept. For that it onely is a doctrine that ought to be drawne out of the schole of the hart, and guided by true and perfect discretion. There is nothing that more requireth gouerne­ment then the practise of loue: séeing that in cases of hun­ger, thirst, cold, heat, and all other naturall influences, they may be referred to Passions sensible only to the body: But the follies and faultes that are done in loue, the hart is sub­iect to suffer, féele, and bewayle them, since loue, more then all other thinges naturall, retayneth alwayes this propertie, to exercise tirannie chiefely against the hartes of his subiects.

The better to establish stabilitie, assurāce & constancie, it behoueth such as do loue to be equal: For, if she be young & he old, if he be priuate and she a wanderer, if she a nigard & [Page] he prodigall: If he ciuill, and she rude: if she discréete and he foolish: if lastly he loue and she hate: There is no doubt but vnperfect loues will resolue into iarres, contencions, and continuall disquiets. For that, where is not conformitie of condicion, there can bee no contented loue, no more then where is no true faith, can be no true operatiō of good life and maners. It is impossible to an old man and a louer to be without sorow or suspicion: For that ielousie is ioy­ned to loue as the Briare is to the Rose, and passion followeth olde age, as the shadowe doth the man. Why should then a man of your age containing more then thréescore yeres, plucked with aches and pinched with the goute, séeke the company of a young, faire, and amorous Lady, who wil studie more to plume vpon you, then to please you, esteming you for no other vse, then to minister to her wants, giue cooller to hir lightnes, & protect her abuses? For, being not able to please hir eye, you must perfourme her prodigalities: and being impotent to delite her, your office must be to suffer an other to supplie that which you are not hable to satisfie. Why desire you the company of a friend, séeing betwene you and her can passe no other communitie or conuersatiō, then to read Ridles & dreames, and tell tales, complayning that of the day you haue no stomacke to meate, and on the night you do nothing but accompt the houres, and exercise hateful to women, & a custome intollerable such as haue bene enured to men of better complexion? Why séeke you a friend, séeing you haue no power to entertaine her, no pa­tiēce to endure her, nor age to possesse her: For that amōgst women this is infallibly obserued, that if their friend bée poore, they disdaine him, if he be waspish they séeke to vex him further: and being old, they scorne their age, and séeke their recompence of others? What fruite looke you to drawe from a friend, séeing you are not hable to tell her in order the passions you endure for her, nor the felicities you wish to her: Al women for y ^e most part enclining to this [Page 171] glorie, to heare of the torments of their friendes, and to sée their seruants labour to be seruiceable. How can you desire the societie of a friend, séeing, if you write not to her on the day, you are sure to find her froward at night, and bestow­ing no present vppon her, she will retorne recompence to your discontentment: For being not courted with songes and letters to extoll her beautie, and not visited with pre­sents to please her ambicion: Oh it were more safe to be­holde a Cockatrice, then hope for pitie in her face. Why desire you a friend, séeing you must denie her nothing shée demaundes, nor mislike with any displeasure shée doth to you: For, women béeing denied (not considering their owne vnworthinesse) conster it to the despite of the partie for whom they prepare reuenge, And if you make not their displeasure your felicitie, they will charge you with want of loue, and affront you with toyes to your perpetuall dis­quiet. Why kéepe you a friend, to whom you must not minister according to your port and hauiour, but accor­ding to her follie and ambicion: For, a friend marcenarie in loue, is not subiect to allowance, and much lesse regards the proporcion of him that entertayneth her, but béeing compounded vppon insatiable humors, shée is neuer satis­fied, till shée sée him vtterly spoyled. Why require you a friend, séeing you must not fayle to thanke her for the fa­uours you receiue, and hold it a dutie to beare her displea­sures: For, in them though there bée but litle merit, yet they looke for great recompence, and if they doe nothing but vex you, yet you must iudge all to the best, and take no­thing to blame. Why seeke you a friend, séeing when shée flattreth you most, it is not to content you, but vnder this intencion to drawe something from you: For, women to worke their desires, can tourne them selues into so many subtelties and sugred humilities, as the Camelion into cool­lers, or the iugler into straunge deuises to deceiue the be­holders. [Page] And if you haue a friend, you must enforce your selfe to laugh euen when the dollors of your Goute pro­uokes you most to crie. And afore you haue had ful possessiō of her, shée will cast you vp loden with sorrowe, care, ie­lousie, and all other troublesome infirmities, and for re­compence ioyne her selfe to an other with whom shée will laugh to sée you poore, impotent, deceiued, and spoyled. And therefore to one of your age and subiection to sicknesse, it were better to delite in the conuersation of some honest companion to cherish and recreate you, then in the compa­nie of a young Ladie to make your dayes troublesome.

Samocratius, Nigidius, and Ouid, haue written many volumes of the remedie of loue, wherein they rather taught remedie to others, then found any them selues, for that they all thrée died in persecution, not for the abuses they committed at Rome, but for the loues they practised at Ca­pua. Let them say what they will, and surmise that best may please their fancie, but according to experience, the best remedie in loue, is to eschew conuersation, and auoyd occasion: for that of many that follow him, there are fewe frée from his bondage, where such as abandon him liue al­wayes in libertie. Take héede therefore you dwell not long in that temptation, séeing it is not conuenient for your soule, your bodie, your honour, nor profite of your house, assuring you that more shall you hasten your death by the perplexities of your Mistresse, then by the torment or dol­lor of the Goute. And so I pray you kéepe me still in your fauour, and commaund mée alwayes as your owne.

A Letter aunswering certaine particular requests from the Court, and that it is not conuenient to vi­site often those women whose husbands be absent.

[Page 172] IT is written, in praise of the liberalitie of Alexander the great, that one Byance a poore souldiour of his, asking some small porcion for the mariage of his daughter: he gaue him a Citie rich and populous. The greatnes of the gift so farre excéeded the capacitie of y ^e poore souldiour that the desired Alexander eftsones to consider bet­ter what he gaue, and to whom he gaue it: For (sayth he) it may be, your greatnes takes me for an other then I am, or at least vnderstands not what I demaund: To whom the king aunswered. Take what I giue thée and be contented, since if thou be Byance that askest, I am Alexander that gi­ueth. In like sort the great Quéene Cleopatra, albeit shée was of amorous life, yet otherwayes she exercised great li­beralities, neuer giuing to any man so litle which was not sufficient to relieue his present wantes, and kéepe him from miserie all the rest of his life. These two examples I haue vsed (sir) to publish your liberalitie, that sending to you for a small thing, you retorned my messenger so loden with re­wardes, that the world may sée, that if I haue the pouertie of Byance, in you is expressed the liberalitie of Alexander: And by the testimonie of this letter, all men may approue my demaund, and giue commendation to your bountie, sée­ing I shewed no ambicion in my request, nor you expressed want of liberalitie in your recompence. You write ty mée to aduertise you how the Lady Angelo my neighbour and your Aunt doth: since the departure of her husband I haue not séene her, nor meane to go to her, It is not conue­nient to visite often an other mās wife in the absence of her husband. vnlesse she send for me: For that, to women whose husbandes are absent, al­beit we are bound to aide them, yet we haue no licence to visite them often: A wife béeing the dearest of the two thinges (according to the common saying) which we ought not to lend, nor commit to the trust of any other.

[Page] Lucresse, liuing priuate during the absence of her hus­band, fell by force into the rape of Tarquinius, by which vile act, Rome suffred sclaunder, the warres brake vp, Lucresse killed her selfe, and Tarquine was destroyed. So that to the wiues of our friends, it is sufficient to minister to their wantes if they haue néede, or protect them, if there be cause of oppression, without visiting them often, and much lesse to entertayne discourse with them. Séeing the malice of men is so great, and the honour of women so delicate, that in often resort the world takes occasion to rayse brutes, and their husbandes not without aduauntage to bée discon­tented. I haue spoken to the Chauncellor about your bu­sinesse, wherein though you preuayle not to your desire, yet there shalbe no fault in my solicitation. In him that hath businesse in Court, ought neuer to bée want of pati­ence, nor too great confidence or trust: For that in Court, rewardes goe not by merit, but by affection, and the suc­cesse of sutes is more led by Fortune, then by wisedome. In Court, wée sée many reasonable causes that bée iust and indifferent reuersed euen when they are at poynt to bée re­solued: and others of no expectation or hope of ende, to bée dispatched to the liking of the partie: So that in Court let no man reappose confidence in the fauour of an other, and much lesse dispayre, if to his sute bée ioyned delaye or de­niall.

I haue often delt with the Coronell to receiue your Nephew for his Liefetenant, and béeing so often denied, I take it for a discharge no more to trouble him: For, it is a hard thing to a liberall minde and a shamefast face, to bée a suter to him in whom is no merit to bée entreated, but specially when hée tourneth our importunitie to his glory, and makes vs ashamed of our request: In which respect there is nothing in this worlde which I holde more deare, then that which is bought by sute and request: séeing [Page 173] that more doth that man giue which for one hower employ­eth the shame of his face, then another that for any other thing shall giue all his goodes: the same agréeing with the opinion of Plato, that as great is the contentment which a good harte taketh in giuing, as it is gréefe to him that entre­teth and is denyed: For that in giuing, the one buyeth the libertie of an other, and in receiuing, the other puttes in subiection himselfe and all that he hath. Touching the mo­ney you sent me for your books, I haue retourned it againe by the bearer, praying you to thinke that the pleasure which one friende doth for an other ought not to be payed wyth ready money, but wyth retribution of equall recompence or value: And by sending to me so little money so farre of, the world may thinke, that eyther you suffer want of frend­ship, or in me is lacke of liberalitie. The frendshippe groun­ded vpon couetousnesse is ended by couetousnesse, and ther­fore amongest true friendes, there ought to be no ende in friendshippe, nor limit in liberalitie. Where you wryte to be aduertised of the affayres of the Bishoppe of T. I aun­swere that it is no small payne to haue to doe wyth men wanting gouernement, and of no will to put their minds in quiet and tranquilitie. Séeing that in whom is no con­trolement of tongue, nor brydle to restrayne their selfe wil, in them is for the most parte sufficient occasion to trouble whole Common Weales where they dwell, and to them­selues to bring no small contention. Yea, there cannot be a greater disgrace in a man, then to be discontented in him­selfe: For albeit no man in this worlde can liue contented on all partes, yet, we may eyther quite exempt our selues, or at least auoyde many of those troubles and displeasures which of our selues we searche. There be many people of this nature, not onely not to eschew harmes and inconue­niences, but also will put wynges to their fortune, and runne to séeke them afore they be ready to happen. More is the necessitie of industrie to restraine and stay such men [Page] from doing harme to themselues, then for auoyding hurt to others. Of that sort of men is the Bishop of T. who beareth his great affaires, as the Sumpterhorse doth his burthen, who whylest it is in laying on his backe standeth still and sturreth not, but if you offer to take it of, he yearkes and flinges as though there were perill towardes him. Your L. may be sory for the losse of our dear friend, F. M. who losing his lyfe, hath left his friendes voyde of the societie of a noble Gentleman: assuring you that if he had beléeued my aduise, that misefortune had not happened: For that I alwayes told him that a faction of the communalty, is no other thing then a hollow Eccho, which resoundes wyth a voyce and sounde cleare, but can not be founde, nor beareth no sub­stance. And therefore to men that trauell in the action of great affaires, it is no wisedome to reiect the Councell of friendes, for that otherwayes who will not take moderate correction, shall be sewer to suffer penaunce of a blouddie and vyolent force.