THE HONEST MAN: OR, The Art to please in Court.  
Written in French by Sieur Faret.  
Translated into English by E. G.  
LONDON: ●ted by THOMAS HARPER, 〈◊〉 for Edward Blount. 1632.   

TO THE RIGHT Noble, Honoured, and learned Gentleman, Richard Hubert, Esquire, Groom Porter to his Majesty.  
Sir,  
ALL Seamen in their courses must necessarily sail by their Cards; But in this Art and Sea of the Court, and Honest Man, there prescribed; I never so much as dreamt to present them as binding rules, to your truly liberal and knowing Virtues; Your own honoured bosom being died in grain of that generous honesty that comprehends all rules and laws in itself that direct and manage you, and show you running, like an unbyast Boule, thorough all fashions and factions; to make way only for the best, and example them: To make gameful recreation, only help spirit, and continue health; clearing it of all the avarice and gall in Gamesters. To make humane and discreet bounty help comfort virtue, not rendering her the drudge, and slave of Policy▪ Those Natures being the banes and monsters among humans, the Hydra's that poison and drown humane goodness; whose contraries made a shame with your ●eet disposition; may be hoped in time to 〈◊〉 dishabited and ●andoned. And t●en will the Court ●uance virtue by ●ample; and her authority inflict punishment only upon ●ce; no good seeing done by power; but what by hearty and knowing will, is first naturally suggested and taught. A Cour● so humane, would make a whole kingdom such a Court▪ agreeing like a Centre, and his Circle. Ambitious lines drawn there by grea● men, would be as righteous as round and all earthly happiness accounted to consist in quiet; even the quiet of free and equally plenteous peace. Till which come, like the Rainbow, be all your Court-actions still ●ee as the Sun, and ●●em quiet with their circularly swift free●es. Commanding ever  
Your poor and loving Observant, Edw. Grimeston.   

The Contents of this Book.  

A description of the Court pag. 1 

THe King, Princes, and great men pag. 3  
●eane men 4  
●ortune and the vices which follow her 5  
necessity of Counsel 7  
●he subject of this Discourse 9  
●f precepts, their profit & weakness 10    
Of the Birth 11 

●f the advantages of Nobility 13  
●f the happiness of the Birth 18  
●f the profession of a Gentleman 23  
●e ought to be an honest man 25  
●e must be curious of his honour 27  
Of quarrels 29  
Against quarrellers ib.  
Of the knowledge of quarrels 30  
Against vanity 33    
Of the disposition of the body 38 

Of exercises 39  
Of games of Hazard 44  
Against gamesters ibid.  
Covetous men 46  
Idle persons ibid.  
Desperate men 47  
Of the natural grace 49  
Of affectation and negligence 52  
Of affected negligence 56  
Against the affectation of beauty 58    
Of the qualities of the mind 62 

That virtue is more lovely, and vi● more odious in great men then i● others 6●  
Of the advantages of virtue 6●  
Of the means in general to attain to virtue 67  
●f learning and the contempt which Gentlemen make of it 68  
●f the excellency of Learning, & how 〈◊〉 fitting it is chief for Gentlemen 71  
●hat opinion we have of learning 74  
●f the Sciences which an honest man should learn 75  
●f the questions of Philosophy 76  
●f the Mathematics 77  
●f house Government 79  
●f the choice of Histories 80  
●f the Politics and History ibid.  
judgement of the best Historians 81  
●f other Historians in general 90  
●f experience and judgement 91  
●f writing well in prose 97  
●f Poesy 98  
●f Painting and Music 100    
Of the Ornaments of the soul 102 

●f religion and faith ibid.  
Against Atheists. 104  
Of other virtues in general 106  
Of the fear of God ibid.    
Of a Courtier's life 109 

Of servitude 110  
Of Toils 111  
Of disquietness 112  
Of ambition ibid.  
Of fear and hope 113  
Of the cares of ambitious men 114  
Of the tranquillity of wise men 115  
A good man may live in the corruption of the Court without blemish 116  
Of the end a good man should propound to himself in Court 118  
Of action and idleness 128  
That every good man is bound to follow the Court. 133  
Of the entry into the Court 135  
Of the choice of a friend 136  
Of estimation, & how it is gotten 138  
●f the means to purchase friends 141  
Against dissembling 143    
A division of life into actions and words 145 

●f actions of valour and the conduct of courage 148  
●f modesty in speaking of himself, freedom in commending others 150  
Of good offices 152  
●f liberality 155  
●he covetous man 157  
The Prodigal 158  
Of Presents 160  
Of other actions in general 164  
Of words which make the second part of the division of life 166  
That judgement serves for a guide 168    
Of the entertainment of the Prince 169 

Of the first entrance of an honest man to the King, and how it should be made 170  
Of silence and words near the King 175  
He must observe the Prince's inclination 176  
The Prince a warrior 177  
A peaceful Prince 178  
The Prince that love's learning and exercises 179  
That he must be careful not to displease the Prince 180  
Of respects and impudence 183  
Important precepts for the entertainment of Princes 184  
Of the submission that must be used in councelling great Princes 186  
Of obsequiousness to Princes 189  
Against flatterers 190  
The misfortunes which grow by flattery ibid.  
What is to be observed in begging from his Master 193  
●ee must not be importune at his Prince's pleasures 195    
●f the conversation of equals 197 

●f errors committed in the conversation of friends. 199  
●isfortunes that follow counterfeit friends 203  
●f estimation, and the means to get it 206  
udicious spirits have less lustre than they which abound in imagination and memory 208  
●he difference which they conceive of intellectual things, & those which fall under the exterial senses 210  
●f opinion, her blindness and tyranny 213  
●n example to prove the force of opinion 215  
Another example upon the same subject 22●  
The third example upon the same subject 22●  
The Author's excuse upon the 〈◊〉 last examples 23●    
Of the conversation of great men 23● 

Of the courtesy of great men in 〈◊〉 Court, and what esteem they make of good men 23●  
Of honest respects, and those which are importune 237  
Against the obstinate makers of compliments 239  
Of the equality of humours 243  
Of the knowledge of honest and shameful custom's 24●  
Of the advantages to be known o● great men 249    
General maxims of conversation 251 

〈◊〉 must vanquish his passions and ●bdue his humours 252  
●he obstinacy of the mind 256  
●pleasing 259  
●n honest man knows how to live with fantastic and violent humours 260  
●th mild and cold humours 262  
●th amorous humours 263  
〈◊〉 principal precept of pleasing 267  
〈◊〉 the liberty which is found among honest men. 268  
●gainst great talkers 270  
〈◊〉 the difficulty of keeping silence 271  
〈◊〉 the discommodity of great talkers 274  
●dinary impertinences of great talkers 276  
Ordinary vices of great talkers 28  
Of the difficulty which men have 〈◊〉 keep the secrets which are committed unto them. 28  
An example upon this subject 283    
Of commendation of honest men. 289 

Of their wisdom 291  
Of the government of their tongues 292  
Of their facility to do good 293  
Of the mildness of their spirits 296  
Of their manner of exposing what they know. 298  
Of their modesty to judge and speak of themselves 299  
Of their integrity 302  
Against liars & perjured people 303    
Of jesting 308 

That honest jesting gives life to conversation 309  
That wilful jesting is dangerous 312    
Of pleasant words 315 

〈◊〉 the excellency of pleasant words 316  
〈◊〉 those things which he must observe 319  
That he must avoid jesting 320  
That he must never jest upon miserable men, nor wicked persons 322  
Nor honest men 324  
Nor Officers ibid.  
Nor great men 325  
Nor himself 326  
Nor his friends 327  
Nor honest women ibid.  
●incipall rules of pleasant speeches 328    
〈◊〉 the difference of ages, manners, and conditions which must be observed 330 

●w an honest man should carry himself amidst these different conditions 33●  
The last precept in the conversation of equals 33●    
Of conversation with women 338 

Description of a Circle 340  
The Queen and Princesses 341  
The Ladies 343  
Maids of honour 344  
Of the conversation of the Louver, and of its discommodity 345  
Of the choice must be made in the City 347  
Of small precepts 348  
Of the exterior presence 349  
Of apparel 351  
Of the manner of the fashion of apparel, and of the suiting of it 353  
Of the appareling of men 357    
Of action which is the soul of words 360 

〈◊〉 the accent of the voice 361  
●hat they must respect women 364  
〈◊〉 pleasing among women 365  
●easons why they should honour women. 368  
●hat the virtue of women is equal to that of men. 370  
●ow necessary women are in Court 375  
●f the services that are to be done to women 377  
●hat the most chaste are many times most subject to slanders 379  
●ice is odious in the conversation of women 383  
●f slanderers ibid.  
●f blasphemers 384  
●he obstinate and dull 385  
●he proud ibid.  
That judgement gives order to 〈◊〉 conduct of life 39●  
divers advertisements upon the design of this Treaty 39●      

Errata. Emendata. Page 82 line 13 no not P. 104 l. 7 it it it is P. 125 l. 5 belly belie P. 141 l. 11 sitting fitting P. 143 mark quality equality P. 247 l. 13 he same the same   

THE HONEST MAN: OR, The Art to please in Court.  

A Table of the Court.  
IF Ambition doth not raise the whole ●ame of Prince's Courts, yet at the least we may say that she puffs them up to that boundless growth, as many times it makes even Sovereigns to hate their own glory, and the pomp which doth environ them, proves insupportable unto them. The natural desire which all men have to attain unto honour and riches, engageth them insensibly in this goodly confusion, and there are few found which 〈◊〉 wise enough to avoid 〈◊〉 surprisal of this ●asing disease, amidst many objects which 〈◊〉 procure it. 
The King, Princes and great men.  Prince's 〈◊〉 great men are about ●ing like goodly stars, ●ich receive all their ●t from him, but it is 〈◊〉 confounded in this ●at light; and al●ough their brightness ●th not appear but ●hen they are remote ●m him, yet it is never crious, nor full of ●tre, but when as this first fountain of glo● pours forth itself upon them and distribute● unto them certain beams of his magnificence. The greatest pa● of the meaner sort consume themselves nea● this fire, 
Mean men.  before they ca● be warm, and fortune who takes delight to display upon this Theatre the most remarkable tricks of her malice and lightness, makes a sport at the ruin of a thousand ambitious men, to raise one to the top of 〈◊〉 precipice, 
Fortune and the vices which follow her  which she spares in a manner 〈◊〉 all those which suf● themselves to be ended with her favours. ●uy, Avarice, and Amnion, which always ●end her, reign par●ularly with her about ings, whither they ●aw an infinite number 〈◊〉 mercenary spirits, ●hom the disorder of ●satiable covetousness, ●ill not suffer to con●in themselves in a life full of sweetness an● tranquillity, to ca● themselves into the tumults wherewith gre● Courts (like unto gre● Seas) are continual tossed. There these fur● sow hatred and discon amongst those that a● nearest allied; they practise treason of all side● and make the seeds 〈◊〉 baseness and cowardice to spring up, even i● those souls which naturally have impression of generosity. They in ●re so many ruinous ●signes which arm ●en one against another, and make most ●rishing Monarchies desolate, and in the end ●ouble the whole frame ●f humane society, and violate the most sacred ●awes which are observed in the world. Amidst these pernicious dangers which they procure, in my opinion, such as follow them, cannot be too well advised, 
Necessi● of counsel  to preserve himself from the misfortunes which do accompany them: and there is not any man settled in so firm a station, whom the authority of those that are more powerful, or the envy of his equals, or the malice of those which are under him, may not pull down from the top of his greatest prosperities.  

The Subject of this Discourse.  
IT is my design to represent in this Discourse, as in a little table, the most necessary qualities, be it of mind or body, which he ought to have, that desires to make himself pleasing in Court. But to imagine that my advice can raise him above Fortune's wheel, so as others which have the like projects may not stay him in climbing, 
Of Precepts, their profit and weakness  or pull him down when he shall be mounted; it is a proposition too ridiculous to fall into my reasonable sense. Precepts serve but as a guide, and execute nothing of themselves, they facilitate the beginning and progress of those things which you undertake, but they have not the power to finish any thing; and there is nothing but the happy birth, which with these foreign aids, raise a man unto the height of that perfection, whereof we have but a gross Idea.    

Of the Birth.  
IN the mean time, not to trouble the order which I have propounded unto myself, to abridge as much as possibly I may, the infinite number of things which may be written upon this subject; I will first of all say, that I hold it most necessary, that he which will enter into this great commerce of the world, should be borne a Gentleman, and of a house of some good note. Yet I will not banish all those to whom Nature hath denied this privilege. Virtue hath no affected condition, and the examples are frequent enough, of those which from a base birth, have raised themselves to heroic actions, and to eminent greatness. 
Of the advantage of Nobility.  Yet we must confess, that they which are well borne, have most commonly, good inclinations, which the others have but rarely, and it seems they come unto these men naturally, but are encountered in the others but by chance. There flows with the blood, certain seeds of good and evil, which spring up with time in our souls, and produce in us good or bad qualities, which cause us to be beloved, or make us odious unto the whole world. They whose Ancestors have made themselves famous by their memorable exploits, find themselves in some sort engaged to follow the course which is laid open unto them: And Nobility, which; as a goodly lamp, gives light to all their actions, excites them to virtue by these domestic examples or retires them from vice by the fear of infamy. And, doubtless, as they which are borne among the multitude, do not think themselves bound to exceed those from whom they are extracted; In like sort a man of a good family will hold himself worthy of blame, if at the least he should not attain unto the same degree of estimation whereunto his predecessors had mounted. I add hereunto the opinion of an excellent Master in this Science, who says that a good birth is a most powerful charm to gain the good conceit of those whom we desire to please: And there is no doubt, but of two men equally well constituted, which should present themselves in any assembly, having given no former impression of them, which might make their worths known; when as they should come to understand, that the one is a Gentleman, and the other not, this last must employ much time, before he shall purchase that good opinion which the Gentleman hath gotten in a moment by the only knowledge which they have ●ad of his extraction. Besides these reasons, I ●ay moreover, that the preeminencies which ●re tied to Nobility, are ●o great, as a man of judgement and courage, which should find himself embarked with a favourable wind in Court, without this advantage, might fall daily into a thousand occasions, which might cause him to blush, and to hold down his head.  

Of the happiness of the birth.  It is true that in all sorts of conditions, there are found some, who by a secret favour of heaven have the happiness to be borne accompanied with so many gifts o● the mind and body, as it seems that Nature herself hath taken a delight to frame them with her own hands, and to enrich them with all the charming graces, & most capable to gain men's affections. In like sort there are some found so unfortunate, as a man may say they are cast into the world by force, or that they are not made but to serve for objects of sport and scorn to other men. As these with all their care and diligence shall hardly make themselves sufferable: so the others have so great a facility to do well, as with little labour, and in a manner without thinking of it, they become excellent in any thing they undertake, and make themselves pleasing to any one that hath eyes to look on them. Betwixt these two extremes, there is found a mean of those which have not received such extraordinary favours of Nature, neither have ●hey any remarkable ●mperfections; & these ●ay, with the help of precepts, and their continual care, correct their defects; and in the end ●eserue the esteem of ●hose which give it. Frō●his esteem, doth presently grow that good opinion, which we would have our honest Man should learn to ●et, wheresoever he comes: But to attaynê to this point, I find that the most assured means is, to preoccupate the opinions of such, by whom we desire to be beloved. This is one of the highest mysteries of our Art, which shall be discovered in its place when as I have represented the principal qualities, which he should have that pretends to pass for an honest man, before so many eyes which behold him in Court, and amidst so great a number of refined wits, from whom the most secret defects cannot be long concealed.  

Of the profession of a Gentleman.  
IT seems then, that as the good birth is not sufficient, if it be not fortunate, so neither of them will profit much, if they be not carefully manured. As there is not any man which doth not make choice of some profession to employ himself: so in my opinion there is not any more fitting nor more essential for a Gentleman; then that of Arms. He must be active and earnest, and tie himself unto it as to a thing whereof he ought to make his ordinary practice. The greatest part of other things which are required in him are not held necessary, but so fare forth as they may serve as an ornament to this, & may give him some lustre, to make him shine with the more grace. Nobility is chief gotten by Arms, and must be preserved by Arms, and opens a way to great reputation, and so to great honours. It seems then, 
He ought to be an honest man.  that the strongest ambition which he can have that wears a sword, is, to be esteemed a man of courage and hardy, and consequently to be held a man of government, and good. They which join malice to valour are most commonly feared and hated, like savage beasts, for that having the power to do evil, they have also a will: But they whose good courage is accompanied with good intentions, are beloved of all the world, and respected as tutelary Angels, whom God entertains amongst us, to oppose them against the oppression of the wicked.  
In the mean time, 
He must be curious of his honour.  as there is not any man which is not jealous of his reputation, especially in matters of his profession, how much more ought a Gentleman to be moved, for that which concerns his Arms, which are the true marks of his Nobility? Herein he ought to be exact without curiosity: for, as the honesty of a woman having been once polluted with some blemish, can never be restored to its first purity, so it is impossible that the reputation of a Soldier having been once blemished with some base action, can never be well repaired, but there will remain something to reproach him: Likewise in occasions of honour, as in great commands at war, it is not lawful to err twice.  
But this point is so nice, 
Of quarrels.  as most young men, either for want of experience, or by too much heat; and others either for want of judgement, or some capricious humour, lose themselves by this wretched course. 
Against quarrels.  Hereby we see daily, that divine laws are profaned, that the authority of ordinances is violated, and that the clemency of our victorious Monarch is sometimes forced to yield unto his justice. The most healthful remedy that I can find for this mischief, 
Of the knowledge of quarrels.  which may be termed incurable hereafter (if this cure be not put in the number of the King's miracles) is in my opinion to learn the knowledge of quarrels in time, whereof they have made a kind of Science by their much refining them. Most part of those which precipi●te themselves into ●his brutish fury, do it most commonly for ●eare they should not ●oe enough, in the ignorance & vncertain●y wherein they find themselves, whether they be obliged to come to this extremity or ●ot: So being ignorant of the degrees of offence which deserve these bloody satisfactions, we see nothing but examples of extravagancy & humours in these quarrels, and not one beam of true honour which is the most precious treasure of Nobility. It is one of the most insupportable abuses which hath crept into our age, to imagine, as they do, that true and heroic valour doth only consist in fight; as if this virtue had no exercise, but in the destruction of mankind: It hath more eminent effects, and we may say that extends itself, in a manner, upon all the most glorious actions of life. I could willingly speak more upon this matter, but my ●biect calls me back.  
I will then say that ●eare unto this excellent part, 
Against vanity.  there is most commonly found a ●ice which may be ●eld inseparable from those eminent Qualities, and which do in a manner spoil the good fruit which they produce. It is that foolish vanity wherewith most men suffer themselves to be abused, losing the use of reason. This defect is odious, & makes them worthy of contempt, which otherwise might deserve great commendations, if they had the patience to attend until they were voluntarily given them, and not pull them away, or seek to obtain them by force, as they do in a manner daily. Many of our Valiants would imagine that they were not so, if they did not make a thousand sour faces, and as many savage and ridiculous countenances, to terrify all the world, by whom these silly men imagine, that they are looked o● with fear and adoration. All their discourses are upon the proceed of Encounters, and combats, and he that should cut off in their entertainment, the terms of assaults & fightings, I believe they would be reduced for their greatest knowledge, to the compliments of the French tongue. Their bragging is grown to that height of brutishness, as they contemn the company of women, which is one of the sweetest and most honest recreations of man's life. Dancing, Music, and other exercises of a Gentleman, seem unto them a kind of effeminacy, and unless it be to fasten a Petard, or to blow up a Mine, they do not hold themselves worthily employed. This humour, with all words which have any uncture of pride and sufficiency, aught to be avoided, as most dangerous rocks, whereas the good esteem of a man may suffer shipwreck.    

Of the disposition of the body.  
WIth all these advantages of a good birth, and of courage, which are required in any man that will cast himself into the Court; I find that an able body is most necessary, that he be of a goodly stature, rather mean, then to tall, rather slender than too far, his limbs well fashioned, strong, supple, active, and easy to accommodate himself to all sorts of exercises, either of war or pleasure. Having all these gifts of nature, it doth import to employ them, and not only to learn all that is taught in the Academies and Schools, 
Of exercises.  but also all the actions of dexterity which are in use, and fitting for a Gentleman. Not to be a good horseman, nor to know how to manage Arms, it were not only a great disadvantage, but also a shameful ignorance, not to know the essential principles of his profession. Other exercises, although less necessary, are useful in a thousand occasions, to gain the esteem and affection of those by whom we desire to be beloved. I do not only exact, that he be expert in all sorts of managing, as to vault, break a Lance, run at the Ring, and all the combats at Barriers, Tilt and Turney: These actions are too apparent, and are too commendable in the world, to be unknown by him, that will make himself to be looked on with approbation, and deserve glory and praise. I will also (i● it may be) that he lear● to play of the Lute, an● Gittern, and Vial, seeing that our Master and Mistresses are pleased there with; that he be skilful in Hunting that he be active to Dance, play at Tennis, to Wrestle, to Leap, to Swim, to Shoot and in all other sports which are not so simply honest, but they many times prove profitable. The greatest part of these things ●ing divided, are in ●eth of small moment, but being all vni●ed together, they make a perfect man, who is not looked on, but with some kind of admiration, especially when they are beautif●d with the qualities of the mind, which gives them the last lineaments of perfection. I could desire als●, that he should not be ignorant of any games at Hazard which have course amongst great men, 
Of games of Hazard.  for that thereby he may sometimes grow familiar in their companies provided notwithstanding, that he be no gamester.  

Against Gamesters  We must confess, that of all the vices which are pardoned in honest men, I see none more pernicious, than this unrestrained heat of Play. They which are only rich, are not wise if the suffer themselves to be transported with this passion: There are none but great Princes (whose condition can ●uer be miserable) which may abandon themselves boldly unto it; yet most commonly with loss, although they be the Masters of Fortune. Amongst the rest we see few but covetous men, idle persons, and such as are desperate, that dare engage themselves in this folly. They Which burned with a desire of money, 
Covetous men.  and care not how to employ all means to get it, imagine that there is not any one more easy than this. Those voluptuous and effeminate souls which know not how to employ themselves, 
Idle persons  conceive that there is no any thing more diverting, then to spend their time in this base exercise. And they whom Fo●une hath reduced 〈◊〉 ●hat extremity, 
Desperate men.  as to 〈◊〉 to day, as if they should die to morrow, ●ke with reason, to ●ch that in hazard, ●ich they durst not ●pe for by their indu●. But not to extend 〈◊〉 self farther than 〈◊〉 project will allow 〈◊〉, it shall suffice to 〈◊〉, that this frenzy ●th not only draw an ●fallible ruin of the ●ods of Fortune, but it tends to the ruin of the mind. The disquietness & perpetual waywardness which accompany those which fall into this precipice, are they not strong reasons to retire any man that hath any remainder of judgement? And all the time and care which a man must employ in this miserable trade, may they not be numbered amongst the greatest losses, which they can make, which are borne to gain the ●earts of Kings and Princes?  
All the good parts which we have produced, 
Of the natural grace.  are most considerable in a Gentleman, but the fullness of these things consists in 〈◊〉 certain Natural Grace, which in all his exercises, yea, and in his least actions, must shine like a little Beam of Divinity, which is seen in all those which are borne to please the world. This point is so high, as it is above the precepts of Art, and cannot be well taught: All the counsel which may be given therein, is, that they which have a good judgement, for the conduct of their carriage, if they find not themselves endued with this great gift of Nature, seek to repair this defect by the imitation of the most perfect examples, and of those which have a general approbation. ●ood education is also 〈◊〉 great force: for as we have often seen young Lions, to leave their savage instinct, and to become familiar among men; even 〈◊〉 it oftentimes falls ●ut, that men borne of sour disposition, have so vanquished their defects with extraordinary care, as they have done all things by the force of ●eason, as pleasingly as others by the sole bounty of their natural dispositions. But how happy are they which need not any instructions to please; and which have been, as it were, watered from heaven with this grace, which doth ravish the eyes and hearts of all the world. 
Of affectation and negligence  In the mean time, to make this thing of so great importance a little more plain, I conceive that we may say, that as this grace whereof we speak, extends generally to all his actions, and hath an interest in his least discourses; there is in like sort 〈◊〉 general rule, which serves, if not to get it, yet never to stray from 〈◊〉. That is, to fly, as from a mortal precipice, that wretched and importune affectation, which doth blemish ●nd defile the goodliest ●hings, and to use a ●ertaine negligence, which doth hide all Art, and doth witness that he doth not any thing but as it were without thought, and without any kind of constraint. This, in my opinion, is the pure spring of a good grace: for every man knowing the difficulty they find in doing excellent things well, they admire those with whom they succeed easily; As on the other side the greatest and most rare, lose their ●ice, when as there appears any constraint. 〈◊〉 effect, the blackest malice whereof envy ●akes use to ruin the sputation of those which are in good exeme, is to say, that all their actions are made with a design, ●nd that all their discourses are premedita●d. And therefore Orators have no greater Art, then to cover it 〈◊〉 their Orations, the which being on● known they lose thei● credit, and are not able by their eloquence to persuade even the most simple and ridiculous.  

Of affected negligence.  We must also consider upon this subject, that affected negligence, that apparent contempt, which they use in their least gestures and looks, a● greater vices than too much care, whereof a● the fault is to do wel● beyond measure, and ●ceed the ordinary limits. And in truth as ●ey have sometimes b●amed certain Painter's, that their works were too perfect, and that they would show ●emselues more learned than Nature: The ●e we may say of ma●y, who striving to ●cell, cast themselves beyond perfection, and ●atch but the shadow ●f the good which ●ey pursue with too much heat. Even women; 
Against the affectation of beauty.  do they not daily lose that which they seek with so great passion? There are few seen which desire not to be fair, or at the least to seem so. And therefore when nature fails them in this point, they fly unto Art to secure them: Hence grows so many ridiculous cares to make their complexion smooth, that they may seem young; to settle their looks, to make their eyes plea●ng, to set their hair 〈◊〉 order, to make the forehead smooth, to pull ●way the eyebrows, ●o make their countenance more pleasing; ●nd finally to repair, if ●hey could, the very lineaments, which are ●mprinted upon them ●y the hand of God, as characters which they cannot deface. Thus we see that this too visible affectation, and this irregular desire which they have to seem fair, is the cause why our eyes suffer in looking on them, and show plainly, that this grace which they study, is a lesson which cannot be learned but by those which seem they would be ignorant of it. We cannot deny, that a Lady which after she hath adorned herself, could do it so artificially, as they which have beheld her, were in doubt, ●ether she had only ●eam't to add some●ng, be not more pleasing then another, ●ho not content to ●ele herself ouer●rthened under the ●mp of her apparel, ●re show herself so mastered, as it seems ●ee wears a Mask ●stead of her countenance, and dares not ●ugh for fear she ●hould show two fa●es. These are the defects of affectation whereby we may easily judge, how contrary it is to that pleasing simplicity, which shol● shine in all the actions both of body and mind.   

Of the qualities of the mind.  
AS for those of the mind, they are in a manner infinite, and are always excellent, when as they have virtue for their guide, ●hich as the light of 〈◊〉 Sun doth make 〈◊〉 the objects to which 〈◊〉 doth communicate 〈◊〉 self, more beauti●ll and glorious. Certainly virtue hath more ●eet and powerful ●durements, 
That virtue is more lovely, and vice more odious in great men then in others.  when as 〈◊〉 meets with a man of 〈◊〉 good fashion and ●uality, then in another that is counterfeit, ●nd of a base condition. But we must al●o confess, that if he were the most illustrious & goodliest Prince in the world, if he were found to be vicious, and of a bad constitution, the greatness of his birth could no privilege him, bu● make him to be generally hated. They Which will aspire to the conquest of hearts and gain the love of the best, and soundest part of men, must first get this inestimable treasure, which hath always been held the ●eraigne good of ●se men. 
Of the advantages of virtue.  We may 〈◊〉 say with truth, that a●ong all the things ●hich we possess, ●rtue only is not subact to the Empire of ●ortune: All the rest ●pend upon her ty●nny: Sometimes she ●kes delight to ouer●row Thrones, and 〈◊〉 trample upon Sceptres and Crowns: sometimes she makes 〈◊〉 sport to blemish the lustre of the most flourishing beauties, to ruin riches, and to deceive the best advised by unexpected accidents. Only virtue is above all her outrages, and the fullness of her excellency is, that she gives admiration to vice itself, and doth imprint a respect in the hearts of the wicked. In all sorts of conditions of man's life which we can imagine, virtue ought to be the first object which he can propound: But she is so essentially the end of all those which desire to be respected in Court, that although she be not seen but with disguises and blemishes, yet every man will make the world believe that he enjoys it purely and without Art. The principal means which serve to attain unto it, are, 
Of the means in general to attain to virtue.  in my opinion, good education, diligence &, labour, good custome● the conversation 〈◊〉 good men, a desire● glory, the example 〈◊〉 his predecessors, an● learning.  

Of Learning, and the contempt which Gentlemen make of it.  
TO speak with truth, Learning is a great ornament & of inestimable price whosoever know well how to use it. In the mean time, I know ●ot by what misfortune, it seems that our Nobility can never free themselves from the ●lame which foreign Nations have given ●hem for many ages, to contemn so rare a thing and so befitting their profession. It is certain that the number is not small in Court, of these ill bred spirits, who by a feeling of brutish stupidity, cannot imagine that a Gentleman can be learned and a Soldier together. Yet I will not deny, but that learning doth many times encounter with sottishness and extravagancy. There are but too many of those, to whom the Greek and the Latin have served to no other use, but to make them more impertinent and obstinate, and who, instead of bringing from their studies a soul full of wisdom and mildness, ●ue been puffed up ●th Chimaeras and ●ide.  
Yet we must con●sse, 
Of the excellency of learning, and how fitting it is chief for Gentlemen.  that when this knowledge falls into an exquisite spirit, it ●oth produce such wonderful effects, as we may say that such 〈◊〉 do profess it, have ●me things above a ●an, and are elevated 〈◊〉 a condition approa●ing to divinity. A●oue all it is graceful and most necessary for those which ar● borne to great fortunes, and it seem its proper use is to be● employed in the government of people, to lead Armies, to practise the friendship of a Prince or foreign Nation, to negotiate treaties betwixt Kings, and in all other eminent actions which assure the authority of Sovereigns, & makes estates to flourish. Who doth not see on the o●her side, that she lo●eth her estimation and grace, in common hands, and that being ●as it is) of a noble essence, it is a shameful exercise to see it crawl and languish as it doth at this day in the Schools of the University; among the suits and tumults of the Palace, and amidst the contestations, whereas Physicians exercise themselues upon the lives of men. 
What opinion we ought to have of learning.  But do I not exact a perfect knowledge of the Sciences, which the Ancients called Encyclopaedia, and which certain spirits, sick with too much curiosity, have foolishly admired, as the Sovereign good of life. I esteem Books in regard of the profit which men may draw from them, and I love them as one of the sweetest and most innocent pleasures that a virtuous man can choose: But I do not refer so much unto them, as to believe that their instructions can make us happy or unfortunate, nor that our contentment depends upon the opinion of those men, which did not always discourse with more reason than they do at this day. Whatsoever they be●eue, 
Of the Sciences which an honest man should learn.  I do not hold it necessary, that he should ●ouble himself with all the quarrels of Philosophy, which it may be would consume▪ man's whole age unprofitably. And he might reap more benefit in studying in the great Book of the world, then in Aristotle; 
Of questions of Philosophy.  it is sufficient if he have a reasonable tas● of the most pleasing questions, which are sometimes propounded in good company. I desire rather that he should be passably instructed in many Sciences, then solidly profound in one alone; seeing that our life is too short to attain vn● the perfection of the ●ast of those which ●ey propound unto ●s: And that he which ●n speak but of one ●ing, is bound many ●mes to hold his peace: ●et him be skilful in ●e Mathematics, 
Of the Mathematics  ●e which is useful ●or a Captain, to for●fie regularly, and to draw plots; to add subtract, multiply, and divide, to make the practice easy, to frame Batalions; let them learn the upper and lower Sphere, and make his ear capable to judge of the delicacy of the tunes of Music: It doth not much import, that he should pierce into the secrets of Geometry, and the subtleties of Algebre, nor suffer himself to be ravished with the wonders of Astrology. As for the government of a family, 
Of house government.  it is sooner learned by use then by rea●g, and if the Court ●th furnish a thou●nd examples of pro●sion, it hath also ma● others of good hus●ndry. 
Of the Politics and History.  The Politics a●d Morals are his true sciences, and History (which hath been always termed the stu● of Kings) is not ●uch less necessary for those which follow them. It is, doubtless the pure fountain o● civil wisdom. All the difficulty is to make choice of good Authors, 
Of the choice of Histories.  whereof the number is not infinite: I wi● make no difficulty to extend myself somewhat freely in naming the best, for that I know most of our Gentlemen apply not themselves unto it, for want of knowledge of those whose reading may profit them. Be●ld the judgement ●hich an able Critic gives of some of them, 〈◊〉 the which he adds no●ing, but that, which 〈◊〉 my opinion, he should ●ot have forgot. A●ong the Grecians, 
judgement of the best Historians.  ●erodotus, Thucydides, ●enophon, and Polybius, ●re the most esteemed. 
Herodotus.  The first hath such charming graces in his language, as he gives ●o Fables the authority ●f a History. The second is grave, abounding in sentences, 
Thucydides.  succinct in his style; eloquent in his Orations, and sound in his judgements. The third is pleasing and faithful and in his works, 
Xenophon  subjects may learn to obey, and Princes to reign. And for the last, good judges hold, that he is not so exact as Thucydides, but he is no less profitable. His Maxims agree better with ours, 
Polybius.  he is very sufficient, & when as he ●mes to stray, it is but to instruct and to make them that read him more capable. Plutarch ●th not properly written a History, 
Plutarch.  but parts of a History; yet he is worthy to be an ordinary companion to ●ose which desire to ●ntertaine great men. His judgement is so ●eat, as he casts forth ●ames able to enlighten the grossest understandings, and doth open an easy way 〈◊〉 guide a man to wisdom and virtue. Among the Latins, 
Tacitus.  Tac●tus (according to th● opinion of all politicians) holds the firs● rank, and one of hi● admirers prefers his before Titus Livius, i● not for eloquence, ye● at the least for instructions, which is the pa● which we now consider. Who can better comprehend so many things in so few words, than he hath done, and ●midst the thorns of his narration, cause so much grace and majesty to flourish? what aror is there in man●ers which he doth not reprehend? in ●ounsels, which he ●oth not reveal; and 〈◊〉 causes, which he ●oth not teach? Certainly he is admirable 〈◊〉 one thing, whereof 〈◊〉 man would say he ●euer thought, and ●oth that excellently, which it seems he had no will to do; for without troubling the order and course of those truths which he relates, he doth not forbear to add precepts, with a dexterity like unto those, which know how to work Pearls and Diamonds with gold and silk artificially, so as this Book is not only a History, but a fertile field of council, and a perfect lesson of wisdom. It is true, that as he is sharp, piercing, and succinct, so they which read him, must have a quick and apprehensive understanding, lest they find that obscurity wherewith some have taxed them. Sallust, without doubt, 
Sallust.  would deprive him of this eminent glory, if we had all that he hath written, but by the little which we have remaining, all that we can say, is to judge that he had a genius like unto Thucydides. Titus Livius for the greatness and majesty of the History, 
Titus Livius.  for the pureness and copiousness of discourses, and for the full eloquence of Orations, is the first of all. But he is more barren in sentences, and instructs rather by the multitude of examples, then by the abundance of judgements. It sufficeth to say of Caesar, and of Quintus Curtius, 
Caesar.  that they ought to be familiar companions to a good Captain. The one hath words worthy of his memorable exploits, which have made the whole earth to tremble, and brought under the yoke the most proud, and indomable liberty that ever reigned in Commonwealths. And the other might in some sort comfort Alexander, 
Quintus Curtius.  for that he lived not in the time of Homer; seeing he hath by his writing revived his glory with so great advantage. After these there are many others which have appeared from age to age, 
Of other Historians in general.  and the which we may hold to be very good: But we may likewise say, that they serve rather to content the curiosity of such as love the diversity of Histories, then to teach wisdom. Above all things I hold it profitable and graceful, not to be ignorant of the principal things which have passed with us and with our neighbours in our times, and if it may be, to know the beginning and continuance of so many Realm's estates, and different governments which are raised upon the ruins of one Empire.  
Yet I do not believe that the knowledge of all these things, 
Of experience & judgement  is an assured means to attain unto wisdom they serve but as a light to those which seek it▪ Her seat is in the understanding, and no● in the memory, and exprience itself (o● whom they say she is the daughter) proves sometimes a stepmother, and doth precipitate rather then guide her. She brings a facility to execute speedily, but in doubtful events, whereas examples fail, she remains confounded without the support of this predominant power of the soul, to whom alone is reserved the glory of resolving. The number of occurrents which may happen in the life of man is infinite; every day doth produce a multitude, and in the continuance of so many ages past, you shall find few events so conformable one unto the other, but you may observe some notable difference.  
Moreover you shall hardly find, that many persons which have attained to the same end, have gone one and the same way: as likewise they which have used the same means have not always attained to the same end. Delays have sometimes been the cause of great victories, so have they been the loss of famous battles. Whosoever is not naturally capable to discern the times, and to consider of the variety of circumstances in all occasions which are offered, shall never reap much fruit by his experience, nor by History: And the Laws themselves teach us, that to judge sound of occurrents, the example doth not suffice without the rule. I confess, that it is most profitable to have seen and practised many things, and to know many accidents which are past: not that they serve to dispose well of the present, but for that in the different successes, the understanding is quickened, which doth excite and produce in subtle and piercing spirits, certain seeds of wisdom, which nature had concealed: so as by the multitude of these examples, we see in the end that this rule follows, by the means whereof the understanding is made capable to judge.  
Besides the Sciences and History, 
Of writing well in Prose.  it is so necessary to frame himself to a good style of writing, be it for serious matters, or for compliments; be it for love, or for so many other subjects, whereof the occasions grow daily in Court, that they which have not this facility, can never expect any great employments, or having them, they must attend an unfortune success. To make verses is an exercise more pleasing then necessary, 
Of Poêsie  and which by the malice of ignorant men is fallen into contempt, the which should cover the confusion of our age. In effect, it is a shameful thing to see that this admirable language, whereof the wise men of antiquity did believe, that their gods ●ade use in heaven, ●ould without reason ●ee so disesteemed, as their Altars are not reverenced. The chief beginning of this abuse ●rodeeds from so ma●y wretched Poets which profane Poë●ry, in whose hands it ●oseth its estimation and glory. The number is so small of those which may worthily attain to such high mysteries, as the best ages could hardly produce two or three that were excellent in this divine perfection, which admits no mean. 
Of Painting and Music.  Painting and Music are so inseparably tied unto it, as the one passeth for a silent Poem, and the other for the soul of Poetry. To finish this long repetition of Arts and Sciences, I say that one of the most particular studies of a Courtier ought to be the knowledge of Languages: And if he ●ndes the dead too difficult, and those which are living and in use too many in number, ●et at the least, let him understand and speak French, Italian, & Spanish, for that they do concur better with ours, and have more course than any other, both in Europe, and among Infidels.    

Of the ornaments of the soul.  
WIth these advantages of the body and mind, whereof we have hitherto discoursed, I desire he should be endued with the true ornaments of the soul, that is to say, with christian virtue, which comprehend all the moral. The foundation of all is religion, 
Of Religion and faith.  which, in my opinion, is no other thing, but a true feeling we have of God, and a firm belief of the mysteries of our faith. Without this principal there is no integrity, and without integrity no man can be pleasing, no, not to the wicked: let us then believe that God is, and that he is an eternal wisdom, an infinite bounty, and an incomprehensible virtue, whose definition is not to have any; who hath neither beginning no● ending, and of whom the most perfect knowledge that we can have is to confess that we cannot know enough. It is true, that it it a dangerous presumption to speak the truth. But how abominable is the weakness of that new and proud sect of frantic spirits, 
Against Atheists.  who having not submission nor reverence enough to humble their weak and blind understandings, before this grea● and immortal Light and finding no proportion betwixt their gross and ignorant discourses & the wonders of this holy and first essence, dare exceed so fare in their impiety, as to deny ●●thing which the Birds publish, brute Beasts acknowledge, the most ●nsensible things prove, ●ll nature doth confess, & before whom the Angels tremble, and the Devil's ben● their knees.  

Of the other virtues in general.  Upon this great an● firm support of Religion all the other virtues must be grounded which after they hau● made us agreeable unto God, they make us pleasing unto men, and give us a certain secret satisfaction to ourselves, 
Of the fear of God.  which makes us to enjoy a solid peace in the midst of the distractions of the Court It is the fear of God which is the beginning of this true wisdom, which comprehends all the precepts which Philosophy hath given us to live well: It is this fear which makes us hardy in dangers, which fortifies our ●ope, which guides our ●esignes, which order our manners, and makes us to be cherished by good men, and feared by the wicked. By her we appear good without hypocrisy, devout without superstition discreet without malice, modest and humble without baseness and generous without arrogancy. Whosoever feels himself furnished with this treasure and with the qualities which we have represented, and moreover supported by a good natural understanding, to assure his carriage, may boldly expose himself in Court, and pretend to be respected with esteem and approbation.   

Of a Courtier's life.  
●T is true, that there ●are an infinite number of reasons which might divert any man that knows the miseries; and it had been better for many to have had but one unknown virtue, than a life so full of lustre and danger. Every man sees, that the corruption is in a manner general, and that the good which is done, is without any design, and the evil as it were by profession. 
Of servitude.  Servitude is so necessary, as it seems that the liberty which a man reserves to himself, is an usurpation which he makes upon the Sovereign's authority, who hath for his noblest object the glory to extend his Empire upon the wills as well as over the lives and fortunes of his subjects. And what can be more unworthy of the condition of a wise man, then to subject his reason to that of another, whose (it may be) is dazzled with the splendour of his glory and pomp? 
Of toils.  To this troublesome condition are tied a thousand pains & toils, which spring from this furious heat, which they have to testify their affection to great men, & to give them proof of their perfect servitude: 
Of disquietness  so as they hold themselves the most unfortunate, whose sweatings they spare, and whose quiet they do not disquiet. If to the toil of the body they did not add that of the mind, the best part would fail to accomplish his misery, that is engaged in this kind of life. 
Of ambition.  Ambition which consumes him, and the insatiable desire of wealth and honour which torture him, make him to conceive a thousand projects above his strength. The body in the end vanquished by weakness and weariness, yields, the spirit only (to its loss) is infatigable, and whilst the members rest, it afflicts itself with a thousand cares which devour it. Fear assaults it, and makes it to sink, 
Of fear and hope.  and hope supports it and relieves it, to give it in prey to this first fear; and in this intestine war, are stirred up all the other passions, which nourish a secret hell in our souls, whose torments cannot be expressed. 
Of the cares of ambitious men.  In an instant we must think of the means to preserve that which we enjoy, to attain to that which we want, to frustrate the attempts of those which cross us, to surmount hatred and en●y, to keep back such ●s will go before us, 〈◊〉 hinder those which ●ollow us, and it seems ●hat every man's health ●oth not so much con●st in his own preservation, as in the ruin of others. 
Of the tranquillity of wise men.  How much more sweet and calm is the life of wise men, who have peace with themselves, and know how to entertain it with all the world? These, saith Aristotle, are gods among men; and if it be lawful to speak boldly in words, we may say, that God is an Eternal Wiseman, and that a wiseman is a god for a time. 
A good man may live in the corruption of the Court without blemish.  In the mean time, maugre all these reasons and difficulties, a wise man may in the midst of vices and corruptions, preserve his virtue pure and without blemish. There is nothing required but good designs, and although the hell of the damned be not full but of good intentions, yet that of the Court being accompanied with lawful and reasonable thoughts, it will have no troubles but they will be easy to support. Of all the errors of the mind, there is none so dangerous as not to see the end that is propounded unto us; and commonly they see, that of the true knowledge, and wise election of a good end, depends the conduct and success of those things we undertake. Wherefore their most profitable knowledge that will live in Court, is to understand what may be the most worthiest subject of so dangerous a commerce.  

Of the end a good man should propound to himself in Court.  When as men unite their desires and wills in any one thing, there is great likelihood that they hope for support and advantage, and those things which they desire by a common consent are most comonnly such as they believe to be most noble, most perfect, and most profitable. The consent they bring to obey one alone, is a sign that they hold this kind of government more excellent than all others: As in effect the true and lawful power of Sovereigns is nothing but the tying and uniting of Authority and justice for the preservation of the public good. And consequently all they which have subjected themselves to this power, aspire to approach near unto it, and seek to maintain it with the hazard of their lives & fortunes. And therefore the good of the Prince is not separated from that of the State, whereof he is the soul and heart aswell as the head: and the good of private men is not considerable in the general, but so fare forth as it is profitable to the Prince's person, from whom alone they expect all the good and evil which is dispersed in the body of the Monarchy. This being true, and it being likewise true, that every thing tends to an end, as to the fullness of its perfection; what more worthy object can a wise Courtier have, than the honour to serve his Prince well, and to love his interests more than his own. It is the only mark he should propound unto himself: All the rest are false and deceitful: and degenerate either into baseness or malice: and what end soever they shall make choice of, it will not only be uncertain, but also full of disquietness and discontents, whereof the occasions grow hourly by multitudes, ●n this great confusion of men, which aspire all to one end, which ●s the favour of their Master. The course of nature and justice is easy, safe, and innocent, and every project which strays from the ●ules of Reason, hath error for its guide, and punishment doth follow it. Whosoever seeks a good thing contrary ●o his duty, deserves to encounter a certain evil, or a dangerous good: But the fault is only in him which endures the pain, and it is not so much the condition and nature of the Court, which draws these misfortunes after it, as it is a just punishment to do evil in Court. I know well that the covetous and ambitious will find this maxim very rigorous, but what law can be both just and pleasing unto them? Let them only consider (if they have any remainder of virtue and judgement) that they belly their professions, and betray the Prince's desire, who respects no other thing of them, but that they should love the good of the estate, more than their own private advantages; and that in doing the contrary, they overthrew the order of reason, which requires that the interest of private men, should yield to that of the public. Let them also consider, that justice and nature, prefer the preservation of the head and heart, before all the other members, and that the Prince himself is obliged to this law which they find so hard, seeing that the health, of his people, aught to be as dear unto him as that of his person. When as honours and favours are offered them 〈◊〉 this kind, they will ●nde them so much ●he more sweet and pleasing, for that they ●aue sought them and ●otten them by lawful ●eanes: and if they ●nfortunately fail of ●em, they will bear 〈◊〉 without murmuring, & comfort themselves, ●nowing that they had ●eserued them, and ●at it was only For●nes fault that they ●id not enjoy them.  

Of action and idleness.  All these great advantages both of min● and body, which hitherto I have represented, are in truth of ● difficult acquisition, & of a painful practice▪ But in the course of man's life, the knowledge of things, how perfect soever it be, i● but a fruitless treasure▪ if it be not accompanied with action and practice. A Gentleman which shall be endue● with all the gifts ca●pable to please, and to purchase estimation, ●hould make himself ●nworthy to enjoy ●hem, if instead of exposing them to this ●reat light of the Court, ●e should go and hide ●hem in his village, & communicate them ●nly to rude and ignorant people. Action a●one doth distinguish ●ower and weakness, ●nd we cannot observe ●he difference that is ●ound betwixt a great Minister of State, and a poor wretched Artificer, whilst they are both asleep. Rest in great men is a crime, and Idleness doth make equal the valour of good Captains, and the wisdom of Philosophers, to the baseness of Cowards, and to the folly of ignorant men. If virtue were a barren good, and without fruit, she had reason to seek darkness and solitariness; but seeing she is naturally inclined to engender in o●er minds a disposition like unto her own, ●nd that her most wor●y exercise is to communicate herself, who ●an without injustice mother the seeds in fa●age places, remote ●rom the commerce of men? To make this ●ruth more apparent, do we not see that those bodies which approach nearest to the seat of divinity, have the least rest? The heavens, as the nearest to the fountain of all perfection, move with an infatigable swiftness; the earth on the other side, as a dull and heavy mass, and which doth participate less of that celestial vigour, remains immoveable, and in a manner without action. Whatsoever any thing hath good, it is discerned by action, and this fain● and effeminate idleness, which is observed, is ●o other thing but the necessity of a defective ●ature. 
That every good man is bound to follow the Court.  This being ●ue, every man whose condition seems to in●ite him to follow great men, and who feels ●is soul full of good intentions, is he not ●ound to go and supply a place, which, it may be, a wicked man will get, whose counsel, without doubt, would prove pernicious to the whole estate, if he had means to ge● the Prince's ear open unto him? Here an honest man (whom I do not distinguish from a good man) must endeavour to be profitable to his country, and making himself pleasing to all the world, he is bound not to benefit himself only, but the public in like manner, and particularly his friends, which shall be all virtuous.  
By the purchase of ●●ch friends, 
Of the entry into Court.  I desire ●●at they which will ●●e pleasing, should ●●ake their first entry ●●to the Court. When 〈◊〉 any one comes new ●nd unknown, I hold 〈◊〉 most necessary, that ●ee stay some time to consider the estate of ●o tempestuous a sea, ●efore he embark himself, to the end he may have leisure to ●ake his distances, and ●o make his projects with discretion and dexterity. 
Of the choice of a friend.  The most intricate difficulty which is found at this entry is to know how to make choice of a friend which is faithful, judicious, and of experience, who may give us good directions, and let us see, as in a table, the customs which are observed, the powers which reign, the factions and parties which are in credit, the men which are esteemed, the women which are honoured, the man●ers & fashions which ●re in course, and generally all the things which cannot be learned but upon the place. These instructions are ●o much the more necessary, for that the errors which are committed in the beginning, are in a manner irreparable, and leave an opinion of us, which many times is not forgotten until we be ready to retire both from the Court an● world. 
Of estimation, and how it is gotten.  The first an● most profitable lesso● which they can practise, is, at their entrance, to gain the opinion of great men, and honest men, and to strive to deserve the favour of those women which have the reputation to give estimation unto men, and to make them pass for such as they please, as there are some found, that have gotten this prerogative, the solid undation of this opinion is virtue and me● but if it be not a ●pinesse near ap●aching unto a mi●le, we should many ●es have leisure to ●w old before we ●uld make our worth ●own, if we were not ●sted by the esteem 〈◊〉 those that love us, ●o are likewise them●ues esteemed. Wher●re the assistants of ●s first and faithful friend, whereof we have spoken, may easily purchase us the favour of many other● friendship being as it 〈◊〉 a good which take delight to communicate itself among virtuous persons, and which like to a burning torch, kindles as many as they please▪ So as in this multitude of different judgements and of spirits busied with such variety of objects, who do not trouble themselues much 〈◊〉 examine strictly the ●erit of those which ●esent themselves, we ●ay say, that they are ●hers which give us ●his esteem, and that ●e only are to preserve 〈◊〉. 
Of the means to purchase friends:  But seeing that these friends are so necessary 〈◊〉 good, it is fitting they should know by what means they may be gotten. And not to insist upon the infinite number of Eulogies and Phrases, which all wise men have given to the noble passion, by t● which our wills and interests are united, 〈◊〉 not busying my 〈◊〉 with so many please questions which 〈◊〉 made upon this subiect● I will say in a wor● that to make himself worthy of love, he must know how 〈◊〉 love. This is the 〈◊〉 and abridgement of 〈◊〉 the precepts; and 〈◊〉 this Science doth no● fall into vulgar spirits so it belongs only to those which are full of 〈◊〉 noble generosity, to produce the effects, and to frame a perfect Idaea. The extreme liberty, ●he just pleasing, the ●ound fidelity, the true confidence, the facility to oblige, and the fear to displease, are apparent tokens: But the motion of the heart is the true judge, and the sovereign Arbitrator. They which deceive under these shows; 
Again dissembling.  and have nothing but their vanity, for the object of the good office which they do, and who dazzle the eye of the credulous wit● these illusions, of friendship and sergeant embrace, they do● soon or late disgrace themselves, and draw upon them a public hatred. Contrariwise, they which love without art, are most commonly beloved in the like manner, and as i● is an effect of virtue to produce herself, so this treasure of friendship multiplies infinitely when it is in its purity.   

A division of life into actions and words.  
OUR whole life is employed and consumed in actions and words, let our friends have always the best; and those which are indifferent will suffice for the common sort. But upon this division, it is necessary to ground the discourse of that which remains for him to do, who we conceive hath not any other need, but to preserve the estimation which they have gotten him, which have commended him in Court. We will come to words, when we have discoursed of effects. Among the greatest actions, which make ●e life of a Gentleman corious, those of vair are, without doubt, ●e most eminent and commendable. This virtue holds the first ●●nck in the opinion of ●ur Nobility, and as ●hey are naturally warnke, and the exercise ●f Arms being their ●ue and essential pro●ession, so they have imposed upon it so eminent a name, as it ●omprehends all the ●ther virtues. He must, without doubt, 
Of actions of valour and the conduct of courage.  have resolute courage, and firm resolution to dy● a thousand times rathe● then to yield to an● baseness. But if thi● foundation by not supported by conduct an● dexterity, he will hardly purchase that esteem by the means whereo● he may win the inclination of those which know how to value merit. He which find himself in occasions either of a battle, or o● an assault, or in a skirmish, or in any other ●ke encounters, must ●unningly seek to separate himself from ●he multitude, and perform his great and ●ard exploits in the ●east company that may be, wherewith he ●esires to make his ●ourage famous. Let ●im endeavour above ●ll things, to do well ●n the view of the chief ●f the Army, and if it ●ay be, in the King's eye. How many heroic actions, and worthy of memory have been smothered in the press and multitude of simple soldiers, and how unfortunate is their valour who have none but mercenary men for spectators, who fight less for honour then for booty. 
Of modesty in speaking of himself and freedom in  The fullness of this virtue is his modesty, to speak discreetly of his own actions, and his freedom in highly commending ●hose which have made themselves worthy. 
commending others.  Hereby we suppress ●heir envy which oppose themselves against our glory: And as this manner of proceeding as generous, so the commendations which we give unto another have this advantage, as they procure us the acclamations and praises of those whom our deeds have obliged. Let us then bind unto us as many as we may by good words, and by solid effects. 
Of good offices.  This is the second part of actions which makes us to be esteemed and cherished by all the world. They which are officious can never wan● friends, & they which want no friends can never fail of good fortune. They are not regarded but as men borne for good, and they find something defective in their condition which have not ●he happiness to be known. It is a sweet satisfaction to a mind well bred, never to be wanting to do service where it is needful, and they are happy which having a will have also the power: To secure the miserable, to bear a part with the sorrows of an afflicted man, to assist the weakness of those which are oppressed by an unjust power, to prevent by our services the prayers of such as have need of our assistance, to protect the innocent, to second the designs of good men, to reconcile quarrels, to pacify differences, to smother the bad affairs of the obstinate and weak, and finally, wholly to employ his mind, authority, and industry, not to do any thing but what is good: Are not these actions, if not divine, yet at the least more than humane, especially in an age whereas humanity seems to be banished out of the world? Whosoever hath an inclination to these things, is, without doubt, affected to liberality. 
Of Liberality.  This virtue holds a great rank among the principal actions of life, and they which can, and have a will to practise it, cannot fail to please: Seeing there are few men 〈…〉, but it doth tame and win. It must have discretion for a guide, for otherwise it would degenerate into profusion, and so ruin itself, and consume the matter which should entertain it. It must be without art or vanity, but without good government it cannot long subsist. She must know her own forces, and contain herself in so pure a mediocrity, as neither avarice nor prodigality may ever blemish ●r: for as Valour tem●rs that heat of courage which makes dan●rs seem less than ●ey are, and disperseth ●are, which makes them to seem greater; ●o Liberality brings a moderation betwixt the insatiable desire of ●etting, and the blind contentment of giving. The covetous man is pleased to bury his gold ●n his coffers, 
The covetous man.  and to hide it from the Sun, which doth produce it his unmeasured heat to gather riches cannot be satisfied, and it is like unto fire, which the more matter it encounters, the more it devours. The prodigal man on the other side pours forth his good● unprofitably in idle expenses, 
The Prodigal.  and doth not impart it to any, but to vicious persons, and such as are most riotous: So as the subtle Stoics had reason to compare his riches to ●ose fruits which grow on precipices, and ●me to be only for 〈◊〉 use of ravening ●ds, and wild beasts. ●t he that is truly li●rall, knows how to ●ue without losing ●at which he gives, & ●e unto those goodly ●rings, which never ●ying up, furnish the ●owers & herbs with much water as shall ●ee needful to keep ●em fresh and in vigour, so he knows how to employ his bounty upon honest men, and not to draw the bottom of his liberality dry. He will learn the art to make his presents in good sort, 
Of presents.  and to accompany them with judgement, so as nothing shall seem● little that he gives. And doubtless, the rareness is many times more considerable than the magnificence: In winter a Nosegay of Roses well preserved, of inestimable price ●o a curious Lady; and ●n the spring, a ripe Abricock is worthy to be served to a Queen's ●able. Wherefore we must observe the things which may please him whom we desire to oblige; and seeing it is in our choice to give what we please, let us have a care that the thing which we desire they should receive from us may last long, to the end that our present may be in some so● immortal. In this so ingrateful persons an● forced not to forget them, for that their memory is often refreshe● by the objects which their eyes represent unto them. But above all things, he must have a special care, not to present any thing that may be unprofitable or unseemly: as to present monsters to a woman great with child, Looking-glasses to a ●ule creature, Gloves a religious person, ●ooks to an ignorant ●an, and Arms to a philosopher, who love's ●othing but his books, ●ally not to fail in ●is practice, it doth ●waies import to con●der the rank, the ●ge, the reputation, the ●eanes, and the birth ●f those to whom we will show our libera●ty.  
But not to insist longer to examine al● the kinds of actions, 
Of other actions in general.  i● shall suffice to say upon this subject, that it is most necessary, that he which aspires to make himself pleasing in the Cabinets of the Court, and in all other good assemblies, must accompany all his actions with great discretion. He must be advised and active in all his doings, and he must not only be careful to attain unto all the good conditions which have propounded vn●o him, but the course ●nd order of his life must be regulated with ●uch a disposition as ●he whole may be answerable to every part. Let them be equal in all things, and never contradicting himself; ●et him frame a perfect and solid body of these goodly qualities, so as ●his least actions, may seem to be quickened with a spirit of wisdom and virtue. Let him be ready without rashness, vigilant without disquietness, hardy without insolency; let him be modest without melancholy; respective without fear, let him be pleasing without flattery, let him be sufficient without intricateness, and above all let him be just without dissembling. 
Of words, which make the second part of the division of life.   
After actions come words, which makes the second part of our division, and are the greatest and most ordinary commerce of man's life. Here memory doth reign particularly, for that beside, that this pleasing facility, to express, depends of her, the which we observe in many persons, and admire in women, in whom it doth chief abound; she doth also furnish suddenly an infinite number of things, which serve as a nourishment to entertainment. It is impossible to prescribe certain rules how a man should use his words, 
That judgement serves for a guide.  by reason of the infinite diversity of encounters which are in the world, where we shall hardly find two spirits that are altogether like. Wherefore he that will accommodate himself to the conversation of many, must make use of his own judgement for a guide, to the end that knowing the difference of one another, he may at every instant change his language and his maxim, according to the humour of those with whom chance or his designs have engaged him.   

Of the Entertainment of the Prince.  
THE most glorious and most profitable object that he can make choice of to employ his entertainment worthily, is, without doubt, towards his Sovereign. The first thing that is necessary for him to attain unto this honour, is to be well known; but I would have it in the best manner. 
Of the first entrance of an honest man to the King, and how it should be made.  I find nothing so flat nor cold, as those dry reverences which so many impudent persons presume to make unto the King, when as they have nothing to say unto him, nor any man hath any cause to speak of them. A gallant man will never be infected with this vanity, if his reputation hath not passed before him, to make his access the more easy: or if he which presents him hath not a long subject to entertain the Prince, with the famous services which this new man hath done him, or may do him hereafter, of the occasions of honour where he hath been an actor, of the good qualities which he doth possess; and finally, if he hath not in him wherewith to give a pleasing subject, to court him, who in bringing him in shall be bound unto him, for that he had made choice of him to do this office. Being settled in this manner, in his Master's conceit, I would have him employ all his thoughts, and all the forces of his soul to make him to know his worth: let him at the least love his person aswell as his dignity, and that all his actions, desires, & words, may tend to please him without flattery. Hereby in profiting one alone, he makes himself profitable at the same instant to the whole Monarchy, and his knowledge and wisdom, like noble and vigorous seeds, produce in the soul of Princes, flowers, whose fruits are imparted to all their subjects. So as he which shall love his Country, will be pressed with a desire to be beloved of great powers, and will love those which are seated in the Throne, to watch over the public good. He will strive to plant in their minds the lively seeds of virtue: he will be ready to obey them, & wisely observe time, place, and other circumstances. 
Of silence & words near the King.  His silence likewise aswell as his discourses will depend upon the motion and will of his master, and he will be always so circumspect in speaking unto him, as he will never be held importune, nor indiscreet. That which is spoken to purpose is always good, as likewise those things which are out of season, are never pleasing. The cause of this vice, to desire to seem eloquent upon all occasions, proceeds from a foolish and ridiculous vanity, to be esteemed sufficient, which most commonly hath nothing but shame, not to be harkened unto, beside, the blame of lightness, and extravagancy, which doth accompany it. 
He must observe the Prince's inclination.  They which have the happiness to have an easy access to Kings, and which may present their words with confidence unto their ears, will first of all, observe his humour whom they serve, and seek to conform themselves to the best and strongest of his inclinations. If he love's war, 
The Prince a warrior.  they must entertain him with hardy designs, with the means to make great Armies subsist, of the good order and discipline that must be observed, of the knowledge he ought to have of his troops, of his sufficiency to command them, of the marks of a good soldier, of the qualities of an excellent Captain, and generally of all the secrets of military wisdom. If contrariwise he be peaceable, 
A peaceful Prince  they shall not propound unto him but the means to make justice reign, and to maintain the public tranquillity, to settle his authority, to ease his subjects, to husband his treasure; to make trade to flourish, to preserve friendship with his neighbours, to purchase the love of his own subjects, and to be feared of strangers, and finally to make himself Arbitrator of the differences of all the Princes of the earth. 
The Prince that love learning and exercises.  If he take delight in learning, let him that will please him, observe to what Science he is most addicted, and apply himself particularly to that study. If he love's honest recreations, let him be diligent to serve him, and to follow him in all his exercises. 
That he must be careful not to displease the Prince.  But let him have a special care never to make any show of way wardness, or that he doth any thing by constraint, in doing that whereunto he thinks he is not bound, but by his own free will. There is nothing that doth more ●rosse the spirits of great men, than this forced obedience, which ●hey observe sometimes ●n the service of those which do besiege them rather than follow them. There are some so ill advised, as they never present themselves before them, but with so sad and discontented a countenance, as they always seem to make them some reproach. Others to play the good soldiers, are always in a posture of ostentation and bragging, and make their looks and gesture so savage, as a man would say, they came to quarrel with their Master, There are others so familiar, from their first entry into the Court, as they approach unto the King with a smiling and familiar countenance, as if they would embrace their equal, or do some favour unto ●n inferior person. These men should do more wisely, to go and ●ide their impertinen●ies in the village, 
Of respects and impudence.  than ●o come and consume ●heir estates in Court, ●nd to serve tor objects ●f scorn and con●●mpt. It is therefore ●ost important in all ●he parts of entertainment, to be always modest and respective, ●e it in exterial gestures 〈◊〉 in words; and they ●●nnot long subsist, which think to purchase credit with great men by impudence. This course may well succeed with some, but it ruins more than it doth advance. 
Important precepts for the entertainment of Princes  Certainly we must confess, that this familiar haunting with the Sovereign, is one of the most dangerous honours, wherewith they are intoxicated in Court: And if he be not of an excellent disposition, it is a difficult ●hing to attempt to entertain him often, but ●here will escape something that will displease him. For if he once persuades himself that ●hee is more sufficient ●hen he that gives him counsel, or that entertains him, he will presently contemn him, and if he finds himself less able, he will hardly endure him. Naturally all men are vexed to be of less worth than they that obey them, but especially they that are bound unto them by the greatness of their condition, seeing there is nothing wherein they yield more unwillingly, then to acknowledge themselves to be of less judgement than another. Wherefore the most subtle Politicians advice all men, 
Of the submission that must be used in councelling great Princes.  never to seem too wise with their Masters, and teach never to give him counsel, but such as are timorous and doubtful; ●hat is to say, to speak ●nto him in an accent ●ull of submission, and which seems rather to propound his advice ●hen to approve it, to ●he end that he may now thereby that he shakes his opinion to ●eeld unto his judgement. Whosoever shall ●o in this manner, shall ●iuert from him the hatred and complaints which follow sinister events, which are so hard for great Princes to endure, for that they imagine that Fortune should obey them as well as men. We observe in effect, that they have in a manner all this weakness, to impute the misfortunes which befall them, to the bad conduct of those which are about them. And hence grows that common precept amongst refined Courtiers, that the counsel which they ●iue unto Kings, must ●ee slow and considerate, and the service they ●eeld them quick and active. Above all, they ●old it for a maxim, 
Of obsequiousness to Princes  ●euer to contradict ●hem: for his extreme ●ower is most commonly accompanied with so sensible an apprehension, as the least word that doth contradict him, wounds him, and it seems he would make his opinions a part of his authority, yet for all this he must not prove a flatterer. 
Against flatterers.  This vice is too base to fall into the thoughts of an honest man, beside, he is no sooner discovered, but it ruins his credit and reputation, which thinks to raise his fortune upon so bad a foundation. O how unfortunate is a Prince, 
The misfortunes which grow by flattery.  who instead of faithful servants, finds himself environed with these public plagues, who infect their minds with a thousand vain and foolish imaginations, whereof the subjects do afterwards feel the fatal effects. This misery is the more to be feared for them, being in a manner inevitable to their condition; for that being forced, as they are, to hear all the world, and to make use of many persons; and flattery covering herself with a mask of fidelity and true love to them as she doth, i● is in a manner impossible for him to avoid the deceit. Let a good man fly the reproach of such pernicious malice, being notoriously infamous, and let him not speak any thing that may breed the least jealousy. I will admit that he be cunning and witty, but I cannot endure a servile obsequiousness, and unworthy of a man of honour. Let him never disallow of his Ma●ters opinion with presumption, but with a constant modesty, and let him propound his apprehensions as desiring to seek the best, ●nd not as believing he had found it. 
What is to be observed in begging from his Master.  If he would demand any benefit or favour from him, for himself or for any other, let him represent it so full of justice, as he may not seem to have obtained ●t by force and unwillingly; for that such a grace is worse than an absolute denial. Let him never press it in such sort, as if he happen to be refused, they may not think that they had disobliged him: for that we often see, that when as Princes have not granted some favour to a suitor, they judge that he which demanded it, with much instance, hath desired it with great heat; so as having no means to obtain it; it seems he should conceive some secret hatred against him from whom he had expe●●ed it. Then the Prince upon this imagination gins to hate them, so as many times he cannot endure their presence. 
He must not be importune at his Prince's pleasures.  He must also carefully avoid to be present at his Sovereign's private pleasures, unless he have ●he honour to be called: ●or that there are times and places where they are glad to be at liberty, to say and do whatsoever shall please their fancies, and there wil● not be seen nor hear● of any man that ma● censure them and kee● them in awe. If b● chance he finds himself surprised and engaged, let him seek t● free himself as wittily and as speedily as h● can. And thereby w● may conceive, that th● time and the place 〈◊〉 no less considerable, than the person in this painful kind of conversation.   

Of the conversation of equals.  
THat of inferiors and equals, or of those that have no other thing above us, but some title depending of that supreme power, is not so strict, nor so difficult as that of the Master. But it is more dangerous to commit errors then in the other, whereas his spirit is always attentive to those things whereof he vndertake● the discourse. This i● especially observed among private friends whereas our minds finding themselves freed from that constraint, which holds them in suspense in other companies, then give way to all their natural motions, with such negligence as it many times makes us unlike that which we seem in public, Yet this liberty must never be so neglected, but it must be restrained within the rules of a sweet and honest respect, 
Of errors committed in the conversation of friends.  without offering violence to the mind, which suffers him to reap the contents of this pleasing kind of entertainment in their purity, and without any mixture or bitterness. But this temper is more difficult than it seems and many cause the● to be admired i● Court, and in famous assemblies, which cannot learn the art t● live as they ought with those which are mo●● confident and familiar with them. The reason here of is, that they do not love those we●● by whom they are beloved, and from the vanity they have to think, that being honest enough, not to lose any of those which they have once gotten, they do not labour but faintly to preserve them. They do not expose their good humours, but where they hope ●o extend their conquests, and they reserve themselves to act the best parts which they have learned upon great theatres. In the mean time, what injustice do we unto those which love us, to afford them only the defects of our spirits, and to give unto those unto whom we are scarce known, whatsoever we have excellent to please them? This shows our ignorance of that precept of wisdom which teacheth us, that the estimation of the mind doth not consist in advancing itself, but to march regularly and equally. And, doubtless, her true greatness is not so much observed in great and extraordinary things, as in those which be mean and common. Let them which desire to attain to a solid esteem, seek to avoid this humour, which is properly that of dissembling, which is so generally disgraced in Court. 
Misfortune's tha● follow cou●t●ng 〈◊〉  Hereby many have lost themselves, who after they had lived long disguised, have in the end found (being discovered) that what they advanced on the one side, they spoiled on the other, and that the ruins of their first friendships drew after them the fall of all the rest, which they had built upon such bad foundations. And in truth a small matter is able to disgrace a man in the like things, & cause him to be held treacherous & a bad friend, or any thing else that is worse, for that these vices being tied unto the soul, which is hidden from us, we are glad (amidst so great a multitude of persons which carry a good show in Court) that they teach us which are good, and which are bad: And when as our imagination is once won, we must have very apparent proofs to the contrary, and many to call it back again: beside, it doth seldom happen, that we take any pains to disabuse ourselves. In the mean time, the report of these things multiplying infinitely, as it is usual in those which are not good, these politic and refined Courtiers find, that by little and little every man retires from their conversation, 
Of estimation, and of the means to get it.  and that they are utterly ruined in their esteem, for that they sought rather to be great then good. Wherefore all our cares ought to be employed to win speedily and by good courses the opinion of honest men, seeing that all the world knows how much it doth import to shorten the way which may guide us to an eminent esteem. One man alone in a great Court like unto ours, cannot do all himself, and if he be not assisted by many, he will many times find himself oppressed with age before he shall be well known by his equals: 
Judicious spirits have less lustre than they which abound in imagination and memory.  It is not sufficient to have merit, he must know how to expose it to view. Industry helps much to make virtue glorious, and it is a strange thing, that they which are most judicious, have most commonly need of this assistance: for that the effects of judgement are so slow in regard of those which spring from the vivacity of imagination, and from the qiucknesse of memory, that if good judges did not take the pains to plead the cause of these judicious spirits, aswell as to judge it, they should be many times in danger to lose it. I would therefore for this reason especially, that whensoever our honest man shall make his first entry into any great man's house, or meet in any assembly, whereas all their countenances shall be unknown unto him, as well as the humours of the persons which are present, he should cause a good opinion to be conceived of his spirit, before he doth produce his person. 
The difference of opinion which they conceive of intellectual things, and those which fall under the exterial senses.  And we may not fear in this point that which is seen in many others, where it many times falls out, that by hearing the excellency of some thing to be much commended, they frame so perfect an Idea in the imagination, and conceive it to be so admirable, that when they come to measure it with the original, how great and rare sooner they find it, yet in comparison of ●hat which they had conceived, it seems little and defective. We must consider here, that those things which are thus ruined by their own reputation, are such as the eye can ●udge of at the first sight: As they which have never been at Paris, and hear so many wonders spoken of it, may well imagine that it is greater and better peopled, than they will find it when they see it. But in the good quality which men possess, it is not so, for they see the least part of them outwardly: so a● the first day we begin to converse with any man, although we find nothing appaching unto that which we had expected, yet for all that we do not abandon the good opinion which we had conceived: But attend to discover daily some hidden virtues; retaining constantly that first impression which was framed in his mind by the testimony of many sufficient men. These first impressions are so powerful, 
Of opinion, her blindness and tyranny.  or rather so tyrannous, as although they 〈◊〉 no solid foundation, bu● common reports, ye● they usurp upon reason the authority of a judge, and doth so blind the understanding, as it cannot discern truth from falsehood, nor good from bad. The Italians have a certain tale which doth not unfitly proue● the force of opinion But for that of late years it hath been renewed in France, with the same circumstances, it were better to deliver it as we know it happened, then to ●ly unto strange names. ●t is of a Gentleman very well bred, 
An example to prove the force of opinion.  & of excellent merit, who being happily borne to Poe●●ry, showed good proofs of his genius, and of the force of his judgement, to make him hope for the approbation of those which do not look so narrowly ●nto it, and to make him merit a good reputation. Yet as fortune busies herself in the distribution, as well as of riches and dignities. This man was so unfortunate, as nothing that he did could give any taste to those men whom he desired principally to please. He saw well that this distaste, grew from a prejudicate opinion, and judging sound of his works, as he did, they might find that if they deserved not extreme praises, yet they did not merit any contempt; he makes use of a pleasant policy, to show them the injustice which they did him. He had first of all a care to recover a piece of Malherbes works, which the curious had long expected, and whereof he had the first copy, the which he had promised to show unto them whom he would surprise. Going unto them to keep his word, and to deceive them with all, as he did, instead of the verses which they expected, he presented them with others, which he himself had composed upon the same subject. He had of purpose, caused them to be Printed with the name of Malherbe in the beginning, to the end he might give the more authority to his invention. These men whom the reverence of that Name had already disposed to the admiration of his verses, in the end of every Stanza these began to make exclamation, and to testify such extraordinary ravishments, as it seemed to be some work that had fallen from heaven, they held it so divine. Having given them leisure to return from this profound ecstasy into the which it seems admiration had plunged them, he intreted them to peruse certain others that were written, which he said were his own, and were in truth those of Malhrbe, & besought them to judge, that as the subject was the same, so the manner of disposing it would be found diverse. What an effect of imagination? In a manner all of them by a common consent, stayed to cross the first verse, with a thousand impertinent and ridiculous reprehensions: every word made three or four faults, not any one was French, nor lodged in its place, there was nothing but roughness and transpositions, neither were the commaes well placed, and to see them make the anatomy of these verses, you would have said, that they were come from ●uisserland, and not from France. The second nor the third were no better entreated then the first; and if night had not surprised them upon the fourth, without thinking of it they would have concluded at the end of the Stanza, that Malherbe wanted common sense: I leave yo● to think what the con●fusion might be of the good judges, when a● they knew the true authors of both pieces I will only insist to consider, the strange effects of Opinion, the which although it be ●considerate & blind, makes the mind of man to yield at her pleasure, and governs he will with such an absolute command, as ●f she had reason for her guide. If it be lawful for me to speak of mine own interest without any impertinency, you shall see, that it is not without cause, that I term her power tyrannous, seeing she is able to make men to be esteemed in the world for what she pleaseth: an able man for a Sot, a wise man for an extravagant, a stayed man for one that is deboist, and generally overthrew all the order, which reason and nature have settled in the world. 
Another example upon the same subject.  I have no great humour to sell myself for other than I am; neither have I any desire to make myself to pass for a man that is very regular in his life: And certainly the toils and disorders, in the which all they are engaged which follow the Court, will not suffer them to practise these goodly virtues which require that sweet and peaceable estate of life, after which I sigh so hearty. Yet I may say with truth, and of this truth all they can be witnesses, which have conversed familiarly with me, that I have never exposed. my reason to hazard, to be surprised with any excess: If the love of honest men, and of their conversation hath made me to pass, with them which I have known, a part of my life in honest recreations, and amidst innocent pleasures, I have cause to commend my good fortune, to have lived in that sort, rather than to be sorry, to have been in such companies. In the mean time, I know not how it happens, that my name by misfortune rhymes so fitly to Cabaret, as both good and bad Poets, my friends and strangers confusedly, and with the same liberty, have made use of this rhyme, which they found so fitting, and have made it so public, as most part ot those which know me not well, imagine I am some Tavern Bush, or a perpetual drunkard. In like manner, 
The third example upon the same subject.  in one of the assemblies of France, whereas they gave to every man an Epithet, which did express some defect or some virtue that was in them, I had that of Old given me, for that by my looks I seemed to have ten years more than I had in effect: Since that time my friends, and many men of quality have accustomed themselves to call me so, so as it hath befallen me more than once, that I have had some difficulty to make myself pass for myself, with some men that had never seen me, for that I had not a long white beard, nor any other mark of an old man. As for this point of age, it is indifferent to me what they say or think; I do only allege this to approve what opinion might do. But as for the other example which concerns good manners, 
The Author's excuse upon the two last examples.  wherein every man is bound to preserve his reputation, I confess, that I should be glad that they would take me for what I am, and that they would rather know me by my actions, then by their jests which they sing in the streets. But seeing that my actions are too common to have any lustre, I assure myself, that they will not hold it strange if I ●●ew myself what I am, and if I make use of the occasion of this discourse, to make this declaration.   

Of the conversation of great men.  
IT is most necessary then to avoid bad reports, and to purchase a good opinion in the imagination of every man, if it may be. But particularly it doth import, as I have often said, to prevent that of great men: for that the esteem which they make of any one gives a certain authority to his reputation, which doth dispose the spirits of all the world to believe great things of him so powerfully, as in a moment he finds himself on the top of this esteem; whereas I would have an honest man to place himself and to maintain it by the excellency of his actions and conduct He that can come unto his degree, to deserve that men of eminent condition shall make account of his virtue, it is easy for him to attain unto that favour, to be received into their familiar acquaintance. I would he should begin thereby to display the good qualities of his mind, to converse well & pleasingly with them; for that it alone, to be familiar with such men, may raise him higher, and make him pretend to great matters. 
Of the courtesy of great men in our Court, and what esteem they make of good men.  I may boldly say, that our Courts have this advantage above all others in the world, that an honest man, although he were but meanly borne, and durst not approach near unto great men but with servile submission, so as if he can once make his worth to be known, he shall see them strive, and take delight to admit him to their familiar conference. In effect, there are few of our Princes which stand so strictly upon the high points of their ranks, that if man have made himself remarkable by some excellent part, they will not hold it a glory to cherish him. Their receptions are at the least binding with the virtuous, and in a manner all men testify, that they are more glad ●o be visited and entertained by them, then by many persons of great condition, who being admitted into good houses, but only in regard of their qualities, they never enter, but they are troubled to find out some honest excuse not to see them. When as he which hath nothing but his virtue for a guide and support, hath attained to this high degree of glory to see himself as it were a companion to those whom he might with honour term his Masters; he must learn to use so notable an advantage so discreetly, as he may never fail in any of the respects which they are accustomed to yield to such eminent persons:  

Of honest respects, and those which are importune  He must also be careful not to fall into the other extremity of those which continually seek occasions to practise their civility; for in the end by their over much honesty, they might grow importune. Great me● in truth look for that which is due unto their condition, but they fear nothing so much as to meet with those troublesome person● which are always in ambush to draw from them some bad compliments, or to accommodate them with some unprofitable service. And to speak● plainly, I do not wonder if those persons for whom alone it seems that pleasing things ●aue been made, find ●ese honours rude and troublesome, seeing there is not any one of those which are under ●em, but doth find them insupportable. This defect is one of the greatest in conversation, 
Against the obstinate makers of compliments.  and there are ●ew seen, which do not abandon themselves other to entertain an extravagant man or a quarrel, than one of these wilful makers of compliments. Abou● all to a free minde● which believes that every word he speaks in his discourse bind his faith: It is a tyrannous torment to encounter with the kinds of troublesome spirits. There are i● truth occasions wher● it is impossible to avoid these thorns, but honest men know how 〈◊〉 pass them over, an● not be moved. So there are none but new comers, and such as are naturally inclined to swaggering, that will take offence. So as it seems this odious kind of entertainment is now left for a portion to some wretched hangs-by, who would not imagine they were of the Court, if in their common entertainments they should not find something fit to be infected with their impertinent ceremonies. If that be true which is said, that there are some spirits so sick, as to make a private study of this ridiculous science, I wonder truly that they do not chase them out of all commonwealths, and punish him with the same penalties which the laws did ordain against the troublers of the peace of the state: seeing there is not any which so much trouble humane society as this importune kind of ●en. An honest man will never abuse him●fe, neither in his words nor in his actions, especially in the ●●mpany of great persons, who would be absently distasted with 〈◊〉 superfluous ceremonies wherewith he ●●ould think to oblige ●●m.  
But he must cozen, 
Of the quality of humours.  when he returns ●m this great world, he must have a strong judgement to carry himself among his equals and inferiors without making any show that his head were surprised with these fumes: for if he were so weak, as to suffer himself to be intoxicated, he would soon become the contempt & scorn of all men. This equality living in the same course with his friends and private persons, coming from the cloth of estate and greatness, is a wonderful charm to ravish generous hearts: for that as there is nothing more insupportable, than the insolency of those whose judgement the favour of great men doth overthrew: In like sort, there is nothing so pleasing unto them, nor which is a more true presage of a solid virtue, than not to be dazzled with the lustre of such great magnificence. 
Of the knowledge of honest & shameful customs.  Yet he which enjoys this honour must observe, not to make his conversation & friendship common to all sorts of persons, lest in the end it grow in bad repute with those which will think theirs is much embased in being familiar with him. An able and sufficient man may not, for many reasons, mingle himself among the base multitude, nor have any conversation with infamous persons. It will require much time to accommodate a familiar salutation which some famous Bawd or a lewd woman, or some other infamous person hath given him in the presence of many men of quality. And if some one of the company, or he himself doth not put off this acquaintance with a jest, it is to be feared, there will remain some bad impression in their minds, which have made a particular reflection. It doth therefore import to have none but good customs, for the which he may not blush before such persons, whose jealousies are so much the more to be feared, for that they seldom take any pains to search out the truth. Whosoever can part with a good grace from these great assemblies, may easily hope to find entry in all others, and to be desired and received with joy and applause. 
Of the advantages to be known of great men.  One of the greatest benefits which can come unto him to be thus known, is, that the wicked fear to assault him, and the envious dare not but with trembling practice their malice against him. They know not how with safety to pour forth their poison against his life; for that as they see, he hath many which approve his actions, they imagine they are so many protectors of his virtue. So as even they that hate his glory, are forced to publish it with others, to the end that in commending one, they may reserve a power the better to blemish some other over whom they have greater advantage.   

General maxims of Conversation.  
IN the mean time, be it with great men or with mean, be it with familiars or with strangers and unknown, and generally with all sorts of different conditions, there are principal maxims to be observed, faults to be avoided, and certain directions to be practised, whereof if a man which thinks to sail with a prosperous wind, takes not heed, he will hardly avoid shipwreck. 
He must vanquish his passions, and subdue his humours.  One of most important & general maxims which he ought to follow in this commerce, is to moderate his passions, especially those which do most commonly inflame in conversation, as choler, emulation, intemperance in discourse, the vanity in striving to carry himself above other men: And after these, indiscretion, wilfulness, bitterness, despite, impatience, rashness, and a thousand other defects, which, like filthy streams, flow from these villainous springs. And, doubtless, when as a spirit is infected with these venomous seeds, what hope is there it should produce any other then bitter fruits, and that they which have known him, will fly from him, as from a man surprised with some contagious disease. Let us then be Masters of ourselves, and know how to command our own affections, if we desire to gain those of another man: for it were not just to pretend the conquest of the wills of so many honest men which are in Court, if we have not first learned to surmount our own will, and to prescribe it laws able to restrain it within the centre of reason.  
A moderate spirit, 
Note.  which will not suffer itself to be easily transported in all its designs, be it for affairs or for pleasure, will know how to take his time, to press and defer to purpose, to yield and accommodate himself to occasions, so as nothing that doth cross him shall be able to wound him. If he will, and if his reputation be not wronged, he knows how to dissemble, and when one expedient shall fail him, he will always find his spirit settled and quiet, to invent a thousand others able to furnish that which he pursues. 
Of the obstinacy of the mind.  A turbulent spirit on the other side, which suffers itself to be vanquished by the first motion which assails him confounds his carriage in such sort, as he becomes a burden to all the world, and makes himself insupportable unto himself. He doth nothing but by violence, and as there is neither order nor rule which serve him for a guide, so all his counsels, and all his erterprises savour of the confusion which reigns in his soul. He never knows how to yield to purpose, and he is so subject to his humours and obstinacy, as he imagines that whatsoever doth cross them, cannot be conformable to sense. These poor people have much to suffer. So a sufficient man carries himself in another kind, and will be careful not to make himself such a slave to his inclinations, as he cannot at all times make them to yield unto that man's, to whom he hath a desire to make himself pleasing. 
Of pleasing.  This suplenesse is one of the sovereign precepts of our Art; whosoever knows how to observe, may boldly hope to please: and truly one of the most infallible marks of a mind well bred, is to be thus universal, and susceptible of many forms, so as it be with reason, and not through lightness nor weakness. There is a rusticity and stupidity, to be so tied to his own complexions, as he can never yield in any point. A spirit well made, adds to all that he encounters, and as it was said of Alcibiades, he was so apt, & did all things in such sort, as it seemed he had a particular inclination to all those things which he undertook. 
An honest man knows how to live with fantastic & violent humours.  There are no humours so extravagant, with whom he cannot live without contention, nor so fantastic, with whom he finds not some means to agree. If he encounters any man that is transported with choler, he knows cunningly how to yield to the first violence of this passion, which draws all after it which makes resistance, and will insensibly cool this blind heat of revenge, and by little and little, cause the Arms to fall out of his hands, who not long before, had no other thoughts but of blood and fury. When on the other side, 
With mild & cold humours.  he finds himself with those mild and cold humours which never abandon one station, and whom no injury is able to move, or rather which dare not put themselves in choler, lest they should engage themselves in some bound of revenge; he will never produce any but examples of wisdom and moderation of the mind, and not playing the coward in his discourses, he will learn to carry himself so discreetly, as he will never cross his apprehensions, whose affection he desires to gain. 
With amorous humours.  With an amorous man he shall have good sport, for there being few Gallants in Court which have not been troubled with his sweet folly, he shall learn by his own experience, all those things which please them that are sick. He will daily discover new graces and beauties in the party beloved which it may be the lover himself had never perceived. There shall be no allurement in the mind which he shall not commend, nor any lineaments in the countenance, which he shall not examine with admiration. And to make his pleasing perfect; h● may, in this point only, incline a little to flattery, with some kind of lawful excuse, and especially if the end be good. She shall have no defect, but he shall disguise it with some term of sweetening. If her complexion be black, he shall say it is brown, and that such was the greatest part of the beauties which antiquity did admire. If she had red hair, he will allow of the judgement of the Italians and other Nations which love them so, and that of the most dainty and amorous Poets, who never brag of any hair but of this colour. If she be too lean or too little, she will be so much the more active and nimble; if too fat, it will be graceful: the excess in height will pass for the stature of a Queen or Amazon; and in the end he will cover every imperfection with the perfection that is nearest unto it. 
The principal precept of pleasing.  The principal thing whereof he must be careful, is, that he show no dissembling in his discourse, and that his countenance do not belly his tongue, nor ruin that in a moment which his spirit had some difficulty to invent. Without doubt ●t is a troublesome constraint for a free mind to be often among such different humours, and so contrary to his own, and how sufficient and pleasing soever he be, it is a difficult thing, but in the end it will engender way wardness, to counterfeit himself in this manner, and to torture himself so often. 
Of the liberty which is found among honest men.  But when he finds himself in the company of honest men, who, like himself, shall have all the parts of generosity, he may fully recompense his bad hours. He may there with all liberty suffer his inclination to work, and open his mind unto the bottom, without any fear that his apprehensions should be crossed: for that virtue being generally equal, it makes the opinions of those which follow it conformable. O what a pleasure doth a good mind feel, when he encounters others of the same temper; and how imperfect are all other joys in regard of his, which is so much the more pure and sweet, for that he knows better than any man, that the contentment which he enjoys, is the sovereign good of life. 
Against great talkers.  But we must leave this humour of pleasing, to contradict those which talk too much. Truly this defect is one of the greatest in conversation, and one of the most pernicious in man's life; as likewise the power to hold his peace, is one of the most profitable Sciences. Whosoever hath not this command over himself, must be very circumspect not to hazard his fortune in Court. It seems there is no virtue so easy to attain unto as this; 
Of the difficulty of keeping silence.  and yet we may say, there is not any more difficult nor more rare. There are found more valiant persons, more liberal, more chaste, and more moderate, in their most violent passions, than we see o● those, which know how to observe silene as they ought. I do not know any proof more evident of ou● weakness and indiscretion than this; to say that all wise men and in all ages, have proclaimed that the tongue was the mos● profitable, and the mos● pernicious part tha● was in man, according to the good or bad usage: They have all ●●ught us, that it was ●ot so tied with so ma●y natural chains, nor ●●uironed with so ma●y obstacles and rampires, but to advertise ●s, that the speech, like precious treasure, ●s contained therein, whereof the conduct is so delicate, as it cannot ●ow out abundantly without some notable danger. And yet we see in a manner all the world to abuse it in such sort, as we say, that whosoever hath a tongue in his mouth, carries with him his most cruel and fearful enemy. 
Of the discommodity of great talkers.  We may well say with truth, that they which at no time, nor for any consideration, cannot stay this excess of words, are enemies to the sweetness of conversation. What an insupportable pain is it for any man, especially if he be alone, and and pressed with some design, to encounter with such men who will never leave him until they have murdered him with the report of all their affairs, and with all the suits of their kinsfolks & neighbours? In companies where they meet there is scarce any man speaks but they, or if any person of authority and judgement gins a serious discourse, they are so impudent as to interupt him to deliver their own fooleries: for their spirits having not the force to argue judiciously, have presently recourse unto their babbling, and do like those lame men, who being forced to take their horses, dare glory to gallop before those who being a foot, they could not follow with a simple pace They have always the most pleasant, 
Ordinary impertinences of great talkers.  or th● most strange, or the most admirable thing in the world to tell, and yet they have never but the same part to play, and they are so flat and stolen, that at the first word, they begin to wound the attention of the most patiented: Their most pleasing discourses, & most ordinary, are of the goodly exploits of the deceased monsieur Byron, or of some other Captain of another age: And when as they will undertake to relate news, they have so little judgement to choose those which be good, whereof men are curious, as they busy themselves rather to expose some gazette of things which have passed at Mexico, or at Goa, for that it is fare from us, and they have no care to inform themselves of the siege of Cazal, or of the progress which the Hollanders make in the Low-Countryes, for that it is at our door. Finally, all their discourses are so out of season, as good things become bad in their mouths, and those which are pleasing lose their grace. They only which can be silent with judgement, know how to speak in the like manner. Thersites whom Homer had a design to represent, as the most impertinent and vicious man which was in all the Grecians Army at the siege of Troy, doth not describe any of his defects with greater care, then that he had been a great and insupportable talker; and in one place he makes King Agamemnon to strike him on the head with his Sceptre, to teach those to hold their peace, which have not learned to speak. 
Ordinary vices of great talkers.  They which are possessed with this talking spirit, are not only importune, and tyre the ears of all the world with their ridiculous fables, but they also observe, that they are most commonly vain, blasphemers, detractors, notable liars, and unreasonably curious of another man's secrets, 
Of the difficulty which men have to keep the secrets which are committed unto them.  that they may have the content to entertain the first comer, that will give them the hearing. This last vice, is one of the most malicious and the blackest, which defiles the soul of the wicked. I will speak of the rest which l have mentioned, when it shall be time: Now I cannot in a manner but grow into choler, generally against all men who are so little faithful, as you shall hardly find any one, that is able to conceal another man's secrets, but he will suffer him. self to be carried away by this pressing temptation, to impart it at the last, to his confident and discreet friend. 
An example upon this subject.  The example a of Midas, although it be fabulous, doth pleasantly prove this verity. This poor King desiring to hide his Ass' ears which Apollo had in despite caused to grow instead of his own, had an unspeakable care to hide them with the great Ornaments of purple which he did usually wear; but he could not prevent it, but in the end his Barber discovered them. This man not daring to reveal this secret to any man, lest he should ruin himself, and not able to conceal it any longer, by this shameful lightness, which is in a manner natural to all the world: In the end finding himself violently pressed, and having no power to retain his tongue, which was stopped with a thing ●hich he might not ●eak unless he would ●aw his life into apparent danger, he resolved to go and discharge ●●mselfe a fare off in ●e fields, of this importune burden, which ●id so much disquiet ●im. Having looked ●ound about him, and ●●nding himself alone, ●ee began to make a ●eep hole in the earth; ●fter he had cast him●elfe into it, and bend himself down against the bottom of t● hole, he began to sa● with as low a voy● as possibly he coul● King Midas hath Ass●● ears. Being thus i● some sort eased, he covered the place again with earth, left the secret, it may be, should escape. Yet having no filled it well, there remained a little ris● whereas the rain water having fallen lon● into it, in the end i● made a small marish, i● the which by succession of time there grew many Reeds: These Reeds with their nourishment, drew unto them by degrees (saith the fable) the words which the Barber had delivered in that place, so as upon the least wind which did blow, they did whistle out he same words: King Midas hath Asses ears. How many do we find at this day like unto this Barber, to whom they have no sooner let fall a secret in their ear, but as if it were some violent poison, their hearts work until they have cast it up? It seems (said an Ancient) they they have their tongns pierced, and cannot retain any thing: whatsoever their thoughts conceive flows out, and their indiscreet and rash words (like an arrow shot right up) falls as soon upon themselves as upon others. It is one of the greatest misfortunes of this vice of speaking much, that it is not only ridiculous, but most commonly fatal to all those which have their souls and tongues sick of that disease.   

Of commendation of honest men.  
TRuly I do not wonder, if they which are able to discern and judge of this kind of men, which by a word of excellency, they usually term honest men, countenance, cherish, and embrace them as they do; seeing that they alone (amidst the corruptions of the vices which I have blamed in this discourse, and an infinite number of others; whereon I dare not insist, either for their beastliness or their baseness) preserve as an image amongst them those pure & innocent manners, whereof, ●hey say, the delights of ●he paradise of our first ●athers were compo●ed. But there are so ●ew found, as we need not to multiply the number of the Phoenix much to make it equal ●o that of these admirable persons. 
Of their wisdom.  How wonderful is it to see them amidst so many rocks whereof the Court is ●ull, sometimes to avoid one, sometimes to resist the force of some contrary wind, sometimes to yield to the violence of the waves, and in those places where as others dare not approach for fear of perishing, to pass freely without any show to have been in the least danger? 
Of the government of their tongues.  Their conduct is accompanied with so much judgement, as there is not any darkness so obscure, that can make them to stay; and particularly, that o● their tongue is so certain, as it never precipitates itself. Their judgement keeps it always within the bounds of reason, and retains the rashness of its motion with more force than a well fortified Bank can stay the violence of a river, or the overflowing of a torrent. They have so well applied their souls to good, 
Of their facility t● do good  and have so accustomed them to fly from vices which corrupt conversation, as it seems they naturally practise all the virtues, which even the wise themselves by the force of their discourses, had some difficulty to put in practice. 
Of their courtesy.  They are civil and courteous without study, not only to serve & respect those which are above their condition, and to honour their equals, but also to defer many things to those which are their inferiors: And these things succeed with the greater approbation, for that they do them without any art ●or constraint. 
Their access of their familiar communication.  Their access is so easy and pleasing, as there is not any man but desires their company, and when as they have conversed with them, find so much sweetness in their spirits, so much integrity in their souls, and so much judgement in their discourses, as they hold themselves happy which may spend their whole lives in their company. If any one speaks unto them, 
Of the mildness of their spirits.  they are attentive without interruption, and when it is time to answer, they do it with order and judgement. If the propositions which are made before them are so absurd, as they cannot endure them, they show them the absurdities with so much sweetness and mode●●y, as they hold themselves more bound that ●re reprehended, then ●f they had the approbation of many others. They are seldom seen angry, or moved with ●ny foolery or lightness ●hat is done in their presence: for they have accustomed their taste, not to reject every ●hing that is not plea●ing unto them. Being ●hus judicious, the infinite diversity of forms whereof the mind of man is capable, there is not any opinion so ridiculous, nor so contrary to their sense, that doth wound them; neither are there any that seem so reasonable unto them to deserve well, as they grow amorous and obstinate to maintain them. 
Of their manner of exposing what they know  That which they know, they do not pour it forth indifferently upon all occasions. And if they have not place to speak to purpose in company, they had rather stay a whole day without speaking, then to deliver the goodliest things ●n the world out of season; 
Of their modesty to judge and speak of themselves.  yet in those things which they deliver, how sound soever they seem to be, they never pronounce them with authority, nor in an accent which may testify any satisfaction of their minds: But withal the tempers that may sweeten this imperious time, and free them from all suspicion of their own sufficiency. They are never heard speak o● their predecessors, no● of themselves; they know well that such discourses are nor pleasing, but to such as use them, and that there are few men so modest, but they seem to have some touch of vanity. And who will believe a man speaking of himself in so corrupted a season, saith an excellent Philosopher of our ●atter ages, seeing there are so few to whom we ●an give credit, speaking of another man, wherein he hath much less interest. In their sports and entertainments, which are less serious, they do always observe the effects of their excellent judgement. When they will busy themselves to tell any tales, they make none but such as are pleasant: they are never troubled to seek any occasion of laughter, and they are so new and so familiar unto them, as they which hear them are never troubled to see the end, for that they have formerly heard them. 
Of their integrity.  One of their virtues, which I love and esteem most, is that they are always just in their words, as they are religious to hold that which they promise. 
Against liars and perjured persons.  Lying seems ●o them a crime as ●lack as murder, and ●hey hold none more servile nor unworthy of a man of honour: unless it may be that ●inde of perjury which ●fter they have engaged their faith to keep ●he secret of a friend, or of some other person, (not considering that ●hey violate all divine ●nd humane laws) ●are reveal it, and sometimes sell it to the total ruin of him from whom they have received it. A man of a bold spirit saith, that this kind of treachery is in some sense more odious and more execrable than Atheism: for the Atheists who believe not in God, do him not so much injury, conceiving that there is not any, as he which knows it, believes it, and forswears his holy name in mockery. It is a less harm ●o misbeleeve in God, ●hen to mock him, and ●hey mock him evidently, which do not ●weare by him but to ●eceiue. But the hor●or of this vice cannot ●ee more shamefully described, than it hath ●eene by an Ancient, who saith, that to violate his faith, is a testimony that he contemns ●od, and stands in fear ●f men: And can there ●e any thing imagined ●ore odious, then to seem a coward towards men, & to show himself hardy against God. The great inconvenience which grows by this first disorder, is that our understanding guiding itself by our words, he that doth falsify, it betrays public society. It is the only means by the which we communicate our thoughts an● wils, if it fails us, w● are no more united one unto another, neither do we know one another: If any one deceive us, it troubles ●ur conversation, and dissolves all the bonds ●f our commerce: and ●nally, this conversation whereof we now ●eat, is but an infamous and sordid traffic of malice. But to continued our discourse, 〈◊〉 is time to proceed to ●●at part of entertainment which concerns osting and pleasant ●●eeches.   

Of jesting.  
Jesting is a kind of discourse, a little more free than the ordinary, and which hath something bitter mixed with it, the use whereof is common among the most gallant, and it is banished at this day amongst the most inward friends of the Court. If the use thereof be reasonable or not, it is a doubtful question in my opinion, and imports ●ur subject, and requires to be examined. 〈◊〉 it true that jesting when as it can be contained in an honest moderation, 
That honest jesting gives life to conversation.  is a sweet nourishment of conversation, the which would grow cold and ●edious without these pleasing mixtures of contrarieties, wherewith it is diversified, the which it seems do quicken it, to give it new vigour & grace. Mos● part of men do rathe● seek that which doth divert them with some kind of joy, then that which entertains them seriously: And as naturally that which provokes mirth pleaseth, so they are easily distasted with those companies which have always one equal entertainment, to follow those where they find these recreations. This is particularly observed ●mong a certain num●er of persons which ●all asleep in the idleness of Paris, amidst ●he use of the Court: ●or if this exercise did ●ot keep their spirits ●n breath, and quicken ●hem from time to ●●me, it were to be fea●ed they would in the ●nd fall into a senseless lethargy. This ●ind of entertainment ●ignes properly in ●ch companies: so as 〈◊〉 seems that honest men falling by chance amongst them, they should discharge their duties ill, and should fail in the vivacity of their spirits, if they did not employ themselves to return jests, which are never so mild in the beginning, but they leave some bitterness in the mind, which is not easily pulled out. Of all the jests which I have heard, 
That wilful jesting is dangerous.  I did never observe any so modest, but if they came to a second reply, there escapes some word of the one or the other side which had some tincture of choler, or at least of despite. And although they dissemble their apprehension, it is the greater, and there is nothing but vanity that doth suppress it: for it seems that it is a law in this sport, to the end that the liberty of biting to the quick may be more insolent, that the first which is discontented to lose the party. Whatsoever it be, he which made the coldest reply, hath not only the shame to see himself vanquished in a thing wherein they seldom yield, which is the spirit: But moreover, there doth in a manner always remain in his mind the bitterness of those jests wherewith his adversary hath pressed him. I therefore leave you to judge which is most ●itting and most safe, for any one that desires to please, either not to use any at all, or if he will break jests with the hazard of the loss of a friend, or to make himself an enemy.   

Of pleasant words.  
PLeasant words are not so dangerous, so as the Imagination that conceives them, consult first with judgement before he delivers them: and they have this eminence in particular, that they not only please such as hear● them, as all good things do, but they make him that speaks them to be regarded with extraordinary admiration. 
Of the excellency of pleasant words.  It seems that they which have thi● gift, to encounter thu● upon many subjects have something diuin● in them, or some particular Genius, which doth often raise up their spirits above the matter. And doubtless, although there be sometimes a happiness, and that fortune hath a hand in this kind of sport, which a man would say, is wholly exempt from her jurisdiction: yet we do usually see, that they which have the ability to make use of it, are adorned likewise with the most rare qualities of the mind. There are few great personages of antiquity which have not left us some Apothegms to this day, and our age may produce some, who besides this faculty of the imagination, they have also the other parts of the mind of so perfect a temper, as they have been held capable of all sorts of difficult employments: some in Armies, others in foreign negotiations, and generally in the most important affairs of the State. 
Of these things which h● must observe.  But to make a pleasing use of so rare a thing, as pleasant words are, he must observe certain rules, and contain himself within diverse considerations, without the which they many times lose their grace. We must consider what we are, and what rank he holds upon whom he will break a jest, of what nature the thing is whereon we will exercise our wits, upon what occasion, in what company, and finally, what the thing is which we will speak, and whether it be likely it will pass for currant. 
That he must avoid jesting.  What excellency and beauty soever we admire in this kind of speeches, yet it is not fit for an honest man, any time to tell any tale, or to make and encounter upon any subject, how pleasing soever, whose grace cannot be expressed without ill looks or ridiculous gestures. The least action wherein there is any show of Buffonery, is unworthy of the person which he ought to play, and as he must have a care to vary his entertainment by these pleasing devices; so he must be curious, they may not have a conceit that he doth affect them: wherefore whensoever he shall feel these sharp speeches a● his tongue's end, he shall not always ven● them and give them scope; but rather los● them, then to diminish any thing of his estimation, or of that which is seemly. 
He must never jest upon miserable men nor wicked persons.  He must particularly observe, never to break his jests upon miserable persons nor wicked men: for that the natural inclination which in a manner all me● have to be affecte● with pity at the pressing calamities wherewith they see miserable when afflicted, will not suffer them to laugh at them, and wicked men reserve a more severe punishment then that of bare words. There are none but glorious persons, whom they do not spare, in the most wretched estate that they can fall into, ●o odious presumption ●s, under what habit soever it be hidden. 
Nor honest men.  The persons which he must carefully spare are those which have a public estimation and are generally beloved of all the world for that it may sometimes happen, that in thinking to cross them in some word of jest he shall find less approbation than the who by a secret indignation shall take par● in the apprehension o● this jest. He must also consider, 
Nor officers.  never to wound great powers with the like jests, who give order and motion to the state; nor persons of an eminent condition, 
Nor great men.  for the one is capital, and the other is not much less dangerous. There is nothing that doth so outrageously offend the feeling of this kind of men, who have their souls tender and apprehensive of the least injuries, then doth contempt, whereof it seems the most modest jests have some mixture. Neither may ye in their presence, make a scoff at a third man's vices, whereunto they themselves are subject, for that they presently imagine that they are silent reproaches, which are not cast forth against another, but to strike them. 
●or himself.  I need not advertise any one whatsoever, never to make a jest of his own defects. As for our friends, 
Nor his friends.  they ought to be so sacred unto us, as we should not dare to violate them by any biting words: And he must be very rude, 
Nor honest women.  and more brutish than Bears, not to entreat honest women with the like reverence and respect, and to forbear (not only against them but also before them) to let slip any word, or any thought whose sense may be wrested to some filthy interpretation. The excellency of pleasant speeches consists principally in being short, 
Principal rules of pleasant ●●heeches.  quick, plain, delivered with a good grace, and so fitly, as they may not savour of study, nor that he hath brought them from home: And this is the cause why they which reply, are more esteemed than they which assail, for they are less suspected to have premeditated. As for the diverse kinds, i● 〈◊〉 a subject something intricate, whereof, it may be, I will one day treat at large, as well as of the places from whence they may be drawn. But at this present it is too long for the little liberty which I have taken in his Discourse. I will produce no examples, for that the Ancients are common, and those of our time (not to lose any thing of their grace) it would require we should daily na●● persons whom w● must respect.   

Of the difference of age● manners, and conditions which must be observed.  
IT remains now to consider of the difference of ages manners, and conditions which are found amongst so great ● number of men, into whose conversation ●●uers encounters may ●aw us: We entertain ourselves otherwise with young men, then with old persons, and the discourses which are pleasing to the one and the other, do not agree well with those, in whom age ●ath tempered the vi●es, of these two extremes: Neither do we live in like manner with the good as with ●he bad, if by chance we are forced to be amongst them: n● with such as are our familiars, as with other that are scarce know● unto us: nor with persons that love joy and mirth, as with those that are melancholy and severe: nor yet with the glorious, a● with those that are civil and honest. Amidst this confusion of humours, so contrary one to another, he must have a sound judgement, to free himself in good sort; but he ●ust be very circumspect to distinguish those that are interessed from others which are not, lest he deceive himself. They which are borne gentile, and with all the qualities which should accompany Nobility, do principally affect matters of honour. And they which have nothing more commendable than their riches, are glad that men should admire the wealth. Persons constituted in great place will have extraordinary submissions, and generally all they which are happy, are willingly imperious, and desi● that men should bow to their great fortune▪ An honestman, 
How an honest should carry himself amidst these different conditions  amidst all these conditions doth judge of that which his own ma● with honesty permit him, and knows how to yield or retain so much of his courtesy is necessary, not to be anything unworthy of the person which ●e represents. His judgement is so fit to find ●mpers in all things, ●hat without flattery 〈◊〉 obsequiousness, he will observe that rule of Epictetus, who doth advise us to yield without resistance, to the opinions and wills of ●reat men, to consent as much as may be to those of our equals, and to persuade those wit● mildness that are ou● inferiors. 
The last precept in the conversation of equals.  To these three maxims I will add for the last general precept, that he must never attempt to entertain any man to please him, unless he hath first duly considered of his humour, his inclinations, & of wha● temper his spirit is; to the end he go not lower nor higher than he ought, but to accompany him so near, a● all his discourses may be fitted to his carriage. If he encounter with as able men as I presuppose he is, I only recommend unto him a firm attention to that which is spoken before him, and to that which he speaks himself, to the end that he may not only make his answers to the purpose, but also pleasing, and may tie his imagination to adorn them with all the graces of speech and exterior action.   

Of conversation with women.  
Having now treated of the entertainment of the Prince, and of the conversation with equals, it remains to speak of that of women, whereof we may say, that as it is the sweetest and most pleasing, so it is the most difficult and nice of all others. That of men is more vigorous and free, and therefore for that it is commonly filled with more ●lid and serious matters, they do less observe the faults which are committed, than women, who having more active spirits, and not charged with so many things, do presently discover the least errors, and are more ready to lay hold of ●hem. There is no place where as this kind of conversation is seen with more show and lustre, 
Description of a Circle.  then in the Court; when as the Queens hold the Circle, or rather when they display, as an abridgement of all that which hath been glorious and perfect in the world▪ Whosoever hath read in Poets the magnificence of these famous assemblies which were made in heaven, whe● as juno sent to call a● the Goddesses to assist at the pomp of some extraordinary rejoicing: Or whosoever hath taken delight in a clear night to contemplate the Moon among a million of Stars, to glister with such brightness, and to pour forth so clear a light, that it seems that all those Stars which accompany her are so many beams which she casts forth, or rather so many sparkles of her fire, which she lets fall in heaven. 
The Queens and princesses.  He that can represent unto himself, at least imperfectly, the access of so many illustrious and beautiful Ladies before these Queens, to whom they come, as it were to yield the homage of all that which they have most charming and admirable. Not to lie, when as a man finds himself before these great lights, there is not any heart of so little courage, which doth not feel itself secretly tempted with a desire to be an honest man, to merit the honour to approach, and to be regarded, as of favourable Planets, which make our inclinations and our fortunes happy, by the sole bounty of their aspects. About this divine Circle, 
The Ladies  in the which we may say is found the true centre of all the perfections of the mind and body we see the other Ladies as less lights, shining in a sphere inferiors to the first, which gives soul and motion to all the rest. Not far from thence, as in a heaven a part, 
The maids of honour.  appears a troop of young Nymphs which, like unto wand'ring fires, take such places as they please in this stately Circuit: And whilst the Queens display their glory upon their Thrones, to the eyes of all the Court, these fair Virgins, or rather these young Stars on the other side, cause their beauties to be admired, and subject unto their Empire the highest and most indomptible liberties of the earth. This, without doubt, 
Of the conversation of the Louver and of i● discommodity.  is the great Theatre of the conversation of women; but the confusion which is found there is strange, especially at these stately hours at night, the which is so importune, as the best entertainments are tired. A good company is no sooner drawn together, but it is presently disturbed by the access of some troublesome person, o● its sweetness is interupted by the presence of some person of great quality, or is altogether disquieted by the nearness of some spies o● the Court, who have mercenary ears, and are employed as Physicians do their Horseleeches, so as in this place it is rather by ha●ard or by force, then by election, that they are engaged in conversation; and many times we are forced to fix upon such a person whose encounter out of that place we would fly, as from a pestiferous person. 
Of the choice must be made in the Go●  We must then descend unto the City, and observe who are those amongst the women of quality which are esteemed the most honest women and where are the best assemblies, and if i● may be, draw himself into their companies to the end they may have an interest to do us good offices, with all those that come to visit them. 
Of small precepts.  Hear have reserved myself to speak of some sma●● precepts which in she● seem more fit to be practised among the● then with men: As also most part of those which we have formerly examined, fall ●nto practice daily amongst women. And we must confess that ●hey hold so near one unto another, as they go in a manner daily together, & they make a perfect union and knitting as of Sciences and virtues.  

Of the exterior presence  The first care that ●e must have that will frequent the Cabinets and companies, and accustom himself to the entertainment of women, is to make his presence pleasing. For the first thing which they consider in a man, is his countenance and outward gesture, which Cicero calls the eloquence of the body. He hath divided it but into two parts, the gesture and the voice: But in the subject whereof we treat, we must add the habit, and the composition of the body itself, which must be of a structure well fashioned and proportionable, or at the least that he may have nothing that at his first entrance might distaste the eyes of those which look on him. 
Of apparel ..  As for his apparel, it is better to be neat and handsome, then gorgeous, and all they which have any good relish, had rather see those which are neatly attired, than other which are richly covered. Yet the more man can bestow without imparing his estate is the better, and it 〈◊〉 one of the most profitable expenses that ca● be made in Court. 〈◊〉 is in a manner the only thing which follow those which know ho● to make use of it, an● it opens them tho●● doors which are many times shut to me● of great quality, and more often to virtue. To be well apparelled, ●e must carry nothing ●hat is particular nor extravagant, and the habits must be well ●orted, and with judgement. 
Of the manner of the fashion of apparel, & of the suiting of it.  Many women ●udge of the spirits of men by the fashion of ●heir apparel, and they cannot imagine, but if ●hey be fantastic in ●he form of their hats or doublets, they are likewise so in their humours. The age is als● to be considered in tha● point: for an old ma● will be ridiculous in carnation or green velvet cloak, and a youn● man will have no goo● grace to be always attired in black, or i● some other obscure colours. Above all thing he must be curious o● the fashion; I do no● mean that of some humorous people, among the young men of the Court, who, to seem● resolute, drown half ●heir stature in great ●●ots, sometimes they ●unge themselves from ●e armpits to the ●celes in their breeches, ●nd sometimes they ●rowne all the fashion ●f their faces in the ●immes of their hats, ●eing as broad as the arasolo of Italy. But mean that fashion, ●hich being allowed ●y the most sufficient ●mongst great and ho●est men, serves as a law to all others. I hol● them fantastic, which grow obstinate to contradict those thing which are in use, whatsoever it be, but principally in a thing so in different as apparel Let an honest man be careful not to fall into such capricious humours; as likewise no● to be the original inventor of new fashions unless he finds himself very capable to make them succeed howsoever, 
Of the appareling of men.  he must beware, lest they ob●rue in him too much are in his attire, and 〈◊〉 effect, a man that is ●oo curious, is worse ●en he that is too careless. This kind of care is not seemly but among women, and a man is never comely, ●ut when he believes ●t not. So as a man be neatly attired, it doth not import to be gorgeous. 
Small precept.  It is sufficient if he have always clean linen and white, th●● he be well shod: as fo● his apparel, if it be not rich, yet, at the lea● it must not be old no● filthy, let his hat be new, and of the newest fashion; let him always have his hea● dried, and his hair i● order as they wea● them; let him keep his beard carefully i● order, by reason of the discommodity he should otherwise receive in speaking and eating, and particularly let him always have his ●eeth and mouth so ●leane, as they whom he shall entertain, may never receive any annoyance by his breath. An art more studied serves less, than it doth hurt: and ye shall many times see one that seems more pleasing to the eyes of a troop of Ladies, all Sunburnt, and covered with sweat and dust, that is returned from the war, or from hunting, the● these men of wax which dare never show themselves in the Sun nor approach near the fire for fear they should melt.   

Of Action, which is the soul of words.  
ACtion which is a part of the division of this eloquence of the body, whereof we have spoken, must also be duly considered of, being as ●t is the soul of all the discourses which we make. In effect, our words languish if they be not supported, and we see many men, in whose mouths the goodliest things seem dead, or at the least, so cold as they move not; and others know how ●o give life unto the ●east, with such grace, as they delight all those ●hat hear them. 
Of the accent 〈◊〉 the voyc●  But to vanquish two senses at one instant, and equally to besiege men's spirits, by their eyes & ears, he must have an exact care, that the accent of his voice may have nothing in it that is rough, nor sharp, nor confused, nor too regular. The other parts assist those much that speak; but we may say in some sort of the hands that they speak themselves. For by them in a manner as often as with the tongue, we demand, we promise, we call unto us, we send away, we question, and we deny: and finally we express in ●o great a number of different things, that in his strange diversity of Languages of so many Nations where with the ●arth is inhabited, it ●eemes that nature hath ●eserued that of the ●ands alone, to make ●t common among all men.  
And of all these cares which man hath to make the outward action pleasing, 
That they must respect women.  the first and principal precept which he must observe that will please women, is to honour them with all the respects and submissions that are possible and fitting. It is an effect of their weakness to be of an imperious humour as they are, and it seems to them that in usurping this authority over men, which they arrogate unto themselves, they repair in some sort the natural defect of their little force. Wherefore we see, that all the actions which show obedience and respect, are pleasing unto them, and they are most commonly in their greatest favour, which know best how to bend, and submit themselves before them. 
Of pleasing am● women.  He that hath the ability, should never bring into this commerce, any but smooth and silken words wherewith they entertain Kings. And all they which (as they say) can never speak but on horseback, should proceed on their way, to go unto the war, and not stay among women. This sex is too mild & quiet to endure any harshness or quarrels. Whatsoever is any thing rough amazeth them, and the least thing that doth cross them, discontents them. The most sufficient among them, have such tender spirits, as they are moved with the least contestations which oppose their apprehensions, and cross their minds: so as they which are not forced to yield easily unto their wills and opinions, can never be in bad terms with them, nor want estimation. Finally, in this point all the rules of pleasing should be put in practice, and the most humble submissions are graceful to any whatsoever. 
Reasons why they should humour women.  And doubtless it is not only for the reasons which are ordinarily alleged, that women are so honoured by honest men▪ for if that were not, but for the pleasure which they receive in their companies, to whom they ascribe so much, the most brutish would be the person's that would make most account of them. ●f it were not also but 〈◊〉 consideration that ●hey preserve our kind, ●here would be few ●ut Philosophers, and ●uch as meditate upon ●he principles, and vni●ersall causes of things, ●hat would esteem ●hem. Or else if it were ●ot, that to acknowledge the pains which ●hey endure in carrying us nine months in their wombs, in bring●ing us into the light, in nourishing us and in assisting the defects of our infancy and sometimes of our whole ages. It seem that we should not ow● these homages which we yield unto all the sex, but to our mother in particular. 
That the virtue of women is equal to that of men.  But it i● their own virtue which we respect, the which hath the greater charm to make itself to be admired, for that it i● accompanied with graces, and as it were enlightened with the beams of beauty. In effect, it differs nothing from that of men: And Plutarch had reason obstinately to maintain that it is the same; and to prove it, as he doth, by a great number of examples, where it seems he would draw into comparison the most eminent actions of men, with those of women, and confer their lives, as of tables drawn with the same hand upon the same original. And after all, if the magnificence (saith he) of Queen Semiramis be as glorious as that of King Sesostris; if the wisdom of Tanaquill be no less than that of King Servius; if Porcia equals the force of Brutus courage; or if that of Tymoclea yields nothing to the magnanimity of Pelopidas, why should we not reverence them in the like ●ort, and recompense ●hem with the same honours? If there be ●ound any difference, ●t is not in the nature of the virtue, but in that of the persons which do exercise it, who being not of the same humour, practise it after a different manner. Achilles was valiant in one sort, and Aiax after another: the wisdom of Ulysses was not like to that of Nestor, an● Cato was not just like unto Agesilaus. Iren● did not love her husband in the same sor● as Alcestis loved hers neither was Corneli● generous in the sam● manner like to Olympi● yet this doth not conclude, that there ar● many valours, nor many wisdoms, nor many justices, nor that every one of these virtues can be multiplied into different kinds▪ But we may draw from all this we have delivered, that the generosity of women is the same with that of men, and that the difference of their sexes makes not any of their virtues. 
How necessary women are in Court.  To this we must add, that without them the goodliest Courts in the world would be mournful & languishing, without splendour, without joy, and without any kind of gallantness; and we must confess, that their presence alone quickens men's minds, and incites the generosity o● all those which have any feelings and apprehensions. This being true, as undoubtedly 〈◊〉 is, what men can be so stupid and dull, as to refuse respects and honours to those which give them glory, or a● the least, inspire them with a desire to get it▪ These respects consist in a certain expression of humility and reverence by gestures or by ●ords, which testify 〈◊〉 extraordinary exeem which we make 〈◊〉 those persons to ●hom we use them. ●hey are also expressed ●y actions; 
Of services that are to be done to women.  and by a ●●ousand observations ●● petty services which ●●e to be done to women, which being performed in time, and of●●n reiterated, work in ●●e end stronger im●ressions, than those which are more important, whereof th● occasions fall out seldom. They which a● amorous have no nee● of my precepts, seein● they have so many pernicious Masters in th● art, & are themselves b● too inventive to impro●● their folly. But ho● much is an honest woman to be pitied, who● beauty hath been sov● fortunate, as to stirup this passion in an i● composed soul, full o● indiscretion and vani●, which are at this ●y the two greatest ●agues, wherewith the ●●e of the Court is in●●cted. The eyes of ●●e Basilisk are less ●●ngerous, and less 〈◊〉 be feared, for the life 〈◊〉 men, than the looks 〈◊〉 vain and indiscreet ●en are to be appre●nded for the honour 〈◊〉 honest women. 
That the most chaste are many times most subject to slanders.  That ●hich I find most per●cious, is, that the most ●aste, are sometimes soon lost by this lamentable course, f● reputation consisting as it doth, but in opinion, which doth eas● turn good into ba● and being the property of vain spirits a● ways to attempt th● things that are most imminent: when as 〈◊〉 fair woman who ha● the repute to be virtuous, hath let fall (and may be by chance) h● eyes upon them, th● conceive that it shou● touch their reputation, if they should not make all the world believe that they have received some particular favours from her: so making a kind of rejoicing of their idle imaginations, to persuade that which is not, they employ so much art, as they which are least credulous and least susceptible of scandalous impressions, are many times forced to conceive bad suspicions. They which are of this humour, thus to defame women, are themselves disgraced with them, and they must never expect any thing but contempt, although they had all the lovely qualities that can be imagined. There are many other defects whereof some in truth are less malicious, and of less consequence than those whereof we have spoken, but they keep them no less from the favours of ●is pleasing sex. 
Vice is odious in the conversation of women.  Generally all vice's disease those that love ●●rtue, but particularly ●●ey cannot endure ●●nderers nor blasphe●ers, nor those which ●e obstinate, nor fantastic, nor humorous; 〈◊〉 any other of those ●●perfections, which ●ew a rudeness of the ●ind. 
Of slanderers.  And to speak ●●ē truth, what can they expect from ill tongued ●●en but slanders, and an usage so much th● more rigorous, as the virtue shall be eminent? 
Of blasphemers.  And what respect can they hope fo● from such, who contemning heaven it sel● dare upon all occasion by execrable oaths violate the honour o● the sacred name o● God, and profane th● glory of that holy, pur● and admirable essence▪ If they love the sweetness of entertainment and pleasant diverting humours, as undoubtedly they do, 
The obstinate & dull.  what ●an they find in obstinate and dull spirits, ●ut contrarieties and melancholy, which are odious and difficult to ●o them to endure? 
The proud.  They do as willingly ●uffer the pride of those spirit's which are puffed up with presumption ●nd false glory, whose ●outhes are never o●en but for their own praises, and to publish ●heir goodly actions. A Gentleman is ver● ridiculous that hath n● other thing to speak and they are to be pitied, which are force● to hear him often. will allow that he mak● good use of that whic● he knows, and wherein he is excellent; b● it must be by effects rather than by word and by hazard (if it may be) rather than of purpose. Although he b● an excellent good dancer, yet he shall not always send for the Music, nor draw the company together: But without pressing forward, or making himself to be entreated, he shall go with the rest, as to a sport wherein he shall not imagine to have more advantage than in any other whereunto they would draw him. If three be a party made to fight at Barriers, or to run at the Ring, or if any other occasion be offered, to show how excellent he is in all exercises; how good a horseman soever he be, and how active soever he finds himself, he will be always of that pleasing temper, and will content himself to do well without making any show to have satisfied himself. The most sufficient man in in the world, if he brags of it, is but a sot. All that he saith or doth, do not please, and the greater care he hath to give a lustre to his good qualities, and to make them seem pleasing, doth not only obscure them, but also make them importune. Vanity hath this common with rashness, that as it is foolish and blind, so it is unfortunate. Modesty, in my opinion, is the most necessary of all the virtues which are in use with the conversation of women: most of the others get but their esteem, but this gains the heart, and doth finish that which so many subtle directions have only begun.  

That ●gment ●es or● to the educt ●ife.  After so many different observations, for the last and most certain of all other, we must say that judgement is the master of this art; and from its good or bad conduct, depends chief the success of that which we have propounded. All the best maxims fall into confusion, if they receive not order from it, and in those things which are most evident, we must not leave to consult with it, as well as in those which are difficult. But especially among women, it is in a manner impossible, without the help of judgement, that our esteem should gain any advantage; for being of a spirit somewhat unequal unto them, if judgement goes not before to distinguish them, or if we do not learn from themselves the things which dislike them, and those which content them, it is a difficult thing ever to find the secret of their pleasure. So as we cannot give any certain rules upon this subject, by reason of the great difference of encounters, and of the infinite diversity of spirits. It sufficeth to say, ●hat the precepts which go to the structure of ●his Art, are common ●o all the world, like unto public places and fountains: But ●he wise know how ●o make use of them, and to employ them to their own particular, every man according to his capacity, and the profession wherein he employs himself. And finally, to end this Discourse, I conclude, that to make a perfect honest man, he must have so many eminent perfections, as those things which are most difficult, may be easy unto him, and that making him in some sort admirable to all the world he may have no cau● to admire any man.  

divers Advertisement upon the design of this Treaty.  
BEhold the feeling and sense of the worst Courtier in the world upon this subtle and nice subject. And when I consider who I am, what my humour is, my carriage, my profession, and the contempt I make of the Court, I can hardly conceive how it could fall into my imagination to write upon this subject. If I were of some illustrious birth, and greedy to produce myself, to purchase some esteem: If I suffered myself to be tempted with this foolish vanity, to enter often into great men's houses, where they do me the honour to open their doors: If I were delighted to entangle myself in their intricate business, and finally, If I did love the tumult of this great world, and that I had wherewithal to make myself pleasing by some of those virtues, whereof I would have others to have the full possession, my design, it may be, might find some approbation. But seeing mine own defects, and knowing that I have but the least of those qualities which I have described, I know not with what apparent reason I can colour my attempt, to make it appear reasonable. I had rather confess freely, that the fault which I have committed in taking this pains, is worse than to have remained idle. But after all that which pleaseth me most, and which makes me thus bold to publish my conceptions in this manner, is, that we have not yet, any laws against bad Authors, and that the crime of writing ill hath remained hitherto among us without any example of punishment. My design is only to represent a good man, more briefly than others have done, rather than one of these nimble Cour●iers of this age, whose most virtuous maxims are not always innocent. If he be insufficient, it is as I am: and if they find I have not given him good council enough, I do not see that I am bound to teach them more than I have learned. Yet I propound unto him sufficient employment for a part of his life and I assure myself, that he shall not employ many of his hours unprofitably, 〈◊〉 he will addict himself to all the exercises which I have shewe● him to be fitting to hi● profession. This is ra●ther an Idea of tha● which is possible, the● an example of a thin● which is commonly seen. He that hat● not sufficiency to attain to all these good qualities, let him hold himself to that which he may, and endeavour, at the least, to have a part of the most necessary, and not give them over. They which would have me give full and particular precepts of every thing which I have only mentioned in passing, make a proposition which shows a weakness of judgement worthy of comparison. When I say that a Gentleman should be a good horseman, and that he should know how to handle his weapon; is it not to advertise him to go unto the Academy, and to frequent the Schools, or to have good Masters in his house, to learn from them that which he should not be ignorant of? So when I advice him to study the Politics▪ or the Morals, or the Mathematics; is i● not to tell him, that he should carefully read the best Authors which have written of these goodly Sciences, or that he should confer with learned men? Would they have me stuff my Book with the royal Manage, and of the noble Art of Defence; and that I should set down common places of all the History, and the figures of all the instruments of Geometry? In like manner, when I bring them i● unto the King, and great men, must I mak● these Orations and di●●courses for every day in the week, with a little treaty of childish civility; to the end they may be furnished wherewith to cour● them? Is it not suffici●ent that I have engaged myself to show them the way, but the will bind me to go● it? Howsoever, I have inserted in this little book what I thought most necessary, and have cut off what I held superfluous. I have mingled my opinions with those of the ancient and modern, and endeavoured to fix myself upon the soundest and most conformable to reason. If I were now to restore that which I have taken from them, I confess, that I have so confounded them with mine own, as I could not know them to make a separation. Bu● this pains would be so unprofitable, and i● imports me so little, whether they believe that I have invented, or that I imitate, that rather than I will endure the question, I am ready to confess, that the good things which they shall observe in this Discourse, are (if they please) mere thefts; that the indifferent ●aue been ill copied but of good originals; and that the bad; (if they shall find a greater number than of good) are all of mine own groweth, and of my invention. Let censors tear it in pieces, if they be not sufficient to blame it, I promise them I will be no more moved, then when I see my  beaten to get out the dust.    
FINIS.