• Tobias.
• Theopharstus.
• Ierome.

THOV TAKEST IN hande a worke (Theo­phrastus) the which shal not be greatly to the honour of men, if thou canst atayne vn­to that to whiche thou hast bounde thy selfe. For yf the beastes do better their office accordyng to their na­ture, [Page] then men doe theirs, they de­serue more to be called reasonable, then men.

I doubte not but that at the first sight, many will finde that which I haue sayde to be very strang. But sith that the spirite of God doth sende vs so often tymes vnto the schoole of beastes in the holy scrip­tures, Men are sent to the schole of Beastes. we may thereby iudge, howe much men ought to esteeme and set by them selues, seeing they vnderstād so euyl their office, that they must be sent vnto the beastes, for to learne of them what they ought to do.

I pray thee declare vnto vs the places of the holy scriptures, a­greing with that matter for to make vs better to vnderstand what is that schoole of beastes, to whiche the spi­rite of God sendeth vs, as thou saiest.

First marke, what the Lord sayd by the mouth of Iob, Iob. 21 7. aske the Cattell, and they shal informe thee: The Foules of the ayre, and they shall tell thee: speake to the errth, and it shall shewe thee: Or too the fishes of [Page] the Sea, and they shall certifie thee. Nowe seeing that Iob doth sende vs to the beastes, generally for to bee taught by them: I will nowe bring foorth more specially and perticu­lerly the Doctors & Maisters, which are set forth vnto vs by the worde of God, in this schoole of the beastes which we speake of.

With which of the beastes wilt thou begin.

With that which is the least of al. Cood hous­holders and pollitike mē. Thou knowest that men doo greatly esteeme those whiche knowe best to gouerne them selues in this worlde, and which are pru­dent and wise, to gather together great store of earthly treasures, and for to gouerne wel their house, A Ci­tie, a Cuntrie, or a whole Realme.

Such men are so much este­med amonge others, that common­ly they do not esteeme any other to be wyse, prudent nor good men but onely those.

It is euen so as thou say­est: But when al shalbe wel conside­red [Page] what comparisō is there in suche matter, betweene such men and the Authour, and wherein are they to be preferred before the Antes? The Ante. I doo not yet speake of other beasts, which according to their nature, knowe to prouide althinges for their affayres, as needeth for their conseruation. But I take this same, whiche is the least that may be: And yet neuerthe­lesse she hath so much industrie, pru­dence, Prou. 6.6. and diligence in her, that Solo­mon was not ashamed to sende the sluggard vnto her schoole. It were a thing incredible, if we had not the experience for a witnes, that such li­tle beastes, could carie suche heauie burthens as they do, and that they can heape togeather the thinges as they do for their prouisiō: & to kepe among thē such order as they keepe.

I would to God that men in their behalfe, knewe to keepe so good order amongest them selues. What sayest thou Ierome?

Thou shouldest haue yet better occasion to say so as thou say­est, [Page] if thou haddest heard that which Plinie and Plutarke, besides other wise men, haue written of the nature of those litle Beastes, and shouldest be yet lesse abashed, Prou. 6.6. for that Solomon ge­ueth them for mystresses to the slug­garde.

Thou shalt doe me great pleasure, to declare vnto me what thinges those two Authours haue written, whom thou namedst vnto me but now. For I vnderstand that they were both of them very lear­ned men; and that they haue written very wel of those matters, of which they haue spoken.

I wil begin with Plinie, Plini. lib. cap 30. Aristo. lib de animalib. 9 cap. 38 The com­mon wealth of the Ants. and their la­bours and industrie▪ who hath written maruelous things. First he confesseth that there is among them, the order and fashion of a com­mon wealth, & a remembrance and care. But amongst al their other wor­kes, is it not a pastime, to see them bite the burthens that they wil cary? If they bee too great and heauie for them, they turne them selues backe­wardes, and stay it with their shoul­ders [Page] thrust it forwarde with their hinder feete. And to the ende that the seedes whiche they hyde in the earth, shoulde not growe, and take roote, they byte it before they lay it vp in their Garners and store hou­ses. And if the graynes be too great, and that they cannot easily enter in at their holes, they deuide it in the myddest. If they be moyst or wette with the rayne, they do bring them out and drye them. Also they labour in the night, when the Moone is at the full, and cease and leaue of when she is in the waine. Wherein they de­clare, that they vnderstande some thing in Astronomie. But what labor & diligence is there in their workes? And for that that they do fetch and gather their prouision from diuerse places, & that the one knoweth no­thing of the other, Plinie liber. 11. &. 30. The faires of the Ants. Plinie witnesseth, that they haue certayne dayes of fayres, for to knowe the one the o­ther. Euery man may thinke what course and what diligence there is then amongst them. But if one mark [Page] them nerely, wil he not say, that they speake together, and do aske and an­swere the one the other? Do we not see the stones and hard works made smoothe, and holes worne in them thorowe the ofte going too and fro about their worke? Wherin we may wel knowe how much the diligence and exercise is worthy, and can doo in euery thing. For if the feete of those litle beastes can make hollowe and smooth the hard stones, thorow their ofte going and comming to & fro, what may the continuall labour & trauaile of men do? It is not then without cause that the Greekes said in a prouerbe, A prouerbe. exercise can doe all thinges. But besides al that, Exercise and diligence can doe all thinges. it is also written of them, that they do burye the one the other, as men do. These thinges make me to thinke, The buriall of the Ants. that the Poetes haue fayned, that the people called Myrmidons, Plinie. lib. 11. Cap. 30. came from the Antes whiche were chaunged into men? Because of their industrie and labour, Antes tur­ned into Myrmi­dons. and of that prudence and di­rection that they haue, which is next [Page] to the nature of men. For those peo­ple haue ben much esteemed among the Poetes, and chiefely because of A­chilles, Achilles ho­mer Ili. whiche was their captayne in the warres of Troy.

Whiche of all the poetes hath spoken, of that transformatiō?

Ouid maketh a great dis­course in his Metamorphoses, in whiche he declareth howe that the people of king Aeacus, being altoge­ther discomfited thorowe the great plague & death, was restored againe by the meanes of the Antes, whiche were chaunged into men, of whiche transformatiō, he speaketh after this maner, as it is translated into Eng­lishe miter.

And by and by afterwardes, follo­wing on his purpose, he commeth to the transformation of them, and said as foloweth.

And by and by afterwardes, Ouid him selfe expoundeth and declareth the cause wherfore that transforma­tion was fayned, as I euen nowe de­clared, and therefore he bringeth in Aecus speaking after this maner.

Ouid, hath partly taken the occasi­on of this fable, because that Myr­mex signifieth in Greeke an Ante, Myrmex. of which name it semeth that the name of the Myrmidons is taken, The cause of this fable & of the name of the myr­midons. for the cause which hath beene alredy alled­ged by Ouid him selfe. And therein Ouid hath shewed, howe muche hee hath esteemed the Antes and their labours, when he did not only com­pare those men vnto them, which he thought to be most industrious and geuen to labour, but also hath fay­ned that mē were made of the Ants. [Page] As though he woulde say, that men are not naturally so industryous and geuen to labour, as the Antes, and that the Myrmidons should not bee so industrious, if they had not beene before Antes, and that they had ben taken from their kynde.

Seeing that the Myrmi­dons are called by that name, for the cause thou speakest of, that name cannot by right be geuen vnto the sluggardes, whom Solomon doth send vnto the Ante.

It is easie to iudge. But see­ing that I haue in effect declared, that which Plinie hath written, of the nature of the Antes, it remayneth now, that I do also declare that which Plutarke witnesseth of it. The witnes of Plutarke of the nature of the Ante. For he doth not onely accord with Plinie, in that that he hath written, but also he de­clareth more specially and particu­lerly, the great vertues whiche are in these litle beastes, of whom he spea­keth after this sorte. Plutat. in o­pus. But as it is im­possible (sayth he) to speake worthe­ly ynough of the discipline, and do­mesticall [Page] industrie of the Antes, yet we must not passe without speaking [...]omewhat of them. Nature hath no [...]reater and more excellent mirror of great and excellent things. For in [...] it shineth the signet of all vertue, [...]s in a pure litle droppe. That com­munication that they haue among [...]hem selues, is the Image of amitie: [...]hat strength and liuelines that they haue in their labours and trauayles, [...]s an Image of force and magnani­mitie. To conclud, they haue a great manie of seeds and witnesses of tem­perance, of prouidence & of Iustice. Nowe although that Cleanthes estee­med not that the beastes were endu­ [...]d with reason, yet neuerthelesse, he confessed, that he did see on a tyme [...]hat spectacle, that is, that certayne Antes went to an ant-heape, carrying [...] dead Ante, from which ante-heape [...]ame before thē certayne other Ants. [...]fterwards when they had as it were spoken together, they went agayne [...]n, and did so twyse or thrise. In the ende they brought a worme, whiche [Page] was the price as it should seme, for to redeme the dead. The which worme was taken by those which did bring the dead Ante: the which they gaue vnto the others and went their way. But now euery one may know their beneuolence when they meete the one the other: when those that are emptie, geue place vnto those that are laden, that they may passe the more easily: When they deuide into many peeces, a burthen that is too heauie for them eyther to beare or to drawe: The astro­logie and Prognosti­cation of the Antes. when they set the corne in the sonne to drye it. It is a signe of rayne, as Aratus esteemeth, when the Ante bringeth out of her hole and denne al her egges, Although that some say that they be not egges, The cōser­uation of the graines and prouisi­on. but the frute which they bring foorth, when they feele and perceaue that it waxeth mustie. And for that cause they feare least it shoulde waxe rot­ten. And the care that they haue least their graynes should not spring and grow, surpasseth al mens vnder­standing: And that care also whiche [Page] they haue, that their seedes whiche they haue layde vp in their hole and denne, should abyde drye and not rotten, fearing least sodenly they should waxe moyst, and become like mylke, and that being moystened with the moystnes of the place, it shoulde returne agayne into grasse. To the end then that their graynes should not growe and spring: and that so by that meanes they shoulde not loose their nourishment and foode, but that it may continue and they lyue, they bite the nable of the grayne, which is the part by which it springeth and groweth, and gelde it long time before. Nowe some saye that the first descending, and next to the entring in of their holes, is not right and straight foorth, and that there is no other beast which can go in at it: But that it is croked & with many turninges, hauing many crosse wayes, the which is made into their holes and dennes. The one is that, where they make their assemblies & parliaments. The other celle or hole [Page] is, that where they laye vp their pro­uision for al the yeere: And the third is the buriall place for the dead. Be­holde that which Plutarke hath writ­ten of the Antes.

Sith that Solomon hath sette foorth for the sluggrdes, Prouerbs. 6. the exam­ple of the Ante, I doubt not but that she is very laborious and diligent. But I knowe not whether we ought to beleeue all that whiche Plinie and Plutarke haue written.

Whether al that whiche they haue written be true or no, I referre me to them-selues. But yet neuerthelesse, I think that they haue not written without some reason that, that they do testifie: Besids ex­periēce witnesseth, at the least in sōe part, the thinges the whiche they do witnesse. But sith that we haue heard their witnesse, let vs now heare what Theophrastus will say more vpon that place, the whiche he hath alredie alledged out of Solomon, touching this mattet.

It shalbe good that we heare the very words of Solomon himselfe, [Page] the better to vnderstande the doctrine, the whiche he woulde geue vs to vnderstand by the same. Prouerb. 6.6 The slug­gard sent to the schole of the Ante. Goe to the Emits (sayth he) thou sluggard, con­sider her waies and learne to be wise. She hath no guide, no teacher, no leader: yet in the Sommer she prouideth her meate, and gathereth her foode together in the Har­uest. Howe long wilt thou sleepe thou slug­gishe man? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleepe? Yea sleepe on still a litle, slomber a litle, fold thy hands together yet a litle, that thou mayest sleepe: So shal pouertie come vnto thee as one that trauaileth by the way, and necessitie like a weaponed man. And in an an other place, marke what he speaketh, not onely of the Ante, but also of certayne other litle Beastes, which are not of any great strength. Prou 30.24 There be foure thinges in the earth (sayth he) the whiche are very litle: but in wise­dome they exceede the wise. The Emmets are but a weake people, yet gather they their meate together in the Haruest. The Conies are but a feeble folke, yet make they their couches among the rockes. The Grashoppers haue not a guide, yet goe [Page] they foorth together by heapes▪ the Spy­der laboreth with her handes, and that in the Kinges palace.

Wherefore doth Salomon set foorth the feblenes of those beastes?

It is to take from the slugardes and idle persons, The excuse as the slug­gardes and slothfull ex­cluded. all the ex­cuses which they might aleadge for to excuse their slugishnes and sloth­fulnes. For although that these litle beasts are feeble & weak, & that they haue no king nor Prince for to de­fend and conduct them: yet neuer­thelesse, that doth not let and hin­der them to do their workes.

Is, that the cause, why hee said, that they had no guide?

In speaking the same, he giueth two aduertisementes vnto men, the which are worthy to be no­ted. For on the one side, he rebuketh them for that they do nothing but thorowe compulsion, and that they cannot yet do their dutie, although they be incited and driuen forwards by many meanes, wherein they haue a great aduantage, which the beastes [Page] haue not. For they haue none other master nor mystres to teach them, but the nature which God gaue thē, with whiche they doo better keepe their estate, then men doo in that with which they were first created of God. And on the other side, he doth also admonishe the Princes and all superiours, The office of princes not to suffer those to liue idlely whom they haue in charge, & to keepe and defend them. And by that he speaketh of the Conyes, he re­buketh the rashnes and folish hardi­nes of men. Rashnes. And by that he speaketh of the Grashoppers, he rebuketh them of their disobedience towardes their maiestrates. And by the Spider, Disobedience. he ad­monisheth that those which haue the charge of the common wealth or publicke thinges, Care. ought to be more careful and vigilant.

Me thinks that thou woul­dest say that those which are in pub­licke office, and in Kinges and Prin­ces houses, ought to be more careful and diligent then any other, after the example of the Spider, who is not idle [Page] in the Kinges palace. And yet neuer­thelesse, those houses are commonly the schooles of the greatest Idlenes that is in the worlde.

And therfore God doth send them the spiders, for to rebuke and checke them.

And therefore I thinke that that is the cause wherefore the Spy­ders are so muche dryuen away with their copwebs, A Prouerbe. wherefore men say in a common prouerbe, That the Spider hath taken vp her lodging with the poore men, & the Goute in the riche mens houses, in whiche she may take best rest.

Let vs leaue of that mat­ter, and come agayne vnto Salomon, who ioyneth here these foure beasts, who notwithstanding they are but lytle of bodie, yet neuerthelesse they do playnely shewe, that they haue a maruaylous naturall wysedome, by which they passe and excell the same of the wyse men. Then as he woulde that we should learne of the Ante, to be diligent, geuen to labour, and well [Page] foreseeing to our affayres: So he sen­deth vs vnto the Connies, The Con­nies and that that they do teache vnto man. A sure dwelling. that we may learne by their example, not onely to be diligent, and geuen to labour, but also to seeke for a sure & firme dwel­ling. For notwithstanding that the Connies are without strength and re­sistance, insomuch that they can doo none other thing, but to flye at the baye and barking of the least Dogge in the worlde: yet neuerthelesse they are such continuall diggers and scra­pers, that they bring it to passe in the end, that they do cleaue a sunder and make hollow the stones and rockes, for to lodge them selues therein, and their yong ones with thē. And there­fore it is sayde in the Psalmes. The rockes are a refuge for the Connies. Psal 104.18. For they knowe very well howe to make their Caues and dennes, and to finde out fitte and sure places for the same: and they are very diligent for to pro­uide for their meate and their yong-ones, of which they are so fruitefull, Pli. lib. 8.55. that sometimes the Balearians were constrayned to demaunde ayde and [Page] souldiers of Augustus Caesar, against those, fearing least they woulde de­stroy their Cuntry, as they haue som­tyme destroyed Cities. Nowe seeing that we haue not here any abyding and per­manent Cittie, Heb. 13.14. but do seeke another: where may we find a sure habitation & dwelling, but in the holie Citie of the celestiall Ieru­salem, Heb. 2.3. Apo. 21.22. Psal. 118.19. Math. 16.21. 1. Cor. 11.34 Pro. 18.10. Ephe. 2.19. of which God is the wall? And in the Church of Iesus Christ, which is the house of God builded vpon the sure stone and sure rocke? For the name of God is a strong bul­warke and a sure forstresse. Wherefore see­ing that we haue Iesus Christ the sure stone which is the foundation of the holie Citie of the celestiall Ierusalem, and of the pro­phets and Apostles we are admonished that we must not be fearefull and cowardes, how great feblenesse soeuer be in vs: But that we employ our selues euery one ac­cording to the gyftes which we haue receyued of God, hauing alwaies our refuge vnto that stone and Rocke. Those then whiche put all their trust and affyance in the vayne and brittle thinges of this worlde, and in their ryches, honours, parentages, and in [Page] the vayne ceremonies and traditions of men, and in the workes of their handes, are not so wyse and prudent as the Connies, but are those fooles of whom Iesus Christ speaketh, Mat. 7.26. which builded their houses vpon the Sandes. For sith that they are not builded vpon the worde of God, and that they do not kepe it in their hartes, their buil­ding wil fall downe vpon them. The which thing we ought wel to learne, not onely of the Connies, but also of the Moules. For Varro witnesseth, Plin. lib. 8.29. mart in A­popho. that in Thessalie, a Citie, was ouerthrowen by the Moules: And another in Spaine by the Connies.

If these litle beastes can o­uerthrow and destroy the buildings, edified and builded by men, we may wel know what fortresse one can find whiche can resiste the power & iudg­ment of God.

We haue yet to note, that besides al that, the Connies may bragge & bost them selues that they haue taught men, the maner to make mynes, holes and caues vnder the [Page] ground, for to vndermine and ouer­throwe Townes, Castles and fortres­ses. And therefore the mynes and Caues that men make vnder the ground, keepeth yet the name of Co­nies among the Latines. For they cal them Cuniculi, of the same name by which they cal the Connies. wherefore they haue learned vs, howe much we ought to trust to our fortresses, and to the workes of our handes. In like-maner, the men which know not how to keepe order among them selues, and which doo no honour nor reue­rence vnto iustice, are not so wyse as the Grashoppers. The wise­dome of the grashoppers Plin. lib. 1.29 For notwithstanding that they are without King and go­uernour, yet neuerthelesse they kepe an order in flying: And there is a­mong them some forme of iustice, as those whiche God did sende into E­gypt, and there was founde good or­der among them. For they flye by great troupes and companies, and do passe the long Seas and cuntries. And therefore when the scripture woulde signifie a great Armie, it saith some­time [Page] that the armie couereth all the earth, as the Grashoppers. Iudges. 6.5 What shal we say then of those men, whom we can­not make to obey iustice, nor to ren­der their dutie, neither towards god nor towards men? For although that they haue Princes, Maiestrates, and lawes, and which is more, although that they haue God their soueraigne king and father, which neuer ceaseth to teach & learne them by his word, yet neuertheles, they wil not be kept in order. And although that we haue God for king, and that we are vnder his protection, yet neuerthelesse we thinke our selues to be lost, assone as the protectiō of men and creatures wanteth. Wherin the Grashoppers shew them selues more hardie and curra­gious then we. The Spiders Pli. li. 11.24. And what shal we say of the spiders, ought they to geue lesse shame vnto the sluggardes and slee­pers, then the Ante? For notwith­standing that she be but weake, yet neuerthelesse she feareth not to haunte, not onely poore mens hou­ses, but also the kinges and princes [Page] Palaces, and to make her webbes in them, turning and winding them now on the one side and now on the other, The wea­uing of the Spider. and catching al that whiche serue her, for to stretch them out and make them as long as they can be. And although that one do breake & deface her woorkes, and dryue her from one side to the other, yet ne­uerthelesse she is not so fearefull that she forsaketh her lodging therefore, but returneth daylie to her woorke: Insomuche that men doo not so fast breake them, as she repaireth and a­mendeth them, setting foorth still newe workes. Wherein she maketh men greatly ashamed, whiche turne them selues from their dutie and of­fice be it thorowe the greatnes and mightinesse of Kings and Princes, or thorowe all the lettes that men may doe vnto them. Let vs also consider what paine that beast taketh to make her threades, for to get her liuing by it. And afterwardes when they are made, what diligence she taketh after her chase? Let the silke-weauers and [Page] also the lynen cloth makers, & the ta­pestrie makers, and imbroderers, and also all those that make threddes come, and compare their woorke to the spiders webbes, & let them con­sider in which is most conning. And who hath learned them that occupa­tion? It was not men, but rather they haue learned of them.

Plinie telleth maruayles of their workes, to weete, how they de­uide the labours betweene them, & howe the wyfe spinneth and maketh the webbes and threds, and the hus­band on the other side chaseth and hunteth for their nourrishment. I thinke that the same was the cause wherefore the poetes haue fayned that Arachne, Arachne transformed into a spider. that good and cunning weauer, was transformed into a Spi­der, because of her Arte, who was founde to haue followed the Spiders: of which transformation Ouid hath written after this maner.

Let vs leaue of the trans­formations of the poets, and returne vnto the schoole of the Spiders, to which Salomon sendeth vs. Then if we consider the huswiferie whiche the spider holdeth, Euil hus­wiues. howe manie euil hus­wifes shal we finde, which knowe not how to spinne, nor sewe, neither the arte of weauing, nor yet any science at all for to occupie them selues in [Page] their houses? Wherefore such women are not worthie to be compared vn­to the Spider, sauing as touching the poyson which they are ful of. Also if men wil glory and boast them selues in hunting, The chase & hunting of men and of the spiders. Plini. lib. 11. cap. 24. Arist. hist. animal. lib. 9 cap. 39. and for that they are so ingenious and wyse that they knowe the meanes to take al kind of beasts, what matter of glorying & boasting haue they more greater then the Spi­ders? For what hunters are there more subtil, then the Spider for to lye in waite, and for to trappe and snare the beastes, and to make them to fall into their nettes, or more diligent to lay holde on them? And yet neuer­thelesse she hath neither sinewes nor bones, But a very litle bodie.

Although it be so as thou sai­est, yet neuerthelesse, she hath the in­dustrie to stay & catch sometims litle euets, & lezards, in her nets. And therfore Plutarke saith, is not the worke of the Spiders greatly to be maruailed at, which haue geuen vnto womē the pattern for to make their thredes, & vnto the fysher mē, for to make their [Page] netts. Let one beholde the perfection & the subtilitie of the threde, and the knotes of the webbe that cannot be vnlosed, being as a soft and tender skinne, & glewed together as though it were starched. Furthermore, the dying of the colour declareth some ayrie and troubled thing, to the end it may the better deceiue. Finally, a man would neuer haue beleued that they had been so wel taught to draw together the lines which gouerneth their workes, in somuch, that as sone as there is any praye or captiue, they feele and perceiue it, & in a moment leape out and drawe together their nettes, as doth an expert and con­ning hunter. And if it were not but, that we see it daylie before our eyes, a man would thinke that it were but a fable. Behold the witnes of Plutark.

Besides al that which we haue alredie spoken of, they haue yet another great aduantage. For if men wil chase and hunt, there must be ma­ny of them, and that they must haue many instrumentes for their hun­ting, [Page] the which wil be great charge vnto them.

That is very true. And more­ouer, Hunters ea­ten vp by their dogs. they must nurrish and feede a great companie of dogges, the which often-times eate vp their maisters. Euen as the Poets haue written, The trans­formation of Acteon. that the dogges of Acteon did eat vp their maister, being changed into an hart: of whiche transformation Ouid hath written after this maner.

[Page] And afterwardes towardes the ende he saith.

Beholde as touching the faining of the poets. But yet we must not think that it is altogether vaine.

Although the hunters be not in very deede turned into hartes, yet there are a great many of whom one may rightly say, that their doggs haue eaten and deuoured thē. And we must not doubt, but that gods iudgment is iust herein. For al­though the hunters cōmitted none other fault, but in these that they geue vnto the dogges that which woulde nourishe, and feede agreat many of poore people, that fault is great ye­nough for to prouoke vpon them, not the ire and wrath of Diana, as it is written of Acteon, but that of the li­uing God. And further-more, there is yet another euill, whiche is, that the hunters al the while they bestow and loose in hunting, cannot employ thē selues to their labour and tilling of their groundes, or to woorke vpon any other their occupation. For after that they are once geuen and addic­ted vnto it, they despise their hous­holdes and their affayres and doings, and are not so carefull as they ought to be. Whereby it commeth to passe [Page] that afterwards they fal into pouerty & neede. Wherfore one may wel say, that not onely their dogges, but also their haukes & horses haue eatē thē, not onely because they haue besto­wed al their substance and goods to nurrishe them, but also because that thorowe the occasion of them they are become euil husbandes, and haue lefte and foreslowed their chiefest af­fayres and busines.

That which thou speakest a­greeth well with the exposition, Palepha. de fabul. natra. the which Palephatus geueth of the trans­formation of Acteon, which we haue spoken of. For first of al he saith, that the poetes geue vs to vnderstande by this fable, that men ought to take heede that they do nothing whiche may displease the gods, and prouoke them to anger. Afterwardes he saith that in times past, all men labored with their hāds, & did not their busi­nes by seruants & strange people, but by them selues. And therfore al those whiche were diligent in labour were rich. And the more they busied them [Page] selues, the richer they waxed. And on the other side, those that were idle & slothful, & the proud which shunned labour, and were ashamed of it, and which gaue thēselues vnto hunting & vnto other pastimes, became pore & beggers, as he said happened vn­to Acteon, for the causes before re­hearsed. And therefore he was made a commō prouerbe, who afterwards did geue matter vnto the fables and faynings of the Poetes.

There are yet at this day many houses not onely of rich Gen­tlemen, but also of rich yeomen, and husbandmen, whiche haue been de­stroyed partely by such meanes.

We may see it before our eyes. And therefore I am of the same aduise with Palephatus. And I doe not think but that the poets haue fained this chaunging of Acteon that great hunter chaunged into an harte, and deuoured by his dogges, but for to signifie the follie of a great many of foolish hunters, which destroy them selues by their hunting and feeding [Page] their dogges. And if that be to be condemned in gentlemen, whiche make it a daylie occupation, it is yet more to be condemned in laborers and artificers, when they leaue vn­done their workes and busines, for to geue them selues vnto such occupa­tion, whiche wil bring them to beg­gerie. But let vs returne agayne vnto the Spider, whom we talked of, she is a better housholder, then those are whom we spake of. For fyrst, she ly­ueth by her hunting, as of her pro­per occupation, and she leaueth not of her occupatiō by which she liueth, for to vse any other whiche woulde make her dye with hunger. Agayne, she exercyseth her hunting all alone, and without any cost at al. Moreouer she knoweth the times and the sea­sons fyt for to take her venison, and the places where she must pytch her nettes. Spiders are Astrologers Plini. lib. 11 cap. 24. Arist. hist. a­nimal. lib. 9. cap. 38.39. For she is an Astrologer, and knoweth when it wil rayne and the water encrease, then she pytcheth her nettes higher. Also they make their webbs in cloudie and darke wether, [Page] not in cleare weather, because that the cloudie wether is best for to take the beastes. And therefore when you see a great multitude of them, they signifie rayne. We may adde vnto these beastes, the silke wormes, The silke wormes. Plini. lib. 11. cap. 22.23. Arist. hist. a­nimal. lib. 5. cap. 24. of whiche the Philosophers haue also written maruaylous thinges, that is to say▪ of the maner of making their nestes, and of their wolles and webbs with which they do make men and women braue.

What is he that will not greatly maruayle of the wisedome of God, when he beholdeth the indus­trie, the sence and vnderstanding which is in those litle beastes? For if there be so much in one so litle abo­die, as is the same of the Ante or E­met, that with much adoe one can scant perceiue with the eye, let vs thinke what is the wysedome and prouidence of the Creator, whiche hath created them? Let vs also thinke whether saint Paul had not iust cause to say, Rom. 1.20 that his eternal power and Godhead is knowen by the visible thinges. Where [Page] are the Epicures whiche denie the prouidence of God? The vvise­dome and prouidence of God, ma­nifested in the little creatures a­gainst the e­pycures. If there be so-much in those litle Ants, and in those other litle creatures, for to preserue and keepe their kinde, what ought it to be in God, for to Preserue his cre­atures and workes of his handes, and cheefely mankinde, whome he hath created to immortalitie? Are these wicked epicures worthie to be com­pared vnto these beastes? Haue not we iust occasion to sende them to their schoole to dispute with them, and for to learne in the same, for to knowe God, and his prouidence? What saiest thou to it Tobie?

I thinke that we haue as good an occasion as Salomon had, to sende thither the sluggarde.

Furthermore, if we will compare the Ante and those other beastes which we speake of but now, and also the order of their common wealth, with al that which Plato, Ze­nophon, Aristotle, and the other Philo­sophers haue written in their Oeco­nomickes and politickes, of the lawes, [Page] rule and gouernement of houses, fa­milies, common-welthes, citties, and kingdomes, and also the most excel­lent Oeconomikes, and politicks which euer haue beene among men, men shalbe found more beastes then they, and more worthie to be sent vnto their schooles, then vnto the scholes of the Philosophers. For the philoso­phers are many tymes like vnto ma­ny preachers, which preach very wel, and speake very earnestly against the deedes of the fleshe, but they worke but euilly, and they are those whiche do the least of that which they teach others. But these schoole-masters to whom the holy ghost sendeth vs by his holy scriptures, are masters which teache their disciples and schollers not in vaine & babling bookes, and which tende al to Pleasure, but in do­ing thē selues that which they teach, for they teach by their owne exam­ple. The whiche maner of teaching, hath more authoritie and maiestie, then the other, and hath more ver­tue to moue and induce men to that [Page] whereunto they woulde induce and bring them. And as touching that which hath ben sayde of gods proui­dence, the which manifesteth it selfe in the nature the which he gaue vnto the creatures, it manifesteth it selfe, yet better in that, that the least a­mongest them, are those vnto whom he geueth most industrie and wyse­dome, to the ende that by the same they may recompence the force and strength whiche is wanting in them. Art not thou of mine opinion frend Ierome.

Experience teacheth vs that thou sayest. But seeing we are entreed into talke of good houshol­ders, I thinke we haue one point to talke of, whiche is very requisite, not onely in al those whiche woulde be esteemed for good housholders, but also in al those whiche woulde be ac­compted for humane men, and not for beastes more inhumaine then the sauage and brute beastes. The point of whiche I speake, is touching the loue and amitie that the husband & the wife ought to haue together, and [Page] touching the care that the one ought to haue the one of the other, The affecti­on of fathers and mothers of families, tovvardes ther families and in like maner the fathers and mothers towardes their children. For if those vertues be not in fathers and mo­thers of families, what can their hous­holdes be? Now if it be a question of such vertues, al the beastes generally (as Plutark wittesseth) do loue ētierly that which they ingender and bring forthe, and cherish them careful­ly. And if there be some of the male kynde which haue not that loue nor care, yet it is alwayes founde in the females, & not onely among the ter­restriall beastes, but also among the aquatical & seabeasts. Wherfore see­ing we are in hand with the schole of beasts, we may yet send men thither, touching that poynt. For that cause (but that I feare I shall wearie you) I could declare vnto you a great ma­nie of examples touching this mat­ter, of many beastes which haue a sin­gular affection and industry in suche matters.

So that I may take pleasure in it, I am wel assured that Theophras­tus [Page] will also agree vnto it. For I take you both for my masters. Wherfore I am content to learne of you both, whatsoeuer it shal please you to teach me.

The pyge­ons.First of all, I will speake of the pygeons, both the male and fee­male, because we haue a good exam­ple in them, of the Amitie which ought to be betwene the husband & the wife, and of the care that the one ought to haue the one of the other, and afterwardes both of them togea­ther of the young ones which God geueth them. For the cocke pygeons in this poynt differ from the nature of the male partridges, for the males of the partridges breake their fe­males eges, & fiinally their femals do loose them, because they will not re­ceiue them all the while they hatch: And therefore they forsake them.

Then thou canst not sette them forth vnto vs for an example of good househoulders and good hus­bands, Euil hus­bandes. but rather for an example of euill husbands which loue not their [Page] wyues, but as the whoremasters their whoores, to wit, for the onely cause of carnal pleasure, that they may haue with them.

And therefore I set forth the male pygeons for a contrarye ex­ample. Good hus­bandes. For they doe take with their females a part of the care and paine, that they must haue of their egges & young. For they kepe the eggs when nede is, Also they feede their young, And when the female tarieth ouer long in the feeldes, they flappe them with their winges, and compel them to come vnto their young.

All husbandes and wiues, and all fathers and mothers of fami­lies, do not agree so well together to bring vp their children, and to keepe in good order their housholdes. For it happeneth often tymes, that the one layeth al the charge vpon the o­ther. For howe many husbandes are there whiche are euill housholders, whiche haue no care at all of their housholdes, neyther of their wyues, and children, but leaue al the charge [Page] vnto their wiues? Howe many also are there of women, that do the like towardes their husbandes. But this is yet worse, when that neyther the one nor the other do their dutie, but let al alone, not caring for any thing.

The svvallovves. Plutarke.▪The Swallowes also haue this propertie, among other byrdes, that they teach their yong, so that they know howe to cast out their donge from their nest.

I thinke the other byrdes do the like?

It is very true, that they are not so filthie as men: and their yonge are not so defiled with their doung and fylth, as the yong children are with theirs: But yet neuerthelesse, the Swallowe hath one singuler propertie herein, more then the other birdes haue, if we will geue credite vnto those whiche haue writtē of the na­ture of them.

We may better knowe that which the swallowe doth in suche a case, then we may knowe of other byrdes, because they dwel not so nere [Page] as the Swallowes.

It is very true. And as tou­ching the industrie to keepe their yong, The par­tridge. Plutarke. the partridges vse in the same a great subtiltie. For al the while that their yong ones cānot yet fly for their yong age, they accustom thē to lye v­pon their backes, & to couer thē with mosse or leaues, or with some other thing, when the hunters are hard by them: and in the meane tyme they leade the hunters to the other side, and turne and flye as though it were paynefull vnto them, and make as though they could not runne, and they do it so long vntill they haue re­tyred, and drawen the hunters very farre from their yongones.

Beholde a great subtiltie, ioyned with a greatloue, and care to­wardes her yong-ones.

That which we reade of the Hares, The hares. Plutarke. to that same purpose is no lesse worthie to be wondred at. For the hares before they betake them selues to their formes, do carie their yong, one in one place, another in another place: And some-times they seperate [Page] them a good forlong the one from the other, to the ende that if parad­uenture their come eyther man, or dogge, they are not al of them in like dāger. And after that they haue made great scraping with their feete, ma­king a great leape, they keepe them selues there and take their rest.

I would neuer haue thought that the hares had been so wyse and subtyl, to keepe their yong-ones.

The hedge-hogs.If the hare be wyse and sub­til in keeping of her yong, the Hedg-hogges are no lesse, not onely for to prouide for theirs, but also for to saue and defend them selues. And there­fore, here what Plutarke hath written. First he sayth, that the subtiltie of the Hedg-hogge hath geuen place vnto this prouerbe. A prouerbe of the fox & of the hedg-hog. The Fox hath many wyles, but the Hedg-hogge knoweth one exellent.

It is also sayde that the Cat is more wylie then the Fox.

There is more reason of the saying of the Hedg-hogge. For when the Fox pursueth him, the Hedg-hogge rowleth [Page] him selfe (as men say) within his pric­kles, as the Chestnut is enclosed with in his hull. And by that meanes he kepeth him there enclosed, so that he cannot be any whit hurted. But the care & the wysedome, that he hath of his yong-ones, is worthie to be won­dred at. For as Plutarke witnesseth, he goeth into the vineyards in the time of cutting, and with his feete he bea­teth to the ground the grapes, after­wardes he rowleth him-selfe vpon them, and maketh them to sticke vp­pon his prickles. Plutarke who hath written so, bringeth in a man who witnessed, that he did see it with his eyes. And therefore he sayth, I re­member that on a certayne day, we sawe one, that we did thinke that it was a Grape tree, which went, he was so loden with grapes. And when he is entred into his denne and hole, The Astro­nomie and pronostica­tion of the hedghog. he geueth one part to his yong-ones, & keepeth the other for him selfe. For his hole or borrowe hath two en­trings in, the one towards the north, and the other towardes the South [Page] winde, the which he stoppeth and o­peneth, according as he seeth the times do chaunge, as the mariners do the sayles of their shippes. And ther­fore a certayne man of Cyzicenia, ta­king good heede thereunto, did get by that meanes, a great renowne, as though he could foreshewe by Astro­nomie, what windes would blowe.

That man of whom thou speakest, may wel aduaunce & bragg him selfe, that he hath passed master in astronomie, and in the art of prog­nostications in the schoole of the Hedg-hogge: Seeing that by his know­ledge he hath gotten suche a fame a­mong the ignorant.

Thou sayest true. But sith that we haue spoken of beasts, which are conuersant and dwelling vpon the earth: I will say also some-thing of those which haunt the waters, and lyue there, and chiefely in the Sea, & I will first begin, by a sea byrde, called Halcion. Halcion. faithfullnes [...]n houshold. Plutark among others, telleth of his great vertues. For first he saith, that this byrde loueth singulerly his [Page] femal: & ioineth not himself with her at certaine times onely, but at al tims of the yeere, and not for that he is so much geuen vnto luxurie: For he ne­uer hath the companie of any other. But he doth the same thorowe ami­tie and good wil, as it behoueth hus­bandes to do. When the male is old, & that he followeth his female with great payne, she taketh care on him, and beareth and nurrisheth him, ne­uer leauing him behind her. For she carrieth him vpon her shoulders, and leadeth him whether it pleaseth him, and keepeth and cherisheth him e­uen vntil death.

A man shal finde very fewe such wyues, which are so faythful vn­to their husbandes, and which haue such care ouer them, and so long.

I do not denie but that we shal find many good husbāds & good wyues, who do sufficiently their dutie the one towardes the other, if we wil make comparison with those whiche do euilly discharge their office in suche a case. But those here are very [Page] thicke sowen, in comparisō of others And after we haue to note, that the beastes which I speake of, haue this more then men: That is, that there is not only some of them in their kind, which gouerne them selues so, but al are so by nature, and followe it with­out doing any fault, because that they are not corrupted thorowe sin, as the mē, which maketh them more beastes, then the beastes. But marke yet more what this author hath writ ten of the care that this byrde hath, to prepare lodging for his yong-ones. The build­ings of the Halcion. The mother (sayth he) hath such great care ouer her yong-ones, that assoone as she feeleth her selfe great, she beginneth to builde. She heapeth not the claye and lome agaynst the walles, and the myre as the Swallowes do, neither chargeth al her mēbers as the honie bees do, when they make their combs, deuiding their worke & their chambers in fashion, hauing six squares and as many feete: But the Halcion employeth but one organ, & one simple instrument, that is her [Page] byll: and not hauing any ayde, the di­ligence and care towards her yong-ones, ioyned and added to her indus­trie. O good God, what doth she? What taketh she in hande? It is harde to be beleeued of those, which haue not seene it. For she maketh a worke after a newe fashion, much like vnto a shippe, the which cannot be broken neither drowned with the w [...]ues & surges. For she maketh and tyeth it together, with the bones and pric­kles of litle fishes, and ioyneth them the one within the other: some right, others crosse: As we see howe cloth is wouen. And after that she hath ioyned and fastned thē so together, she bendeth & turneth them round? And at the last, she maketh it after such sorte, that it seemeth properly that it is a shippe, pycked and narrow in the bottome, and wide aboue, or els a long fishing boate. After that she hath finished it, she bringeth it to the sea shore, & setteth it by the sea-side, and when the sea beginneth to flowe and beat softly agaynst it, it teacheth [Page] her to stoppe the holes and ventes, and to amende and make strong that which is weake. Nowe after that al is very strong and sounde, she shutteth it so fast, that neyther stone nor iron can breake it. But in al the woorke there is not a thing more worthie to be maruailed at, then is the dooer of the sayde worke. For it is made after such sort, that none can enter but she onely. The other beastes can neyther see nor perceiue it, yea and the water cannot enter into it.

Thou tellest me of incredi­ble thinges. If that which thou saiest bee true, the Halcions haue rather taught men the manner to make ship­pes & boates, then the Halcions haue learned of them the science & know­ledge that they haue to builde their houses, as well for them selues as for their yong-ones, the which may flote and swimme vppon the Sea, as the shippes.

I boast not that I haue sene that which I speake of. But Plu­tarke who hath written it, alleadgeth [Page] for witnesse of such things, marriners which dwell in the Iles, haue often­times seene the experience of those thinges, which he hath written, Of the fore­sight & care of the fishes tovvardes their ftuite and young. aswel of this byrd Halcion, as of the fishes, of which he maketh a great discours. For he praiseth greatly some Seafish­es for their foresight, and care that they haue of their fruites and young, aswell in their procreation and birth as in the nourishment, keeping and preseruation of them. And therefore he saith touching this matter: First, that all the fishes which inhabite the Seas neere vnto anye lakes, or into which riuers do come, following the same riuers, do seeke earnestly (when the time approcheth that they must bring forth thir fruite) the sweetest waters, and those that haue least salt­nes: & they do the same for two cau­ses, to wit, either because that tran­quilitie is best for them to yeelde their fruit, or els because that the la­kes and riuers are lesse daungerous because of the beastes, and also be­cause they maye best nourishe their [Page] fruites. Wherefore many bring forth and cast their fruites in the Eginian sea: For it hath not in it any whalles, but onely little Dolphus, & little sea­calues: And the great riuers that run into it, giue a sweete and gentle tem­peratenes and most pleasaunt to the fishes.

Behold a good foresight, it wanteth a great deale, that mē know so well to prouide for their families, in such a case.

And by and by after Plu­tarke saith. And although that per­aduenture that is common vnto all mothers, to haue care of that whiche they haue engendred: yet neuerthe­lesse the males doe not murther and kill their younge, as Aristotimis hath sayd: But which is more, they take such great care, that they wil not stur from them, and do geather and heap to geather the egs, as Aristotle sayth. There be also some which follow the females, and sprinkle the egges, with the genitall seed, because without the same nothing can growe excellent [Page] and perfect, but wil abide imperfect, and wil not growe as it ought to do. Commonly the fishes whiche we call Phyces, Phyces. hauing made as it were a knot of an hearbe whiche we call Algue, put it about their yong, and it defen­deth them from the tempestes. But the lampries do beare the bel, The lam­prey. and do merite the crowne aboue all other fishes in case of fatherly loue, and in­dulgence, goodnes and gentlenes to­wardes their yong-ones. First they do lay their egges, and then the litle ones. But they do not cast forth their yong as other fishes do, but nurrish them in their bellies, as though they engendred them twise: And when they are growen, then they cast them foorth, and teach them to swymme & play about them. And afterwardes they receiue them agayne into their bellies in at their mouthes, and geue vnto them their bodies for to dwell in, geuing them place, meate, and re­fuge, vntil such time as they knowe that they are able to helpe them­selues.

If it be so as thou saiest the sea beastes doe surmount and passe the beastes of the earth, in that loue & care towards their fruite & young.

Thou wilt maruaile more of this, that the same Aucthour hath written touching this matter, tou­ching the Tortic of which he speaketh thus. The tortice. The care also that the Tortice hath to nourish & keep her yongons, is worthy of great admiration, for lea­ping alitle out of the sea, she bringeth forth her yong. And because that she cannot continue long out of the sea, and stay vpon the lande, shee layeth first her egges vpon the sand, and af­terwards she couereth them with fine sande, & after that she hath couered them wel, (as some say) she marketh the place, and signeth it with her feet, so that she may finde it agayne, or as others say, the femall being ouertur­ned by her male, printeth vpon the sande, the carecter and forme of her owne shel. After-wardes, whiche is a thing greatly to be maruayled, fortie daies being past she, cōmeth agayne: [Page] for so long time the yong muste bee shut vp. And when the male and fe­male are come, euery one of them knowing their treasure, vncouereth it more ioyfully and cherefully then men vncouer the holes and places in whiche they haue hid vp their trea­sures. Plutarke calleth the treasure of the Tortice their eggs & their yong, because that there is no man so care­ful of his treasures, and which loueth them so much as the Tortice loueth, and is careful of her yong.

It is sayd in a common pro­uerbe, A prouerbe. that those that come from farre, haue greater libertie to tell what they list, then others. And be­cause that one cannot easily gainesay that which they speake, they haue the greater licence to lye. We may say the lyke of those which speake of the sea and of the Sea beastes, vnto those which knowe not what they are.

I require thee not that thou shouldest beleeue as the Gospell, al that I shall rehearse vnto thee of Aristotle, Plinie and of Plutarke, and of [Page] such other. But yet neuerthelesse I do not thinke, but that those wor­thie men hauing writtē those things that they haue writtē, but that there are some things therein trew, & that they haue had some experience, or els some good witnesses thereof. Fot se­ing that they were learned men, and of great aucthoritie, and renowme, we must not thinke that they haue written at all aduenture, for to cause them selues to be mocked at, know­ing wel that their writinges shoulde be well examined by many learned men, and which haue tryed and pro­ued the thinges, whereof they haue written. Wherefore we must not by and by reiect as fables, all that which we our selues haue not sene, & which is straunge vnto vs. For God is mar­uailous in his creatures and in his workes, the whiche he woulde not haue them to be altogether couered and kept secret. And therefore he would be serued of the Painims, which haue enquired of the secretes of na­ture, for to manifest vnto vs many of [Page] his maruailes, to the ende we might alwayes haue more matter to glori­fie him in thē, and in his prouidence. And therefore to conclude this mat­ter, I wil yet declare vnto thee, tou­ching this matter, that which Plutark hath written of the sea-keyne, The sea-keine. after this sorte. The sea-kyne (sayth he) do bring foorth their young vpon the sande: And when they waxe some­thing great, they carrie them into the sea, as for to taste of it, afterwards they bring them agayne vpon the sande, and do so many tymes, vntyll such time as they know that they can helpe thē selues, & to take pleasure in the sea. Quintilian saith, that if one would fill at ones, a Phiole or glasse whiche hath a narrowe necke, Quintillian. instit. reth [...] ▪ lib. 1. and would powre in at once the liquore that he would put into it, it will not enter, but will sprinkle abroade heere and there. But if one would fill it by litle and litle, and as drop by drop, he shall fill it easiely, and shall loose nothing of that hee powreth into it, Quintilian vseth this comparison for [Page] to giue vs to vnderstand, that it is re­quisite to vse such beginning, The meanes that vve must vse in teaching. in the instruction of those whom we haue to teach, and chiefely of young chil­dren. For they cannot comprehende at once all that one can teach them. Wherefore we must goe by litle and litle. On the other side, it is in lyke maner very harde to vse them selues sodainely to one thing, to the which they haue not been vsed vnto, and chiefely when it is newe and strange. Wherefore it behoueth to keepe meanes, and to do by litle and litle that, that one cannot doe at once.

There be a great many which haue not yet that discretion & wise­dome. For they would haue those with whom they haue to doe, should be perfect at the first dashe, and that they shoulde knowe in one day or in one moneth, that which they cannot vnderstande them selues in a yeere. There are also many fathers, the fault of fathers and mothers to­vvardes their chil­dren. whiche make their children to dispayre, be­cause they presse and charge them a­boue measure, and require of them [Page] more then they are able: As also to the contrary, there are others which haue not such care and diligence to teach their children, as they ought, nor to keepe them vnder good disci­pline, but let them haue so much their wil, that they are quite marred and spoyled.

And therefore we shall haue iust occasion to sende the first to the schoole of the sea-kyne. For they are more calues then the kyne and bul­lockes. I say asmuch of the maisters of schools, which know not to teach their scholers, by good methoode, and order. As touching the other which endeuour thē selues nothing at all to teach their children, I sende them vnto the schoole of the Croco­diles, Crocodile. if that beaste were not so cruel, But yet neuerthelesse take away the crueltie, yet she declareth that she wil not suffer her yong-ones, except they haue courage, and except they will robbe and steale. And therefore the mother kylleth him, which at his first going foorth, he neither stealeth [Page] nor deuoureth, eyther a frogge, or a snayle, or some litle grasse, or some o­ther such thing which commeth be­fore him. On the contrary, she loueth the coragious, and loueth them, as Plutarke saith, not with a foolishe af­fection, as the foolishe mothers doe, but thorow iudgement, as the most wysest of the worlde haue vsed to do. Although that that crueltie of the Crocodile is to be dispised: yet neuer­thelesse this is to be praysed, that the mother is not so foolishe ouer her yong-ones, that she supporteth them if they be other then they ought to be according to their kinde. But we haue spoken sufficiently of the nature of beastes, vpon the matter of good and euil housholders. It nowe remai­neth that we make an ende of this matter, except Theophrastus wil say a­noother thing for the confirmation hereof. The instruc­tion of saint Paull vnto fathers and mothers.

I haue no other thing to say at this time, but that Saint Paul geueth a very good rule vnto fathers and mothers, & vnto al those whiche [Page] haue charge of children, yea in a fewe wordes, when he sayde? Ephe. 6.4. Ye fathers, pro­uoke not your children to wrath, but bring them vp in instruction and information of the Lorde. And in another place, Collo. 3.21. ye fa­thers prouoke not your children to anger, least they be discouraged. By these words he geueth the fathers and mothers wel to vnderstande, what moderati­on they ought to vse towardes their children, aswell to the ende they be not altogether discouraged, and in dispaire, as also to the ende they mar thē not thorow to great libertie. For when he admonisheth them to bring thē vp in instructiō & informatiō and correction, he geueth them to vnderstād that they ought not to bring thē vp in idlenesse, and to let them doo what they list, but to holde and kepe them vnder feare and correction. Whereupon we haue to note that he sayth not onely, bring them vp in in­struction & information, but he ad­deth, of the Lorde. For there be a­great many, whiche are very good housholders, for to cause their chil­dren [Page] to learne, siences, artes and oc­cupations, for to become of some good countenaunce in the worlde, and for to get them great honours and riches, or at the least wise howe to get their liuing: But they make none accompt, to bring them vp in the feare of God, and in the trewe knowledge of him and his worde, without which, as we haue alredie saide from the beginning, that men are more beasts thē the brute beasts. And therefore, he that wil shewe him selfe a good housholder and a good father, hauing trew care of his childrē must begin there. For it is not writ­ten without cause. Psal 111.10. Pro. 1.7.9.10 Galoa. 1.16. That the feare of the Lorde is the beginning, the foundation and head of al wisedome, and he can neuer faile to do well, & please God, which doth feare him. And as touching that which Ierome sayde of the Croco­dile, there are many which follow her example, and many more then is needefull. The chil­dren of the Crocodile. For if their children be not cruell and rauenors, as they are, they thinke them not to be their lawfull [Page] children, but disauowe and forsake them, as though they were not of their blood. But we must not require of our children, that they may be like vnto vs in our vices, but that they & we may be trewly reformed after the image of God, and that we may rule al our life after the rule that he hath set foorth vnto vs in his worde.

Behold a verie good con­clusion, vpon which I thinke that Toby wil willingly stay him selfe with vs.

I shoulde doe wrong if I shoulde re­sist it.