Golden Epistles, Containing variety of discourse both Moral, Philosophical, and Divine: gathered as well out of the remainder of Guevaraes' works, as other Authors, Latin, French, and Italian.  
By Geffray Fenton.  Mon heur viendra. 
Imprinted at London by Henry Middelton, for Ralph Newberry, dwelling in Fleetstreet a little above the Conduit. 1575.    

To the right Honourable and virtuous Lady, Anne Countess of Oxenford. Geffray Fenton desireth long and Honourable life.  
SInce the first creation of men, every one particularly hath found so many calamities and travels of life, that it hath been a perpetual industry in all to search wherein rested this true and assured contentment, which we call felicity. Some referred it to the prosperity of riches, & with others it was established altogether in virtue. Whereof as the one, being but the possessions of fortune and therefore both uncertain and miserable, brings with it his proper confusion: So, the other aspiring to immortality, hath no subjection to frailty or infirmity, and therefore justifying itself by his own nature, is worthily adjudged that felicity which the world so much desireth. What man is possessed with a spirit of virtue, in the same man is truly expressed the similitude and action of be atitude, the one holding such community with the other, that as virtue is the forge whereon this sovereign good is wrought, so, felicity is the effect and stipend of the same, and they both no other thing then the very heaven and residence of God, wherein the soul is formed and created. No man feeleth a perfect taste of felicity, if with all he embrace not virtue, no more than the savour of meat is pleasant to the sick whose senses suffer imperfection, infirmity, or error: nor any standeth destitute of beatitude, whose mind communicates with desires and motions of virtue, as to those whose faith is unfeigned and incorrupt, is assured the estate of eternity and perpetual Patrimony. This virtue, besides that it is originally administered by divine influence and grace, hath also his natural means subsisting to his perfection & stability, which the ancient followers of Philosophy & wisdom, have referred to the study and science of good things, as colours best apt and convenient to blaze the true coat and figure of virtue. Sciences say they, prepare men's minds to virtue, and all our thoughts and motions, being made foul by our first corruption, are yet repurged by the qualety of Science and knowledge, as the dross and scum of metal is mortified by the industry of workers to whom the profession appertaineth: Infinite are the commodities of knowledge & science, which shining in their perticularities as well in the works of many wise men, as in their life and examples, it agreeth not now to recount them: Only, there are few who in study and knowledge found out notable rules to govern the body, and excellent doctrines to qualify the mind, with authentic counsels beside, to exercise the residue of the man in the necessary consideration of his mortality and frailness. Science traveleth to the favour of posterity, and is the assured protector of men's acts and monuments against forgetfulness and envy. It is the pillar of prosperity, and infallible retreat and refuge in adversity: It fashioneth the rudeness and ignorance of youth, and restraineth the crabbedness of age to modesty & civility. It inventest counsels to the accomplishment of our affairs, & ministereth to our minds stability and resolution of courage. Yea Science and knowledge are the very seminary or seeds out of which do bud all our flourishing blossoms of virtue, and wherein our spirits are made able to judge of high and hard things, and so raised to those holy desires of well doing, wherein all good men reapose their sovereign contentment.  
These happy fruits of Science and learning raise Noble personages into merit and dignity, and sets a work excellent wits to record the reputation of their greatness & virtues, dividing the doings of their life some into warnings to avoid harms and miseries, and some into precepts the better to establish examples and draw to imitation. And as above all others of our time, your honour hath been always right worthily noted a diligent follower of those Arts and studies which best serve to the declaration and glory of true virtue and piety: So at the contemplation of the same, I am bold to bring forth (under the protection of your Ladyship (this treatise containing moral discourse sorted with Philosophy, & some texts of Divinity: Not that I hold it worthy your view and judgement, but (according to good meaning,) to use it as an interpreter of the devotion and service wherein I am vowed to your Ladyship and your honourable house and parents. And where, in the intentions of the writers in these days this is a lamentable error, that they consider not those customs & good doctrines agreeing with holy virtues and commandments of the law of God, but think it is a great testimony of their singularity and excellency to publish under forms of speech, matter either merely vain in itself, or at lest unfruitful to the use and instruction of life. I thought good by the experience of their writings, not to be so curious to set out this work with elegancy of phrase and Rhetoric, as to exhibit precepts to live well, joining to that small eloquence of words I have used, a diligence withal to dress and institute conversation and manners; the same being the direct line that leads to virtue, which (without this) is but the figure and image of that it aught to be. Wherein having respect to modesty, I am far here from meaning to challenge the labours of others, and much less seek to obtrude upon mine own any dignity or merit, but refer me and my travels to the opinion of your Ladyship, whom I humbly beseech, as touching the order and parts of Art in the Book, to judge them with that property of favour which is wont to construe nothing to blame: and for the texts and precepts whether moral, civil, or of divinity, your Ladyship, in all the works you shall read, can not found better doctrine, then in the life of your honourable Father, in whose manner and actions is fulfilled a more full example of virtue, then in all the rules and similitudes which my pen can deliver. And as stones of rare and precious price express their lustre better in gold then in any other metal, so, good and well qualefied discourses are holden so much the more noble and dear, by how much are worthy and excellent the persons to whom they are presented, the dignity of the one supporting and amplifying the nobility of the other. And as trees transplanted or removed out of their natural stock into a better, become both more fair and goodly to behold, and yield a fruit more pleasing the taste: In like sort, a work of learning drawn out of his proper Author and recommended to some noble & virtuous personages, becomes so much the better received, and with a fruit more liked, by how much it is incorporate in the virtues and name of an excellent patron. In which respect, knowing that there shines in your Ladyship a virtue of learning and judgement, as doth the pearl in the gold, & that your mind is divinely inclined to the contemplation of virtuous studies, I beseech you let this be admitted amongst the public monuments of your virtue, though far unworthy of your noble desire, yet, being covered with the wings of your authority and name, it may be holden so much the more perfect and plausible, by how much it is an imp grafted in the soil of your greatness, and enriched with the gold of your name and virtues, Referring the faults rather to the infirmity of my skill and knowledge, then to my desire and will which is wholly dedicated to the service of your right honourable Father and his house.  
At my chamber in the Black Friars in London the fourth of February. 1575. Your honours humbly to dispose and command. Geffray Fenton.   

The contents of every particular Chapter.  

TO the governor Angulo doclaring many good doctrines with other consolations to such as are widowers. fol. 1  
To Sir Peter Giron banished into Oran, comforting such as live in exile. 4  
To Don Frederique of Porting all Archbishop of Saragoce and Viceroy of Catholiogne, wherein the author commends to him a letter of the Emperor M. Aurelius. 11  
To the Duke of Alva containing an exposition of a text of the Apostle, with other antiquities. 14  
To Don Ferdinando do Toledo, to whom are expounded two authorities, of Scripture, and the custom of the Egyptians in the death of their friends. 17  
A discourse before the Emperor Charles the fifth, wherein is handled the pardon that Christ demanded of his father for his enemies. 19  
To what purpose or intentions tended all the speeches of jesus Christ. 20  
That when Christ gave pardon he left nothing to forgive 22  
That God was wont to be called the God of vengeance, and now is he named the father of mercy. 24  
A discourse afore the Emperor wherein is touched the conversion of the good thief. 27  
The good thief having no other thing to offer to god, offered him his heart and his tongue. 32  
How wickedly the evil thief spoke hanging on the cross. 35  
The good thief rebuked his fellow hanging on the cross. 37  
A discourse, expounding this text of the Psalm Irascimini & nolite peccare. 42  
For such as enter into religion. 47  
An other discourse tending to religion. 49  
Instructions still tending to men entered religion. 52  
This discourse was uttered in the presence of a noble Lady at her churching. 53  
A discourse in the presence of a great assembly of noble Ladies, of the good and evil that the tongue doth. 55  
A letter to a great learned man answering to certain demands. 62  
Demands and answers. 62  
Touching the war which a man makes against himself. 65  
Plutarch to the Emperor Traian, a letter tending to instruct Princes newly raised to principalities. 68  
The Emperor Traian writeth to his teacher Plutarch debating that albeit a good man may be banished yet he is not for that dishonoured. 70  
The Emperor Traian writing to the Senate of Rome, discloseth the travels of Princes in their governments. 71  
The Senate of Rome writeth to Traian their Emperor, partly to answer to some particulars of his former letters: and with all expressing documents necessary to the instruction of a Prince. 75  
Of the great reverence given in times past to ancient men, with certain privileges appertaining to old age. 77  
To a noble parsonage touching the difference between the friendship of men, and love of God. 79  
In this letter is debated the difference between a servant and a friend. 81  
A letter to a noble parsonage, wherein is debated why God afflicts good men. 83  
The author, under terms to reprove his friend that had charged him to have taken out of his chamber a Pomander, speaketh justly against such persons as delight to be perfumed. 85  
A letter to a particular friend, rebuking all such as offer outrage or injury to any that are new by converted to the faith of Christ, calling them infidels or miscreants, or by any other name of reproach. 88  
A letter to a nobleman touching familiarly how inconvenient it is for a man married, to have a woman friend besides his wife. 90  
A treatise of the resurrection of jesus Christ together with an exposition of the fifth article of the Creed, that he descended into hell, and rose again the third day. 93  
Touching the resurrection of Christ. 101  
Certain meditations and considerations upon the resurrection of jesus Christ. 103  
Certain testimonies of Pagan authors serving to approve christian religion: written in form of a letter to a noble man. 107  
The Original of tyranny and Idolatry, together with the punishments of tyrants and idolaters how Abraham was chosen chief of the Hebrews. 112  
The author answereth a congratulation sent to him upon the gift of a Bishopric. 117  
There are no greater riches than honour, nor poverty more intolerable than infamy. 120  
The author modestly reprehendeth his friend for not yielding to his request. 124  
A letter advertising Parents not to be careless in the education of their children, and that a man of honesty and virtue aught not to suffer ill resort or lewd demeanour in his house. 126  
The author writeth to his sister serving in the Court: partly he instructeth her how to live in Court, and partly satisfieth her request under a short description of love. 127  
To a noble man, in consolation for the death of his daughter in law. 130  
A discourse written to a great Princess, of the virtues and life of the noble Queen of Zenobia. 133  
Touching diseases and the discommodities which old age bringeth 135  
One friend writeth to another of the rage of envy, and the nature thereof. 138  
One friend rebuketh another, for that of a gentleman he is become a merchant: this letter tendeth to the rebuke of covetousness. 141.  
A letter in consolation declaring the discommodities of Anger & the benefits of patience. 145  
A discourse of the ages of man's life. 150  
A continuing of the discourse began, wherein is brought in an other opinion. 153  
Which of the opinions is most worthy. 154  
The conclusion of this discourse, wherein the author is resolved that there be but three ages. 156  
Considerations for judges criminal, expressed in a familiar letter from one friend to another, wherein is used a necessary authority of a Philosopher. 167  
A discourse of the antiquities of Corinth, with an exposition of the proverb, Non cuivis contigit adire Corinthum. 160  
That we aught rather to present before God the love which we bear him, than the services we do to him. 162  
A short letter partly in rebuke, and partly in persuasion. 165  
A letter to a dainty Lady fa●●e sick for the death of her little Dog. 657  
To an old gentleman enamoured of a young Lady, this letter toucheth the perplexities which amorous dames give to their servants and friends. 169  
A letter answering certain particular requests from the Court, and that it is not convenient to visit often those women whose husbands be absent. 171  
A discourse touching such as are in the ministery and profess religion. 173  
Still touching the discourse of religion, and of the professors of the same. 178  
The end of this discourse rebuking such Ministers as are wanderers.  
180 A resolution of certain familiar and natural questions: with apparent conjectures and tokens of death. 182  
A discourse of the cononising of the Pagan Gods, and why they are holden for Gods, together with an exposition of sundry poetical inventions tending to the same. 187  
A rebuke to ambition under the speech of a savage man uttered in the Senate of Rome. 193   
¶ FINIS.   


To the Governor Angulo, declaring many good doctrines, with other consolations to such as are Widowers.  
THe fourth of january, I received your letters, which standing albeit more upon variety of words than necessity of matter, yet they well expressed your settled gravity, and no less resembled our ancient friendship. Amongst other things bearing praise to your behaviour, I am glad you have forsaken the wars, and given over the regiment of Nanarre, for that I hold those people hard to reclaim, and not easy to govern: And in this common absence of ours, albeit we could not conveniently communicate in the state and parts of our private conversation, yet, for that you were employed out of the realm, I remained always in desire to know how you kept society with fortune, because such are the checks and mutations which she brings generally upon the people of the world, that she neither dissembleth with the stranger, and much less pardoneth such as be natural. For which cause Cicero writing to his friend Attiquus, restraineth one friend to wish to an other more than these three things, 
Three desires amongst friends  to enjoy health, to possess honour, and not to suffer necessity, the same well expressing a Christian modesty, and truly agreeing with humane reason: For, to him that hath sufficiency to furnish the use & necessity of his life, what remaineth to be required more? who enjoyeth continual health, lacketh nothing to make up the full felicity of his worldly delights: & what can that man have lost in this world who never lost the reputation of honour? Therefore, neither I for you, nor you to me, are bound to desire more one for an other, then to have health for the solace of our transitory time: to enjoy a compotent measure of wealth for the administration of our life: and to be raised to honour by the which we may retain reputation: For, as all other things are passed to us by fortune, not to honour us, but to affronted us, So, sir, I wish you this moderation, to rest contented with that which God hath bestowed of you, and give him often recompense of humble thanks for taking you out of so many dangers: for, as much do we own to God for the dangers from which he delivereth us, as for the great wealth & dignities whereunto he hath always raised us.  

The property of God's love towards us.  God is so good and loves us with so sweet affection, that always he requireth us, continually he doth us good, never ceaseth to visit us, and seldom spareth to advertise us: yea, he handleth us not as our offences deserve, but as his mercy willeth: evil should it stand with us sniners if, with the rod of sin, God should do present justice, seeing that such is the horrer and infamy of sin, that if immediately with the fact, God would put us to punishments, our souls would be carried forthwith into the bottoms of hell.  
As it is suffered in the high and hidden secrets of God, to dissemble some things, to pardon others, and correct the rest: so let us remember that God useth no small mercy to him whom he chastiseth in this world, since that, to whom he gives no affliction, it seems he is of him much forgotten: Therefore when God administereth to us diseases, sorrows, deaths, and infelicities, they be not things wherewith he chastiseth us, but necessary matters by the which he visiteth our frail condition: wherein his intention is not to lose us, but to admonish us: not to make us stumble, but to hold us from falling: not to poison us, but to purge us: not to make us slide into sin, but to call us to amendment of behaviour: so that with this full measure of bounty and mercy, he gives us not only that which we ask, but prepares us more to that which he would we should demand of him: this gives me occasion to smile that our power being little, ourselves so small a thing, and our knowledge so slender, yet we think and construe to great importance all our enterprises, when in deed, that which in our opinion we hold most profitable, takes sometime a contrary habit, and becomes most hurtful and against us.  
By means whereof, the Lord, with good reason using his wonderful mercy, takes from us those occasions wherewith we may offend him, and leads us in the exercise of such things as stand us in most steed to serve him.  
God deals in one sort with the Christian sinner, and in an other manner with the just man: to the sinner, he pardoneth his offence, and from the just, he takes away the occasions to sin: by which, we find that we stand more deeply bound to him which suffereth us not to fall, then to him that lends us his hand to help us up again. This much (sir) to instruct you in patience for the loss of so good a wife, whose death, if you lament in the office of a good husband, I have not been without my sorrow, according to the duty of a faithful friend: And albeit there is no doubt but your wife was a right worthy member of a noble house, and therewithal plentifully replenished with every condition appertaining to the virtue and modesty of a woman, yet since in her creation she brought with her a subjection to death, I think your wisdom is too great, to make that grievous to you, which nature ordaineth common to all: yea if in your wife were fully filled a full example of all perfection, 
That, that is common to all, aught not to be intolerable to one.  you can not in better sort express your zeal, then to suffer God to have his will without grudge: And if you rejoiced in the use of so happy a wife whilst she lived, let your gladness still continued, for that you hope she is now happily laid up with God, with whom this is one familiar property, that the more honest we be, the less while we live, for that being dear to him he doth the sooner draw us to his kingdom. I know that in your wife, God had expressed a spirit of great meekness to you, made her very acceptable to her neighbours, most plausible to your parents, & very pitiful to the poor, wherein by how much she was agreeable to all and her nature hurtful to none, by so much have you to hope that she is already in the way to her salvation. But seeing she is dead, and now set in the place of God's eternal appointment, and since in the world is no power eftsoons to raise her, let her rest at quiet in the joys of Paradise, and resort you hereafter to a resolute patience. Become immediately careful for your life, and leave of those funerals, and vain ceremonies for the dead, seeing that if God hath fulfilled his will to call her to him, it is to place her in his tabernacle of eternal rest, and leaving you still in the world, he doth it to none other end but to give you time of amendment: For where God promiseth to man long and many days, it is under this warning, that he give order to the correction of his life. Many times have I spoken, and written, that the sound and noise of Bells, doth not so much benefit the dead, as do good to those that live, for that as the dead, being without sense are also void of nature and ability to resume remorse, so to such as live the Bells give warning of death, as those that are already departed, yea they pronounce that we shall all be buried, as such as are already put in the grave, and no more remembrance remain of us then of them that lie covered with clay: which makes me still maintain, that albeit to the dead the Bells are merely unprofitable, yet, to the living, they serve as officers to summon us to the fatal banquet. They call us to prepare our reckoning, and make us ready to appear afore our sovereign judge to hear our sentence: yea they put us in remembrance of the last hour of our miserable life, and then as I know none that wish to have been Emperors, so there is no doubt but many desire to have lived in the state of poor herdsmen: But now to persuade with you somewhat familiarly, aswell to witness my good will, as to warn your frailty, I wish you to use patience, not so much to express your gravity, as to solace the heaviness of your mind: and by so much have you need to call for aid to the spirit of God, by how much the greatness of your loss seems to exceed the resistance of flesh and blood: consider that to tender retribution is a duty of nature, and a debt to be paid either in youth, in age, or at other season, and that not in the hand and discretion of man, but at the will and good pleasure of God, with whom we have no power to contend, for that the things which he commandeth aught to be accomplished, and what he willeth, is well worthy to be approved, being impossible that he should exact any unjust thing, he that is even the self supreme and sovereign justice. Be it (sir) that you are sorry for her death, of whom can you redemaund your loss but of death, against whom there is neither prescription nor authority: It is he in whom is wrought the very effect and stipend of sin, and it is he that is the fearful tyrant over the world, 
Death the very effect and stipend of sin.  who yéeldes no compassion to the tears of men, takes no care of their sighs, scorns at their complaints, and playeth with their afflictions: he maketh great kings fall as low as the ground: he divides their principalities, destroyeth their heirs: he confounds the proud and mighty, and raiseth the humble and meek: he neither pardoneth old men, nor pitieth the young sort: yea he hath authority to call all men to reckoning, and no man to demand reason of him. The Philosopher Secundus, being asked what death was, Answered that it was an eternal sleep, a terror of riches, a desire of the miserable, 
What death is.  a separation of friends, a voyage uncertain, a robber of men, a beginning of those that live, and an end of such as die. Death hath this absolute liberty to enter where he list without knocking at the gate: condemn whom he will & not hear them speak, and carry away what he thinks good, without that even the highest authority either can or dare resist him. Yea, we must be pleased with what he leaveth us, and not complain of that he takes from us.  
I doubt not but it is grievous to you to feel the want of so dear a wife, aswell for the solace of your person, as direction of your house and children: but seeing the chances of mortal creatures do show that all men are subject to the law of nature and fortune, 
All men subject to the law of nature and fortune.  and that of necessity this must pass so: put on a good countenance to the world, and shake of all inward heaviness of mind, seeing the care of things impossible is vain and only proper to weak men: you know also that in this troublesome life, many more in number are the things that amaze us, than those that hurt us: And therefore to weep much, to sigh often, to sorrow always, to wear attire of dole, to flee society of friends, to retire into desolate & private places, & to delight in solitariness, be, in one of your gravity, matters more to be rebuked, then affected, seeing, that as too great joy estrangeth the heart into the like, so, for the most part much parplexitie & sorrow, bring with them the effect of despair: You aught not for the death of your wife, to be negligent in the administration of your house, careless in the state of your health, forgetful to entertain the reputation of your honour, nor unmindful to direct your revenue: For the passions and afflictions of the heart, 
Passions of the mind cured with the longness of time.  are never cured by new grieves, but with the longness of time. One of the greatest travels that we suffer in this transitory race, is, that sorrows & grieves enter our hearts suddenly, which afterwards we cannot expel but with great time and virtue: And therefore we aught not at the first to urge a troubled mind to forget his pain, but rather to persuade to moderate it: for that at the beginning the mind receiveth more comfort in debating the harm, then in speaking of the remedy: And therefore to a mind afflicted with green sorrows, the best remedy is to defer them, until by time they be more apt to receive consolation: For as tract of time carrieth with it a law of forgetfulness of things past, so to a heart grieved, 
The remedy of a heart grieved.  the true & sovereign plasters, are, temperance, time, & forgetfulness: So that, neither because you are a widower, nor in respect of your passions, you aught to commit to negligence the order of your person nor the nurture of your children: for as it is no small fully to weep for the dead whom we have no power to recover, so it can not but be a great madness to be careless of them that live standing in the way of perdition: withal, no man is bound to raise up again such as are dead, but every one is tied to this duty, to give succours to them that live. I hope (sir) you will not lay afore you the example of your neighbour & friend Roderigo, who assoon as he was in the state of a widower, put the cool on his head, eat not upon any table cloth, was not served in vessel of silver, took not his seat in a chair, was not seen to look out of a window, in two months did not wash his face, and in a whole year did not lie out of his clothes: All which I allege to you not so much to condemn Roderigo for his folly past, as to put you in remembrance that to continued in ceremonies, is to offend god, and abuse the reputation of a wise man. One of the greatest benefits that a man can have in this life, is, to be thankful to God's providence and not to attribute any thing to fortune. The resolute man is neither changed by a froward fortune, nor raised into presumption by any prosperity, but stands as a tree well rooted which albeit is shaken with diverse winds, yet none can make it fall: And be it that adversity make some mutation in goods, yet it aught not to exchange the person, & much less have power over our wisdom: For the shamefast & noble mind loseth much more in losing that he deserveth, then if he lost all the goods he was possessed of: by which reason I account that no loss which falls in transitory goods, if, with the loss of them, he recover his shame and wisdom: for let not that man think he hath found little, which hath found himself: it is a thing to be wondered at, and no less worthy of slander that for the loss of any thing of right mean value, men omit no pain nor cost to recover it: but if they lose shame, patience, continency, yea and conscience too, they will neither be sorry for losing them nor make great search to recover them. O corrupt nature of ours, which cares not how we fail, & makes less reckoning to go the right way, and that which worse is, after we have followed error, and fallen from a fair path into a foul puddle, we will not only not search to found ourselves, but (according to our full wickedness) we will not see nor confess that we are lost. All things in this world (what vile and base estimation so ever they bear) we do not only make care and cost to keep them, but also seek out others to join with us for their safety, except ourselves: who not only forbear to watch and keep ourselves, but also we search others to help to lose us. I wish you for end, that you give over to be private, and enter into the discharge of the requests and legacies of your wife: so shall you express a dearer remembrance of her, then with all the funeral ceremonies you can use: for as she keeps now no reckoning whether you are served upon a table, at in a chair, or use your other observations of dignity, so, you can not yield a more worthy recompense to the affection she bore you, then to visit hospitals, and haunt sermons, and rather express the office of a true Christian, then mourn in the habit of a pitiful widower.  
From Logronio the xj. of August. 1523.   

To Sir Peter Giron, banished into Oran, comforting such as live in exile.  
IT is written in the wonderful visions of the prophet Daniel, that two Angels disputing afore God, the one maintained that it was not meet to put the hebrews in liberty, lest they were converted to the Persians, and the other proved it necessary to give them licence, to the end they might do Sacrifice & re-edify the temple of jerusalem: by which may be inferred, that, that which amongst the wicked is called stubborns, with the good sort is named zeal. This I writ to bring into discourse the contents of your Father's Letter and yours, in which I find such contrarity, that it is hard to judge which is greater, either the sorrow of the Father, or the constant mind of the Son: the Father expressed great heaviness seeing his Son sent into Exile, using the nature of a pitiful Father, and the Son (according to the property of a noble mind) bears this disgrace without grudge or grief: if this banishment had pleased your Father, and you likewise had declared signs of disdain and despite, he had abused the dignity of a father, and you transgressed the law of a valiant Knight: but seeing you both perform that which you aught, you have no reason to distrust of that which you desire: For my part, to satisfy the duty I own to the one, and exercise the good will I bear to the other, I thought it agreeing with your estate, and my profession, to recommend unto you these Particular instructions, which if you find Tedius to read, you shall at lest feel wholesome to observe, specially containing points of Consolation in your present banishment: Now is the time wherein you are to call into exercise your Ancient wisdom to govern you, your settled discretion to minister consolation, and your valiant mind to entertain the reputation of your honour by some worthy enterprise which three things if you omit, you shall be holden a banished man even in your own City, where putting them in execution being exiled, you shall be sure to increase the renown of a valiant knight. It is a virtuous disposition to yield compassion to the afflicted, but nature most of all doth challenge it of those, 
The bond of a friend.  who proving an estate of necessity, have found comfort in others. And albeit one friend can own no more to another, then to remedy his necessities, & comfort his adversities: yet the words of a friend do give life to the heart of his friend, if to the same be joined effects of true affection: and as prosperity and adversity have such society by kind, that the one followeth the other as the shadow doth the man, 
Prosperit & adversity have society together by nature.  so also such perplexities as are fastened within a heart are hardly fogotten but with the passions of another mind the languisheth, according to this example: At the death of the only son of Diomedes the Greek (and upon whom depended the possibility of succession) there appeared to this mourning father many affections of many his noble friends: amongst the press of others that came to visit and comfort his sorrows, there resorted a poor woman demanding justice: Diomedes, seeing her weep, & as it were accompany him in his sorrowful moods, & his other friends to deliver only reasons of consolation without tears, told them the albeit his ears had received the impression of their words, yet none had made passage into his heart but the sorrowful compassion of that simple woman, in whom I have received (saith he) somuch the more comfort, by how much I see her heart suffereth the self same sorrows which by effect I feel. According to the conformity of this answer (sir) you may judge my disposition, & therewithal take occasion to give faith to my words, & believe the affection of my heart: for by the faith of a friend I swear unto you, that as I have always followed you with an unfeigned zeal, so your present misfortune stands in such compassion with me, that if to my want were joined wealth, & with my will were matched convenient liberty, you should know that though I am innocent of your fault, yet I would be partner of your pain: or if as you stand in full power to distribute & dispose your goods, you had also the faculty to impart your perplexities, the world should be judge whether my frendshp stretch to affect your goods, or to communicate with your fortune & calamity: And as I cannot but confess that you have always expressed towards me one perpetual nobility & bounty of mind, so I hope you will not deny but I have retributed that recompense which belongs to the power of so poor a friend: But as I know you have this property in nature to keep in continual memory the good turns you receive of others, so, if I forget the benefits which you have bestowed of me, let my profession suffer indignity by the which I hold the countenance of my reputation: & so will I wade no further in protestation, since great offers are used amongst staungers, and good deeds aught to be familiar with true meaning friends: I know this banishment may breed you some conceit by the opinion which this court may have of you, and I doubt not but as much the joy of your enemies will despite you, as the displeasure of your friends will grieve you, for that (in a chance of calamity) most men are more sorry for the their enemies can say, then for the martyrdom they endure. Plutarch in his Apothegms, recites of a famous Captain and Lover of the Lacedemoniens, to whom a certain Reader of the athenans, making his complaint, that the men at Arms in his Camp reproached them of Athens, answered that as the thing that is well kept is hardly lost, & that nothing provokes the thief sooner than negligence, so, if the Atheniens had tied care and Circumspection to their words and Actions, they had neither fallen into the Mouths of the Lacedemonians, nor feared their malice: Job saith Factus sum mihi met ipsi gravis, meaning that the misadventures and disgraces which happen to us for the most part, ourselves do search them: For as the power of fortune is to do more harm in one hour, then good in many hundredth years, so when the change falleth, it blinds our eyes that we cannot deserve it, and binds our hands that we cannot help it, 
Men are the instruments of our own mishapes.  making us Instruments even against ourselves in the execution of our proper mishap: But for your part (Sir) if you had either followed my direction, or joined yourself to the advise of the Constable your dear uncle, the ignorance and rashness of your hot youth, had not carried you thus far to your own ruin, yea, you had prevented that which now with pain you suffer. The vengeance which you sought to take aught not to be grounded upon so small occasion, seeing oftentimes reason demands execution of a thing, which time will not suffer to be done, by which mean are spoiled many particular causes, not for that they were not just, but because they were not followed in season, for as convenient is the observation of time & place to prosecute a business, as in due season to throw the seed into the earth to the end to have a good harvest: therefore in your quarrel or pretence of action to the Dukedom of Medina Sidonia, much better had it become the virtue of a noble Gentleman, and far more surety to your title, to have demanded it in Parliament by justice, then to recommend yourself to the Bishop of Camore: I have often told you that tyrants commit their trial to Arms, 
tyrants use trial by arms, but the just sort refer their causes to the arbitrement of the Laws.  and the just sort refer their causes to the arbitrement of the Laws: Even so, when I saw you join yourself to the good Bishop, I felt great conjecture of the ill success of your cause, in which I doubted not but he would raise occasion to undo you, that erst made no conscience to put in peril the whole Realm, disobey the king, deceive his confederates & dissemble even with his own opinion. For where in one man do meet incertainty of affection, and malice of nature, there is no other hope in that man, than distrust, Perjury, words, and revenge: I put you in remembrance of all these, more to reprehend you then to comfort you, and with all to reduce to your knowledge, that if you suffer any present affliction, think it is for no offence presently committed, but for the fault that then you did: for as every offence hath his punishment, so God being bound to no time useth to visit our old insolences, even whom we account ourselves most innocent: Moore 〈◊〉 is it to your wise friends, to suffer your banishment obeying the Prince, then to see you Duke of Medina with the displeasure of his Majesty: and far better shall you express that which is looked for of you, if simply you attribute to the infirmity of your discretion, that which in good equity cannot but carry the very nature and habit of a great fault. O how well doth it become the reputation of a valiant knight to deserve to be holden gracious in the sight of his prince, and with good and true services, to entertain the estate and favour he hath of him, expressing always this true effect and example of ready obedience, that if either in the court, the Kingdom, or any dominion of the Prince, there move any faction, trouble, quarrel, tumult or mutiny: he may with liberty be heard speak, and give occasion to be employed: but not of himself to practise secret confederacy, nor yet without Authority to intrude himself into the council or managing of affairs of estate: For the business of kingdoms contain in them many secret difficulties, more dangerous to be reformed, then easy to wield, which we see daily in sundry common weals evil governed, & worse reformed, for that, for the most part, the popular sort is ready to revolt, and very hard to be appeased: great pain had Catiline to reform Rome, Socrates Athens, Ptolemy Pentapolis, Promotheus Egypt, and Plato the Siciliens: But in the end of all these enterprises, where some of these noble men escaped death, the rest suffered banishment, & their comonweales notwithstanding in more broil than before: But now to the matter of your exile, and the remedies proper to men in your fortune, In which if I satisfy not your passion, I doubt not but the law of our friendship will lead you to judge well of my reasons, assuring you that I had rather secure you then comfort you. 
For banished men.  Weighing (Sir) with your present condition being banished in Afrika, the consideration that you are of the free Country of Spain, I doubt not but the remembrance of the pleasures you have passed in Spain, will make this exchange more painful to you being now restrained in Afrika, for the love of our country is so natural to us and we so partial in our proper affections, that albeit fortune make us forsake our native country, yet nature will never suffer us to for get it: yea so great a vehemency hath the love which most men bear to their natural climates, that they will rather endure any injury against their persons, then to hear their countries evil spoken of the same partiality proceeding for that men do not acknowledge that they are of the earth, live in the earth, and must return to the earth: when there is nothing belonging to them, but the which they carry with them to their grave, Socrates instructed his disciples not to attribute to themselves any particular place or country: for (saith he) albeit the eternal providence gives us peculiar means to clothe us, & private houses to defend the injury & passions of the air, yet nature hath left to us all in common the universal earth, which since, by the ambition of men hath been divided into Cantles. Plutarch, in his book of exile reports that Hercules the Thebain, being asked by the Sidoniens of what country he was, answered: I am neither of Thebes, Athens, nor Licaonia, but naturally of the whole country of Greece: Socrates seems to be of the same opinion to the great Sacrificator Architus, by whom being asked of what place he was, he answered: that he was borne in the world, & a natural heir of all the world: Plutarch rehearseth also that in the isle of Cobde in Greece, was a Lineage of Grecians called Agites, descended of the notable Greek Captain called Agis the good: amongst these Agites this law was specially observed, that none durst call himself natural of the isle, unless he had done some valiant act, meaning the it is the country that aught to be commended for bringing forth such men, & not the people to be praised to be either of this or that Region. So that (Sir) for my part, joining myself to the manner of these Island men, me thinks I have greater reason to esteem you a valiant Affrikan Captain, than a virtuous Spanish knight, seeing that the honour which you lost in Spain, you have recovered in Affrika: yea, if you confer the vanities which you used in Spain, with the exercise you follow now in Affrika, you shall find that banishment, better than ease, doth lead you to judge of the precious value & estimation of time, yea, it will minister this discretion to you that if you feel any passion, it will appear to you more by opinion, then by reason. In Spain you were noted to be a painful follower of the pleasures of the field, a pleasant deviser with Ladies, a sweet companion at sumtuous Banquites, given over to the disorders of the Court, to go to bed at midnight and rise at mid day, all which though they be delights of a young courtier, yet they are no exercises of a valiant knight, for the titles, and virtuous renowns of our Ancestors, were not gotten by enterprises of Hawking and Hunting, but with serving their kings in the dangers of wars: The exercise which we are told you follow now in Orane, as to be stirring early, to break your fast standing and whilst your Armour is in lacing, to be ready with the foremost to distress the Turks, to acquaint your ear with the Music of the tromppet, to be painful to march, and discreet to follow, and in all enterprises, to give example of courage to your Soldiers: out of these differences you may gather whether it is more agreeable to your renown, and profitable to your estate, to be esteemed a valiant Captain, or an Amorous Courtier: beside, in Spain you could but recite the deeds of others, & now the whole court is in discourse of the dangers you escape. Writers of histories are tied to the facts of particular men, and to express in their Chronicles that in such a time, such a thing was done, in such a season, such an enterprise performed: but it belongs to the honour of a good knight not only to say I was a leader in such a war, but also to bear upon his body the signs of the perils he had past: So that in consideration of the Success of this banishment, I see not but it is a Fortune necessary, 
Happy is the punishment by the which we are passed into greater perfection.  and an Estate working glory to your House, and gives no occasion of gréeffe to your person: For right Blessed is that martyrdom by whose Pains we are passed into greater perfection: The Consul Silvanus holding part with the SILLANS, in full Senate reproached Marius scornfully that he was to ambitious of honour, being so base of lineage: To whom Marius answered, I confess (saith he) that thou art more anciently descended than I, evenso I cannot deny but that I am betrer man than thou, because, where thy house is not furnished but with painted Armouries which thou hast inherited of thy Ancestors, thou mayest see in mine many streaming ensigns which I have won with the peril of my life: Then think yourself happy, for that in Spain you were no better than Silvanus, but in Affrika you are equal in prows with Marius, with whom, in place of painted Armouries where with you were wont to hung your house in Spain, you shall now return not only with ensigns besprent with blood, but also expressing your triumphs over the common enemy of Christian faith. There hath been in the Ages past many great Personages, who no less desirous of renown, then willing to win it by virtue, did not only not grudge when they were Banished by Authority, but also of themselves and for themselves made a willing choice of exile, following the opinion and example of the right worthy Captain Alcibiades, who in his Familiar device was wont to say, that few men in their naturality or simple nature become virtuous: but the most sort following the passions of nature slide into many vices, according to the experience of a tree far brought and new replanted, which brings forth fruit of far more sweet and precious taste then others: evenso more glory & renown do follow Noble men and minds resolute in strange and far regions, then in their proper natural countries: yea, they had rather die poor abroad, then return home loaden with wealth, and light with honour. Was not king Pyrrhus borne in a village of Athens, and afterwards was called Pyrrhus the Epirot for that he vanquished that people? was not the good Scipio bred up in a town of Campania, to whom after was added the Surname of Affricanus as subduing those Regions? Octavius Augustus wss nourished in village of Belistre, and after was raised to the title of Octavius Germanicus, because he triumphed over the Almains, & the good Titus was found in a poor village of Campania, and after was called Titus Palestinus, for prevailing over the Palestines: infinite is the number of such as have sought fame in foreign regions, but more immortal & perpetual is the memory of the enterprises which by the greatness of their courage they achieved: For as no Fortune can resist him to whom nature hath given magnanimity of mind: 
No fortune can resist him to whom nature hath given magnanimity of mind.  so whether at home or abroad, who is more wretched than he that esteems himself unhappy by the reputation of his courage. Many & many were the personages in the world past, who springing of base & dark place, of small renown, and less wealth, have, with the Fortune of their Banishment in countries, far removed, evolted their lineage, brought honour to their countries, reputation to their posterity, & riches to themselves. The valiant Themistocles & great captain Phalaris, with great ignominy to their persons & spoil of their goods, were banished out of Athens, & chased out of all Greece: yet such equity of meed followed their just virtues, that by the grace & favour of king Ptolemy in Alexandria, they returned home with no less fame & honour to their country, they loaden with riches to the increase of their family: yea, Themistocles, used oftentimes to say familiarly to his wife & children, Perieramus omnino nisi perijssemus, as who say, if they had not been passed into the perplexities of banishment, they had utterly perished: for fortune oftentimes plays with banished men as doth the distiller of waters with his glasses or earthen pots, whom he takes down, not to break or leave them, but to fill them and set them up: with this example, we may apply the misfortune of Joseph the son of Jacob, in whose fall was wrought the mean to the Jsraelites, that afterwards he was made Lord over the whole country of Egypt, & helper of the Hebrews: That which sometimes seems to a man heavy & sorrowful, becomes oftentimes the mean of his comfort & gladness, and the same that in the beginning seemeth to work his disgrace, breeds at last the very effect of his desired fortune: even as to him that thinks himself in the right path, it happeneth the he is out of the way, as others suposing themselves to be miss led & gone astray, are notwithstanding in the high way to their felicity: Camilla for a disgrace happening to him in Rome, was banished into Campania, where his virtues & service in the wars of that country succeeded so happily with him, that he returned to Rome not as an offender, but in great triumph as Emperor: The just & noble Emperor Traian, being banished out of Italy and withdrawn to the City of Agrepina, was addopted Heir of the empire there by the Emperor Nerua, his uncle, who communicated with him the ensigns of the Imperial estate: by which change & chance of fortune, Traian would often say to his familiars, that the banishment which Domitian judged him to, was his only solicitor to the Empire. All these histories together with the examples aswell of such as choosed banishment to win true renown, as of others the fell into exile by fault & sentence, I have reduced (sir) to your memory, to the end that by their wisdom you should take comfort, and in their courage follow the example of their enterprises: for as the doings of others are but warnings to us to direct well our estates: so it cannot be but vain to represent unto you the banishments they suffered, if you express not in your fortune the resolute mind which led them to the throne of their estimation: if you show the true value & constancy of mind duly aperteining to a christian knight, you may with the opportunity of the wars now against the Turk; deserve to return to Spain with as great honour: as Camilla was received into Rome: it behoveth you in that war of Africa, to be liberal, secret, courageous, & modest, so shall all such as are sorry for the fault you have made here, be recompensed with gladness in the effects of your worthy behaviour there. Say with Diogenes, that as they banish you out of Spain, so you banish them out of Africa, so, shall they in short time return to compassion for that they make you to suffer, & you in the mean while bear with patience the injury you suppose is done to you: 
Men not accustomed to adversity have lest rule over their passions.  For men not accustomed to adversity have lest rule over their passions, and such as never felt but prosperity, can little judge of the worthiness of patience: I pray you use this modesty in the letters you writ hither, that neither the King may perceive that you are grieved with his sentence, nor your enemies understand your evil liking to that place: For no less will they rejoice to hear you abhorred there, than they were ready to procure your banishment from your friends and country here.  
Such (Sir) as suffer exile, 
Privileges of banished men.  have many notable privileges which being incident to men, in the estate, it is necessary you know some, to the end you may take benefit of the best: it is a prorogatiue to men exiled, the they stand in grace of pity with every one, and seldom maliced of any, for that in common experience men most naturally bear grudge to such as live in wealth, and pity such as are far removed from their comfort. Banished men during the time of their restraint are exempted from all importunities of such as borrow money, since no man needs to doubt but the man exiled hath for the most part, want of money, & plenty of perplexities: such as are banished have liberty to borrow of others without either blushing or blot of conscience, for that their goods are confisked, & they far from the succour of their friends, they are the men that most stand need of the compassion of the world.  
It is suffered to the banished man, to writ into his country that he is sick, when he enjoyeth health, that he is in sorrow for his house, though he feel no remembrance thereof, and that he is poor, when he hath full plenty, and all to the end the prince should the sooner pardon his fault, and his friends the more readily secure his wants.  
The banished man, with out breach of honour, may be suffered to break promise, being sufficient to acknowledge the favours done to him, & to offer, when he is restored recompense according to the bounty of a gentleman: the banished man (without stain to his honour) hath liberty to live in mean countenance for that amongst good men his case is pitied, & with the wise no other port expected then according to the rate & measure of his fortune.  
The banished man is not subject to the terrors of law and justice, for the being far from his adversaries, he may sleep with out fear, & rise with out care: he is free from the variable customs & complexions of his wife, from the grief of the ill demeanour of his children, & from the distrust of his servants, the same being such a comfort peculiar only to exiles, that many would be glad to exchange their free condition, for the felicities of such banishment.  
The banished man stands exempt from all impostes & tributes, as in whose estate is sufficient grief without necessity of other Affliction.  
The Banished man being far from his friends, lives not in care of their calamities, and is not called to be a partner of their Quarrels, which liberty many seek for, who Answer for many, follow many, and spend much of many, not of frank will, but to perform the duty they have professed. Many more are the prorogatiues of exile, which you may boldly challenge and enjoy in Affrika, and we by no right can demand in Spain: And yet I doubt not, but more dear should be to you the kings Pardon to return home, than all these goodly privileges which to your great comfort you enjoy in Affrika: For the Puddle water in our own country carrieth a more sweet taste, than the most pleasant fountain in any foreign Region: Let this be your Solace for the time to serve and hope in God, to the end he may lead the mind of the Prince to consent to your liberty, wherein there shall want no furtherance, which either the Authority of your friends, or my continual council, may bring to pass.   

To Don FREDERIQVE of Portugal Archbishop of Sarragoce, and Viceroy of Catheliogne, wherein the Author recommends to him a Letter of the Emperor M. Aurelius.  
IN the self same year wherein the Prophet Jeremy bewailed in jerusalem the Captivity of his people led into Babylon, Reigned in Bithynia the cruel king Dracon, a man of deep policy in affairs of estate, and no less valiant to bear and resist the rigoures of fortune, but withal so severe in his commandments, that it may be doubted whether the laws he instituted contained more cruelty to his subjects, than commodity to his kingdoms: For amongst other statutes or straight politics, he ordained this law, 
A Law to punish unthankfulness by death.  the one neighbour having received of another any good turn, & afterwards was found unthankful either to requited or confess it, such one was punished with death: for as this is a property annexed to the good nature, to forget the benefits he doth himself, & keep in continual memory the graces he hath received of others: so to add impunity to ingratitude, is to corrupt the world, even as in other offences, to restrain justice, is to support sin & suffer insolency, which is the greatest error that can happen in government. This I say sir to put myself in remembrance of the manifold benefits I have received by you, whereunto, having no power of recompense, at lest if I should forbear to acknowledge them, I cannot avoid the merit of Dracons' Law: For there can be no such injury offered to a free mind & a bashful face, then to be called unthankful, since such reproaches sink most deeply into the reputation of honour: so that, though my power be small, & my possibility less, yet I will so honour the remembrance of your benefits, that in my will shallbe found no blame of ingratitude, nor in my life, any suspicion of honest friendship.  
At our last being together, you made me swear to grant to that you demanded, without either liberty of excuse, or being made privy to what you would ask, wherein as your Lordship was somewhat to oportunate, so I was not enough distréete, for that greater is the reason to examine a demand, then to consent to fulfil it. But touching your request to pen for you some Letters of M. Aurelius, I know not how I shall satisfy your desire, unless you reform your demand: for that of his moral writings, I have none, but either those which are already published, or such as he left unperfect: and for others, which, in the rage of his youth, he wrote to his Amarus friends, as I have already published some by the persuasions of my private friends, so, albeit at that time their opportunities enforced my will, yet it behoveth me now not to abuse the duty of my profession: wherein, aswell by the habit of religion, as my faculty of a divine, I crave to be excused from writing such vanities, since, besides the offence to my gravity, the example cannot but bring hurt to the chaste minds of young princes & great Ladies. But because as near as I can, I will be thankful to your request, and leave you satisfied of my good meaning, I have sent you the Translation of one of his Letters, wherein you may judge with what fidelity he entertained his friends, since he used such charity and compassion to his Enemies.  
I cannot deny the glory I have obtained by this battle, & much less hide the perplexity I feel for thy present misfortune, 
M. Aurelius to Popilion captain of the parts.  for noble minds are bound to show no less compassion to such as are subdued, then to express joy & gladness with those that are victors: Thou being chief of the Partheus: diddest show great courage to resist, and in me the leader of the romans was found no want of force to fight, notwithstanding though thou lost the battle, & I remain possessed of the victory, 
God gives victories not to such as fight most, but where he loveth best.  yet as I know thou wilt not acknowledge this chance to happen by any want of stomach in thee, so, it belongs to my gravity, not to attribute it altogether to the greatness of my virtue, since God doth always minister victories not to such as do their duties best, but to those that he loveth most: for the effect of all things depending upon god, man can have no power command the destiny of a battle, seeing he is not able to stay the course of the lest planet in heaven. Darius against Alexander, Pompeius against Ceasar, & Hannibal against Scipio, had, above all equality, far greater armies than their enemies: by which thou hast reason to conclude with me, that against the anger of the sovereign god, cannot prevail most huge & mighty hosts: I marvel (Popilion) that being great in birth, valiant of stomach, wealthy in goods, & mighty in estate & dignity, why thou bearest with such sorrow the loss of this battle, seeing the in no worldly thing fortune is more incertain & variable, 
Fortune is most variable in the action of war  than in the action of war. It is told me thou withdrawest to solitary corners, & seekest out shaded places, thou eschewest the conversation of men, & complainest of the gods, which extreme perplexities since thou were not wont to suffer in others, much less oughtest thou to give place to them in thyself: so, that the valiant man loseth no reputation, for the fortune faileth him, but is the less esteemed if he want discretion to bear her mutability.  
To assemble great Armies, is the office of princes, to levy huge treasures, belongs to sovereign magistrates, to strike the enemy is the part of a courageous Captain, but to suffer infirmities, & dissemble mishaps, is a property duly annexed to noble and resolute minds: So that one of the greatest virtues that worldly men can express in their common behaviour of this life, is neither to rise proud by prosperity, 
Fortune hath a free will to come and go when she list.  nor fall into despair by adversity: For fortune having a free-will to come & go when she list, the wise man aught not to be sorry to loose her, nor rejoice to hold her: such as in their misery show heavy countenance, do well prove that they made accounted to be always in prosperity, which is a great folly to think, & no less simplicity to hope for: seeing the gifts & graces of fortune have no other thing more certain in them, than to be for the most part in all things most incertain, according to the success of the day wherein thou gavest me battle: For there thou orderedst thy camp according to a wise captain, madest choice of the place, in great policy, and tookest the advantage of the son, as a leader of long experience: in consideration of which things, thou hast cause to complain against thy fortune which favoured not thy virtue, & not blame thy discretion wherein can be found no error: Consider that in wise and grave men, it is an office, that if they cannot do that they will, at lest they yield to time and are content with that they may: And as the virtuous & valiant mind aught not to grieve for not obtaining that which he would, but because he desired that which be aught not: so, Popilion, I wish thee take heed, that the Honour which so many times thou hast won with the hazard of thy valiant person in enterprises of War, 
He bears his misery best that hides it most.  be not lost at this present for want of bearing well thy Fortune, Assuring thee that he bears his misery best that hides it most: & as of all voluble things there is nothing more light than Renown, so in cases of war and hazard, it is not enough for the valiant man to do what he may, but also he is bound to attempt nothing but what he aught: For aswell the consideration, as the execution of a fact, belongs duly to a discreet minde· I hear thou wanderest here and there in great uncertainty of mind, fearing that if thou be taken of my Soldiers, thou shalt be evil entreated of me, which if no man have told thee, it is against reason thou believe it of thyself, because to us princes of Rome, it is familiar to show our liberality to such as yield to us, & with others that are our prisoners to communicate in great clemency: we raise armies against camps proudly furnished, & cities strongly walled, but to captains in thy condition, we hold it more honourable to minster comfort, then to add increase of affliction: for as it sufficeth the valiant Captain to fight against the adversary that resistes him, & dissemble with him that flieth, so the wise man aught to require no more of his enemy, than that he acknowledge that he stands in fear of him: for if he fear him it is a good argument that he may be in surety of him, because to daunted & timerus hearts, is seldom left courage to renew an enterprise: & therefore a man takes a greater revenge when he puts his enemy to flight, then if he take his life from him: for the sword dispatcheth a man in a day, but fear and remorse torment the mind continually: and better were it to suffer without fear that which we expect in grief and sorrow, then by fear, to be always in martyrdom: 
It is better to suffer that we fear then by fear, to be always in martyrdom.  it is right terrible to flesh and blood to die of a sword, but to be in perpetual sorrow and disquiet of mind, is the very fury and torments of hell.  
If thou eschewest my presence in fear that I will not use pity to thee, thou art abused in the opinion of my disposition, and dost wrong to the reputation and experience of my actions past: for, I never refused to show mercy to him that asked it, and much less deceived the expectation of him that put his trust in me: the doubt and fear that thus travel thy mind, aught not to be so much of my person, as of the custom of fortune, who useth not to unloose her sharp Arrows with better will against any, than such as think to be in most security of her, her nature being such as not to meddle with those that she finds prepared the better to assure them, but followeth the fearful and negligent, to the end to deceive them: yea, she prevails even over the counsels & actions of men, and being exempt to make reckoning to any, her prerogative is to require account of all men: I assure thee o Popilion, that more do I fear the revolution of fortune at this hour, than I doubted her afore the battle: For she delights not so much to keep under the vanquished, as to bridle and check the victors: And worse doth she mean when she smiles the fairest, then when she frowns most. But now to speak on thy behalf, I tell thee, that without danger thou mayst resort to my presence, since in thy estate is no cause of suspicion, and in my heart no malice to thy person, for in deed that can not be called true victory, which brings not with it some clemency: And therefore he can not be named victorious, in whom resteth intent of rigour and cruelty: For Alexander, Julius Augustus, Titus, and Traianus won more renown by the clemency they used to their enemies, then by all the victories they obtained in strange regions: to obtain a victory is a thing natural & human, but to give pardon and life, is the gift and blessing of God, by which it comes to pass, that men esteem not so much the greatness of the immortal God for the punishments he doth, as for the mercy he useth: notwithstanding as I can not deny but that great is the value and estimation which we Roman Princes make of a victory won by battle, so also, I assure thee, we hold it more honourable to pardon such as offend us, then to chastise those that resist our power: therefore, if thou flee from my presence, as fearing the justice which I have executed upon the Romans, thou oughtest to take security and courage even in that which makes thee ieolouse & doubtful: For so much greater aught to be the clemency, by how much the offender is in fault: and therefore as there is no offence which can not be either forgiven or favoured, So right worthily may that pardon be called honourable and famous, which is given to an injury malicious and manifest, since all other common & light wrongs, with greater reason we may say we dissemble them, then that we pardon them.  
The thing the most draws me, to enter friendship with thee, is, for that in our last capitulations, and truce, thou perfourmedst all that was concluded for the peace, and yet in the battle, expressedst the parts of a valiant Captain, the same giving me cause to believe, that as in the wars I found thee a just enemy, so in time of peace thou wouldst prove to me an assured friend. Alexander never repented the pardon he gave to Dyomedes the tyrant, nor M. Antho. the favour he showed to the great orator Cicero, neither shall I have cause (I hope) to forethink the respite I give to thy ●ife: for the noble mind, albeit he may have occasion to be sorry for the unthankfulness of his friend, yet hath he no licence to repent him of the good turns he doth for him: And therefore in the case of liberality, or clemency, by how much the person is unworthy that receiveth the benefit, by so much more is he to be commended that bestoweth it: For, that only may be said is given, when he that giveth, gives without respect: So that, 
That is frank gift which is given without respect.  he that gives in hope of recompense, deserves not to be called liberal, but to pretend usury: Thou knowest well that in the time of the battle, & when the encounter was most hot, I offered thee nothing worthy of reproach, even so thou hast now to judge, that if in the fury of war, thou foundest me faithful and merciful, I have now no reason to exercise rigour holding thee within the precinct of my house: So that, if thou saw mercy in me at the instant when thy hands were busy to spill my blood, think not that my clemency shall fail thee, calling thee to the communion and fellowship of my table. The prisoners of thy camp can assure thee of my dealing, amongst whom, the hurt are cured at my charges, & the dead, buried according to the place of soldiers, wherein if I exercised this care upon such as sought to spoil me, think there is far greater plenty of grace to thee that comes to serve me: And so leaving thee in the hands of thine own counsel, I wish thee those felicities, which thy honourable heart desireth.   

To the Duke of ALVA, containing an exposition of a text of the Apostle, with other antiquities.  
TOgether with your letter (right excellent Duke) I have received your particular remembrances, wherein albeit I found it strange, that you should require advise of me, you, on whom the mighty Caesar reapposeth most for the counsel of his affairs: yet, since it pleaseth you thus to exercise your humility, & publish science in me, it belongs to my duty rather to put my imperfection to your judgement, then to leave your desire unsatisfied: And albeit, in the consideration of your demand, I found some perplexetie to answer, for that your honour seems to solicit me in one thing, and your conscience in an other: yet, I hope so to debate your difficulties, 
That man is happy that hath good desires.  that in your conscience shall remain no doubt, nor your reputation subject to stain or burden: For sweet is the felicity of that mind whose desires are innocent, and the works of their life just.  
A Knight of the Gentiles and careless of the health of his soul, delights more in the greatness & antiquity of his race, then in the virtue whereof his nobility took beginning, which is found contrary in the inclination & action of the true Christian Knight: 
True nobility depends of virtue and all other things are to of fortune.  For he esteems true nobility to depend of virtue, & all other things to be of fortune: And therefore, to be a good Knight, & to a true Christian, accord well together in the law of jesus Christ: because to the good & true Knight, it belongs to use courage in the effect of war, to be just in his word, liberal of his purse, patiented in adversities, and to show clemency, where he hath cause and power of revenge: all which are expressly commanded in the divine law, and are the most true & glittering ensigns of a good christian knight.  
Saint Paul ministereth this advise to his disciple Timothe, labora ut bonus miles, willing him to travel as a good Knight, not in the toils of a labourer, fisher, miller, or mariner, but in the labours of a good Christian Knight, in whom it is to be esteemed no less greatness of heart to resist vices, then to fight against enemies: And where he bids him bring forth the exercise of a good Knight, he meaneth that the goodness of a Christian knight consisteth not in pomp and great magnificence, but in the tranquillity and innocency of a good conscience: for he that walloweth in the wealth of Croesus, & sleeps not in the bosom and quietness of Abraham, holds no more than if he were Lord of a goodly vessel replenished with corrupt and poisoned liccour: to have rich tapistery, massive plate, many great horses, with other preparations to sports and pleasures, be things rather to keep our names in honour, then to minister safety to our souls, and yet as I can not deem them to be instruments to entertain our reputation, so, with all I can not allow that they are the very effects of our damnation: For we are bound to seek God in humility and faith, and not to limit his power, nor debate what he aught to determine of our estate: And as I must confess that (for the further value and reputation of Knights and great Lords) their houses are replenished, with children & youth of right honest sort: so I could wish that in their negligent or corrupt education, were suffered no liberty to insolency or vice, which then they best perform, when in themselves is expressed no example of lewd behaviour: For in the virtue of the master, is wrought the effect and example of reformation in the servant, even as the temperance of the Father is much to instruct his son in his due humility & obedience: So that who suffereth in his servant lies, swearing, 
Much is in the Father, to make his children reformed.  blasphemy, whoredoms, or other dissolute or idle disposition, albeit he be a Knight, yet he can not worthily be called a good Knight: For that the houses of good Knights aught to be as schools of instruction to youth, and not taverns to profess epicuritie: he that keeps many hawks and hounds, prepares rich and costly banquets, holds a house of general repair, and receiveth the unthrifty and banished, and he that followeth the delights of the world, and forgets his office to god, such one in his behaviour bears reason to be called a gentle Knight, for that to such belong those ornaments and ensigns, more than to gentlemen following Christianity. But acoording to the advise of the Apostle, such one aspireth to be a good Knight, who striveth to be a good Christian, 
The law of Christ gives no liberty to do evil.  for that by the law of jesus Christ, none hath liberty to exercise any vice.  
Touching the other doubt in your letter, I know not how to give you any general rule that hath been observed in all regions, for that, according to the diversity of nations, men have always used difference of customs: Lycurgus the law-reader of the Lacedemoniens held such in most honour, whose beards were most hoary, and heads most white with age: Promotheus ordained amongst the Egyptians, that to the people of justice was transferred most honour: And king Dridanius was wont to say to the Scicilians, that to the priests of the temple most honour was due: Bryas king of the Argives gave most honour to the Philosophers that read in schools: Numa Pompilius amongst the Romans was of opinion that he was worthy of most reputation, to whom had happened the victory of any famous battle: But Anaxarchus the Philosopher ordained amongst the Phenitiens, that in a commonweal such should be most honoured, who, in time of peace, entertained the state in tranquillity, and in the fury of war, was found a wise and valiant protector of their limits: In all which, albeit there was just merit of honour and reputation, yet, in common experience and reason of things we can not but confess more desert of worthiness and virtue in such, whose wisdom & discretion makes them able to dissemble & suffer: For, to be discreet in prosperity, & patiented in adversity, is the true motion & effect of a valiant & virtuous mind. If you weigh these things with the nature and property of the present time, you will conclude with me (I doubt not) but that the imperfection of your demand, takes away necessity in me to make answer: For in these days what is more familiar with the most sort, then to scoff at the reverence and dignity of old age: to disobey magistrates, despise justice, scorn the Clergy, laugh at the want of Captains, persecute the wise sort, and betray such as follow virtue and simplicity of life: So that in an age thus hardened, and time so unthankful, that man takes upon him no small enterprise, who strives to be virtuous, since virtue is a thing that prepares us to immortality, 
Virtue prepares us to immortality  and makes us equal with the heavens: In times past, he that knew most, was esteemed best: but now, who is most rich, is raised to most honour: So that the condition of this age is, to esteem men so much the more, by how much they wallow in wealth, and to measure their reputation, not with the dignity of their virtues, but according to the faculty and fullness of their richesse: For worldly men are so infected with corruption, and their nature so subject to revolution and change, that in cases of promotion, high office and dignity are rather bought with money, then deserved by virtue. In times past, there was no man areared to honour but he that deserve it: but now who are called but such as search it with money. In the former ages, men of science were searched for in far countries, but now though they knock at our gates, they are not suffered to enter, not, our corruption & customs draw us to other delights. In that golden world, there was no senate, or counsel established, where was not resident some excellent Philosopher: and now where have we any palace, which is not replenished with scoffers & inventors of vanity: such was the felicity of those days, that he that was virtuous, had liberty to control the wicked, where now, there is no more common subjection then that the good sort are reproved by the vile abjects & skomme of all people: In that most happy posterity, the good sort only had licence to speak, where now the wicked are they that know not how to hold their peace: yea in those flourishing seasons, the chaff was sifted from the corn, the weed dissevered from the good herb, good men preferred, & the wicked punished, yea vice was suffered to hold no society with virtue: For that where vice is supported by authority, men grow worse and worse, 
To restrain punishment is a great error in government.  and where punishment is restrained there insolency commands the laws, which is the greatest error that can be suffered in government.  
Touching your demand, what manner of people in the time of the Gentiles were called thieves, and the sorts of punishment they were put unto: although there be great necessity in your request, and no less insufficiency in me to satisfy it, yet I will answer you with the opinion of Aulus Gelius, who describing many orders of thieves, distinguished aswell their punishments, as some kinds of thefts, which according to the time and person that commits them, may oftentimes be taken for faults, but not esteemed as thefts▪ For in pain & judgement the quality with the quantity, must be considered. The ancients held him as a thief, who, either in the field, or town, took away that which was an others, and made no body privy to it, or against the will of the owner: he also was esteemed as a thief, who borrowed a horse for one days journey, and retained him longer: he also was accounted a thief, who being put in trust with the keeping of other men's goods, converted them to his proper use, as if they had been his own. Lastly he boor the name of a thief, which borrowed any thing for ten days, & restored it not in twenty. And as all these in their several kinds were esteemed robbers and thieves, so the law set down for them variety of punishment: For amongst the Greeks, they were marked on the forehead with hot irons, to the end to be more readily known. 
Punishments for thieves.  The statutes of Lycurgus were to cut of their noses: Promotheus ordained that they should be committed to children to punish them at their pleasure: by the law of Numa Pompilius, one of their hands was cut of. But the first that invented to cut of their ears, or strangle them upon gibbets, were the Goathes, who, (notwithstanding in other respects were Barbarus) yet used they severe justice to thieves and robbers: But at this day (sir) if there were commission to hung up all the thieves in the world, I fear there would be more want of Gibbets, then of robbers to furnish them. And greatly have we to desire with Diogeves, that the great thieves should not so hung up the little ones, nor the laws be made like to Spider webs, who suffer the great ones to pierce and pass thorough without punishment, and strangle the little fly, in whom is lest offence.   

To done FERDINANDO de TOLEDO, to whom are expounded two Authorities of the Scripture, and the custom of the Egyptians in the death of their friends.  
I Have not thus long forborn to writ to you, in any negligent respect, as remembering with what devotion you required me, & with what humility and affection I am bound to obey you: And now if my answer seem to short to satisfy you, let the same discretion which is wont to take all things in the best, bear now with my wretched infirmity of the gout, which hath made me such a Martyr, that much less that I have leisure to writ, seeing I have no ability to stir or move: Yea, it hath left no part free in my body, except my heart to sigh, and my tongue to complain: You require me to send you in writing the exposition of those two parts of the Scripture which I pronounced not long since, afore the Majesty of Caesar, which as I can not deny you considering your Authority, even so, I hope you will weigh the difficulty that belongs to it, since the Pen can give no such grace to describe a matter, as the Tongue to pronounce it. The first was written in the 19 of Leviticus, in these words: Super mortuos non incidietis carnes vestras neque figuras aliquas. etc. God, by Moses, commanded here the Hebrews that when any of their parents or friends died they should not Shave their heads, nor rend their Faces, and much less hurt any other part of the body, not, nor imprint any carat in the same: By the meaning of which commandment, we may gather that the children of Jsraell having dwelled many years with the Egipans, learned of them many wicked and pernicious customs: For as (more than any other people) they were given to the Mathematyke Sciences, and other arts and faculties superstitious, as Magic and Nigromoncie, so there was no nation, that in the death of their friends expressed greater ceremonies than the Egyptian, who showed signs of stronger friendship to his friend being dead, then when he lived: For, when either the Father lost his Son, or the Son bereaved of his Father, or any other man by death was deprived of his private friend: they resorted forthwith to this custom, to shave the one half of their hair, expressing thereby that their friend being dead, they had lost the one moiety of their heart: For which cause, God forbade the Hebrews to make themselves bald, to the end they should not be like the Egyptian women, who in the funerals of their husbands, parents, children, or great friends, used to scratch & disfigure their faces with their proper nails: which custom god forbade in the women of Jsrael, lest, for using the ceremonies of the Egyptians they stood not subject to the scourges of Egypt: the inferior sacrificators of Egypt, when their high priests died, used to make certain carrects (according to their particular fancy) in their hands, arms, or breasts, to the end that as often as they beheld them, they might express compassion & tears, as also at the death of their king, all the officers & servants of his house, made wounds in their arms, hands, face, or head, every one making his wound so much the deeper, by how much he stood in favour with the king: But God commanding the hebrews to refrain such wilful hurting of themselves, forbade them to imitate the Egyptians, nor to follow the customs of the household servants of their king: for that in all those ceremonies were effects of superstiton, & only innovated by the devil, yea, they brought hurt to such as lived, & were in vain to those that were dead: In the old law God also forbade men to labour the field with yokes of oxen & asses: And to Sow in one ground two kinds of grain, with such like, which were not without mystery, because all those customs depended upon the Ceremonies of the Egyptans, which God would not should hold any use amongst the people of Jsraell: But here we have to note that God restrained not men to use sorrow and tears in the death of their friends: For, as other Ceremonies are in our will, either to do, or not do them, so sorrow and heaviness for the loss or absence of a friend do as naturally follow fleshy and blood, as our appetite to eat and drink: and though by reason some men may dissemble them, yet by nature there are few that can avoid them: Therefore God that made the heart, and joined to it his affections, never added any law to forbidden tears and weeping: seeing to the heart, (whose chiefest property consists in tenderness) there can be offered nothing more intolerable or grievous: then to see itself divided from the thing it holds most dear: the same standing good in apparent example in the experience and disposition of any two creatures, who, (after their long conversation together) if they be separated, or their fauns enforced, will immediately (according to their kind) declare their passion: the Lion will roar, the Cow will yell, the Swine will gront, & the Dog cannot but howl: much more than is the condition of Man subject to sorrow and heaviness, as in whom nature breeds a more quick and raging sense of passion for the discontinuance of their dear friends: And if we have compassion over the misadventure of a stranger, or the losses of our neighbour suffering casualty, or living in absence, are we restrained to less remorse for the death of our great friend whom we see put into the grave? For which cause the Philosopher was of opinion that so many times did a man die, how often he lost his friends: For that since two hearts united in one honest affection, have but one being and place of residence, it is good reason that we bewail the death of our chosen friends even with the same nature and compassion which we would do our own: The second part of the discourse is drawn out of Deut. in this text: Eligite ex vobis viros sapientes, etc. my will is (saith God) that all such as aspire to the administration of public government, shall be wise and noble: This commandment was not pronounced of God without great mystery, but chiefly that governors should be both wise and noble, for that as wisdom without nobleness, is a troublesome thing, so nobility without wisdom is but as a soul without a body, or as a painted fire that becomes the wall, but gives no heat to the beholder: Therefore as to be governed by a magistrate flowing in science & knowledge, & failing of nobleness, is both miserable & troublesome: so, it cannot but be intolerable to live under the controlment of him, to whom fortune hath given greatness of place & birth, & grace & nature denied discretion & other temperance's of the spirit, so that to make up a full perfection, it is necessary the judge have knowledge to debate & determine causes, & nobility to moderate the residue of the affections of the mind, yet, The wisdom which god requires in the magistrates of his common weal, aught not to stretch to subtlety or tyranny, but to be tempered with modesty, sweetness, & gracious behaviour, 
What is required of a judge in matters of council.  for a judge, in the office & causes of council, is no less bound to the observation of the law, religion, faith, & equity, then to be void of all hate, envy, fear, covetousness, or other corrupt affections, it was not without cause that god commanded to institute the judges over his people, of noble condition, seeing it is a great argument of the surety & tranquillity of the state, whose magistrate is compounded of nobility and modesty. Therefore the first governor that administered the commonweal of god, was the easy & gracious Moses, whom gods providence led to be nourished in the court of Pharaoh by the kings daughter, to the end that in such society & experience of so many wise and noble judges, he might learn how to entreat & assure good men in their innocency, & how to chastise the evil amid their wickedness, 
A magistrate aught rather to be terrible in threats then in punishment.  the affairs of war are far different from the policy & government of a commonweal established: for that in matters of enterprise, it is meet the captain be valiant, but to govern at home let the magistrate express affability & sweetness, for that a ruler aught rather to be terrible in threats, then in punishment, & so to temper his authority that his people may feel his power rather with his liberality than with injuries: And albeit it is no general rule that all the common sort be rude and barbarus, nor that every courtier is fully furnished with civility: yet, in such as receive their form & fashion in courts of princes, is always found more respect, consideration, and judgement of things, & are of a better correction of manners, than the others. There be few things which aught to be guided by rigour of justice, but fewer to be governed by force, by which reason it behoveth the judge to be wise and noble, to the end that by wisdom he may know what justice is, and by his nobility he may moderate the rigour of the law:   

A discourse afore the Emperor CHARLES the fifth, Wherein is handled the Pardom that Christ demanded of his Father for his enemies,  
Pater ignosce illis quia nesciunt quid faciunt. 
Amongst all the chief and principal virtues, the most worthy is that which we call wisdom, for that without it, justice is resolved into cruelty, temperance takes the habit of rage and fury, and fortitude brings forth tyranny: for which cause Christ saith not expressly to his Disciples, be temperate, be strong, or be just, but he biddeth them be wise as serpents, & simple as Doves, advising us thereby, 
Math. 10.  that he that is discreet in spirit & behaviour, can not but be just in that he commands, moderate in his actions, and strong in whatsoever he enterpriseth. For he that is wise, is constant, & he that is constant is not troubled, & who is not troubled, lives without sorrow & heaviness: so that the discreet man is happy since wisdom & discretion are compounded upon the knowledge of things good & evil: 
Praise of wisdom.  So excellent is the gift of wisdom, that by the providence & direction of it, abuses past are reformed, things present are ordered, & by it men have the faculty to foresee chances to come: by which may be concluded, that he that is not furnished with that high grace, stands void of mean to recover that which he hath lost, is unable to retain that which he hath, and hath no power to aspire to that which he hopeth for: 
Psal. 118.  Thou hast made me wise over mine enemies, saith the Prophet David, wherein he seems to offer thanks to the Lord, for that though by his wickedness & sin, he hath deserved to have enemies, yet the Lord hath succoured him in giving him mean to defend himself against them by his wisdom, without the which he had not been able to have served God, nor resisted his adversaries. So noble is the virtue & grace of wisdom, that she cannot choose her perpetual dwelling, in a person altogether wicked: And therefore, when we see any polletique in that they do, subtle in that they say, provident in their plots & purposes, & diligent to execute their enterprises: 
jerom. 4.  of such let us say w S. Jerom, quod sapientes sunt ut malum faciunt, facere autem bonum nesciunt: such are wise men to do evil, but to do well they neither know the way, nor have the mean: Saul in a great presence of his peers & potentates, said thus of David: Novi david filium Isai virum bellicosum, 
1. Kings. 16.  et prudentem in verbis: I know David the son of Jsai to be valiant in Arms, & discreet in speech, wherein we have to note that the scripture commends not David somuch for the stability of his countenance, nor for his gravity in the judgement of cases, nor for his policy in the expedition of wars, as for the discretion he used in disposing his speech & words, the same remaining to us as a good argument & example, that in nothing may be expressed and manifested the virtue of wisdom more than in ordering the speech, the wiseman useth this text Tempus loquendi et tempus tacondi, 
Eccle. 3  meaning, that then a wiseman is best known, when he hath discretion to discern the difference of times to speak, & times to use silence: for all things of this life, have their place to stay in, there being, by mean whereof they are preserved: time to work their condition whereunto they are inclined, & have end, wherein they suffer end: God assigneth seasons, & enhableth every time to his proper office & function: for, as in one time men throw séed into the ground, so an other season brings unto them their increase & fruit: sometimes men travel, & other seasons are appointed to rest: at one time princes build, & at another they pull down: and at sometimes there is liberty to speak, when at another season it is more convenient to use silence: So that as every thing hath his time, & every time his proper season: so it is necessary to speak when there is consent of time & place, together with good council & consideration of the matter that is spoken: 
silence is a gift without peril.  for as silence is a gift without peril, & contains in it many good things: so, it were better our silence brought our simplicity in suspicion, then to speak either inconveniently, idly, or unnecessarily: this text tempus tacendi. & tempus loquendi, teacheth us, that if first we learn not when to hold our peace, we shall hardly know how to speak in opportunity: seeing with the advised & resolute man this is one property, to ponder & make a judgement of his words, afore he deliver them publicly: And therefore it is holden an assured sign of a wiseman, when he expresseth the true difference between his liberty to speak, & discretion to hold his peace: for as, such may be his necessity to speak, that to use silence, could not be without great suspicion of his ignorance: so also, so requisite may be the occasion to hold his peace, that to speak cannot be without imputation of folly: by which reason, the wiseman speaking so much of time, gives us liberty to speak in season, & not otherwise, advising us further that as to use continual silence cannot be without sign of great simplicity, so, to speak out of opportunity and purpose breeds in itself an opinion of great folly.  
Who seeth his brother, 
Ezech. 3  saith the Prophet wallowing in wickedness and sin, and doth not admonish and persuade him to conversion, God will require account of the sins of the offender at his hands as consenting and guilty to his wickedness: the prophet Esay, being sorry that he had holden his peace, cried out, va mihi quia tacui: as if he had said, 
Esay. 6.  O Lord God, how many faults I have dissembled and kept secret, so many ways am I guilty, for that if I had disclosed them, I had been rebuked and reformed: But if it be an evil thing to keep silence, it is yet worse to speak, according to the example and experience in Caynemaior est iniquitas mea quam ut ventam merear, 
Gene. 4  so great is my sin, that I deserve no grace nor mercy. Much better had it been for Cayn to have holden his peace, then to speak so evil, for that his wickedness was more intolerable despairing of God's mercy, then for the murder he made of his brother. Thus we see the Prophet was culpable for using silence, and cain condemned because he spoke: by which we may gather the great necessity we have of wisdom to use time to speak, and time to suffer silence: For as the tree is known by his fruit, & the virtue of a man discerned by his works, so, in his words and speech, are disclosed the quality of his wisdom, or simplicity: And as jesus Christ in all his actions, was no less patient to hear, then moderate in speaking, so, we find not in scripture, that he ever delivered word in vain, nor never held his peace but for fear of slander: And although it be a miserable compulsion to use silence in things which we have desire to disclose, yet, considering silence brings sewerty, and contains in itself many other goodly things, let us stand restrained to the two seasons which Socrates alloweth without reprehension: the one is when we speak of that which we manifestly know, and the other when we have in hand things necessary: In which two times only, as speech is better than Silence, so in all other Seasons, experience approveth that we aught to prefer silence afore speaking.   

To what purpose or intentions tended all the speeches of jesus Christ.  
THe words of our Saviour tended either to the praise of his Father, 
Math. 13.  as when he humbled himself in this speech Confiteor tibi pater: or to teach men what they aught to do, when he said Beati mites: 
Math. 5  or else to reprehend wickedness and sin, when he cried, 
Luke. 11  vae vobis legis peritis. So that when he was not occupied to give praise and glory to his Father, nor to preach doctrine, nor to rebuke vices, it was then he was settled in a devout and holy silence: The Hebrews led him to their consistories afore three judges, that is to say, they brought him to the Palace before Herod, to the Bishop's house before Annas, & to the tree of the cross before his Father, at which place only he spoke, and in the others he used silence: and therefore afore the two first tribunals he was accused of crime because he held his peace: & standing as advocate afore the third, he spoke: And albeit right great & infinite were the works which our Redeemer did from the time he was taken till he was crucified, yet his words were few, and his speeches in very small number, the better to teach us, that in time of tribulation and adversity, we aught more to seek our consolation in a holy and devout patience, then to prefer or express great eloquence.  
Christ then being upon the hill of Calvary, not only condemned to death, but very near the passion of the same, having his flesh pierced with nails, & his heart burning in zeal and love, cried to his father. Pater ignosce illis quia nesciunt quid faciunt, as if he had said: O eternal father, in recompense that I am come into the world: and in consideration of the preaching that I have made of thy name: In satisfaction of the pains and crucifying that I endure, and in respect that I have reconciled the world to thee: I require no other reward, but that it may be thy good pleasure to pardon these mine enemies who have sinned to the end I should die, and I suffer death because they may live: forgive them, since thou knowest, and all the world seeth, that in my blood is paid and satisfied their crime, & with my charity I have raised and put them in my glory, so that let my death be sufficient, to the end that no other death have more place in the world: Pardon them, since thou knowest, that the death which triumphed in the cross, and by the which I am nailed to the same, is crucified hear in this tree: by means whereof (o everlasting Father) I beseech thee esteem more the charity wherein I die for them, than the malice by the which they prosecute my death: forgive them (O heavenly Father) since if thou considerest these my enemies in the nature and merit of their sins, there will not be found in the furies of Hell torments worthy enough to punish them: Then better is it (O gracious Father) that thou Pardon them since that as there was never the like fault committed, so shalt thou never have occasion to use the like mercy: And seeing my death is sufficient to save all such as are borne, or to be borne: those that are absent, present, dead and on live: It is no reason that these hear should be shut out from that benefit being a thing of most equity, justice, and right, that as my blood is not spilled but with thy consent, so also, by thy hands it should be well employed.  
In this, we have to note that Christ said not, Lord pardon them, but he said Father forgive them, as describing this difference between those two estates, that to a Lord, belongs properly to have bondmen, Subjects, and Vassals, and the name of a Father presupposeth to have children, so that he required his Father not to judge them as Lord, but besought him to pardon them as a Father: Christ also said not conditionally, Father if it be thy pleasure forgive them, but he prayed absolutely (after himself had forgiven them) that his Father would Pardon them, by which example we are put in remembrance, that the reconcilement which we make with our Enemies, aught to be pure, absolute, and without affection: Besides, our Redeemer said not singularly, Father Pardon him, but he spoke plurally, by which we may be informed, that as he prayed not particularly for any one in private, but generally for all, so his blood dispersed on the cross was not only sufficient to redéem one only World, but to satisfy the Ransom of a Million of Worlds: And out of this mystery may be drawn this construction that our Saviour, praying generally for all expresseth himself, so liberal to give, and so merciful to pardon, that when he forgeues a sinner any offence, he pardoneth with all his other crimes.  
It is not also without mystery that Christ said not I forgive them, but besought his Father to Pardon them: For that if the Son only had pardoned them after his death, the Father might have demanded the injury, because that if the Son had forgiven them, he had done it as a man, where the execution of the justice remained in God, but as the divine word, yea the living Lord, hath performed this pardon with so true a heart, so hath he not suffered that there remain in it any scruple: And therefore he besought his Father to pardon them, to the end that by the humanity which he endured, and divinity which suffered it, his enemies might be at the instant absolved, and we others have hope to obtain remission.   

¶ That when CHRIST our Lord gave pardon he left nothing to forgive.  
IN like sort we have to note that jesus Christ required not his Fathere to pardon them after his death, but besought him to forgive them at the instant, advising us by the example that to be good christians, and true followers of our redeemer, it behoveth us: afore we pass out of this life, to dissolve & break all rancour and malice: for the froward and seditious shall have much to endure in the other world, if in this life they were slow to pardon and forgive. But since the speech which the Lord expressed upon the cross, was so high and excellent, it can not be out of purpose to dispute what good thing the Hebrews did to deserve so famous a pardon: for, somuch more noble and great is the remission, by how much less there is occasion given to do it. 
Five injuries done to Christ at his suffering.  In the death of our Saviour the hebrews offered many great and unnatural injuries, for the lest whereof, much less that there was merit of pardon, where, in the act was sufficient desert to have them all thrown quick into the deepest bottoms of hell: 
A circumstance of the passion of Christ.  In the first, they did not only put him to death by malice (being the man most tolerable in their common weal) but they set at liberty Barrabas a common murderer of the quick, and crucified jesus Christ which raised from death such as suffered death: if the execution had been done in some distant village far removed from the Cities and resort of people, the injury and dishonour had been more tolerable: But to their wicked Conspiracy to put him to death, they joined a most abominable mean and manner of execution, and applying it proper to their revenge to bring open shame to his innocency, they crucified him in the great City of jerusalem, where Christ stood in state of good reputation for his sermons, and had there his allies and kindred, even men of great honour and honesty. In their determination to put him to death, although they published the execution in jerusalem: yet, if they had either taken the night, or chosen some private house, the time and place had not so apparently detected their malice. For that is more than barbarous fierceness, where is no respect to time, place, nor person, observations naturally remembered even amongst tigers and lions in their extremest passions of rage and fury. But of the contrary at the the third hour they led him out of the City, and the sixth, they crucified him, and at the ninth hour he yielded up the Ghost: seasons wherein the day reigneth in his most clearness, and people make their common assembles: In whose sight, they aught to have forborn to have crucified that innocent Lamb, between two thieves, he, whose race and lineage was of Kings, and esteemed to be the sovereign Prophet: But to persecute him as well with ignominy, as with pain, they gave him society with Robbers and thieves, to the end the world might think that he was the greatest thief of all: They might lastly have referred him to a kind of death less slanderous to hear, and not so cruel to suffer: but according to their insatiable malice, they restrained Pilate to that election & choice of death, as wherein might be wrought to our Redeemer most appearance of obloquy and shame: for malice, 
Malice the mistrese of injustice.  being the Mistress of injustice, stirs up both the thoughts and hands of men to wicked things: Albeit these were the works which they did, & the merits for the which jesus Christ should procure them Pardon and mercy: yet, in recompense of this unworthy death, and so many blasphemous wrongs, Christ cried with a pitiful voice, saying: Father forgive them, for they know no what they do: Here may be brought in the saying of the Prophet speaking in the person of jesus Christ, Supra dorsum meum fabricaverunt pecatores: 
Psal. 128.  prolongaverunt iniquitatem suam: as if he had said, I know not what I have done against thee, o sinagog, and yet thou hast been against me from mine infancy, thou hast persecuted me in my youth, and in the fruit and ripeness of mine age thou hast crucified me, and yet hast discharged all thy sins upon my shoulders: Supra dorsum meum fabricaverunt pecatores: Adam was the first that laid upon my shoulders disobedience: his Wife Eve, sloth and epicuritie: cain his son, Murder and slaughter: the Patriarch Loth, incest: King David, adultery: Jeroboam his Son Idolatry: and all the synagogue so discharged upon me her malice, that, where they in their wickedness committed the crimes, I upon the Cross paid for them the ransom of their pains, which are not only for that they laid upon my back all their offences, but because that assembling and heaping wickedness upon wickedness, they have prolonged their iniquity, and have not been sorry for that they have done, but because they were able to do no more: so that, if their joys were great to see my death, great also was their displeasure by the mean of my resurrection: Thus these miserable Hebrews have increased and prolonged their iniquity, bearing envy to the Doctrine of jesus Christ, of which envy, they conceived hatred, and of that hatred they conspired together to crucify him, and being bold to crucify him, they took impudency to mock him, and after they had Scorned him they denied his resurrection, and so resolved into obstinacy, that jesus Christ said not of them without cause, Expugnaverunt me a Iuuentute mea, 
Psal. 12●.  Continuing to Persecute me even unto my Grave.  
But having thus deduced the small reasons of the hebrews to put Christ to death, 
Christ used most sweet words when he asked pardon for his enemies.  together also with the slender occasions they gave him to obtain there Pardon: Let us withal speak of the great bounty wherewith he recompensed their cruelty, and of the unuersall pardon which he obtained of his Father for them: wherein the circumstances deserve almost as much to be noted, as the pardon itself: jesus Christ then well expressed his inestimable bounty in the prayer which he commended to his Father at the instant of his death requiring pardon for his enemies: A thing so much the more vehemently desired of him, by how much he knew it was most necessary to them for whom he prayed: Christ also felt bitterly the tears and sorrows of his mother (but that was a passion according to the nature & condition of a son:) But the destruction of the hebrews touched him in the zeal and compassion of a creator: The dollars of his Mother could not stay him from dying for his enemies, for that he knew that she had brought him forth in great joy, but he had redeemed the hebrews with most bitter travel: In this also appeared his wonderful bounty, that in his Prayer he called not on the majesty of God by the title of Lord, but by the name of Father: A name truly wherein is virtue to make easy and tractable the heart of a man being appealed unto by his Son: Frons meretricis facta est tibi et noluisti erubescere: revertere ad me, et dic Pater meus es 〈◊〉. Saith God, speaking to the Sinagogge of the Jews by his Prophet jeremy, as if he had said: O Jsraell, albeit thou art so obstinate is thy malice, that thou takest no more shame of thy Sins, than a common woman dividing her body to strange Flesh, yet, if thou come afore me in Prayer and call me Father, I will answer thee, and acknowledge thee for my Son: By this we have to think that it was not to obtain a small thing, when he began his Prayer by this invocation, Father forgive them: yea, he made offer of the same Phrase for the remission of his Enemies, which he would have done, if he had prayed for the advancement of his best friends: But in recompense of this Wonderful affection and Zeal, that Nation (replenished with malice) Cried out to pilate to crucify him, who refusing to commit his innocency to sentence, and not finding in him worthiness of Death, they cried eftsoons Sanguis eius super nos et super Filios nostros: 
Math. 27.  Be not so scrupulus to judge an offender say they for if thou think thou dost an unjust thing, let the Venggeance of his innocency fall upon us and our Posterity: 
An indiscreet demand of the jews.  but from this petition jesus Christ seemed to appeal, for that as they Cried that his blood might be against them, so of the contrary he sought to make that Holy effusion profitable to them: So that where they demanded of pilate their condemnation, he Prayed to his Father for their Pardon: For a man to do no Evil to his Enemy may very well happen: to Pardon Enemies belongs to the Office of CHRISTIANS, to love an Enemy is the work of a perfect man: But to pardon him which would not obtain pardon, was never done by any but by jesus Christ: For when the Hebrews cried Sanguis eius super nos, Christ life up his voice and zeal to his Father, Pater ignosce illis: There was no great distance between the time of the petition of the Jews, and the Prayer of our Saviour: for as they cried at the the third hour to have him crucified, and that the revenge of his blood might light upon them and theirs, so at the ninth hour, Christ prayed to his Father to forgive them: O Father (saith he) let not the vengeance of my death redound upon them, neither stretch out thine Ire upon this people that know not what they do, for they are ignorant of the price of their demand and protestation that with such obstinate vehemency they pursue to Pilate: Much better than did the Apostle consider and feel this great misery, when he said, Accessitis ad sanguinis aspersionem melius loquentem quam abell: O wretched Hebrews and happy O we Christians, who have obtained pardon by the effusion of the blood of the Son of God, shed by your mean: this speech sure was far otherways, than the saying of Abel crying justice, justice, but our Saviour said mercy, mercy: So that, the iniquity so general, and sin so wicked as ours is, had need of such an advocate as is jesus Christ, for who was so fit to obtain Pardon for our sins, as he whose innocency made him without sin.   

That God was wont to be called the God of vengeance, and now is he named the Father of mercy.  
Jesus Christ, Langushing in torment and Martyrdom upon the Cross, expressed an other manner of Testament to the world, than King David, who in the very passions of death, charged Solomon his Son not to suffer the grey hears of Joab to come to the grave without blood, nor the lives of his subjects & servants, to end without revenge: yet they had not somuch as touched his garment to offend him, where the Lord would not cease to purchase pardon even for those by whose violent hands was wrought the effect of his death: Deus ultionum dominus, deus ultionum, saith David speaking of the justice of god, thou Lord art the god of revenge, since that from the instant that we commit the offence, it is thou that thondrest punishment upon us: yea thou art so called because of the fear that the world hath of thee, & that thou dealest with the generations of men in so great rigour: with the ancients he was called the God of revenge for the immediately that Adam had transgressed, 
Genes. 3. Genes. 7. Genes. 19 Exod. 32.  he was chased out of the earthly paradise: the regions of the earth by the universalflud were drowned: the two cities by his rigour subverted: the faction of Aron and Abiram consumed: the idolaters that offered worship to the calf, committed to death: the thief of Hiericho stoaned: and the host of Senacherib overthrown: yea, without offering wrong to any, he did justice to all: 
Ad huc carnes erant in dentibus eorum et ecce furor domini, et percussit populum plaga magna.  That god in those times was the god of vengeance, appeareth in the action on the mount Raphin, when the Hebrues demanded of Moses to give them flesh to eat, which turned to their great damage, for that they had scarcely begun to taste the flesh of the quails falling in their host, when lo the indignation of the lord slew such multitudes of them, that the scripture forbears to express the number: The revenge of the offence of the king Abimelech, denying the Jsraelites to pass thorough his countries, 
Resensui quod fecit Abimelech Jsrael vade ergo et interfice a viro usque, ad muliere bovem, ●ouem et Camelum. etc. 1. King.  was it not executed three hundredth years after the fault & in the reign of Saul to whom god said, I keep remembrance of the small regard which Abimelech gave to my commandments stopping the passage of my people thorough his realms, against whom look that thou rise & arrear thine army, & cut in pieces all his people, sparing neither man woman nor beast: by which example with many others of equal continuance and equity, the men of the world may perceive, how deep and unsearchable are the judgements of god: who sometimes punish the ymediat offender, & oftentimes transferreth the correction upon such only as descend of their race: So that he punisheth no man without desert, 
Psal. 50  and therefore not without mystery is he called by the Prophet, the God of revenge, because that albeit he useth to dissemble for sometime our transgessions committed against his majesty, yet they are not perpetually forgotten with him.  
The same God that the hebrews had and worshipped in those times, do the Christians hold at this day as true and sovereign Lord, of whom the Apostle yéeldes better testimony to the Church, than did David to the synagogue: For David called him the God of vengeance, and the Apostle honoureth him by the name of Father of mercy and consolation: wherein as David was not without some occasion to ascribe unto him that surname & title, so the Apostle also had better reason to invocate him in the phrase of merciful father, for that in that law of rigour & fear, God had a property to chastise people & nations, where in this law of grace, he visiteth us in affection & mercy, whereby having changed custom he hath also joined unto him an other property of name & title, being now worthily called the father of mercy according to his many examples of mercy & pity expressed upon many sinners: as upon S. Mthew in remitting his usuries, upon Mary Magdaline in pardoning her vanities, upon the Samartiayne in forgiving her adulteries, upon the thief in purging his thefts, upon S. Peter that had denied him, and upon the wretched hebrews that conspired his death: O merciful jesus, & delight of our souls, since the time is passed wherein thy father was named the God of revenge, 
A good prayer.  & the season come wherein he is called upon by the name of father of mercies: we beseech thee o saviour of the race of man, to have pity upon our souls, & amend our lives, we that are thy brethren & members of thy church: and since in losing ourselves we loose much, & the mean of our safety stands only in thy goodness, pardon us according to thy holy custom & property of thy nature: o creator of all things, & redeemer of all faults, since thou hast spoken by thy Prophet, I will not the death of a sinner but that he live and be converted: Behold us O Lord in thy presence and converted to thee: Receive us O infinite and perpetual God as our Father, and pardon us as thy children: and as we confess with humility: Tibi solipecavimus, so, let it be thy pleasure to say to thy Father, Pater ignosce illis: he was called in the old law the God of revenge, because his will was that there should be restitution of eye for eye, tooth for tooth, and hand for hand: But in the law of grace he is called Father of mercy, for that he hath commanded to tender love for hate, honour for infamy, clemency for cruelty, & pardon for injury, Locuti sunt adversum me lingua dolosa et odio circundiderunt me, expugnaverunt me, 
Psal. 108.  gratis ego autem orabam, saith David speaking in the person of jesus Christ, O sinagog full well do I know that thou canst work me no more evil than thou hast already done: for thou hast hated me with thy heart, blasphemed me with thy tongue, & killed me with thy hands, & in recompense of these deadly wrongs, I prayed to my father for thee, & with vehement humility called upon him to hear my prayer: This Prophecy sure as it was pronounced by David both king & Prophet, so hath it also been accomplished by jesus Christ: For at the time when they crucified him with nails & torments, at the instant when they blasphemed him with their tongues, at the season when they held his Prophets in derision▪ yea when he licored the earth with his blood, and opened the heavens with his tears, even than did he pray with great compassion to his father, to pardon them: o wonderful bounty of our saviour, who seeing even from the cross his greatest enemies, Quod locuti sunt adversum illum quod odio circundiderunt, & without occasion expugnaverunt illum, & yet he prayed for them, as if they had been free & exempt from fault: great is the action of this bounty, overpassing the reach of man, and exceeding the judgement of Angels, and yet a work right worthy of the Lord, between whose holy intentions, and Wicked working of his Enemies, is expressed no small difference: For that for love, they rendered hate: they appointed him prisoner, where he purchased their delivery: they accused him, where he excused them: they persented him afore Pilate where he offered them to God his father: yea, where he desired to have them pardoned they procured to see him crucified: so that in this he expresseth a greater zeal to them, than they can bear to themselves, for that he holdeth the offender absolved, & demands pardon of his Father afore the fault he confessed: They prepared gall and vinegar to present him in the passion of death, and sharped their lance to pierce his sides, and yet he besought his father to remit the punishment afore they had actually committed the sin: if the son of God, would have demanded any other thing of his Father, the present view and estate of his martyrdom ministered sufficient occasion: for he might have desired of his Father to remove the pangs of his passion, or to ease the pains of his flesh pierced thorough with nails: to take his enemies from his presence, to prevent the obloquy to suffer between two thieves, or lastly he might have demanded that after his death to his body might be joined a sepulchre: But to requests of such nature, the saviour of the world seemed to carry small regard, & less expectation of comfort or ease to his own distress: not, he esteemed it a thing far more worthy of him, & an act of greater charity to require pardon for his enemies rather than to seek solace for his present sorrows, or be careful for his pains to come: each redeemer of the world, let it please thee (we beseech thee) that as in the act of the holy sacrifice celebrated by thee upon the cross, thou prayedst for thine enemies, & besought thy father to pardon them: that even by the same bounty thou wouldst also vouchsafe to prai to thy father for us particularly, saying, pater ignosce illis: for albeit we were not of the number of those that crucified thee, yet we are not exempt from transgressing thy commandments, and are even with the first that have offended thee: it sufficed not Christ to say only Pater ignosce illis, but in excusing them he added Nesciunt Quid faciunt: O Father (saith he) forgive them, as people that know not the harm that they do in putting me to death, and as men ignorant of the displeasures that will happen for want that they have not known me: vouchsafe to supply the fault of their ignorance, Quia nesciunt quid faciunt: Rightly spoke the Lord of them, when he said They know not what they do, for ignorance was to them knowledge that by his blood should be a appeased the wrath of the Father: the seats eftsoons replenished which were made void by the offence of the wicked Angels: the old sin of Adam defaced, & the universal world redeemed: This was an assured argument of their ignorance, for that they put to death the son of God, the inheritor of eternity, the workman of the world, the lord of angels, & he which is not only just, but justice itself: truly they knew not what they did, since the time will come wherein shallbe redemaunded of them the blood of the innocent, their city destroyed & laid open to spoil, their rich temple reversed, their sacrifices confounded, & their law take end: yea, until the revolution of the world, they shall wander as vagabonds, without law & without king: Nesciunt quid faciunt, for by the effusion of that precious blood, the Church hath succeeded the smagog: jesus Christ (taken place of Moses:) baptism supplanted circumcision: the Apostles succeeded the Prophets, the old testament, the new: the cross of jesus Christ abolished the serpent of brass, & the sacraments of the Church defaced, the old sacrifices, so that as they took away the life of jesus christ with pains on the cross, so in the same, he put end to their synagogue: vouchsafe then o merciful Lord the as thou hast pardoned them who without any submission crucified thee, so, thou wilt also remit our sins the prostrate afore thee accompany our petitions with tears & humility, beseeching thee to communicate unto us during the use of this life, thy spirit of grace & fear, & in the other world the fruition of thy majesty in glory.    

A discourse afore the Emperor wherein is touched the Conversion of the good Thief.  
Domine memento mei, cum veneris in regnum tuum. 
TO every Christian judgement, aught to be acceptable this notable saying of Boetius: Nihil ex omni part beatum: as if he had said, there is nothing in this world so perfect wherein cannot be found imperfection, nor any thing so universally blessed which is not subject to his bale, error, & reprehension: yea, few things contain their just measure, being brought to the yard, & fewer are found to hold equity of weight when they are poised in the balance: Man of himself is so small a matter, and by reason of his frailty of so weak power & apprehension, that there was never prince so mighty, Philosopher so wise, Captain so valiant, nor any one so established in bliss in whose condition could not be found occasion of correction, & in their life amendment of behaviour: what is he to whom god hath given creation, & the earth disposed her natural sustenance which hath not sorrowed, which hath not sinned, & whose doings have not been entangled with error? yea, if we behold ourselves with eyes of ourselves, besides that we shall see in our common actions nothing but imperfection, error, and sin, yet also we shall find that the men of the world do many more things wherein are more occasions to repent them, than means to work their commendation: Justus es domine et rectum judicium tuum: saith the Prophet: Righteous is the Lord in all that he doth, and just in his judgements: yea, there is more certainty in the justice and judgements of the Lord, then either in the course of the Sun, the revolution of the heavens, or stability of the earth: Little honour had David attributed to God in naming him just, if he had not also said that his custom was to do justice, as in like sort it had not been enough to ascribe unto the Lord the action of justice if withal he had not given him the name, title, dignity, and reputation of Righteous: For many there are, who are just in their persons, but do not administer justice to others: as of the other side, there be such as are instruments in the distrubution of justice to others, and are not righteous in themselves: By reason whereof, we may say that so high and noble is this privilege to do all things well and in their perfection that God hath reserved it to himself, and not vouchsafed to communicate that divine prerogative to any Creature: And therefore all things upon the which the Lord bestoweth his eyes and countenance, are not only good, but also we aught to believe that in them is no imperfection or error, Quia vidit Deus cuncta qua fecerat, et erant valde bona: which falleth not out so in the Actions of man, because in whatsoever he enterpriseth or bringeth to pass is found good occasion of correction, and just reason of amendment: For the days of our life are so short, and the Art which we learn of so long study and time, that when we think we have learned any thing, it is then we stand even in the jaws of death, and are ready to pierce the Pit prepared for our corrupt Bones: In all the works of man there is imperfection according to the Sentence of Socrates, who confessed he had learned no other thing in Athens but to know that he knew nothing, wherein sure he said truly: For how Rude, Vile, or Base so ever the Art be, we find in it always more things to learn than we have learned, the same being the occasion of the Civil controversies now a days, wherein the Philosopher reasoneth against the Philosopher, the Master against the Master, and the Scholar against his mate, disputing and maintaining opinions only to seek out and know which is he that understands most: all which proceeds of the little we know, and the much we presume, and that noane will confess to be Inferior one to an other: Omnia in pondere et mensura fecisti: 
god hath made all things by weight and measure. Wisdom. 11.  saith the wise man speaking of God, thou hast made all things O Lord by weight and measure which being above the power and prerogative of man, falls out contrary in all his actions: For all things in this wretched world, being guided more by opinion then by reason, it happeneth most often that we cut of and abridge that we aught most to increase and lengthen, and of the contrary, give continuance and amplyfication to things which deserve to be discontinued and diminished: But in the house of God is neither faction in opinion, nor partiality in reason, not, who can reasonably have occasion to complain, seeing that all things that he gives to us, are laid out by weight and measure: when God had Promised to Abraham the Land of promiss, he seemed forthwith desirous of the possession of it which the Lord would not agree unto afore three hundredth years were past and finished, saying unto him that Nondum completa erat malitia amorreorum, meaning, I am the great God of Jsraell, the judge of the Quick and of the Dead, and of the good and of the Wicked, and being he to whom belongs the Rod of righteous justice, and in whom only is the property to do Equity to every one, it is meet to expect yet in three hundredth years, to the end the Canaanites may deserve to lose their Land, and thy race proceed to be more worthy of it: from the time that King Saul was forgotten of GOD, until David was Elected over Jsraell, there passed Forty years afore the Sceptre was taken from the one and the other joined to the Throne of the Kingdom: In which respite of time the Lord tarried till wicked Saul become worse, and David increased in virtue and goodness: Since therefore the gifts and doings of God are administered by weight and measure, this aught to be the thought & judgement of every Christian that when he sends adversities, it is to exercise us, if he visit us with poverty, it is with this intention to make us deserve better: when he blesseth our estates with plenty, by so much more aught we to retribute unto him, thanks, service, glory, and obedience. And if he chastiseth us, o let us think that he hath meaning to amend and make us better: so that as all things in the world and elsewhere within the circuit and circumference of heaven and earth, were established by his preordinance and foresight, and guided to their effects by his omnipotent, divine, and infallible providence: So, there is nothing that he doth administer or disperse to his creatures of the world, but it is measured with his justice, and poised with his wisdom and mercy. And so following eftsoons our first matter, if it be true (as it is most clear from error or falsehood) that the Lord is just, and in his judgements righteous, and doth all things by weight and measure: 
A question not impertinent.  how can this be without tut appearance of contradiction, when he gave heaven to the thief without deserving it, and led him with him into Paradise having done to him no service. For sinnai, for sinner, wicked for wicked, unthankful for unthankful, & thief for thief, it seems to the advise & reason of man, that God might aswell have employed his kingdom in Judas that had followed him three years, as upon the thief that accompanied him on the cross but three hours: 
The solution of the doubt.  fur erat & loculos habebat: it was written of Judas: he was a thief, and had the bag, and of the other it is also written that he was a thief and a robber, wherein if in the manner and fashion of robbing they were different, much less were they like of name and fact: So that if jesus Christ had taken his kingdom from a wicked man to have given it to a good man, that had been to do justice uprightly, but to take it from one thief, to bestow it on an other robber, seems a thing very strait and hard, for that in the world, there can be nothing worse employed, then that which is given to a person unworthy. God the creator took the right of inheritance from Cain, to bestow it on Abel: he deprived Jsmaell to give it to Jsaac, and Esau to transfer it to Jacob: he took it from Reuben, too bestow it on Juda: he deposed Saul to the end to raise David to the Empire, & deprived Holy to advance▪ Samuel: all which he did, for that in the one fort of them, he found great merits, and in the other plenty of wickedness and abominable crimes. But in these two thieves, the world discerned little appearance of merit, and less expectation of any good thing in a life so evil disposed as theirs, where being detected judicially, the very testimony of their faults proved in them sufficient matter to be reprehended and corrected. But since GOD is of a power to pierce into the thoughts, 
God pierceth into the thoughts and intentions of men.  hearts, and intentions of men, and to himself he hath reserved the solution and trial of things that he doth: I say that in this, nor in any other case what so ever, there is nothing wherein it is lawful for man to argue with GOD: For in this did he justly sand Judas into hell, and with the same equity translate the thief into Paradise●… for that the one was worthy of glory for confessing his trespass: and the other deserved to lose it for that he was a Treator to the life of his Master: Let us not marvel at the things that GOD doth, and much less rise into thought and wonder at the things which the almighty in his eternal counsel foreséeeths: one man finds out an other by the habitte that they bear, but GOD judgeth every one by the heart that he hath, yea he leadeth the actions and effects of their life not according to their worldly appetite or wisdom, but as he hath preordained in his eternal presence, whereby it followeth that in the sovereign and high tribunal of jesus Christ, the truth of his justice never was corrupted, nor the measure of his mercy falsefied: Therefore if jesus Christ communicated the kingdom of heaven to the thief, he did it in these good reasons and considerations: first because he confessed him to be Lord, he accompanied him on the Cross, he rebuked his other companion, acknowledged himself to be wicked, died with jesus Christ, and to him recommended himself: O infinite bounty and secret judgements of God, seeing that in recompense of a few transitory years wherein the thief was a sinner in the world, the Lord was content to be satisfied with the three hours wherein he become a good man on the Cross: Yea those three hours only wherein he accompanied jesus in his Passion, served him more, than the three years of the Apostleship of Judas. And these hours being the last and extreme seasons and respite of his temporal life, he employed so well, that the more he had sinned at leisure, with so much more devout diligence he repented, and so much the more suddenly aspired to his conversion.  
But let us now join to the example of this thief, 
Faith is the ground of our salvation.  his singular excellencies, and withal let it be a chief office in our Christian duty to know, that the foundation of our health and heavenly felicity consists in the true faith we have in jesus Christ, by means whereof as we aught to do our duty, and thereby stand in grace to obtain that we would or desire, so without this mean we can not be saved, nor yet deserve to be called Christians: For, to be a Christian, is no other thing then to believe in jesus Christ our GOD, and serve him as our redeemer: And that this good thief was made a Christian, it is a good argument to hold that he would not have answered for jesus Christ, if he had not been a friend to jesus Christ, neither would he have recommended himself to him as to God, had he not believed him to be God. That this thief was baptised, we make no doubt, but the manner and place of his baptizing, is to us unknown: only we may say that if there were want of water to perform the ceremony, there wanted no tears of the mother, 
The mother of Christ.  nor blood of the son to regenerate him: At the baptism of Christ was only S. john, but at the conversion of this thief was jesus himself, his mother, S. John, Marry Maudlin, Nicodemus, & Joseph, together with the inhabitants of Jerusalem: upon which we may infer the in the house of God, more honour is reserved to good thieves then to wicked Emperors. This thief was so good a christian, and believed with so great zeal in jesus Christ, that in faith, he surmounted all those that till then were dead, and withal was no less equal to all such as then lived: For publicly and without fear he confessed jesus Christ to be God, where all the others either denied him or doubted of him. 
Jbi fides non habet meri●u ubi humanum ratio habet experimentum.  So much the more merit hath the faith of a Christian (saith S. Gregory) by how much less the reason of man hath force or vigour of it: So that the merit of our catholic faith consists not so much in things that the eye seeth, as in that the heart believeth. But let us confer a little the simple belief of this thief, with the faith of those that were dead long afore him, and such also as lived at the instant with him, and we shall found that by how much they excelled him in good life and conversation, by so much did he requited it in the recompense of his faith and belief. Abraham had faith, but it was by the occasion that God spoke to him from heaven: Esay had faith, but it was because he had seen God in his majesty: Moses had faith, but it was for that God did communicate with him in a bush that burned and was not consumed: Ezechiell had faith but it was for that he had seen God environed with Seraphins: Great (sure) was the faith of these holy personages, but much greater (no doubt) was that of this sinful thief: For if they believed in God, it was because they had seen him, and spoken face to face to him: But so simple and resolute was the faith of this thief that he believed jesus Christ to be God, and had neither seen his majesty, nor yet to do the works of God: yea though Christ did them, yet he understood them not. In like sort touching his comparison with such as were then on live: We doubt not but Saint Peter had faith, but it was for that he saw Christ march upon the waves of the sea. Marry Maudlein believed, but it was for that he raised again her brother Lazarus: The woman of Chanan had faith, but it was because she had seen him expulse the wicked spirit out the body of her daughter: the Centurion believed, because jesus Christ had healed his servant: And Saint john had faith, but it was because he had reapposed in the lap and bosom of Christ. Right slender was the faith that these men had, considering the wonders and miracles which they saw Christ do: but o blessed and happy thief, who notwithstanding he saw no action of these great wonders, neither Christ to command the waves, nor stay the winds, nor chase out Devils, nor yet raise the dead to life, yet with open voice, he durst confess his creator, and take him for a redeemer: yea, in calling him Lord, he acknowledged that he had created him, and in crying to him to have remembrance of him, he confessed that he had redeemed him: and therefore as a good and faithful Christian, he believed with his heart and confessed with his mouth: What habit or appearance of a Lord, saw he in Christ, when he said to him domine memento mei? Yea what argument of confidence or assurance could he gather in him? seeing that to whom so ever is called Lord it appertains that he be free, which was far from jesus Christ being bound to the cross: to be called Lord, it behoveth to be mighty or at lest compotently rich, which appeared not in jesus Christ being naked, dismembered, and crucified: to the port and name of a Lord belongs great train and service, which was not expressed in the state of jesus Christ, who was forsaken even of his own followers: And to the dignity and place of a Lord, belongs to be well obeyed and honoured, which fell out contrary in the person of jesus Christ, for that every one conspired against him, and opprobriously crucfiied him between two thieves: yea by so much more worthy was the faith of this thief, by how much he saw the Lord suffer imprisonment as a man, and whipped and scourged as a man, and yet confessed him to be God, and called him God saying Lord have remembrance of me. Since this thief was executed, and jesus Christ crucified, great hath been the number of saints that believed in him, & greater the company & fellowship of Martyrs that have suffered for his faith: So that the example of the thief believing upon so small occasion, puts all posterities in remembrance how justly we are bound to fix & settle our faith upon, the same son of God whom the thief acknowledged to be the saviour of the world: In deed the writers of the gospel make no mention of the race & nation of this thief, neither what proportion of age he boar, what offences he had done, nor what law he held, for that to Pilate the judge being a Roman, belonged this prerogative, to crucify indifferently the Gentiles, & apprehended the Jews: but what mystery so ever may be ascribed to the scripture for using silence in this case, let us gather and believe that God is no acceptor of persons, but receiving all sorts that believe in him, 
God in his election maketh no difference of person, age, state's, sex, or calling.  he makes no difference in his election, whether they be noble, or of base blood, poor or rich, conquerors or captives, infamous or well renowned: only it sufficeth that we repute jesus Christ as our only king, & observe faithfully the precepts he hath left amongst us: so that, of what sort of sinners so ever we be, & how late so ever we come to the cross, 
Hear is verified the word of God that when the sinner hath contrition God will keep no remembrance of his sins.  let us not despair to be hard, since we read not that to this thief was ministered either baptism or confession, nor that he fasted, used restitution nor had repentance, until he was committed to execution, when one sigh powered out in faith, sufficed to make him a christian, and in one only word pronounced in hope, was virtue to translate his soul into heaven: To rob in infancy, to rob in youth, and to rob in old age, the experience is daily afore our eyes, but to rob at the very article and instant of death, we never read of any but of this thief, who then stole the kingdom of heaven: Our original Father Adam was a thief when he stole the Apple in Paradise: Fair Rachel was a thief when she Rob the Idols from her Father Laban: Achior was a robber in stealing the rod of Gold in Hierico: David was a thief when he conveyed the lance and flasket of water from the bed's head of Saul: 
Math. 26, Acts. 5.  Judas was a thief in stealing the Alms of jesus Christ: And the servants of David were none other than thieves when they stole the water in Bethlehem: But amongst them all, none was more famous, more subtle, more notorious, nor more cunning, than this thief, who rob bed, yea, afore he was laid upon the cross, and being crucified: for Pilate taking from him his life on the cross, he stole from jesus Christ in the same place, an other life: where, upon S. John Chrisostom speaking upon that thief saith, that for theft Adam was chased out of Paradise, and for theft this thief was bestowed in Paradise: He that lost his life by a tree went out of Paradise: & this entered into Paradise that recovered his life upon a tree: he was chased out that believed not in God, and this entered in because he confessed God to be God: a Thief was the first that issued out of Paradise, and a Thief was the first that entered into Paradise: Yea, at the hour of midday GOD did justice of the first Thief, and at noon tide he Pardoned this Thief, with whom the Lord grant us to be thieves not to steal the Apple as did Adam, nor the Idols with Rachel, nor the Flaskette as David did, nor the Golden Rod with Achior, but to steal for ourselves the blessed fruition of the Majesty of GOD, which being the pray of this Thief, he is thereby become perpetually happy even in the bosom of Abraham the Father of faith.   

The good THIEF having no other thing to offer to God, offered him his heart and his tongue.  
SAint Paul, having seen the great secrets of god (of which it belongeth not to man to speak) being asked what we aught to do to please God, Answered, Commendat vobis Deus charitatem suam: the chiefest thing saith he which God recommends unto you, is charity, which consisteth in this that you love him, 
We aught to love our neighbour for that he loveth God.  as he loveth you, which you shall more easily accomplish if you love your Christian neighbour, not so much for that he loveth you, as for that he loveth and delighteth in god: Wherein the Apostle doth not so expressly say, that God recommends unto us, his faith, his hope, his patience, his chastity, and his humility: But above all things, he enjoineth us to have charity, as thereby to give us to understand, that, that man that delighteth truly in God, can not be reproved of any vice: For what can be lacking to him that wanteth not charity, as also who wanteth charity, is imperfect in all other virtues.  

He that loveth God cannot perish.  Let the charitable man, and he that delights to be pitiful, be assured that God will always lend him his hand to the end he decrease not in faith, lose not his hope, defile not his chastity, despise not humility, nor forget patience: For afore the tribunal and judgement seat of God, is never used cruelty to him the on earth hath exercised charity: si charitatem non habeo, 
2. Cor. 13.  factus sum sicut sonans, aut cimbalem tynniens, saith the Apostle: though I speak (saith he) as an Angel, and all other virtues (except charity, were familiar with me,) yet I should be but as a Bell, that calleth the people to service, & yet entereth not therein itself: The man then that is not charitable, but taketh delight in his rigour, is no way worthy of the name of a Christian, and much less deserveth to be called friend, because that in the heart wherein is not lodged charity, shall never be found fidelity. If we ask the scripture what thing charity is, 
Charitas est cum diligirous Deum propter se, & proximum propter Deuns,  we shall found by many texts that it is a virtue drawing to none other effect, then to love God for himself, and our neighbour for the love of God: Whereupon the love of God and the fear of God, aught always so to be coupled within the hearts of the just, that we never aught to fear God only to the end he preserve us from hell, nor love him altogether in this respect that he grant us Paradise: but we aught both to love and fear him, because he is the Supreme and Sovereign good and on whom doth depend and come all felicity: 
The man of God loves not his neighbour for any wordl● respect but for God.  If men love one an other, it is either for benefits all ready received, or for hope of good turns to come: But in the house of GOD, there is no Sufferance nor Custom of such affections: For such is the nature, measure and proportion of God's goodness towards us, that the respect and intention of our zeal aught not to consist only for that he is all in all for us, but because the greatness of his goodness deserveth it by which occasion the Prophet cried oftentimes Paratum con meum, the better to instruct us that his heart was not only ready to love the creator but also to bear affection to the creature: That man is ignorant in charity who esteemeth himself to love God, and hath no care of his neighbour: and less is he a follower of charity that is reputed to bear affection to his neighbour, and loveth not God, since that all our Christian charity consists in this, to do service to jesus Christ, and work some Good or benefit to our neighbour: For, the Lord bears such a zeal to the Christian soul, that in loving us he will be only and singular, and when we love him, he will be accompanied, the same being contrary to the love of the world, with whom it is not suffered to have the heart divided into many parts, but in the divine love and holy affection of the Lord, we are required to love jesus Christ, and have care over our neighbour, specially if he be a christian: for, otherways we aught to wish unto him good, & eschew his conversation: This discourse have I brought in, to express & testify the wonderful charity which the good thief had on the cross, who in the perplexity of death, & in a small moment of time, gave good declaration of the affection he boar to jesus Christ, & right published the zeal he had to save his companion the wicked thief: Besides, he was not without fervent desire to relieve his saviour of the pains he suffered, which he well testified in the service he did to him: For dissembled love is showed in the property of speech, where the true friendship & affection is expressed in the service & gifts that are ministered: the same appearing for the most part amongst our vain worldlings, with whom sweet & alluring words are familiar, but the office & effect of service are most commonly forgotten: where in deed, whose love is chaste, & joined with the holy love of god, there, their mouths keep seilence & their hands minister distribution: Cain offered to God fruits of the earth, Abel brought firstlings & of the fattest of his flock, No presented Muttons, Abraham gave Pigeons, Melchisedech brought Bread and Wine, Moses' Incense, David Gold & Silver, Jeptha sacrificed his Daughter, & Annas Samuel his son: All which offerings presented by those holy personages bear great reckoning & are much to be accounted of: But far more worthy was the service & sacrifice of this thief, for that where they offered to God things appertaining to their houses, he presented to the Lord his proper heart, wherein he discovered a difference between the oblation of things that we have near us, and to make an offering of ourselves: Therefore let no man marvel why I debate so much in praise of this thief: For, if I be asked what it was that he offered, I may eftsoons make a question what it was that he kept for himself: When one man giveth to another his proper being▪ doth he not give by consequence his will and ability? This thief gave not to God his eyes, for the they were closed up & shut: he gave him not Gold nor silver, having lost all by the justice of his offence: he could not compart with him his clothes being riffeled by the executioners: he offered him not his hands & feet, for that the one were nailed & the other bound: And much less could he communicate with him his body, for that it was crucified: only he offered that which he had remaining, which was his heart wherewith he believed & his tongue by the which he confessed him to be god: So that as he testified his faith & affection towards God with all that he had in his power, so we have to think that if there had remained in him any property of more precious or greater things, he would therewith have made service & offerings to the Lord: Multiplicati sunt super capilos capitis mei, et cor meum dereliquit me: 
Psal. 119.  I am fallen into that age (saith David) that I have no more sight remaining: Mine enemies have environed me: my friends are dead, my sins have made me fall: & my good days are now drawn to end: so that my griefs, sorrows, & perplexities, are more in number, than my hairs, but my greatest heaviness of all is, that my heart hath forsaken me: wholoaseth his eyes, & the other particular parts of his body, together with all his goods, can not but lose right dear & great things, but he that loseth his heart, loseth assuredly all that can remain or aperteine to a man: For that within the womb of our mothers, the heart is the first that engendereth & taketh life, and the last that dissolveth and vanisheth to death: So that like as, so long as our hearts leave us not, we may both love, fear, and serve God, so also, if the heart lose his vigour and give us over, assuredly we have neither power nor faculty to Fast, Pray, or persever in Breath: And therefore (according to Saint Hierom) it is a great gift of GOD to be endued with a Constant and Valiant mind, as on the other side to have faintness of heart and Pusillanimytye can not but bear Testimony and Proof of great punishment: Audi popule Audi qui non habes cor: saith GOD by his Prophet Jeremy: hear my voice, O generation of Jsraell, and harken to my words, O People of the hebrews, I call thee Fool because thou art without heart, yea, I say thou hast no heart because thou art a fool: where the Prophet in this phrase charged the people to have no heart, he imposed upon them infidelity as though they had neither faith nor belief in jesus Christ the true god, because the like as when the heart dieth the life dissolveth, even so by Christ aspiring upon the Cross, 
By the death of Christ took end the synagogue.  the synagogue took end: So that the Prophet was not without great reason to call the hebrews Fools & men without heart, seeing the testimony of so many miracles sufficed them not, & much less were they satisfied with the number of benefits & blessings, with infinite Sermons performed by our saviour jesus Christ all tending to make them Christians, and yet wrought small impression in them by reason of their slender knowledge and great folly: Even so, according to moral phrase, when we say any man hath want of heart, it is as much as if we should charge him not to have jesus christ in his spirit, for that as undertaking to do any good work, jesus Christ is he that gives us heart, & puts us in reason: even so by good conclusion, that man we may say is deprived of reason and unfurnished of heart, which loves not Christ, thinks not on Christ, serves him not, feareth him not, and hopes not in him: So that in the Law of GOD to call a man without heart, is no other thing then to say he hath a body without a soul: Omni custodia custodi cor tuum saith the Wise man, every one aught to keep and double guard his heart, to the end it be not defiled by the flesh, oppressed of the world, deceived by the Devil, and that it be not altogether exercised by his friend, nor outraged by his enemy: For that even so much and no more have we in jesus Christ, than we give unto him Possession and place in our heart: Wherein according to the measure of our confidence in GOD, shall we find recompense and retribution in him: Yea, if we give ourselves altogether to him, he will assuredly be wholly ours: So that all those things which the Lord gives unto us being holy, hearty or unfeigned, it belongs to us (the better to Prepare our offerings to God even from our hearts, fixed in our heart & unfeignedly to touch our heart) to keep our hearts always replenished with Holy desires, and environed with good thoughts: For which occasion it sufficed not the wiseman to bid us simply keep our hearts: but he enjoined us to a double and diligent guard, the better to advertise us, that as the Eyes may be preserved by their eyelids, the mouth defended by the lips, the feet and hands kept from harm by Armour & Gauntlets, and a man's treasure holden from the Thief under Lock and Key: So, there can nothing in this world suffice to forbidden an ambitious mind to think and desire: And so falling eftsoons upon our first matter, I say that much doth that man offer to God, that offereth his heart, as also what hath he more to loose that loseth his heart: the same appearing in the conversion of this good thief, who, even as he hanged upon the cross because he offered to God only his heart, found this recompense to be carried into the eternal Tabernacle of God, and communicate in his glory: Let then the example of this thief stand before us all, that notwithstanding we have not hands, Feet, Eyes, Silver, 
Christ requires not but the offering of our heart  Gold, precious jewels, or clotheses to offer to God, yet let us not be troubled or grieved: For, who hath not these things in his power, let him not doubt to be acceptable to the Lord, if he present his heart replenished with holy desires. The Sister of Moses was diseased, Moses himself Stutted, Tobyas was Blind, Mimpheboseph was Lame, & Zacharias the Priest was Dumb, yet these imperfections hindered not these men to be holy & virtuous, yea God called some of them to the function & ministery of his will: If we have our hearts whole, holy, & sound, the Lord observes little the state of our other members, not, he makes no care whether they be perfect or putrefied: for, this thief, in his sentence of condemnation & death, had his limbs bruised & broken, his mouth, his eyes, & whole body crucified: but his heart only retaining integrity, he offered it to his saviour, and by his ●…yth & constancy, purchased the benefit of salvation: And albeit, in so small a respite of time, in so quick & sharp torments, & in so grievous apprehension of the dollars and terrors of death suffered by this thief on the Cross, he could perform no great penance, express no variety or copy of speech, or utter apparent remorse by sighs, sorrow or public contrition: yet, for that to his passions he joined greatness and constancy of heart, with faith and devotion to GOD: The Lord did accept not only that which he did then, but also what he would have done, if he had not been prevented by death.   

How wickedly the evil THIEF spoke hanging on the Cross.  
THe Wicked Thief, speaking to jesus Christ, 
How wickedly the evil thief spoke hanging on the Cross.  said, if thou be that same Christ that is the son of God, deliver thyself from death, and us from this Passion of torments: O cursed impudency to pronounce such Horrible blasphemy against the majesty of our Saviour: For, albeit the Son of God was committed to the Cross, and in the Company of Robbers, did suffer a slanderous Death: yet, it was not for the he had any community with the offences of the thieves, and much less suffered for his proper crimes, but for the Sins of the World: Quae non rapui tunc exsoluebam: I make (saith Christ by the Prophet) satisfaction for the faults done by others, others have eaten the Apple, and yet I pay the price of it: Though I have committed no Crime, yet mine innocency is put to punishment: Yea, where others have troubled the commonweal, I am committed to justice, and having no nature or effect of offence in me, yet I pass unto death for the sins of the whole World: Right just was the occasion of our Saviour to hold such argument: For that if they crucified him under a most smarting and infamous death, it was not for that he had deserved it, but to the end that by it mankind should be redeemed: This thief, said not with surety that he was Christ, and therefore, by making wicked doubt & question whether he were the son of God or not, he deserved not (with his companion) to be made a Christian: But the good thief, making no doubt of his omnipotency, said absolutely Lord have remembrance of me, and therefore was not only adopted to Christianity, but also there was joined to his faith, recompense of eternal salvation: In the same manner S. Peter said not if thou be Christ, I will believe in thee, but he protested in bold faith and cried, I believe that thou art the Son of the everliving God: For who will receive the grace and blessing of God, his faith aught to be without scrupule or doubt: he that will obtain any thing of god (saith the Apostle) it apperteines to him to ask it with a faith that is not doubtful: for if God give us not forthwith that which we demand of him, it is more for that we know not how to ask him, then that he is hard to grant our requests: Let it then be far from us to say with the wicked thief, If thou be Chrict save thyself and us also, but let us rather with the Blind man of Hierico, say O son of David have pity upon us: For, so shall we be made to see with the blind man, and not carried into damnation with the Thief: Who, in saying to Christ, salva te met ipsum et nos, thought to persuade him to leave the Passions of the Cross, and put himself in liberty, and deliver him from death: For this was the opinion of this wicked thief, that even as Pilate put on him the sentence of death for his thefts and robberies: even so also there was no less guiltiness in Christ as being untruly holden a Seducer of the People and a man contrary to the common Weal: And therefore he thought that as the Terrors of Death made him unwilling to die, so also there remained in Christ a desire to live longer: Wherein his error was so much the greater, by how much, he considered not that there was necessity of Christ's death for the redemption of the world: for which cause though he wished to live longer yet our saviour desired the present stroke of death according to his own words to his disciples. Desiderio desideravi hoc pas●ha manducare vobiscum, at other times (saith he) I have celebrated with you this feast, the which at this present I esteem to be truly passover in holy scripture: The doubling and reiteration of a word is a sign of vehement and great desire, the which was well expressed in the zeal of our saviour, who by this phrase Desiderio desideravi published manifestly that he had no less desire to die for us, then most desirous to redeem us: For, of that nature was his thirst and desire to overcome our perpetual death, that he expected nothing more than the hour wherein he might employ for us his most holy and undefiled life: There was great similitude and likeness between the blasphemy of this wicked thief, and the request of the Jews, who willed him to descend from the cross, and they would all believe in him: whereunto if our saviour had condescended and abandoned the agonies of the cross, all the world had stand crucified with death, sin, and the perpetual perplexities of Hell: O wicked thief, O people hardened and obstinate: if Christ had come down from the cross according to your requests: or if he had divided himself from the pains of death following the blasphemous motion of the condemned thief, much less that it had been happy with any sort of people, but of the contrary, Hell had been always open for you, and the gates of Paradise perpetually closed against our posterities: For, the Lord came not to descend, but to mount and ascend, not to eschew the cross, but to die upon it: Cum exaltatus fuero a terra, omnia traham ad me ipsum, saith our Lord jesus Christ: Because now I go Preaching from one country to an other, and that I have my riches dispersed, you cannot have knowledge of my might, nor of the virtue and benefits that are in my power: But when you see me elected and chosen to the cross, even in the same place shall be my treasure: This speech truly is of great admiration for the good sort, and leaves no little fear to the wicked: Omnia traham ad me ipsum, by the which we are instructed, that who will obtain any thing of jesus Christ, aught to ask it upon the cross: For, never was the Lord so liberal as when he was crucified, at no time so rich as when he was Naked, nor at any time so mighty as when he was condemned to death: All these treasures did Christ bring with him from heaven to earth, and from the earth he recaryed them with him to the tree of his suffering, and being there he dispersed them through out the world: so that he that is found most near the cross of our saviour, on him is bestowed the most plentiful reward: it was on the cross that he recomded his soul to his Father, his Church to S. Peter, to Nicodemus his body, and to the good thief the joys of Paradise: it was on the cross where he commanded the Sun to hide his light, the stones to break, the veil of the Temple to rend, the graves to open, and the dead to rise again, (which carrieth an assured Testimony that in his death was wrought the effect of our life:) it was on the cross that he spoke to his Father, gave comfort to his mother, had remembrance of his Disciple, pardoned the believing thief, and illumined the centurion, to the end he might know jesus christ to be the redeemer and confess himself a sinner: it was on the cross, where his side was opened, his blood shed, where he showed most plentifully his charity, expressed most mildly his patience, and used greatest clemency: Yea, it was the place where his death took end, and our redemption received beginning: Lastly, upon the cross he was crowned as king, saluted as king, and hailed with the title of king: So that all these being true, how could it stand with any congruent reason that he should abandon the cross which brought to him so many pre-eminences: O Sovereign saviour and love of our souls, let us not beseech thee with the Jews, to descend from the cross, nor in the corrupt affection of the Thief, to abandon the pains thereof: But grant O Lord that with thee we may be joined to the cross: where, let us not require that thou give us to eat, since in that place thou hadst but gall, and for thy drink was reserved most sharp vinegar: Let us not require garments, since thou wast all naked, let us not crave liberty, since thou wast bound, and much less have we reason to entreat for life, since thou didst not refuse the execution of death: That which we have to require of thee, is that it will please thee to give us part and communion in this cross, since in it, thou hast with such plenty bestowed thy graces: for, well we know O Lord, that thou dost never communicate thy love and affection, but to such as taste in thy pains and Passions: By all this discourse we may gather what heart we aught to have to enterprise any good work, together with what magnanimity of courage to execute it, seeing that even when we mean to begin to do well, Wicked Spirits are then most near us, and readiest prepared to deceive us: For the Flesh doth prick and quicken us, men draw us back, and the World works to our vexation and Trouble: Albeit many were the occasions in JESUS Christ being on the Cross, to abandon it: As first the importunities of the Jews, the persuasions of the Thief, the bitter agonies of Death, the sorrows of the Daughters of Jerusalem, the Scorns and Scoffs of Strangers Passing that way, and lastly, the small thanks and recompense that men attributed to him for that Passion: Yet they were not sufficient to Tempt him from the Execution of his Father's Commandment, nor to let him to accomplish all that whereunto his charity bound him for the fulfilling of our Redemption: For, when he said on the Cross I am a thirst, it was not for any appetite he had to Drink but he spoke it rather in a vehement will and desire to Endure yet more for the Health of our Souls.   

The good thief rebuked his fellow hanging on the Cross.  
THE good Thief hearing the wicked discourse of his companion against jesus Christ, could not but minister this rebuke: 
Neque tu times deum qui in eadem damnatione es: non quidem digna factis recipimus, hic autem quid male fecit.  Weighing (saith he) with the horror of our life past, our present estate drawing to the extremity of death, I marvel that thou hast no fear of god, & art without shame of that thou sayest seeking to crucify this Prophet with thy Tongue, as these Raging Tormentors do with the violence of their Hands: O thou knowest not that as this Innocent never did ill to any: So in thee and me was never found any Good: Few were the Words which this Thief Spoken, but right great mysteries are touched in them, and therefore it is needful that we hear them with gravity and Pronounce them in charity: And albeit it is most Sewer that GOD the almighty Creator, is by Power, all in all things, yet particularly by Grace is he more manifested by the Heart and Tongue of man, 
God is more manifested in the heart and tongue, then by any other member of the body.  then through any other member of the Body, as they being the two Instruments where with we do most serve him, and oftenest offend him: For, the Eyes become Wearrye with seeing, the Ears withdraw from Hearing, the Hands refuse to Work, the Feet forbear to Go, and the whole Body may be grieved to Sin: But it is the Heart which never puts end to his Thoughts, and the Tongue is seldom weary of Speaking: The Good King David was upright in judgement and found of Body, and yet Praying to GOD, for the most part he observed these two Petytions, Cor mundum crea in me Deus, and Domine labia mea aperies, Wherein he required of GOD to raise in him a Heart clear and Innocent, & also to bless him with a tongue that should not pronounce any thing contrary to his will: for, albeit he received gréeffes and disquiets by his other members, yet he knew he could never be vanquished of them, for that, it is one principal sign that we are in the grace of god, 
Signs and testimonies of a good christian.  when he blesseth us with a heart replenished with, pure intentions, & gives us a tongue refrained from speaking evil: yea, it is a true foundation & testimony of good Christians, to believe in God with our heart, and set forth his praises with our tongue: Much was the people of Jsraell in the grace of God, when by Jeremy he said to them, Ego dabo eyes cor novum, and no less favoured was Ezechiell of that almighty worker of all things, when he said, Ego aperiam os tuum in medio eorum, as if he had said to Israel, in sign of the great amity I have with thee, I will illumine thy heart, and because thou art my servant (O Ezechiell) I will open thy mouth, to the end thou mayest publish and preach my power and might: For right small is the number of those which attain to my knowledge, and far fewer are they that preach sincerely my name: yea, albeit a man have the faculty to read, to interpreat, to study, and to deliver, yet he hath not for all that the full faculty of a true apostolic preacher, for, it is no small gift and blessing of the Lord, to know how to preach well and pronounce his word and will: Great therefore was the liberality which Christ used on the cross, seeing that the grace of newness of heart which he gave to Jsraell, and the spirit and power of well preaching which he imparted to Ezechiell: he infused both together into this good thief touching his heart to make him believe in him, and opening his mouth to the end he might publish and preach his name: By which is happened that after the Sermons of jesus Christ, and afore the preachings of the Apostles, this good thief was the first that preached in the Church: yea, even where he was crucified, & in the presence of the people, he magnified that which Christ did, and reproved his companion of blasphemy saying: Neque tu times Deum qui in eadem damnatione es: I see (saith he) thou hast no fear of God, and art in the way to be damned, therefore behold me, and think upon thyself: To teach the ignorant, and reduce to truth him that is in error, is a work of charity proceeding of great bounty, which was expressed in the behaviour of this thief warning his companion to consider that he was condemned to death, having by his side the son of God in whom was power to pardon his offences, and withal to deliver him from the perpetual agonies of Hell: O to how many of our companions and friends, may we say with this good thief, that they are out of the fear of God, that they wander in their proper destruction, that they are replenished with vices, and do not observe one of God's commandments: But, 
Man's friendship is maintained by supportation of vices.  by so much more wretched is our condition, by how much one friend dare not warn an other, for that all friendship now a days stands upon these limits and terms, not to correct one an other, but rather to cover and dissemble, and suffer community of evil: It is a wondered confusion to see one sinner admonish an other, and a thief to reprove a thief, and yet one Christian dare not rebuke an other, not, rather they will endure their vices, then divide themselves from their friendship: Not to advertise a friend of his honour, or not to advise him of his wealth, may happen and is suffered, but not to admonish him of that which concerneth his conscience, is hateful, and aught not to be borne withal, for that in things touching the honour of God, we are bound not to dissemble with our Father, nor to yield consent to our dearest friend: Nathan reproved David, Samuel rebuked Saul, 
2. Kings. 12. 2. Kings. 20.  Micheas admonished Achab, Helias reproved Jezabell, S. John rebuked Herod, and S. Paul reproved S. Peter, not so much for having erred and failed, as for offending God, the better to admonish us that him we aught to hold as enemy, whom we know doth not love God: Nun qui oderunt te, 
Psal. 138.  inimici facti sunt mihi. O great God of Jsraell saith David, the greatest service that I have done thee, is, that all my life time I have hated those that loved not thee, eschewed such as followed not thy laws, was a stranger to such as searched not thy precepts and will, and none have been worse welcome to my company, than such as boar to thee no service: I would the example of David might be embraced now a days, or that to christian friends were joined such property of affection, so should there be no vice in men's friendship, nor toleration of wickedness, for that if evil men were not supported by their friends, justice & discipline would either speedily determine their lives, or shame & instruction lead them to amendment of manners: great then was the charity of this thief to his companion, & the pity not little which he had of jesus Christ, whereof as he defended the one, and persuaded the other, so his virtue concludes in good Authority, that it is a true effect of our Christian piety, to yield compassion to such as are troubled, and reduce him that is out of the Way.  
After this good thief was committed to God, and confessed his sins to jesus Christ and answered for him, he began then to lift up his voice and say unto him, Domine memento mei dum veneris in regnum tuum: wherein with just reason he calls him Lord, for that it is resolute with God, not to take pity or mercy upon us if first we accknowledge not in him his divinity: and therefore in the old times when God spoke with the Hebrues, he used commonly this phrase, haec dicit Dominus, etc. The better to advertise the nations and people of the earth that all kings and Princes of this world are in all things, no other thing but governors and deputies, and to God alone belongs all sovereign and Supreme Potentacie: In which respect, it behoveth us afore all things, to confess God to be Father and sovereign Lord, and to honour his blessed son by the name of Lord and redeemer, for that it is directly to repugn his ordinary power to Pardon sin in any man, which doth not accknowledge in God predomination and Lordship: Let us therefore with the humility, faith, and conformity of this thief, say Domine memento mei: For th': s aught to be an office in our belief, that if we confess god to be sole ceator, & serve him as sovereign Lord, he will not misknow us as strangers, specially if we acknowledge us to appertain unto him: The second word of this thieves petition was Memento mei, agreeing with the invocation of Solomon, Da mihi sedium tuarum aslis tricem sapientiam ut sciam quid acceptum sit coram te omni tempore: 
Sap. 9  give me O Lord partin thy wisdom, to the end I may do the things agreeable to thee, and tending to my salvation: notwithstanding, that Solomon, amongst all the kings of Jerusalem, was most peaceable, most Rich, renowned, and most Wise, yet, with all these Qualities, he durst not demand of God, but Wisdom, and that not without great reason: For albeit a man knoweth that which he would have, yet he is ignorant in that which is necessary for him: And as we live in God more than in ourselves, & that God loves us above our proper affections, so, it is he that knoweth better than ourselves what we would have of him, & what we want & is needful for us: for which cause this well advised & good christian thief would ask no other thing, but that the Lord would have remembrance of him instructing us by that that God bearing to us such plentiful will & affection, there is no great need to trouble him with importunities, but only with a fervent heart put him in remembrance of those things we desire to have: saying Domine memento mei, Lord that hast created me, have remembrance of me, Lord that hast Redeemed me forget me not, and thou Lord in whom I believe, be mindful of me: Vouchsafe O Lord to draw me to thyself: O love of my soul, have remembrance of me since thou hast formed me of earth, and since thou hast breathed into me a soul, made me man, hast employed thy life for me, vouchsafe to be mindful of me, to the end there be no spoil made of my Soul, yea, since thou hast suffered thy Passon for me, resisted so many Temptations, and spilled so much of thy innocent blood as satisfied the Price of my vile and wretched Sins, I beseech thee be mindful of me.  
Here is to be noted that this thief, in these humilities to God, said not, Lord have remembrance of my children, my wife, my friends, or my labours and travels, but said only Lord remember me, advising us that in this world there is nothing which we aught to hold so dear, as the reckoning of our conscience according to the express text of our saviour to the mother and children of Zebeda, Nescitis quid petatis, because that afore they asked pardon for their sins, they demanded realms and kingdoms, and before they sought to purge the transgression of their souls, they aspired to be set one of the right and the other of the left hand of jesus Christ: But the wise Chananite woman, afore she said, Filia mea male a demonio vexatur, cried Miserere mei, sewing first for pardon for herself, afore she sought the recovery of her daughter: for that, so good is the Lord our God, that if he love not him that requirs him, he granteth him not that he demands: But thrice happy was this thief, who afore all things desired the Lord to have remembrance of him when he came into his kingdom, whereby demanding pardon and remission of his sins, he obtained the kingdom of heaven more easily than he thought for: Abraham demanded of God lineage, and there was given to him a son (of whose race Christ descended according to the flesh) Jacob prayed for the redelivery of Benjamin, which he saw accomplished: Tobias beseeching God for the return of his son from Niniveh, embraced him safely restored and richly married: judith prayed to God to chase away Holofernes and his Camp from her town of Bethulia, & he put the Enemy into her power: Anna, in great compassion desired issue, and she brought forth Samuel the Prophet: And lo this good thief besought God to have remembrance of him in the other world, and the Lord did not only pardon him in this world, but also glorified him in his eternal kingdom: Right true and absolute is the testimony of the Scripture, speaking of the liberality of God, Quod ipse dat omnibus affluenter, God gives to all men in great abundance, which is contrary to the manner of the Princes of the world, who if they give, it is not in plenty, and if they distribute in fullness, they give it to few: But such is the bounty and blessed liberality of our Lord, that he refuseth not to give that which is demanded, and much less gives in penury that which is required of him: Aperis tu manum tuam et imples omne animal benedictione: 
Psal. 144.  All those in this world saith the Prophet that give any thing give it close fisted, (as the saying is) But the Lord always increaseth in liberality with his hands open, who as he is Pitiful to pardon, so also in his rewards and recompense, he expresseth high liberality. Here also is to be noted, that this Thief in his invocation to Christ, did not desire the LORD to have remembrance of him to the end he were not crucified, nor required him to be mindful of him that he might escape the Perils of Death, since it was he only that gave life: But he said only Lord forget me not when thou comest into thy Kingdom: For, seeing thee on thy Knees afore Pilate (saith he) and being asked whether thou were a King and had Realms, I heard thee Answer that thy Kingdom was not of this World: Which being true, I beseech thee, O sweet comfort of my Soul, that when thou art in Possession of thy Kingdom of rest, thou wilt then have remembrance of me, being the greatest Sinner in the World. This Thief, seeing GOD in presence, hearing him speak in person and touching him with his hands, and would not demand of him other things then of the World to come, can not but put men in a maze, and draw even Angels to admiration. From the hour that our Blessed Saviour suffered his blood to be dispearced upon the Cross, there hath been great effect and virtue of it in the Church, whereof appeared right good Testimony in the discourse and action of this Thief, whose life and whole course of his behaviour having been infected with wicked conversation, he demanded presently to be made a neighbour of the Hierachies', and companion to our redeemer: And having done no service to GOD, he asked of him with full mouth the Kingdom of Heaven: which he obtained, not so much through the merit of his invocation and Prayers, as by the mean and virtue of the blood of jesus Christ: wherein there is no reason to doubt but as our Lord was ready to yield up the spirit, and that the effusion of his blood prepared to an end, so, this good thief saw the heavens open together with the great glory laid up for our saviour, by which occasion he cried in surety of faith, Memento mei cum veneris in regnum tuum: For otherways it had been vain for a Thief to have demanded with such boldness the Kingdom of infallible felicity. But whether the Majesty and presence of Heaven were open to him or not, there is no necessity of reasoning: Only let us join ourselves to his Faith and opinion, and with his Prayer let us call upon the Lord to remember us when he comes into his Kingdom: for, there may we be sewer he will remember us, since in this world he will not recompense the services that we have done to him, and in the other he will say upon us the offences we have committed against his Majesty. Let us beseech him that if in recompense that we are baptized, if, for the renown, name, and tittle we bear of Christians, if for that we are his Servants, and specially if because he hath redeemed us it will please him to bless us with any reward, let it not be bestowed upon us here on earth, but when he shall be established in the estate and majesty of his kingdom: For all such as he marks with recompense and reward in the Book of this world, it is a sign that he hath razed them out of the register of Heaven. Jsaac was advanced more than Jsmaell, Jacob preferred above Esau, Juda favoured more than Reuben, Joseph raised above his brethren, and Nahabor advanced to the Vines of Samaria: But let us pray for no other advancement then, Dum veveris in regnum tuum, For out of thy house all honours, all preferments, all riches and dignities are contemnible.  
For the end of this discourse, we have to note that Christ pardoning this thief, said not Amen dico vobis, but speaking singularly he said Amen dico tibi: Whereby as in the manner and estate of his pardon he manifested his mercy, so, in forgiving him alone, he showed his upright justice: Many nations and men of sundry qualities and Countries standing then round about the cross, would have been glad to have obtained remission, but amongst them all to this thief only was granted pardon, the better to advertise us that since he forgave him, we should not despair by the same mean to obtain remission: And since he pardoned but him alone, let us not sin the more in hope that he will pardon us: So for conclusion let us not forget, that he forgave the people afore they had transgressed, and pardoned the thief after he had sinned, by which we are instructed to fear his justice, and to remember his mercy, which it may please him to exhibitte towards us here by grace, and in the world to come by glory.    

A discourse, expounding this text of the Psalm.  Irasoimini et nolite peccare. 
CHrist, grieving still with the increase of abuses in the Temple, saw great necessity of Discipline, and therefore in one day, he whipped out the Usurers, reversed their exchanges, and dispersed their treasures: Wherein we have to note which of these two things were of a most importance either the zeal that Christ had, or the fault that was in them, being sewer that men committing such Cursed and miserable Sins, GOD for recompense, lends upon us great and heavy punishments. To hold that Christ was not moved to do this by a Spirit of good zeal, were to faulsifye the Truth, and to say that in this that he did he did evil, can not be without imputation of blasphemy: For, in the Eternal law of GOD it can not hold Concord or comparison, to be a Sinner, and to be called Redeemer. Before Saint john said Ecce agnus Dei: He pronounced Ecce qui tollit peccata mundi: Wherein he both confesseth him an Undefiled Lamb, and after extols him to take away the Sins of the World. One Sinner may help to make an other good, but yet hath he no power to Pardon the lest offence that is: And therefore to affirm, that Christ in any his actions was pushed forward by choler, or Sinned in the transgression of Ire, it were both Heresy, and a Sin desperate, for that, as touching Sin and Error, our LORD was so limited and restrained, that he neither could nor had Power thereunto.  
By this text of the Prophet, Irascimini et nolite peccare, is given us to understand, 
Psal. 4.  that we may be angry, but yet with this condition that we Sin not: For, often times the Lord is more wrath with the Ire of the magistrate, or Governor, then with the offence which the Subject commits. I find it very hard that this good Prophet should give us Licence to be Angry, and yet to bind us that in it we should not Sin, specially seeing that of the Mortal Sins Condemned by the Church, the transgression of Ire is one: Yea, it seems more strange that it should be in the hand and liberty of man to be angry, and yet Sin not, since by our nature even our thoughts inclining to Anger, can not be without Sin: Where by I hold it rat her a Virtue of Angels, than a a power humane, when a man that is injured is able to limit his passion, and govern the affections of his heart, seeing that to the nature of man, nothing is more sweet than the passion of revenge: yea, oftentimes we are unmindfulto requited a good turn, but seldom do we forget to revenge an injury received: But it is needful we deduce in particular, 
Nothing is more sweet than passion of revenge.  those things wherein in good conscience men may be angry, and that without scruple of sin: For that by howmuch more they were friends and entertained amity together, by somuch more the offence, the anger, & the sin, (which seems but a dream) would put amongst them divorce and division: We may not be angry against such as maliciously touch our honour, or by Ambition aspire to our goods: For that to the Noble mind it belongs to demand his recovery by justice, and his honour by the sword. May we hold anger against such as have done us some notable injury, and published dishonest speech of us? I say no, for that according to the rule of the Gospel we are bound to pardon all wrongs, and leave the revenge to God to whom it belongs. Men aught not to beangrie, if, in their houses their wives be Libertynes and dissolute, for that so delicate is the honour of the Husband and the Wife, that her chastity can not be detected, without that he have interest in the dishonour: and therefore in things that can suffer remedy, we aught either to qualify the rigour of the punishment, or dissemble the injury: much less aught we to be angry against our servants, when they do not the duty of their place, or murmur when they are commanded: For, being but marcenary to us we aught to admonish them, & if they will not be brought to amendment, to give them leave to depart. We aught not to be angry with our friends and familiars, if in their prosperity they misknowe us, and in our great adversities will not secure us: For, according to their behaviour, we have to give this judgement of them, that as if they had been true friends, they would not have failed us, so according to their corrupt affection, their pride carrieth them into disdain of our poverty: In cases of Breach of promise, it evil be seemeth a Wiseman to be angry, for that this reputation belongs to Patience, that he aught rather to lose that he hoped for, then to break the patience for the which he hath been so long praised. And how can we be Angry against ourselves when we err in that we say, and use falsehood in that we do? Seeing that the remedy of our abuses consists not to be Angry and vex ourselves, but in the amendment and reformation of our actions. Why should we be Angry when we see fortune raiseth others, and forgetteth us? Seeing that if fortune distributed to every one according to the rate of their will and merit, she could not be called Fortune, but justice: but because she will justify the Limits and Charters of her Authority, she useth to advance those that she favoureth, and spareth to prefer such as deserve to be exalted. Sure, we have no reason to be Angry against the subtleties of the Devil and the World: For that in well advised judgement and consideration, much less that they deceive us, seeing of the contrary they admonish and advise us: And according to the Testimony of the Scripture, the office of the flesh is to prick us, the Devil traveleth us in temptations, 
Office of the devil the world and the flesh.  and to the World is joined a property to deceive us: And let us not be wroth, if we have not such Power and ability as others, since, if we make aright our own Computation and Reckoning, we aught to be more sorry that we have not deserved Honour then that we have it not. And since the Law of nature and Fortune make all things Subject to revolution and change, and that of ourselves we are the proper instruments of our own harms, we aught not to be Angry or vexed but against such as rise to offend God and stir us to commit Sin: For, a good Christian aught to be more sorry for him that hath a wound in his soul, then for any that suffer loss of their Goods, though there be never so great dearness and respect of Kindred and friendship: So that the thing that aught most to trouble a good Christian, and breed compassion in the man of holiness and virtue, is to see that men bear such appetite to the sweetness of sin, and with such boldness follow their liberty to do evil, that many and many are those now a days, who had rather break the commandments of the holy law, then to infringe the lest statute of the Prince. This is a thing to be marveled at, that when the Merchant is taken with a counterfeit measure, or the Goldesmith with a false weight, the measure shall be brunt, the Balance broken, and the offender rendered to public justice: But if a man ve known to renounce GOD, or to bear the guilt of Perjury, Murder, or Adultery, much less that he shall be chastised, but of the most he shall be favoured, supported, and justified, yea, to his impunity shall be added liberty to offend further to the Dangerous Example of a whole commonalty. That men Sin, it is no wonder, but that they be suffered to heap Sin upon Sin, brings slander to the whole race and generation of mankind: For, to be so impudent as to Blaspheme openly, and to be an Adulterer in public, is as though there were no Gospel to forbid it, nor GOD to Punish it: It is sure most horrible for a man to swell and wax Fat in Sin, whose sweetness drawing him on after the delights of this World, makes him so suck and lick up the syrup of every vice that if he leave, of with any of God's commandments unbroken, it is not for want of will but because he may no more: and albeit it be lawful for no man to sin, yet how many do we see so resolved & obstinate in wickedness that by continual frequentation of evil, they doubt whether they be evil men or not. There is nothing more dangerous to a Christian then to accustom himself to harden his Conscience, for that in such wretches there is no will to be amended, nor mean to be remedied: An other sort of sinners there is who, not content to have sinned, vaunt of their wickedness, 
Vaunters of sin.  and challenge a reputation for doing evil: those be the people, against whom God is most wroth, and whose offences he is most slow to pardon: And by so much more do we offend the majesty of God, by how much we are diligent & bold to sin, and slow to repent, and obstinate in perseverance, but most of all when we publish our vileness with impudency and boldness. Esay did not so much complain, of the people of Jsraell for that they had offended God, and forgot him: But for that they published their abominations, following therein the Sodemites and Cursed creatures of Gomorrha, to whom it was no more shame to sin then to eat: Then against such kind of sins and sinners, with good reason we may be angry, since of all other actions & accidents passing in the world we may marvel and wonder, but not rise into anger and wrath. Moses' was evil entreated of the king, followed of the Jews, murmured at by Dathan and Abiram, and envied of his Sister, and yet for all those troublesome perplexities, he was never so vexed and angry, as when he saw his people sigh for the absence of Egypt, worship the Calf, and murnure against God. It is written of the great Mathatia father of the renowned Maccabees, that notwithstanding he was devested of the state of Sacrificator, and banished the presence of his house whilst his goods were abandoned to spoil, yea outrage violently conspired against his person: yet much less that he took vengeance, seeing he was not once seen to kindle in anger, till he saw a wicked jew, in the manner of the Gentiles idolaters, offer a Sacrifice, for which dishonour done against God, he did justice on the offender. So extreme also were the persecutions which the Prophet Helias suffedred of Jezabell and the idolaters of Jerusalem, that oftentimes he prayed to God to be dissolved, to the end his afflictions might take end: And albeit the authority and wickedness of his adversaries, accompanied his heart with continual troubles and vexations, yet he never prosecuted the revenge of any, but such as bowed down to the Idol Baal, of whom, with their disguised God, he slew three hundredth. My eyes saith David are always as fountains of lively tears, 
Psal. 118.  not so much for the wrongs and offences which others do to me, as for compassion of the dishonour done against my God: Wherein as his affection was holy feeling more bitterly the outrages conspired against God, than the displeasures committed against himself: So, by his example, I say, we can not do a thing in this world more just, then to take as our own, the injuries done against the innocency of Christ: seeing he hath taken upon him the account and reckoning of all our offences, and made our transgressions as his own.  
Following then the example of so many holy and excellent personages, we may accomplish this commandment To be angry and sin not, which we do then best perform, when we rebuke the sin, and bear pity to the sinners, and help to secure and save their souls, & give no mean to the loss and infamy of their honour: The which now a days happeneth in the contrary, for that in few men is found a disposition to rebuke sin, but all sorts are displeased with the sinner, committing their zeal into Ire, and Ire into vengeance, and so by little and little, under colour to chastise, most men execute revenge. The sin of Anger, beside, that of itself it is hateful, is also in the same dangerous, seeing that with no man the neighbourhood of an angry man is welcome, nor his friendship tolerable. 
Description of a furious man.  The angry and furious man hath these descriptions: His eyes rolling, his face inflamed, his body trembling, his tongue troubled, his heart burning, and his hands ready to strike, and so long as he is governed with rages, much less that he is fit to execute any public business, seeing he neither knoweth what he saith, nor comprehendeth what he aught to do: And the more he is raised to place and dignity, the more hurtful he is: For that which in a private man is no more than natural Anger, 
That which in a private man is but natural anger, in a magistrate may be called rage and fury.  in a magistrate: Authority makes it rage and fury, and therefore in the administration of a common weal, there is nothing more unworthy, then to a heart naturally fierce and cruel, to add power and Authority. To the impatient and furious man most commonly things do not best succeed, for that being in Passion, he hath not the rule of his own judgement, and much less is able to dispose of his fortune, he seldom finds friends to follow him, and hath few servants to serve him: For, it goeth for the most part with the furious man to have evil will of many, & stability of fellowship with none: And ash is troublsome to many, so every man hath matter to speak against him, whereby, by the just occasion of his own merit he lives always in contention, in perplexities, in suspicion, in murmur, and for the most part doth contest and accurse against himself. Such men move their own scorn, for that in their Passions they are laughed at, their friendships suspected, and in their dealings they are feared: that more easy is it to endure a temptation, than the neyghbourhode of a furious man. With such men, we must not communicate in things discreet, nor trust them in secret business: For that to give council they are to rash, and to use secrecy their mouth is to open. It is dangerous then to commit to a man possessed with a spirit of Anger, any charge of government in the common weal: For that, in affairs of policy, as there be things that deserve to be chastised, and matters that aught to be dissembled: So, it can not but happen to the furious man, that in place to appease and cover injuries, he will of himself thunder reproaches against the parties: But now after the dangers and damages that come by Anger, it appertaineth to reason and congruency, to exhibit a few remedies to Cure or qualify those moods. In all our affairs and actions, it is good to foresee both what may happen to us, and what may be said of us, For, so shall we be Armed, that albeit men give us cause to be Angry, yet they shall have no power to make our passion furious: And therefore the same need that the poor man hath of Richeses, and the Fool of Wisdom, the same necessity hath the heart of patience: For, being Subject to many Afflictions, and the troubles no less that assail him together with the dangers that depend on them without comparison, many more be the things which he aught to suffer in patience, than that are Lawful for him to revenge with his Tongue. And if of every wrong that is done to us, and of every adversity that is natural to our condition we should retain special account and reckoning, our hands would never cease to revenge, our Tongue weary with complaining, and our heart wasted and broken with sighing: For, what man being a member of this miserable life, to whom is not one equal desire that his days and troubles might dissolve together: Men being so overgrown with vices, and so devoured with affairs and businesses, it is marvel that since they are so slow to cut of their cares and troubles, that the waves of their proper adversities do not rise and swallow them up. And if the Physicians ordained to cure infirmities of the body, would bind themselves to heal the sorrows of the heart: they should in particular have more patients mustering afore their gates, then in times past were inhabitants in Rome when it was best replenished: For, so natural is the sickness of trouble and vexation, that though many eschew it, yet few have power to live long exempt from it. What is he either past, present, or to come, who, in his body hath not felt some pain, and in his heart some passion, hath not suffered some loss or spoil of his goods, or infamy to his person, or at lest who can walk so uprightly to whom is not done some Injury, or some Scorn or reproach spoken? But he that is Vexed with all these Adversities, and will make head against them and Remedy them, Let him be assured, that even then shall he lay the plot of the end, and dispatch of his life, when he begins to put order to these incurable harms: For as there is no Sea without working, no War without danger, nor journey without travel: Even so that there is no worldly life void of troubles, nor any estate without stumbling blocks, it is most apparent in this, that there lives no man so happy which hath not wherein to be grieved, and whereupon to complain. For how many do we see whom Pride makes fall, Envy consumes, Anger torments, Poverty wasteth, and Ambition endeth their days: so that for the most part such is the miscontentment of our minds, that our adversities traveling our spirits in Martyrdom drive us to wish rather an honest death, then to languish in so troublesome a life.  
And so, if we will accomplish this commandment To be angry and sin not, let us (in accidents which the world, fortune and nature bring upon us, 
Good advise. ) dissemble some, suffer some, conceal some, and remedy the rest, and in all things let us follow reason, and flee opinion.   

For such as enter into Religion.  

Touching a Chapter pro●●●●●all.  Such as be Religious, or aspire to the office and ministery of the Church, aught to have always afore their eyes the words which God spoke to Abraham saying: Departed out of thy Country, and from amongst thy friends, and go into the land which I shall show thee, and abide where I command thee: For, under these words shall they find comprehended all that God doth for them, and likewise that which they are bound to do for the service of God. Abraham, being in the house of Tara his father, and Aran and Achor his brethren Chaldees and idolaters, God appeared unto him, and bade him leave his Country and Parents, and go where he would guide him, and rest where he would command him, and in recompense of this obedience (saith God) I will make thee Lord over great numbers of people, and will so give thee my blessing, as thou shalt for ever remain blessed.  
Out of these words, may be gathered four things which God commanded Abraham, and other four things which God promised him: So that as a Lord, he teacheth him in what he aught to serve him, and withal tells him what reward he will give him for his service: Afore God called Abraham, it was not found that there was any virtue in him, and much less that he had done any service to God: only the scriptures make mention that he was of the generation of Saruth, and son of Tara, 
three sorts of people called to religion.  and had to his Brother Aran, which all were Gentiles and idolaters: Cassianus saith, that of three sorts be called those that come to the perfection of Religion: One sort, God calls by holy inspirations: an other sort is chosen of men by good counsels: The third sort is constrained to enter into Religion by some necessity or misadventure happened to them: So that albeit the perfection of Religion be always one, yet the means to come thereunto are many. The first function or estate, is called divine, and consists (as is said) in this, when the great goodness of God so toucheth the heart of a man, that he leaveth that which he doth, and doth that which he aught, estranging his mind from worldly things, and raising it to divine and heavenly contemplations. The second is called humane or worldly, as when any wicked liver is turned to God by the council of some good man, as Hippolito was converted to the Faith by the instructions of S. Laurence: The third vocation may be called constrained, or by necessity: as when a man of dissolute conversation, and falling into adversity, is converted to God: And as these be the three manners of calling, and means to enter into Religion, so, if they be well considered, I see not how the first (oftentimes) either doth much profit, nor the last much hinder for more or less to serve God in religion: For, there have been many of those which God hath called to Religion, condemned, and many others which came to serve him by force, have been saved. Christ called and choosed to the college of his Disciples, the cursed Judas, and the Apostle S. Paul being reversed and fallen from his Horse, necessity compelled him to know jesus Christ: So that Judas being exalted, fell, and S. Paul being fallen, was exalted. This I bring in this place to the end that none esteem much, or make great account, either to be called to the Religion by the will of God, or to come to it by any necessity or misadventure: For the Servant of God which traveleth towards his salvation in a religious life, aught not to remember so much how God called him, as to consider wherefore God called him. There be many religious men in Monasteries and elsewhere who attribute much to themselves for that they entered religion in infancy, others challenge more for that they took the habit in the heat of their youth: Some there are that ascribe to their advauntag for that they profess an order very straight and reformed, and others for being the followers and Disciples of men of holy life: And many there be with whom it is no small reputation to have continued in Religion thirty, forty, or fifty years, and they, in respect of their prescription, hold all others but Novices: Yea, most of them stick not to refer all their perfection to the long time they have dwelled in Monasteries, having no regard to the little they have profited in them. But, to enter Religion in infancy, in youth, or in old age, to the man of God aught to minister no occasion of advantage or estimation over others: but rather let him (as a good steward) make a good account of his time, and travel more in the study and service of God, then to keep reckoning of the years of his continuance. For what estimation can prescription bring to any man, when he can show no fruit of his time? seeing that much more doth the religious man deserve for his knowledge and humility, then for his old age or continuance. Judas remained three years in the Apostleship of Christ, and three hours and no more did the good thief hung by our saviour on the cross, and yet by faith we are assured that more did profit the thief those three hours in torments, than the three years did good unto judas being a follower of Christ: In the parable of the vineyard in the gospel was no more hire given to him that wrought from morning till night, then to those that entered the vineyard at the last hour: whereby we are instructed that our merit or not merit stands not in the services which we do to God, nor in the little or great charity which we express, but chiefly as it please his goodness to accept or reject us. All the Apostles were called by Christ before his death, saving S. Paul, & yet who doubts though he was the last in vocation, but that he was even the first and chiefest in perfection (because he laboured more than all the rest): So that albeit to enter religion in infancy, in youth, or to remain there long time, can not be but commendable, yet under this condition, that it be not to this end to have a greater portion in the profits, but to be more humble in their profession. Beware therefore you that he ancients in houses of Religion, that you fall not into the deceits and circumventions of the devil, who, in recompense of the great number of years that you have dwelled in religion, & the many temptations that you have endured there will perhaps go about to pay you with the best chamber in the Dorter, & make you proud with the first voice in the chapter: Which you must eschew, for that, how much less comfort and cherishing you have in the estate of religion, so much more is your perfection and reverence. In like sort in the good religious man aught to appear no vain glory, for the he professeth the habit of a straight order, or a vocation of liberty, or whether he be observant or cloisterer: for, the perfection of the Gospel consists not in the monastery wherein we enter, but in the good and holy life we lead. The children of Jsraell worshipped one only God in Egypt, and being come into the land of Promise they revolted and misknewe him: So that in what place so ever we are, let our virtues give dignity to the house, and not the place seduce or altar our devotion. Albeit Joseph dwelled amongst the Egyptians, Abraham amongst the Chaldees, Tobias amongst the Assyrians, and Daniel was cruelly handled amongst them of Babylon, yet were they always holy and happy: And by them we are taught that to the perfect man, the whole world is his Monastery, as of the contrary, the profane and wicked man, of his Monastery makes a world: The same appearing in many wanderers, delighting in change and to range from one house to an other under colour of perfection (which more properly may be called temptation) they are not without their excuses, and have ready tongues to blame their governors for that their Monasteries are not reformed, complaining perhaps more by opinion, then that there lacks perfection: For, there is no place in the world so profane, where a man may not labour to be good if he will, or which to the man of God, helps not to the service of his perfection. Let not the servant of God also be glorious, for that in his order he was esteemed of holy life: For great is his shame to be taught by a good May stir, & forget to follow his virtues, & far greater is his abuse if he be renowned for holiness, and be found an Hypocrite. Dathan and Abiram had Moses to their master, Achab had Helias, Ananias had S. Peter, and Judas had Jesus Chrict, who albeit they heard their words and preachings, yet did they little profit by their Doctrines. And as in works made by man's hand, we have a custom first to praise the work, and then the workman that made it: so, touching a life religious, it is to small purpose for a disciple to bear praise by his master: The good Religious man aught not to vaunt, if the Lord call him more to one religion then to an other: for, after that a man be baptised, there is no estate in all the Church of God wherein the good man may not be saved, and the wicked condemned: And therefore to take rather the habit of S. Benet, then of the Augustine's, to profess more the dominicans than the franciscans, and to follow the Charterers rather than the Trinitaries or Mercenaries, or to be affected more singularly to one order then to another, I hold it of small difference since the albeit they are all habits anciently instituted by holy parsonages, yet in truth they are but traditional & subject to alteration & change, where Christ's religion is of itself pure, firm, & simple, & hath no affinity with outward observations & ceremonies: So that as God doth more consider the heart of him that serves him, then the habit which he beareth: So, I think that any man that is a good Christian & delights in the true sweetness of the gospel may enter into what religion he will, & have liberty to bear such habit as best sets forth his gravity: For, for men to choose the habit of one religion more than of another aught to be referred more to devotion then perfection. And albeit I cannot deny, but that there be religions some more correct & better reformed than others, & wherein the professors have more occasion to be good, & less liberty to be evil: yet, I dwell resolutely in this that the good or the evil of a monastery lieth not in the habit, but in the men that bear it: And where we see many religious men suffer sundry passions & difficulties, which of them professeth the most worthy & perfect religion, it is sure lamentable to see the inconvenience & evil examples which rise by such controversies, where amongst the servants of God there aught to be more dispute for the truth of religion, then to examine who followeth best his profession.   

another discourse tending to religion in a Chapter general.  
CHrist, 
We must acknowledge Christ for our faith, for our redemption & for our doctrine  speaking of such as being not content to be christians, willbe perfect christians, saith, who will not renounce all that he possesseth cannot be my disciple: And therefore afore all things it behoveth us to have jesus christ for god touching faith: and for redeemer in that which concerns the health of our souls, & for doctrine to follow him as master: For, if he teach us not that we have to do, & lead us not by his way, we shall remain in ignorance, & wander without a guide, & be ready to stumble upon error, 
psal 24.  heresy, & Idolatry. Vias tuas domine demonstra mihi et semitas tuai edoce me: Teach me O Lord saith David the ways that end in thee, & the paths by the which thou drawest to thyself those that be just: The Lord saith not, those that will renounce, etc. but speaking in the singular number, He saith he that will renounce all that he possesseth shallbe my disciple: giving us thereby to understand how small is the number of them the know his ways, & far less the congregation of such as go by his paths: for, of all those multitudes of people which have received baptism, how many are come to perfection? Then since jesus Christ hath prsented himself to be our master, it is good reason that we esteem ourselves to be his disciples, which we do then accomplish best, not so much when we hear his word, as when we tread in his steps: 
Cant. 8.  Pone me ut signaculum super cor tuum: O thou (saith the wiseman) the comes to serve me, & to follow me, put me as a white & mark in the most dearest place of thy heart, even there where the beams of thy thoughts do alwias strike. The first lesson the is taught us in the school of this good master, is that he the rejecteth not all that he hath cannot be his disciple: wherein he gives knowledge to all posterities of the profession of religion the the first & chieffest mark of a disciple of the law of the gospel, is to bear as great compassion even to the poorest, as they did to those that were most rich whilst they were of the world: For so shall they follow naked, him the was naked, in poverty, communicate with him that was poor, & in afflictions, follow him the was crucified even jesus Christ, to whose disciples it is a chief duties rather to do then to speak. 
It is a duty in disciples of Christ rather too do then to speak.  Where Christ commands you to leave the gold & silver the you have of the world, it is not for the riches of themselves are evil, but because they are hurtful impediments in the service of God: much hindering the action of our duty in holy profession by mean of the toils we have to get them, the cares & danger to keep them, & the griefs they give us to departed from them. 
troublesome properties annexed to rithe.  This is one property annexed to the goods of this world, that who takes the greatest pains to gather them, hath often times the lest use & pleasure of them: For when they descend by succession, we esteem them little, and if we attain them with our policy, they cost us dear. And when we give over to get more, it is then that the afflictions of old age give us no time to take the pleasure of those that we have. Temporal riches bring with them Pride and weening to him that hath them, covetousness to get more, penury to keep them, and sin to enjoy them: So that who holds himself most happy to have them, it is even he that hath his body most charged with vices, and his heart loaden with cares: Yea, if those that be most rich were examined of the extreme toils & labours they have endured by land, the dangers they have passed by sea, the losses they have suffered by Bankrupts, the Bribes & charges they have employed, with other infinite perplexities that follow the traffyke of getting: I believe they had rather with the easy beggar, have gone from door to door, then with the thoughtful merchant, have traded from fair to fair. To riches & richmen is joined also this passion, that as they use great industry to get them so have they no power to keep them: For, if their wealth consist in milnes the water carrieth them away, or else they depend of the favour of the wind: if their treasures be in silks & cloth, they are subject to moths: if their garners be full of corn, vermin will not forbear to devour it: and if it be in gold or silver, it is a sweet pray to entice the thief, whom oftentims god suffereth to be such a scourge to the richman, that what he hath heaped together with the sweat of all his life, the thief takes from him in one hour. This is also one affliction incident to richmen, the whilst they get they are private & alone, but when they come to use & enjoy their riches they are oftentimes to much accompanied: for, what with parentage & kind●ed, recompense of servants, & opportunities of other friends, the rich man, when he comes to divide his goods, or make his testament, shall have more trouble to please all, than himself took pleasure to possess & get all. And albeit he be liberal of his goods & reasonable in the distribution of them, yet shall he hardly escape without the mormure of his kindred, or grudging of his servants, & curses of his neighbours, & that not so much for any wrong he hath done them, as for that he will give them no portion in his wealth: So that if by nature & charity we have compassion on the poor that wanteth, we aught by reason to have pity on the rich that hath abundance: for that he is always environed with friends that never forbear to crave, & enemies that seldom cease to accurse: therefore I see not, but if there be great travel to get wealth, there is no less trouble to distribute it: for that as it is gotten in sweat & labour, so we see it is divided & left in sorrow & tears. The rich man must entertain many servants for the train of his person, & furnish his house with costly array: to him belongs great expense in hospitality & charge of buzines & in nothing must he fail that may furnish the countenance & reputation of his riches, jest his honour be blemished: so that by the miserable qualety of this world, men do rather accomplish with opinion then with reason: With this toil is also accompanied for the most part this further trouble to richmen, that when their fortune or folly hath raised them to an estate of ability & power, they had rather die then abate their pomp: & albeit they be sunk in substance, yet must they keep up sail, & as the saying is, wash their face with fair water, & dry it over with a dishclout: so that how much so ever a worldly man hath of worldly wealth in in this world, yet hath he not so much, but that he hath want of something, seeing that if he have to supply his lacks, he wanteth to accomplish the desires of his prodigal youth, with whom need is not satisfied with having plenty of things, for that having abundance, he lives still in desire to have more. And such men, as they travail more for that that is superfluous, then for that that is necessary, so if they would control that which they have, and be discrete in that which they spend, they should find that the travel they endure is not to satisfy the necessities they feel, but to accomplish the vanities wherein they live: Rich men, the more they begin to find out the secret and subtlety of traffyke, the more do they fall into the bottomless troubles thereof, as, to buy, to sell, to exchange to retail on credit, yea, to beguile, rob, & deceive, and which worse is, when they protest most to give it over, it is then they are most drowned in it: So that the more they have, the more they seek to get, the more they buy, the more bargains they make, yea, the more they desire the more do they rob, and yet (such is their wretchedness) that that which they have, seems but little to them, & the little that others have they esteem a great deal: yea, being never satisfied, they hold that they have but little, in comparison of that they desire to have. Lastly, temporal riches bring with them this error, that as afore we get them, we have an insatiable appetite to them, so, being possessed of them we grow to loathe them, as in all other things fullness altereth the taste: So that in getting them, we pass thorough infinite passions and difficulties, and having them we receive with them perplexities and cares, reaping of our sweat and labours, a crop of care, sorrow, and anguish.  
By all these, we may prove it a false testimony of him that calleth riches goods, seeing they have no property nor nature of God, but work the effect of much evil: For, if there be any evil in the world at this day, rich men do breed it, and the poor sort endure it: And therefore riches can not be called good, for that greater is the number, 
Rich men breed most evils in the world.  without comparison, of such as being good, become evil by riches, then of such as being wicked, are by riches holpen to be good. For, riches are rather the ministers of vices, then of virtues, and ready instruments to do hurt even against those that get them with pain and travel, 
Richeses the ministers of vices.  and keep them with care and cost. If they be in the keeping and power of an old man, his age will not suffer him long to enjoy them, and if they be the portion of one that is young, they will never give him rest till he have spent them. So that I may well maintain that they be not goods, but evils, & not simple evils, but most great and hurtful evils, seeing they put our bodies in danger, trouble our spirits, bring griefs to our hearts & oftentimes takes away our lives, & put our souls in hazard. That if riches were good as the world saith, and not evil as all men see, there would not be areared so cruel wars between Princes, so many revolts and troubles amongst estates and countries, so many quarrels amongst neighbours, nor so many suits and processes between brethren: amongst all which is seldom seen, one man to contend with another for the correction & amendment of his life, but rather for the usurpation of their goods & possessions: where in I see no reason to call that good which is the occasion of so many evils, since that no other things are the riches of the world, but a desire of vain men, a stumbling block for the wicked, a limebushe for the good, and a perpetual perplexite for all sorts.  
Let this suffice to warn chiefly such as are entered into religion, afore whose eyes aught always to stand as a burning lamp, that heavenly change which they made with the world that same day that they left the world & entered religion, wherein they exchanged pride for humility, ire for patience, & cruelty for charity: He that being in religion, thinks he hath left in the world much gold, silver, possessions, & temporal goods, knows not what he hath left, nor what he hath taken: For, in leaving the world, he hath left but misadventure & adversity: and in entering religion he hath chosen a life of surety: for that to the good & virtuous religious man, it is more hard to pass one day in the world, then to suffer a whole year in a monastery. Therefore he that will be poor, patiented, abstinent, & continent, may with surety be a member in all monasteries, but if he delight in epicuritie, dissoluteness, & impatiency, let him know that a religion well governed, is to hungry for a glutton, to severe for him that is dissolute, & very judicial against all transgressors. For end, let all men take heed how they follow the world, since it leads them out of the way, let no man serve the world, for that it is unthankful, who trusts the world, shall found it a traitor, and who delights in the world shall be deceived, for that it hath allurements to entice men, & charms to cast them into a sleep which never takes end till they die. Such as know not the world, desire it, and receive therein their destruction, even as in sweet drink brewed subtly which poison men suck up the fatal syrup of their death and destiny: But the religious men, enclosed within the circuit of their cloisters aught to close their eyes from the sight of vanities, & let their ears blood not to be ravished with the noise & charm of riches.   

Instructions still tending to men entered religion.  
SO good hath God been always to those whom he loveth that from the beginning of the world, he hath used to divide & separate them from the world, & from the society of worldly things: as he did by Abraham when he drew him out of Chaldee, called Jacob from Sciria, & choosed Moses out of the palace of Pharaoh: by which we are instructed, that with God it is none other thing to lead a man into religion, then to take from him occasions to sin, & give him grace to serve him. When the son of god would reveil any secret mystery to any of his dear disciples, he used to lead them into solitary places, separate from the brute of the world, thereby to signify to all posterities, that by how much more god loveth a man, by so much more doth he estraung & divide him from the fellowship of the world: Ducam illum in solitudinem et loquar ad cor eius: The soul that is beloved of me saith god by his prophet Osee, and which I have predestinated, I will draw out of the troubles of the world, and lead him into solitary places, and privately reveal unto his heart my secrets: Right happy is that soul whom the Lord calleth to the desert of Religion, there to serve him with greater devotion, & follow him with more constancy of heart. God hath spoken to many by signs, and hath communicated with many by writings & words, yea, to some he hath whispered in their ear: But he speaks only to the hearts of those whom he loveth with his heart: And little serves it that God spoke to us in the ear to hear him, to our eyes to behold him, and to our tongue to exalt him, if with all he spoke not to the heart to love him: For, it is impossible that he should love God with his heart, who hath him not imprinted in his heart: And then doth GOD speak to the heart of a Christian, when he draws him out of the storms of this world, and leads him into the solitariness of a Monastery, where he may his body in purity, and his mind in contemplation: For, the tree that stands by the high way gives more shadow to the passenger, than fruit to the owner that prunes it: God doth not only say, I will draw him from the world, and lead him into the desert: But he said he would speak to his heart, meaning, that little doth it avail to be led into the desert of Religion, if with a good heart we do not abandon the things of the world. For, more doth it hurt then good, if our Surgeon draw from us a gross tooth, and leave behind some corrupt rote to infect the gums: And therefore, who forsakes the world with good heart, and entereth into Religion with holy intention, it is he with whose heart God doth communicate, and loves him with his heart: God hath promised that wheresoever two be gathered together in his name, he would be the third, therefore it is good Religion to believe that he is in all houses well corrected, and in every virtuous congregation compounded upon religious persons magnifying and serving him both day and night: So that such as are admitted to a virtuous assembly, can not have in this World a more great felicity: And therefore not without great mystery, God commanded Abraham to abandon the house which he had builded, and the inheritance which he had established, thereby to instruct all professors of religion, that in all temporal things are impediments to be good Christians, and hinder the science of perfection in religion: Declina a malo et fac bonum, thou oughtest to flee darkness, 
Psal. 36.  if thou wilt enjoy the light, thou must follow the right way if thou wilt not err, avoid the mire and dirt, if thou wilt be with out spot and clean, yea thou must first forbear to be evil, if thou wilt begin to be good, & so shalt thou which the council of David, eschew the vice and follow virtue.   

This discourse was uttered in the presence of a Noble Lady at her Churching.  
SInt lumbi vestri praecincti et lucernae ardentes in manibus vestris: O thou that comest or meanest to come to the house of the Lord (saith Christ) it behoveth thee to be straightly girt afore the Candle & the Candlestick be given thee in thy hand: For amongst the Servants of God, if we see any go heavily, sadly, and discomforted, it is a good argument to say that he is negligent & not well girt. The Scripture bears witness, that Elias in the Desert, S. john in the Wilderness, S. Peter in Prison, S. Paul in Ephesus, and Christ upon the Pinnacle, although they were thinly clothed, yet were they well girt: By which is gathered this instruction that notwithstanding the troubles and persecutions happening to perfect men, they aught not for all that to give over that they have begun, nor be cold or negligent in that they have taken in hand. The gown that is well girt keeps the body warm, and gathereth less wind: Euenso the man that professeth a religion to serve God being girt with purity and holy intentions, is the better armed against the wind of vanities of this world, and no less prepared for the heat of devotion and service of God. So that then we may say a man is well girt, when we see him in the way to be holy and just: For, so abstinent and continent aught we to be in religion, that both the world may behold our virtue, and many made better by our example. And therefore where the LORD saith, it behoveth us to have our gowns girt afore we take the candles in our hands, it is to advise us that in such sort should we leave bound, trodden out, and naked, the vanities and riches of this world, that they have no power to follow us, and we less desire too go seek them. The lighted candles which we should have in our hands, be the good and holy works we aught to do, and as he is one that holds the candle, and he an other that partakes in the use and light of it: so the good work of the holy man is not only profitable to himself alone, but it also serveth to edify an other that seeth him do it: with all, like as he is not exempt from sin, who to an other gives occasion to sin: in like sort that man can not be without merit, whose virtue is the cause that an other doth any good action: the same agreeing with the interpretation of this text of the Prophet, Particeps sum omnium timentium te: when we are the cause that other men serve God we do communicate and partake (saith he) with the merit of such good things as they do in his service. It sufficeth not (saith jesus Christ) to hold one only candle in our hands, but it is requisite to the office and piety of Christians to have many: For, as the true christian, and man of perfect devotion to GOD receives of the plentiful hand of the Lord, many graces and benefits: So it is necessary that he do him many services, and keep his spirit in continual exercise of thanksgiving. For, as this is common in the office and friendship of men, that by how much less we are raised to benefits above our merit, so much more are bound to own all those due respects of recompense and civility as may hold us acquitted, and leave our friend satisfied. Even so with God, this is an infallible property in his justice, to minister rewards to good men above the rate of their merits, and prepare punishment to the wicked under their deservings. And where Christ commands (not without great mystery) that we should hold in our hands our candles lighted, and neither use the service of the candlestick, nor appoint others to hold them for us: it is to advertise us, that if God aught to save us, it aught to be through his great mercy only, and not by any mean of our proper merits, although in our actions we aught always to express a holy industry and diligence. In like sort it is not enough (in the profession of religion) that we be girt, that we have candles, that we hold them in our hands, or that we have many candles: but it belongs to our christianity to have them burning with light, & not as dead and stinking snuffs: where by we are warned, the better were it, not to enter into religion at all, if in the same we correct not the abuses of our lives, & gather profit by the fruit & doctrine of the gospel: by the example of the great prophet S. john baptist, being himself (as the scripture saith) the candle that burned & gave light, are bound all sincere & virtuous religious men, to take heed that they want no wax of good life to burn, and be less replenished with vices to give impediments to their lights: so that no other thing is the religious man undevout, than a candle dead: & it can not by any similitude resemble a candle light, but rather a snuff trodden out & quenched, where the man of the church hath no other good thing in him then his habit, by the which he aught never the more to exalt or glorify himself, since, afore the majesty of God it is no not other thing to be reputed a holy man holding nothing of virtue but his habit, than a candle, whose light being quenched his quality lieth dead. The virgins that had not their lamps lighted (according to the judgement of the gospel) deserved not to enter with the bridegroom: evenso the man by whom is not performed the duty of a good Christian, and much less hath fulfilled the office of a Churchman, may stand assured, that when de dieth, he shall not be found amongst those that are invited, but passed over to the fellowship of such as are deceived. That great is the grace which God showeth to that man whom he withdraws from the world and reduceth into holy religion, for that there is more surety to stand, and not so much subjection to fall, and if he suffer him to stumble, he hath appointed him helps to hold him up, and many ready means to repentance: Since that in the Church he hath more opportunity to serve God, and less occasion to commit sin. And albeit, being compounded upon humours and complexions of corruption, we cannot but err in things corrupt and worldly: Yet such is the care and protection of God over those that he loveth and hath called and chosen to the service & office of the Church, that if sometimes he suffer them to fall the better to make them know him, it is not without the ready assistance of his hand to help them essoones to rise again: Yea, he seldom suffereth them to slide into such faults, as may give him occasion to be angry with them.  
Therefore, who under the habit of religion, riseth into a mind of Pride, Ambition, Epicuritie or Malice, is amongst the children of God, the same that Satan is to all Christians, Dathan amongst the Jsraelites, Saul amongst the Prophets, and Judas amongst the Apostles: Wherein let all men be warned that have will to enter into Religion, that afore they seek it, they may know wherefore they follow it, since for no other cause aught they to come to the communion of Religion but to amend and reform their lives. For, albeit the sincerity of Religion receive great sinners. yet, it is with no toleration to commit heinous Crimes after they be invested. What other thing is meant by that Discipline of the Scripture, wherein the Land of Promise for traveling in small labours on the Holidays, they were commanded to be stoaned. But that to the man of the Church sinning lightly in Religion, was merit of great severity & punishment, for that a small sin committed in the world, bears an estimation of a grievous crime in the Church. Take heed (saith S. Paul) that you receive not the grace of our Lord in vain: And what other thing doth he then receive it in vain, who makes no reckoning of his election, and cares not to be called to the Church, and divided from the world. For, as by baptism we are sanctified, evenso by the profession of the ministery we are regenerate.  
Let every one then take heed what it is that he takes in hand, afore he begin to manage so holy a function, and whether they be professors by will or by necessity: For, all religions being of the institutions of holy personages, as it can not be tolerable that in their ministers be any imperfections or want of perfect devotion and virtue. So, who in the habit of religion, will live profanely or follow the liberty of the world, in that man is no appearance of reformation, and less argument of faith or virtue. And therefore in the church for some particular mento be more exempt and privileadged than others, or to aspire above the congregation and community of the Church in any private or familiar prerogative: although it may be suffered for a time, yet religion can not hold it tolerable long. For, no more than the Sea can bear bodies that be dead, no more hath the Church a nature to brook in her ministers minds of Ambition and Pride: for which cause it is called order, as wherein are contained all things well ordered, which, without this order, cannot but bear to confusion. Who hath once taken the habit of religion, and will still continued entangled with the customs of the world, and exercise his mind in vanities, can not but break the statutes of Religion, and stand in peril of infidelity, since the doctrine of the gospel, and the liberty of the world could never hold society or fellowship together.   

A discourse in the presence of a great assembly of Noble Ladies of the good and evil that the tongue doth.  
Mors et vita in manibus linguae.  
IF to men of the world were power of election to demand the things they desire most, afore all other temporal felicities, they would require to live long. And if (on the other side) they had liberty to contesse what thing in the World they abhorred most, who doubts not but all men loath nothing more than to die? Whereunto there is to be made this ready reason, that as living, they enjoy that they have, and dying, they leave to be that they are: So, with life all things are remedied, 
The sovereign duty of mortal folks is the solace of their life  & by death there is nothing which hath not end, yea the sovereign delight of mortal folks is the solace of their life, and the greatest terror they suffer is the opinion and conceit of death.  
Beasts exercise generation, fruits return seeds to their planter, corn yéeldes his grain of increase, and birds leave eggs in their nests. And all for no other reason then that knowing they can not always live, they leave others to livein their place: yea, for no other purpose do men & beasts eat, drink, sleep, and execute their other natural actions, than thereby the more to preserve and pamper life, and with more security to prolong and shift of death. And, for that (in general experience) nature loves her conversation, and abhorreth all things hurtful to her increase, we see there is nothing more comforts the man that is sick, then when he is told that he may eat of what his appetite likes best, even so there is no word that doth more amaze or mortify him then when he is put in remembrance of his mortality, and to prepare his conscience, for with one word he hath surety of life, and with an other he heareth his sentence of death: Whereof was verified a right true experience in the good king Ezechiell, to whom, in one hour, in one house, and to one person, even to himself, was pronounced by the Prophet Esay, that he was condemned to death, and that GOD had eftsoons given him Pardon: So that having deserved by the gravity of his sins that GOD should take his life from him: God afterwards, through the fullness of his mercy, and consideration of his tears and repentance, found occasion to pardon his death: how incensat and rude soever any creature is, yet we see he hath judgement to eschew the fire that burns him, 
All things desire to live and are loathe too die.  to avoid the Labyrinth made to his destruction, & not to climb with desperate peril those high rocks, from whose tops is present effect of death: whereunto by what other reason is he induced, then to preserve life which he holdeth dear, & flee death which nature teacheth him to fear. The brute beast fleeth death, and yet he is of a condition not to judge of the worthiness & solace of life: but to man nothing is more dear than life, & of all other things he holdeth death in most terror: for that living he knoweth what he is, & being dead, he cannot tell what shall become of him (since after death there is no restitution, no more than a tree once hewn down, can be eftsoons replanted.) Friendship & the office of society, require that we wish to our friends, much ability, might, & power: but with a greater affection we wish them long life: yea this stands in common regard with us all, rather to seek to prolong our life, them increase our wealth, & not to make a greater care to augment our treasure, then to continued our days: which being true, what a wonderful providence of God & nature is this, that the confidence of life & death consists only in the tongue, who hath the same office in the administration of the life of man, which is incident to the portal or wyket of a great palace, thorough the which do enter all things that we eat & use, & by the other do issue all that we think and speak. So that it holds good conformatie with the saying of the Wiseman, that life and death are in the power of the tongue, since life is at the portal of our Palace ready to departed, when death striking on the hamor of our conscience seeks to enter, yea, there is no part of our body wherein we stand more subject to danger of life and death, then in our mouth and tongue: for that they being the open gates of the tower and trunk of the body, life may go out without speaking, and death hath liberty to enter without knocking. 
2. Cor. 4.  Habemus thesaurum in vasis fictilibus, saith S. Paul: as if he had said: O what pain have Christians to bear in feeble and frail vessels, such precious treasures, as faith in the understanding, charity in the will, piety in the hands, love in the heart, chastity in the body, and life and death in the tongue: Yea, they are virtues infused into vessels corrupt, and appointed to consociate members putrefied, who being so dangerous to be managed, and most easy to be broken, what surety or guard is there to the life, when in the mouth is found no government, and to the tongue is denied the gift of secrecy: For, having no bones to control it, nor sinews to restrains it, what science or mean hath it to do that we command it, or how can it retain and keep secret things which are referred to his trust and confidence. Therefore to the man that feareth death, and desireth long life, it is necessary he minister government to his tongue, jest he know not how to prolong his life, and much less find out where upon his death may come.  
Solomon then said wisely that death and life were in the power of the Tongue: Meaning, that as to some men the tongue hath saved their life, so, in others, wicked speech hath wrought the occasion of their death: For that to a Noble mind, an injurious word doth more hurt, than a great cut or wound of a sword on the body of a barbarous or rude man. And to prove by many examples and figures in the Scripture, the operation of the tongue, in the action of life and death: we read that cain being asked of God, why he had slain his Brother Abel? In place to repent him of the fact and ask Pardon of God, he said that his fault was greater than that God's mercy could forgive it, against whom S. Augustine crieth vehemently that much less that the mercy of the Lord could be inferior to the fault of Cayn, seeing that to pardon and forgive is a thing proper to God, and to revenge and punish is far estranged from his nature: 
To pardon and forgive is a thing proper to God.  So that there is no doubt but greater was the offence of cain in the words he said, then in the Murder he did: (since, if with the stroke of the sword he took away the life of his Brother, by the Blasphemy of his tongue he gave death to his soul): To kill his Brother was evil done, but to despair in God's mercy, was even a transgression of the devil, for that more do we offend God to esteem him without mercy, 
We offend God more too think him too be without mercy then in any other transgrssion.  then in any other sin we commit against his majesty. Some of the Jews Crucified jesus with torments, and some with their tongues, in whom I think was deeper effect of sin then in the rest that pierced his body with nails: For that, they laid their hands on him by ignorance, but the other filled their tongues with false testimony, & Blasphemed & crucified him by malice. It is written in the Prophet Esay discoursing upon the fall of Lucipher. Quia dicebat in cord suo in coelum conscendam, et super astra dei etc. 
Esay. 14.  Because thou hast said O Lucipher that thou wouldst mount up to the highest Empire of heaven and there erect thy Throne, and be like to the most high and mighty God, it was good justice that thou shouldest fall from that thou wast, since thou aspirest to be that thou oughtest not: yea, in thy overweening expressed in Proud and Arrogant words was wrought the reason and effect of thy wretched fall: wherein let all men be warned to take heed what they say, what they do, and what they think, since Lucipher was not thrown from the seat where he sat, even into the bottomless Pit where he fell, but for the disdainful words which he spoke, and arrogant thoughts he conceived: So that as his weening defaced him in heaven, so through his wickedness was he recommended to Hel. Senacherib King of the Assyrians and a great Blasphemer against the omnipotency of God, preparing a mighty Army against Jerusalem, sent his Heralds to King Ezechias with this summons: Non te seducat deus tuus in quo fiduciam habes non enim poterit vos quis de manu mea eripere: 
4. Kings. 18.  Take heed King Ezechias (saith he) and be not abused in confidence and opinion that the aid of thy God, or the power of thy huge Army are able to protect thee from the stroke of my hand, for that I will compel thee eftsoons to communicate in the tribute and subjection of thy Ancestors. But so God kindled in indignation against these arrogant threats, that even afore he had done any pillage or murder in the country and in the beginning of the Siege afore Jerusalem, behold the Angall of the Lord killed in one night a hundredth and fourscore Thousand men of his Army: and himself fleeing to his City of Ninive, was there slain by his own children, losing in this sort through the wickedness of his tongue, his Honour, his host, his Kingdom, and his Sinful life, where many other Princes of the Assyrians, Perses, Meades, and Egyptians afore him, notwithstanding they executed great cruelties over the common weals of the hebrews, yet they made wars with their weapons, and kept their tongues in rest, and therefore were punished with more favour than most wicked Senacherib: Therefore amongst Princes in Kingdoms, magistrates in public office, and Prelates in their congregations, as it is a thing of most equity that they do justice, so is it no less unseemly to be Blasphemers or wicked speakers, (since oftentims men do more account of injurious words spoken against them, then of the punishment that is laid upon them.) And neither for the Prince in his kingdom, nor the general in the Camp, nor to the church man in time of peace, can it be any way convenient to be proud in their conversations, 
In no estate is it seemly to be biting in word  & less biting in their words. The kindred of Cayn (sons of the Patriarch No) said they would build a tower whose tops should aspire to heaven, to save them from the fury of the flood if God sent any upon the earth: Wherein as they imagined that in their hands lay the power too avoid death, and not in the might of God to take from them their life: So we have assuredly to hold it a great Mystery, that for so great an offence GOD would not Punish them in their persons, nor spoil their goods, nor reverse their Cities, and much less take from them their vices, but only he Chastised them in their Tongues: against whose Pride and Arrogancy it is a good argument that GOD boar a greater displeasure, then against the Huge Tower they had erected. For that if he had not more dispized their conspiring Tongues then their subtle buildings, he would rather have defaced their Tower, then confused and Changed their Languages. Before these Cursed BABILONIENS drew into Council to Build this Tower, the whole World spoke but one sort and Phrase of Language: But GOD, seeing the disposition of People and Nations declining too do Wickedly, took from them the manner of speaking, where (if it had so pleased him) he might have drowned them as he did the Army of Pharaoh, or stricken them Blind as he did the Sodomites, or have Burned then quick as he did the Children of Aaron: But according too the Custom of his justice, since with their Tongues they had disobeyed him, he provided that in their Tongues more than in any other thing, was published their Punishment. O that men in these times would look up too the justice which God thundered upon Babylon, so should they forget to Murmur, & forbear to blaspheme, yea if the impression of those threats would take place in their minds, I doubt not but the backbiters would turn their tongues from slander, 
Who can not flatter is esteemed either malicious or proud  & all men cease to sin, yea, if the consideration of God's justice stood afore the secret conscience & judgements of princes, they would not be so subject to flattery, although the time is now grown to this corruption, that who cannot flatter is esteemed either malicious or proud.  
Such is the danger of the tongue, that if it be not restrained to order & limit, it hath a natural liberty to speak even to our own hurt: And the speech being none other thing than the image & figure of the mind, there is no less necessity of temperance & council in the controlment of our tongue, then to govern our conscience. 
We offend not more in any other member then in the tongue.  There is no other member appertaining to man, wherein we have a more facility to offend, then in the tongue, by whose unbridled swiftness we are often times carried into voices sounding even to our proper harms, as happened to the Amalechite that brought David the first news of the death of Saul: I come from the Camp of the hebrews (saith he) & bring thee tidings that thy ancient enemy king Saul is dead whereof these eyes are true witnesses, for that these hands slew him obeying his own request. But David notwithstanding he was delivered of an enemy, could not but disdain the boldness of the messenger to lay violent hands upon the Lords anointed, and therefore he gave this sentence of him. Let thy blood be upon thine own head, since thy mouth hath condemned thy life, and thyself hast spoken against thyself, 
Sanguis tuus sit super caput tuum. 2. King. 1.  saying: I have killed the anointed of the Lord, whose garment thou oughtest not so much as to touch, and much less spoil the liberty of his life. Here David did not justice upon this messengere so much for the murder he had done, as for that he made vaunt and glory of it: So that as he slew Saul with the sword, so also he Killed himself with his proper Tongue. And albeit in respect of the Ancient Quarrel and Wars between Saul and David, this poor Amalechite had thought to have been the bringer of glad Tidings, and for recompense to have received great advancement: yet greater was the consideration of David to revenge the offen●●●●…ne against God, then either to rejoice in the news, or regard the commodities that grew to him by the death of King Saul: Wherein by somuch was his perfection and charity greater, by howmuch he did not only weep for the death of his enemy, and honoured him with funeral pomp and Burying, but also he gave Revenge to his Death. In that fearful discourse which CHRIST makes of the rich man and Lazarus in the other world, we find that the rich man Cried unto Abraham to have Pity on him: at lest wise that he would send Lazarus to touch with his Finger the flame and heat of his Tongue: which request, albeit seems to carry no face of importance or greatness, yet the upright justice of God would neither hear nor help him: For that in his prosperity having denied to the poor the very Crumbs falling from his Table, by what reason could he deserve a drop of Water to refresh or comfort his necessities? And where by the testimony of the Scripture we find that this wretched rich man was both a glutton, and an epicure in delights of Banquets, Garments, and all other sensualities: Yet it is apparent that in no part of his body he feels such sorrow, as in his Tongue, nor in any sort commits so great sins as in speaking. By whose example and Punishment, let all men in their conversation bring forth virtue, and in their speech use council and discretion, (since the next way to live in honour and die with praise is to be honest in desires, and to have a Tongue well corrected.) And so for end, if to cain, Lucipher, Senacherib, the builders of the tower of Babylon, the Murderer of Saul, & the wicked rich man, had not been joined vain tongues to pronounce disdainful and undiscreet things, it may be believed that they had not with such lightness have lost their lives in this world, nor in the other, had put their souls under perpetual damation.  
But now, having proved how the Tongue hath been to many the cause of their Death: Let us also in another Example of the Piety of David, prove that in so hath been the occasion of life (according to the argument of our Theme, That Life and Death are in the power of the Tongue:) In the body of Man, the most necessary member is the Heart: The goodliest Instruments are the Eyes: The parts most delicate are the Ears: And the thing wherein is most danger with good reason we may say is the Tongue. For that the Heart thinketh only, the will consenteth, the Ears hear, the Hands strike, but to the Tongue is tied a property too Kill and Sleye. And as our Tongue is none other thing then as a white Wall, whereon the wise man may paint devout Images, and the Fool draw things vain and fond: So to him that can use his Tongue well it is an Instrument that may work to his Salvation, as of the contrary, who employeth it in ill services, it is sufficient to his Damnation. For the Heart being the Forge whereon our Wicked plots are wrought, then that which our Tongue pronounceth is none other thing then the price and publication of the Sins which we have within our Heart. But now to the History of King David, a thing no less pitiful to hear, then necessary to know. For that the discourse leaves to all Christians a true experience what weakness we have to fall, and with what readiness we may eftsoons rise again. As king Saul by God's will was deprived of his kingdom, so in his place the eternal providence raised the holy king David, who in the sight of the Lord found so much grace, as the wicked Saul was disfavored. So God loved David, that amongst all the patriarchs he made him most honoured, amongst the prophet's best inspired, amongst the Captains most feared, & amongst the kings best esteemed and loved: yea he found him so agreeable in his sight that he promised and swore to descend of his race, bearing himself such witness of his holiness that he confessed that amongst all the Children of Israel, he had found and chosen David as best pleasiing his Heart and most agreeable to his will: 
Jweni virum secundum cor meum.  And so was David loved of God with a divine affection For that he served him with all his Heart: by which we may judge that with one equal weight or measure, 
God loves us with the ●ame measure where with we serve him.  are poised the love which GOD bears too us, and the services which we do to him. But as Idleness is the Enemy of virtue and the very train to all Wickedness, it happened that David being in his Palace, well disposed of his person, and mighty in Countries (but his mind environed with Idleness) he fell into an accident most prejudicial to his renown, & no less infamous to his common weal. Whereby Princes may see that more punishment do they deserve for the evil example they show, then for the vices they commit: For, it had not happened so to the good king David if he had been either writing of Psalms, or busy in some expedition of war, or at lest managing some other his affairs of importance: but such is the resolution of God, & so it is, so it hath been, & so it shallbe, that from the time that princes take truce with their enemies, they set at liberty the flood of vices to run with main stream into their courts & palaces, according to the testimony of S. Augustine in the city of god. Moore hurtful was the city of Carthage to Rome after her destruction, then during the whole course & season of wars which the Romans had with her: For the whilst they had enemies in Africa, they knew not what vices meant in Rome: But now eftsoons to the history. David being idle in his gallery beheld the beauty of Bethsabe the wife of Urias being then in the wars, & applying the absence of her husband to the commodity of his desire, what with his great importunity, and her small constancy, he committed Adultery and got her with child. And fearing Detection of the Fact, he Wroat speedily to Joab his Gennerall in those Wars, that at the time of the assault, Urias might be preferred to the peril of his life, wherein, according to the society that is in sin, it seemed that from one offence he appealed to an other, as from Epicuritie, he fell to idleness, idleness bred in him foul desires, by desire he was driven to solicit, by soliciting he beguiled her weakness, and after he had beguiled her, he fell to adultery, and from Adultery to Murder, so that the Devil had never deceived him, if himself had not pitched the toils of his proper harms: Yea, if David had so served God, as God loved him, he had never suffered him to fall so far. For, with such care doth the Lord hold up such as strive to serve him, that he never suffereth them to fall into great sins: But if we do slide, stumble and hurt ourselves, let us not be amazed, for even the same infirmities are common to Angels: Therefore when we pray to God, we aught to demand with tears and contrition, for, that if he than suffer us to fall, he will also give us grace to rise again. So provident is the Lord over the virtuous, saith the Prophet, and so careless to the sinner, that if the just man swim upon the main Sea, he will not suffer him to be drowned: Where the wicked walking upon the firm Land shall fall headlong into wells and deep pits, which the Scripture doth construe to that foul and huge enormity of sins of the which he hath no power to repent. All this I have written upon the occasion of the sins wherein King David fell, who notwithstanding used such diligence to rise again, and from the time of his restitution so laboured to live in God's fear, that albeit he was bruised with his fall, yet he was not greatly hurt.  
Immediately then that the Lord advertised David by the Prophet Nathan, 
The conclusion  that he was so much kindled against him both for the Adultery and Murder, that he would send upon him punishment according to the greatness of his fault. The good King lift up his heart and hands to the Lord and cried Peccavi, and confessing himself to be an abominable sinner, he rend the heavens with his sighs, and watered the earth with his infinite tears, wherein it is not to be doubted, but that the exercise of so unfeigned repentance, and confession of, his fault, was a great degree to his forgiveness. He willed not the Prophet to dispute with God, and say on his behalf that he was frail, or that the Devil had deceived him, or that it was a sin humane: But he aspiring to the mercy of God, exhibited confession of his fault saying, Tibi soli peccaut et malum coram te feci: Wherein, in not seeking to justify his fault, he found forgiveness of his trespass. Here may be gathered to the comfort of all good Christians, that after David had sinned, he went not so soon to search God, as God was ready to receive him, whose providence & perfection is such over his chosen, that though they fall in any notorious Crime, yet he suffereth them to have no perseverance in it, according to the experience of his heavenly bounty expressed upon S. Matthew, and S. Paul, whom Christ searched, with the blind man near the high way, with others of whom the Scripture gives testimony that Christ searched them. Then let all Christians confess the wonderful clemency of God, who even in our negligence goeth out to seek us: though we pray him not, yet he prayeth us, and where we forget to call to him, he fails not to call upon us, so that if we lose ourselves, and be the instruments of our own destruction, it is not so much for that we have sinned, as for that after our transgression, we will not believe. Let us therefore take pleasure to hear when God calls us: Let us be glad to be found when the Lord searcheth us: Let us be ready to follow when he guides us: Let us be willing to believe, when he takes from us all deceit: And let us think us happy to serve him, when he is disposed to pay us our hire. Yea, since he is so liberal and pitiful towards us, let us with the council of S. Paul, Go with confidence to the throne of his grace: For, 
Eamus cum fiducia ad thronum graciae eius  seeing he went to seek David who had offended him, let us believe that he will be found and entreated of any that is his true servant, (the conditions of the house of God being such, that as none are compelled to enter into it, so it resistes none that knock at the Gates:) Where David stood not to reason with himself that he had Sinned in this, or in that: we have to gather by him that the matter of our Salvation consists not so much in multiplication of words, as too correct our lives and increase daily in good deeds. And truly GOD hath no necessity of great Cries, to the end he may hear us, and less need of many reasons too persuade him too understand us, since David used no other solicitor for the removing of God's wrath, than the imploration of a penitent heart, Crying, Tibi tibi soli peccavi et coram te malum feci: Yea, though men regard for the most part the exposition of the Tongue, yet with GOD the impression of the heart stands always most acceptable, as appeared in this conversion of David, who acknowledging simply that he had sinned without further dispute with God, the Lord was neither scrupulous nor suspicious for that he spoke no more but one word, but had regard to the sincerity of the heart where with he repented. O omnipontent jesus and sweet comfort of our souls, grant that with David we may cease to sin and begin to amend our life, & let us with S. Paul confess our sins with intention to offend no more. And where, by our proper corruption, we are subject to daily transgression without the aid of thy holy spirit, grant that as thy law is replenished with mercy, so with David we may find remission, confessing with him that we have sinned with intent to offend no more: Let us in the devotion of David recommend to God's mercy the faults and ignorances of our youth, for that in that tender age we know not what we did, and were ignorant in that we aught to do. Wherein, where David asked pardon of GOD only for the transgressions of his youth, and not for the Sins he committed when he was old and well experienced in the things of the world (the faults of which age are not to be called ignorances, but malices, not simplicities but filthy enormities, not light vanities, but heavy vices, and not faults done for want of knowledge, but offences committed with well aduized will and resolution.) We have reason to think, that if his old age had been also defiled with crimes and sin, he had likewise offered them up as a sacrifice with the confession of the abuses of his youth: By which is well proved that much doth it import when God pardoneth our sins past, without sufferance eftsoons to return & fall into them again: For David had no sooner cried Peccavi, then GOD was ready to answer, Lo hear I forgive thee: Whereby it is manifest that we are more slow to confess our offences, than God to exhibit his mercy.  
And so for end of this discourse, That life and death are in the power of the tongue, we see that as to many it hath been the occasion of death, so to the good king David it was the mean to preserve his life here through grace, and in the other world to establish it in eternal glory, to the which the spirit of God bring us all. Amen.   

A Letter to a great learned man answering to certain demands.  
THis hath been always one strange property in your friendship, that the more I traveled to serve you, the more you studied to trouble me, and that not so much for necessity of matter as with intention to exercise & prove my skill: wherein albeit to your wit is joined a natural readiness more than in many others, yet your curiousness brings with it this suspicion, that you have more want of judgement then lack of time, specially desiring answer to those demands whose use aught to be familiar with all men that bear opinion of knowledge or science. And where you Written too me but in sport, and for the exercise of your memory, I will not wythstanding answer you in good earnest: Following therein the manner of the Ancient Orators, who in causes most base and of lest importance, expressed a greatest show of their eloquence.   

Demands and Answers.  

How to know a good man.  WHere you ask me how one man may know an other to the end he may be either accepted or eschewed: I answer that there be four rules to instruct you. First, what affairs he takes in hand, what works he doth, what words he speaketh, and what company he followeth. For, the man that of nature is proud, in his business negligent, in his words a liar, and calleth to his companions evil men, deserves not to be embraced, and much less to be trusted: 
What things are most precious and yet not too be bought for money.  Since, in men in whom is laid no ground of virtue, is no expectation of faith, or honesty. You ask me which be the things that in this life can not be bought for treasure, and much less any living thing can hold value and comparison with them. I Answer they be these four: The liberty we have, the science we learn, the health we enjoy, and the virtue for the which we deserve praise. For, liberty lighteth the heart, knowledge enricheth the understanding, health preserves our life, and virtue is the glory of the soul. All which are somuch the more precious, by how much they are the true figures & fore runners of God's grace to such as it pleaseth him to esteem & choose. Where you ask me what be the things which soonest deceive man, 
What things soonest deceive man.  & by whose means he runs with more readiness into destruction. I say they be these four: A thirst to have much, a desire to know much, an experience to live long, an overweening of our own worthiness & value. All which are most dangerous stumbling blocks to make man fall, for that too great knowledge ends with folly, too much wealth breeds pride, in living long we grow negligent, and in presuming of our own value, we fall into forgetfulness of ourselves. So that as every one of these in particular is sufficient to make a man fall, so, in them all is full ability to hold him down that he never rise again. To your demand what things are necessary to a judge, 
Four things necessary too a judge.  to the end he use truth and equity, and not to be noted of tyranny. I answer, that he aught to hear patiently, answer wisely, judge justly, and execute mercifully: For, to that judge that is impatient in hearing, vain or frail in his answers, particular in judgements, and cruel in execution, can not worthily be ascribed the administration of justice, since the office of a good judge is to consult with the law, with religion, with faith, with equity, and with mercy. You ask me what be the things that make a man discreet in his be haviour, 
Four things necessary to instruct the behaviour of man.  & wise in his words: whereunto I answer, to read much, to be privy to the customs of many countries, to have endured many perplexities, and managed great affairs: For to raise a man to the true estimation of wisdom, is too travel many countries, to study many Laws and Doctrines, to be able to endure much pains, and to have experience of grave affairs. To your demand, 
Four things which though we think we have, yet we have them not  what be the things that a man thinks he hath when he hath them not. I say they are these four: Many friends, great wisdom, much knowledge, and great power: For that there is no man how mighty so ever he be who is not subject to be vanquished by an other, no man so wise in whose doings is not error, no man's knowledge so resolute, who is not ignorant in some things, nor any man so well beloved who hath not some secret enemy. So that we have fewer friends than we suppose, our power less than we desire, our knowledge not so much as we presume, and all our wisdom full of imperfection. Touching your demand to know what be the things wherein a man doth the soon undo himself, 
Things wherein a man doth the soonest undo himself and is most slowly recovered.  and most slowly recover. I say they be these four: To be dilatory in his business, to forsake the council of a faithful friend, to meddle with things that he aught not, and to dispend above his proportion: For, the man that is negligent in that he takes in hand, forbeareth the advise of his wise friend, joineth himself to affairs of peril and difficulty, and dispendeth above the measure of his revenue, such one shall easily fall and find no help to rise again. You ask me what be the things which above all other a man would not endure. 
What be the things which a man would not willingly endure.  I say they be these four: Poverty in old age, sickness in person, infamy after honour, and banishment from his natural country: For, to be sick in prison, too be Poor and Old, to be detected after we have borne Honour, and to be Exiled without hope eftsoons to recover the solace of our country, be passions so intolerable, that to the valiant mind an honest death were more plausible, then to languish like a martyr in such a miserable life. 
Four things which God abhorreth & are abominable to man.  And where you ask me what be the things which God abhorreth, and are abominable to men. I answer, they are comprehended in these four: A poor man to be proud, a rich man to be covetous, an old man to be lecherous, and a young man shameless: For, where young men are impudent, old men without modesty, poor men void of humility, and the rich sort divided from charity, 
Four qualities necessary too a friend.  there can be no virtue cherished, nor good example ministered: you ask me what aught to be the qualities of such as men choose to their friend, and in whom they may repose and take recreation: to such friends belong these four conditions. To be eloquent, to be liberal, to be tractable, and to be trusty: For, where is a sweet affability of speech, a frank liberality of that they have, a nature easy to be induced, and a mind that brooks no corruption, there is no doubt of honesty, and less suspicion of treason. 
Four things that most trouble a man.  To your demand to know in what things a man receiveth most sorrow, and his mind most troubled. I answer that it is in these four: To see the death of his Children, to hear of the loss of his goods, to behold the prosperity of his enemies, and cannot reform the vanities of his friends. Nature sure cannot minister a more torment to the heart of a man, then to bury his children he hath nourished, too lose the goods he hath got together, to be subject to his enemy, & see his friend continued in abuse and folly. 
Four things which soonest disclose men's impatience.  You ask me what be the things for the which a man doth most murmur, and discloseth soonest his impatience: They be these four. To serve without recompense, to ask and be denied, to give without thanks, and to hope for things that come not: For that where to a benefit is offered unthankfulness, and to a just demand is added denial, where no recompense followeth due merit of service, and where that comes not which we hope for: O in those causes though the heart be driven to suffer, yet the tongue cannot use silence. You ask me what be the four things that rather die than are satisfied. And I answer, 
Four things seldom satisfied.  that how old so ever men be and their bodies broken with extreme traveles, yet you shall never see their tongue satisfied with speaking superfluous things, their ears weary with hearing novelties, their hands cloyed with doing wickedly, nor their heart cease to desire vanities. 
Four things which men can not choose but feel and are less able to conceal.  You ask me what be the things which men cannot choose but feel, and are less able to conceal: They be these four, Richeses, love, sorrow, and evil will: For love is discovered by sighs, hatred appeareth in the eyes, riches are expressed in the port and countenance, and dolor deelars himself by complaint: so that where some men may for a time dissemble them, yet none can long conceal them. Where you ask me what be the things in a man most praise worthy and above all other to be esteemed best, 
Four things in a man most praise worthy.  you shall find them comprehended in these four. That is too say, to be a good christian, to be upright & true, to be patiented, and to be secret: For, that man that in his works shall express the duty of a good Christian, and in injuries shall use patience & discression, in his words deliver simplicity and truth, and have judgement to keep things secret, 
Who they be that most readily get friends and as easily lose them.  such one be bold to cloaze in your stomach, and lay up for him the reward of an unfamed affection. You ask me who they be that most redelie get friends, & as easily loaze them. Whereunto unto I answer that they be these four sorts, the rich sort, young men, such as are mighty, and those that are favoured of Princes. But soon doth the rich man loaze his friends when he comes to be poor, and sooner is the young man forgotten when he falls into age, easily is the mighty man forsaken when his power is taken from him, and soon of all falls the credit of the courtier, when the Prince withdraws his favour. 
Four conditions of a servant  You ask me what aught to be the conditions of one that entereth Service. To him I appoint these four: To be diligent, to be patiented, to be faithful, and to be true: For, the servant that can suffer when he is rebuked: is just in the office and charge committed to him: diligent to learn that he knoweth not, and faithful in things committed to his trust: let the master be glad in such a servant, & that servant not doubt of his advancement. You ask me what be the things which women desire most, & hold themselves best contented withal: 
Four desires of Women.  sure, I will forbear to describe their particular fancies: For that their desires are without limit, and therefore, according to my order in the rest, I will restrain them into these four. To be gorgeously apparelled, to be esteemed fair, to go whether they list, & that men believe what they say: For, to a woman no less glorious are her garments, her beauty, her opinion of credit, and her liberty, than the plumes to the Peacock, who in other respects is both leoathsome and unacceptable. You ask me with what observations we aught to give when we give any thing, 
Four obseruatitions to be used in giving.  whereunto I answer, that in administering liberality all men are tied to these four respects: To consider well what we give, to know to whom we give, to understand the cause why we give, and to have regard too the time when we give: For, it is needful we judge and weigh the value and quantity of our gift, jest we give less then to suffice the necessity of him to whom we give: Too know to whom we give, jest there be no merit nor just necessity in the person, to examine well the occasion why we give to the end that it be for good respect, & above all who observes not the time, gives perhaps to no fruit or commodity of him that receiveth. So that who gives out of these conditions, gives not in true liberality, but as the blind man, who weening to power drink into his dish poureth it into the river which hath no need to be licoured. Where you ask me what be the Qualities most necessary in a Prince helping best to maintain his reputation: 
Four necessary qualities in a Prince helping to maintain his reputation.  I say they consist in these four. To have courage or virtue to suffer, a heart to give, a hand to reward, and clemency to pardon. All other imperfections aught to be suffered in a prince, if there be only found in him clemency to forgive faltes, liberality to give dignities, a memory to add recompense to services, and a patience to suffer travails and chances. 
Four things which a gentleman had most need too take heed of, And whereof he is most noted.  Where you ask me what things a Gentleman aught most to take heed of, and where of he is the soon noted. I send you them comprehended in these four: In Cowardice, in niggardness, in Lying, and in injustice: For, the Gentleman that in war is a Coward, in his house a niggard, in his Country a Tyrant, and in his words a Liar, much less that to such one is due the merit and reputation of a Gentleman, seeing he is not worthy to communicate with the fellowship even of the meanest estate in a common weal. And where you ask me with what qualities a maid is to win her ronoume and estimation. I say that it is necessary she be fair of face, honest in life, an enemy to liberty, and a dispizer of Bawds and dissolute persons. 
Four qualeties incident too a maid to win her renown.  For that if in her Face she show not a pleasing beauty, and in her convesation bring forth honesty & virtue, if she be a wanderer after Liberty, and delight to whisper and have intelligence with secret messengers, her renown shall run as a stream that never ceaseth till it fall into a puddle that can not eftsoons be repurifyed. Thus (S●r) are your demands answered, though not with such plenty of Eloquence as you looked for: yet with that fullness of matter as may well suffice for your instruction, specially being not drawn out of any great volumes or antiquities, but compounded of mine own experience and common reason.   

¶ Touching the War which a man makes against himself.  
IOb complaining in his great affliction, confessed that he was made grievous even to himself: 
Factus sum mihi met ipsi gravis.  Meaning that with better reason could he not complain against any, then against himself, for that being contrary to himself, he heaped his proper affliction. This sort of complaining is so much the more strange, by how much it exceeds the common custom and experience of men in that case. For that, how deep so ever any man be entangled with sin and crime, yea, though he stand convict, yet will he rather labour to detect others then accuse himself. And albeit there is nothing more common in this world then to fall, to offend, and devil in sin and wickedness, yet in few men is found a disposition to pardon injuries, but in fewer is expressed a will to express their proper error. For that to fall and err is a thing humane, to repent comes of God, but to continued in evil cannot but be of the Devil. 
To repent comes of God.  Men complain of the earth for that it is unfruitful, and of the Sea, saying it is dangerous, they mislike the Air, because it is corrupt, they cry out of fortune by reason of her inconstancy, they grudge against their friends when they are found unfaithful, and cry out of the time that slips away so fast: those men (for the most part) as they complain more by custom then upon any cause, so albeit there is no ma● which in true examination is not the instrument of his proper harm, yet we hear none complain against themselves. But, as one not couning at Dice, blames not himself that understandeth not the Game, but the Dice that run not as he would have them: So forbearing to descend into conference and examination of our secret faltes, we murmur against that we feel, and search not out the occasion of our torment to the end to remove the fury of the affliction. For, if we would draw in to view and consideration our abuses past, and weigh in one balance aswell the faults we have done, as the punishments we feel, we should confess that God toucheth us but with a mild justice, and spareth to visit us according to the heaviness of our deserts. Yea, if this regard were familiar with men, who would not forbear to murmur, and begin to make war against himself as being the author of his own harms? But because this text of Job complaining, That he makes war against himself, is of importance and containeth mystery, we have to gather that he meaneth not here the war of one kingdom against an other, nor Civil war of town against town, and much less the war of singular combat of man against man: But (saith he) this war that I make is against myself, no man assalting nor offending me: A war sure of all others most dangerous to take in hand & of no less difficulty to manage, for that in this war, who is victor remains vanquished, & he that is overcome carrieth the victory. This war is called Viscerall, for that it is bred & begun in the heart, & dissolveth & takes end in the heart, where the Arrows be the tears we shed, the Cannon shot be the sighs we utter, and who retireth most to sorrow and heaviness, in this war hath most knowledge and experience. In this war fight together love and fear, sweetness and bitterness, abstinence and epicuritie, robbery and alms, reason and sensuality, sloth and diligence, anger and patience, covetousness and liberality, and forgiveness & revenge: So that in this wretched war we fight not accompanied, but alone, not in public, but in secret, not in Camp, but in our conscience, not with the sword but with thoughts and remorse, and not against enemies, but even against ourselves: this war is not seen with the eye, but felt alas in the heart, yea, and if we will vaunt to be victors, we must suffer ourselves to be vanquished. In this war have been dissolved and determined all the good and virtuous men that have been in the world to this present, who by so much have been more agreeable to God, by how much they were contrary to themselves. 
In conquering sensuality, we get the victory of our salvation.  For, in the subduing or victory which is between sensuality and reason, lieth our destruction or Salvation. It is a thing worthy of wonder and admiration, that Job having seen the spoil and havoc of his goods, heard of the sudden death of his Children, his body reduced to a deformity with Botches, himself laid on a Dunghill where worms had liberty to gnaw his flesh, his friends disdaining him, his wife vexing him: And yet he never murmured so much against all these heavy perplexities and fortunes, as he complained against himself, crying, Lo I am made grievous to myself: Of this war, and against himself did the Apostle complain in these words: In faelix homo quis me liberabit de corpore martis huius? O wretched and miserable man that I am, when shall I see myself free from myself, that I may do that I would, and not to be compelled (as I am now) to will that which I cannot. O how often do I feel myself tied and fettered (saith S. Augustin) not with chains of Iron, but with the cord of mine own sensualities: So that resolved wholly into tears, I complain not of another, but against myself, for that, giving to the enemy my quarrel, I did against my william. With this agreeth Anselmus in his holy meditations saying: O infelicity of men, I I know not what to do nor what to say: For, being contrary to myself; though I have liberty to complain, yet do I put no order to my faults being made grievous even to myself. The passions of this war were also felt of the holy man S. Barna●d: O sweet Lord (saith he) I am so grievous to myself, that hunger weakeneth me, eating wearieth me, cold restraineth me, heat anoyeth me, care makes me heavy, and company is importunate to me, and that which I find most hard and intolerable, is that nothing contents me being with myself much discontented. S. Hierom also seemed to communicate in this agony saying, I cannot deny but that I am made grievous to myself: Since as Satan solicits and my flesh consenteth, so my sensuality desireth to have honours, to get riches, to purchase favour: I would govern all, be of great power, and esteem of no man: yea, in the matter of commandment and authority I would be alone and singular, and wholly exempt from travel. But so grievous am I to myself, that though I divide myself from men because they shall not trouble me, though I fly from Satan for that he shall not deceive me, though I renounce riches, to the end they corrupt me not, and despise honours, for that they shall not make me proud, yet I find myself from one day to an other to diminish in virtue, and more to be swallowed up in the golphes of the world. I have inferred the testimonies of these holy personages the better to warn us sinners, that as they complained of themselves not without reason, so, we should not repose confidence in ourselves by presumption: For, the wiseman aught not to be so suspicious of any as of himself. We are made grievous to ourselves: For that if the Prince own us displeasure we may forsake the Realm: 
A Wise man aught too be suspicious of himself.  If the judge be against us we may challenge him and refuse him: And if our neighbour be troublesome to us, our help is to divide us from his neighbourhood: But if we be enemies to ourselves, it is impossible to fly from ourselves. We are grievous to ourselves: for that in one heart, and in one self house, we must lock up and keep love and hatred, contentment and displeasure, prosperity and adversity, consent and denial, and hope and despair: So that we trust ourselves to much, baing of ourselves deceived. We are made grievous to ourselves: since aswell day as night we are unresolute what we aught to chuze or refuse, what we should love or hate, what we are bound to flee or follow, what belongs to us to give or to keep, wherein we aught to speak or to hold our peace, and whether we should suffer or revenge: wherein in the end we find ourselves unhappy in all things, saving that even in our infelicities we are happy. We are grievous to ourselves: since all the delights of this life displease us, weary us, and turn to our discontentment: and yet being weary to live, we would in no wise die: Yea though we abstain somtine from sin, it is not for want of will, but because we cannot, as men that are tired & have no faculty to go further. We are made grievous against ourselves, for that if we be sick, it comes thorough our own surfeit & disorder: If we be poor, it is because we live idly: And if we be punished by the magistrate, it is for that we have offended the laws. So that in none is so just cause of complaint against any, as in man against himself: for that all the travels, perplexities, & infirmities, that traveller frail bodies, ourselves do breed them, and for the most part we go out and search them. For, in giving liberty to our eyes to behold things vain, in suffering our tongue to tell untruths, in yielding our ears to hear flatteries, and our heart to love things that we aught not: I say, if there be in us any member that absteines from sin, it is not through any resistance that we make, but for fear of some punishment.  
Then, if it be true that we raise war against ourselves, with whom shall we have true peace? If we work our own afflictions, in whom shall we find comfort? to whom shall we not be hurtful, if we be enemies to ourselves? And against whom may we make complaint, seeing of ourselves we receive the injuries? There is in us no hope or expectation of profit to others, when we are hurtful instruments against ourselves. O wretched infelicity of man to whom there are none so furious and raging enemies as his proper desires: who on the one side hold him in fear, and on the other give him courage and heart. Sure we aught to be grievous against ourselves, when we remember the great wealth we have, and the little good we do with it, when we confer our time lost, with the evil example we have expressed: Yea, when we measure the benefits we have received, with our ingratitude: our readiness to sin with our slowness to amend: the ill that we have done, with the good we might have done: we aught (I say) in true conference and consideratien of these things, to be ashamed to live and have great fear to die.   

PLUTARCH writeth to the Emperor TRAIAN being lately his Disciple and now raised to the Empire. A Letter tending to instruct Princes newly raised to principalities.  
RIght excellent Prince: Albeit the long experience I have had of the moderation of your will, together with what disposition you have always affected estates and dignities: Yet I have never known you subject to those desires which for the most part govern most men, that is, to aspire to kingdoms and principalities. A man to forbear to win and purchase honour, is out of the limits of wisdom, but not to give liberty to the heart to desire it, is sure a virtue more divine than huntaine. For, that man doth enough who restraineth the action that his hands have power to execute, and maketh his desires equal with things honest, indifferent, and reasonable: Wherein with just cause may I say thy Empire is happy, since thou hast done Acts to deserve it, and used no corrupt industry to purchase it: For, 
Virtue raiseth virtuous men.  dignities appertaining properly to virtue, virtue of herself transferreth them, to those men to whom herself is conjoined. There have been many Emperors, who have not been so much honoured for the estates they have had, as for the merit of their virtues by the which they have been raised unto them. For, the honour of a man consists not so much in the present office he hath, as in the virtues and merits which followed his life afore: So that it is to offices that men give new honour, where to the parsonage belongs nothing but pain and charge. And therefore remembering for mine own part, that I have governed thy youth and instructed thy wit with good learning, I cannot but rejoice as much in thy excellent virtues, as in thy supreme. Fortune, alluding to myself no small happiness, that in my time Rome hath a Lord, even he that hath been my Disciple.  
Principalities of tryanny are got by force, & sustained by Arms, which as I have always known to be far from thy nature & condition, so hast thou, now to remember that thou oughtest to do nothing to bring thee into the opinion & suspicion of men. For, as the Empire is descended unto thee with the voice and consent of all men, so it belongs to thee to entertain it with due justice towards all sorts: Wherein, if thou be'st thankful to the great God, patiented in chances and fortunes, careful in dangers, mild to thy People, and affable to strangers, not greedy of riches, nor a lover of thy proper desires, the burden of thy place will be easy, thy renown perpetual, and all common weals and Posterities made happy by thy example. I advise thee with great reason, not to be a follower of thy proper desires, for that there can be no worse government then that which is managed by Opinion only: Since he that Administereth in a Common Weal, aught to live in Fear of all but much more of himself, for that much more is he Subject to fail and Err following his will and fancy, then if he Followed the Direction of his well aduized Council, assuring thee, that too avoid Infamy too thyself, and prejudice to thy People, thou oughtest first to apply Correction to thyself afore thou Minister Discipline to others. Therefore, it were good that now that thou commandest, thou shouldest express thyself such one as when thou wast commanded: For, other ways little would it serve thee by thy virtues to have deserved the Empire, if afterwards thy want of government made thee unworthy to use it: 
It is more worthy too deserve honour then too possess it.  since it is more worthy to deserve honour than to possess it. To attain to honour is a work humane, but to preserve it is a grace divine: And therefore thou hast to take heed, that though thou art a Sovereign Prince, yet thou hast no priveleadge to be in all things an absolute Lord: For, amongst men there is no authority so supreme which hath not God to be judge over them, and men to be beholders of what they do. In which respect, now that thou art a Prince, thou hast a greater bond to be good, and less liberty to be evil, then when thy estate was private: So that the authority thou hast got to command, leaves thee less liberty to offend, and no opportunity at all to follow thy proper recreations. For if thy regiment answer not the expectation of the people of Rome, and thy behaviour be contrary to the desires and opinion of thy old Master Plutarch, thou canst not but be subject to many dangers, and offer my aged body into the hands of my adversaries to suffer revenge, since this is a common custom, that the faults and abuses of the Disciple are transferred and heaped upon the head of the instructor and Master. And therefore having been thy teacher, and thou my follower, like as the good that thou dost cannot but bring to me some honour, so also if thou dost evil, I can not but communicate in the infamy: which happened to Seneka, who boar imputation for the cruelties of Nero, and the Philosopher Chilo for the follies of his Disciple Leander: Who albeit were personages of such virtue as they had the credit to fashion and govern right mighty Princes: Yet for that they flattered their greatness with liberty and favour, when they should have distilled into their youth doctrines and rules of direction, they left to themselves perpetual infamy, and to many common weals peril of subversion. And as my pen hath not spared to describe Princes & ages past, so be thou assured O Emperor, 
No prince but his behaviouris published.  that neither thy greatness nor my negligence shall be favoured of such as are to come: For, otherwise it will not come to pass but that such as have interest in the fault, should be also inheritors of the Punishment. Thou remember'st what I have taught thee in thy youth, and with what counsels I have instructed thy riper age, neither art thou ignorant I know with what frankness I have debated with thee by Letters since thou wast a Prince, and familiarly communicated with thee in secret: wherein I stood always upon these observations, not to make thee acquainted with any thing which should not be for the service of God, for the advancement of the common weal, and furthering to thy reputation. And therefore, for any thing I have written, spoken, or persuaded, I stand not in fear to be punished of God after my death, nor to be reproached of men whilst I live, accounting it to belong to the necessity of thy age, & gravity of my profession, to whisper nothing in thine ear, which I might not have published in the open Senate. And now, (afore I addressed this Letter unto thee) examining myself, whether during the time I had thee under my Discipline, I had done or said in thy presence any thing which might provoke thee to ill example, I find that I never did any thing which become not well the civility of a good Roman, nor spoke word, which was not fully convenient with the modesty of a correct Philosopher. So that if it please thee to make the rules and instructions of thy youth, the compass to direct the course of thy high government and Reign, thou shalt find the needle of thy life and doings to draw directly to a renown of perpetual fame and felicity: Wherein I do not so much put thee in remembrance, to the end thou shouldest gratify me, but because thy life being well instructed, there may follow better service and success to thy estate, esteeming it enough for my recompense to understand that the world holds thee a good man. 
Prince's aught not to measure things by report but by equity of conscience  I beseech thee take this last council in good part, that albeit thou art raised to the Empire, it is not for that thou art of the house of Rome, but because thou hast been a follower of virtue, who willeth Princes, not to measure things by common report of the People, but by justice and equity of conscience.   

The Emperor TRAIAN writeth to his teacher PLUTARCH, debating that albeit a good man may be Banished, yet he is not for that dishonoured.  
AFore I had half read thy Letter, I had conjecture it came from thee, not so much for the experience I have of thy form of writing, as by the gravity of the matter it containeth, the same being the occasion that I red it often, seeming therein to see thee writ, and hear thee speak: yea I caused it to be red at my Table, to the end thy affection might be known, and I put in remembrance how much I own to thee. Where thou canst not believe (as thou sayest) that I solicited the Kingdom, nor aspired to it by corrupt means, I will not deny but as a man I have desired it, forbearing notwithstanding to rise to it by broakage or corruption. For that I never knew any man purchase honour by bribes, to whom the mean of such honour was not the cause of some notable infamy, as is truly verified in the example of the good old man Menander, who, for that he practised the consulship by money, was passed into Exile, and so (by the due justice of the highest) lost his honour, his goods, and life. It was a doctrine read in thy University, that more aught men to labour to deserve honour, then to be bold to procure it, 
That is unlawful which is got by unlawful means.  esteeming that unlawful which is gotten by unlawful means. He that is without credit aught to labour to win it: And who is in infamy let him study to be made worthy of honour: But the man of virtue hath never no want of nobility, and much less can his honour be taken from him: since honour is joined to virtue as the brier is to the rease, and though all other things be of fortune, yet true Nobility depends of virtue, as the house upon his foundation. Many men have refused offices, and yet much less that they lived in less love and estimation, seeing the disclaiming of dignities brought to them more honour than all the victories they won in the wars, for that the success of Conquests follow for the most part the judgement of fortune, but the denial of office and charge lieth only in the wisdom of man. I assure thee when the ensign of the Empire was presented to me, I was no less ignorant of the chance then out of hope of the dignity, knowing that it was solicited by others with no mean practise and corruptions. But seeing it is the providence of the great God to make me his minister being called with the consent and will of all men, and that I have assurance in thy advice and council, I doubt not but God will communicate with me in the government, and restrain fortune for giving me any such sudden mutation as may change the courage and constancy of my mind: Assuring thee that I acknowledge me to have been thy Disciple, even with the same joy where with thou sayest thou hast taught me, & now seest me Emperor. Wherein seeing thou wilt not from henceforth but call me Lord, I will never speak of thee by other name then Father: And albeit I have been sought to, and counseled of many since my election to the kingdom, yet amongst all, I reserve myself to be familiar only with thee, considering that in such as sue to give me council, is an intention to draw my will to theirs, where I know thou wilt not advise me but for my profit and commodity of my honour. Often times I have heard thee say, 
Such as give council to princes should be free from passions.  that in such as give Council to Princes should be liberty and freedom from all passions and affections. For that in the action of Council giving, where the will is most inclined, there the spirit and wit have most strength. That a Prince in all things do his will, I do not allow, and that he take Council of every one, is less seemly: Therefore as to the affairs of a kingdom cannot but be a great necessity of advice, so let the Prince make this choice of his Councillors, 
What councelors Princes aught to choose.  rather to be counseled by those of whom he is loved, then by such as himself loveth. For, in the affection of the Counsellor to his Prince is great security and care of the common business, where from such as be followers of the Prince, can grow no great matter of providence for the public safety as being men all together dedicated to the complexion and humours of the Prince. Wherein having had long experience of thy deep insight in matters of policy, and no less expectation that thou wilt use no less care to direct me now being a Prince, than thou tookest pains to instruct me when I followed thee as thy Disciple: I will that from henceforth to thee belong the chief charge to give me Council in my most weighty affairs, and to advertise me of the imperfections and faults that from time to time appear in me. For, as Rome holds me for the protector of their common weal, so I reserve thee to be the beholder and examiner of me life. And if at any time thou findest me froward to be warned by thee in things necessary for my reformation: I pray thee construe it not to any displeasure towards thee: Since, in such case, my passion shall not be for the warnings thou géevest me, but for the Shame that I have Erred. And as to have been nourished in thy house, to have heard thy Lectures, to have imitated thy doctrines, and to have lived under thy Discipline, have been (sure) principal means to prefer me to the Empire: So, it cannot but be ascribed too great inhumanity to thee, if thou forbear to help me to manage and guide that which thou hast procured me to win & get, esteeming it I assure thee, to my great felicity to have familaritie with such one as thou whose wisdom makes thee worthy to be a judge of my Councils, and in thy faith I may be bold to repoze the Controlment of my life.  
Lastly, where thou aduizest me to continued such one as I was before, with condition not to decline, I believe thou drawest this warning from the example of Nero, whose government being well ordered for the first five years of his Reign, he grew afterwards to increase more in wickedness then in dignity. But rather than thou shalt find me successor to the impudencies and vileness of Nero, I pray thee pray to God to give me no sufferance to reign in Rome, since that Tyrants procure dignities to exercise Cruelty, and good men aspire to kingdoms to the end to maintain virtue. 
By the misery of unfortunate men others are warned to take heed.  And therefore to such as were good afore, and are corrupt by the place, there is more cause of pity then malice: For that if fortune raise them, it is not to honour them, but to make them fall. And to wisemen the misery of unfortunate men is an example to warn others to keep a mean in their happy estate.   

The Emperor TRAIAN writing to the SENATE of Rome, discloseth the traveles of Princes in their governements.  
IT is not unknown to us that death hath called from you your dear Lord the Emperor and my late predecessor, whom if you Lament as in the loss of a just Prince, I have no less reason of sorrow for the want of a Father so grave and pitiful. When Children loaze a good Father, and a whole communalty a just & virtuous prince, there can be no sorrow more intolerable, or that worldly men cannot suffer losses of more heavy importance: 
Princes to common weals are the same that God is too sinners.  (since good Princes are the same to common weals, that God is to sinners, who, though we forget to love and obey him, yet he forbears not to protect and provide for us. The death of a good man deserves to be sorrowed of all, but the loss of a just Prince aught to be extremely and bitterly lamented: for that when a private man dieth, there is lost but one, but when a good Prince is taken away there dieth with him the felicity of a whole kingdom: So that if GOD would suffer us to cell the lives of good Princes already dead, the price sure would be to base to buy them again with tears, since, even with the most precious Gold and silver can not be weighed down the price and Ransom of a virtuous man. If Treasure would have redeemed the life of Hector, the Trojans would have furnished it in great abundance: or if money might eftsoons have breathed life into Hannibal, there would have been found no want in the Carthaginiens. But God, 
God hath authority too dispose all things by the same power where with he created them of nothing.  having made all mortal things, hath authority to dispose of them even by the same power wherewith he hath Created them of nothing, reserving only to himself Immortality. How reverent is the virtue of good men, and with what prerogatives they are endued, appears easily in this, that men bear more honour to the sepulchres of the virtuous, then to the emboasted palaces of the wicked. The good and virtuous man, though he be far absent and out of use and knowledge, yet men love him, serve him, and answer for him, where, to the wicked is given no credit in that he saith, and much less are we thankful to him in that he doth for us. For, to the evil man is appointed this property of justice, 
Due justice for a wicked man.  to be doubted most where he would feignest have credit, and not to be believed though he speak the truth. Touching my election to the Empire, as it was left by my predecessor, demanded of the People, and approved by you, so I doubt not but my government will be so much the more plausible and profitable to Rome, by how much in my adoption were fulfilled all things agreeable to God. And as it serves to little for men to choose Princes, if they be not confirmed by God. So, there be certain signs to discern such as are called by God from others chosen by men. For, that which men by sudden Council advanceth, God by due justice brings down: where those things which the mighty God planteth, albeit they stand open to all winds and receive many adversities, yet they never fall, yea, though they incline and bend, there is no power to remove them. You know that albeit I was Nephew to your predecessor, yet I never solicited him for the kingdom, and much less occupied my thoughts to hope for it, having learned of my Master Plutarch, that honour aught rather to be deserved then purchased. And as I will not deny but that a kingdom is a sweet prey, and that the present of so high and excellent a dignity was welcome to me with inward gladness: So also I can not but confess that I find great difference between the traveles of a Kingdom, and the security of a private life: yea, after I had tasted of what bitter cares this sweet prey is compounded, I was sorry my weakness was so soon enticed, though it be too late to repent. For, of such quality is empery and government, that if there be great honour to have it, 
Prince's subject to many perplexities.  there is no less pain and travel to wield it. O to how many perplexities stands he Subject, who binds himself to govern others: For that, if he be just, they will call him cruel: if he be pitiful, they will dispize him: if he be liberal, they will hold him prodigal: if he be a husband of that he hath, they will say he is covetous: If he be peaceable, they will esteem him a coward: if he be courageous, they will impute it to quarreling: if he be grave, they will note him proud: if he be affable, they will ascribe it lightness and simplicity: if he be solitary they will judge him an Hypocrite: and if he be merry they will say he is dissolute. So that men most commonly will use more respect towards all others, then towards him that governeth the whole. For, to the Prince they account the morsels that he eateth, they measure his paces, they espy his words, they observe what company he keepeth, they judge his works, they are jealous over his Looks and gestures: Yea, they examine and murmur at his Pastimes, and make conjecture even of his secret thoughts: Who then weigheth with the traveles that breed in principality, the jealousies that stand as espials over such as govern: will confess (I doubt not) that as there is no estate more sure than that that is divided from Empire and rule. So, government being none other thing then the Forge of envy, the best cure and remedy is to forbear to be absolute, and live contented with us estate private: For, if a man can not but with great pain govern a Wife whom he hath chosen: train up his Children whom he hath begotten: and instruct his servant whom he hath hired having them all in his house. far greater pain shall he find to entertain in one peace and unity a whole common weal divided in to strange dispositions. Sure the life of Princes deserve great compassion, for that in few can they repose or trust, seeing often times they are most detected by those whom they most favour: they can not eat without watching, sleep without guard, speak without jealousy, 
Perplexities of Princes.  nor go without espial, so that being Lords over all, yet they are Prisoners even to their proper vassals: Yea, if we consider the servitude of Princes, and the liberty of subjects, we shall find that in whom the kingdom hath most action, even against him servitude hath most power, so that though princes have authority to give liberty to others, yet their place will not suffer them to minister it to themselves: God having Created us free, we do so delight to have our liberty free, that how near so ever a man tough us either in friendship, kindred, or blood, yet we had rather he were our vassal, than our Lord: For that, as liberty is as dear to us as blood and life: 
All servitude is miserable.  so all servitude is miserable according to the desire of Caesar who, in respect his Soldiers were made free, wished himself despised and worth nothing: We esteem ourselves so much, and follow our desires with such partial affection, that as we shall never see any man who of his proper will, will be made bound, so, we have not read of any that against his will was made Lord. For, the heart without liberty takes pleasure in nothing, as well appeareth in the controversies of men, whose war we see are not so much for the quarrel of obedience, as to establish their authority to command: In Eating, in Drinking, in Speaking, in Garments, in gestures, and in all other actions and affections men be different, saving in the desire of liberty wherein they are all conformable. All this I have written upon the occasion of mine Empire, which being so universally offered, I have thankfully accepted, though many times I find weariness in so great a burden: For, a large Sea, and a great kingdom are two things pleasant to behold, and most perilous to prove: Notwithstanding, since by the will of God I am appointed your Lord, and by your proper consents you are made my vassals: I require to be obeyed as Lord in things that are just, and pray you as Fathers to advertise me when I do things unreasonable: Assuring you that if you fulfil the office of good Councillors, you shall find in me that ready conformity, that belongs to the action of the common weal. On whose behalf I recommend unto you the providence of the common treasure, aswell to consider by what means it is got, with what surety it is kept, as also to what uses it is transferred and employed: for the goods of the common weal are not committed to your confidence to the end to enjoy them, but because you might govern them.  
And albeit the Wars of Germany being like yet to be prolonged, for that the king of Dacia continueth in his revolt from the obedience of Rome, I shall be yet driven to follow the occasion of the wars: yet in this absence I cannot be unmindful of the affairs of the state, as holding it less evil for a Prince to be negligent in the proceedings of war, then careless of the business concerning the government of the common weal: for, a good Prince aught to think, that he is not chosen so much to follow the wars, as to govern civilly: 
The respect of a Prince in his election  not so much to kill his enemies abroad, as to supplant vices at hom: not so much to follow foreign affairs, as to keep resort & residence amongst his subjects: not to take the goods of others, but to do justice to every one: not to pardon the rich, in respect of his wealth, not to deny justice to the poor for his poverty: not to give rewards all together for affection, nor to minister chastisement by passion only: and not to deny justice to him that demands it: nor show mercy but where it is deserved: Since whilst a Prince in the Wars cannot Fight but for one and in his own person, in the Common weal his absence gives liberty to many insolences done too many innocents: Sure it is a just reward of virtue, that of captains men come to be Emperors: But there is no conveniency that Emperors descend to be captains, for that in that realm is seldom stability of peace & quiet, whose Prince is to much inclined to wars & enterprises: By these I pray you believe that if the wars of Jermaine had not begun whilst I was in these parts, I had not made myself a party to them, having always this principal purpose to be reputed rather a civil governor than a follower of Arms. I recomend to you chief the honour of GOD, and establishment of the Church. For that, that king can not live in surety, who provides not to have God honoured and the ministery maintained: 
That king can not Reign in surety who provides not too have god served  Let Prince's fear God, entertain justice, reverence the ministers of the Church, and defend the poor. So shall they be perfect men, & pleasing to God who for recompense, will not suffer them to be forgotten of their friends, nor vanquished of their enemies. I wish you also to communicate together in one friendship and fraternity: For that, in common weals greater are the harms that rise by civil factions of one neighbour against an other, then by the fury of foreign and public enemies: I wish you to cut of all occasions of quarrels, to be cherishers of the poor, preservers of the Fatherless, and protectors of the widows: For that, 
Virtue consists more in works then in words.  to none is God wont to minister more sharp justice then to such as restrain compassion to the poor, & suffer the innocent to receive oppression. And, because virtue consists more in works, then in words: I exhort you to use modesty in speech: to be patiented to suffer: and provident in your form of living. For, it cannot but bring great fault and shame to a governor, to give praises to the people of his common weal, and in himself bear just occasion of reprehension: And therefore to such as manage estates and governements, it appertaineth to have more confidence in their works then in their words: For that the common People is more inclined to judge of that which they see, then to believe things which they hear. In affairs concerning the Senate, I would not have any of you noted of Ambition, Malice Fraud, nor Envy: For that, to men of honour, truth and virtue, it is unseemly to contend more for the Sovereignty and commandment of a common weal, then for the advancement and profit of it. The Empire of the greeks, hath been always contrary to the government of the romans aswell in Arms and Laws, as in opinions: For, the Grecians had a singular felicity in eloquent speaking, and to us hath belonged the property of well working: By this I exhort you being assembled in the Senate that you bestow not more time to dispute & arguing of controversies, then necessarily apperteines to the true search and decision of the same: Since, if you will not entangle your judgements with passion and affections, you shall (without long argument) be easily led to reason and conclusion. In this respect, many wise men have thought it more expedient that kings and Emperors should suffer themselves to be governed by men learned, then to be learned themselves: Forbidding them thereby to leave to their proper opinions, of the which for the most part they aught to be suspicious. Let your judges and such as sit in office to solicit the affairs of the common weal, be wise men, skilful in laws, expert in customs, discreet in things they have to judge, and circumspect in their conversation and form of life. For, in instruction of life and manners, more good doth the judge with his good example, then with his severe punishment: and to the well government of a common weal, more conducible and necessary is the wise man, than he that is too well learned. Therefore in causes of justice and judgement, have regard to minister the Laws in Civil processes, and in matters criminal it is good to moderate their rigour: For that in the Creation of severe and cruel Laws, the chief purpose was rather to keep men in terror, then to have the Laws committed to extreme action: So that afore the publication of your sentence, you aught to consider the age of the offender, the time, the manner, the occasion, the confederacy, and the value of the offence, in all which circumstances may be helps, though not to acquit the trespass, yet to qualify the rigour of the law: in the administration and office whereof we, aught to deal in the same rate and measure of mercy towards offenders, which God useth with sinners, on whom he exerciseth compassion above their deserts, and punisheth them under the merit of their transgressions. And as in criminal offences judges aught to think that God is more offended then men: So, if it please him to remit faults done against his maiestitie, it is a good example to warn us not to execute the Laws extremely against those that offend others and not us. Lastly, I wish you (in cases of quarrel and wrong) that if your enemies do you any injury, you will forbear present revenge: For that, to pardon many for the offence of one, holds of the office of Christianity, but to chastise many for the fault of one, appertaineth properly to Tyrants. 
It is better some time to dissemble an injury then to revenge it.  Yea, though in man's nature the despite of an injury increaseth the desire of revenge: yet, there be wrongs wherein often times men find more surety to dissemble them then to revenge them.   

The SENATE of Rome writeth to TRAIAN their Emperor, partly to answer to some particulars of his former Letters: and withal expressing Documents necessary to the instruction of a Prince.  
RIght Sovereign and worthy Emperor, Such was the compassion and regard of thy late Uncle and predecessor Nervus towards thee, that in the very Article and extreme approach of death, he made no sorrow for that his children were dead which might have inherited his possessions: but gave thanks to God for leaving thee to succeed him in the Empire. So that albeit too the good Emperor were successors other than thou, both more dear in friendship, more bound in service, and better experienced in policy and Wars: Yet he vouchsafed to fix his eye upon thee only, as in whom he had most opinion and confidence that thou wouldst eftsoons revive the virtues and valour of the good. Augustus, and root out the insolences and Tyrannies of Domitian. When thy Uncle took Possession of the Empire, he found the Treasure dispersed, the Senate in faction, the People in Mutiny, justice ill observed, and the common weal in general ruin: but thou shalt come to great plenty of Richeses, the Council void of dissension, the multitude ignorant in commotions, the judges without corruption, and the whole state peaceable, reformed, and flourishing: beseeching thee, with the majesty of so large an Empire, to succeed also thy Uncle in custom and constitutions, seeing that new Princes under cooler to innovate new laws, do for the most part commit their common weals to perdition. Like as the Fourteen Princes that have managed the Empire next afore thee, were all naturally of Rome, and thou the first Stranger adopted to the kingdom: Even so we beseech the immortal God that as in thine uncle, our ancient Caesars have taken end, so also with thee may be brought good Fortune to Rome, wherein we hope so much the more, by how much thy virtues more than thy policy, made thee worthy of the Empire. 
Where virtue doth raise to honour, there GOD fails not to establish the dignity.  For that where virtue is the mean to procure honour, there God never fails to establish the place, and takes from fortune all power to minister adversities to it.  
Where by thy Letter thou givest us instructions what to do, we are bold also to advertise thee what thou oughtest tofore see. And seeing thou teachest us how to obey thee, it is good equity and justice that we know the things wherein thou wilt command us: For that, (by the occasion of the wars) having been long disaquainted with the manners of Rome, and not knowing to what Laws and Customs we are sworn: thou mayest perhaps decree things to our damage and thine own dishonour, Wherein, (according to thy wisdom) we hope thou wilt not hold it unreasonable to be advertised: For that Princes oftentimes are negligent in many things, not so much for that they have no desire to foresee, as because there are none that dare warn them. And therefore we beseech thee turn not that to presumption which we present to thee of just duty & office, assuring thee that the affections of Subjects are more drawn by a gracious industry, then by compulsion or force.  
We beseech thee, that all those commandments which thou sendest from the Camp, with all such other orders as we establish here, may be severely and firmly kept, since the benefit of Laws consists not to erect and ordain, 
There is no benefit by laws if they be not executed.  but in the due and just execution of them.  
Thou must not forget to have patience to suffer such as are importunate, and dissemble with offenders: seeing it is a property duly annexed to a good Prince, to punish the injuries of the common weal, and pardon the insolences done against himself. And as it belongs to a good Prince to have more regard to the benefit of his Country, then to the delights of his person: So, where thou writest that thou wilt not see Rome till thou hast given end to the wars of Germany, we cannot but hold it a determination of a noble and valiant Emperor: For that such good Princes as thou art aught not to seek out places for their recreation, but follow exercises to increase their reputation. Thou recommendest to us the veneration of the Temples and Service of God: we beseech thee let that be an office just and equal to thee also: since, our service to God can be a Sacrifice but of small importance, if with all thou makest it not perfect with the offer of the humility, obedience, and consent of thy heart. According to thy Council, that we hold friendship and community one with an other, we find it a charge of very hard action, if in thee be not also accomplished an equal and general affection to us all: For that, by the partiality of Princes embracing some more than the rest, are oftentimes raised factions and murmurs amongst the People. Touching the relief of the poor and protection of widows, we can not fully perform our devotion that way, unless thou command such as levy thy Tributes to forbear to molest them when they gather thy rights: For; greater is the sin to pill and oppress the poor, than the merit to secure and aid them. Thou warnest us that we be not tedious in the Senate, nor affectioned to our proper opinions: Which, being a Council of great gravity, is also accepted in duty and good meaning, desiring thy wisdom to consider withal, that in businesses of great difficulty, the more serioussy matters are debated, the more truly are they resolved, and their inconveniences avoided.  
If (according to the advertisement of thy Letter) thou wilt have thy judges honest in life and just in their office, thou must take heed that in such as thou choosest, there be no occasion or necessity of reprehension. Touching thy advice, that we restrain our Children to such education, that they bring no slander to the common weal: It behoves thee specially to let them be called from time to time to the necessity and service of the wars: For that, as there is nothing that brings so easy and sweet a subjection to vice as the season and idleness of peace: So, there is no better mean to purge a common weal of loitering and unprofitable people, then to have wars with Foreign enemies. We will not repeat thy other advertisements, but study to keep them, esteeming them rather Laws of a divine spirit, than Councils of a mortal man.   

Of the great reverence given in times past to ancient men, with certain privileges appertaining to old age.  
LIcurgus, & almost all the other Law readers of the world, albeit in many things they were different, yet they had full concord and agreement in these three. To honour God, to own compassion to the poor, and to bear a reverence to old men. It seems that these customs have had from the beginning an assured consent and affinity with nature, for that there hath been no nation of such barbarous rudeness, nor any people so intractable, which have forbidden the service of their Gods, restrained succours to the poor, or withholden reverence from old age: For that they be things so reasonable and just, that according to natural right and equity, there is no necessity of laws to ordain them, nor authority of Kings to command them. Eschinus the Philosopher in an oration he made to the Rhodiens, commended the government of the Ilandmen in that their policy suffered but these seven Laws, to worship their gods, to be pitiful to the poor, to bear honour to the ancients, to obey their Princes, to resist tyrants, to execute thieves and robbers, and to suffer no man to wander out of his proper country. And Aulus Gellius reading statutes to the most ancient Romans, will not have so much honour borne to the most richmen & chief of the senate, as to old men retaining always one constant & settled gravity. In these testimonies is good experience & proof that to the old men in ages past were borne such honourable respects, that as Gods they were reverenced, & holden in the place and reputation of fathers, according to the Law which the Romans took of the Lacedemoniens, that to ancient men only & to no others should be committed the charge of justice, & administration of the common weal: but speaking in the opinion of a christian, albeit to all old age is due a reverence in respect of their majority, yet in such is it most worthily invested in whose gravity is expressed good example to others, & whose virtue brings honour to their years, in whom it is a just duty to be divided from vain fancies & cares, & reduce their deliberations to commendable actions: For that, as the most part of our time passeth away in thinking from one day to another to give reformation to our life, so, let us be warned, 
It is too late to learn to live when we are at point to die.  that the wings of old age being plumed with the feathers of death, we shall found it too late to learn to live when we are at point to die: And therefore all men aught to examine in themselves how many dear seasons they have passed, what perils they have escaped, how many friends they have lost, & from what perplexities they have been delivered, accounting it not to their own merit that god hath taken them out of so many dangers, but to the end they should have further time to amend their life. A man to live sound & without diseases, the regiment of physic with our own good government, are much helping: but the stroke of death whether it come early or late, that depends more on the power and hand of God, then on the will or disposition of men. Therefore let all men be moderate in their exercise, and use temperance in their universal actions, making more estimation of their wisdom, then of their old age: since otherways, if they forget not to reckon their years, others will not forbear to keep account of their vices. Many learned men have proved by many reasons, that old age is profitable, and that the life of ancient men is good: But God give them better quiet and tranquillity, then that their opinions have any society with either experience or reason. For, now a days where is the retreat of infirmities, but in an aged body? or in what consists the misery of man's life, but in the passions of age? whereunto is appointed no other cure but sufferance in pain, and grief without hope: 
Old age a sickness incurable.  old age being none other thing then a disease without remedy, and a sickness incurable.  
But coming now to exhibit some privileges and liberties which old men enjoy, I mean not to meddle with the complexions and qualities of those whose wisdom agreeth with their age, and their years conformable to their grave discretion: and much less to give liberty to my pen to contest against any of those grave, honourable, and virtuous ancients, by whose direction common weals have been governed, and in their wisdom young men have found surety of counsel: But to set down some customs of old men that be wanderers, waspish, babblers, scoffers, players, dissemblers, and such as are lead by amorous humours, together with what familiar manners their sorrowful old age is accompanied, I hold it neither against reason nor honesty.  
It is a custom to old men to have a short sight, their eyes yielding double judgement comprehending two things for one, and oftentimes to have clouds in their eyes when there is none in the sky, by means whereof for the most part they misknow their friend and take him for an other. It is a custom to old men to be thick of hearing, by means whereof, such things as they hear and do not well understand, they think, is either spoken to the prejudice of their honour, or detriment of their goods. It is familiar with old men to have their hairs fall without combing, wrinkles growing and no seed sown, and their head fuming without any fire made, for remedy whereof when they would take the bath, it is forbidden them by reason of their weakness. Old men have this privilege to eat bread without crust for the ease of their teeth, to have their meat minced for the help of digestion, to have their drink warmed for the comfort of their stomach, and in case of infirmities in their legs, they have their oils to suppling them, their rollers to wrap them, their hoaze at liberty & their buskins buckled: and if any grudge at this bravery, they have to answer, that it is done more for the ease of the disease that troubleth them, then for any glory they reappose in such attire. It is a custom with old men, to inquire after the disposition of the wether, wherein they have great sense and judgement by the motion of their infirmities, whose humours following the revolution of the Moon, and change & distemper of the air, bring the poor old man to be half a physician, and to have a painful science in Astronomy. It is a custom with old men to complain much of the travels of the day, and to keep reckoning of the hours of the night, that their dinner is not resolved into digestion, and their supper would not suffer them to sleep: and yet, it is no sooner day than they begin to murmur that their breakfast is not ready. It is a privilege to old men to search company, and either in temple, tavern, or shops they entertain all that come, inquiring of the news of the world: and whatsoever they hear, be it true or false, they will not only believe it for true, but add to it somewhat of their own: it is familiar to old men to be suspicious, distrustful, obstinate, intractable, and subject to self opinion: by means whereof they lack reason, and live in error, and though they are not abused, yet they will be jealous of their own shadow: yea such men have rather want of any other thing, then of suspicion: It is a custom with old men, once a month to be locked up in their closet and count their treasure, dividing their coins, and searching the locks of their chests: such men will not diminish one denir of that that is heaped up, but love to live poorly to the end they may die rich. To some old men it is a custom to have familiarity with physicians and friendship with Apothecaries: but some delight more to haunt taverns where is vent of good wine, then in the conference of learned men by whom is ministered whole some regiments of health: it belongs much to old men to be fickle in all things but specially to be inconstant against the time, commending much the ages past, and complaining more of the season present: which for the most part they do more of custom then by any reason, and rather by authority, then for necessity: It is due to old men to wrap and cherish themselves, to have their chamber hanged, their fire ordinary, their bed warmed, and yet for the most part, they spend the nights in coughing, and the days in complaints, making their bed a place to debate the actions of their youth past, and to feel the infirmities and weakness of their present age: the memory of which things makes them oftentimes so ill contented that they are careless to provide for death which they see even afore their eyes. And it is one common property with old men to be angry with such as inquire of their age, and most familiar with those that will tell of the pleasures they have passed. So that, they would be honoured by reason of their age, and yet they are grieved when they hear a reckoning of their years, and so old men delight in authorttie, & yet wish their age might be concealed.   

To a noble parsonage touching the difference between the friendship of men, and love of God.  
THe great Philosopher Eschinus, in a famous invective against his mortal enemy Demosthenes useth these words: it belongeth to the Demosthenes according to the estimation which thou makest of thy wisdom, to be resolute in thy enterprises, true in thy promises, well advised in thy counsels, and righteous in all that thou dost: all which fall out contrary in thy behaviour and actions, for that oftentimes thou art seen to do things which thou oughtest not, and no less often art heard to speak that which thou thinkest not. These words spoken by the Philosopher to the reproach of his enemy, deserve to be applied to all men, for that there are none that can worthily challenge the true merit and imputation of wisemen, if they express not as great modesty in their speech, as equity in their works: it is a just thing that every one take heed to that he doth, and be well advised in what he saith, since amongst noble minds more easily is satisfied an actual wrong done against their persons, than an injurious word uttered to the prejudice of their honour, always esteeming that the blow of a sword hurts but the flesh, but a word suggested to infamy offendeth the reputation. This I say (sir) upon the occasion of your letter charging me eftsoons to repeat my late discourse uttered in the presence of the Emperor upon this theme, that it is very hurtful to have Christ to our enemy, and a thing no less dangerous to have man our friend: If, in your opinion I speak any thing which was not well studied and considered upon, you do wrong to the gravity of my profession, since it is my custom, never to pronounce words of such divine and high subject, but even with the same attention and devotion wherewith I would confess myself to God, accounting it withal to too great a fault to publish any thing which might breed scrupule in your Lordship, or murmur in so excellent an auditory.  
But now to our purpose, wherein I confirm eftsoons, that if it be evil to have the creator to our enemy, it can not be less dangerous to have to our friend the creature. And if there be no necessity to employ the Physician and our friend but in times dangerous and doubtful, it can not but be to men a most assured counsel rather to eschew perils, then to entreat friends: since friends being of the world, their friendship hath also his corruption of the world, in whom is more confusion than continuance of things. I do not say it is evil to have friends, but that it is dangerous and painful: for that the mighty thy friend is of estate, 
It is daungeours too have great friends.  by so much is thy danger the greater to prove him, and thy care no less to observe and keep him, seeing specially great friendship is not known but in extreme necessity. Many and many are there now a days who would abstain from many heinous and hurtful faults, if they had not confidence in the favour and rescue of their friends, which being a branch of impunity, can not but bring peril to a common weal where the due course & sincerity of justice is stopped by the corruption of particular favour. This is one manner of election of friends amongst men, that meeting by chance, or commoning together, or eating at one table, they suppose from the instant a perpetual friendship to be established between them, which in good certainty & truth can not be so, for that in times of necessity and trial, there is no more proof or effect of such friends, them between the Crow and the Kite, of whom when it happeneth to the one to be bore of feathers, the other answereth that to him is no more than sufficeth him to fly. That which one friend doth for an other in these times, is, either to excuse or conceal himself when there is need of him, being more ready to lend him his conscience, than his money, that is either to go with him to the revenge of an enemy, or to perform some exploit of vice, or at lest to serve his turn with some false testimony. Which sort of friends, as they are most common and least rare, so let all men esteem it no small felicity to be divided from them, seeing they are more prodigal of their conscience then liberal of their goods. Who weigheth with the number of friends that are professed to hint, how many have ministered the true office and quality of friends to give succours to his necessities, for one that he hath found faithful, I doubt not but he shall be able to disclose an hundredth dessemblers: In which respect, I said not without great reason, that it was great peril to a man not to be consociate with a friend honest, firm, and virtuous, since, for no greaten cause then the action of a common reverence and civility, they are ready to require our goodds to loan, command the use and service of our house, and not stick to bring our conscience in doubt, (occasions that many times move men to disclaim neighbourhoodes and friendships which they had begone in great good will and devotion. But right blessed and holy is the friendship of jesus Christ, wherein can be no scrupule nor danger. For that, in recompense of the affection he bears us, he neither demands our goods, nor troubleth our conscience: his friendship is always assured, for that it is well established: it is certain, since he never forgets us: it is not feigned, since it corrects our conscience: it is just for that it suffereth nothing unreasonable: it is righteous since in it he doth communicate to us his grace, and it is most rich and plentiful as by whose mean he gives us his glory. So that he only may and aught to be called a friend holy, a friend just, faithful, profitable, and perpetual: For that the friends that he takes, he looks not if they rich, and much less esteems it to dishonour if they be poor, he chooseth for his friend whom he liketh and after he have once called him, he never forbeareth to love and like him: He looketh not whether he be mighty or impotent, fair or deformed, or whether his condition be free or bond: Not, he makes not so great reckoning of the services we do him, as of the love which we bear to him: In charitate perpetua delexite: The love, saith jesus Christ by his Prophet, where with Christ loveth us, is not feigned nor transitory, but retaineth always one perpetual & settled stability, as appeareth most truly in this, that by the mean of his grace we are made agreeable to him, afore we are able to do any thing to deserve to be his friends: Such is the perpetual perfection of his charity, that the love that he bears us being his own, the profit that comes of it apperteyns to us, pretending no other thing in the love which he bears to all Creatures then to make seen his sovereign bounty employed on our behalfs in most high and worthy Charity: the same being well expressed in the day of his Passion, when neither the torments of his body, nor the wickedness of his People, could restrain the course of his great love wherewith he Prayed for such as crucified him, and pardon those that offended him: Yea, he prayed not only for his Apostles and Disciples, but also for all the faithful that believed in him and loved his Father, with whom as he was one self thing in Divinity, so he prayed to his Father, that all such as believed might be in him one body mystical through Charity. Great was the love of jesus Christ in the words of his petition to his Father, seeing that albeit we were not then borne, not nor our far ancient Fathers: yet he besought his Father in great fervency for the estate of all his Church even no less then for those that did communicate with him in the Supper. So that as he died for all, so he prayed for all: By which we have good reason to believe, that seeing be remembered us afore we came into the world, he will also keep care over such as are employed in his service. If Christ had not loved us with that Charity, and prayed for us in such fervency of zeal, what had become of us: Sure, if there be in the Church of God at this present any obedience, patience, charity, humility, or any abstinence or continency, it aught all to be attributed to that love which Christ expressed in the prayer that he commended to his Father for us, Redeeming with his blood our disfavour, and with his prayer he restored us eftsoons to an estate of Grace and reconcilement. To love those that are present, and such as are absent, to bear affection to the Quick, and remember such as are Dead happeneth often & is natural, but to love such as are to come and not yet borne, is a zeal that never was heard of but in the person of our Redeemer, who prayeth for such as live wickedly, and loveth good men although they are not yet borne: In worldly things, so strait is the copulation and unity between life and death, love and hate, him that doth affect, and the thing affected, that all takes end together and in one hour: But to the friendship that jesus Christ bears us, belongs an other quality, for that his love took beginning afore the foundation of the world, and will not end, not not at the day of judgement.   

In this Letter is debated the difference between a servant and a friend.  
FInding in your last Letter more matter worthy of rebuke, then meet to be answered, I am bold to give you this Council, that in causes of importance, the Pen is not to be used afore the matter be well debated, jest others take occasion to judge of your domges, and yourself be denied of that you demand: This is also to be observed in speaking to any parsonage of estate, with whom we aught not to Communicate but with fear, reverence, and modesty.  
By your Letter you wish me to be your Master, and withal would choose me to be your friend: Two estates no less different in quality, then incompatible in one person, and most unlike in office, for that a friend is chosen by will, 
A friend chosen by will, & a master taken by necessity.  and a Master is taken by necessity: A friend will consider, but a Master must be served: A friend gives of liberality, but a Lord demands by authority: a Master hath liberty to be Angry, but it belongs to a friend to suffer: And a friend pardoneth, but a Master punisheth. So that the comparison being so different, it cannot be possible that being your Master, I should bear unto you the due respects of a friend: since, if I be your Master, you are bound to serve me, fear me, follow me, and obey me: Offices prejudicial to the prerogatives of a friend, and against the laws of that liberty and free sovereignty which the heart of man desireth.  
To require me with such rashness to be your friend, is (sure) to demand of me the most precious jewel I have in the world: For, to be your friend, is to bind me to love you all my life, dividing my heart into yours, 
Offices of a friend.  and making you even an other moiety with myself, true friendship being none other thing then an unfeigned consent of will and affections, and a transportation of two hearts into one body: And therefore two friends, if they will love and live in the true observations of friendship, aught to speak but with one Tongue, and love with one heart, yea, they aught to Communicate together in one substance and rate of life, and not grudge to suffer in common one perculier and singular death: Amongst friends, what is suffered of the one, aught not to be intolerable to the other, and albeit their thoughts be proper to themselves, yet their persons, their goods and fortunes, aught always to be common: One friend aught not to say to an other I will not, or I cannot, since, it is principal priveleadge in friendship to find nothing impossible. Therefore, who joins in friendship with an other, 
We own to our friends all that we have, only we aught to have but one friend.  binds himself not to deny the thing that he demands, nor to use excuse in any thing that his friend requires him to do: since in this consists the full office of friendship to own to our friends even ourselves and all that we have. By the Council of Seneka the wise and discreet man aught to admit but one friend, forséeing withal (as near as he can) to have no enemy at all: For, saith he, if there be danger in enemies, there can be no surety in the multitude of friends, since, in respect of their number, they breed difference of consent and will with variety of conditions, and where is no conformity of manners, there can be no perfection in friendship. So strait is the rule of friendship, that of many that profess liberal affection, there are few that perform it, being an office particular to the Children of vanity to have ready tongues to promise' and slow hands to perform: True friends are bound to feel the adversities of their friends with no less affection than if they had proper interest in them: yea, it belongs to them to minister remedy to their necessities, and give comfort to their miseries, esteeming it to appertain to their duty to communicate in all the fortunes of their friends: The same agreeing with the resolution of Eschinus the Philosopher who being asked what was the greatest perplexity of this life, answered, that to lose things which we have got with pain, and to be divided from that which we love, are the greatest afflictions that can travel a humane mind. 
The friend whom we choose aught: to be wise and wealthy.  The friend whom we choose, aught above all other things to be discreet, to the end he may Council us, and of ability and wealth, the better to administer to our necessities and lacks: For other ways, if he bear no advise and judgement, we shall want Council to govern our prosperity, and if he be poor, what mean is there to join succours to our wants? by which imperfection our prosperity stands in hazard for want to be warned, and in adversity we are subject to despair or murmur by the intolerable burden of our necessities, being no less hurtful to be raised to wealth and dignity without a friend to instruct us to govern it, then to be extreme poor & have no mean to relieve us: therefore amongst men there is nothing more necessary then to be environed, with friends, who in their presence may assist them with good counsel, and in their absence hold common faith & loyalty. There be two things that prove the malice of the world to be infinite, 
Two things that prove the malice of the world to be infinite  & therewithal warn all men to seek security in a wise & well able friend. The first is, that to him that is overthrown there are very few that will lend their hand to help him up again: and to such as stand in wealth and favour every one studieth to cast stumbling blocks to make them fall. In which respect, that man is possessed of no small treasure who hath admitted society with a wise and well advised friend, whose quality aught to be such as to comfort his friend with his eye, to counsel him with his speech, to secure him with his goods, to protect him with his power, and not only to do his best to keep him from falling, but if he be down, to lend him his liberal hand to remount him. To the quality of our friend it appertains to be discreet and secret, 
A friend must be doscreete and secret.  lest his lightness make him intolerable to us, and being lavish, he can not but be troublesome to our affairs: and therefore as the bosom of our friend aught to be a place of retreat for all our counsels, opinions, actions, and enterprises, so, in the election of him, if we first seek that we would, and suffer that we most fear, since true friendship to young men is a notable sobriety, to old men an infallible comfort, to the poor sufficient riches, and to the rich assured honour. Let no man disclose the secrets of his heart, but to such as he loveth with all his heart: since it is one chief branch of the office of a good friend to keep that he heareth, and conceal what he seeth, and therewithal a rule most infallible that who speaks without discretion shallbe answered with shame and confusion. A true friend aught never to flatter his friend, nor join reproach to any pleasure he hath done for him, taking it for his recompense, that he hath done pleasure to him to whom he is bound by the merit and law of true friendship. For, in case of danger and necessity there aught between friends to be no delay of succours, not, no remedy aught to be required where all things are due by justice, nothing aught to be holden particular where all things deserve to be in common, nor no importunity intolerable, where aught to be no necessity of request. It is not proper to all men to profess the quality of a friend: for that if they have power, they may want disposition, if they have counsel they may have weakness of action, and if they have minds to love, yet they may be subject to the error of inconstancy, so that in case of friendship men can have no such full perfection, but that in some respect they suffer infirmity either by person or quality. And so if you weigh the office of a friend with the inconveniences annexed, and consider the state of a Lord with the services appertaining, I hope you will neither retain me for a master, nor choose me for a friend, since for the one I am unable, and to the other unapt.   

A letter to a noble parsonage, wherein is debated why God afflicts good men.  
ALbeit I have had small mean hitherunto to declare my good affection to you wards, and less expectation of great things in so poor a state as mine: yet hath there not wanted good will to wish well with the best, and so wishing, as with effect I might express it, & leave you satisfied of my good meaning, neither to merit the more nor to advance the sooner, but only for the due respects I own to your greatness and virtues, by whose aid I confess I have aspired to the success and end of all my desires. And where my profession keeps me so restrained, that to your many benefits I can give no equal recompense, I am glad that bit he request of your letter is ministered occasion to declare with what devotion I wish to do you service: praying you to esteem me, not as I am, but as I desire to be on your behalf.  
You demand by your letter why God suffereth so many adversities to afflict good men? whereunto I answer, that to the man of virtue nothing can happen in ill, since according to the opinion of Philosophers, contraries can hold no consent nor unity together. For, adversities albeit they have custom to vex and trouble men, yet, they have no power to change the constancy and courage of a valiant & resolute mind, who in all revolutions reteynes one firm and immovable virtue: even as a tree which being well rooted although he be shaked with many violent winds, yet in their fury is no power to supplant him. Men, thorough exercise of adversities become humble, wise, and perfect, and the just man is better reformed by the proof of afflictions, then by any other mean. For, knowing them to be messengers and warnings of God, he debates not the grieves he feeleth, but calleth his conscience to reckoning, he glorifieth himself in tribulation, knowing that tribulations bring patience, patience breeds experience, 
Benefits coming by tribulation.  experience raiseth hope, and hope can not be confounded, for that the love of God is dispersed into our hearts by the holy spirit that hath been given to us: he suffereth his sorrows, but in the end he surmounts them, and is not overcome by their violence, showing then his own greatness and with what virtues he is environed, when he proveth what force his patience is of: he taketh all things for exercise of his virtue, since virtue without adversity withereth and loseth his force. 
True magnanimity heareth all fortunes.  A noble mind aught not to fear hard and doubtful things, nor complain of any perplexity he endureth: For, having true magnanimity, he aught to take all things in good part, and hold no fortune grievous. Let him not debate what he suffereth, but determine to endure to the end, since God never proveth his people above their power, nor useth to visit their frailty otherways then with a shaking rod, which rather threateneth than striketh: Yea it is one custom in God's affection to correct those children whom he receiveth and loveth, to the end they may attain to a true strength, faith, and perfection, not suffering the extremity of his justice to tempt them to murmur or despair, but mildly to prepare them, having appointed to the godly no other passage to heaven but thorough the furnace and fire of afflictions. Creatures that be fat and heavy for want of exercise, become unapt and idle, they are not tired by labour only, but withal through custom of ease and rest and by the heavy weight of their own bodies: even so that felicity that hath suffered no community with misfortunes can have no great continuance: but when it hath kept long wars with his incommodities, and by suffering injuries is made hard, then is he in his perfection, and armed to resist all harms, God suffering his people sometimes to encounter very rude and hard adventures, the better to prepare them to a true judgement and examination of themselves. We have no great need to exercise mercy to a good man, 
No man miserable but he that esteems himself so.  for that though in appearance his estate seem needy, yet his virtue makes him no way miserable: Not, no man is unhappy but he that esteems himself so by the base reputation of his courage. Demetrius was of opinion that there was no man unhappy but he to whom adversity never happened. And as virtue and wisdom are hid oftentimes in those persons, whom either malice pursueth, envy oppresseth, or fortune contemneth: so, for the most part, God suffereth adversities to exercise their force against such as are most strong, not to tempt them above their power, but, through exercise to make them better established. Fortune proved the force of fire in Scaevola, the violence of poverty in Fabricius, the perplexities of banishment in Rutilius, torments in Regulus, poison in Socrates, ingratitude in Scipio, persecution in Caesar, and death in Cato. There is nothing that sooner makes a man great and mighty, than the trial of a perverse fortune: nor any thing breeds a more stability of faith and patience, than the exercise of adversities, as was well expressed in the wonderful constancy of Scaevola, whom we may not call unhappy for that he burned his right hand in the fire of his enemies, nor repute Fabricius wretched, for that whilst he was absent from the government of the common weal, he laboured his grounds with his own hands, and much less may we refer to the conquest of fortune the virtue of Regulus, who being led to the Gibbot was made there a monument of faith, and an example of patience. Let us not esteem those men wretched who suffer so great things, for that by the passion of them they are made happy, yea they are the preparatives to true felicity, and the comfortable guides that lead men to the perpetual joys and tranquilities of heaven.   

The Author, under terms to reprove his friend that had charged him to have taken out of his chamber a Pomander, speaketh justly against such persons as delight to be perfumed.  
IN a singular combat between two Roman Knights in the time and presence of Quintus Fabius, it happened that the victor holding in his mercy & under his feet him that was vanquished: Thou shalt saith he deny in this presence that thou hast said, and acknowledge thy report to be false and wicked, or otherwise this sword shall minister revenge to the untruths which thy lying tongue hath pronounced. O saith the other, that thou knewest aswell how to use the victory, as thy fortune hath suffered thee to win it, or that there were in thee as good desert or merit of knighthood, as thou art my mortal enemy, then wouldst thou not be more desirous of my life, then to preserve thine honour: suffice thee that thy counsel shall not tempt me to the prejudice of mine innocency, for if my strength fail to fight further, thou shalt found in me no want of heart to die. By the discourse of this ancient example, I am bold to make insinuation into the wrong you have offered me, making me guilty of the Pomander which you lack, which you have not only laid to my charge in express terms between you and me, but also you have of late accused me by a public letter compounded of the vapours of your brain, more full of choler then furnished with discretion, which gives me occasion to say with the Roman Knight, that forgetting the regard of a friend, you are fallen into the malice of an enemy, seeing you esteem more your Pomander then mine honour. I am not determined to make account of the injury, and much less to answer your letter in passion, bearing more regard to the profession I follow, then to the house I am come of, since it is most sure that after my death there willbe no account demanded whether I have used myself as a Knight, but rather if I have lived as a Christian. And therefore the weapons wherewith I am bound to fight, are patience, hope, abstinence, charity, and humility, arms always sufficient to defend my person, and without the which I would not live. But albeit, for many good respects, I forbear to join revenge to this injury, yet it is not without reason and liberty that I say my fancy. The things which the men of this world do by passion only, and without advise, proceed indifferently of want of wisdom, & superfluous hope or overweening, which in man of respect aught to be eschewed, for that they be two humours so factious in man's body, that the end draws him to do nothing but what anger provokes him unto, and the other is hateful to all reason and Council. And if for every storm of fortune, we become weak and complain, it can not follow but in time we shall embrace despair, and hasten the untimely destiny of our life: Which seldom happeneth to a man resolute and wise, with whom patience and reason have more custom than choler and passion. It is without fruit to speak fruitful things to a man possessed with passion, for that he hath neither sense to taste them, nor wisdom to feel them: Yea, it is in vain to communicate with him that is obstinate, furious, or incredulous, for that, when we think them most apt to be persuaded, it is then they are furthest of from Council, and in labouring to appease them, oftentimes we give increase to their anger: specially if we reduce to their memory things that were the cause of their pain. By these (Sir) you have to gather, that to men of virtue, honesty and estate, (even such as you aught to be) it appertaineth to take heed that they do nothing to make them hateful: For that one fault only sufficeth to make infamous a whole race, dishonouring as well those that are past, as such as are present, leaving withal an infection of blood to such as are to come. In Cassianus it is mentioned that certain Pagans', using outrage and injury to a religions man of honest life, asked him by disdain what fruit or profit he had by his Christ? Is not this (answered he) a singular fruit, not to be moved with the bitter words which you pronounce against me, and so easily to pardon the heavy wrongs you have done to me? an answer sure worthy to be written in the hearts of men, since thereby we are instructed how great is the virtue of patience, and of what necessity and profit to the life of man. What merit or estimation can be due to the impatient man? 
Above all other mortal virtues, patience is most necessary.  what wealth hath he that hath not the riches of patience? and how doth that man live, that liveth without patience? The conversation and life of man hath often times need of all the moral virtues, but the virtue of patience above all others and at all hours and moments is most necessary: For that so many be the infelicities which surprise and travel our humane life, that if we make not as good custom to bear and suffer them, as we do to eat & drink, we live in vain, and shall assuredly find trouble in stead of true tranquiletie. All which I apply to myself, and there with all do let you know that if it were not familiar with me to suffer & dissemble with such as you are, I had ear this in public sort defied your malice, and ministered revenge to the injury you have offered me. The determination of enterprises of war belongs to the Prince, the affairs of the common weal are referred to the Laws, & all causes of controversy are managed by justice: but quarrels that impeach honour are tried by the Sword, being albeit no less just to chastise the corrupt Testimonies against our name and reputation, then to weep and use contrition for our proper sins: yet in regard I am Christian and no Pagan, and that I profess religion and am a Gentleman, I hold it more tolerable to forget this wrong then to revenge it, allowing the opinion of Alexander the great, that to him that is injuried is more need of virtue and courage to pardon his enemy, then to kill him. If you had charged me to have taken away any trifle tending to recreation of pastime, I would not have denied it, for that I know how far in all things stretcheth the office of friends: but to say that I was so impudent to take your Pomander, or so vain to wear it, you do great wrong, for that the one had been against my Conscience, and in the other had been offence to my modesty and shame. And therefore I say, that if to wear sweet smells be no great sin, at lest it cannot but incline to voluptuousness, and partake with vanity: Such a young and valiant Knight as you are, aught more to raise his merit and renown by actions of chivalry in foreign Wars, then wearing Musk in the seams of his Garments at home. To Women, 
The good woman will rather have her virtues shine then her garments smell of musk.  retaining by nature many ordinary infirmities which without the help of sweet smells would often times appear loathsome, it is more tolerable to be perfumed then men: and yet the good woman will rather labour to have her virtues to shine, than her Garments to smell of Musk: Yea, they are all bound rather to live well then to smell sweet: A Pomander how well so ever it be tempered, and how sweet so ever it smells, yet can it cast his savour no further than the length of a street: Where a good renown will ring over a whole kingdom, and the fume of a wicked life will smoke over a whole World: So that whether she be married, or Widow, whether she be a Maid or a Wife, let her always live in fear of slander, and think that the fame & report of honour is the sweetest Incense to make her acceptable to all men, being a thing most foul & loathsome that her Garments should be perfumed with sweet odours, and her life putrefied with evil conditions: I never read that any Woman hath remained unmarried for lack of being well perfumed, but many and many do I see refused for want of virtue: for that the man enquiring of the conditions of his Wife, will not so much care whether she smell sweet, as examine if she be of good Life: But let us also speak of men to whom generally the Philosophers have forbidden to wear perfumes or smells: By which occasion Rome remained almost three hundredth years without either Spice to eat, or perfumes to smell: but after the Wars began to discontinue, vices forgot not to réenter into custom: By which we may infer that if there were no idle men in the world, there would be no such reckoning made of vanities and vice: Cicero saith that the five vices, To erect Tombs, to wear Gold rings, to use Spice in Meats, to alloy Wine with Water, and to bear sweet Smells: The men of Asia sent as presents to the Romans, in revenge of the Cities and blood that they had taken from them: By which I gather, that greater was the damage which Rome received by Asia, than Asia by Rome: For that the lands and Provinces which the Romans Conquered of the Asians, were eftsoons reconquered and restored, but the vices of them of Asia remained as a perpetual inheritance amongst the Posterities of the Romans: He that followeth the Wars to fight, and he that laboureth the earth to live by it, hath more care to succeed his business then to smell to sweet odours: Yea, it is familiar to vain men, to seek to smell sweet, and forget to live well: In Rome it was forbidden that neither Maid nor Wife should drink Wine, nor Man buy Musk Aumber, or other perfuming smells: And it was as ordinary with the Magistrates to chastise men that boar perfumes, as to punish women that were found Drunkards: The same being verified by the virtuous Emperor Vespasian, who having the Pen in his hand ready to sign a dispatch which he had given to a Roman Knight and feeling him smell of perfume, he did not only revoke his grant, but with many threats banished him forthwith his presence: The Romans persecuting Plutus (a Conspirator with the Triumviry) found him hid in a cellar by no other espial or intelligence then by a sweet smell which he had scattered as he went: Hannibal a valiant and happy Captain in his youth, suffered his old age to be seduced by the Dames of Capua, and sweet ointments of Asia, who so effeminated the forces of his mind and body, that he did never afterwards any thing worthy of report. The Romans being in debate to choose a Captain to send into the wars of Pannonia, referred the resolution to Cato Censorius, who, of two that stood in that adoption, refused one of them being his nearkinsman, for that saith he I never knew him to return wounded from wars, but I have always seen him go perfumed in the streets. The great Numantia in Spain could never be won (notwithstanding fourtéen years siege of the Romans) till Scipio purged his Camp of loiterers, perfumers and whores.  
Lycurgus a notable law reader amongst the Lacedæmonians, erected and institution upon grievous pains, that no man should buy or sell any odiferous or sweet ointments, unless it were to offer in the temples or to make medicines for the sick: By these examples may appear how intolerable perfumes have been too well ordered countries, and how hurtful to many particular personages: it is a vice that slandereth the magistrate, offends the multitude, breeds disease in the brain, and brings decay to the purse. For, to buy a pair of gloves of ten crowns, is more for curiosity, than necessity: Yea there be many vain and light men that will not stick to bestow a dozen crowns upon a pair of sweet gloves for their Lady, that have not the heart to bestow a poor gown upon a student, nor in smaller things to minister to the necessities of their near parents: such men spend their portions more by opinion then in reason: and against such men is pronounced the threat of the Prophet. The time will come (saith he) that the perfumed men shall suffer great pains, and in place of precious ointments, they shall feel most horrible stinks: Yea such men are abominable afore God, infamous to a common weal, and their quality dangerous to their conscience, and chargeable to their purses. In which respects, let all gentlemen practise more to live virtuously, then to study to be perfumed, since under heaven there is nothing that carrieth a sweeter smell than a good renown, nor any thing that savoureth more horribly than the fume and incense of wicked life. To be a good Christian, is a sweet ointment: to have a clear conscience, smells better than civit: and to be innocent in life and virtuous in example, is of far greater merit and dignity than all the perfumed Pomanders we can wear.   

A letter to a particular friend, rebuking all such as offer outrage or injury to any that are newly converted to the faith of Christ, calling them infidels or miscreants, or by any other name of reproach.  
SIr, before the children of Israel issued out of Egypt, they had a King, and no Law: but long time after their departure, they lived under laws, and were subject to no kings: Only there common weals were administered by judges, and their souls instructed by sacrificators, of whom the last saving one was Hely, A man very zealous to his country, but most negligent in the institution of his house and posterity: For, his children were so given over to disorders, so subject to their particular wills, and so far estranged from virtue, that the scripture in the first Book of the Kings, detecteth them in this sort peccatum puerorum erat grand nimis coram domino quia detrahebant homines a sacrificio: the sins of the sons of Hely were too great in the sight of the Lord: For, not content to be wicked themselves, they laboured to draw others from well doing: Of which sin they were most of all other convinced, as persuading all others to do no sacrifice: by mean whereof, and for punishment of their faults, the old man perished suddenly, his children were slain, and their wives died of child: So that the punishment of the sin of ill doing, and the Crime of drawing others from doing well, fell not only upon those that did it, but also upon such as consented thereunto. I have drawn this ancient history into these particulars, not so much to reproach you as to wish you to well weigh and note it: but chiefly to introduce occasion to answer certain late speeches of yours, which aught to have been as far from your conscience, as they deserve no way to be familiar with your nobility.  
Plato entertaining an old man as his special friend, ministered to him no small travel to reform his vices: and being oftentimes persuaded by his followers to lose no more time to take away such desperate and hardened faults: Sure (saith Plato) I had reason to be weary to warn him, if I boar no more regard to the office of a friend, 
Not to do ill is the office of an innocent.  then to the hope I have to do good by my travel: For so delicate is the law of friendship, that a friend aught rather to lose his pains, then leave any scrupule in his loyalty: This example serves aswell to our purpose as the figure of the great Priest Hely: and so to our matter. Not to do ill I say is the office of an innocent, even so to give over to do well, belongs to a man negligent: To be hold to be wicked is the office of an evil man: But to be desperate and defend the ill, is the work of a man wholly governed by the devil: For that no man can be reformed of his sin, if first he acknowledge not his fault: according to the which (Sir) I have to charge you, that in that you disputed yesterday, you neither showed yourself a knight, a Christian, nor a courtier: For, a Christian aught to esteem his Conscience, the knight is tied to his modesty, and the Courtier (above all others) aught to express affability: And therefore, seeing that the honourable more in the Court, is already baptised and reconciled to the faith of jesus Christ, and that by my travel and against the will of all the Moarishsect, you did against the Charity of a Christian, abused the profession of a Knight, and stained the reputation of a civil Courtier when you called him Infidel, Miscreant, and infamous Moare: Are you that God whereof the Prophet speaketh, Scrutans corda et renes: Taking upon you to know whether this Moare be a Miscreant or a Christian? It may be that you have measured your merits with his, and weighed in one Balance his faith and yours: or perhaps you have Gods at commandment to acquit your sins and give you place amongst the just, seeing you condemn others and justify yourself: Wherein it seems you remember not that to God only is reserved the truth of the secret of such as are ordained to be saved, and appointed to be damned: So that if this Moare believe in God as well as you, if he be baptized as lawfully as you, if he go to the Church with as good devotion as you, and if we see him do no act, but of a Christian, and in you is found no miracle: I see not how you have any authority to call him Infidel, no more than he hath reason to doubt you to be a Christian. They be words of great rashness one man to upbreade an other with such injuries: Seeing that to be a good Christian, we are not only bound to do good deeds, but also to use modesty and my lonesse in our speech: otherways if a Christian call his neighbour Fool he shall be guilty of Hell. And as there is no great difference of the injury for one man to call an other Fool, and to call him Dog: So, to a man received into the faith, there can not be a greater reproach then to be called an evil Christian: For that to be termed Fool tends but to the prejudice of the reputation of wisdom, but to be called a wicked Christian toucheth a man's soul and defaceth his renown: So that if Christ forbid us Christians to call one an other Fool, much less can he brook the outrage of greater injuries: Since by the School and rule of his Law we are taught to embrace one an other with such sincerity, as neither to strike with our hands, nor reproach or slander with our Tongues: When I rebuke you for ministering such incivility to the poor Moare, you answered that it was an ancient custom of the country to call them so, in which respect you held it no offence to conscience to upbreade them, nor breach of civility to use the terms where with your Tongue was most enured: O that men of virtue and honour, taking upon them to correct a fault are bound to great consideration of the estate and nature of the fault, jest in seeking to reform others, they Condemn themselves: as may be justly imputed against you, who, in turning the custom of the Country to the help of your fault to call him Infidel, you committed the greater offence, according to the saying of God to Moses: Take heed O Children of Jsraell, that when you enter into the Land of Promise, you keep no custom with the Laws of the Egyptians: Wherein we are warned that if the Law of our Country be evil, and the customs wicked, we aught not only not to allow of them, but also not to observe them, since it is as lawful to discontinue an ill Custom, as to forbear to do ill, and with as good liberty may we reform an ill Law though it hath stand by long continuance, as to translate any ancient Garment, and reduce him to the present fashion. The reverent Moare found himself much injuried with your words, and the assistance not a little dishonoured: yea, the remainder of that race being in good towardness to be adopted into the church, made their reckoning not to become Christians, if for their faith, they should be vexed with such reproaches: So that this your fault is the greater, for that in following the Children of Hely, you trouble such as are baptised, and are the cause that others will not come to Christendom: Vidi afflictionem populi mei in Egipto. etc. I am not saith God to Moses so careless as men think of those that serve me, nor forgetful to punish offenders: Since I have opened mine ears to the cyres of my People in Egypt, and do see the great tiranies which the Governors of the Kingdom use against them, for which cause I will draw them into liberty, and put the Egyptians to punishment: Wherein (with the exposition of S. Augustine upon these words) the hebrews felt themselves not somuch wronged, nor God was so greatly displeased with the traveles they endured. as with the particular injuries which they received of the Egyptians: Which I beseech you may warn you hereafter not to be so rash and abandoned to words, seeing I never knew any man minister injuries to an other, but there was inquisition made of his own life and doings, yea, even to the desiphering of his race: which is fallen out against yourself, for that at the instant when you reproached the reverent Moare and called him Infidel, there were that stood behind your back, that said secretly, if he were descended of the Moares, your ancestors were of no better Lineage: Such is the gaives that People of ill Tongues do reap, who, if they outrage such as are on line, others will deface their progeny that are dead: which being a justice appointed to such as are ministers in malice, yet there it may be avoided, where is government and restraint of Tongue: And therefore I wish you to use Charity to the end you may find recompense of Charity, and forbear not to do well the better to nourish good example and keep you from the imputation of the Sons of Hely.   

A Letter to a Noble man touching familiarly how inconvenient it is for a man married, to have a Woman friend besides his Wife.  
SIr, it brings no small grief unto me that after so long intermission of letters, there is present occasion given, not to common according to our custom, but to debate injuries between you and your Wife, who as I understand hath no less need of Consolation, than you of Correction: Wherein by how much I labour to seek out in whom resteth the fault, by so much do I find you guilty in the occasion, and in her no want of reason: assuring you that if I found her as disordered, as you are reported to be dissolute, I would as well pronounce her worthy of sentence, as with all men you are holden void of merit: And if there can be required of a man no more but that he be good, the same aught most of all to be expressed in a woman, since in her is more subjection to judgement, and less ability to cloak or cover, yea, if her virtues appear not in example, her light burns dim, and as a shadow doth but delude the world: which being far otherways in the behaviour of your Wife and my niece, it may please you to pardon me if in this Letter I defend her innocency, and prove your fault, since of friends Council aught to be taken, and of parent's remedy is to be ministered.  
Corinthus a notable tyrant, afore he made choice of his wife, desired of Demosthenes to know what conditions his wife aught chiefly to be furnished withal: 
Counsels in the choice of a wife  to whom the Philosopher gave this counsel: Be sure (saith he) that thy wife be rich to the end the necessities of thy life may be supplied, and the countenance of thy estate plentifully supported. Let her be nobly borne, the better to minister to thy reputation and join honour to thy posterity. Let her be young to the end her service may better delight thee, and thou have no occasion to found marriage loathsome. Let her be fair the better to content thy desires and contain thee from strange affections. And let her be virtuous and wise, to the end thou mayst with security reappose thy estate upon her government: For, who takes a wife without these conditions is sure to found that which he feareth, and miss of that that aught to make his marriage happy: since of all accidents ordained to trouble the life of man, there can not be a more infelicity then to be ill encountered in marriage. There is nothing in this world so perfect, nor any person so thoroughly accomplished, to whom is not either further perfection to be added, or just cause of reformation or amendment. And such is the infirmity of our common nature, 
No man agreeth with the condition of his fortune.  that there are few of so full prosperity, who in some respect complayine not against the quality of their estate: For, many we see are raised to great wealth, but they bear shame of their base lineage: some ennobled by birth and parentage, and yet are followed with poverty: Many blessed both with riches and nobility, but they want the delight of children: and some gladded with procreation, and they eftsoons made sorry with their ill demeanour. And to speak of natural things, we found by experience that if the fire comfort us with his warmth, it vexeth us again with his heat: If the air minister recreation when it is temperate, it puts us again into passion when it is violent. If we praise the earth for her fruit, we murmur against her when she is barren. If we have commodity by rivers for the stay of our thirst and to breed fishes for our nurture, they are intolerable on the other side when they overflow their channels and drown our fields and cattle. Too much meat breeds indigestion, and too little makes the stomach weak: want of exercise brings sickness, & too much labour is hurtful: solitariness makes us incline to melancholy, and too much conversation is importunate: Richeses are accompanied with care, and poverty subject to sorrow. But let us exchange these customs with the actions of ancient noble men in times past, in whom if there were causes of many merits, they boar also matter no less worthy of blame: For, the Grecians praised Hercules for his force, but they accuse him of tyrannies: The Lacedæmonians attribute much to Lycurgus for the zeal he bore to his common weal, but they note him for a most severe and rigorous judge: With the Egyptians Isis' is famous for his patience, but they stain him for his unchastetie: The Athenians extol Plato for his doctrine, but they accuse his great covetousness: The Romans make Caesar to be merciful, and withal reapport him to be haughty and proud: So that if in men of so great account have been found imputation of vice and fault: you and I (sir) may well conclude that there is no bread without bran, no Nut without shell, no tree without bark, no corn without chaff, nor any man without fault. All my life long I have heard men complain of women, and women murmur against men, in both which I think is one equal and common reason: For, since there resteth between man and woman such difference in their creation, 
Man and woman differing in creation, must also differ in condition.  they must of congruent necessity be contrary in condition: And therefore except in jesus Christ, it is Blasphemy to think that any person is dispensed with all from erring, or acquitted from falling.  
This discourse (sir) have I used the better to bring into your remembrance the marriage between you and my niece, which was accomplished rather by joint will and consent then by necessity, either of you being in state well able and sufficient to prefer you. And seeing you cannot deny that when you made choice of her, you promised to serve her, and with great importunities disavowed yourself from all others to cleave unto her: It is neither reasonable nor just that you now bequeath yourself to the service of an other, seeing by no equity, you can be due to none other but to her only. If there be infirmities in her, I hope they are not so desperate, but the office of a good husband may either reform or suffer them: and for imperfections, I see not how she can be charged with any, having beauty, riches, lineage and virtue. O how many wives be there now a days, 
Infirmities in marriage.  who, if they be rich, they lack beauty: if they be fair, they want lineage: if they have high birth, they are void of virtue: If they be virtuous they are not young: And being young, they may perhaps want discretion and government: by means whereof as their husbands have whereupon to repent, and their parents no small cause of sorrow: So, let all men esteem it no small felicity to receive in marriage a wife, well borne, young, fair, rich, and virtuous, to whom he is bound as the soul to the body, and if he exchange & divide himself to strangers, he stands, guilty of no small offence, and is subject to no little danger. I hear (sir) that you use the service of other houses then your own in the night: that you delight to walk the streets and behold the stars: that you visit Curtisanes, and have familiarity with bawds: exercises truly to decay your substance, and bring danger to your person. And I cannot marvel a little, that having already traveled most regions in Christendom, which aught to suffice to establish the race of your youth, that now you will not seek to put your mind in rest, 
Being once married all men aught to be particular to their wives.  the opportunity so serving, together with the commodity of so good a wife and large living. The vanities or follies which follow young men, are for the most part referred to the gréennes of their youth: but if we haunt lightness after we be married, much less that we can be excused, seeing all the world stands up to condemn us. And therefore, to make pilgrimage to such saints as you worship, or visit shaded houses wherein devil no body but curtisanes with painted faces, or to be a stranger to your own house wherein you found nothing but virtue and virtuous delights: it can not but bring prejudice to your honour, hazard to your soul, slander to your posterity, and spoil to your patrimony: For that, being so possessed by strange women, where they have no possibility to marry with you, they will labour to plumb upon you till they have left you neither feather nor flesh: If you have no regard to your soul, at lest look back to the safety of your goods: seeing that from the day you enter marriage and have children, as touching your goods, you are no more Lord, but only a tutor and keeper of them: And therefore no less guilty is he that loseth his own goods, than he that robbeth an other. But if you have no respect to your goods, at lest bear care to your honour, to the end you may more easily aspire to public charge in the common weal, which being not distributed to young men full of liberty, but to men of settled stay and gravity: It behoveth you to remain no longer as you are, but to be such one as you esteem yourself to be: If you bear no respect to your honour, at lest use consideration of your soul: For, so delicate is the law of jesus Christ and so strait the commandments of God, that they do not only forbidden men conversation with strange women, but also condemn all desires that way: It behoveth you also to have care over the security of your person and health: since it commonly happeneth to the man that emboldeneth himself to drink of all Waters, and carrieth a key to open other mennnes' Locks, that in seeking to dishonour his neighbour, he shall suggest peril to his own life: Your Wife will endure hard Fare, many frownings, restraint of liberty, all reproaches, yea though they be thundered with stripes, with all other perplexities, upon condition only that you love her alone, and seek no knowledge with others: For, there is no greater despair to a Married woman, then when her Husband dischargeth upon her back all his jars, Quarrels, and passions, and reserveth his pleasures, joys, 
A great cause of unkindness of the wife against her husband.  and company for an other: Yea, it is hard in whether of the two resteth the greater heart, either as touching the Husband to do so, or in respect of the Wife to endure it: O it is intolerable to the Wife, to hear her husband merry abroad, and find him froward at home, to have him steal from her to enrich his friend, to communicate with his minion, and be a stranger to his Wife, and to minister to the wants of his Concubine, and be without pity to his proper Children: In the Law of Christianity, the same faith the woman is bound to keep to her Husband, he is all so bound to observe to her. But if wives had the like authority to chastise, as Husbands take liberty to accuse, sure, they would neither take to such sorrow the disorders of their Husbands, nor in them would be found such facility to offend: Besides, from the season that Man and Woman be united by the holy promise and covenant of marriage, they have so small jurisdiction in particular over themselves, that it is a kind of theft, if either the one, or the other, alien or divide their bodies. Consider therefore (Sir) the great occasions you give to your Wife, who, having youth, riches, and beauty, and courted with no simple importunities: If she were otherways then she is, she would perhaps bestow her heart upon some one of those many that bestow upon her their eyes: occasion may do much, and there is no worse thing to tempt a Woman then the ill example of her husband. 
Not worse thing to tempt a wife than the ill example of her husband.  For your part, if you think your Wife not worthy to receive recompense of affection, at lest have consideration of her merit, and let not her loyalty discover your penury, nor her constancy complain of your want of honour. If you will not observe to her the Law of a husband, for the respects of your soul, your honour, your goods, and your health: at lest remember that what pleasures or felicyties you find in the company of your Concubine, are nothing in regard of the disquiets you shall find when you come home: For, how wise, how secret, how temperate, or how holy so ever a Wife be, yet she had rather die then not to give revenge to the injuries of her Husband, or not to make him feel her jealousy. And therefore to men that are drowned in fancy with foreign Women, it is in vain to repose in the Bawd who will be corrupted, or in the Concubine whose indifferency makes her a blab: Seeing in cases of jealousy, wives are so subtle, and with all so liberal, that the better to espy and trace out the Confederacies of their Husbands, they will not stick to corrupt hte Quick by money, and Conjure the dead by Charms. And so God grant you that you want, and defend you from that you deserve.   

A Treatise of the Resurrection of JESUS CHRIST▪ together with an Exposition of the Fifth Article of the creed that he descended into Hell, and roase again the third day.  
ACcording to your request, I have sent you herewith the declaration of the fifth Article of the creed, in substance as I published it, but not in sort as I pronounced it: For that it is impossible that in the Pen should be represented the facility, grace, and edifying virtue of the Tongue, according to the opinions of the best Philosophers and Orators, both Greek and Latin with whom the Pen was accounted insufficient to satisfy or compare with the honour which they had gotten with the Tongue, and specially to record or writ Sermons, wherein they held that the matter should lose his Grace, and the author his reputation. Notwithstanding, according to your power to command me, you shall find no want of desire to do you service: albeit under this condition, that if you be not satisfied, the fault is more in your importunity then in my charity: and so to the matter.  
The fifth article of our faith expressing that Christ descended into hell & roase eftsoons the third day, containeth two parts, whereof the first comprehends our confession that he went into hell, and in the second is contained his resurrection. Some divines divide it into two articles, but we draw it into one, containing notwithstanding two parts tending to one end.  
We confess that our redeemer being buried, his holy body remained in the grave three days, being in deed dead during that season. But his soul in the mean while was not idle, for that it descended into hell to do there a wonderful action, which he accomplished: And so we confess that on the third day his soul was rejoined to his body to give it real and essential life: So that there can be no doubt that he roase not again having obtained the victory against death: Wherein, if we consider things in judgement and equity, we shall found great matter in the humility of the son of God, and in whom may be seen the singular mercy of the father not sparing his son, and his ready obedience to accomplish the eternal will of his father all inviting us to bear no small love and thankfulness to him. In this article and in the former, are declared the degrees by the which the son of God descended, 
The Ladder or degrees whereby Christ descended from heaven  and embased himself even to things incredible for a parsonage of that dignity. The first degree was to make him man, and to vouchsafe to be borne at a time certain, he which was borne eternally. The second was that he yet humbled himself more to suffer sentence and public condemnation as a malefactor. In the third, he took upon him the torments of the cross, a death most cruel, and more infamous than any other sort of passion. By the fourth, he was content to suffer death not as God, albeit being God, but as man, in such sort as the very person of God suffered death. In the fifth, he suffered himself to be buried as others that were dead, making himself like them in all things as if he had been comprehended under the curse of Adam to return into dust whereof he was formed: yea he that was free from sin and the curse. And by the last step or degree he descended into hell, whether were descended such as stood destitute of their proper justice, to the end to open to them the gate of the kingdom of heaven. By these degrees, if we consider spiritually the descending of jesus Christ, we shall found it as long as is the distance of heaven from whence he came, until the Centre of the earth whether he descended. And as there rests no other place any further to embase the son of God, so would he not be committed to more humility: only there remained one degree which proceeded of sin and the fellowship of Satan▪ out of the which the person of Christ was exempted, he which came to redeem sinners, and justify men, and vanquish the devil. All that he could suffer to be made a sacrifice for our sins, the son of God was inclined & embased unto it, sin only except whereunto he could not be subject for that there is too great enmity between the justice of the saviour, & the malignity of sin. The greatest part of the degrees above mentioned concerning the descending and humility of the son of God, are declared by the Apostle, who speaking by the suggestion of the holy Ghost, saith, that the son of God being very God, was content to disguise himself not to be entreated of the world as God, but embasing his estate even to take upon him the form of a bondman, and appear to the world in the representation of a man, becoming altogether a servant whose obedience refused not the passions of death, yea the infamous execution of the cross. In this (as is said) is expressed the greatest part of this wonderful embasement of estate which the son of God took upon him, seeing of very God he is made very man, and being man he embased himself under all men, being handled as a poor slave of whom the world made no reckoning. From thence he suffered an other embasement even to be passed to condemnation of death, and not a death in common manner, but the execution whereunto were joined dishonour, infamy, and bitter torments: Of this humility the Prophets have written saying, he was put on the rank of offenders and accompanied with wicked men. 
Esay. 35.  In an other place Esay gives this testimony of him that he never hide his face from such as would buffet him, nor his shoulders from those that would strike him, nor bis beard from any that would rend it: In Jeremy also is declared the assembly of the wicked against the Lord, 
jere. 1●.  and the conspiracies which they levied to persecute & destroy him, & to empoison his meat and life. In S. John albeit he had made the world, yet he was misknowne of the world: 
john. 1.  and the Evangelist hath comprehended in few words the depth of the place from whence the Lord descended, seeing, being the workman of the world, he is come notwithstanding in such extremity that the world misknew him: For, much less that he was acknowledged for Lord and maker of the world, seeing he was not judged worthy to devil in the world: being innocent, he hath been condemned, and albeit his justice and integrity were public and manifest, yet the world made no conscience to throw upon him those great wrongs: yea, being assuredly known htat his enemies accused him by false testimony, yet the wisemen of the world would rather condemn justice, then displease the wicked. Lastly the humility and handling of Christ, agreed fully with the Prophet David speaking in the person of our Lord in these terms: I am no man but a worm of the earth, the reproach, retreat, and shame of men, 
Psal. 18.  and the scum of the people. There rested yet one degree, spoken of in this present article of the creed, wherein we confess that the son of God descended into hell after his death: And touching the declaration of this last descending, we have to consider that this article may be understanded in two sorts, they both being certain, catholic, and full of great mysteries. The first intelligence hath been already begone to be declared, and contains a demonstration of the great humility and wonderful embasement supported by the son of God in this world, being reduced to the utter extremities of sorrow, torments, shame, and infamy. There is no spirit sufficient to comprehend fully the great sorrow expressed by the Lord in these words my soul is heavy even unto death: The fear and heaviness being so much the more apparent, great, & terrible, by how much they enforced drops of blood to fall from his face even to the earth. 
Psal. 68  All the other Passions wherewith the world vexed him were of no meaner effect, and therefore complaining to his father he cried O save me Lord for the waters and broils of the tempest are entered, even to take away my life. I am sunk in a gulf of mire and can found no place firm to fix my foot upon: Wherein is meant no other thing but the storm and fury of our sins with the punishments due, together with a signification of all our miseries, and that which the Devil and the world could do by the mean of the unrighteous and wicked keeping war against our Saviour with persecutions, torments and vexations. In this sort was his descending into the depth and bottom of the earth, and by consequence the first intelligence of our Article, which, together with all that depends upon it, may be proved by the second understanding which must presuppose that such as afore the coming of Christ were dead in his faith and in his spirit and knowledge, had obtained pardon and were truly reconciled with God, notwithstanding the gates of heaven were not open to them until the Lord which delivered them had passed therein as the only justifier and true pacifier  
In the mean while they remained in rest in a place named Hell or bottom of the earth expecting their delivery when the son of God should come to draw them from thence: But all this while they were neither in the company of the Damned, and much less endured their tormetes neither had the Devil any jurisdiction of them: Seeing, if they had been of the reprobate and Damned sort, the Devil had had perpetual power over them, as he hath had and hath over the Cursed and miserable who die without repentance of their sins, and without participating in the benefit of the blood of the Son of God. And for that by the occasion of sin and reign of the Devil, the gates of heaven were closed, and the joy and use of beatitude stood restrained and limited to a certain time, I say that that place was a prison and the prison of Hell, a place wherein the Fathers of faith expected the coming of the Saviour of the world.  
In this place than were the ancients that were just, not that they felt the torments of the Damned, but had only a careful desire to see the prophecies accomplished and themselves delivered, and all to enjoy the presence and company of the Saviour together with that most happy vision of the majesty of God. So that in this sort did the soul of jesus Christ descend into that place accompanied with his divinity which never forsook him, and dissolving the prisons, he broke in pieces all the chains and Links, that held tied the souls of the faithful. This was it that Zachary the Prophet meant, when he said that by the virtue of the blood of thy stomach and of thy Testament thou hast drawn thy prisoners out of the Lake with out Water. Wherein the Prophet speaketh even with the Son of God, as true God and Saviour of men, and foreseeing such great misery, he saith that by the virtue of his blood wherein consisted the Salvation of men, he had drawn his Subjects and friends out of their dark prison which he signifieth by the Lake without Water: Seeing that in such like places Conquerors are wont to bestow their Prisoners for their more punishment and better security in prison: By the same also the Prophet takes the comparison of a great Prince that entereth into the Land of his enemy, not to shake his Sword and remain there, but to surmount and havoc his enemy and take from him by force his Servants and Subjects whom of long time he had holden Prisoners. By this is showed the great power of jesus Christ according to his own phrase in these terms: So long as a strong man (saith he) and well furnished with weapons, keeps his house and defends it by force, all that he hath is in peace. But if there come one more mighty than he, he makes him forsake his guard, chaseth him out of his house, and becomes Lord of all his goods: even so did our Lord with the Devil, expressing upon him his wondered power, and great victory which he obtained against the kingdom of darkness: For, seeing the Devil hath laid aside his weapons, it is a sign he is vanquished, and seeing death is conquered, the Devil must needs remain disfurnished of Arms: And seeing the depths and bottoms of the earth have been illuminated by the light and presence of our saviour, the kingdom of darkness is defeyted and brought to ruin. And so for conclusion we found three great considerations in the first part of this Article: Whereof the first hath been debated, comprehending the great descending and extreme humility which the Son of God took upon him to save man and confounded the works of sin. The second consists in this, that whilst his most holy body accompanied with his divinity, remained in the grave to testify that he was truly dead: His soul descended into the dark prisons, where were detained the holy fathers notwithstanding they were not in the power of the devil. For albeit they were justified by the virtue of the mediator and their faith and repentance, yet they were banished from heaven and put as it were in prison, to witness the effect and operation of sin, together with the necessity which man had of the coming of the son of God to give them their full remedy. So that the saviour of the world entering into this prison and confounding all darkness by his great light, did fully comfort and satisfy by his presence, the holy souls which expected him with a desire far above the judgement or comprehention of man: it was then that those good ancient Fathers saw the accomplishment of the promise long afore made to them, that out of their seed should rise one that should break the head of the great Serpent. Then all their desires were accomplished, 
The vision and consolation of the ancient fathers.  beholding even with their eyes the majesty and presence of him, whom so often they had seen in contemplation and Spirit: In whom they had laid up all their hope, from the remembrance of whom they did never serve, and by the only thought of whom they had overcome all their adversities, taking comfort in him in their miseries and perplexities. Then did Abraham see him who was promised to bless all his people and all Nations, in the faith of whom he was circumcised, and made alliance with God. Jsaac saw him whom he prefigured when his father thought to have sacrificed him: he saw the sprinkles and marks of the blood, whose effusion was most sweet before the face of the father from the beginning of the world. Jacob who had called upon this saviour in his death, saw his desires fulfilled, no more resting which he might require. Melchisedech saw the great sacreficator, the sacrifice of whom had neither end nor rule. Moses spoke then with the great Prophet which God promised to sand to deliver his people from the captivity of the spiritual Egypt, whose power and authority should be so peremptory and great, that who would not obey him, should die eternal death. And the great Prophet David embraced then the health which he had so long desired: he saw then that great and mighty Christ of whom he had made so many holy ditties and songs, & in whose hope he had so many times taken comfort and vanquished sin. Lastly, all the just of the times past, saw the accomplishment of their desires, the end of their sighs, the remedy of their miseries, the comfort of their sorrows, & the victory against death, hell, and sin, and all by the presence of the captain which came to guide them even unto the sight and majesty of GOD. O how possible are the perplexities which men suffer under hope of the promises of GOD: How happy is that abiding or expectation, which for pawn hath the verity of GOD? How well assured and well recompensed is that patience which is of long sufferance and never swerveth? All these ancient Fathers were in divers seasons, and yet they had all one faith, they were all inspired with one spirit, all served one Lord, all lived and died in one hope: they all bore their cross in this life: they all were made prisoners in that place: lastly they all saw in one instant him whom they had so long expected, together with the fulfilling of all the promises which had been made to them. There the Saviour of the world spoke to them, publishing good news touching their remedies and restitution: And comunicated with them the greatness of the mysteries which it behoved him to do for their Redemption: there is no doubt but with them he used most dear familiarity: Yea he who was always so joyful with his own, used no less favour and consolation to those with whom his Father had made alliance, and so justly kept his promises. And they likewise rendered no small thanks and praises to the Lord that had so accomplished his word for the Salvation of the world, yea, they departed out of their old prisons with no small triumphs, to follow their captain which had over come so many and great enemies.  
The third consideration is, that our saviour jesus Christ did not only break the prisons and deliver the holy Fathers, but also by this descending, he brought a great astonishment and fear into hell and over the whole kingdom of the devil, making him know that his forces were dissolved, and that now was brought to effect the breaking of his head expressed long before by prophesy: and that the gates of his dark kingdom were thrown open, and all his works brought to naught. Even as a captain victor entering into the fortress of his enemy, and having once pluck down the munition and ensigns, so commits it to ruin and spoil, that he leaves an easiness to subdue it as often as he will: even in the same sort the Sun of God gave such a terror to the kingdom of hell: that sathan and his ministers knew well, their forces were broken, & that there remained unto them no possibility eftsoons to re-establish a kingdom of sufficient power to resist the meanest soldier of that great captain, & that hereafter he could take no prisoners except some wretched cowards & people of small valour, which would offer themselves to be captives of their proper and miserable william. In this sort the princypalitie of hell so felt the invincible and assured power of him, who being dead and his body left in the Sepulchre shaked them notwithstanding with so great War, that on the one side he levied those Prisoners that were kept restrained, and on the other, his virtue so weakened their infernal forces that they remained ever since vanquished. It was then that they saw and knew that their Hell, whither they thought to have reduced all mankind, was forced and dissolved: And that sin which they had introduced into the world and death that ensued it, were dead and vanquished by the conquest of this new and invincible Prince. That was it which the Apostle spoke of, that the son of God hath defaced and sacked the powers of Hell the world am putting them to public confusion, and Triumphing over them in his proper person: So that the enterprises of our Saviour in this comparison, represent unto us the form and actions of a valiant Capteyne marching before men, before Angels, and before the face of the Father, with a great troop of enemies vanquished, bound, and spoiled of their forces.  
In the beginning of this Article we touched that our Lord made his descending by certain degrees: yea, even to a Wonderful embasement of himself, and known only to the divine wisdom. This embasement hath been Prophesied under the sign of descending from Heaven unto the the Bottoms of the Earth, But now we say that of all those degrees by the which he descended, and of all other things which in the wisdom of the world made him seem so embased & vanquished, he carried a wonderful victory which increased always more & more. In the first degree he was made man, that was the true and eternal son of God. This step and wonderful humility albeit it is great: yet he never abandoned his divinity, not, he could not lose it, and much less diminish it: by it his humanity was greatly exalted, being by the same mean so connexed with the divinity, that one self person was GOD and man▪ if it were possible that God might gain in any thing, it might be said that he gained in this, but having want of nothing, 
God hath no necessity of any thing.  he gains not as a needy man: For, he hath no necessity of any thing, and much less can there be added to his greatness. But because the gain of men is great in this, 
Heb. 1  receiving a benefit which was never Communicated with Angels (for God never took alliance nor seed of Angels but choosed the Lineage of Abraham) we say also that there was a gain and profit to God, being a true declaration of his riches, and of his works which are conformable to him together with a plain manifestation of his mercy. This victory against sin and the devil is truly worthy of the person of the Son of God: Seeing that mankind which was put to perdition by the subtlety of the Serpent, is redeemed and redelivered from the servitude of the Devil, and restored to an estate of ability to be the Children of God, by the mean of this saviour. The second degree of this descending of the Lord, was in that he was condemned publykly as a malefactor. In this descending there is a great want, and yet by it he recovered a wonderful victory: For, being our brother he delivereth us from the eternal condemnation, so that all our liberty and absolution depend upon his Condemnation: 
Our absolution depends upon the condemnation of Christ.  he hath paid the debts which he made not, even so those shall be discharged which aught them. He was Condemned by the Sentence of men, and we absolved in the judgement of God, having delivered us from the curse of the law which had condemned us, The third degree was when he was judged to the Death of the Cross: For, by his death he broke the forces of Death, despoiling him of his weapons wherewith he had made so great and universal slaughters: For which cause the Apostle demands of death where was his victory, and where were become the means by the which he determined so many men?  
By the fourth step or degree he was put into the Sepulchre, but the better to comprehend the true sense of this passage, it is meet we make some judgement and construction of things. The story of the Gospel declareth that our Lord being dead, Joseph demanded of pilate to take his body from the cross and bury it, which pilate suffered by the ordinance of God. And having taken it from the cross, they wrapped it in a new Linen cloth, and laid it in a Sepulchre where no man had yet lain. Lastly having embawmed him with the ointments which Nicodemus brought, they left the body in the grave, rolling to the mouth thereof a great stoan: (Marry Nagdalin and the other Mary considering well in their understanding the said sepulchre.) All this serveth to two effects: the first is to tender testimony of the truth of the death of jesus Christ, showing also a great mystery comprehended under the grave: but the Church comprehends both the one and the other in one word, his Sepulchre: and that he remained there three days expresseth the truth of his death, making by that mean his resurrection more evident. In this Article the imbasement and humility of the son of God increaseth more and more, as also his spirit and victory which he hath obtained for us. For, it is said first of all that he suffered the condemnation of Pilate, and was executed, and so being dead, his body was buried. It seems that all these bring increase to the victory of the devil, the world, and death: But of the contrary, it is our victory that is enlarged. For, by how much near doth approach and is manifested the death of our Lord, by so much more is at hand the end and ruin of our death. Death is dead, and vanquished in such sort that he hath no power against us, and for such one we put him into the grave. Esay hath Prophesied that the Lord should destroy death eternally, and dry up the tears of his people, and take away the dishonour of the earth, in which words may be discerned the full victory against death, which hath no power to confounded nor make sorrowful the true Christian. It is not said by this that we shall not die, and not feel death which is natural: but by this is expounded that the pricks and sorrows of death are vanquished, & have no authority against a Christian, seeing that for the exchange of this temporal life, he goeth to the eternal life, accompanied with the faith that he hath had that Christ is his redemption & his life. In this is performed the Prophecy of Ose speaking in the name of the Lord, O death I will be thy death, 
Osee. 13. 1. Cor. 11.  the same agreeing with the Apostle, who assureth us that our death is vanquished by the passion of jesus christ, & our sepulchre buried in his: yea, our death hath lost his forces which made him reign over us, and our grave hath lost his power and possibility to retain us still, seeing it cannot now any more hold us in property or perpetuity, but as it were by deputation and for a time. In this sepulchre of the son of God is also contained the mystery of the conjunction which we have with him by death & the grave: the end of the death & burying of jesus christ tending to this, that we die & be buried with him. For, as the bands and forces of our death were broken by the virtue of the death of him that killed death: even so by our death must be vanquish the stings & pricks of that death that the merit of our sins made due to us. This is the same which the holy Ghost speaketh by the mouth of the Apostle, We are buried with Christ in his death, to the end we participate with his life, being impossible we should communicate with his life, if first we have no action or society with his death, for that we can not have part in the one, unless we accompany him in the other. And so the last degree contains (as hath been already declared) that he descended into Hell, committed the Devil to spoil, and broke his prisons for ever. Wherein (according to the text of the Apostle) his victory increased and become great, even by the same measure that he embased and humbled himself.  
Thus much for the first part of our Article, and so let us descend to the second part, wherein we confess that the son of God roase again from death, and the third day returned really and truly into life.  

Touching the resurrection of Christ.  
LIke as the four Evangelists have used great diligence to perticulate the outrages, condemnation and death of the son of God, even so they have been no less careful to set out point by point his restoring and resurrection.  
According to the computation of the time used in the gospel, he died the Friday at ix. a clock in the evening, & roase again the Sunday following in the morning, jointly whereunto we agree that he remained three days & three nights in the grave, taking part of the Friday which was the day of the death for the whole day: and the residue of the Sunday (being his resurrection) for an other whole day. All which do serve manifestly to the proof & truth of his death and restoring to life, being all foreordained and established in the counsel of God.  
Joseph demanded of Pilate his body to bury it: but Pilate desirous to know whether he were dead in deed, sent for the same purpose a Centenier to discover a truth, and then condescended to Josephes' request: yea, when they came to take down the dead bodies from the cross, because they should not remain there the next day, being the great feast of their Sabbath, they found the two thieves on live, and our Lord dead. All which, with many other approbations which may be alleged, together with some particulars which we mean to join to the sequel of these, are sufficient proves of his resurrection.  
Our Lord being thus put into the grave and embawmed, Soldiers were set to guard the Sepulchre: And in the mean while his Disciples remained sorrowful and heavy, having very little hope of his Resurreciton, and small knowledge of the scriptures to the understanding of this mystery. They believed that their master had preached the truth, and that he was most just in his works, and that God had sent him: But touching the matter of resurrection, they were very blind and doubtful.  
After there was time enough performed for the proof, faith, and testimony of his painful death, and to establish the accomplisment of the mysteries and prophecies. The Sunday morning, bringing with him the triumphs of hell and death, he rose again and returned to life, and to such a life that after that, death had no more power over it, being defaced & devested of all means eftsoons to exercise his jurisdiction.  
Immediately after he was risen again, he appeared to his Disciples, to assure them of the consolations given unto them before he died, and withal to accomplish the words spoken and promised by him, That he would rise again the third day. The first person to whom he revealed himself after his resurrection, was the virgin Mary his Mother, as who above all others lived in most expectation for him, and he likewise bore unto her a most dear affection: For, if we consider her by her faith, she had it more great than all the rest: And if we have regard to Services, she merited with the best, having nourished him & followed him with no small care, poverty, and perplexity thirty three years. In her is expressed a good Testimony of his death: for that standing at the foot of the Cross, where she felt the accomplishment of the prophesy of Simeon, that the sword of sorrow should pierce thorough her entrails: she was chosen of the Father to serve in an estate of great excellency: even so was she accomplished with thoughts and actions meek for the service of such a function. And albeit, both by her perseverance (being greater than the rest that followed the Lord,) and that the traveles of his Death were of more Passion to her then to others, having more interest first of that holy company to whom he disclosed his Resurrection: Yet the Evangelists ascrybing nothing to the singularity of persons, leave all that apart, and recite to whom he appeared with all such circumstances and proofs as serve for Testimony against the People of the Jews. He appeared to Mary Mardaline in form of a Gardener in the self same garden where he had been Buried. He appeared to his Disciples the self same day in the place where they were drawn together for fear of the jews. He appeared to two Disciples which went to Emaus. At the end of Eight days he appeared once again to his disciples, S. Thomas being then present, who was absent the first time. Lastly he was seen of his Disciples near the Sea of Gallile, there being yet besides these so many other testimonies to confirm this truth, that it were but superfluous to add more to the authority of these: Thus much for the narration of the History.  
And like as the Resurrection of that Messiah was of great importance, so also was it prefigured and foreshowed by the prophets that went afore: For, Jonas was thrown into the Sea, and swallowed of a Whale, and yet by the mercy of God after he had remained three days and three nights in the belly of the Fish, he came out safe and sound to accomplish the commandment of God. In this, Jonas the Servant of the almighty was a figure of our saviour: For, as he was cast into the Sea to save from wrack all the others that were in the ship, and that by the consent and determination of the Mariners: Even so our Lord was passed to condemnation by the council and resolution of men, and for their safety thrown into the Sea of persecution of death: in such sort that the earth received him as it doth other dead bodies, retaining him three days & three nights as a body dejected without life, & yet in the end the power of God raised him again, & drew him out of the grave having vanquished death. Of this besides many other prophecies, David hath written most manifestly, speaking in the person of our Lord as a man, & that by the inspiration of the holy Ghost: I always (saith he) set afore mine eyes the Lord, whom I have of my right hand to keep me that I fall not: For this cause do I rejoice, and my tongue shall bear Testimony of my contentment, 
Psal. 15.  but specially for that my flesh shall rest in hope. For, Lord thou wilt not leave my life in the grave, nor suffer thy holy one to see corruption. Thou hast showed me the way of life, even so shalt thou fill me with pleasure by thy presence: For, thou bearest in thy right hand a perpetual bliss. In these words the Lord showeth the singular favour which he received of his father, in the death had not domination over him but was subdued and vanquished, showing withal the gladsome contentment he had to see the eternal Father on his right hand. In this hope he offered his body to the death, & dispersed it upon the cross, & received the grave, being certain of his resurrection & victory, & that aswell touching himself, as also for all mankind: wherein declaring also his confidence & joy of his victory, he saith that his Father hath not suffered that his life should remain prisoner in the grave for ever, and much less that his soul should be there detained, & not return eftsoons to be reunited to his body. And lastly that his most holy body conceived by the holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin, and who had passed so many Passions of Torments for the Service and Obedience of his Father, should not suffer corruption in the Grave, but afore Nature could accomplish that operation, his Soul should eftsoons receive conjunction with his Body. The Prophet saith moreover that he hath showed him the way to return to life: concluding with action of thanks, that he hath surmounted death and sin. The son of God did not only obtain privilege to rise again, but also to him was joined power to make his resurrection afore there was any such sign of corruption in his body as naturally appears on others that be dead: this respect was kept on the behalf of his most holy person, and the flesh which he had taken for that effect, being pure and wihtout any mark of sin. Besides all these, we may consider upon the end of this Psalm a great mystery of the victory which our Lord obtained against death, together with the assurance of our resurrection, the same leaving us satisfied and certain that once again we shall réenter into the possession of our bodies, after we have abandoned them by the rigour of death.  
With this Psalm S. Paul proves the resurrection of the Messiah against the Jews, saying, that David was dead and buried whose Sepulchre was well enough known amongst the Jews: concluding, that seeing the body of David had passed by that corruption which is common and general to all dead men, it was not possible that those words should be understanded by him, and therefore what he said, he meant it by jesus Christ, whom neither hell nor the grave had power to detain, and to whose flesh could be attributed no sense or sufferance of corruption: So that David being a Prophet, and having received promise by oath that the Messiah should descend of his seed, prophesied of his coming under the form of words afore recited. This is of great importance for Christians, to whom it is a true approbation and summary of all the works which the Lord did and of all our religion, together with an assured gage or pawn of all our hope. 
Rom. 1.  Saint Paul saith that it is concluded & the resolution already set down against the adversaries and unbelieving, that jesus Christ is the son of God, the same being proved in this that the father hath raised him from the dead with a great force and wonderful testimony, thereby to show that he was his only son. Wherein on the one side might be seen the sentence of men, the condemnation of the world, the reprobation of the people of the Jews, the injuries, outrages, and torments of the Cross and of death, which may allege against the saviour of the world that he was not the Son of God but an abuser: Seeing he was condemned by so great personages, endured so many afflictions, yea, fixed on the cross in such sort and such extremity, that the miserable world might esteem him for such one as of long time had been Prophesied: that is, that he was not reputed a man as others were, but as one most abandoned of God and of all men. And on the other side might be seen the holy Prophecies, works and words of our Saviour, and his Doctrine expressing the reason of his coming, and the misery of his death, together with the sentence of his Father, who, to show himself true in his works and promises, had raised him again from death, declaring that he was his true son. All these things being of such importance were foretold by jesus Christ afore his death, being willing to Prophesy and published his resurrection both to his friends and to his enemies, to comfort the one, and convince the other: Yea, he thought meet to manifest it to all, to make the world understand that he was sent of the eternal Father to save the world, and that it was he that had been promised in the Law, offering himself to death of his only and proper william. The Jews demanded of him some sign to know who he was, but he answered that they should have no other sign but that of Jonas: For, as Jonas issued out of the belly of the Whale the third day, So the third day after his death he should eftsoons rise out of the centre of the earth, having in that action vanquished death. 
Math. 2●.   
As he went once to Jerusalem, he told his Disciples that he should be delivered into the hands of the gentiles: he comunicated the form of his death, assuring them that the third day he should rise again. And speaking with them a little before his death, he comforted them saying, that after his resurrection he would go before them to Gallely: So that our confession by the which we acknowledge our Lord to be risen again the third day, is confirmed by good and great testimonies requisite in a thing of so high mystery and importance, being also matter of no small consolation to the children of GOD, together with assured testimonies that may be gathered against the wicked in the Holy Scriptures and predictions which our Lord made before his death.   

Certain Meditations and considerations upon the resurrection of jesus Christ.  
THe first consideration that the faithful christian may take of this resurrection of Christ, depends upon the mean we have already spoken of. For, in his resurrection we may comprehend that which appertains to the dignity of his person, to declare him such one as he is. By which he hath showed that he came to vanquish and surmount sin and death, and to pronounce, that as who so ever would follow him should live eternally, so to such was reserved everlasting death as would not obey his word and doctrine. For, in him saith he is contained resurrection and life, yea and the Salvation of those that believe in him.  
To that to prove those things, and to assure consolation to all such as should give faith to his words, it was requisite, that he should not only manifest himself the author of life in raising others, but that also he should express it in his proper person, giving this testimony of himself, that albeit he was dead, yet he had more power than death, for that he was able to return to life. By this it appears that the resurrection of Christ, is a true proof of his greatness, and a declaration that he is the Son of GOD, hath surmounted all travels and perplexities, hath domination over death, and overcome hell, sin, and the devil, seeing he hath disfurnished them of their principal weapons, wherewith they did tirrannise over the Lineage of man, which is death that followeisd. It also a proof, that as we honour serve and believe in a man dead and crucified, so also we must obey, follow, and serve in faith a man that hath foretold his Resurrection, and which is risen again from the dead, seeing that one of the reasons why he died was, the more to declare his power, and manifest further his force and excellency of life together with his power against the kingdom of sathan.  
In the second consideration is enclosed a wonderful secret greatly availing the estate of mankind, it is divided into two parts according to the testimony of the Scripture, whereof the one consists in his death, and the other in his resurrection. Touching his death, we have already debated that in it was comprehended the death of our traveles, the death of our death, the mortification of our old Adam, and the spoil of the forces of the wicked root of sin which reigned over us. And in his resurrection we say now is comprehended the re-establishment of our life, the newness of our justice, the virtue and spiritual generation of the new Adam in us: the works of this new life, the hope that this new people of GOD hath to return to Heaven, and finally the thoughts and operations agreeable to the majesty of GOD. Christ was not sacrificed only for himself, but for us: he is not risen again only to declare what he was, but with all to make himself such a one to us as his Father might receive us: He is dead for our sins & risen again for our iustificaiton: His death made to die all wicked things but in his resurrection were revived all good things.  
In effect we have to consider touching the virtue of the mystery of the resurrection, that he is also so risen again in us Spiritually: that if it be not long of our obstinacy and Rebellion we shall feel the force of his Resurrection in us, that is, he will engender in us a power and will to do the works worthy of a new life, and will make us to rise again to a newness of life, by the which we shallbe found agreeable before the face of God: And being risen with him we shall vanquish death and sin, and be made free from the servitude of Satan, being affected to the commandments of God, lovers of his justice, and zealous of his glory, to perticipate in the end with the heavenly life by the communion which we have with the life of jesus Christ in thoughts and works: So that let all Christians understand, that if in humility they search a remedy for their sins, opening with all the gate of their heart, they shall find with in jesus Christ raised again: And that being in the company of so great a Lord living, who hath vanquished death, they can not have in them any dead thing: For, they shall also rise again spiritually with the Lord into that newness of life whereof we have spoken. Let us therefore take heed to refuse the mortification of our wicked works, of our disordered appetites, and our wicked affections: For, if we bow or bend ourselves we shall without doubt appertain to the other part of this mystery, and rise again with jesus Christ. In this sort is to be understanded the saying of the Apostle, That we are buried with Christ by Baptism and dead to our sins, and to our old Adam. For that as jesus Christ is risen again from the dead for the glory of the Father: So we must enter into a newness of life, 
Rome 7.  being assured to keep him company in the Resurrection, if we accompany him in his death: he died to make die our sins, and lived again to give life to our justice, and therefore if behooves us to die as touching our sins, and to be diligent to do good works: whereunto let every good Christian refer all his care and study, and raise all his thoughts, demanding all those things in his prayers, and searching them neither more nor less than he would do a precious treasure wherein lieth hid all his felicity. The victory is already gained, and the faithful are assured of their forces, for that the son of God soliciteth for them, and holds all these benefits in his disposing. In him we may be bold to repose our sewertye, seeing he hath so much suffered for us: and to make us communicate with these graces, his mercy will never fail us, seeing he hath not denied it us to get them: Sure, in respect they have cost him so dear, and that the payment is already made, it will not be hard to give them unto us.  
In the third consideratcon of this article the good christian hath to understand, that in the resurrection of the lord, we get not only spiritual resurrection as hath been said, but also we have assurance of the resurrection of our bodies. So that, considering that jesus Christ is risen from the dead for our wealth and profit, we may be assured that he is risen both in body and soul, & that our resurrection is no less certain than his rising again, being the assurance and gage of our resurrection, and he being in all things our first borne & captain, he marched before us, and we must follow him. All the wretchedness that the devil had caused, were repaired by the son of God: for, as the devil threw spiritual death upon mankind, so in the virtue of our saviour that death is destroyed & vanquished, and a life spiritual given unto men. The devil procured corporal death to man's race, (for death was brought into the world by sin) but the son of God hath joined to us a corporal resurrection. For, as death was introduced by a man, so by a man came restitution & resurrection: we were all dead in Adam, even so are we all revived and raised again in Jesus Christ. This accomplishment appertains to the liberality of the divine majesty, which hath re-established and restored us to the benefits which he hath already communicated to us: Our death is vanquished on all parts, and on all sides our life is eftsoons re-established. We are absolved and made free of all things, seeing we have on our side the death and life of jesus Christ: the sovereign bownty draws us from sin, the sacrifice is offered, and we have obtained pardon for our iniquities: being but poor & wretched slaves we are made rich, and have obtained liberty to be the children of God. And if we lose this benefit, it is either for some new fault of ours, or that we will not cast or change our old skin. In effect, in this Article is disclosed the great humility and mercy of the Son of GOD, who refused not to go into the dark prisons of the Earth, to deliver the Souls of the just there detained, and despoil the Devil of all his force and power, to the end that men may with more ease vanquish and surmount him. We see also that after all this, he rose again the third day and returned into true life, yea a life so excellent that death hath no more power over it, nor any possibility eftsoons to prejudice it. We have showed how this resurrection hath been sufficiently justified even by the places of Scripture according to the testimony of the creed That Christ rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures, which seems to have been taken of the Apostle. We have also declared how necessary was this resurrection, for the approbation of the dignity of the person and doctrine of Christ, seeing that in the same he is expressed the Son of GOD. We have also debated how it is to be understanded and practised this great mystery, partly for the regard of our Lord, and partly for the resurrection spiritual and corporal, which he works in us by virtue of his restitution. There remains now to declare who they be that practise the contents of this article in faith and works: and who they be that satisfy it not. Such as profess and practise the substance ot this Article as appertaineth, are those that persever in the mortification of their sins, their flesh, and their disordered suggestions of the old Adam, that they reduce and bring him even to the grave, that is, that they make a full and perfect victory of him, with a great remorse in themselves, and a resolute hatred to all wicked and ill actions: returning by the same mean into a newness of life, new desires, and new operations and actions: being last altogether conformable to that newness which the Son of God is wont to communicate with such as are risen again with him. Those be they that accompany our Saviour: For, as he is risen again to be never after made subject to death: so the faithful risen again spiritually, feel themselves so converted and out of taste of the works of sin, that the spiritual death can not pierce so deep as their heart. And as our Lord rose again triumphing, so shall they also have a glorious restitution, being repurged of all wicked affections and inclined to all good things, to whom the yoke of the gospel shall seem easy and sweet, and shall travel in great thirst and appetite to observe the commandments of GOD. Their charity shall inflame, their patience prepared to suffer all pains and tribulations: they are glorified in the glory of jesus CHRIST, they have an honesty and purity of conscience, they are chaste, they love their neighbour perfectly, and pardon with all their heart such as do offend them. They retire themselves from the things of this world, and abandon the pomps and ambitions of the same, as though they were unapt thereunto, and had no minds affected to such transitory vanities. For, they are made new men, restored and raised again by the Son of God, who hath triumphed both over death and all dead things: And so are they made his that hath raised them, to serve him with new fruits which their new life brings forth. They fear not to suffer death to maintain that which God hath ordained: they care neither for reproach nor hunger to defend justice & truth: For their new life keeps them from smelling of those things which might hinder their faith, perseverance, and constancy of heart in the train of the gospel, and joins unto them a certainty of a better life which assureth them of all things.  
Of the contrary, such as be estranged from this practice have no other thing but the simple name of those that are raised again. They are as painted sepulchres set out to the show without, and within contain nothing but rottenness and corruption: such were the Pharasies with whom they have only the title of life and lively, and in effect are nothing else then dead, rotten, and corrupt Reteyninge that stink and loathsomeness which is wont to be about dead bodies. Such be many of our christians, who under this name, hide a pride and arrogancy which the devil teacheth them, instructing them withal to be covetous and impatient, the more to make them savour of their stink and filthiness. Lastly those be they that have not changed nor cast their skin, and who being not mortified, can not be raised again. For, resurrection presupposeth death, as there can be no death but there must first be a life, wherewith I end the exposition of this article, yéeldinge thanks for all things to GOD, whom I beseech to continued his people in that proportion of faith which he thinks necessary to their salvation.    

Certain testimonies of Pagan Authors serving to approve christian Religion: written in form of a letter to a Noble man.  
According to your request I have sent you here with my opinion, though not so liberally as you looked for, yet with that faith & industry as may very well serve to satisfy your conscience, and leave me ●●quited of my promise, esteeming it to appertain to me to instruct you, seeing of yourself you express such desire to know and learn. And albeit the matter itself drawing many circumstances, requires a long time: yet, where things are debated faithfully, and the resolution accepted diligently, that that is long seems not tedious, and though it be little yet it may be enough for instruction, beseeching you to way my reasons which I have not drawn out of dreams, but written them out of the best resolutions and agréementes of my books.  
The virtue of christian religion is so great, the miracles that have confirmed it have been so public and evident, and the innocency & holiness of life of such as have professed it, have been so clear and manifest: that the very enemies have been driven to bear testimony with it, notwithstanding that they impugned it with all their industry. Yea it is a thing wondered, & serving sufficiently to declare that our religion is guided by the hand of God, that besides the large & great testimonies annexed to the gospel itself, yet the adversaries bear with it such witness and authority to the dishonour of sathan & his errors, that by their own confessions we see, that the cause why they remain in their hardness of heart without receiving the light & way that leads to eternal life, hath proceeded of their sins and blindness, making them subject to the subtle suggestions and policies of the devil: wherein for a proof, I shall not so much need to infer authorities of scripture and old christian authors (who notwithstanding are sufficient to verify and confirm our faith) as to take to my aid the weapons of our enemies, to the end that by the testimony of their proper consciences. we may remain absolved, and they condemned.  
The first testimony I will produce shallbe Tertulian a writer in the time of the primative church, a man of great knowledge maintaining the cause of the Christians against the Pagans', and pleading and writing publicly on the christians side. And having (as it were) but sipped and tasted of christianity He had more fully surfeyted of the Pagan faith to whom he bore a resolute zeal: he was in the times of the emperors Severus and Caracalla, being about two hundred three score and ten years after the death of Christ. All the arguments which he inferreth against the Pagans', he deriveth from their proper histories, and of things that were done in that time, showing the reason why Christ was not worshipped at Rome. The romans had this custom, not to Canonize any new God (although the Emperor would have it so) without the approbation and consent of the Senate, the same well appearing in all the Roman Edicts and histories, wherein is defended to receive any Strange GOD without the authority of the Senate, and that by reason of the great inconveniences happening by the liberty that every one took to patronize himself with one GOD a part, as may be seen in the times of the Bachanales and other seasons.  
It happened that Pilate who had given sentence of death against Christ, notwithstanding he was stubborn in his opinion, yet being convinced both by his conscience, and the certainty he had of the restitution of him whom he had condemned to death: Advertised Tiberius the Emperor of all that had passed, touching the death and resurrection of our Lord. The Emperor, observing with this report, the opinions and great renown that went of his passion, wrote to the Senate, that it were good to canonize jesus Christ for a God: But the Senate, whether it was for that they were not called to the first consult of this matter: or that they would not make things so easy to the Emperor, specially in a case of so great importance, fearing it would grow to example and consequence, held opinion contrary to the Emperor, and would not suffer that CHRIST should be worshipped as GOD. Whereupon the Emperor published an edict against such as would accuse christians, the devil having then stirred up the jews and Gentiles to persecute those that had received the gospel, by which it came to pass that in the time of Tiberius the christian church was somewhat in rest the gospel fructifiinge greatly amongst the gentiles. Thus much for Tertulian, who durst not have written so in his time, if things had passed otherways: For, then was Rome in her estate, and statutes of the Senate were diligently preserved by registers, where unto Tertulian sends the gentiles, referring them to their proper acts and ordinances, wherein they may find that the first persecution against the christians was in the reign of Nero: In all these are ministered many things of consideration, declaring that the affairs of the gospel have been managed by a special providence of God: For first, GOD so wrought that Poncius Pilate who had passed CHRIST to execution, bore witness to his Father of the greatness of him whom he had condemned: Secondly the laws of the Senate and contention that was between the Emperor and the magistrates, make good faith and proof, that the refusing to canonize christ at Rome, was not by any default that was found in him, but by reason of the vain ordinances observed there, by the liberty of which they had power to accept for GOD'S such as they would, and reject whom they held not acceptable. Besides, the great providence of GOD is known in this, that the divinity of jesus Christ being sufficiently justified as well by his works as by his holy doctrine, yea by the testimonies of his enemies: yet he would not suffer him to receive this dishonour to be accepted of the people of Rome for god, and much less to be compared and placed amongst their false gods whom they worshipped, he which was true God, and had preached that there was but one God, and that all others were nothing else but abusers and spirits of the Devil. This providence also showed itself great in this, that albeit the Emperor was no christian, yet he forbade upon great pains to trouble, persecute, or to accuse the christians: the same being the cause that the gospel was published in his first age, and that the gentiles and Pagans' gave ear to it: to the end that when the great persecutions should happen, the church might be found to have some foundation, and certain troops of christians united by the holy word of the gospel. And therefore we have to conclude, that all these things and accidents have been guided & governed by the wisdom of God, seeing they serve to the approbation of so high a mystery. For our second testimony we will use Plutarch, a Pagan borne and of no small authority amongst them, and at no time well disposed to the christians. He thinking to set down a reason why the Oracles of the gentiles had taken end, aledging many things according to his blindness, and without any knowledge in the affairs of God, recites an history by the relation of a friend of his of no small authority and knowledge as is suggested. To this was referred so much the more stability of faith and credit, by how much he makes it to happen in his time.  
He saith that sailing into Italy, and being in a ship accompanied with his said friend and many others, about the evening they fell with the coast of certain Islands now called Cuzolares confining upon Italy, There the wind failed them, and by that necessity were driven to go on shore in one of those Islands called Paff 〈…〉 e. Before the mariners had supped (the Sea being at a soft and still calm) they hard a voice coming out of the Island which called one of the patrons of their ships, being an Egyptian, and had to name Tamus: which was unknown to many of the company, suffisinge to see him a Captain and Governor amongst them. This voice calling him three times, he answered but to the third, as king what it would: to whom the voice replied aloud in these words. O Tamus when thou shalt arrive at Salus (near to the Jle of Corfu) tell them that their great God Pan is dead. All the Navy fell into great fear and trouble of mind with the sound of the voice, and consulting what was to be done, Tamus to whom was committed the confidence of the message, resolved, that if the wind served, he would pass by the place assigned by the voice without saying any thing, giving no other credit to it then as a vision or illuding suggestion, but if the wind sailed, than he promised to perform the embassage. According to which resolution, the wind abating, he was driven to rest at anchor even in the same place. Tamus standing upon the uppermost hatches of the ship, began to cry with a loud voice The great God pan is dead. He had no sooner ended his speech, but there were heard general lamentations, sighs, sorrows, skrikinges, with strange and wonderful voices, and that in marvelous multitudes. This accident was forthwith carried to the knowledge of Tiberius' the Emperor, who raised all possible diligence to understand what might that GOD Pan be that they said was dead, wherein the wisemen and wizards of that time, answered him according to their superstitions and vain conjectures. This Pan was a God which the gentiles worshipped, there being many other Gods of that name. And this happened about the time of the passion of Christ, as may be gathered by the years of the reign of Tiberius' the Emperor. In deed Pan in Greek signifieth, al. Whereupon many do gather that all this was spoken of the death of jesus Christ, true God and lord over all things. But because the gentiles held Pan for a God, there is good congruency to take the death of this Pan for the spiritual death of the Prince of devils, for the destruction of his kingdom, and the ruin of his errors by the which he hath kept in captivity all mankind. To this are conformable the noise and voices of the spirits complaining and lamenting the ruin of their Prince and his spiritual death, being now made naked of the strength and forces wherewith he oppressed and vexed mankind. The same author affirms that about the same time one Demetrius passing by the isles Orcades near to England, was told that not long since, there was heard great whispering and howlings in the air, and many fearful things seen, the wise men of those Islands construing those prodigious things to the death of some great god, which opinion hath some reference with the judgements of the other wonders. But these strange sights & significations in the world, interpret in true testimony and judgement the strangeness of the death of our soviour jesus christ, and of the victories which he hath obtained, together with his triumphant glory.  
The third testimony we may draw from Traian the Emperor, a Prince Pagan, & albeit much resolved into pagancy & a great persecutor of the christians: yet so qualified by the truth of the gospel, that he was constrained to moderate his cruelty, though not so much as he aught, yet so far as ministered ease to the godly. Plinius Secundus established his deputy in Asia against the christians, advertiseth the Emperor that he found no other ill in the christians, but that they made certain assemblies, not to erect any Monopoly, nor to commit theft, nor to use ribaldry, nor practise deceit, not to desire the goods of others, nor to execute any vylanus act: only the cause that they assembled together, was to communicate in common and necessary actions: as to eat & drink together offering no hurt or prejudice to any That which he found most wicked & ill in them was, that they were addicted to a certain superstiton, not declaring it, and so concluded that there was no ill in them. This was in the beginning of our christian religion, & yet in that time the professors of it were bitterly persecuted. But notwithstanding they were accused and suffered imposition of great Crimes, yet when they came to the trial and proof (no small matter amongst people Pagans') they were holden so guiltless, that even their enemies gave testimony of their innocency (the Devil notwithstanding keeping them so blind, that they had no judgement of that which they did, nor understood what they pursued, and much less knew what they were whom they caused to die so cruelly.) Pliny found them not culpable in any thing except a certain superstition, and yet without an appearance of ill: he esteemed it superstition to believe that one man dead on the cross was the saviour of all men, not considering further the grounds of this religion. The assemblies they made were chief to celebrated the sacrament of the supper, which contained a greater mystery than Pliny could find out. But the Emperor having this advertisement from his deputy, forbade any more to inquire against christians, willing notwithstanding that such of them as were attainted & convinced, should be punished & corrected. Tertulian deriding this edict, exclaims against it saying: o ordinance confused & foolish: he forbids inquisition because they be innocent, and yet leaves liberty to chastise them as offenders, in one instant he pardonith, and yet he is cruel: he confesseth innnocencie, and yet dissembleth it: if he will punish them, why defends he information against them? And if he will not have them inquired upon, why doth he not absolve them? There are established in every Province provosts to apprehend and imprison thieves & robbers: and every one hath liberty to kill a public enemy, and to execute such as the law hath convict of treason: But alone touching the christians, it is not suffered that they be cifted as offenders, and yet is it lawful that every one accuse them, as though they be things different to cut of any one as an offender, or to present him as a malefactor: Wherein this edict suffereth this contrariety, denying information and inquiry against the christians, and yet leaves liberty to punish them if they be found guilty. For, if no man inform against a christian, how shall he be found guilty? And in case of information, what mean is there to accuse him, and so consequently to punish him not finding him culpable of any thing. So that the Emperor would that they were punished not as culpable, but only for that they were Christians. In all which as may be discerned the testimony which the first Christians had of their proper enemies, together with the simplicity of the statutes by whose mean they were persecuted: Even so in all these things is matter tending to the advowing and justification of our iveice.  
The Fourth testimony we may draw out of the doings of Adrian, a Prince Pagan and dying in the same superstition. Who, upon the view and consideration of certain inhihitions delivered to him in writing by Quadratus a Disciple of the Apostles, and Aristides a Philosopher converted to christianity, dispatched commissioners to his proconsul of Asia, enjoining him not to molest the christians, for that they are and bear the name of christians. He had not sure erected this Edict, had he not been well informed of the innocency and justice of such as followed christian religion, and had some taste by the doctrine of Quadratus and Aristides of the reasons appertaining to the mystery of the gospel. For he devised to build Temples dedicated to the service and worshipping of Christ, wherein his counsel restrained him, alleging that in that example would be general conversion to christianity. In this may be discerned the conscience of his councillors, who stood upon no other impediments, but a certain fear that by that mean the multitude would come to the knowledge of the truth. Those temples that he did build were not subect to idolatry, neither would he suffer customs of superstition, being for those respects called the temples of Adrian.  
Marcus Antonius Aurelius, declared in favour of the christians, that they worshipped the immortal God: he gave liberty to whom would be a christian, and forbade expressly that they should be molested.  
The Emperor Alexander Severus published a law in grace of the christians, that they should not be persecuted, and much less restrained to use public conference and action of their religion: he had hanging in his Oratory the Image of a Crucifix, and devised to build a Temple wherein Christ should be worshipped, but he suffered many impediments that drew him from it. All this was wrought by God's providence, foreseeing that the Saviour of the world should not be put amongst other false Gods. This Prince in all his devices and speeches had great familiarity with this principal point of christian discipline. Not to do to an other that which he would not have done to himself: wherein was good declaration that his conscience could not deny that truth which those men professed that were persecuted of the world.  
Valerius Maximus the Emperor was a great vexer of the christians, yet the truth of the gospel, and the chastisements of God which he had bitterly felt, made him oftentimes revoke the strait and severe Edicts which he had ordained against the christians, giving liberty to who would profess the state and opinion of christianity, and they not to be vexed by any persecutions. All these men and great Princes were sworn enemies to the religion, and died in their ignorance and blindness, whose testimonies are of no small effect against the enemies of Christ. For, when they ceased to vex and persecute the church, and bear favour to the christians, it proceeded of none other motion than of the purity of religion, and of the justice and innocency of those that professed it, together with their constancy in all acts of virtue, bearing withal a settled hatred to all vices: They saw also the sundry marvels and prodigious things which were done daily for the reformation of that doctrine, and felt the anger of GOD and his chastisements thundered upon such as persecuted the church. So that it seems that in those things was a spirit enforcing those mighty Princes to testify for that doctrine and bear favour to it, to the end that on all sides error and falsehood might be driven away, as being not able to remain where the light of the gospel should disperse his beams. In that time when the gospel began to be planted and sown, and that the name of a christian was so dearly sold to him that bore it: the providence of God raised a mean to remove the cross from the church, to the end she were not so oppressed with persecutions, as not to have leisure to recover breath and eftsoons take fresh courage. This respite was given by the means to have conversation with the Pagans', and yet remained from the Emperor Tiberius until Nero, who was the first that persecuted the primative church: yea this persecution brought great slaughter to the christians, even to the principals of the church, and Christ's Disciples, having brought to perfection their race and course, and accomplished all those things that appertained to their time, and for the which they had been miraculously preserved. The Emperor Domitian continued this affliction, and by him notwithstanding the goodness of GOD wrought a mean to cease and remove all those torments, for that by the hate which Domitian boar to the doings of his predecessor Nero, he with the Senate broke all the statutes and ordinances of Nero: By which was ministered to the church good opportunity to re-enter into comfort and courage, bringing some rest to the gospel, the better to have it communicated in some surety, and to plant it with greater power: So that in good view and consideration of these affairs and actions, we may discern in these discourses of the christian church, a wonderful favour and providence of GOD, seeking on the one side to prove and examine his church by a rigorous cross, shewing her the traces and steps of her Saviour, to the end to follow him: and on the other side, he exhibited a Fatherly love and incomprehensible providence, making her truly to see, that neither the fury of the kingdom of Satan, nor the rage of his ministers, are sufficient to supplant and root it out of the world: yea having on her part the infinitte power of GOD, she shall stand eternally, and yet the world not know the mean how she is preserved. By this mean also may be discerned how readily and fervently the ire of GOD is kindled against the adversaries of the gospel, seeing that all the Roman Emperors which persecuted it, suffered wicked and monstrous ends: As of the contrary, such as were moderate and temperate, found favour with GOD, and were less punished of the world, laying them in comparison with Nero, Domitian and such other like Princes whom the Devil held in his devotion to persecute the church. By these meanness the Prymative church was maintained sometimes in one estate, sometimes in an other, until the reign of Julian the Apostate, who being a christian in his beginning, was seduced by Libinius Sofista his schoolmaster to abandon Christian faith, and restore Paganry, together with the sacrifices and superstitions which had been abolished by the light of the gospel. By these it is wonderful to see how christian faith increased, seeing the impediments of persecution that were raised against it: But much more are to be wondered at the respytes, succours, and comforts which even her proper enemies ministered unto her, as well appeareth no less by the relation of those mighty Princes & Emperors before declared, then also by the persecution of this julian, in whom God's providence wrought no less benefit and favour then in any of the rest: seeing that notwithstanding this Prince persecuted the church with greater art and hate then any of his predecessors: yet God forbore not to raise her into an estate of great spiritual prosperity, this tyrant seeing as well in his life as his death, evident tokens that God was his enemy. For, even in his time the gospel was preached and received by the greatest part of the world, by which, the wisdom and goodness of God disclosed manifestly, that that which floated and flourished in despite of the industry, cruelty and power of the world, was come from Heaven, from whence was ministered unto it all favour, succour and aid.   

The Original of tyranny and Idolattie, together with the punishments of tyrants and idolaters: how Abraham was chosen chief of the Hebrews.  
YOur letter, no less full of modesty and sweetness, then replenished with doctrine and judgement, brings no small delight to me, for that to your deep science already in things, I find remaining a zealous desire yet to know more: wherein I can not but account it to belong to my office, to add to your zeal and travel, my faith and diligence, though not able to teach you further, yet, as touching the request of your letter, to show my opinion, leaving it to be controlled by that favour and wisdom where with you are wont to measure and judge the errors of your friends. But touching the matter, as you have to remember that out of the race of Cain, issued Nembroth the great tyrant: Who, by his ambition and pride subdued all men and Nations of his time, enforcing them to live under his tribute and customs: So, there is no doubt but these tyrannous spirittes are most hurtful to the world, and by the Scriptue reputed as enemies of God: For, their desire to hear rule, makes them break all order of justice, bearing no regard to laws nor ordinances: Yea, in respect to increase & maintain their principality, they give sufferance to all men to be insolent, with liberty to commit disordered actions. In the time of Nembroth were many possessed with this wicked spirit of pride and ambition, who assemblinge together conspired to build a tower of incomparable rate of height and measure, to the end to perpetuate their name and reputation amongst men. But God, beholding their arrogant intentions and willing to manifest the wickedness of that tyranny, and presumption of that pride breeding so many miseries and evils, let fall his anger upon them, confounding in such sort the Tongues of the builders and workmen, that one understood not an other, since they all spoke unknown and strange Languages. Afore the foundation of the Tower of Babylon, there was but one language in all the world, God then inflicting upon the earth a wonderful punishment by the confusion and diversity of speeches. But thus it happened that the first men having lived but under the use & knowledge of one tongue, and now being in confused & divided into many, dispersed themselves thorough the world, by whose posterities have been continued all those diversities of languages that now reign. This division of tongues was the cause that the Tower of Babylon was not ended, by which occasion also, the Princes of the earth leaving their tyranny, were driven to search new countries to inhabit every, one following his language as an ensign sunder the which they might plant and multiply. By this division of men and Countries, people fell into so great erors, that forgetting the doctrine of God, 
Idolatri took his beginning of infideliti.  together with the promises he had made to men, the most part of the world become idolaters, declining to such superstitions as the devil invented daily to advance his purposes. So that Idolatry took his beginning of infidelity, and the wicked inclinations of men, delighting leave the right way & to follow that that leads to perdition. To this was much helping the forgetfulness of the truth, and the negligence of men caring not to follow religion and doctrine and much less to teach it to others. another original or fountain springs of the love of ourselves, called self-love, together with an insatiable will which men have to put themselves in liberty, inducing them faithfully to search a thousand ways for their satisfaction, and by some mean to invent abominable Superstitions, whereunto the devil is so ready to minister assistance withal the art and favour he can, that poor sinners, to make them the more hardened and desperate, fixing upon certain false and deceitful experiences, attribute in the end, dignity to any thing of the which (according to their conjecture) they had received aid or answer. In other places, they have a certain fear in their consciences which restrains them to demand of God the things which themselves esteem to be wicked & dishonest. By that it comes to pass, that they are pleased with the service of these false gods, who care not but only to be served as gods, without regarding whether the men be just or unrightful. For seeing these dissembled Gods be devils, in deed, & passable to all actions & counsels of devils, they are of common congruency, enemies of justice, & friends to wickedness, those be the preparations that the devil finds in the hearts of such as he hath enchanted, abusing them with persuasion that there is a god of battles, & another of robberies, a God of drunkenness & another of whoredom, all these Gods being most delighted with such as most are given to dishonest acts, infidelity also (the root of all sins) was one cause why those miserable people were ignorant of the greatness & power of god: yea, they could not be brought to believe that one God was sufficient to furnish particularly all things necessary to the use of men & service of the world, of this came the plurality of gods, men believing that they were restrained to precinct and limit, & that every god had his particular estate to govern: Of which sprang the first Idolatry, for some worshipped the Sun, with many other trifling and dishonest things, & others did worship to devils which abused them by illusions & oracles, yea sometimes by certain aparances of remedies tending notwithstanding to their ruin. This blindness was suffered by the justice of god to punish such as leaving the light, run after darkness, making themselves judges of their proper affections, & ruled their hearts according to the same how good or evil so ever they were: in which respect god willing to punish those vices & excesses, suffered the devil to raise false signs & miracles, even to advance the destruction of such as fell into spoil by their infidelity and multitude of their transgressions.  
And albeit Idolatry was great before the flood, and that the world pursued always his first corruption, being stirred up by the Devil who induced men to a forgetfulness of God: Yet, the mercy of God who had not forgotten his Promises made to mankind, so provided for the effect of his Promise, that he choosed a People particular to re-establish with him the truth of his Promises and alliaunces: To them he gave a perfect light to guide them against those Darkness and obstinacies which the Devil raised against them, he established laws and ordinances touching the Service of Religion, with express Commandment that they observe them, and be attentive to the word of God the better to arm them against the subtleties, suggestions, and illusions of the devil. So that there is (no doubt) but this people was chosen to be a grain wherein should be preserved the purity of the seed of the doctrine & the assurance of the mercy of god, serving withal to declare how wonderful God is in his works & to remain as a mirror to all nations to serve & honour but one God, confounding all other Gods, as false and of the devil. In effect God saw good to continued the root and stock of his truth to his people whom he had chosen, to the end the world might know that he drew to him his people by other means than did the devil, with whom it hath been always familiar to lay snares and subtle traps to entice the frailty of men. 
Abraham chosen chief of the people of God.  Over this people of god Abraham was chosen chief and leader, as afore him were appointed Seth and Noe. But Abraham being a Chalde, and living amongst an Idolatrous Nation, God saw good to make a choice of him and call him to himself, commanding him to abandon his country and kindred, and go whether he would guide him, promising to make him great, yea, even a mighty ruler over a large people. All this contains as yet nothing but mysteries of the divine wisdom and of works of justice and mercy. For first, God choosed for chieftain of his people, a man who may serve for example to all posterities succeeding him, for Faith, Love, Obedience, Truth, justice, Patience, Charity, knowledge of Sin, and lastly for all, whatsoever may concern the Honour and glory of God, and his Service. He was called of God to Serve as an example to his new People, and all others, and in whom God would express with what favour, support, and aid, he followeth those that serve and honour him. To him all Princes and principal guides of people, aught to confirm and refer their counsels & actions, for God loves such as he as he was. But now to return to Abraham. God commanded him to forsake his country and the Religion of the Chaldees: Wherein first of all he showed how hateful that people was to him for renouncing his word, yea the more fully to Punish them, he took from them the Company of a parsonage which had knowledge of this Divinity and frueth of his word. This is it that the Prophet means saying, We have Ministered Medicines to Babylon and yet she hath received no Cure, and after we have abandoned her every one. etc. Euenso the obstinacy of the Chaldees against the Doctrine of Abraham deserved to be forsaken as a thing abandoned of the Physicians.  
Secondly it may be said that Abraham was withdrawn from his Country, for that for the most part God bears unto his such proportion of favour, that he withdraws them from ill companies, & consequently from the punishments and corrections which he holds ready to thunder upon the heads of the wicked. By that mean he drew Lot out of Sodom, and preserved Helias in the time of famine, showing in them the great care and special providence he hath over those that serve him. Thirdly in this evocation of Abraham is taught how needful it is to such as seek to be of the number of God's People, to be divided and drawn from vices, and that they fix not upon the abuses of this world, seeing they aught to be a People separate, and Subject to no Community or traffyke with Sinners, and idolaters. For that cause the Scripture calleth the Children of God Banished and separate from all men. Esay also Exhorteth the Faithful to retire from the Company of the wicked, but specialsy such as are God's Servants and Sacrifycators, ordained to accomplish the Statutes and Commandments of God. Abraham issued out of the Region of the Chaldees upon the assurance of Gods Promises to make him a guide & leader of a mighty people, and withal to purchase such renown and favour, that who blessed that people should be blessed, & who accursed them should partake with the same, and that out of his séed should issue he that should bring felicity and blessing to all the nations and kindreds of the earth. This promise is a reviving of that which had been made to Adam and Heva, whereof the certainty seems to be so much the more great, by how much God assigneth the Seed out of the which should issue the Messiah and Saviour of the World. By this may be considered the great reward that such may hope for as follow the Lord being called to the obedience of his Commandments, and are withdrawn from the delights and vanities of the world to follow bitter things, and of hard digestion. For as God showeth the favour he beareth them choosing them for his service and advancing them a-above all others: So doth he also express the particular care he hath over his chosen, whom if he advance on one behalf, he doth also priveleadge on an other. But notwithstanding all those promises, Abraham forbore not to endure much, and to bear his Cross with much trouble, following always the eternal will to show that the bounty and justice of God are perfect in all his works. And albeit he lived in great perplexity and poverty and suffered many tribulations and persecutions, yet God delivered him, and made him prospero that he was rich, mighty and victorious over his enemies. This is the true Image of the way of God and truth, and to it God calls us with milk and delights, as nurse's use to entice little Children, to the end we know that all his ways are founded upon mercy and truth, and that he is upright in his word to the just, leaving us to follow him by that way, & obey him as knowing his will to be ready inclined to our health and benefit the same being the true end and purpose for the which he hath chosen us to serve his turn of us. 
Persecutions are necessary for our felicities.  Touching the cross and persecution which Abraham suffered, they wear necessary to his felicity. For God useth to prove our faith, to show by effect what love we bear him, and what patience and Charity we have, showing withal how much the world is our enemy, declaring itself for such one in all his actions, and that God only hath created and redeemed us, and only ministereth all favour to us, to the end we should call him to our aid in our necessities, and confess him, whereby the remorse and feeling we have of his mercy may inflame us to yield him thanks. And that our faith being tried by the fire of tribulation and temptation, the virtue of our patience may increase and our hope grow stronger daily to resist Sin and the World, under Assurance and confidence of the bounty of God.  
So that Abraham a man just was led in these Accidents sometimes in glory, and sometimes in tribulation: by the Contemplation of whose life, all Christians may know how God handleth his chosen, and of what Condition he will choose them, and with what courage he will have them learn to worship him. Abraham issuing out of the Land of the Chaldees, Led with him Sara his Wife and Loath his Nephew, together with all their Family that was in Haram Instructed in the truth of GOD according to the Revelations that had been made to their Predecessors. And from thence he went into the Region of Chanaan following the ordinance of God. The Chananites wear idolaters, and a Nation more Dedicated to Vices then any Clymatte of the world. By which means Abraham leaving one Country whose People wear nothing worth, was led into an other where the Inhabytauntes were worse, and all this by the will and ordinance of GOD, whose Mercy doth in such sort Dispose his Actions, that what he takes from some by justice, he gives to others by his mercy: In such sort that the End of his Works is always good, although the wisdom of the world esteem it contrary.  
This was one Singular ill amongst other Wicked things which the Chaldees had, that being blessed with the Presence and industry of a Virtuous parsonage, preaching and teaching them the Truth: yet they made no account of his Doctrine, but despised him and his advertisements. And therefore God deprived them of that benefit whereof they had made themselves unworthy by the resistance which they showed against his word.  
Touching the Cananits as they were the most wicked race of the World, so they had not as yet the knowledge of the truth: In which respect it pleased the goodness of God to Communicate it to them by the mean of Abraham, whom he led into their Country: which benefit turned afterwards to their great condemnation, by reason of their revolts, stubborness, and obstinacy, by the which they provoked the Ire of God against them. Of the contrary the faith and patience of Abraham was well proved amongst this rebellious people the more to make him seek his succours in God, who had drawn him out of the Land of the Chaldees.  
God had determined to give the Land of Chanaan to the people whom he had chosen in his presence, showing the greatness of his mercy towards such as follow him, to whom he gives Land & Heritage. And of the contrary, to show his Ire against sinners by the Punishment which he made of the Chananits & other nations possessing the said Land. For this cause he willed that Abraham after the passion of many tribulations should die in that Land, to confirm to him his promise, and to impatronize him of that Region for and in the name of such as should descend of him. And long time after, yea, when it was impossible to men to occupy that Land, he gave that inheritance to the Children of Israel, to show that he was just and that his Promises were certain. So that Abraham being at Sichem a Town of Chanaan, God appeared to him and Promised to give the said Land to his séed. There Abraham builded an Altar and did Sacrifice, calling upon the name of the Lord: There he endured great Tribulations, in which was established assured testimony of his faith and patience: and on the otherside the lords goodness was with him, delivering him of his troubles, and communicated that which should happen to his people, reviving the alliance made with him: he assured him that in his seed all nations should receive blessing, and promised that he should have a son by Sara his wife being already aged. Thus the family of Abraham multiplied from one day to an other, which he governed by the preaching of the word, and all to entertain them in the observation of God's commandments and in his fear: The Lord then made alliance with him aswell in his own name as for his successors, containing these capitulations. First that Abraham and his, for following his truth and the obedience of the same, should be his people, and he would be their GOD. That the seed of Abraham should serve him and reappose their hope in his promises made to them. That they keep the Laws which he calleth justice, which he had given them. Lastly that he would be their GOD, and protect and defend them in this world, and instruct them in the way to obtain the life of the other world, pardoning all their sins in favour and consideration of him which had been promised for the redemption of man kind, and ordained to surmount the forces of hell, and conquer the Devil. In sign whereof he ordained that Abraham should be circumcised together with all the male children descending of him and his whole family, the same serving as a monument and perpetual memory of the alliance made between GOD and them, and of the spiritual generation of the seed of Abraham, whom GOD adopted for his children in the name of him that was promised, by mean of which adoption this spiritual people should be a continual enemy to the old Serpent and his works. From that time the people of GOD more observed outward ceremonies than they had done. For, besides the sacrifices which they made, they adjoined circumcision, the same serving them as a mark to declare outwardly the profession of their Religion, and that they should worship the only God which had given creation, and had promised redemption of their sins.   

The Author answereth a congratulotion sent to him upon the gift of a Bishopric.  
I Have received your Letter, and do refuse the horse you sent me, not for that he is unworthy, but because I am curious. reserving such as you are to give me good counsel, and my other more wealthy friends to minister to my wants: 
In adversities rich men must give remedy, and wise men minister comfort.  For that adversity is truly used which expects his remedy of richmen, & his consolation from such as are wise. And being in the pension of the Prince for so many offices, and now raised to the commidities of a large Bishopric, I see not how I can suffer want, nor my friends to wish me more, since to him that is already satisfied there remains no necessity of further providence. The wiseman is contented and expresseth no want, but the mind of the foolish is subject to care and thoughts never being satisfied though he flow in fullness, 
Living in the flesh it is hard to suffice the desires of the flesh.  so that his abundance breeds his extreme poverty and misery. That man needeth little that measureth his fill according to the need of kind and not after the rage of covetous. For, the nature of man desireth little, but our opinion is never satisfied, yea living in the flesh. It is hard to suffice the desires of the flesh. It is no small perplexity to a poor man to ask that he wanteth, but it is a great pain to the rich man to keep that which he hath too much, seeing to gather riches the rich man is all alone, but to disperse them he hath too much company. This is one other accident that fortune brings with it, that who riseth a foot in authority, increaseth most commonly an elne in necessity, for that now a days our chiefest travail resteth not so much to furnish our house, as to entertain and feed our pomps. And albeit every one is bound to procure that is necessary for him, yet withal he aught to take heed not to affect or aspire to superfluity: seeing if poverty prove the patience of a good man, abundance carrieth light spirits into vain glory and presumption: Yea, many there are who if they had not fullness of wealth, they would not with such swiftness follow vice and sin, 
Richeses are ready instruments to vanity.  for that riches are ready instruments to vanity and apt cloaks to cover foul actions. I allow not for all this, that men should be negligent to provide things necessary for the use of this life, seeing the needy man can never have too great contentment. 
The needy man can neves have to great contentment.  But great is God's goodness to that man to whom he hath given acompotent haviour, enough to keep him from shameful poverty: neither suffering want for the necessary supply of his life, nor yet wallowing in that abundance that may lead him to his destruction.  
I am told Sir, of the great pleasure you take, and the many rewards you have given to the messenger that brought you the news of my election to a Bishopric: Wherein I esteem your liberality much, but consent no whit to the joy and gladness you feel. For that, if you knew aswell as I what charge lieth upon the government of souls, you would be more sorry for my insufficencie, then glad that I have accepted the dignity, assuring you that such is the qualety of government of common weals and specially that of the Church, that being of many desired, it is of few well exercised. It belongs to him that governeth to be learned, the better to know what he doth: Wise to found out how he aught to do it: Discreet to attend and take the opportunity, 
Respects of a governor.  and resolute in the action of justice without corruption or fear of any: otherways he shall but bring pains to his person, and leave danger to his common weal. All these condicious may be of one man desired, but they are hardly found to meet in many: For, to speak in truth and liberty, there is no man so good, in whom is not some fault to be corrected, and many imperfections to be remedied. And therefore for one man to call an other virtuous without flattery, it is to give him the greatest title of the world, seeing it is found by experience, that the name of virtuous, is of many desired, but of very few deserved.  
It is not without sorrow to good men to see many vain and glorious minds now a days delighted to be honoured upon the superscription of Letters with these titles, most high, most mighty, most magnifical, or most reverent, esteeming it to dishonour if most virtuous be put in, and leaving that title, not for a Noble man but for personages of mean estate. To such men I answer, that to call a man most high, belongs to a King: to be entitled most mighty belongs to a Viceroy, to bear the name of most magnifical belongs to be a man of great estate: and to be written right reverent it behoveth him to be a great Prelate: but to be called virtuous, it is first requisite that he be good. Therefore in the account of reputation, it is more worthy to be called virtuous, then Noble or reverent: 
It is more worthy to be called virtuous then noble or reverent.  For that the one title descends together with the dignity, & the other is the reward of the virtue which we use: So that it falls out in good experience that this title of virtuous is of many desired, and not greatly deserved. I assure you sir) I am already so full with the travel of government and to be a Bishop, that if as I have determined it with reason, I could conclude it with opinion, I would with as good heart refuse the charge, as others would accept it with gladness: For that my natural inclination bears more to seek out the sweetness of Philosophy, then to travel in the bitter perplexities of policy. In this many will say I writ against myself, for that such vain worldlings as I am employ not our skill and study to search only mediocretie to live by, but to gather superfluities to serve our appetites, following not reason but opinion. And many do I know in this world now a days, to whom of that little they have there would yet remain some thing, if they had none to content but themselves: but their ends tending more to satisfy that which their neighbours may say, then to accomplish things which they are bound to do: neither the inheritance of their parents, nor the use of their friends can suffice their prodigality. And therefore both troublesome, dangerous, and chargeful is the estate of Princes and great Lords.: For, that to get riches they are alone, but the dividing and partition of the same is subject to the will of many: Yea in that respect they are no other than trivutaries and subjects, since that of all that they possess, most commonly they have the use but of the lest part. Wherein Marcus Aurelius writing to a dear friend of his, useth this discourse. Many times it is agreeable enough that a man do what he would, but never is it lawful to do that he aught not: For, to make war against men, is oftentimes glory, but to be at controversy with reason is always attributed to folly. There be many men wise, but more be fools, and the greatest foot of all is he, who being at rest in his house, searcheth with diligence elsewhere, troubles, travails, and perplexities. For, that for the most part he reaps no other fruit of the offices and estates which he searcheth abroad, then to suffer continually pain, care, and grief at home: There is no doubt that to be Emperor of Rome is not a greatness above all the estates of the world. But weighing with his countenance and Majesty the cares and infelicities that are annexed to the seat, there is far greater security to follow a private life, then to manage the affairs and travails of a Kingdom. And because (good Pution) thou art so near me in friendship and opinion, 
In adversities it is one comfort to know the uttermost mishap.  I will debate it frankly with thee, though not so much for that thou desirest to know it, yet because it brings ease to my heart to communicate my Fortune, as in all adversities it is one chief comfort when men know the uttermost of their mishaps: But thus was the case.  
The Emperor Antonius adopting me to his Son in Law, gave me to wife his Daughter, and for a Dowry endued me with the Empire, two things very honourable, and even so not a little troublesome: For that to the government of the Empire is tied great pain and travail, and in Faustine my wife is great difficulty of moderation and modesty. Herein thou hast no reason to marvel so much of that I writ to thee now, as to wonder with what discretion I have so long time suffered it, assuring thee, that the travails of the Kingdom shorten my life, and the liberty of my wife diminished mine honour. For, she being the Daughter of an Emperor, the wife of an Emperor, having with all the help of riches, beauty, and authority, she forbears not to use the privilege of her liberty not as she aught, but as she list.  

Women rather desire liberty, then know how to use it.  This being a property annexed to most women rather to desire liberty, then that they know how to use it. And that which worse is, she will never suffer reformation of this error, without the prejudice of mine honour. So, that in a form of life as this is, and with the fellowship of a Wife such as is Faustine, it had been better for me to have taken the state of a labourer, then to have been raised to the place of the Empire. For that when the reckoning is made, as there is no land so hard which the Plough doth not turn up, so there is no man so humble which will be commanded. I was never so well served, as when I had but one Page, and now that I am Emperor, all men call me servants, and yet I am made servant to them all. Wherein thou mayest see a lamentable difference between that I was then, and the condition I live in now: For when I followed the study of Philosophy I had contentment of mind, where the pomps of the Empire so carrieth me into strange spirits, that I have forgot the virtue and Science I knew, and now am travailed in infirmities which I can not avoid.  
When I was a private man, all men held their eyes fixed upon me, and now that I am a Prince, there are few that employ not their tongues against me, the same well approving, that as in Princes there is always something to be warned, so in Subjects are many things to be corrected. All this (good Pution) I debate with thee, to the end, thou own compassion to my estate past, and bear pity to that I am now, having neither time to communicate with those friends with whom I have been brought up, nor opportunity to seek my solace in the sciences I have learned: For, of the one side the cares of the Kingdom do carry me into thoughts and heaviness, and on the otherside the liberty of my Wife leaves me in trouble of conscience.  
Thus Sir, touching the congratulation you sent me for the Bishopric, you are answered by Marcus Aurelius, by whom you see, it is more surety to the man of religion and learning to follow the exercise of study, then to aspire after government and rule: for that in the one he finds contentment with stability, where the other ministereth nothing but passion, perplexity, and perpetual subjection to revolution and change.   

There are no greater riches than Honour, nor poverty more intolerable than Infamy.  
THese be the three things which above all other's hold most affection in men, and which every man keeps in greatest recommendation. Health of their persons, plenty of wealth, and conservation of honour and renown. All which, as they import not little to the establishment of our worldly felicity, so to obtain and keep them, I never knew any in whom remained a desire and delight in life, who would not withal pass many perils to win them, and suffer no less pains to wear them. To desire these things nature inclineth us, and no law defends us, since without Health, without Wealth, and without Reputation, life is of no other use to men, than a tree which brings forth goodly broad leaves to shadow the owner from Sun and weather, and yéeldes no fruit to feed him and his family. But of all these three, with all the rest whatsoever, that which is and aught to be most dear, is the honour we have and the good renown we have gotten: since honour only is the true stipend and effect of virtue, and all other things are the rewards of Fortune. Yea Honour is so high and precious a temper, 
Honour the true reward of virtue.  that without Health and Wealth it is much worth, where those two without that loseth their value. What hath that man that hath not honour? and what can be wanting to him to whom is no lack of Honour? No man in office can administer well unless he have honour, and in a common weal what can not that man do who hath reputation and fame? For, honour being's the merit of virtue, and virtue the ready instrument to get affection and love, he is most worthy of authority whose virtue is best proved, and that man best able to command over a common weal, to whom the multitude gives opinion, judgement and estimation of honour. 
The man of honour never dieth.  The man of Honour (saith Plato) never dieth, where he that is infamous & detected aught not to live: Wherein he made an example in Thelemon the good, and Alcibyades the wicked, the one being the glory of Grece, 
Prou. 22.  and the other the scourge and persecution of Athens. Better is a good name saith the wiseman than many riches and better to have renown amongst the good sort, then to be lord over the whole world, there being no such riches under heaven as to be well thought of of men. But such is the infelicity of mankind, that much less that the counsel of the wiseman is followed, seeing it is not once remembered. For that, what of the right hand and what on the left, what with conscience and what without, men take pleasure to banish honour by little and little from their house, upon condition notwithstanding to suffer wealth and treasure to enter in great abundance. In cases of marriage, if the woman be virtuous and noble, it is holden for no portion, all men having regard to the value of her substance, and more embracing a thousand ducats in gold, than two thousand good conditions in the party: Yea we see many maids now a days rather chosen for their beauty then married for their virtue. But to those matches GOD suffereth to happen many crosses, because who in his choice hath more regard to wealth then to virtue, finds for the most part that which he feareth, and misseth that he desireth. For, if she be rich, her pride and stomach are intolerable, and if she be fair she will lead him in suspicion of her lightness, if she be young and not instructed, her nature carrieth her with a swift pace into disobedience and dishonest practices: And if she be old without virtue, there is no more possibility to make her tractable, then without water to quench a flame, whose nature is never to cease to burn as long as he finds matter to feed his heat. So that to such as enter marriage with those corrupt affections, as there is small merit of pity or compassion, so most commonly they want no time to repent nor matter to complain upon. Let your light shine afore men saith Christ to his disciples, meaning, that to the establishment of their credit was necessary they had good renown, shining by their sincerity of life not only afore God, but even in the faces of men, the better to warrant their Doctrine. For that, as to a good and virtuous life succéedes an honest and just renown: So, 
That tale imports small truth, whose reporter is of no credit.  to have that believed which is spoken, it imports much that he have credit that speaketh it: since in that tale is small surety of truth, in whose reporter is no testimony of credit. In cases of partiality and faction, if there be an hundred infamous men against one man of honour, his virtue only will carry him to more authority in a common weal, than all the strength or subtlety of the others without credit. The whole country of Egypt had perished during the seven years of famine, had it not been for the credit and opinion which joseph had with Pharaoh. Destruction had fallen upon the City of jerusalem by the wars of the Macchabees with their neighbours, had not the reputation of Mathias the sacrificator ministered secure and safety to the whole common weal. If Helie the Prophet had not been well thought of with the people of Jsrael, they had all become idolaters, their inclination drawing them universally thereunto. And in the great captivity of Babylon, had it not been for the estimation, credit, & holiness of life of Daniel, Ezechiel, and the good old Tobyas, many Hebrews had become Gentiles, where by the virtue of those men, many Gentiles were converted to the Hebrews. So that in the texts of jesus Christ, and the wiseman, is great congruency of reason, seeing that all these virtuous personages brought stay & comfort to their commonweals, not by their wealth or huge treasures, but by their renown & credit of honour▪ Spectaculum facti sumus Deo, 
1. Cor. 4.  mundo & hominibus: the other Apostles & I saith S. Paul, are set as spectacles from whence every one draws his impression, & as white whereat all men do shoot, and as guides after whom every one aught to go. By whom let the Magistrates & governors of the earth learn to know what life they should lead, what virtue they should use, and what credit they aught to have: For, there is no man how simple so ever he be, who is not moved more with the good example he seeth, then with all the sweet words that can be spoken to him, since amongst men more doth provoke to well doing the action, than the word. And therefore whether he be King that commands, or Prelate that administereth, or Magistrate that governeth, or Preacher that instructeth: let him first labour to win opinion, to the end his doctrine may bring forth good fruit: For other ways for one that praiseth that he saith, there willbe many hundred to blame that he doth, since the affections of men are more led by example, then by persuasion or conference. Cepit jesus facere & docere, the redeemer of the world saith S. Luke, was so advised in his doings, 
Acts. 1  and so wonderful in that he spoke, that he remained thirty years in recovering good name, afore he published to the world his Doctrine. Who lives virtuously, although he speak never a word, yet he preacheth enough with the example of his life: where the evil liver how good so ever he be in tongue and speech, defaceth his virtues with the infamies of his life. Yea his preaching is but hypocrisy, & his doctrine but error: since such as speak goodly things & do them not, are like to a Harp which gives a sound to others and understandeth nothing itself. The Turks, the Jews, the Indians, and Chaldies', although they differ from us in sects and languages, yet there is no difference in the desire of honour & good renown, as being inverted in the nature of man to desire to be free, and labour to be honoured: For that of all voluble things, there is nothing more dear and precious than credit and renown. And how holy and perfect so ever a man be, yet may he be subject to contemn or reject the reverence that men bear him, and the presents that are given him: but touching the credit of his person, and reputation of his good renown and doctrine, there are none that take pleasure to leave them, 
Good examples draw more to perfection then speech.  and much less will suffer them to decline or diminish. For, otherways there would not be many followers of their life, & fewer to imitate their doctrine: Since, good examples only draws to perfection, and speech & language be but helpers to the same. Yea, if in one man were met the forces of Samson, the wisdom of Solomon, 
Commodities coming by men of honour and virtue.  the courage of Caesar, the riches of Croesus, the science of Plato, and the constancy of Cato. If, with all these, his person stood not in good renown, and his life commended for good example, he were no other thing then a painted fire that gave no heat, or as a fair visor that covered a foul deformed face. Men of honour and virtuous reputation have many great privileges, for good men desire to serve them, and ill men are made better by their example. Old men are assured by them, and the younger sort draw counsel from them. Yea on them are fixed the eyes, thoughts, and actions of all sorts of people, in whom their virtues have won such affection, that if they be detected of any crime, yet it is accounted more to misadventure then to sin, and being accused of fault, the malice of their adversary is cifted, and they cleared by the testimony of their proper innocency. For, this is holden a rule amongst the multitude, that men of virtue and such as have fear to err, bear more respect to honour, then either to life or goods: For that either early or late the life dissolveth, and riches must be left, but in true honour & good renown are laid up our monuments of perpetuity and fame so long as we live, and after our death they lift us to immortality: Hector of Troy, Achilles of Greece, Hercules of Thebes, and Caesar of Rome, had their seasons and means to determine their life, but to touch or take away their renoumes there was no power to time or death. For that every one of them buried with him his strength, his riches, and his life, but their renoumes remain subject to no prescription, but as doctrines of perpetuity are closed up, 
Gen. 4●.  and reserved to serve the ages and posterities to come. Tell unto my father all my glory saith the Patriarch Joseph to his brethren, the first time he saw them in Egypt: as if he had said, go up my brethren into the country of Chanan, and rejoice my Father, telling unto him the great favour that Pharaoh bears me, together with the glory, honour, and renown I have gotten through out the land of Egypt. He did not recommend unto his brethren to tell his Father that he was on live, that he was married, or that he had children, but only that he was favoured and much honoured, esteeming more (for our example) a little good ronoume, than his wife, his children, his goods, or his proper life. For that, in the first (being of virtue) is perpetual stability, where the others being transitory suffer reversement and dissolution. When God called Abraham out of his country to pass him into the land of promise, he promised to make his name great, and raise his renown above men on the earth. For, my condition (saith God) is not to have friends if they be not honoured. Wherein we may note that in recompense that Abraham abandoned his country, his friends, his goods, and all other his long experienced felicities, yea being ready liberally to sacrifice his only son. Yet God promised him not patience, restitution of riches, nor long life, but only to give him honour, A grace not small coming from the hand of God, and a blessing great to be bestowed on men. For, to whom the Lord gives honour for his person and glory for his soul, there resteth no more to make that man happy in the world, and much less to trouble God with further desires, since riches being to be got by industry, 
Richeses to be got by industry and fortune to be governed by wisdom.  and fortune to be governed by providence and policy, and since sickness and health are subject to natural causes, and short or long life limited by the will and resolution of God, what can be more required for the worldly glory of man, then to have honour and credit, which is a treasure better resolved then riches, and cares not what policy can do against it? it triumphs above fortune, is not tied to the destiny of sickness, nor subject to the power of death, but as a thing not transitory, it carrieth men to immortality, and dieth not till heaven & earth come to their account. Spoliavit me gloria mea, & abstulit coronam meam de capite meo. 
job. 1●  I know not saith the holy man job why the Lord hath set me upon the dunghill replenished with this deformity of botches, the same making strangers to abhor me and mine own people to misknow me. But the thing that I feel with most bitterness, is, that he hath taken my Crown from my head, that is my credit, and defaced my glory, which is mine honour and renown. Job, in his affliction lost seven thousand sheep, three thousand Camels, five hundredth yoke of oxen, and five hundredth she Asses, yet all these temporal spoils brought not such grief unto him, as the loss of his renown and credit, for that in this miserable life, there is nothing can be called loss, 
There is no loss in this life, but the loss of good name.  but when we lease good renown. What hath that man that hath not honour? What do we leave behind us, if we die not with renown? Yea we live in vain if our life be infamous, since a man of naughty reputation being slanderous to himself, can not but be also hurtful to others. For that to such one the good sort will give no faith, nor the wicked any obedience, no man will suffer him as his neighbour, nor any choose him for his friend: Seeing, of that quality are infamy and leprosy, that with their only conversation they infect a man. The man infamous and dishonoured, 
The infamous man not to be● trusted.  stands so defaced in confidence and credit, that no man will trust him, and much less to be taken for a public witness, wherein sure the Law hath great conformity with reason, seeing it is not convenient in wisdom, equity, and nature, to refer our goods and causes to the trust and direction of him, who can not keep his proper honour & reputation. Libera me Domine ab homine malo, 
Psal. 139.  & à viro iniquo etc. If I have any part in thee o great GOD of Israel saith David, 
Ill renown is accompanied with ill conscience.  I beseech thee defend me from him that is not a christian, and from a christian evil renowned, since, most commonly ill renown is accompanied with ill conscience: Wherein if any will say it is no general rule that infamy and a corrupt conscience are coupled together (for that many are unjustly slandered) it may be confessed, but with this addition, that where the conditions of the ill man are instruments to detect him, the virtues of the good man keep him always from slander. For, virtue is of that force, that forth with she disclaimeth, and proveth the fault not to be in the abuse of the good man, but in the envy that is borne him. In die illa attenuabitur gloriae Jacob, & marcescet pinguedo carnis eius. Esay speaking of the synagogue, crieth out: 
Esa. 17 figure.  o sorrowful synagogue and unhappy house of Jacob, know thou that when he shall come into the world, that is so much desired of men, thy fat flesh shall grow lean and all thy glory shall be consumed, because thou hast been a Rebel against thy King, & perverted the Law. By the fat flesh of Israel was meant the patriarchs and Prophets, and the glory of Jacob, was the renown they had by reason of the Sceptre and priesthood. And yet in place of this fatness, came feebleness and leans, & to this renown succeeded infamy: For, after the Passion of Christ they had no more Prophets, and much less gathered honour or renown, the words of Esay being truly and fully accomplished, for that after the death of Christ the City was destroyed, the temple reversed, the priesthood finished, the Sceptre confounded, the law expired, and the whole people so dispersed, that even till this day, they have not recovered their honour, nor restored their common weal. Here it is not without mystery that the Prophet said that altogether their fatness should not be consumed, but that their glory should decline, and their fatness become lean: giving to understand that for their greater punishment, God would not altogether destroy that people, but so appointed that thorough out the world, and to the end of the world, they might wander in sorrow, fear, captivity, poverty, desolation, dishonour, and infamy, neither observing Law, nor acknowledging any King. By all these let us be taught how much we are bound to esteem honour, and with what grief we aught to feel the loss of it, 
God oftentimes takes away our honour for our offences.  seeing that as GOD doth give it of his special grace, so also he takes it away oftentimes for our offences.   

The Author modestly reprehendeth his friend for not yielding to his request.  
I Understand (Sir) that you make no less vaunt for denying my request, than I was shamefast to desire you, which hath given me some occasion of debate eftsoons between your authority and my judgement, and your frowardness and my condition. The man that doth ill is but simply wicked, but he that glorieth in his ill, is not without a Sipirite of the Devil. For, as the Condition of the Devil is inclined to deceive, so the nature of the vain and froward is hardly Corrected, and therefore to the Glorious and obstinate man it is in vain to give Council, and much less to minister Correction, since where reason yéeldes to self will, and Sensuality suffereth no Council, there the mind is turned into Partialytie and all the Senses resolved into Faction. I say thus much upon the occasion of my Request to you to bear favour to my Friend, to whom much less you Ministered any friendship, seeing you would not once vouchsafe to bestow an Answer to my Letter, an injury which I have felt rather then Published, Considering that such wrongs as this is aught either to be thoroughly revenged, or altogether Dissembled. I am not much grieved for that I did entreat you, since the Law of Nature leaves a Liberty for one man to be beholding to an other, and amongst friends that request aught not to be intolerable which brings as great necessity to be granted, as reason to be Demanded, and wherein the greatest Prejudice is to him that denieth it. But touching the wrong you offer to repulse me, I will not enforce it with Argument and words, Since my heart is not unarmed with Patience to bear it, Esteeming it to a true effect of my virtue to suffer the Injury, since you make no Conscience to offer it: One of the things wherein Caesar showed most Courage was, in that he seemed most glad when the Senate had denied him any thing, Affirming that there could not be a greater glory or Renown to his Person, then when he was most importunate to ask, they were most ready to deny, expressing his great Power to forbear that he desired, and their slender reasons to reject him. The Letter I wrote you contained things indifferent, neither unmeet to be required, nor worthy to be denied, persuading you altogether to bear more respect to my friendship, than remembrance to the injury my friend hath done you: Wherein the grief he published, and the request I made, aught sure to work some impression in you, seeing that he is no other than a Tyrant, who is not appeased by discreet Words, and mollified by pitiful Tears, that sufficing to Atonement between man and man, 
He is a Tyrant that is not appeased by tears  which God holdeth for acceptable between him and Sinners. And albeit no man aught to seek his Revenge, as by the same to throw himself into destruction, Yet to him that is of base condition it is no dishonour to Revenge, where to the man of might and Power, the most Honour is to Pardon. 
There can not be a more high revenge then to forgive an injury-  For, that in the World, there is not a more haughty kind of Revenge then to forgéeve an injury by virtue: notwithstanding I think there can be no rule certain in the Action of Pardoning or revenging wrongs: For that oftentimes the offence brings with it that quality that it can not be Pardoned without committing a new fault. But the offence of my friend, for whom I wrote, being not of that Condition, deserved to be forgiven in common Christianity, and to be dissembled of you bearing a Reputation to be Discreet, wise, and not Passioned. Suffer yourself to be sought to, since even the greatest Princes are bound to hear Suitors. Mislike not opportunities, when the necessity of the party deserves to be pitied, and disdain not to receive good Council, since amongst men there can be no greater Treasure. Otherways, if you be Rigorous, hard and obscinate, albeit you may have the Company of many Neighbours, yet assure yourself to want the Solace that is to be looked for in good friends. And so God give you that you desire, and defend you from that you deserve.   

A Letter advertising Parents not to be Careless in the Education of their Children, and that a man of honesty and virtue aught not to suffer ill resort or lewd demeanour in his house.  
WHen Rome stood in her best Prosperity, it was defended that none should do Sacrifice in the Temple of Minerva but only the Matrons of the City: For which cause they used to cover the Images of men at such time as the Women prepared to their Action of Sacrifice. But afterwards their curiousness was corrupted by the wickedness of one Claudius, who watching his opportunity, defiled the fair Matron Obelina as he found her praying alone: Wherein, notwithstanding he was accused and detected of sacrilege, yet he so solicited for himself by cauteile and corruption, that for Money the judges absolved him, being promised withal by his industry to possess in that sort and place the fairest Ladies in Rome, which accordingly he performed: So that this wretched Claudius not satisfied with his proper Sin, laboured to give mean of offence to others. Wherein he brought more slander to the Romans for the practices he made, then for his proper Transgression, for that the one was a fault of nature, and the other a wickedness of corruption: By these I wish yoou to be advertitised and rebuked, that in your house your Children are not only Dishonest, but Covers also to the vices of others, which can not be without their great fault, and your just infamy, 
For the vices of the Child the Father deserves rebuke.  for that in the vices of the Children is due cause of Imputation to the Parents. If you know it and Dissemble it, your Offence is the greater and if it be not yet come to your knowledge it turns to your more Negligence and Challenge: For that the Wife and honest man aught to keep more account of the Honour of his house, then of the money in his Coffers, since Money may be redeemed with Money, but the spot in a house can not be repurged with all the Treasures in a Kingdom. The great Sacrifycator Hely was not Punished somuch for the Sins of himself as for that he Dissembled the vices of his Children: which was justly laid upon him, for that the Father careful for the virtue and instruction of his Children aught to feed their infancy with Doctrine, and frame their youth with Discipline: Have regard to your honour, and watch over your flock Corret your family, and abollishe from your house infamy jest you deserve to be accused of all, and of none worthy to be excused, assuring you that as a man of reason aught not to be called wise so long as he suffereth his son to live in vices. So if you apply not the medicine in time, the disease of your infamy will grow incurable, and as a canker, spread thorough your whole Posterity: It cannot be denied but inclinations much hurt young people, even so I hold it the greater ill not to haunt good and virtuous companies, for that a wicked inclination may be resisted, but an ill Custom is seldom forgotten, since there is nothing takes in us more deeper impression than the things wherewith we have continual familiarity, So that the father that will well govern his Child, aught to hold him short, and cut of the liberty of his fancy, seeing that youth is not so tender to resist vices, as most hard and incapable to receive Council. Many and many be the faults which men Commit in this world whose punishments God transfers to others, except the offence of the Father for the ill institution of his Child, whose Abuses and Errors resolve oftentimes to a Scourge of the Father for his negligence. For, how many vices the Father hath suffered in the son in his youth, so many sorrows shall afflict his old age, as a due justice for that he was careless. There is no honest man hath a more cruel enemy, 
The Father aught not to suffer his children to be dissolute.  than that poor Father who suffereth in his house dissolute children: For that where the hurts we have by our enemies are causes to decrease our goods, the vices of our children bring loss and spoil to our honour. And where it may happen that an honest man may not receive a blow of his enemy once in his life, the enormities of his own children are sufficient to make him die every hour: So that the perplexities we have sometimes by strangers are digested as things happening by strangers, as the wound that is outward may grieve but not perish the entrails: But the displeasures passing in our house pierce deeper, and as a martyr languish the heart even to death: And therefore by how much the Father beareth pity to his wicked Son, by so much he useth extreme cruelty against himself: yea that day wherein he ministereth not correction to his Son, that day doth he justice of his proper person, and sends his renown to question. The Romans had a Law called Faelcidia, by which the first offence of the Child was pardoned, the second punished, and for the third he was banished: which Law if it were eftsoons reduced to practise in these times, we should not see so many youth run headlong into vices, nor so many Fathers suffer blame for their negligence: But because Fathers do not chastise, and mothers too much suffer, the child takes boldness in vice, leaving to the Parents occasion to lament, but no liberty of remedy.  
Where you write to me that you are old, & that your infirmities make you weary, as though you lived to long: I wish you not to reckon your age so much by the number of years you have lived, as by the many traveles you have endured: For that to sensuality, to live a hundred years seems but a short time, and to the heart that is heavy and sorrowful, the life of a hundredth moments is too long and weary. It must not suffice you to seem to be old, 
He only is old that puts end to his old corruptions.  but you must be so in deed, seeing he only may be called old who puts end to his old vices. For little doth it profit to have your head Gray and your Face Wrinkled, if your life follow young customs and your mind Feed upon Green desires, the same being the cause why Old men weakened with vice and Sin, are Subject to fear Death and to die soon, being with nothing so ill contented, as to be divided from their vices.   

The Author writeth to his Sister serving in Court: Partly he instructes her how to live in Court, and partly satisfieth her request under a short Description of love.  
WEighing with the nature of the place where you are, the quality of the affection I bear to you, I doubt whether it were better to use plainness according to good meaning, or dissemble, and so leave you better contented. For, by the office of nature I cannot but warn you, and yet to the place where you are, nothing is less acceptable than to be instructed: the Court being a place that sometimes covereth or seeth not the faults in their friends, or else takes all things to blame, and finds nothing in their foes that they may like. But being my Sister, I will use my authority, though not to please you, yet to persuade you and acquit myself, being far from my profession to deal in matters of love, I that have undertaken the direction of consciences. And albeit my other travels & private exercise make me very insufficient to debate with you to your full satisfaction, yet taking the opportunity as it is, I had rather put my imperfection uponiudgment, then leave you not instructed, hoping you will no less answer for mine honour then for your sake you see me ready to hazard it to Question. Where you writ to me that he that presented you with your last, jewel was your friend and Lover I deny it, since there is difference between him that loves, and one that is a Friend. For a friend doth always Love, but he that loves is not always a friend: Which may be well proved in your Ladies of the Court. For that in Service and Amorous devotion you have many that Serve you, Fellow you, and desire you, who may rather be called your Lovers then your Friends, since they intend no other thing then the practice of pleasure being as void of intent of marriage as they are of virtue: Yea, having not the Spirit to judge of honest Love, nor true intention to follow it, they bring oftentimes dishonour to their Ladies, whose simplicity for the most part falls into Slander by the Sutletie and malice of their Servants. Such one I fear is he that hath béestowed the jewel upon you, which then you may best discern when you find him to Promise much and perform little, assuring you that then he useth the Sleight of the Fowler, who with a Sweet Call brings the Bird to his Net, and deceives her to her Destruction. Consider therefore the place where you are, the Race that you come of, and what you pretend. The Court gives you Liberty to do much ill, and little Instruction too Fellow that is good: And if you Stand not Fast upon those Virtues you Learned in the House of your father, the place itself will infect and change you, since frequentation draws into one fellowship & society of Estate, things that of themselves are different: remember also that to such as desire to be virtuous the house of the Prince is a school house for their better instruction, and a place helping to their advancement. Wherein if any miscarry, the fault may be more in their proper negligence, then in the will of the Prince, since to maids of honour serving in Court it is a greater advancement to be married by the favour & consent of the Prince, then by the patrimonies or portion which their parents can leave them. I have oftentimes written unto you, that if devotion and conscience lead some women into Religion, virtue and good name raise others to preferment in Court. Therefore I advise you lay not up great confidence in your beauty, & much less presume upon the greatness of your race: For in Court, for one Gentleman that makes love to your persons, you shall found twenty that spend the whole day to judge of your lives, since beauty without virtue, and high kindred without good conditions, is no other thing then as a goodly green Tree that flourisheth with leaves and blossoms, and brings forth no fruit: or as a stately carved Image, which men take great pleasure to behold, but are grieved when they find it dead and without quality.  
You and the other Ladies your companions would have me writ what love is, wherein it consists, and what be the signs and tokens of true love, esteeming me a man of study, and an ancient Courtier. This office I might better turn upon yourselves, for that, your beauties standing in the eyes of men, leading them to sue, to serve, to solicit and to love you, me thinks it belongs to you to set down the description of love, and to me to tell you what sorrow is. Seeing it is an action due to my place and age, to weep, fast, and pray, but to you it appertaineth to dance, devise, & tryffle. notwithstanding as I have told you in short what a friend is, so I will not stick to fill up the residue of your desire, to debate briefly the nature of love, not that I would instruct you, but to warn and advise you, hoping you will rather Love as a Christian, 
warnings for a Lady serving in Court.  then as a Courtier. Wherein I recommend unto you chiefly to be wise in your words, discreet in your actions, secret in your thoughts, particular in your friendships, modest in your behaviour, and above all follow the instructions of your own virtues, and flee the example of such as draw to vice: Yea, have more regard to yourself then to any other person, since in the end your virtues are sure of their reward, for that God will prefer you to Marriage, and put into the mind of the Prince to endue you with worthy Portion. Take heed therefore you be not light in looks, vain in life, lavish of speech, nor a scoffer at men, for that with Ladies of these Conditions, men of the Court take pleasure to devise, but none will have fancy to Marie them. So that the best dowry to advance the Marriage of a young Lady is, when she brings in her countenance mildness, in her speech wisdom, in her behaviour modesty, and in her whole life, virtue: For that there is no man, what vain and light affections soever he have, but though he take pleasure to sew and serve a fair Lady, yet in case of Marriage, he will seek out Virtue, and reject Beauty. But now to our purpose of Love: It is an opinion with you Ladies of the Court, that Love, and to be a Lover, consists only to be gay in apparel, to be set out in diversity of Colours of Feathers, to be pensive, to be passioned, to solycite, to behold, and often to entertain his Lady with discourses of Love: Things no less vain and light, then most far from the true property of love: Seeing of this qualetye is the good and true love, that to him that hath default of force, it gives him strength, and in him that hath it already, it confirms it further. To him that is simple, 
What true love is.  it gives quickness of spirit: To him that hath want of Courage it gives boldness and stomach: By it the Covetous man is made liberal, and it sets open the Purse of the niggard: So that in the heart where he is entered he suffereth no imperfection nor incivility, but lifts their thoughts up to high actions, 
love bredes many virtues  and searching that he loveth, there are none perceiveth what he endureth: when we cast our eye upon a thing, there is differenc to praise it, and to love it▪ for that the thing which we praise and love not, assoon as it is commended, it is forgotten, but that which we love truly we lay up in the the secret corner of our thoughts, we plant it in our will and bring it forth in the fruit of our memory: It stands always afore our eyes, & our eyes sand it down to the safe keeping of our heart: Love is best known to the heart that loveth, and he of himself only feels when he is content or miscontent, favoured or not favoured, suspected or trusted, merry or sad, or in despair or assured: Yea his passions are not known to others, if his affections be honest, for that he will rather suffer in grief then give cause of offence, esteeming his merit so much the greater, by how much his martyrdom is painful, and his passion so much the more worthy, by how much his intention assureth his hope. To instruct you in the signs of such as love truly, you must observe the behaviour of the parties when they departed one from another: For it is no other thing the separation of two friends, then to divide one heart into two moieties, the same most commonly appearing at the time of leave taking, when in the one is disclosed want of words, and in the other abundance of tears: you shall know likewise that love that is accompanied with fastness, when the party enterpriseth great things and esteemeth little those of base importance, love always enabling his subjects to high actions, & raising their thoughts to great purposes. 
Properties in a true lover  So that the heart that loves looks not to be commanded, but learns to win merit by prevention: he offereth no excuse, but is ready to execute: he is not required to be liberal, but finds out wherein he may be aceptable: he suspects not his mistress, but takes all to the best, he believes no report, since he is assured of her virtue: he is not importunate, but makes his hope his felicity: if she but begin to like, he puts wings to his affection, yea he makes her the image of his thoughts, & lives wholly dedicated to her devotion. And therefore if he love dearly, hd lives in thought to please, in care to offend, in desire to suffer, & in fear to disclose, and loving much he gives much, thinking it no liberality if he refuse any thing, since if he have once given his will and consent, it is nothing to give withal his ability and wealth: and being possessed by another, he must think he hath nothing of his own: In like sort the true lover studies to be circumspect in behaviour, esteeming it a sweet felicity to have his thoughts & delights private: he is modest in countenance the better to blear the eyes of spies, & please the mind of his mistress. And he is patiented to suffer, esteeming him not worthy of reward unless he endure to the end. And where true love is, there wrongs must be borne, and no words delivered to the dishonour of his Lady: By whom if any occasion be given, yet he must always have this lesson, that patience is a virtue, and secret silence doth best solicit, since the true Trumpet of love, is not the Tongue that speaketh, but the heart that sigheth. Yea as the Tongue is restrained from speaking, but not the heart from Loving: So I hold it better to love with surety, then to deceive with sweetness, since in the one is the virtue, and brings his reward, and the other being the vice, is sure of his punishment. And so good Sister, if any your Servants in Court judge me a lover by this short discourse I have written, I pray you tell them that being a member of the world, I have a property in worldly actions, and perhaps had been as worldly as the best if Philosophy had not drawn me from the world.   

To a Noble man, in Consolation for the death of his Daughter in Law.  
THis hath been always a true observation from one time to an other, that afore any great chance or accident, there were forshewed certain strange and prodigious signs, which as the Gentiles interpreted according to their Superstitions, so it belongs to us Christians to take them as Advertisements and warnings: Seeing they are Messengers and Heralds of God, not to amaze and confound us, but to warn and advise us, he delighting more to see our lives amended, then to punish us according to our faults, according to that comfortable text of David, Castigans castigavit me dominus sed morti non tradidit me: So liberal is the mercy of God my Saviour towards me, (saith he) that albeit he hath threatened to strike me, yet he hath not so much as touched me. But coming somewhat more particularly to your estate & my purpose, that late importunate travel which you took in the marriage of your sister: your great & heavy misfortune in the burning of your house & castle, the late disagreement and faction between you and your brethren, and this lamentable death of the Marquis your Daughter in law, seem to me to be three plagues most pitiful to hear, & grievous to endure: deserving no less compassion, than the ten scourges wherewith Egypt was afflicted, for that the one were thundered upon a king tyrant, & the other ministered to a christian knight. Yea the plagues of Egypt were dispersed thorough the whole land, where your griefs are altogether within your heart: by means whereof, where afore you were held but as a christian, you are now of a confessor made a martyr, not so much for the adversities that are happened, as for the patience you use, bearing those crosses according to virtue, & not as man unfortunate. if you were persecuted as No was of the idolaters, or as joseph by his brethren, or as the good man job by his friends, it could not be but very grievous, though nothing dangerous. For that as in the Palace of Princes who is most Favoured of the Prince, is best esteemed of the People: So in the house of God his preferment is greatest, whom Christ doth most chastise, since to none other end are the Corrections he gives us then to put us in Remembrance and prepare us to one pefection. God suffered Tobyas to be Blind, Susanna to suffer Sentence, and Daniel to be Imprisoned, not for that he would them ill, but to erpresse the Love he bore them, this being one property in God's Affection to Chastise those that he loveth and leave others to their Destruction. 
Who is not afflicted bears a sign that of god he is much forgotten.  There is no greater Temptation than never to be Tempted, and no more sorer Punishment, then of GOD never to be Corrected, since who receiveth no Afflictions in this World, bears a Sign that of GOD he is much forgotten: Yea, the Perplexityes wherewith GOD visiteth us aught rather to be called Advertisements: then punishments: For that they are Disciplines necessary to our amendment, and not stumbling Blocks to make us fall further. This made david say, Omnes fluctus tuos induxisti super me. 
Psal. 81.  All the traveles and Dangers O Lord, which thou wert wont Indifferently to impart to many, thou hast now reduced and returned upon me only. Job having lost his Goods, his cattle, and his Children, 
job. 6.  said and demanded of GOD, 
In misery it is one comfort to know the utter most of our mishaps.  Haec sit mihi consolatio ut affligens me dolore, no parcas, Greater Consolation could not the Lord send me in this World, then Punishing my faults, to spare no sorts of sorrow upon me, for that in a calamity it is one comfort when men know the utter most of their mishaps and that they can not be Puninished further. Mihi absit gloriari, saith Saint Paul, Nisi in Cruce Domini: Esteeming it no greater glory then to endure troubles, as by that means to come to communicate with the glory of Christ. It is good the LORD lay his hand upon us, for that by it we are led to humility, and taught to enter into the consideration of ourselves: And the Reward and Recompense that God ministereth to such as Obey and serve him, is to suffer them to be travailed in Afflictions, 
Through exercise of adversities men are made humble.  since he knoweth that there is no better Passage to the Eternal Glory and Felicyties of Heaven, then to bear the Cross of Tribulation here in Earth. For, through Exercise of Adversity men become Humble, and being often tried they are the better justified, as the metal that passeth through many Fires riseth more to his fineness and Perfection. For my part (Sir) albeit I have not the faculty of a prophet, nor the inspiration of an Apostle: Yet I dare assure you, that if in Patience you receive all your perplexities, you shall receive your reward with others whom GOD hath made happy by Troubles: 
To the most, afflictions be but warnings.  being no other thing the Tribulation of the just, than a warning of our faults, and an advertisement of that we aught to do. Wherein speaking more particularly, I say, that to be Sorrowful for the death of your Daughter, you have reason according to Flesh and Blood, as well for the Opinion of her Virtue, Beauty, Age, and Kindred, as in regard of the dear affection you bore her. But if you consider withal your Office towards GOD, you have to think, that seeing he hath so ordained, the best Sacrifice you can Offer, is to rest satisfied with his will: Not to Murmur of that is done, since of necessity it must be so, nor debate with him why he hath done it, for that in his purposes is great Wisdom, which in the end brings forth all things for our best. You must think (Sir) it is a voyage that must be performed by us all, and being a Tribute so due, he is unthankful that payeth it with grudging: Since for this debt we are taken out of all Debts, and being cleared of all Bonds, we remain for ever most happily laid up in the Free felicities of God. It was a Law amongst the Lydians, that the Father Burying his Son, was not forth with comforted till the year was past, 
The heart that is newly grieved takes his best comfort when he hath time to lament his loss.  as thinking it too soon to put consolation to so great sorrows: since the heart that is but newly grieved can not better be comforted then to have time to Lament his loss: For that as men in Sorrow feel their harms more grievously, then that at the first they can give place to Comfort: So there can be no greater ease in the perplexities of Fortune then when they see others Communicate in compassion with them. This I say, for that where you may think I have written this Letter too late, you may withal know that I did it rather of industry, then of forgetfulness: Wherein because the Experience of the Disposition of hearts heavily Loaden with Sorrow, made me somewhat doubtful, whether out of hand I should comfort your green grieves, or defer them until by time they were more apt to receive Consolation: I thought it not un necessary to suffer you to Wave in your heaviness, till your Tears somewhat ceasing, your heart might be also reduced to Capacity and judgement. In cases so resolute as Death, men are not to use desperate Sorrow, since there is no Remedy to recover the loss, but rather to dissemble the chance by discretion, having more need of Magnanimity and great courage to Dissemble a misefortune, then to assail an Enemy. So that if your Daughter be dead, your Complaints are in vain, since Sorrow is no Remedy to restore her, and in Accidents without help or hope, Necessity drives men to Comfort themselves, unless they think it a Remedy to their Losses to resist the Eternal will and providence of God: In the mighty Alexander it was hard to judge whether of these two things were most to be esteemed, either his high Fortune, or his great Discression, for that with Fortune he subdued Kingdoms, and with Discression he suffered and dissembled mishaps: Euenso having so well overcome many Perils according to the proportion of your place, wherein as you behaved yourself as a valiant Knight: So in these storms of nature, flesh, and blood, I wish you consider what belongs to the law and modesty of a Christian: Wherein then do you best express yourself a Christian, when for your misfortunes you give thanks to God, and not complain of him, taking that is happened not as a punishment in his displeasure but as a token of the remembrance he hath of you. 
Ezechiell. 222.  Take heed the complaint of Ezechiell be not meant by you, Fili hominis. etc. I have put the house of Israel (saith he) into a furnace of the Captivity of Babylon, hoping that being within the fire of tribulation, she would resolve to pure Gold, or fine Silver: But she is converted into Leather, Led, Brass, and Iron, This is the meaning of the lord by this figure: that man is converted into Lead, who being put into the furnace of tribulation, cannot only not be amended, but from one day to another grows worse & worse: That man becomes Iron, to whom God having sent some small punishment to advertise him, in place to be amended, he ceaseth not to complain: He is turned into leather, who outwardly seems to be of holy life, and when any tribulation happeneth, he is found an hypocrite. And that man is resolved into brass who in condition is intractable, and in conscience negligent. So that with just cause we may say that far greater is the number of such as in Tribulations are Converted into Iron, Leather, Brass, and Lead, then of them that become either Gold or Silver. God keep us from such Transmutation, and give you Grace to make a better profit of your tribulations, giving thanks to God, and dissembling them afore men, remembering that the patience of Job was the cause that God restored him to double of that he had taken from him.   

A discourse written to a great Princes, of the virtues and life of the Noble Queen Zenobia.  
Having already satisfied three parts of your majesties letter, there rests only the service of the fourth, containing the life and virtues of the great Queen Zenobia: Wherein as your majesties authority to command is full of virtue, wisdom & gravity, so it belongs to me to obey with faith, diligence and truth, esteeming it much to mine honour to be commanded by your Majesty, in whom this is no small testimony of virtue, that, albeit having authority to command as a Queen, yet you will use request as a private person, which to your servants is no small honour, and to yourself no little glory. For, that amongst other merits of Princesses, charity makes them most acceptable afore God, and familiarity gathereth greatest affection with men. And because to Princes and great Lords we must minister our reasons by weight, and give our words by measure. I will in the history of Zenobia use the authority of credible writers, hoping it shall not be the less agreeable to your Majesty, nor the more unplausible to the reader. And if as the historians make her a Gentle, she had been a Queen Christian, her life had been no less worthy of imitation, then by her virtues she hath left immortal praise, both for subduing most part of the East Empire, and resisting the infinite ambition of the romans. Zenobia then being the widow of good Odenatus Prince of the Palmerins, and mother to the natural heir of the kingdom, for that her son was yet young, she took upon her the institution of his youth, and regiment of the Empire. Wherein finding in her first government, certain Provinces to draw to revolt, she opened her treasures, she assembled her forces, and went in person into the field, where, in the age of five and thirty years and widow, being regent of the whole East Empire, she was also captain general of the army, doing such exploits, that her enemies stood in fear, 
Virtues in the Queen Zenobia.  & all the world in wonder of her. She was so wise to suggest a plot, that there was never found error in her counsel, & so resolute to execute, that to her enterprises there seldom followed ill success, yea her expedition prevented the providence of her enemies, being for the most part in their trenches afore they could think of her coming. She was so discreet in her words, that having once spoken, she left nothing to reply, but every one to wonder at her judgement, (the majesty of her countenance amazing strangers, and much assuring her own people.) She was so just of promise that whatsoever she levied by loan or credit, there was no other surety required then the reputation of her own word. She was so liberal, that she never gave less than to suffice the wants of him to whom she gave, & withal to leave him able to live without necessity to ask again. She was mild in case of submission, and severe where she found obstinacy, conquering the affections of good men by her clemency, and abating the pride of rebels by the discipline of her sword: by which, her security was more in the affections of men, then in their armour or weapons. She was familiar with all sorts, but so particular in friendship that there were none knew the secret of her counsels till she saw time to publish them to al. And though she would communicate with many, yet she reapposed in few, for that being able to control their counsels, she would not stand subject to their directions, and sounding them, she remained judge of their wits and opinions. Only she was ambitious, for that not content with the title of regent, she made her to be called Empress, and administering the whole in charge, travail, and policy, she thought she could not be unworthy of the title, name and dignity. She never cared to ride in Coach, but took pleasure in Horses of service, and them could she manage with the best. When she went abroad to see the order of her camps, she was always armed and accompanied with guard, having only the name of a woman, and delights and will of a valiant captain: Which she performed with such good example, that the chieftains of her army never did exploit wherein she managed not the place of the leader, achieving no less with her hands then even he that did the best: A thing very incredible to one of her sex, but not impossible to her virtues and mind. The writers describe her to be of goodly parsonage, 
Description of Zenobia.  her eyes black and of quick motion, her forehead large & of good aspect, her mouth little, and lips read, her teeth white more by nature then by Art, her face of complexion perfect white and read, her stomach raised, and her wit most ready and excellent, wherein she was holpen by a deep knowledge in the Greek & Latin. Yea, in her parsonage she bore such estate & majesty, and in her countenance such affability & sweetness, that, if she were feared by mean of her severity, she was eftsoons loved by reason of her beauty. In all this pomp of beauty, bounty, authority, riches & power, she was never suspected to be dissolute, nor found affected to vanities, esteeming it to belong to the dignity of her place & virtue, to show no less integrity in example, then to be voided of lightness in life. Oftentimes her husband Odenatus hath been heard confess, that after she was once conceived, she would never suffer his actual company, for that it brought stain to her chastity, holding it to belong to women to marry more for the respect of procreation and children, then to accomplish their pleasures. She did eat but once a day and spoke little, which made her body disposed, & her mind lively. She could drink no wine, but was so curious to seek for pleasant waters, that for the price she might have provided the most precious wines. Assoon as the kings of Egypt and other Princes conspiring understood of the death of her husband, they dispatched Ambassadors, not so much to visit and comfort her, as to offer league and confederacy with her, so redoubted was she by reason of her rare virtue.) Aurelius at that time being chosen Emperor of Rome, made great provision to pass into Asia, to make war upon Queen Zenobia, being an enterprise not of the lest importance to the romans. Wherein he found such smarting effect of her virtue, and invincible valiancy of her soldiers, that he saw great difficulty to conquer her by Arms. And therefore assayed the remedy of sweet words and promises in this short letter following.  

Aurelius' Emperor of Rome, and Lord of all Asia, to the honourable Queen Zenobia.  

Aurelius the Emperor of Rome writeth to the Queen of Zenobia.  ALbeit to women standing in disobedience as thou dost, it can not but be unworthy to minister requests: yet considering clemency is a virtue nothing inferior to justice, I thought good to offer to thee the choice, assuring thee that if thou wilt take the benefit of my mercy, I will give honour to thy person, and pardon to thy people. The gold, the silver, & thy other treasure remaining in thy palace, shall not be diminished, nor thyself divided from thy kingdom of Palmerine, which I give thee during thy life, and after to be disposed at thy pleasure, under this condition that thou resign thy other kingdoms and Provinces in Asia, and acknowledge supremacy in the Empire of Rome: and of thy people of Palmerina I demand no other obedience, then as confederates and friends. So that, if under these conditions thou wilt dissolve thy Camp, thou shalt receive reconcilement to the obedience of Rome, and retain certain men of war sufficient for the surety of thy person, and service of thy Realm. Of thy two sons left by Odenatus thy husband, thou shalt keep 〈◊〉 with thee him whom thou lovest best, & sand the other to me, not that I will lead him prisoner, but keep him as a pawn of thy behaviour. And for the prisoners retained on both sides, they shallbe redelivered in interchange without ransom. And so I acknowledge thee happy more by fortune then by virtue. This Letter bringing no amaze to the mind of Zenobia, she gave present answer as followeth.   

Zenobia Queen of the Palmerines, and Lady of whole Asia and the kingdoms thereof, to Aurelius Emperor of Rome greeting. etc.  
THat thou give to thyself the title of Emperor of the romans, 
The answer of Queen Zenobia to the emperors letter.  I hold it both just and convenient: But to make thee Lord over the realms of the East, I say there is neither reason nor right: Since thou art not ignorant that those kingdoms are due to me only, the one part descending by right of progeny, & the other I have won by my prows and virtue. Thou sayest that if I yield obedience to thee, thou wilt give me recompense of great honour, and join forgiveness to the faults of my people: 
There can be no necessity of pardon, where is no fault committed.  to the one I say there is no necessity of remission, where hath been no fault committed, nor in thee is any power to forgive, against whom could be no possibility of offence. And for the other, it could not be either honest or just, that being as I am absolute to command over Asia, I should as private be brought to the service of Rome. Thou offerest to leave me possessed of the gold, the silver, and my other treasure within my palace: wherein I can not but wonder with what grace thou canst aspire to dispose the goods of an other as thine own: things which thine eyes shall not see, nor thy hands touch, for that I hope that afore thou come to be the executor of my goods in Asia, I shall make liberality of all thy riches in Rome.  
Touching the war thou hast areared against me, it is injust afore the immortal Gods, and most unreasonable in the reason of men: seeing thou fightest not to resist an injury but to invade an innocent: And I take arms to repulse a wrong, and defend my right. So that thy coming into Asia is but to ravish the goods of an other, where my sword is drawn to keep innocents from oppression. Think not that the name of the Romans is terrible to me, nor that the face of thy huge host can amaze me: for, if it be in thy hand to give the battle, 
The success of wars followeth the innocency of the quarrel.  in the Goddess is the authority to dispose the victory, and the success of wars for the most part followeth not the number and courage of the soldiers, but hath regard to the justice & innocency of the quarrel. That I attend thee in the field, is no small glory to me, where thou invading a widow, reapest nothing but shame. The cause of Widows are protected by the Gods, to whom it belongs to abate the pride of the ravishor, and retain to themselves the revenge of desolate persons. But if the Gods suffer thee to be victor, and that the fury of thy ambition take away my life and goods, yet in Rome it shallbe published, as it is in Asia known, that Zenobia is made a sacrifice for the defence of her patrimony, and to preserve the honour of her husband. Therefore cease henceforth to threat, fear, or flatter me, since I am resolute to offer under one devotion, my life and my kingdom. Wherein in doing as much as I am able, I do more than I aught, esteeming it better to leave a monument of my virtue, then to live with shame. And if my fortune give me up into thy hands, she world shall bear me witness that though my body be led captive, yet my heart shall not be vanquished: to sand thee my son to lead with thee to Rome, is so far from his profit & my reputation, that I hold it necessary to break thy request, though in thee was no conscience to make it: For that I hear thy court is replemished with many vices, where my palace is furnished with sundry Philosophers, from whom my children draw doctrine one part of that day, & exercise the knowledge of arms the other part. And so I repose more in my virtue, than thy fortune is able to do for thee. This answer bred such passion in the mind of the Emperor, that within thirty days he forced the city by assault, & took the Queen prisoner, whom he led to Rome, not with intention to execute her, but to adorn his triumph, suffering her to follow his Chariot barefoot & chained with her children: which was a spectacle grievous to many, but of great compassion even to the Ladies of Rome, who after the ceremonies of the triumph were passed, made great reverence & resort to her, honouring her with their service & presents of no small price, thinking them right worthily bestowed, for that in the person of that Queen they judged were assembled, the fidelity of Policene, the beauty of Helen, the chastity of Lucrece, the constancy of Penelope, and the knowledge & Science of Cornelia. Thus your Majesty hath the discourse of this noble Queen, in whom the matter that most I found worthy of compassion, is, that her fortune was not equal to her virtue.    

Touching diseases and the discommodities which old age bringeth.  
IT is a virtuous disposition to yield compassion to the afflicted, but nature most of all challengeth it of those, who having proved an estate of necessity, have found comfort in others. And albeit kind hath brought forth no man without an inclination to infirmities. Yet God being privy to the weakness of his creatures, hath appointed to every calamity his proper cure, and raised one man to minister comfort to an other: which makes me now have recourse to you, not so much to complain my griefs which you were wont to ease, as to lament my old age which is not to be shifted of. Cicero, in his discourse De senectute, ministereth great consolations, and speaketh many things in the praise of old age, but he appoints no remedy, not for that he would not, but because he thought it was incurable. Wherein speaking for the generality of men, I think there are none who had not rather have one remedy, than all his consolations: 
That comfort is vain that takes not away the grief.  seeing those comforts which take not away the grief are improper and vain, not unlike to a medicine which is sweet to the taste of the patiented, but removes not the pain of his disease. In his argument also of Tusculane questions he goeth about to prove that a wiseman hath no feeling of sorrow and grief, and if he suffer any, he hath mean to shake it of by his virtue. But who feels in deed the calamities of old age, is further pinched then that his wisdom only can cure them, or his virtue avoid them, since old age brings forth nothing but infirmities, grief, and sorrow, no more than the black thorn, 
The fruits of old age are infirmities, grief and sorrow.  who, how so ever he is grafted will yield nothing but pricks: So that let old men have more recourse to medicines to qualify their aches, then to Philosophers who yield nothing but words.  
Cicero proves that old age is good, by the Scipions and Metelles, and in the persons of Fabius and Crassus, with many other Romans at that time in great honour. But I think he meddled only with their felicities and prosperities, and touched nothing of the cholers and perplexities which travel such as fall into the last age. Adam was wise and well esteemed, and yet he saw his two children one kill an other. No was just, and yet in his time the world perished and he scorned of his proper children. Abraham was a faithful servant of God, and yet he was divided from his country and wandered in pain and poverty. And jacob was a great parsonage and rich, but his children selling him that was most dear to him, made him complain of the wickedness of his days being then a hundredth and thirty years. All these were patriarchs and better favoured of God then either Metellus or Fabius, and yet there is no doubt but with their great age, they were passable to tribulations and passions, old age being no other thing then a vessel whose liquor being run out, 
Old age like a dry vessel.  the Cask becomes dry, and withereth. And albeit those good men have not been alone in their pains and afflictions, for that it is common to all such as live long to suffer the diseases that age bringeth: Yet I compare not our travels in this our life, with the temptations of the holy patriarchs and Martyrs, who illumined by the holy Ghost, have suffered persecutions for the militant Church: For that God did so deal with his servants, was in an other respect, to prove their faith, patience, and constancy, to the end by their example, we might have mean of conformity thereunto.  
But if those peculiar and elect personages have been traveled with the dollars of old age, much more are the perplexities of others, in whom flesh and nature bear more dominion, and spirit and grace have less force. The sentence of Job condemning himself to live little and that in great anguish, is executed daily upon every one of us, but specially upon old folks, whom we see carry an ordinary subjection to poverty, diseases, death of friends and parents, to miseries, infelicities, with many adversaries naturally tied to the affliction of age according to the sentence of Job. Yea old age is no other thing then the example of sorrow and care, 
Old age no other thing then the example of sorrow and care  the effect of sickness and infirmities, the retreat of thoughts and dollars, the image of calamity, the spoil of mirth and solace, the very figure of hell, and for the rest, nothing but phlegm and choler.  
But where Cicero pretends a praise of old age by reason of the temperance that is in it not to be subject to pleasures with other vices of youth: 
Old men forward in will, but weak in action.  It may be asked him whether old men use this temperance for want of will, or for lack of power, old age for the most part bearing a vehement inclination to things whereunto the body hath lest possibility of action. And albeit temperance shines with a clear light in many old men of respect: yet we see in most of them such a dry desire and devotion to the sports and actions of youth, that being not able to execute their will, yet they declare what they would do, if there were not infirmities. So that I see not how that body can be temperate whose mind is not qualified, nor that person to be restrained whose appetites are at liberty, 
It is none other thing to command the body, than first to conquer the affections.  seeing it is no other thing to command the body, than first to conquer the affections. Therefore let it be a shame to an old man to have desire to that which the force and strength of nature deny him to execute.  
What reckoning of temperance is there to be made in old men, since their stomachs being weak they are the more subject to surfeit: their minds fiery, and their bodies dry, 
Surfeits and other innituities in old men.  their substance is nothing but fume: their years make them credulous, suspicious, ambitious, malicious, covetous and forgetful, carrying them withal into every passion of nature, and that more by the fury of their age (being a burden intolerable) then that they weigh things according to justice, order and reason: Men in many respects and at many times more light in sense and judgement, then settled in gravity and counsel, borrowing credit by their years, and wanting that experience which many young men have of less continuance. It is an ordinary speech with many of these old men, that if they were to begin again, and that in their youth they had known that which the success of years hath brought to them, they would live after an other government, and do otherways then they have done. So that for one young man that hath not done that which he aught, there be many old men that would do more if they could, to whom it is proper to show a will above the power and possibility of their bodies, even like to a drain be, whose sting being shot yet he flies up and down homming as though he were able to do more harm.  
Cicero in vain praiseth old age for his dearness to the other perpetual and happy life, as for the hope they have to visit the spirits of good men already laid up in rest: Seeing we see all men eschew that journey, being more natural to the creatures of nature to prolong life, then to be officers in that fatal visitation. Yea Cicero himself, sought to avoid it when he was surprised by his enemies, who compelled him to go that journey which he had so much commended, and so little desired. 
The greatest fear that old men have is to die.   
It is in vain to desire longer life when we see nothing but present certainty of death, and yet the greatest care of old men is to keep them from death, and their greatest fear to fall into his hands: Yea it is this care that deprives them of the residue of the felicities of this life: For that the desires of the flesh are so swéeee and importunate, that naturally we desire to establish a perpetuity of our being here, though it be contrary to the eternal ordinance, and impossible to the power of kind and nature. For, by how much we seek to make our life long, by so much do we shorten it: and by how much we think it increaseth and advanceth, 
The life of man but a bubble of water.  by so much doth it decline and abate, the life of man being none other thing then as a bubble of water, which swelling with a vain wind, vanisheth even when he is at his greatest.  
If an old man will use the authority of his age, he is intolerable, & every one escheweth him: and of the contrary if he play the young man, he is an ill example, and every one mocks him. The old man is to do no service, for that he hath no power: neither is he to be served for that he is troublesome and passioned. He is no companion for young men, for that to his years belongs too great ceremony, and even to old men he is troublesome by the very properties and impediments of his age subject to hemming, spitting, coughing, and many other loathsome dispositions. If they be poor, their parents disdain them, and being rich, they are thought to live too long for their heirs and successors. They spend much and get little, they speak often, and do seldom: Yea their covetousness increaseth with their years, which is the greatest corruption that can happen to man. 
Old age the consumption of the life of man.  So that I see not by what reason Cicero could so much commend old age, being the very dregs and consumption of the life of man whom he makes subject to all diseases: which makes me of opinion, that if there be any age in man worthy of praise, it is more due to youth then to old age: For that the one is fair and the other deformed: 
Differences between our old age and youth.  the one is sound, and the other diseased: the one disposed, the other froward: the one strong, the other weak. And youth is apt to all exercises, but the delights of age are resolved into plaints, passions and dollars: So that, the one being necessary, & the other intolerable, the one full of grief, and the other free from passion: I see no particular dignity due to old age other then in reverence, and much less how the consolations of Cicero can minister remedies, since most old men do feel their infirmities with more grief and bitterness, than that words only can give them remedy.   

One friend writeth to an other of the rage of Envy, and the nature thereof.  
Such is the infirmity of the present season that men of virtue rising into favour, found envy to hinder their merit, 
Envy an enemy to virtue.  and malice to minister recompense to their painful deserts, envy being always such an enemy to virtue, that where it can not oppress it, yet will it lie in wait to suppress the glory thereof. There is no felicity so well assured, nor estate so modest, which is not subject to the invasion of envy: For that envy being none other thing then a branch of injustice, 
Envy a branch of injustice.  it stirs up the thoughts to wicked purposes, and arms the hands to actions of iniquity. The envious man hath no respect either to the virtue or fortune of any, but to the good things that are in them, not rejoicing so much in the goods that are his own, as in the damage & hurt he doth to others: his office stretching chiefly to desire that no good thing happen to an other. Yea, he will not stick to suffer hurt himself upon condition to make his neighbour feel more harm, according to the Poetical example following,  
Jupiter, disposed to survey the estate of the world, 
A poetical example of an envious man and a covetous man.  sent down for that purpose one of his Angels disguised in the form of a man, whom he ordained to fall first into fellowship with two men travailers on the way as it seemed, and in that respect not the less convenient for his company. They performed together many days journeys with those delights and fortunes which happen to such as wander countries. In the end the Angel having drawn from them all those things he required to satisfy his desire, disclosed unto them whose messenger he was, and having power to dispose of the liberality of Jupiter, he said that for their good company he would give them present recompense. Whereupon he willed them to ask what they would, and who made the first demand should not only have fully all that he required, but the other should have forthwith double as much. The one of these two travailers was a covetous man, and the other an envious man, between whom this offer of the Angel bred no small contention. For, the covetous man, who dwells always insatiable in the desire of gain, would not make the first demand, having regard to the words of the Angel promising double to the second. The envious man, on the otherside, whose condition is to desire that no good happen to an other, used silence, determining rather to lose the benefit of the first demand, then that his companion should enjoy the double of his gain. O infinite malice and corruption of men in whom even the certainty of benefit breeds emulation: the one not contented to have more than he looked for, and the other not satisfied though he had all: the one afraid to demand lest his friend should found favour, and the other disdaining that the benefit should be divided: The one greedy to get the profit of both: the other for spite brought mischief to both. The one wretched in silence, the other miserable in envy. The one devilish in covetousness, the other accursed in hatred. The one insatiable in desire, and the other infinite in malice. They both had appetite to drink, and yet both languished in thirst. They both saw likelihood to get, and yet both suffered loss, not for that they needed, but because their corruption so required. For, being in this conflict who should ask first, and that of necessity a demand must be made, the envious man, thinking by the sufferance of a simple harm in himself, to bring double hurt to his fellow, desired of the Angel that one of his eyes might be put out, wherewith at the instant he lost one eye, and his companion was made blind of both. So that where the one refused to be satisfied with that which sufficed, the other was raised as a scourge of his insatiable desires, and the one as wretched in spite, as his companion in covetousness, the one become the just instrument of revenge to another: A justice of due force against such as strive in the quarrel of envy and covetousness, both which, being contagious infections in the nature of man, the one poisoneth his soul, and the other consumes and dries up his body: of all other vices in the world, envy is the most ancient, of most custom, 
Envy a vice most ancient.  and of greatest continuance, yea even to the end of the world. It took beginning in the serpent. It was familiar with Came. It hath continued from Adam to all the posterities of jacob and Esau, Saul and David, and Job and his progeny with many other, whose mutual persecutions moved not so much by their great kingdoms, riches, and principalities, as for the envy they bore one to an other, (envy being of a nature to conspire against the virtues) Fortune, and glory of others: So that greater is the grudge that derives from envy, then the despite descending of injuries: For, it happeneth oftentimes that the man that is wronged, doth either dissemble or forget: But who is settled in envy, leaves nothing undone that may advance the revenge, (envy being none other thing then a disdain & contempt of an other man's glory,) as was well expressed by the factions & quarrels between Caesar and Pompey, who fought not so often for any private injury offered by either of them, as for the mutual despite they bore to their common fortune & glory. (Envy always bearing more malice to the virtues & glory of men, 
Envy bears more malice to the virtues of men then to their goods.  then to their fortunes or goods): It is a canker that spreads into all complexions, & a blood stirring in all sorts of men: For if he be a good man, his virtues make him subject to envy, & if he be wicked, his vices make him envious, 
The best remedy against envy is to forbear to be virtuous.  so that of what temper so ever our condition is, we are either disfavored by envy, or else we persecute others for envy. And therefore the best remedy against envy, is to forbear to be virtuous, or at lest to estrange ourselves from prosperity that no man contemn us, & live contented with adversity not disdaining the happiness of others: we need have no encumbrance with the proud man so long as we make ourselves equal with him. We need not be infected by the lecher, if we hold no conversation with him. 
It is hard to avoid the eyes of the envious man  We need not fear the quarreler, if we expostulate no words with him: nor be in danger of the covetous man, so long as we ask nothing of him. But it is hard to avoid the eyes of the envious man, for that if we climb into favour, he will espy us, & if we fall infortune he will make us contemn & murmur. Yea, there is no Sea which he sails not over, no kingdom which he invades not, no power to resist him, nor man able to avoid him. It bears no regard to the mightiest Prince, nor pity to the meanest subject. It favoureth no man for his force, nor flattereth any for his beauty. It spited the wisdom of Solomon and riches of Croesus. It despised the liberality of Alexander, and prows of Hector. It controlled the eloquence of Cicero, and envied the fortune of Augustus, and bore malice to the justice of Traian. All which grave and noble personages were not so replenished with graces and dignities, 
Envy denieth to give renoum to such as are dead.  as pursued with numbers of envious eyes: Yea envy doth not only persecute men that live, but it denieth renown to such as are dead. Envy to virtue, jealousy to favour, and adversity to prosperity, are so joined together by nature, that the one followeth the other as the shadow doth the man. And as nature and conscience carry us to own compassion to such as be poor and miserable: so ambition and corruption lead us in envy against those that stand in fortune and favour. This being one proof of the malice of the world, that to such as are down, none will lend their hand to help them up again, and to those that stand in grace, many are the espials to bring them out of favour. Therefore let such as are rich & mighty be assured that by how much great they are in place & dignity, by so much more are they subject to suspicions & envy. There be certain Brotherhods of envy whose principal office is to bury men quick, & uncover bodies that are dead, & to those brotherhoods belong these liberties and prerogatives: They say no ill of the poor, but speak at large of the rich: 
Custom of the envious 〈◊〉  They minister no succours themselves, and restrain others from Charity: They have minds void of all compassion, but ready hands to receive all that comes: They never speak without murmur, nor use silence without pretence of malice: They are suspicious of their enemies, and Traitors to their friends: They seek not to salve what is a miss, but are diligent supplantors of men of virtue. Lastly, all that they say is spoken in malice and murmur, but they do nothing according to truth and good meaning: That more safe were it to hold conversation with a Tyrant then with a man possessed with envy, for that the one takes a way but the life, and the other persecutes the renown and glory: The tyrant hath colour of justice to all that he doth, but the envious man under pretence of service and frenshippe supplantes the merit of the virtuous even like the Snake who lying secretly under the grass, shoots out his sting when he is least feared: Hermocatus the last tyrant in Scicilia at the very instant of his death, Recommended unto his son, that he should not accustom himself to hatred or malice, but rather labour to live so well, that his virtues might make him envied, since to be malicious expresseth a spirit of the Devil, but to be despised for virtue, is a sweet passion and not without his proper comfort. And so he willed his son not to leave of to do well for any murmur or spite of the people: For that besides that virtue was a thing that was able to give him immortality: To virtue also was joined this operation, that when she gives out her beams and brightness, even her enemies are confounded, or at lest yield to her glory: For virtue taking courage of her proper riches, 
Virtue hath no need of praise.  cares not for the favour of the multitude, for that she hath no need of praise.   

One friend reproveth an other, for that of a Gentleman, he is become a merchant: This Letter tendeth to the rebuke of Covetousness.  
I Have hitherunto made it seen to the world that I loved you with great jealousy, not for that I saw you ill inclined, but because I feared you should fall into ill Council, the time ministering to wicked spirits great facility to abuse such as stand not environed with good advise. Wherein as I have always lived in care and study of your well doing, esteeming it so much the more to my felicity and comfort, by how much I saw you happy in virtue and fortune: So your outward towardness to all good things took away all suspicion of ill desires, even as in green leaves appearing in the outward branches, is good testimone that the tree is not dry or dead within. But as in all other things of the world, so in the customs of men chief is found most detection, incertainty, and change: which being true in you, in whom was lest necessity, so to you more than any other is most justice of reproof: for that the familiar respect & conjecture of your life promised on thing, and the inward operation of your mind practised an other. Oftentimes have I told you that, to forget to revenge injuries and remember to requited benefits received: to bear favour to good men and give justice to ill men: to bestow good turns upon such as are present, and speak well by those that are absent: 
Means to wake a man be called good.  And to esteem little the losses of fortune & to make great account of the reputation of honour: be things necessarily due to that man that amongst the good willbe holden for good. But to be rash to revenge wrongs, and unthankful to minister recompense, to oppress just men and advance the wicked: to backbite such as are out of sight, and not be liberal to those that are present: And to bear heavily the chances of fortune, & weigh in light balance the loss of honour: Are dispositions improper to good men, and guides that fail not to lead their followers into perpetual contempt and infamy. Of this last sort, I will not accuse you for that my affection carrieth my judgement into partiality: neither can I excuse you, unless I will be guilty in the office of a friend, considering withal the report that goeth of your late change from a Gentleman following service, to a Merchant, making bargains: a thing so much the more grievous to your friends, by how much it is slanderous to you, and so much the less honourable for a Gentleman, by how much it is an office Compounded upon the spoils and ruins of good men. Accursed is that office wherein you desire to live poor, to the end to die rich. And ten times accursed is that trade by the which one wicked man seeks to accomplish his Covetousness to the prejudice of many good men: I will not upbraid you with your predecessors, to whose virtue and glory you do manifest injury: But I can not but advertise you of the infamy which your covetousness will leave to your succession & posterity: wherein albeit to one so careless of his honour, there is no hope that council can be acceptable, and that the covetous man in his own weening seems to have no necessity of advise: Yet I wish you remember that as the razor though he be tempered with his due proportion of steel if he pass not by the grindstone to give him an edge, is unapt to cut. So there is no man so ripe in forecast nor ready in wit & policy, who from one time to an other stands not in need of direction: Yea, 
Many things are of that quality that the wisdom of man sufficeth not to assure them.  many times we see wise men fail and err, not for want of wisdom, but because things are of that quality that the wisdom of man sufficeth not to assure them. And therefore it béehoves men not to be obstinate in will nor Particular in Opinion, but too join to their doings the Advertisements of others, For the better surety and success of their business: consider that the theatries or scaffolds of this world whereon we Children of vanity do walk, have their foundations upon sand, and therefore their strength is but frail. Yea, though the pillars be of Gold, and holden up with Images of kings, 
God hath communicated all things to men saving immortality.  yet they are subject to shake and fall even into the same golphes and bottoms which in other ages have devoured the treasures of their predecessors. God hath communicated all things to men, saving immortality which he hath reserved to himself for that he doth never die, and hath set men in an estate of casualty and frailty, for that in the end all things take end: Only the good and ill renown of men aspire greatly to perpetuity, 
Good and ill renown live ever.  for that they stand free from fortune, and prevail even over the remembrance of time: The persons determine, but their renown lives ever: the bodies resolve to dust, and out of that is raised an air which blows abroad the reports of their lives: Let no man believe in the world, for that it hath a custom to hide under a little Gold, a great deal of Dross: 
Deceits of the world.  under a resemblance of truth, it leads us in many deceipts and to our very few and short delights, it joins infinite griefs and displeasures. To whom it shows most favour in him is most peril of destruction, For that the allurements of the world be but baits to beguile such as bite them, and who serves the world in disdain and mockery, finds his recompense most just and true, where to him that loves it indeed, it ministereth rewards in scorn. Finally in our most sewer sleep it awakes us with greatest peril: And when we think our estate best established, it is then we are nearest our overthrow and ruin. How many have we seen that with no small care have traveled all the days of their life to enrich their son whom they loved best, and yet there comes an heir whom they thought not uppsn, who with great delight rejoiceth in the fruit and use of all their painful travels: It is a just Sentence, that such as have beguiled many, 
God's justice goeth by measure.  should reap the recompense of their abuses, since God's justice goeth by measure, and hath regard to the equity of things without Partiality to persons. It is no indifferency that that which a wicked Father hath heaped for on heir alone by the prejudice of many goodmen, should be enjoyed by him many years: for that the line to measure all things aught to be equal, and goods gotten by shift are for the most part lost with shame: the same falling out in common experience, that what the wicked Father wins with study and sorrow, the unthrifty son wastes in Solace and Negligence. 
The prodigal son scorns at the sighs of the covetous Either.  And what the one plants in toil and care, the other removes in ease and welfare, being a Law in God's justice that the Prodigal Son should scorn at the sighs of his Covetous Father. You seem (according to the figure of the Scripture,) for the shilling of one pat of Water, to wade continually wetshood in the lake of this miserable World: You dry up the noritour of your brain with the fume of sighs: You break your body with the toils of this life, and adventure your honour to fill but one jar or Pitcher with Water: and yet, like as for the time you live, it will not quench your appetite, so in the end you will be driven to die of Thirst, and the Pot which with so great pain you have filled in your life, shall after your death be broken against the walls of a prodigal heir, 
He is not rich that possesseth much.  who will laugh to see it run as a river, and rejoice to water the streets with the riches that you Locked full dearly in your sewrest Chests. Remember, that he is not Rich that possesseth much goods, but he whose desires are satisfied, and his mind contented. 
Covetousness makes the horders to be hated and liberality draws love to the spender.  The liberal man lives in best security, for that his liberality continues his friends, and reclaims his enemies: And Gold and Silver give better renown to those that spend them, then to such as hoard them up, for that covetousness makes the hoarders to be hated, where liberality draweth love to the spender. By these I wish you to be advised, that gain and getting are weak pillars to uphold good name, 
Honour & covetousness of themselves contrary.  for that Covetousness and honour are of themselves contrary, and can hold no congruency together in one man. All the vices of this world have in themselves some taste, except Covetousness, which brings grief for the goods that others have, and jealousy and suspicion for the riches that are even under our own hands. For, to be rich, it belongs also to have the fruition of riches, the same giving pleasure to such as can take it, as the possession serveth to such as can use it. The perplexities of the covetous man are to suspect his Servants, 
Perplexities of the covetous man.  and distrust his kindred, to set Espyalles over his Wife, and doubt his Children, to be fearful of the thief, and to be jealous even of his own shadow: Yea he is so miserable, that he sets more guard of his money then of his person. He takes no pleasure but in casting his reckonings, in Counting his Silver, in Selling his Wares, and in multiplying his Commodities, esteeming it as his Paradise, to be always gaining and never spending, to be always winninig and never losing, to be always receiving and never lending, and to be always getting as though he should never die. But when there is question to disburse money, though it be for things necessary: O, than he is as far from modesty, as he is full of malice, accursing to the Devil both Wife, Children, and Family, and in that Passion he esteems such to deceive him most, in whom he hath greatest reason to repose confidence, and who in deed are the best Stewards, and Husbands of his commodities. So that if Covetous men would Consider what a sweet thing liberality is, they would turn their desires to gain much, into a disposition to give more, for that, it is not of so great value that which the Liberal man doth give, as is his recompense: Seeing that for the pleasure he doth to any, he is to Redemaunde the Tribute of his Liberty. Yea, the Liberal man is the Lord over those People where he liveth, and the leader of all such as have to do with him: 
Dispraises in the covetous niggard.  For that their Recompense being certain, there are none will deny him their Service: Where, to the niggard and Covetous man, where one will hear him, many will fear him: where none will speak to him, many will avoid him: Where none will give him any thing, many will practise against him: Where none will visitte him, many will abhor him, where none will employ him, many will accurse him: Yea, who will Demand any thing of the Covetous man that denieth all things to himself? or how hath he a mind to secure Strangers that is not touched in Conscience to suffer his own to Starve? Many Covetous men do we see now a days to whom God gives Power to get riches, policy to keep them, Hearts to defend them, Life to possess them, but not liberty to rejoice and use them: So that though they be Lords over the riches of others, yet they are Slaves even to that which themselves Possess. Wherein I am of Opinion, that by so much more Excellent is Honest Poverty than Cursed Covetousness: By how much the Poor man is contented with Little, 
poverty more excellent than Covetousness.  where to the Richeman a great deal seems nothing. And therefore what mind can be more Miserable then to sigh for the goods of an other, more by desire then by default? The greedy mind carrieth no Disposition to Spend upon his Parents and friends, seeing, he accounts that Stolen which he employeth of himself: Therefore it is a false Witness to call the covetous man rich, since it is not he that hath riches, but rather riches are masters of him: For the which he takes no small pain to get them, useth as great care to keep them, and suffereth no less grief to forego them: Yea I account not the covetous rich men so happy, as the poor labourer and deluer of the earth: For that with his mattock the one draws relief and nurture out of the earth, and the other wretchedly hides in the earth his treasure and felicity, and how secretly so ever it is hid, yet he stands not so suspicious of any as of himself: For, if he have two keys to his Chest to keep his money from stealing, he suffereth ten cares in his heart to keep him from spending: So that the care being great to keep, and the grief no less to lose, I wish all men well advised how they begin to get, since to save a little of their wealth, they are subject to put in hazard much of their honour. Therefore who will be revenged of a richman, can wish him no greater passion then to live long: For that greater is the penance by his long life in covetousness, than any other revenge that can be taken of him. Great is that ambition, and slanderous that covetousness, which neither for shame of the world, nor for fear of death is restrained or moderated, and ten times great is the abuse of him, who having no necessity, seeks to exchange contentment for care, solace for sorrow, liberty for bondage, pleasure for pain, and watching for sleeping: Yea accursed is that man that falls from the reputation of service in wars, to the profession of broakage in martes and Merchandise: And forbearing to climb hills and mountains to resist the enemy, is contented to keep the valley, and Rob his Countrymen that be passengers: even like to many old men, who when they wax weak in force without, seek to grow strong in malice within. By these (Sir) I wish you to consider what Damnable office you have taken in hand, and into what discredible Opinions you are grown, with bringing to your friends no small grief, and to yourself a lamentable infamy. I advise you, for end, to change your mind, seeing it is easier to suffer that want of wealth than to dissemble the abuse of honour.   

A Letter in consolation declaring the discommodities of anger, and the benefits of patience.  
I Would you were as good a Physician as I know you to be a true christian: then would you either use the proper remedy to infelicities, which is patience, or at lest shake of the heaviness of your misfortune, which justly béecomes a wiseman: For, as to all natural infirmities afflicting the body, physic is able to afford cures proper and convenient: So, when tribulations happen and the mind, is traveled, the man of God will not contest or argue why he is visited, but look up to the will of the Lord, with, whom our medicines are already compounded, though not sweet and pleasant to our taste, yet necessary and profitable to our salvation and health: And albeit oftentimes he deals not with us as we would and look for, yet we find from time to time that he traveleth to our remedy, and knowing best the humour that offends us, he can in due season apply the medicine that best worketh to our delivery: And therefore when we are in tribulation and seem to ask of God in vain, we aught not forthwith to enter into murmur, but to weigh with that little he denieth us then, the many graces he hath granted us afore, (it being to great an unthankfulness to forget the many blessings we have received, and being denied but small things, to raise great complaynies against him.) But as a mischief known of before and diligently looked for, is not so grievous as when it comes upon a sudden: So for that I have always known you to be resolute in the chances of time and fortune, I hope you stand now in least necessity of Council, when there is most occasion of courage or virtue, esteeming it all one to foresee a mischief, when you are sewer of the remedy. And yet because Afflictions are the true touch stones to try the Affections of Friends, I thought good to offer myself to Communicate with you, not in direction, for that I know you able and well advised, but in Council, which being faithfully given, aught to find no season unapt to be received.  

Every new mutation of mind brings with it a new care.  Like as in experience of Worldly things, every new mutation brings with it for the present a new care, and leaves notwithstanding the mind in greater surety at last: So, for your part, if you knew the necessity of afflietions & your own debility: If you considered well, of fortune, and her changes: If you weighed men with their malices: And discerned between the world and his allurements: you would not suffer heaviness for that which is necessary, nor seek your succours in things that entertain your misery, since it is more miserable to be with out virtue, then to be afflicted: Such is the subtle malice of the world, that the less heed men give to it, the more doth it prepare to strike them, to the end to give them afterwards a greater wound. Many men sound and disposed, die sooner of diseases newly grown, than the weak that have languished many years in their infirmities: And therefore, seeing it is most sewer that the wretched man can not pass without misery, he is more Wise that can taste his traveles by little and little, than he that trieth them all together: For that, many things are Eaten by morsels, which if they wear Swallowed together, 
He is wise that feeleth his travels by little & little.  would bring Peril of strangling: Even so at sundry times we suffer many perplexities, which if they should travel us all at once, our frailty wear too weak to resist them, for that they would devour us all in one day. So that seeing God hath so ordained that what we hold ourselves most sewer of, we see oftentimes suffer most Peril. Why do we complain of want of rest when we have undertaken a journey weary and troublesome? Why do we think much to stumble, having chosen a stoanie way? How can we think to sleep in security, when in the seams of our Bed be sown thoughts and cares? Lastly there is no reason to think we should be free in Heaven, seeing we stand bound to the World. There is no more Power in fortune to assure things, then in the Sea to be calm, being Subject to the Winds. And no more Authority hath she to dispose things then the simple Maryner, that commits his Sails to the Wind, which driveth his Ship not whether he would, but whether the Waves and Wind do shove her. It is an infallible rule, 
All natural things are subject to change  that all Natural courses are Subject to mutation every year, and all Worldly men that hunt after Fortune, are sewer to suffer Eclipse every moment. So that seeing Natural things (being necessary) can not retain always one essence and being: It is most just that the goods of fortune perish which are superfluous.  
I am sorry for your miseaduenture, as if it had happened to myself: And more sorry that I can not as I would make known with what heart I bear compassion to you: Since it is one principal office amongst Friends to Communicate in fortunes, and though their persons be divided, yet to exercise Community of council, comfort, and remedy. So that having no possibility to come to you (standing Subject to the Service of the Prince:) and less expectation of relief (being not able to minister to mine own wants) I thought to use the industry of my Pen to declare the disposition of my heart, hoping you will accept that that is, and look for no more than may be: and where in giving you advise to make no reckoning of that is happened, you may perhaps take occasion to think, that either I know not the gravity of the chance, or else that I esteem you to have want of judgement. I cannot but confess to hold this opinion that albeit you are subject to passion as a man, yet your discretion makes you able to suffer and dissemble according to reason and wisdom: For that, as in many injuries there is more security to dissemble then to revenge: 
In many injuries there is more security to dissemble a wrong then to reunge it.  So when the might of our adversary prevails above our power, the best Council is to suffer, seeing there is no possibility to revenge. Therefore, if in the present wrongs you suppose you have received, you will consider the office of a Christian, and forget the Passion of a Persecutor, you will not so much behold the malice of him that pursueth you, as the justice of God that suffereth it, in whose presence you stand so guilty and loaden with Sin, that this Affliction aught not to seem heavy, considering the grievous merits of your life past. For, if we weigh in one Balance, our old offences, and the Punnishements we feel, we shall find our pains far inferior to our wicked merits, and our offences rather touched with a mild justice, than strained to a due Correction: We may note also in God's manner of visitation, a merciful difference he useth between the Reprobate, & People peculiarly chosen to himself: For, to the one their miseries are but Stumbling blocks to make them fall further: And in the other, they work repentance with many other perfections: Sewer, it belongs not to Christians to murmur at his Cross, nor grudge to bear it, seeing his hand is not heavier than his mercy plentiful: Yea he visiteth the afflicted with the same comfort that the Physician doth his Patient, and succoureth the distressed as we see he relieveth the dry and thirsty ground with the dew & drops of heaven: So that let every one acknowledge that the tribulations which God suffereth, are not blocks to make us stumble, nor heavy burdens whose weight may make us fall, but they be furnaces necessary to refine our faith, and instruments working to our perfection, wherein who remains not constant to the end can not be made pure metal: For that to be afflicted, and not to suffer with patience, brings forth no other fruit then as metal thrown into the fire, and not passing thorough all his heats, comes out covered more with dross then pure Gold: And albeit I cannot deny, but to be angry is natural, and most sorts of men holding more of Flesh and nature, then of spirit and grace, do draw most that way where they find the appetite to have most power of action: Yet for that anger hath his definition and parts, respecting time, 
Every revenge ministereth occasions of further cruelty.  occasion, and other circumstances, I thought good to offer you a short Description: not thereby to leave you in any affection to follow it, but to lead you out of the way of those inconveniencies which he brings with him, hoping you will forbear eftsoons to pursue him whom you suppose to have done you so great a displeasure, 
What anger is  seeing every revenge nourisheth occasions of new Cruelties, and therefore more surety to some men to dissemble, then to execute. Anger is no other thing then a wicked desire of revenge, an enemy to all good Council, and a corrupter of every good condition, Yea, that which we call anger, is no other thing then a vehement desire of revenge, sometimes, respecting the occasion that is given, but for the most part pushed forward by a wicked mind of the party whom he possesseth, 
Descriptions of an angry man.  and when the punishment exceeds the fault, than it hath changed the quality of anger into an habit of revenge. The man that is angry, believes no advice of friends, and is careless even of his own estate: He is suspicious of all men, and sudden in his actions, his face is fiery, and his hands ready to strike, his thoughts are malicious, and his tongue trained to all speeches of despite and reproach: He is dispossessed of all temperance, modesty, and reason, and runs as one Possessed with a wicked Spirit to all acts of Cruelty, injury, and tyranny. Anger carrieth with it these wicked conditions, that for once that we Lend him our will, he will be always after Lord over all our doings, and do all things that he list against our will. All men Posseste with anger are like to a Lamppe, who by the superfluity of Oil gives no light, but casts out certain sparkling snuffs and flames. But in a magistrate or man of Authority, there is nothing that more discovereth his virtue or vice, for that though he have occasion to rebuke offences, yet he hath no permission to show himself passionate. It is a just thing that such as offend the Laws, should receive the Punishments of the Laws, but yet such aught to be the moderation of pains, as that they aspire not to the degree and effect of revenge: since all men feel with more grief the violent rigour that is done them, than the judicial Punishment they receive: So that a man to restrain or correct his Anger, 
Not greater triumph than too conquer affections.  is not only a virtue, but a grace supernatural, for that in worldly things there can be no greater kind of Triumph, than every one to have the victory of his own heart. And albéeit Anger is then somewhat tolerable, when the occasion is just, yet being a vice so imperious in man, I would not wish any sufferance given to it, for that all that comes of it is wicked, and of his proper Nature hurtful. There be many things which in the beginning we have Power either to receive or refuse, but if Anger have once taken Possession of us, it Sinks (as a Stone thrown into a river) and stayeth not till it come to the bottom of our hearts: and if reason rise against it. It will not be removed, for that it hath taken too deep root in our thoughts and wil The same being the cause, that all things that Angry men do, are of necessity blind and foolish, for that it is not a thing easy that a man troubled with anger, should have use of reason: And doing things without reason, he doth them without art, and so by consequence without rule, wisdom, or discretion. Let every man therefore, Labour to hate Anger for the discommodities that are in it, and learn to be temperate, 
Repentance the very stipend & effect of malice  wherein is the true virtue and contentment. He that absteynes from speaking villainy, is most wise, since Repentance is the very stipend and effect of Malice, and there is seldom any thing uttered in Malice, which turns not to the hurt of the speaker. We find by experience that to a man in Choler, it is a Principal Remedy to Correct his tongue, and delay a little to do Revenge: For, men speak and do many things in their Anger, which they wish afterwards had never passed their thoughts. The man that is wronged, is not forthwith to be dealt withal to pardon the injury, but rather to delay and respite the revenge: For that, 
Where is no capacity of council, there persuasions are in vain.  a man dwelling in passion is not apt to pardon readily, if first he be not appeased. And therefore to seek to reduce a man to reason, so long as he is possessed with the heat of his fury, is but loss of diligence: For that having no capacity of council, persuasions are in vain, & where there is not a spirit tractable, there can be no possibility of reformation, being better to suffer his fury, then to minister advise, for that bathing in the heat of his anger, he stands more need of a bridle then of a spur. Therefore whosoever hath conversation with a man choleric, stands in more necessity of policy then of power, for that anger being to be appeased by discretion, receives no medicine if it be not perfect in time, place, quality, 
Time reforms more things than reason.  and every other circumstance conducible to purge but not to pain. There be more things which time moderates then that reason accords, as are seen in the experience of many great quarrels of many great personages, whom neither friends could entreat, nor enemies fear, nor Gold could allure, nor other presents reclaim: And yet, after time have had his Course, there hath been found a facility in that which afore seemed difficult and desperate. Time hath power to change parties and passions, 
Time hath power to moderate passions.  & to new men, to give new affections, by which it happeneth, that he that suffereth with the time, shall see burn the heart of his adversary in the same fire wherewith he supposeth himself is consumed: the wise man hath his tongue in his heart, but he that is angry and furious hath his heart in his tongue: The one is angry for that he suffereth, and praiseth all that he speaketh, but the other is grieved when his Tongue Runs at liberty, and rejoiceth most when he suffereth most: Yea, Patience is the invention of God, and leads men to bear all mutations with courage and constancy, and in Calamities not to be unfurnished of Remedies.   

A discourse of the Ages of man's life.  
THere hath been an Ancient Question, what be the Ages of man's life, and whether there be six or seven of them, wherein (the better to be resolved) we must presuppose, that this word age is understanded in two sorts, as the age of the world, and the age of man. The age of the world bears number and reckoning, both according to the Poets, and collection of the christian authors: the poets make four ages of the world, the first of Gold, the second of silver, the third of brass, the fourth of Iron. The first inventor of this partition of ages, was Sibyl of Cuma, from whom the Latin Poets draw their conjectures, as appeareth in Ovid in the first book of his Metamor. where he discourseth upon the four Ages, when, and how they passed. And according to the account of the christians, there be viii. ages, that is to say, seven afore the coming of Christ, and one since. But because our question concerns nothing the ages of the world, we will leave them at liberty, and reason only of the ages of men. Whereof I see not how it is possible to speak resolutely, for that it is a thing not certain in itself, and hangs altogether upon the authority and opinions of ancient writers, of whom we have to believe best, such as bore most credit. First it is affirmed by many that there be these seven ages in the life of man, infancy, puerility, man's estate, youth, gravity, old age, and state decrepit: they restrain one part of these ages to a certain number of years, and leave the rest without limit.  
Touching the opinion of the number, it seems to hold some similitude with reason: for that seven is a number universal and accomplished. And in that number if we account the seven Planets, the moving of whom causeth the generations and corruptions in the earth. By greater reason under this word seven we may also apply the course and continuation of the time: for that by the same science and reason that the ancients reduced the Planets into seven, and they to enclose in their motions, the revolution of times: even by the same may we also establish seven ages, which may comprehend the life and continuance of man. There were others that set down but six ages, Infancy, puerility, Man's state, Youth, Gravetie, and Old age: of this opinion is Jsidorus, whom, by reason of his authority, we will follow for the present, confessing notwithstanding that in some respects there may be seven ages in the life of man. But this last opinion seems most reasonable in this, for that it speaketh more distinctly of the years of the ages, than the other that establisheth seven, for that it can not debate destinctly of the years of youth and man's state. 
Infancy.  In this sort is the reckoning of these ages. Jnfancie, which is the first age, begins even from the birth of man, and continueth till seven years be accomplished, it is called in Latin Jnfantia, for that in that age all things are holden childish that he doth, not having any liberty of speech, nor other thing to express his perfection.  

puerility.  puerility, being the second age, continueth from seven to fourteen years. The Latins call it Pueritia, for that it is an age pure, and not stained with any abominable vice, being as yet not defiled with unchaste motions, nor disposed to the vile pleasures of the flesh, as afterwards it is. Of this beastliness and vile humour of the flesh, 
2. Cor. 6.  the Apostle makes plain description when he bids us shoonne fornication: For, all other sins that man commits, are without his body, but he that commits whoredom, sinneth in his body, and against his body. This age than is very pure, as being not so able to the beastly actions of the flesh as is the other that succéedes, which is Man's estate, according to the text in Genesis, 
Gene. 8.  saying: the senses and thoughts of the heart of man, are given to ill, even from his Man's estate. But for all this we must not think that puerility is exempted from the vices and sins which generally defile man: For, that which comes from the heart, corrupteth man saith the Lord, and therefore since this age is not free from lend words and wicked thoughts, it can not be altogether pure: So that to exempt it altogether from sin, is too great an error. And where some hold that children being somewhat grown, have no sin, but begin to sin at fourteen years when hair begins to appear in their natural places: It were an opinion to be suffered, if men committed sin in no other members then in their parts of generation. But who doubts that stealing, lying, and swearing be not sins, whereunto young children above all other vices are most inclined: So that we may say that this age is exempt only from the sin of the flesh, but not from other corruptions. And albeit it be pure and clean from vice in his beginning, yet that innocency continueth not till the end of the age, and proceeds for that in the beginning they have not the use of discretion, and by that want, no power to do good or ill, as to be esteemed ill or good: Seeing the good and the ill are measured by the discretion of the doers, for that according to Aristotle, all the operations and motions of man proceed of the understanding and william. And therefore it is hard to judge of the works and dispositions of little children, till by increase of years they enter into the use of reason, a time when they have ability to do well or ill: The same being the cause why the Cannon speaks not indistinctly of all children, but only of such as are somewhat raised into years and age: For, it impugns nothing the opinion of such as say that little children are without sin, but means expressly of such as are ten or twelve years of age, who in deed are not exempted from sin.  
Man's estate, which is the third age, 
Man's estate.  begins at fifteen years, and continueth till eight and twenty, according to Isidores opinion. This age, the Latins call Adolescentia for two reasons, the one for their possibility and dearness to engender: the other for that they increase and rise into strength.  
Touching the first, it is referred to the beginning of this age, wherein young men approach the power of procreation, which was further from them in their childhood as hath been said. The second consideration beholds chiefly the end of that age, according to the opinion of many, who hold that man increaseth till twenty, or two and twenty years, which is the end of Man's estate. But Jsidorus saith, that Adolescentia lasteth till eight and twenty years, notwithstanding man doth not always rise in increasing till then, and yet it seems that, that age took his name directly of increase, for that then man comes to his perfect growth.  
In the ages afore rehearsed, Jnfancie and puerility, man groweth still, yea and in one part of the third age, which is Adoloscentia: But in the ages following he groweth nothing for that he hath taken his perfection afore. And therefore, seeing all growing ends in Adoloscentia (for after that age man increaseth nothing) the name of increase or growing doth most properly appertain to him.  

Youth.  Youth, which is the fourth age, entereth at nine and twenty, and endeth at fifty as Isidore affirmeth. The Latins call it inventus, by reason of the helps and aids that the world hath of men of that age, as in deed that title is most proper to him by reason of the force and virtue which men of that age have. In the former ages, men are not knit, nor have their forces accomplished: But in this age they have their full strength, and are well able to endure all impositions of pain, burdens, or travel.  
In this is discerned the difference of the two opinions, the one establishing seven ages, and Isidore reckoning but six. Such as make a number of seven, divide youth, adjoining unto him an other part which they call Virility. But according to Isidore there is but one age, and that is called Youth, which me thinks is not to begin at the end of Man's estate at eight and twenty years as Isidore holdeth: But it were better to determine Man's estate at one and twenty years, a time wherein he hath taken his groat, and thereto establish the beginning of youth, which is to last until thirty years or there about, and after it may succeed Virility, which may endure until L, where Jsidore establisheth the end of youth. According to this order the names of the ages may go properly with them: For, Junentus takes his name of this Latin Verb iunare, signifying to aid or help, and in that age men are most convenient to be employed, and of most ability to give aid. And Virility deriveth from this Latin Noun Vires signifying strength, as an age wherein men being complete, are in there greatest force. And so as the youngman is good to minister aid and help, so in the man accomplished is good ability to do things of himself: For to have necessity of aid, is referred to the forces yet weak and not accomplished, but to do any thing of ourselves is a true sign of strength fully furnished. Besides, it is of common proof, that a man comes not to his full strength till he be thirty years old, and therefore by good reason that estate of age may be called Virility.  
But Jsidorus, thinking not to separate virility from youth, sets down other terms and limits to ages, establishing the end of Man's state at eight and twenty years, and not at one and twenty, and appointing the beginning of youth at nine and twenty, (a season that best makes perfect the strength of men) he puts no difference between virility and youth.  
The fifth age is called Gravetie or Vnweldinesse: Touching this age, the two opinions aforesaid do differ in name only, Jsidore calling it unwieldiness, and the other giving it no title at all. They both seen to take the commodity of the Latin word, the one calling it senectus and the other seniam, notwithstanding it concern diverse ages. This age of unwieldiness begins at fifty years, and ends at threescore and ten as Jsidore holdeth, who calleth it unwieldiness, because the quality of heaviness or weight, makes fall all things lower. And as in the other four ages afore, men grow either in stature or in force: so in this age their strength seems to determine, and their bodies and parts begin to decay, & decline to debility: For, until fifty years man mayntaines always his strength and stature, but after, he begins to faint as one that had run his course, and doth nothing but heap infirmities and weakness even until death. According to the opinion of such as establish seven ages, this estate of years is called old age, whereunto Isidore consents not, but calls that old age which begins at threescore and ten, and continueth till death though man live never so long. So that all the other ages are restrained to certain limits of years, but this last age is subject to no term, for that the day and hour of man's death are not known. Jsidore, (speaking of this age) saith that old age being the sixth age, can not be limited nor made subject to term, for that there is attributed unto it the residue of the life of man which passeth the first five ages. But touching all that hath been said heretofore, that every age of the life of man hath his certain terms and limits except the last: It is to be understand that all is spoken of the ages of men of our time, and not of such as were afore the flood, since in those seasons, the age of men were a thousand years. Neither do we mean the men of the second age, which begun from the flood until Abraham: for that in that age there were men that lived six hundredth years, and some four hundredth, as appeareth by the Doctrine of Genesis. And yet those men saith Jsidore, had no more age than we, and all their years limited to a certain time and term, except the last age, whereunto could be ascribed no certainty of term, for that (as it is found in Genesis) some lived longer than others: and therefore their ages were not counted in that form of years that we reckon ours: For, we take the beginning of our fifth age, which is called Vnweldinesse, at fifty years: Which could not be in the men of the first times, seeing the fifth age presupposeth in us a debility of strength and natural operations: a thing which could not happen to the first men, for that if they had begun to decline at fifty years, they could not by any possibility have endured so long, seeing there were of them that lived more than fifty years. So that we may establish the fifth age of those people to begin at three hundredth years or there about, aspiring very near the third part of their life. In which respect, this fifth age having an other beginning in them then in us, I thought it not out of purpose to touch somewhat those ages which had not the same terms whereunto we are subject at this present. Here must be considered the account that we apply to the third age, and other ages since until David, in whose time men lived no more than they do now according to his own testimony the days of man are threescore years, 
Psal. 89  and if any live till fourscore, the residue of their life is but grief and travel:  
Touching the ages of the men of the first and second world, we can not speak resolutely, nor of the terms or limits whereunto they were referred. One reason is, for that those things were not continued until these later times where were authors & writers to record them, And withal for that those things which were once past, & no more in nature, the writers had no great care to dispose them to monument. To this may be also added an other reason more peremptory, that notwithstanding the authors had will to describe particularly those things, as they had done the ages: Yet they had no mean thereunto, seeing experience showeth us the ages which are proper for procreation, in what season man forbears to grow, in what time he is in his flower, and when he begins to decline. By which the wisemen took mean not only to baptize and distinguish the ages of man, but also to limit such as were subject to term. From the first and second age of the world, we are assured that the age of men was divided into six as it is now. For, the men of that season felt the same mutations that we feel, and did not engender in all ages, and yet in certain ages they were able to procreation. They grew into stature and strength until certain times, and afterwards their growing ceased. In a certain age they were in their flower, and in an other they began to whither and decline. But we know not in what term nor in what time they suffered these mutations, as now experience in ourselves makes them easily known to us. That was the cause why the wise men of those times could not limit to certain terms of years, the ages of men of the first and second world, as ours are. Moreover if any will dispute that there is more reason to establish seven ages in the life of man, than six, for that the Scripture makes mention of senectus and senium, that is old age, and state decrepit: it may be answered, that the Scripture appoints no more ages to the life of man, then doth Jsidore: For, these two words senectus and senium, as the two later ages of man which Jsidore calls by other names, naming unwieldiness that which the Scripture calls old age: and old age, that which in the Scripture is called state decrepit.  
There is also an other reason agreeing with the opinion of Isidore, that senectus and senium be not taken in the Scripture for two ages, but for one, & that to be the powder or oust of the life of man. Old age saith Isidore, which is the sixth age, is not limited, for that all that remains of the life of man, (after the five first ages be passed) is laid and referred to old age. Touching the state decrepit, it is the end of old age called senium, as holding upon the train of the sixth age. This last opinion seems not the lest likely, and most conformable to the saying of Isidore, by whom is not meant that the decrepit state is the uttermost end of old age: For so should it be one self thing with death, and hold no part of life: but it is meant that the state decrepit makes one part of the life of man and of the sixth age, according to the testimony of Jsidore. So that we may conclude that it is not an age distinct and absolute, but part of an age, being (as it were) the dregs and powder of old age, and generally of all the life of man. And for death, much less that it is part of the life of man, seeing we hold it a just mean of privation of life. But if any disposed to cift straightly our opinion, will ask this question, that seeing the state decrepit is one part of our life, why we make not an age of it as we do of the other parts of the life of man. It may be answered that by so much is the question vain, by how much the matter is impossible: For, all the other ages are subject to beginning and end, and are determinable to a certain content, proportion and number of years. And touching old age, albeit his end can not assuredly be determined, yet it is known in what time he begins, which is about threescore and ten years. But the state decrepit draws an other course, as having neither beginning nor end certain and terminable, and therefore can not be called an age distinct, and of itself: The same being easily seen in this, that it contains that residue of the life of man, wherein the body is made unwieldy with many infirmities, the which appears after a man be entered into old age and not afore, notwithstanding we seem to feel and suffer unwieldiness. So that, that part of the life which is so grievous, hath no certain beginning, seeing those infirmities come sooner to one then to an other, and endure either more or less according to the complexions of persons: and therefore that can not well be called an age complete, but rather part of an age.  
This estate decrepit hath been referred with great reason to the years of old age, being the last and extremest of all the other ages: For that, there remains no other thing to such as are come to it, but death. And for that such as live so long, are naturally subject to many grieves and sorrows, some men have called the end of this last age senium: An opinion fully conformable with the Scriptures: For, as it is here alleged that the state decrepit is the last part of the life of man and followeth old age. So the Scripture accounts the continuance and proportion of our life to threescore and ten years, referring the residue but to travail, and dolor. So that this part of the life so overladen with infirmities is that which we call state decrepit, and the Latins senium, being in deed the last age called old age. The best days of the life of men saith Virgil, are those which pass first: after the which succeed infirmities and diseases, yea and old age, which leads with him fearful death. Thus doth Virgil call old age a state troublesome and afflicted with infirmities, wherein if he had known the state decrepit to be separate from old age, and that he had taken it for an age of itself, he had given it community with those ills and infirmities whereof he speaketh, and not to old age, for that it is in the last and most extreme age that those miseries happen to man: Yea he makes no reckoning of any age after old age, for that next after it he makes account of death. The same proving sufficiently, that the state decrepit is not an age separate and distinct from old age, but contains a part of the same, which agreeth with the opinion of Isidore, and holdeth consent with the scriptures and with the Poets. In all which is no difference nor distinction between senectus and old age.  

A continuing of the discourse began, wherein is brought in an other opinion.  
WE have already showed two opinions touching the ages of the life of man, whereof the one appoints seven, and the other establisheth but six. But now will we adjoin an other which sets down in the life of man, but five ages; that is to say, Jnfancie, Paerilitie, Man's estate, Youth, and old age. Of this opinion is M. Terentius Varro in his Book of the original of the Latin tongue, & is also alleged by Servius in his comment of Virgil upon the fifth Book of Aeneidos. This opinion agreeth with the former and four first ages, which four there is no mean to impugn, seeing they have taken their names of the four diverse estates which we feel in our life. The first age is, when by reason of our very few years and indisposition of our body, we have no use of reason, nor full knowledge of things: this age we call Jnfancie or innocency, 
Infantia.  as an estate wherein man knoweth not yet what sin is.  
There is an other age wherein albeit man hath a certain use of reason, yet by reason of the inability of his person, he is not yet able to procreation: 
Puerilitas.  this age is called puerility or childhood continuing from eight years to fourteen, and it is the second age.  
There is an other age which gives to man the use of reason, and power of procreation, his body being not yet risen to his greatness and perfect force, but groweth still in strength & bigness: This third age is called Man's ectate, 
Adolescentia.  for that in it we take our greatness and stature although we grow still in force.  
There is an other age wherein man hath his strength accomplished and is apt to all actions possible to be done in any age whatsoever, this age is named Youth. 
inventus.  And for that these four mutations are so manifest, they are all resolved and concluded in these four ages, notwithstanding they have not said so of the ages following, and from thence is derived the diversity of opinions.  
M. Varro reckoneth but old age after these four ages afore recited, 
Old age.  taking youth (as I think) for the age wherein man is perfect in his forces, in his stature, & in his virtues natural, referring to old age all the time of declination or decaying of the natural forces of man: So that according to Varro old age should begin at fifty years, and endure until death. This opinion differeth from the former, in that the first putteth virility amongst the number of ages separating it from youth, where this encloseth it under the name & title of youth according to the judgement of Jsidore. And yet this opinion is contrary to the former, which makes old age and state decrepit two ages agreeing with the resolution of Jsidore, who accounts old age for the last age, and takes the state decrepit but for one part of it. Notwithstanding Varro differeth from Isidore, who, after youth establisheth the age of gravity or unwieldiness, of the which Varro makes no mention, following therein the first opinion, which toucheth nothing that grave and heavy age.   

Which of these opinions is most worthy.  
ALbeit there is never one of these three opinions which brings not with it his mean of defence and justification, as being all grounded upon causes which have their proper appearance and similitude with reason: Yet there is difference of authority between them, one being more antentike than an other: the same being the consideration why I hold the second best approved, and most reasonable.  
Touching the first opinion establishing two ages of old age, and state decrepit, it is contrary to all good authors, who have always taken old age for the last age of man, not meaning that the state decrepit was an age distinct, but a part of old age. Wherein if it be alleged that the decrepit state is not taken for the last part of the sixth age, for that it hath no beginning limited, nor any end determiminable, but that it is taken for the last age, which is limited in his beginning, notwithstanding it hath no end determinable, as beginning at threescore and ten years and lasting until death, and that this age also is that which some call old age. It may be answered that taking the terms and limits in that sort, thee agree with the first and second opinion touching the two last ages, and that there is no difference but in the names. So that we may conclude that the second opinion is more available than the first, for that it consents in names of the ages with the good authors and Poets. Wherein truly for things that lie in act and have been invented, those opinions that hold most conformetie with the judgements of good authors, aught to be reputed as most true. The third opinion advouched by M. Varo, albeit it be in some sort supportable, yet Jsidore satisfieth more at full, for that he puts unwieldiness for an age between youth and old age: For, first in that age men feel a manifest mutation which deserveth well to dear the name of age: Seeing that properly old age may be called that time wherein the judgement of man beginneth to fail & diminish, both by the greatness of age, and indisposition of the body and person.  
Touching youth, it is the flower of the age of man, since in that age he is man complete, and perfect in his forces, actions, and natural operations: but that age being past, all things that are in man begin to decline. Then it is that the force of the body, and virtues natural begin to wear and wax weak: Of which decay proceeds also a diminution of judgement and understanding. All which are discerned daily by ordinary experience, besides the reasons and arguments conducible to prove them: For, first experience showeth us that as man falleth in corporal strength, so his judgement begins to grow weak and frail: but the sense and understanding remain in purity and virtue. The reason is, for that the strength of the body and forces natural, are powers material, and subject to alteration and change. But the sense and understanding being not material, can not therefore fall into mutation but by some accident, and by the alteration of the body, according to the Doctrine of Aristotle, that the understanding waxeth not old, although the body doth. And therefore there may be sometimes wherein man may lose all his corporal forces, afore the understanding taste of any such infirmity: But to say that that time may be reduced into an age to call it old age, it can not well be so, for that the sense and understanding are weakened in old age: So that, that age may be called unwieldiness according to the Etymelogie of Isidore saying thus: Some think the Latins called old men senes, because of the debility of sense falling upon old men whom the greatness of age makes rave, and subject to incertain fancies.  
The natural Philosophers say also that fond men and idiots have for the most part their blood cold, as men wise and well compound have it hot and stirring: the same being the occasion that old men having their blood cold, and young children in whom it is not yet hot enough, are not resolute in their judgements: so that it is no great error to compare together old men and children, as equal in temperature. For, doting old men are foolish by the greatness of their age, and in young children is no power of judgement by reason of their minority. Secondly, this second opinion which establisheth only six ages is most commonly approved of wisemen, and agreeth with the judgement of Jsidore that the Philosophers have distinguished the life of man by those six terms. Thirdly this second opinion hath a similitude with the names which the greeks have attributed to ages, calling that which followeth youth Presbyter, and in place of old age they use geron: so that Presbyter is an other age then old age, as also Jsidore calls it Vnweldinesse. And sure those that stand in that estate and proportion of age, may be called neither young nor old, but occupy (as it were) a mean degree between both according to the opinion of Jsidore speaking thus.  
The sixth age saith he which is called Vnweldinesse is referred to such as enter into old age, and is as the decay and declination of youth falling into old age, and yet in true property is neither old age nor youth, but it contains even the self same which the Greeks call presbyter. This age begins at fifty, and ends at threescore and ten: Wherein if any would dispute by the words of Isidore, that the age of Vnweldinesse followeth old ages, and that it is an estate most near unto death by this Latin text of Jsidore, qu〈…〉 〈◊〉 senioris est graui●●s, etc. using the comparative se●●●ris. It may he answered, that senioris is taken here for one, that approacheth old age, even as adolescenti● in Latin signifieth one that is yet in his childhood and not yet so sufficient as he whom the Latins call adolescens.  
This phrase and manner of speech is common, and used for the most part amongst the Latin authors and Poeta as Ovid, Terence, with many others: So that we may hear apply signior to one that groweth near old age according to this judgement of Jsidore. He that the Latins call signior (saith he) is yet in his gréennes, and hath not shaked of the dispositions and disports of yourth, by which occasion Ovid saith such men are between young men and old men. For according to the Latins, adolescantiar meaneth not him that is more than a young man, but signifieth such one as is not yet entered into Man's estate, even as signior resembleth him that hath not yet challenged old age.   

The conclusion of this discourse, wherein the author is resolved that there be but three ages.  
THis hath been the chiefest industry of the Philosophers treating of ages, to establish how many there were, and how long every age that was to be limited might endure. But the Poet's haiel gone further, as dividing every age into their parts, assigning properly his beginning, his middle, and his end, according to the Doctrine of Aristoris that all things are drawn into those three. These may be referred to Puerilitas, Adolescentia, and juventus, assigning to every part of them their names, as in the pertition of Adolescentia, we may use the first estate, the perfect estate, and the state declining.  
Touching Jwentus, which begins at eight and twenty years, and continueth till fifty, containing in reminder two and twenty, there would fall to every part seven years, and some what more. And so the seven first years: continuing till two and forty, or thereabout, may be referred to youth perfect or thoroughly grown. And the seven last years continuing to fifty, are attributed to youth declining or decreasing.  
These ages thus distinguished by parts and manies, are divided even as is the life of man, which is reduced into these three years, beginning, midst, and end. The beginning contains the first part of the life, in the which man riseth still growing and increasing. The second part which is the mean, that largeth that estate of man that is fully grown which appeareth in his middle age. In the last part lieth the state declining, as in which man begins to decay and lose his natural force. This distinction is also observed in all ages: For, they have their beginnings, which is the first part, And the midst, being an estate best disposed: For, then is man his his flower and perfection, and the body hath then his best perfection, when man is established in his middle age.  
This manner of division of ages into three, is very familiar with the authors, who assign to even part his particular names. The three names afore recited have taken their beginning of M. varo to whom Servius wroat them upon the fifth book of the Eneidos of Virgil: But others using common phrases call these parts by these names, first, middle, and last, amongst whom Sallust saith that Mithrodoces coming to the Crown in his last puerilitye, killed his Mother that age lasketh seven years, beginning at seven, and continuing till fourteen, and so dividing it into three parts, every part contains two years, and somewhat more: and therefore we establish the last puerility between twelve and thirteen years, that is to say about four Months within the twelfth year, and it may continued to the end of the fourteenth month in which age Mithridates began to reign.  
Some call verdure or gréenesse the beginning of all ages, and that by the resemblance of trees, who first appear green afore they hear frente: and in experience and operation of nature we see every beginning of the age is green and lively: to the same meaning speaks Virgil, who deserybing the state and state and constitution of the body of Euriatus, saith he was excellent in beauty and in the gréenesse of youth, as if he had said he was in his first youth: This distinction is not observed only in ages, but also in the four seasons of the year, that is in spring time, in summer, in Autumn, and in Winter. All which seasons suffer their division into three parts even by the same means that the ages are distinguished. For, in common speech, we grieve unto Summer his first beginning, his midst which is called the heart, and the later part of Summer. This division carrieth great congruency of reason, for that every season of the year comprehends three months, and the course of the Sun by three signs of the Zodiac. The beginning of Summer which is in the first month, is called the first Summer, because he is as yet but newly challenged the Middle part which is in the second month, is the heart and perfect part of Summer as ●eing then in his greatest force and virtue. The end and third part of summer which is in the third month, is called the latter part or declining time of summer, as in which season the heat vanisheth and leaving the property of summer, it is converted into the nature of A●tumne, the same happening also to all the other seasons of the year according to the consent of the Astrologians, who speak of the seasons according to the nature and property of the Signs, by the which the Sun passeth during the said seasons which causeth the diversity of tunes. And as there his three Signs in every season by the which the Sun passeth in three months: So have the Authors attributed three names to every season according to the three Signs which reign in the same: As in summer there be the Signs of Cancer, Leo and Virgo, whereof the first is moving, the seconds fixed, and the third common. The first as called moving, for that the season is changed into it by conversion of the springe time into Summer. The second is fixed retaining firm abode and stability, for that whilst the Sun is in this Sign, the Summer remaineth in his offence, and is not changed into any other Season. The third is called common, for that whilst the sun is there, the season holds of the nature of Summer which passeth, and inclineth to Auntunure which cometh. The same may be said of other seasons, and they resembled in convenient property to the ages of man's life.    

Considerations for judges criminal, expressed in a familiar Letter from one friend to an other, wherein is used a necessary Authority of a Philosopher.  
CIcero in his discourse De amicitia, holds this opinion Si omnia facienda sunt quae a mici vellent, tales non sunt amicitiased coniurationes. If we should accomplish all things (saith he) aswell good as ill which our friends require of us, such friendship might rather be called conjuration of the wicked, than confederation of the good. For, albeit the law of friendship is hardly restrained to limit: yet, it is an error to make it an office passable to all actions without distinction of things, and consideration to the qualety of persons. Yea we must love our friends no further than the Altar that is, for our friends we must not corrupt religion nor conscience. Scaurus and Cattiline the tyrants of Rome, 
There can be no amity where is no virtue.  & Brutus and Cassius the murderers of Caesar held great league & confederacy together, but in no sort they could be called friends, for that there can be no true amity where is no virtue, and that friendship is most accursed and infamous, where men become friends to the end to be enemies to others. I am bold (sir) to use this entry into the answer of your last Letter, by the which you seem to put me in remembrance of your friendship and my ancient fidelity, having occasion now more than ever as you say to make trial of your friends to see if they will favour your absence with the same affection wherewith they were wont to faun upon you in your presence. For my part, I esteem myself of no less fidelity than you suppose, and do confess the honourable friendship you bear me, but under this condition, that you do nothing worthy of rebuke, 
The magistrate aught too do nothing of dishonour.  nor unworthy to be defended, since in a magistrate albeit there may be many things to be amended, yet he aught to do nothing worthy of dishonour nor to deserve blame. It brings no small grief unto me to hears what faltes are heaped against you touching your government in those parts, assuring you that if you had received Council of the Doctrine of the Philosopher, 
Science and experience the two principal pillars that uphold common weals.  you had not brought such passion to your friends, nor to your person such infamy and peril: Men that manage estates, or take charge to govern common weals, aught to be circumspect in that they do, and skilful to understand what they judge, seeing that science and experience are the two principal pillars that uphold common weals: we see many who albeit have read over the whole Volumes of the Laws, yet when they leave the universities and come to administer affairs of estate, they discover no small imperfections: For that he deserves not fully the name and reputation of a councillor at Law that knoweth only the body of the law, but he which can apply it in time and place: Seeing that to learn science a certain discourse of time sufficeth, but to put it to conference and use, there is requisite a deep and assured judgement. And therefore all humane Laws being grounded more upon reason then opinion, it happeneth oftentimes, that the man of the Country replenished with experience, holds better course in government and judgement, than the graduate raised to degrees of learning by the customs of the university. But now to debate with you somewhat more particularly, as I have always held you in the opinion of a man wise and learned, and also a judge and counsellor resolute: So, by your late abuses in those parts, heaped against you in great slander here, I am either otherways then I was wont to be, or at lest you are not the same that I have always esteemed you, seeing that having commission from the Prince to chastise a seditious Rebel both in body and goods, you are accused to have abused your authority with suspected favour to his person, and corrupt affection to his house and goods: having been so long a Councillor, 
No Rebellion excusable.  it is time for you to know that no rebellion is excusable, not though the oppression be intolerable, and it is as due justice in the Prince to execute a Rebel as to defend an innocent: seeing he doth but blow the Brand of sedition upon the head of the doers and so burneth them with their proper fire. O that pardon is wicked which brings with it the hazard of a Country, 
That pardon is wicked which brings with it the hazard of a country.  as on the contrary, most happy is that punishment wherein is wrought the safety of the state. To disobey the Prince, for not to break or pass the law, or to infringe the law to obey the Prince, be things that happen, albeit they aught not to be done: But (according to the property and effect of your action) to disobey the Prince, and be hold to break the law: I know not how better to refer it then to mere contempt and folly: For that in all ages and estates, that hath been a just observation of the law, when he that was a Traitor to the Prince, and a troubler of the Realm, was executed both in goods and life, and his house razed. But you have not only favoured the life of the Rebel with a suspected respite of his person, but also as one enticed with the beauty of his fair house, you have not defaced it as a monument of his offence, but seemed to reserve it for your special use and profit: Wherein you are far from the direction of the Philosopher. Nunquam deb et fieri iuditium in conspectu obiecti de quo judicandum est. If it happen (saith he) that any fair or rich thing fall into fault, let it not stand afore the eyes of the judge when he is to pronounce sentence, jest a covetous compassion of the thing prevail above the virtue of equity and reason: Homer recytes, that amongst the princes of Troy, there was great question, whether they should send home again fair Helen to her husband or not: In which dispute (such was the incertainty of their affections) they condemned her being absent, but eftsoons reabsolued her when she stood afore them bearing such compassion to her present beauty, that they had no power to do justice: Josephus likewise in his discourse of the wars of the Jews, saith, that the good Emperor Tyrus having subdued the Country of Judea, and taken the great City of jerusalem, when he beheld with judgement the rich and stately Temple of Solomon, the presence and majesty of the thing carried him into that compassion, that much less that he suffered it to be defaced or razed, seeing he gave straight order that no pillage or spoil should be offered to it, till he were gone out of Asia, and returned to Rome. In like sort it is written in the first Book of the Kings, that God commanded Kings Saul to arise and put to the Sword the Prince of the Amalechytes, and all the men, women and Cattles with out exception which he found: But Saul being subject to a corrupt Pity, killed only all the lean, weak and deformed cattle, sparing such as were fair and fat: For which disobedience the Lord was moved to Anger, and the King deprived of his kingdom. The good consul Marcus Marcellus seeing the Noble City of Sarragoce Burning, Commanded to Quench the fire, esteeming it great loss to burn things so fair and goodly. But if these Noble men and also your Lordship, had well studied the rule of Aristotle, That the thing rich and fair aught not to stand in the eyes of the judge at the time of Sentence, their error had not been so gennerall, nor your fault so apparent, with whom, seeing you are equal in offence, it is good reason you Communicate in pain and Punishment: Wherein it can not grieve me a little, that having in your hand the sword of justice, with credit to examine and execute, you have turned your duty into disobedience, and your office into negligence, the same géeving occasion to the kings officers here, not only to accuse you, but judge you unable to wield authority, and not worthy of place in the administration of affairs: Esteeming you no better than a Traitor, for that you have forborn to Punish Treason. But the mischief being happened, I wish you remember that in cases of offence, the next way to reconcilement, is the offer of Satisfaction or Submission, Assuring you that to a mind so gracious as is the kings, there is no offence so great which can not be either Pardoned or excused: Wherein as most of your friends here, are traveled to lament your misfortune, so for my part, you shall find me to labour to restore you to favour, not doubting but if you will express true Repentance, I will procure you Frank and ready forgéevenesse.   

A discourse of the antiquities of CORINTH, with an Exposition of the Proverb, Non cuivis contigis adire Corinthum.  
THere is in the greater Asia, a Province near to the confines of Greece, called Achaia of Cadmus who first reigned therein. It makes a turning in, or straight of the sea, near to the mount Asinius, where be two goodly Havens in old time named Tritonius and Magus, ready succours for ships coming from the East as wherein they may enter safely, and ride without peril. The ancient Historiens appointed to record the monuments of the Golden world, write, that Acolus of Greece, 
Sisyphus a great robber.  had a son called Sisyphus, of great and subtle experience all the days of his life in robbing and stealing, and of a wonderful boldness to any unlawful enterprise. This man for the security and retreat of himself and his companions, builded a Fortress as a Harbourugh to receive his spoils and pillages. He planted it at the foot of the Hill Jsosinius right upon a point of the Sea, to the end if he were pursued by sea, he might seek his safety on shore, & being invaded by land, he might have safe passage by Sea. This fort he called Ethrure which signifieth in the Syrien tongue Strength, or defence. For, to the same he brought all his spoils, and out of the same he issued always to do his robberies, but practising that trade both by sea and Land for the space of six and thirty years, in the end he fell into the correction of justice and paid the due retribution of his merits together with his confederates, the fort also which they had made for their defence being defaced and razed: Not many years after, were digged in the same place by poor Mariners, certain Caves for their retreat, and also to give succour to passengers sailing that way, the same bringing no small relief to strangers and great commodity to the poor Mariners: It happneed about that time, that the prince Corinthus only son to the king Orestes being driven out of his course by tempest and rage of Sea, arrived at that port much distempered & weary, and was received of the poor Mariners to his great relief and comfort. This Prince Corinthus was young, valiant, disposed, & very rich, & from his youth trained by his Father to scum the Sea and commit Islands to spoil: By mean of which tyrannies he was always subject to many enemies, who gave him occasion to make there his retrayt, and reedify the fortress of Sisyphus, finding in that place many things to the opportunity of his trade, he made the fort of a great thickness, and entrenched it with a most stately wall, building many small houses for habitation and resort of people calling it Corinthe of the nature of his own name: So that, the great and famous City of Corinthe, tyrants first builded it, tyrants always governed it, and tyrants lastly destroyed it. The beginning of the riches & wealth of Corinth, proceeded of the spoil of the famous and goodly City of Tire, which much about that time was reversed by the great Alexander, the Citizen's repairing to Corinth & carrying with them such great foison of Merchandise of Asia and Greece which made Corinth boch rich and renowned. The Salamins, the Athenians, and the Corinthians, people very ancient and famous, had long time amongst them great difference and wars, and all for that the envy of the one could not endure the glory of the other, albeit the estate of Corinthe continued longer than the two others: For, first Athens was destroyed by Ptholome, and Salamana by Arfctades, and lastly Corinthe was reversed by the Consul Scaurus: It was the chief and Metropolitan of all the Province of Achaia, wherein was always holden the resort or Residence of the Prince: And in it was always kept the Stamp or Mint of all the Money that Served the Province. It happened to Corinthe, as oftentimes it chanceth to other great Common Weals and Cities, that sometimes it was governed by Kings, sometimes by tyrants, and sometimes by Popularytie: Amongst whom though there was diversity of state and dignity, yet they suffered no difference of rule and Policy, for that the Common Weal was always under Tyranny and oppression.  
Amongst others, there was in this City a rich Tyrant, famous, and full of vice, named Herius: He builded in the midst of the City a most sumptuous Temple, and Dedicated it to the Goddess Venus the Solicitor and Patron of Lovers and fraule loves, within which Cursed. Temple were enclosed more than five Hundred of the fairest maids of Asia, whom their Parents did there Consecrated to the Goddess Venus, to the end they might be Lovers and stales to draw Lovers to them, holding her for most Religious and Holy, which was most Amorous and dissolute. And upon Condition that they issued not out of the house, every one of them had liberty to Sin, accompanying with whom she liked best, and in what sort she would: so that their Religion consisted not to be good Women, but to be most kept in and and not go abroad, using their private houses, not to straytnesse and chastity of life, but to a liberty to sin without controlment. This Law was well observed amongst them, that if any of them were disposed to take a Husband, she should first gain her marriage portion by the sweat and infamy of her body, having withal this foul prerogative, that being married, she might also call unto her the company of a friend, for that, being consecrated to the Gods of love, they would not loose their names nor practice of lovers: Their filthiness was so great that they could brook no society of a wife or widow in that college: but received all maids, who in short time, of virgins dedicated, become women abandoned. They were Cunning in music, & studied stories and books of love, which to their beauty and youth, gave such further power of enticement, that there were none escaped their hands which were not either plumed or plucked.  
The Histories bear witness, that there was no people nor Province in all Asia, where was greater resort and Traffyke of all Merchandise then at Corinthe, and where was better workmanship of Gold, Silver, Leather, Brass, and other metal: And about the City great abundance of Corn, Wine, Oil, Honey, Saffron, Silk, Linen, and so many sorts of commodities, that the inhabytauntes would vaunt that it was a region more convenient for the Gods, then worthy of men. And for Flesh, Fish, and spices coming as well by Sea as Land, it was so prodigally furnished, that it made the Citizens swell in vice and sin, and gave occasion to strangers to be more effeminate and delicate. And therefore as well by the occasion of the Gold and Silver that there was stampped, the Scarlet, Silk, and fine coollered cloth there made: as also the liberty of vices annexed to the place, there was such haunt and frequentation of diverse nations, that in greatness, Corinth seemed a second Babylon, and in abundance an other Memphis. The liberty and freedom of the place drew many not only out of Asia but from the furthest part of Europe, to inhabit at Corinth, to whom was given such reputation of wealth and dignity, that if there were any man in any part of Asia very wealthy and rich, he was called by a common phrase a Corinthian. Also in this city dwelled & died the most fair & famous Courtesan Lais, whose love was the guide that led many notable men to their destruction. Of this woman it is written that she was of goodly personag, her aspect sweet and drawing, her speech gracious and pleasing, her hair aberne & disposed into locks, honourable in liberality, sumptuous in attire, temperate in reasoning, and grave in answers, and lastly altogether given to amorous conversation, by occasion whereof she was sought unto not only by the great princes of Asia, but by even the mightiest potentates of Europe, making greater industry to be received in to her service then to achieve any great enterprise. Amongst others the Philosopher Demosthenes, practising a covenant of Love with her, and she Demanding a greater sum of money perhaps then agreed with his ability, he answered that he would not so dearly buy the hazard of his person and honour in a thing which he shall no sooner have done, than he féels thesting of remorse and repentance.  
In the consideration of all these things it may be presupposed that the Proverb took his invention by one of those three reasons. The first, that as the City of Corinth was rich and plentiful in variety of merchandise, furnised with vitteiles, and full of vices: so it happened that many or the most part of such as drew thither out of diverse and far countries, either they died by the way, or perished in the Sea.  
The second, by reason of the fame of Lais remaining there, many princes and great Lords of sundry regions coming thither for her service, returned so well plumed, as she had whereupon to smile, and they good occasion to complain.  
The third reason may be referred to the Temple of the Goddess Venus beautified with five hundredth fair amorous maids, to whom many resorting, many perished, and many biting of such baits, many swallowed up the poison of their destruction, and left behind them their life and goods. So that we may conclude that of these occasions roase this common Adage, Take heed of going to Corinth, beware what you do at Corinth, for Corinth is not for all men. As also the Proverb, Non omnium est adire Corinthum, Sprung either by the danger to come thither or by the occasion of the amorous Lays dwelling there or by the rereligion of the Temple of the infamous maids, or lastly by the liberty of vices suffered in the City.   

That we aught rather to present before God the love which we bear him, than the services we do to him.  

Ecce quem amas infirmatur.  LAzarus, one of the notablest of Jerusalem & a secret Disciple of jesus Christ, and brother to Martha and Mary, being grievously sick, his sister's wrote to jesus Christ a letter, containing only these few words, Lord he whom thou lovest, is sick: At the contemplation whereof jesus Christ, not without great contrariety of his followers, and no small peril to his person, determined to go and comfort the two desolate sisters, and raise again Lazarus, amazing the world with a miracle right high and execellent: And albeit the pharisees were in conspiracy against him, & the jews troubled: albeit his Apostles were in fear, and his Disciples not well assured, yet immediately after he had considered of the Loving Words of the Letter, he forgot all fear and turned the pre-present view of so many perils, into an inward fervency of zeal and love. And albeit in cases of petition, it can not be amiss to use persuasions of devotion at large: Yet God knowing the quality and intention of the heart, requires not so much copy of speech, as humility of the spirit, as appeareth by the manner of this Letter, which neither in the beginning nor in the end, nor in the matter, contained but the words aforesaid: giving us to understand, that having our love once fixed in God, it sufficeth to make unto him only a sign, without troubling him with importunity of words, since such as be true lovers and practisers in the matter of love, aught more to think then speak. Great is the difference béetwéene the love which we bear to jesus Christ and that he beareth to us, as is well proved in the zeal of these two holy women, who durst not communicate with jesus Christ the love that they bore him, and much less the affeciton of their Brother: only they referred him to the love which he bore unto Lazarus saying, He whom thou lovest etc. The better to make us know that if the Lord did not put in the Balance of our justice, some little poise or weight of his love, he would give us but a little, seeing our love is so small a thing. The vain lovers of the World have this custom, to reproach the affection they bear one to an other, which much less that it is tolerable amongst the servants of God, seeing they aught to make so small account of their love, as not to demand any thing they pretend but by the mean and virtue of his love: For, so high & sovereign is the commandment of the love of God, that only in this mortal life we can not scarcely learn it, and in the other world of joys fully accomplish it. 
Exod.  Facti sumus ut immundi, et omnes justiciae nostrae sum quasi pannus etc. Esay speaking of the multitude of his sins, and his little merit, speaking also in the person of sinners, crieth out: The synagogue and I are unclean and great sinners, and what good works so ever we seem to have done, after they come to be examined in the sight of God, they bear such staymes, infection, and corruption, that we find our own shame to present them afore him. Wherein the Prophet hath great occasion to exclaim that all our desires and affections are fleshly and corrupt, seeing that with the self same heart wherewith we aught to love God, we love also our Children, our neighbours, and our Parents, Yea sometimes we transfer that affection to our unlawful friends, seeking out of one mould to draw an apple of Gold, and boollettes of earth. But the love which God bears us is not of such frail condition, seeing (as hath been said) he loves us with the self-same zeal he loves himself, so inuoluing us in his proper affection, that as of himself he is but one, so he hath but one self and infallible affection, notwithstanding, such as he favoureth most, he followeth with a strong zeal, and the others with a love not so fervent. So that it is good we stand at this resolution that when the Lords calls us to account, we do not recommend unto him the services we have done, but rather to put him in remembrance of the great affection we have borne him. For otherways if he bestow on us one only day of life, it is sufficient for the hire and recompense of all our transitory time.  
Eme a me aurum ignitum ut locuples fi●s Saith God to the Bishop of Laodecia, as it is set down in the text of the apocalypse: Thou which art poor and haste a desire to be Rich, I advise thee to come and buy of the fine Gold which I have freshly purified and drawn out of the furnace, and do keep it within my treasury. What meaneth this that the Lord hath spoken, that who will not renounce all that he Possesseth can not be his Disciple, and yet he invites us to his shop to buy fine Gold. And albeit he Command us to buy any thing, why must it necessarily be Gold? though the Ware we buy be Gold, why aught it to be so fine: and being so fine, wherefore persuades he us to buy it only of him? And coming to buy it of him, why doth he Cell it so flaming and Burning? And although we must buy it Burning, why hath he not set a Price and weight if of? And seeing he invites men to buy it, why doth he not set it out with more praise and Commendation? But such are the gracious means and bounty of the Lord, the he speaks not to us as a Master to his Servants, but as a Brother, using the Nature and Phrase of a very familiar and gracious friend. By this we have to consider that by how much, Gold is a thing most esteemed, best beloved, and of all other riches with greatest importunity desired, by so much love is the virtue that most delights us, that above all other we honour, and that more than any other doth content us: For the heart that is inflamed with the love of God, makes a base Estimation of all the other riches and Treasures of the World: And of all the Particular things under Heaven, love could not be better resembled then to Gold, nor Gold more equally Compared then to love. For a there is nothing how rich so ever it be which is not to be bought with Gold, so if love be the worker, there is nothing so hard and difficult, which by the operation of love is not made easy and passable: where by it followeth that the heart which is wounded with love, takes his rest & solace in service, & in reapposing, takes pain and travel. And therefore he that loveth and makes difficulty to do that he is commanded & searcheth excuse in things he is required, that man deserveth not to be called a lover, but a scorner: such one hath no heart of Gold but a mind fashioned of Dross and filth: Seeing that in the house of God, and where his love is in office, there aught to be no Excuse of things Required, nor Denial to do that is commanded. O that God gives a great grace to that man on whom he béestoweth a heart of massive and weighty Gold, as of the contrary, wretchedness is his portion whose heart is vain, light, and hollow: against such men the Prophet bears witness. Cor eorum vanum est, 
Psalm. 5.  For that the heart is the furnace wherein are framed all our desires and passions, and the forge whereon are Beaten all our traveles and actions. God saith then that that which he selleth unto us, is no other thing than gold inflamed. that is Gold Purified and Burning: Wherein is. given us to know, that from that instant that the Love of God hath touched our heart, it will always burn, it will always pray, it will always sight, and it will never cease to love: The love of God being of such quality that in what mind so ever he makes his abode, he will not suffer to remain any ill, wickedness, or idleness. Gold inflamed is sewer the love of the Lord, seeing that with his sparcklinge flames it kindleth our understanding, inflameth our heart, warmeth our will, and burneth to ashes our offences: Yea, at the heat of that fire the elect are warmed, and the reprobat smothered: but the zeal of the lovers of the world is not Gold inflamed, for that it is entangled with this property, to Burn without warming, and to make Weary without resting, it scorcheth and not purifieth, it terryfyeth and not assureth, and killeth without remedy. The metal which is sold in the shop of the world is not Gold but Lead, is not substance but scum, yea it is rather dross than Gold, seeing that such as love with the affection of the world, are even those that come out of it in the end most smeared and corrupted.  
The love which the Lord selleth is not only Gold inflamed, but very well refined and proved: The first proof passing in himself in the tree of the Cross, and received confirmation by the Martyrdom of Saint Peter and others, by whose passions and torments the love of jesus Christ was well ratified and approved: Quando apostoli ibant à conspectu concilij, quoniam digni habiti sunt pro nomine Jesus contumeliam pati. Right worthily was approved within their hearts the love of Christ, seeing they went to their execution better contented and glad, than all the Princes of the world, when they go to receive the crown of a kingdom Right well was approved the love of jesus Christ within the heart of S. Paul, when he said ego Paulus vinctus in domino, holding himself more happy to be fettered in chains for the love of God, then if he had been raised to the greatest principality of the earth.  
Touching the love of the world, frail and vain, with greater reason we may call it reproved then approved, seeing one man loves not an other but for respect of interest and commodity. So that as the servants of God love him with all their power, including no other reason then the consideration of his greatness and mercy: So worldly men love one an other no longer, nor no more than there is possibility of gain and recompense, and therefore deserveth to be called and affection reprobate, for that it bears regard to the benefit and not to the matter. In this part of the text we have also to consider, that the Lord willeth us not to buy gold of any other then of him, offering it to us of himself both purified and burning, and all to instruct us, that it is he only of whom we are to obtain grace to love him, and love to serve him. Besides, this gold of the love of the Lord will not be communicated to us for nothing, lest we should esteem it little: Neither is it to be sold to us at a dear price, to the end we refuse it not, and much less will it be prised, because it is without value and estimation: only all that is required of us, is, that we retribute unto the Lord, love for love, and give our affection in recompense and change of his. And seeing our love is ambitious and blind in worldly things, and altogether carried to light and strange desires: Let not that man think he gives little, who unto jesus Christ gives his whole heart. And he, since he selleth not to us but love sincere and holy, let us not in interchange return to him affections feigned, infected, and doubtful: great is the zeal of Christ, who being love, and the better to lead our affections, he teacheth us how to love. The Lord make us as we aught to be, to the end we may the better minister to his commandments and service: and seeing he is the true Lord that hath made us of earth, and referred us eftsoons to the destiny of the earth, and that we have nothing to give in exchange for his love of gold, but a small affection, and that cankared and infected. Let us beseech him, that our corrupt dross may be made acceptable to him, and his precious and purified gold become profitable to our salvation.   

A short Letter partly in rebuke and partly in persuasion.  
WHen the misery of others will not make you keep a mean with your fortune, nor the experience of harms past, touch you in example and warning: I see no other safety remaining, then may be hoped for in a ship, who tossed with many storms seeks her security where the sea goeth most high and raging. But being happy in friends, you live careless of chances, esteeming yourself subject to the sentence of Solomon, that that which the evil man feareth shall assuredly happen unto him. I understand by your messenger the state of your perplexity, together with the possibility of your peril, if present policy be not used: for the which I am so much the more sorry by how much our friendship is ancient, and so much the less careless, by how much it ministereth interest to our common alliance: (Two qualities of such fast conjunction, that nothing can dissolve them, for that alliance is congealed in the blood, and friendship makes his knot in the heart: as touching the regard of a friend, I marvel I have not heard of you thus long; for that amongst friends, when their persons are divided, the next office is to communicate by intelligence: but remembering that forgetfulness is a sweet error, I have long since cut of all expectation to hear front you, specially since you have dedicated yourself to sanctuaries, churchyards, and churches of refuge, where I think you establish your resort not so much for devotion and remorse, as to give cooler to some abuse and wrong. Remember that to offend God, and disobey justice, is an act so duly deserving punishment, that there is no doubt of the revenge, though not upon the person of the imediat offender, yet upon the posterity & generation of his house: this being an infallible rule in the revenge of God, that when he deferreth, he striketh with more vehemency, redoubling the blow according to the time he spareth to strike. I pray you tell m●, if it be ill done to hurt an other, why is it your practice, and if it be a virtue to make restitution, why forbear you to satisfy the wrongs you have done: For my part, I can not account it either to honour or valiancy for a man, to put himself in necessity for the safety of his person, eschewing the face of justice: no more is it wisdom in any man to offer his life to peril in hope of remedy. I doubt whether at this instant, you stand in greater necessity of counsel then of relief, for that they be two miseries that go jointly with afflictions. Amongst all your other friends debating of your fortune, I pray you think that to give you counsel I am very young, & to minister to your wants, I am a religious man: And yet, by the virtue of our friendship, I can not but sand to you, though not to satisfy you, yet to show myself careful, hoping, that seeing my faculty stretcheth no further, you will accept my good will, since that who giveth what he hath, can show no greater liberality.  
Touching your business, I wish you to withdraw yourself from thence, and be more familiar here, by which mean you shallbe further divided from your adversaries, and found your judges more favourable, the same being also a degree to appease the minds of your enemies if you cease to search them further, that being the greatest revenge you can give to make small estimation of your enemies. There is no love that weareth not, nor hatred that endeth not, if we give place to time, and cut occasions from us: For, as tract of time carrieth with it a law of forgetfulness of things past, so when the lover discontinueth, and the enemy is absent, the love is turned into forgetfulness, and the hatred into a mountain of smoke. Who willbe free from blame, must not only forbear to do ill, but eschew the suspicion: even so to purchase quiet, it is good to do no wrong, but to keep us from quarrel, it is necessary to cut of occasions.  
By the importunity of your request to solicit your cause, you seem to hold my friendship suspected: Wherein your error is so much the greater, by how much you know your business finds favour by my diligence and industry. And yourself can give good testimony that from the beginning my friendship hath been greater than your merit, and in my care and counsel have consisted the whole course of your well doing: so that I wish your condition better tempered, then to be bitter in hatred, and suspicious in friendship. You aught to know that in all things there is mean, but in the conversation of a friend, with whom this is chiefly to be observed, either altogether to forsake him, or wholly to trust him, assuring you that that man is no friend that retaineth distrust, seeing friendship requireth faith and merit. Among true friends nothing aught to be rejected, nor any thing to deserve suspicion. And albeit it is not out of policy to stand in distrust & doubt of our enemy, yet so simple aught we to be towards our friend, as in his bosom to power our secrets, and not to be jealous of any counsel he giveth, since true friendship can brook no distrust, and where is no treason, there can be no possibility of deceit.   

A Letter of a dainty Lady fallen sick for the death of her little dog.  
Madam, taking the opportunity as it is, I am bold to writ to you, not so much to comfort your sorrow, as to rebuke the occasion, esteeming me so much the less apt to minister remedy, by how much your disease is particular, light, and fantastic. Amongst such as are sick, it is a ready degree to amendment, to reappose hope in their Physician: even so where the cause is more than natural, there the office of the Physician is but vain, for that the patiented languisheth more by opinion than by infirmity. It ill becomes the Physician to laughed at the grief of his Patient, and yet the cause being found vain and easy, there is no reason he should make sorrow where the cure is neither desperate nor doubtful: and more doth it concerme the comfort of the sick, that he be merry with the passion of his Patient, then to dissemble a heaviness in that which of itself is both light and frivolous. It hath been always a condition of the world that where some perished, others found safety, where one received honour, an other suffered infamy: And where some found cause to smile and laugh, others are followed with tears & weeping, all proceeding of the instability and change that followeth all the things of the world. And as in one place of the sea we see the water calm and mild, and in an other full of tempest and storm: and one part of the land disposed to diversity of weathers, and an other quarter all clear and resolved. So it happeneth many times to the Children of men, that according to their diversity of complexions, they bring forth variety of Passion, some suffering sickness, when others enjoy health, many subject to malencolly, when others delight to be merry, and sundry feel the headache with laughing, when the rest get sore eyes with tears and weeping. So that it being a thing sure, that calms succeed storms, and storms follow fair weather, it is good that none swell and rise high in prosperity, and much less be doubtful in adversity: For that in the end there is no perplexity which weareth not, nor any pleasure which loseth not his proper quality. And as all things are to be taken in one of these three sorts, either to lament them, laugh at them, or dissemble them. So, good Madam, your Passion (rising but for the loss of your little Dog,) deserveth more to be laughed at then dissembled, seeing that as you loved it vainly, so, though you weep for it, yet your sorrow can not be but light. Our Mother Eve sorrowed for her son Abel, and Mary Magdalen wept for her sins: but you bearing little compassion to your present offences, and less consideration to your virtues past, forbear not to shed tears for the loss of your little Dog. A passion heretofore never expressed by any, and much less convenient to your reputation & gravity: For that to great Ladies striving to be holden modest and virtuous, it aught to be a chief care to avoid the imputation of vanity & lightness. And true tears being no other thing the drops of blood which distill from the heart by the eyes, there is nothing wherein we can express better effect of true affection, then to weep for the loss of our friend: For that the sorrowful heart being enclosed within the entrails, having neither feet to go, nor hands to make signs, he manifesteth by mouth that which he loveth, and by his tears makes declaration of his pain. By which argument (good Madam) I say it can not be but you bear no small affection to your little Dog, seeing you mourn for him with so great appearance of sorrow. The tongue publisheth nothing but our thoughts, but in the tears is expressed the true property of our affection, whereupon it followeth, that though in men and women be found sometime a custom of feigned words, yet, it can not be but their tears for the most part are true and simple. And therefore it is a false testimony against women to say that their tears be always feigned, although in this they may dissemble, when they weep for one thing, to say it is for an other, being a property very familiar with the most of them to have two colours to one meaning, and (as the saying is) to bear two complexions in one face. This I have said for the defence of your sighs, and in favour of your tears, which I think you have shed with small devotion, although with very frank and good heart, seeing (according to the reapport) you have been ever since travailed with an Ague, and exercised in those passions that keep you continually in your Bed. But to use plainness (according to my profession) I can not marvel so much at your tears, as I am sorry that so small a thing should make you to weep, being a thing more virtuous to lament your sins, then to be heavy for the loss of your little puppy. And I can not with patience believe, that being as you are, both noble & honourable, & therewithal reputed wise & virtuous, you have bestowed your love on a thing so vile & base seeing that such are they that love, as is the thing that they love: For that so great is the force of love, that he that loveth, suffereth conversion into the thing which he loveth, & therefore to love things reasonable belongs to the affections of men, but in loving things brute & insensible, we cannot but be made like unto them. Your friends here bear some shame, that you have chosen so base a subject to govern your affection, & (not without reason) do your enemy's smile, & your friends mourn at it, for that it is contrary to the virtue and reputation of any, either to fix their eyes, or occupy their thoughts, but where the heart may be well employed, and the love gratified. The best part of the body is the heart, and the most precious jewel of the heart, is the affection, which if it be not well employed, the party may esteem himself unhappy, for that in that man there can be possibility to live well, in whom is no proof or mean of honest affection. What property of love should you bear to your little puppy, from who you could draw no other pleasure, then to array your garments with hairs, to make a noise in your chamber when you would sleep, to fill you full of fleas, and to be always in fear to be stolen from you, all which conclude against your wisdom, for mourning for a thing so harmful and of so base importance. To love a little dog, a Monkey, a Parrot, or other singing Bird, is not ill, nor dishonest, if your affection be joined to this condition, not to follow them otherways then with your eyes to behold them, and your ears to hear them, not esteeming them worthy of other affection: Seeing that of such things we may make our service and solace without jealousy to keep them, or compassion to lose them. Yea to make sorrow for such trifles, exceeds the limits of an honourable Lady, & is contrary to the office of a good Christian. Wherein, if I were the judge afore whom should be debated the love you bear to your little Dog, and the transgressions of your life, sure I could not but laugh at the folly of the one, and weep for the Offences of the other. It is Written that the great Alexander buried his horse, the Emperor Augustus his Parrot, and Prince Heliogabalus made a grave for his Sparrow. at whose obsequies he prayed, and caused the body to be embawmed. If you had hard or read of these, it may be by their example, you would have built a a tomb for your little Dog, although I account to worse purpose the tears you have let fall for him, than the sepulchres and ceremonies which those Pagans' made for their dead beasts. And so good Madam, God give you a spirit to weep for your sins, and a mind to leave of to movone for things vain and transitory.   

To an old Gentleman enamoured of a young Lady: this letter toucheth the perplexities which amorous Dames give to their servants and friends.  
AFter so long silence, I would some better occasion, had been given, then to recontinue our ancient quarrel, wherein is no expectation of other effect, then happeneth by the Chirurgeon when he cometh to reave in an old wound, which, by how much more it hath discontinued the use and service of plaesters, by so much doth it bring pain to the patiented, suffering the new opening of his hurt. And albeit amongst friends there can not be a more necessary action then to minister counsel, the same being the first effect of that faith and virtue which aught to be considered in the election of friends. Yet, to some men it is hateful to be counseled in things contrary to their will and affection, esteeming it better to devil in the lust of their particular desires, then to be warned, even as the miserable patient finds it sweeter to give liberty to his wound, then to suffer it to have cure with a little pain in the beginning.  
But, for my part, having joined always our long friendship, an honest care of your well-doing: I can not hold myself discharged in office, if I debate not frankly the estate of your ancient abuses, although there remains no expectation of other fruit than happeneth to the Chirurgeon, who coming to uncover an old wound long corrupted, seems grievous to his patient. I perceive by your letter you are fallen into a practice of new loves, which being a new hurt to your old wound, you seem also to demand a new remedy at my hand, as though I had the faculty, both to let blood and close up the vain. I would I were with you, for that having liberty to communicate, there may be many things spoken, which are not convenient to be written. But more do I wish that you would have used me in an other office, since for matters of love, you are not now in age to follow it, and much less is it consonant to my gravity to give you counsel, my habit, my authority, & my place being all against it. It is not to you and me to whom it belongeth to solicit in love, and much less are we subjects wherein he takes his delights, grace & recreation. For that you being laden with years, and I tied to my profession, in you is expressed too great debility, and in me no less want of liberty. Believe not that your love, is true love, but rather sorrow, not joy, but perplexity, not delight, but torment: not contentment, but grief: not honest recreation, but very confusion: Seeing that in him that is a lover, must be looked for, youth, liberty, and liberality. Straw that is rotten and become dung, is better to fat land, then to lay upon a house: and in a body broken and aged, is more use and service of sorrow and infirmities, than possibility to suffer, bear passion, and solicit in love: For that to Cupid and Venus are not acceptable any sorts of people, but young men to serve them, such as are liberal to spare for no cost, patiented to endure, discreet to speak, secret to conceal, faithful to deserve, and constant to continued to the end. It is a misery to be poor and proud, to be revengeful and dare not strike, to be sick and far from succour, to be subject to our enemies, and lastly to suffer peril of life without refuge. But for an old man to be in love, is the greatest wretchedness that can travel the life of man: For, the pooreman sometimes findeth pity, but the old lover stands always rejected. The coward finds friends to bear out his quarrels, but the amorous old man lives always persecuted with passions. He that is sick lives under the climate of God's providence, where the amorous old man is abandoned of all succour. He that is subject to his enemies, is not sometimes without his seasons of consolation and quiet, where, to the old lover is no time of truce nor hope of reconcilement. Lastly there is no peril of life so desperate which may not be foreseen or suffered: where the estate of the amorous old man is joined always to danger. He is always vexed with scorns of his Lady, defaced by his neighbours, rob of his servants, and serviceable even to the seasons and appointments of Bawds, who are not without their powders whose property is to trouble his sleep on the night, and keep him jealous on the day, leading his mind in Ague fits, sometimes hot and sometimes cold, sometimes glad, and sometimes sorrowful, someiimes doubtful, and sometimes assured, and always in expectation but never satisfied. By mean whereof I hold all the faculties and sciences of the world possible to be learned, but the trade to love, which Solomon was too ignorant to writ, and Ovid not able to set down in rule & precept. For that it only is a doctrine that aught to be drawn out of the school of the heart, and guided by true and perfect discretion. There is nothing that more requireth government then the practice of love: seeing that in cases of hunger, thirst, cold, heat, and all other natural influences, they may be referred to Passions sensible only to the body: But the follies and faults that are done in love, the heart is subject to suffer, feel, and bewail them, since love, more than all other things natural, retaineth always this property, to exercise tyranny chiefly against the hearts of his subjects.  
The better to establish stability, assurance & constancy, it behoveth such as do love to be equal: For, if she be young & he old, if he be private and she a wanderer, if she a niggard & he prodigal: If he civil, and she rude: if she discreet and he foolish: if lastly he love and she hate: There is no doubt but unperfect loves will resolve into jars, contentions, and continual disquiets. For that, where is not conformity of condition, there can be no contented love, no more than where is no true faith, can be no true operation of good life and manners. It is impossible to an old man and a lover to be without sorrow or suspicion: For that jealousy is joined to love as the Briare is to the Rose, and passion followeth old age, as the shadow doth the man. Why should then a man of your age containing more than threescore years, plucked with aches and pinched with the gout, seek the company of a young, fair, and amorous Lady, who will study more to plume upon you, then to please you, esteeming you for no other use, then to minister to her wants, give cooler to her lightness, & protect her abuses? For, being not able to please her eye, you must perform her prodigalities: and being impotent to delight her, your office must be to suffer an other to supply that which you are not able to satisfy. Why desire you the company of a friend, seeing between you and her can pass no other community or conversation, then to read Riddles & dreams, and tell tales, complaining that of the day you have no stomach to meat, and on the night you do nothing but account the hours, and exercise hateful to women, & a custom intolerable such as have been enured to men of better complexion? Why seek you a friend, seeing you have no power to entertain her, no patience to endure her, nor age to possess her: For that amongst women this is infallibly observed, that if their friend be poor, they disdain him, if he be waspish they seek to vex him further: and being old, they scorn their age, and seek their recompense of others? What fruit look you to draw from a friend, seeing you are not able to tell her in order the passions you endure for her, nor the felicities you wish to her: All women for the most part inclining to this glory, to hear of the torments of their friends, and to see their servants labour to be serviceable. How can you desire the society of a friend, seeing, if you writ not to her on the day, you are sure to found her froward at night, and bestowing no present upon her, she will return recompense to your discontentment: For being not courted with songs and letters to extol her beauty, and not visited with presents to please her ambition: O it were more safe to behold a Cockatrice, then hope for pity in her face. Why desire you a friend, seeing you must deny her nothing she demands, nor mislike with any displeasure she doth to you: For, women being denied (not considering their own unworthiness) construe it to the despite of the party for whom they prepare revenge, And if you make not their displeasure your felicity, they will charge you with want of love, and affronted you with toys to your perpetual disquiet. Why keep you a friend, to whom you must not minister according to your port and haviour, but according to her folly and ambition: For, a friend marcenarie in love, is not subject to allowance, and much less regards the proportion of him that entertaineth her, but being compounded upon insatiable humours, she is never satisfied, till she see him utterly spoiled. Why require you a friend, seeing you must not fail to thank her for the favours you receive, and hold it a duty to bear her displeasures: For, in them though there be but little merit, yet they look for great recompense, and if they do nothing but vex you, yet you must judge all to the best, and take nothing to blame. Why seek you a friend, seeing when she flattereth you most, it is not to content you, but under this intention to draw something from you: For, women to work their desires, can turn themselves into so many subtleties and sugared humilities, as the Chameleon into colours, or the juggler into strange devices to deceive the beholders. And if you have a friend, you must enforce yourself to laugh even when the dollars of your Gout provokes you most to cry. And afore you have had full possession of her, she will cast you up laden with sorrow, care, jealousy, and all other troublesome infirmities, and for recompense join herself to an other with whom she will laugh to see you poor, impotent, deceived, and spoiled. And therefore to one of your age and subjection to sickness, it were better to delight in the conversation of some honest companion to cherish and recreate you, then in the company of a young Lady to make your days troublesome.  
Samocratius, Nigidius, and Ovid, have written many volumes of the remedy of love, wherein they rather taught remedy to others, than found any themselves, for that they all three died in persecution, not for the abuses they committed at Rome, but for the loves they practised at Capua. Let them say what they will, and surmise that best may please their fancy, but according to experience, the best remedy in love, is to eschew conversation, and avoid occasion: for that of many that follow him, there are few free from his bondage, where such as abandon him live always in liberty. Take heed therefore you devil not long in that temptation, seeing it is not convenient for your soul, your body, your honour, nor profit of your house, assuring you that more shall you hasten your death by the perplexities of your Mistress, then by the torment or dolor of the Gout. And so I pray you keep me still in your favour, and command me always as your own.   

A Letter answering certain particular requests from the Court, and that it is not convenient to visit often those women whose husbands be absent.  
IT is written, in praise of the liberality of Alexander the great, that one Byance a poor soldier of his, ask some small portion for the marriage of his daughter: he gave him a City rich and populous. The greatness of the gift so far exceeded the capacity of the poor soldier that the desired Alexander eftsoons to consider better what he gave, and to whom he gave it: For (saith he) it may be, your greatness takes me for an other than I am, or at lest understands not what I demand: To whom the king answered. Take what I give thee and be contented, since if thou be Byance that askest, I am Alexander that giveth. In like sort the great Queen Cleopatra, albeit she was of amorous life, yet otherways she exercised great liberalities, never giving to any man so little which was not sufficient to relieve his present wants, and keep him from misery all the rest of his life. These two examples I have used (sir) to publish your liberality, that sending to you for a small thing, you returned my messenger so laden with rewards, that the world may see, that if I have the poverty of Byance, in you is expressed the liberality of Alexander: And by the testimony of this letter, all men may approve my demand, and give commendation to your bounty, seeing I showed no ambition in my request, nor you expressed want of liberality in your recompense. You writ tie me to advertise you how the Lady Angelo my neighbour and your Aunt doth: since the departure of her husband I have not seen her, nor mean to go to her, 
It is not convenient to visit often an other man's wife in the absence of her husband.  unless she sand for me: For that, to women whose husbands are absent, albeit we are bound to aid them, yet we have no licence to visit them often: A wife being the dearest of the two things (according to the common saying) which we aught not to lend, nor commit to the trust of any other.  
Lucrece, living private during the absence of her husband, fell by force into the rape of Tarqvinius, by which vile act, Rome suffered slander, the wars broke up, Lucrece killed herself, and Tarquin was destroyed. So that to the wives of our friends, it is sufficient to minister to their wants if they have need, or protect them, if there be cause of oppression, without visiting them often, and much less to entertain discourse with them. Seeing the malice of men is so great, and the honour of women so delicate, that in often resort the world takes occasion to raise brutes, and their husbands not without advantage to be discontented. I have spoken to the Chancellor about your business, wherein though you prevail not to your desire, yet there shallbe no fault in my solicitation. In him that hath business in Court, aught never to be want of patience, nor too great confidence or trust: For that in Court, rewards go not by merit, but by affection, and the success of suits is more led by Fortune, then by wisdom. In Court, we see many reasonable causes that be just and indifferent reversed even when they are at point to be resolved: and others of no expectation or hope of end, to be dispatched to the liking of the party: So that in Court let no man reappose confidence in the favour of an other, and much less despair, if to his suit be joined delay or denial.  
I have often dealt with the Colonel to receive your Nephew for his Lieutenant, and being so often denied, I take it for a discharge no more to trouble him: For, it is a hard thing to a liberal mind and a shamefast face, to be a suitor to him in whom is no merit to be entreated, but specially when he turneth our importunity to his glory, and makes us ashamed of our request: In which respect there is nothing in this world which I hold more dear, then that which is bought by suit and request: seeing that more doth that man give which for one hour employeth the shame of his face, than another that for any other thing shall give all his goods: the same agreeing with the opinion of Plato, that as great is the contentment which a good heart taketh in giving, as it is grief to him that entreateth and is denied: For that in giving, the one buyeth the liberty of an other, and in receiving, the other puts in subjection himself and all that he hath. Touching the money you sent me for your books, I have returned it again by the bearer, praying you to think that the pleasure which one friend doth for an other aught not to be paid with ready money, but with retribution of equal recompense or value: And by sending to me so little money so far of, the world may think, that either you suffer want of friendship, or in me is lack of liberality. The friendship grounded upon covetousness is ended by covetousness, and therefore amongst true friends, there aught to be no end in friendship, nor limit in liberality. Where you write to be advertised of the affairs of the Bishop of T. I answer that it is no small pain to have to do with men wanting government, and of no will to put their minds in quiet and tranquillity. Seeing that in whom is no controlment of tongue, nor bridle to restrain their self will, in them is for the most part sufficient occasion to trouble whole Common Weals where they devil, and to themselves to bring no small contention. Yea, there cannot be a greater disgrace in a man, then to be discontented in himself: For albeit no man in this world can live contented on all parts, yet, we may either quite exempt ourselves, or at lest avoid many of those troubles and displeasures which of ourselves we search. There be many people of this nature, not only not to eschew harms and inconveniences, but also will put wings to their fortune, and run to seek them afore they be ready to happen. Moore is the necessity of industry to restrain and stay such men from doing harm to themselves, then for avoiding hurt to others. Of that sort of men is the Bishop of T. who beareth his great affairs, as the Sumpterhorse doth his burden, who whilst it is in laying on his back standeth still and stirreth not, but if you offer to take it of, he yearkes and flings as though there were peril towards him. Your L. may be sorry for the loss of our dear friend, F. M. who losing his life, hath left his friends void of the society of a noble Gentleman: assuring you that if he had believed my advise, that misefortune had not happened: For that I always told him that a faction of the communality, is no other thing then a hollow Echo, which resounds with a voice and sound clear, but can not be found, nor beareth no substance. And therefore to men that travel in the action of great affairs, it is no wisdom to reject the Council of friends, for that otherways who will not take moderate correction, shall be sewer to suffer penance of a bloody and violent force.   

A discourse touching such as are in the Ministry and profess Religion.  
Qui perseveraverit usque in finem saluus erit.  
SAint Matthew in his xxiv. chapter, promiseth this comfortable recompense to such as follow the service of god in religion, that who persevereth to the end, shall be saved, & receive for reward the everlasting joys of heaven. Wherein albeit the redeemer of the world taught his Disciples to be christian's (and that in renouncing their proper wills) and tied them straightly to the law and observation of his commandments: yet, by the doctrine of these words, we see it doth little avail all that they can do, if they persever not to the end. But to make more plain and easy to the understanding of men, these words of jesus Christ, we must first presuppose that as many vices are disguised with the similitude of virtues, so, in many virtues, is a plain face and appearance of vice, as patience, constancy, magnanimity, benignity, long suffering, humility, & force, the truth and property of all which being known, we shall found that every one is subject to his particular and diverse definition. The virtue of patience is no other thing, than a heart martyred in sorrows and passions, 
The virtue of patience.  expressing notwithstanding in his outward actions, a spirit of contentment and gladness, and not only beareth his present perplexities, but also is prepared to the passion of all such as may happen: of this sort was the patience of Tobias & Job, in whom much less that there could be discovered any estate or show of their griefs, but as true examples of patience, seemed to take pleasure in their adversities, even as the Salimander that delyts to bathe his limbs amid the flames of most hot burning fire. The virtue of constancy is then declared, 
The virtue of constancy.  when a man neither by trouble, disgrace, or misfortune changeth not his heart from the devotion and business he followeth, as was expressed in the perseverance of the happy joseph in Egypt, and the assurance of that affable Moses in the Desert, In whom the offer of Beauty and what else appertaineth to the sweet desires of the flesh, had no power of Temptation in the one: nor in the mutiny and murmur of so many factious people, was possibilytie to withdraw the other from the service he was called unto. That is true Magnanimity, when the heart of one man alone dare enterprise upon grave things both dangerous to begin, and very hard to execute: 
Magnanimity.  the effect of this virtue was well expressed in the Prophet David, when he assailed and vanquished the Giant, and in Elyas when he roase to confound Jezabell,  
The virtue of Benignetie or mildness of heart, 
Benignity or softness of heart.  is joined to that man, who seeks not nor will not tender ill for ill, not not so much as to recompense a wrong received, with injuries or vile words, according to the mildness of Micheas, who suffering an outrage of a blow on the ear, the injury was afterwards revenged by a Dog. The virtue of long sufferance appeareth in that man, 
Long suffering  that is neither weary nor vexed, though his troubles and perplexities increase, and his helps and remedies diminish & are far of: according to the experience & testimony of S. Paul, who was traveled with many malices & dangers in the world and that for many years. The virtue of meekness, 
Humility.  or humility, followeth that man whose heart is resolved into such tranquillity, that he is not moved for any injury he heareth, and much less disquieted for any vice he seeth. With this virtue was endued the holy man S. John Evangelist, in whose humility and mildness of mind, is an example to all Christians to yield to the adversities that the enemies of God impose upon them, hoping for that comfort and reward which that holy man did find. 
The virtue of force.  This is a true effect of the virtue of force, when a man stands so resolute and valiant in mind, that neither by Temptation he waxeth weak, nor by importunity of travel, he forbeareth to do good: Of this virtue were notable and holy examples S. Anthony, and S. Hillary, suffering great Temptations in the Desert, and yet not forbearing even there to do great services to God. But for that our principal intention is, to entreat of the excellencies of perseverance, adjoining with all, what necessity we have of the virtue of force, it is not impertinent that we touch somewhat the opinions of the Philosophers, and also what the holy Fathers thought particularly of it. S. Augustine saith, that no other thing is the virtue of force, than a Burning and vehement affection traveling a free and liberal mind, passable to all things, whether their quality be hard or easy, until he attain to that he desireth, or possess the things whereon he hath fixed his affection and zeal. Cicero, speaking of force, attributed firmness and constancy to no other thing, than a determination of a valiant mind, who dissembleth that which he desireth, and suffereth things that he would not. Macrobus referreth to no other thing the virtue of force, then to the heart of a man Heroical and valiant, whom prosperity cannot raise into weening or fircenes, nor adversity makes weak or faint in courage. Aristotle gives this judgement of the virtue of force, that it is a certain strength and courage of a mind resolute, 
Adversity is no other thing than the reward of some dishonest act.  which esteemeth adversity to be no other thing, than the stipend and recompense of some dishonest act. Lucius Senequa, attributes so much to the excellency of a man hardy and valiant, that he makes it more easy to take a City well guarded, then to vanquish a mind environed with force and virtue. Saint Hierome saith, that no other thing is the discourse of this life, than a high and public way, on whose right hand marcheth the valiant and hardy man, on the left part, the coward and faint hearted, and between them, goeth he that we call strong and resolute. Plato is of opinion that the prerogatives of constancy and force, are to moderate anger with meekness, malice with love, adversity with perseverance, and fear with patience. S. Gregory referreth the virtue and operation of constancy and force, to vanquish the flesh, to resist appetites, to despise delights, to affect things of hard enterprise, and not to eschew those that are perilous and painful. So great is the quality of this virtue of force, that it is necessary to all the other virtues: For, if it minister not to justice, Temperance, Chastity, and wisdom to come to their ends, they would easily lose their operation, and suffer conversion. So that to enterprise any good work, wisdom is necessary for the beginning, discretion to manage and guide it, and constancy to bring it to execution. The good luck and felicity of the good Pilot consists not altogether to guide well the Helm, but rather that he bring it to arrive safe at the Haven. Even so jesus Christ promiseth not the Kingdom of Heaven to such only as are baptized, nor to him that is called a Christian, and much less to any that for a time doth the Works of a Christian, if he persevere not in his Service. For, the Crown of Triumph, is not bestowed upon him that goeth to the Wars, but is worthily reserved for such as obtain the victory. Even as in the like resemblance, it is a vain Labour to the Husbandman to manure and sow his Land, if afterwards either for fear to be tired, or in doubt to be made weary with travel, he forbear to labour in Harvest, and forgetteth to bring his Corn home to the Barn. Likewise if a Poor man making some voyage, and doubting to find the way hard, or uneasy, or his journey long, returneth, giving over that he hath begone: Let him assuredly look to lose that he hath spent, and withal to forego the purpose and expectation of his Travail. He that Laboureth by the day, is not paid his higher for that he brings only his mattock into the Garden, but working from Morning till night, he is worthy of his Wages and hath it. The wife of Loth was transformed into an Image or stone of Salt, for that she turned her head to look back to Sodom contrary to the Commandment of God, saying, Go always forth right without looking back: The same being an example and doctrine to instruct us how wretched the world is, and having once forsaken it, we aught not so much as once Look back to it, and much less reappose confidence in it.  
Great was the constancy of Moses and Aaron, in not condescending to the Requests, Presents, and Threats, which the great King Pharaoh practised, to have them abide in Egypt, and not to draw from thence the People of Israel, with whom I agree, that in cases to return to the world, and give over any good thing that we have begun, we aught to reject the prayers of our friends, and much less to be moved with any other temptation. Of this is a good example joseph the son of Jacob, who being sold into Egypt, and in great opportunity to possess the beauty of the queen, would not for all that defile his conscience, but had regard to his constancy, and bore care to the reputation of his master. By his example let us be warned that greater necessity have we of resolute minds to resist vices and present sins, together with the offers and temptations that are ministered, then to repulse or defend an enemy that assaileth us. Many were the persuasions of the brethren of David, to have the king to return to his house and go no more to the Wars, but much less that their importunities were sufficient to make him give over Arms, seeing he redoubled his courage, and eftsoons assailed the great Goliath: giving us to know thereby, that we aught rather to lose the lives that we have, then to leave of the good we have béegonne. Much was esteemed the Constancy of Nehemias and Esdras, in the Building of the Temple which they made at jerusalem, in which work many threatened them, they suffered many passions of injuries, and were by many ways dysswaded from their enterprise. Wherefore let the Servant of god hold it for a sign that he doth then some good work, when the wicked withstand or contend against him. Great was the Constancy of Mardocheas uncle to the Queen Hester, when he could not be brought to do worship nor any humylity to proud Haman, a graver of Idols, & great enemy to the hebrews: by whose examples we are taught that it belongs to us to estrange ourselves altogether from those men, that dissuade us from our salvation & invite us to sin: Not less was the constancy of the holy woman Susanna in disobeying the wicked judges, desiring her to defile marriage, and consent to their cursed lust. Whose virtue may serve as a doctrine to all Christians, that neither for fear of Punishment nor by force, none aught to commit any great transgression, seeing God keepeth a guard and reckoning aswell of our honour as our life, and is as ready for our defence as he was to preserve the chastity of Susanna. All these examples I thought not amiss to reduce into discourse, to the end that good men might strive still to pursue the service of the Lord, and the wicked be afryayde to turn back: Wherein let all men hold this for a faith and law infallible, that the Lord never forgetteth him that serveth him, and much less is far from those that follow him, according to his providence over the Prophet Daniel, who being out of his Country, and by the sentence of tyrants thrown into the Den of Lions, abandoned of all succour of men, was not forgot of the Lord, who sent his Prophet Abacuk, not only to visit him, but also to comfort and refresh him with meat. By this also we may infer, that if we forget not to serve God, he will not forget to minister remedy to our distresses, as knowing right well the little we have, and the less we can do. And therefore let us not give over to Serve him, and much less forbear to follow him, seeing he doth Capitulate with all men, that if in his Service they do that which they may, he will recompense them with the effect of all their desires. So that, how lame, weak or frail so ever we be, we aught not (in the action of God's service) say, We can not, and therefore we will not. For that we have a Lord so good and easy to content, that he takes us not as we are, but hath respect to that we desire to be.  
Agreeable to these, S. Barnard useth this text. Debilis est hostis, qui non vincit nisi volentem, as if he had said, the Devil of his nature is weak, and the Lord holds him so restrained and unable, that he hath no power to vanquish any, but such as cannot resist him. At the Gates of the heart of a Christian knocketh jesus Christ, and also knocketh the Devil and offereth to enter, so that in that case, we cannot deny, that it is not in our hand to receive the one, and rereiect the other: And therefore neither hath the Devil any prerogative to enter one house unless we admit him, nor the spirit of God doth departed out of our heart, if ourselves make not the way for him: O miserable man, what shall become of thee, when the Lord calls thee to reckoning, saying he hath entreated thee, and thou hast not followed him: He hath admonished thee & thou hast not béeleeved him: he hath called thee, but thou hast not answered: he hath spoken to thee but thou hast not known him: Yea he hath touched thee, but thou hast not felt him. God, speaking to David (as he was wont to communicate with his friends and servants) saith: I hold not so great a care over my Elect, when they eat, when they sleep, or in their other actions: as when they sigh and weep: Yea, if they will call upon me in their tribulations, and somewhat attend me, I will draw them out of their troubles, not only comforted, but also to their honour and Estimation: Wherein we have reason to know that God loveth us above all others, seeing he binds himself to do more for us then all the world again. For, according to the property of the world: our friends help us to spend the goods we have gotten, where the Lord aids us to bear the traveles we suffer. And therefore the servant of God aught to consider, that when jesus Christ saith, Beati qui lugent quoniam ipsi consolabuntur. He establisheth not a happiness and felicity only in that men weep and mourn, but referreth it to consolation, that they expect of their tears. So that to the wise and good Christian, it is not so much to behold the Temptation which of the enemy he suffereth, as to consider the recompense which of the Lord he expectes. The simple husbandman, when the season and the weather agree, is not afraid to cast his seed into the dust of the earth recommending the increase to the Lord, and dare not true Christians commit their estate to the hands of God their Cretor in whom remains the everlasting providence over all. And seeing he is the truth wherein men aught to believe, and the life in whom we aught to live, and lastly the way by the which we aught to walk, he inviteth us thereby to believe him, and so to possess our desires: to live in him, to the end we may be made happy by the benefit of his promises: and lastly to walk in his ways to the end he may guide us, and if we stumble or fall, he may lend us his hand eftsoons to remount us.  
Non sumus sufficientes cogitare aliquid ex nobis, tanquam ex nobis, sed sufficientia nostra ex deo est. We have no licence saith S. Paul, to think or presume any thing of ourselves, and much less sufficient by our industry only to do any good work. But this aught rather to be our belief, that if we do or know to do any good, we have power thereunto by the grace of God: like as also if we err in any thing, it comes for that we having forgot God, he forgets us and turns us over to our proper errors. And therefore, that Christian, that beginneth any thing in confidence of his proper force or power, hath great reason to live in suspicion of himself, and set good guard of his doings: for though it be in the cunning of men to give the battle, it resteth only in the wisdom of God to dispose the victory. So, that who determineth to serve God, and unfeignedly repose confidence in him, hath no necessity nor reason of fear of himself, or to be hurt by any other: For that, so great a providence hath god over his servants, that though he suffer them to be tempted, yet he consenteth not that they be vanquished, if it be not of their proper william. The Devil obtained licence of God to tempt job, but it was given him under this condition, that though he afflicted his body, yet he should not touch his soul: Whereby we may note, that our Lord showed not so much the love he beareth to his servants in taking from them their perplexities and traveles, but rather in dividing them far from sins. In like sort the Devil got leave to deceive the wretched Achab, by the mean & industry of false prophets: In which two examples, we may see what difference is used between the friends and enemies of God: seeing to such as serve him, he suffereth that they be tempted only, but to those that offend him, he giveth leave that they be beguiled. Grant therefore O good jesus and love of our souls, that we may rather be tempted, troubled, persecuted, and vexed with the happy man job, then beguiled, vanquished, and abandoned as was the wretched king Achab. If it be familiar to the men of the world to pass from place to place at their pleasure under protection and safe conduit, In greater assurance do walk all such as love and serve God. For that he hath promised by his Prophet Micheas, that who shall lay hands upon any one of his Elect, shall touch even the Apple of his eye, keeping such a merciful providence over them, that if he suffer them to slide into sin, he is ready forthwith to minister his grace. And therefore such deserve not to be called Christians, and much less to bear estimation in the ministry, who forbear to serve the Lord for fear to be tempted, or that they doubt of his succours, seeing (according to the testimony of David) God bears to his chosen such property of affection, that he pitcheth his Tents round about them to defend them, his ears are open to hear them if they appeal to him in their adversities, and he accompanieth them with his holy Angel, to the end they err not, he beholdeth the calamities they endure, and yéeldes compassion to the complaints they make, accordinh to the comfort of the Psalm, O culi domini super justos, et aures eius ad praeces eorum.  

Still touching the discourse of Religion and of the professors of the same.  
ANd albeit these words of our Lord, That who persevereth not to the end shall not be saved, are general to all Christians, yet they concern most chief such as be of the ministery, who being called to an estate so holy, by how much they are chosen as men most necessary and worthy by so much more do they offend the majesty of God if they renounce or leave it: Redite domino deo vestro, saith God by his prophet, If you promise' any thing to your God, look to offer it & give it. For a man having once past his promise must consider that to do any thing is an office and action of the will, but the accomplishment thereof, is of necessity. The Church compelleth no man to take baptism, but after we be once received she hath power to constrain us to live like Christians: Euenso, there neither is nor aught to be authority to enforce one an other to change habit or enter the ministry, but being once possessed of the orders, we are bound to keep our profession. Yea, it belongs to the ministers of the Church to know, that the perfection of religion consists not only to take the habit, to forsake the world, and to be enclosed within the precinct of his vicarage and Churchyard: But with all to him appertains the passion of pains, troubles, and injuries, and to strive, to resist his affections, and lastly to be constant with his brethren: For that, to live in order is a thing easy, but to persever to the end is entangled with great hardness. Non cessamus pro vobis orare ut dignos vos faciat vocatione sua: we pray to the Lord continually saith the apostle, to the end you may be made worthy of his ministry, that is that you be thought meet to be called by him, and that he call you as he is wont to call those whom he loveth. God inviteth all, God calleth all, and entreateth them to serve and follow him: But amongst all others, those whom he calleth particulerlye, those doth he hold up with his hand, and if he suffer them to slide, he is ready to help them up again. Such as be called of God persevere to the end, but those whom the Enemy leadeth, return eftsoons to the World. Great is the comfort of such as are come into Religion guided by the hand of God, seeing it is advouched in the Scriptures that the holy Ghost led jesus into the Desert, and the wicked spirit carried him up to the Temple, not with intention that he should Preach, but rather to throw himself headlong from the place. There were many other places in Jerusalem more high, then that which the Devil led Christ unto, but he desired nothing more than to make jesus Christ fall from the pinnacle of the temple, by that which we are instructed that greater vaunt doth the Devil make, to make one of those fall which are consecrated to Christ, them a hundredth of such as Profane and wander in the World. And therewithal we are taught that the fall which the servant of God makes in the ministry, is dangerous to the soul: doubtful to his conscience, and most slanderous to the common weal. It is written in the discourse of the lives of the fathers of Egypt, that one of those holy ancients saw in a vision the assembly of Devils, and hearing every one report the diversity of illusions, wherewith they had beguiled the world, he saw their Prince make greater gratulation and recompense to one of those ill spirits that had deceived a virtuous man of the Church, then to all the rest stirring thousands to transgression & sin: two of the children of the great sacrificator Aaron, were burned for no other occasion, then for that they had transgressed in one Ceremony of the Temple: And albeit, in the congregation there were (no doubt) greater sinners than those two Children: yet God saw cause to punish them, and dissemble with the others, the better to make us to know, that the estate of the ministers is of such perfection, that that which to the world is esteemed ceremony, the same to men of the Church is rule and precept, and the breach of it, a sin mortal So that until the Church militant be ended and that we go to enjoy the Church triumphant, of necessity dross will be mingled with gold, chaffgo with corn, the thorn grow with the Roase, marrow joined to the bones and good men be consociat with the wicked: yea, and this is no small wretchedness, that many times it is more hard to endure a wicked man in the ministry. than all the temptations which the illuding spirit can stir up there. utinam recedant qui conturbant nos: Would to God (saith S. Paul) such as trouble our common weal, were divided from our company: the man of the Church being wicked doth this hurt in the congregation, either to provoke others to sin by his example, or at lest to stir them to murmur by his vile persuasions: seeing the pot that boileth to much, casteth out his fatness: the troublesome sea reverseth the ships: the violent wind renteth up trees by the roots: and floods over flowing their channels, spoil the corn: Even so the minister which is not studious, or giveth not himself to prayer, or lastly occupieth not his mind with some exercise of the hand, much less that he prevaileth in his function, but is an instrument of evil to such as he can make like to himself: the first curse that God gave in the world was to the envious Cain, saying, Quia occidisti fratrem tuum, eris vagus, et profugus super terram. Seeing I have bestowed thee upon the earth, and thou hast there defiled thyself with the blood of thy Brother, thou shalt have my curse to go as a vagabond in the world, and live discontented: according to which words of God to Cain, (I say,) that for a man of order, it is an other Paradise the tranquillity that he finds in the exercise of the ministry: But to him that hath a will corrupted, it is a Hell to be subject in that place. Sewer in good consideration, there is not under Heaven the like tranquillity as to be in company of good men, and to pray to God in society of such as be virtuous. And as Christ would never have given to Cain so great a curse, if he had not committed so vile a Treason against his brother: So, the Lord never suffereth that any minister, or man of the Church wander or go as a vagabond through the world, but for the punishment of some notable offence he hath done in the church: being in the favour of God, we are come into the Church, and being in his disgrace, we are discontent & disdained in the same: whereupon it followeth that the minister well instructed liveth always content, where such as are dissolute travel for the most part in sedition and Emotion. And therefore to those may we refer the malediction of Cain, who wandering prophanly from place to place, seek out new companions and conversation to entertain the time with idle and dissolute exercise, and turn their function into a form of evil life and example: upon him doth fall the malediction of Cain, in whom remains a mind wavering and inconstant seeking change of church and cure without occasion, and desireth to live under new Bishops and ordinaries, not with intention to amend his life, but to seek out where he may live in greatest liberty: Yea, such one finds no time nor place better agreeing to him, then where he may live out of subjection of superiors: upon that man is thundered the malediction to whom it is troublesome to pray, grievous to study, and hateful to instruct and preach: but rather as a man repenting his vocation, wandereth up and down ill contented, showing wicked example by his complaints: And lastly to that man is referred the malediction, who is factious in his ministry, at contention with his bishop, and seeks occasions to return eftsoons to the world, procuring business to solicyte, and being denied licence to follow his worldly causes, he is full of murmur, and obtaining leave, he runs headlong to his own destruction.   

The end of this discourse rebuking such ministers as are wanderers.  
MAny be the means which the Minister (within his Church) hath to serve God withal: For if the humour of Pride reign in him, if envy disquiet him, if Gluttony tempt him: if Ire provoke him, or the lusts of the flesh prick him: vices albeit able to move him, yet of no power to make him fall, neither can he so easily resist them, having conversation in the world, seeing he is no sooner tempted, then subject to fall. The building without his covering shrinketh easily, the Marrow without the bone is soon dried up, the tree without his bark is subject to renting, and the man of the Church, leaving the Church, runs easily to destruction. If Dina daughter to the Patriarch Jacob, had not gone from the place where her Father bestowed her, neither had Emor been killed, nor she defamed. If wretched Judas had not swerved from the colleadg of Christ, nor divided himself from the company of the Apostles, he had never done the sin, whose vileness carried him to a desperate death. By which notable examples, all men of the Church aught to be warned not to leave the profession whereunto God hath called them, nor to be divided from the Company of whom he hath made them members. For that much will be to his profit the good examples which he shall take of some, and of no less avail the wholesome counsels which he shall give to others. By mean whereof, the man of the Church delighting to wander up and down the world, if he consider uprightly of things, shall found that for the most part he returneth to his ministery, more envious, more ambitious, more moved, more pensive, and less devout, then when he went out: and so shall he always feel within his sorrowful heart great occasions of remorse, and no less cause of complaint against himself. Beware therefore you men of the church of the illusions of the Devil, and that he entice you not out of your ministries under cooler to do some good: Seeing if he once prevail so far as to separate you from the fellowship of good men: he will by little and little infect you and make you of the number of the wicked. For, the sheep that strayeth from his flock, the Wolf devoureth him: the Pigeon that flieth far from her houfe is a pray to the Falcon: the travailer that goeth alone, is subject to robbing: the rivers that come out of the sea to the fields, do hurt, and the Minister that is divided from his congregation, bears peril of destruction. Peccatum peccavit Jerusalem propterea instabilis facta est: the wretched City of Jerusalem heaped sin upon sin (saith the Prophet) whereby God enjoined her to penance to be always errant and a vagabond: even so then doth the Minister commit sin upon sin when he forgets the profession he hath made. Returning eftsoons to the dangers of this miserable world, the affliction of such men is, that they live always in perplexity, & never contented with themselves. So that the servant of God professing Religion, aught withal to make this promise never to change it till he exchange his life, neither abandoning the estate he hath taken in hand, nor forgetting whereunto he is bound. Assuring himself that where in his ministery he shall found tranquillity, and small occasions to sin, the world will give him nothing but disquietness, with great liberty to offend, and little help to amend his life. S. John Baptist was commended of God particularly for his perseverance in straightness of life, and the great courage he showed in Preaching according to this question he made to the hebrews, what are you come (saith he) to see in the Desert: do you think that the son of Zachary is a willow leaf moving with every wind: Christ commended not Saint John, only for that he went barefoot, lived solitary, fed upon Locusts, ware nothing but Cammelles skin, and slept upon thorns: But he allowed his constancy for that he would never go out of the Desert entering therein even in his youth: In which respect we have to believe, that in so many years, and in such sharp deserts, Saint John endured great hunger, extreme cold, many temptations, grievous sicknesses, and infinite cares: Of all which afflictions, Christ makes not such express mention as of his unfeigned constancy: many (saith the Apostle issue out of the lists to just, 
1. Cor. 7.  and many gee to run the caryar, but in the end, he that goeth best carrieth away the price, and who arriveth soon, gaineth the wager: Euenso (you ministers of the Church) forget not so to run the cariar of this mortal life, that you arrive in time to win the reward. This council which the Apostles giveth, is not of will, but of necessity: For that better should it be to the man of the Church never to have entered religion nor taken the habit, if he persevere not in that he hath begene, and is careless to keep that he hath promised: In the last supper that Christ made with his Disciples, after he had said unto them. Vos isti qui per man sistis mecum in temptationibus meis, gave them then his comfort, Et ego d●spono vobis regnum. Seeing you and no other have continued with me in my traveles and troubles, following me also in my greatest dangers: be you assured, that your place shall be prepared at my table, and I will béestow you in the height of my glory, to the end you may there have the fruition of my Divinity. This truly is a most high and great mystery for the Apostles, to follow jesus Christ, having abandoned parents and friends, country and goods, yea, & renounced their proper wills: God thought them not worthy of recompense so much for that, as for that they persevered till the end: he saith not to his Disciples, you are only they that are tempted, but you have remained with me in my temptations. Wherein he gives us to know that in the other world none shall have place at the table of God, but such as persevere in him to the end. One of the priveleadges which God gives to his friends saith David, is, that no temptation shall have power to change their minds, nor any adversity be able to make them give over the good they have béeginne until the end: For that the gift of constancy is of many desired, and of few obtained. And therefore to béeginne a good work is the custom of good men: to pursue and follow it, is the office of the virtuous. But to lead it to his end and effect, is a pryvileadge merely appertaining to those that be holy and Religious. And to speak the truth, with what industry so ever we enforce ourselves and under what weening so ever we presume: yet to resist an ill, we are to tender of heart, and far to movable of condition. So that right happy is it with those that shall hear Christ say, You are they that have persevered with me, and therefore you are regenerate and shall enjoy with me for ever the perfect joy and felicity.    

A resolution of certain familiar and natural questions: with apparent conjectures and tokens of death.  
I Would your importunities were as just, as my excuses are reasonable, so should the contention be easily resolved, whether be greater my faults, or your complaints. In him that makes request, it is easy to found words to speak, for that he speaks in desire: but to whom the suit is made belongs great discretion, for that all denials are hateful, not so much by the merit and consideration of the cause, as for that the affection of the suitor may be corrupt: Which I do not allege here to the proof of your fault, for that in our friendship should remain no faction: nor yet to justify my excuses, if they bear not both reason and innocency. Assuring you that seeing it pleaseth you to make a trial of my wit, more for exercise, than possibility of knowledge: I will join myself to your fancy, not so much for necessity, as to keep use of my imperfection.  

why men bear greater bodies than women.  You ask me wherefore men contain greater corpolencie and substance of body, than women? I say it proceeds of the heat which is more abundant in the one, then in the other: For, heat being of a nature td increase and swell, gives unto men a greater perfection in stature and nature, then to women whose humours being tempered with cold, makes their bodies less substantial and of more infirmities.  


The fire and the air incorruptible.  
The earth and the water subject to corruption.   You would know how it happeneth, that of four Elements, the fire and the air are incorruptible, and of the contrary, the earth, and the water are subject to corruption. To this I said, it is of necessity that all things entangled with corruption, are first made cold: but the fire cannot suffer cold, for that it is an enemy to cold: and the air, albeit sometimes bring forth cold, yet it is always full of fire. Where, the earth and water, having their temperature of cold and heat, are subject to corruption by the nature and quality of their composition. 
Why men shiver, & are cold after they be delivered of their urine.   
You ask whereupon it cometh that oftentimes we shrink and enter into a cold, after we be delivered of our urine. The reason is this: so long as the urine being hot, remaineth yet in the bladder, neither the bladder nor the parts about it, can feel any cold, but the bladder being discharged, all the said parts are eftsoons filled with an air more cold than was the urine (for there is nothing void in nature.) And that air occupying the place of the urine, causeth naturally the shivering and cold that we feel. You would know how it happeneth, that when we far very cold, & coming hastily to the fire to seek warmth, we feel a grief or ache in our finger ends: 
Why men warming them suddenly feel a grief or ache in their finger-endes.  and warming us by leisure we have no motion of pain. This may be answered by experience, that when we pass out of one contrary into an other mutation is great, as may be seen in trees, who being plied & bowed by little and little, break not: but straining them by force, they rend in two: even so the heat that is within, holdeth the cold out, repulsing withal the moisture, and so one contrary is resisted by an other. The same being the cause, that receiving warmth by little and little, the heat within comes out & is not hindered by the cold, which causeth the less sense or feeling of pain. But in receiving suddenly the warmth of the fire, we do by violence draw out a great heat, and by the repugnancy that it finds with the cold not fully gone, brings no small pain to the party. You ask me by what reason most women, the first and second month that they are with child, have that disordered appetite to eat coals and other strange things. 
Why women lust after strange things when they are newly conceived.  The reason of that appetite is, that nature hath drawn down all the blood of the woman to help to form the fruit in her womb: Which blood being corrupted, makes also the stomach partaker of his vice and corruption: By which occasion the stomach being pressed with such matter so corrupt, requireth all meats that are vain & loathsome, ta: +king his lust & desire to many things according to the qualety or impression of the matter wherewith he is charged. For, if it abound with an humour melancholic, which is black, it formeth an appetite to coals & such like things, if it suffer abundance of sharp phlegm, it breeds a lust to things sharp and eager, the like judgement being proper for all other humours.  

Why women and Eunuches have a shirle voice.  To your demand why women and Eunuches have their voice so small and shirle: I say it proceeds of the quill or pipe of their weasand, which being straight, cannot be enlarged by reason of the humour whereof it is full: and heat only hath power to make it wider: For as we see out of little and small phyfes, come a voice clear & shirle: And out of small trunks the loudest sound: Even so is it of the pipe of the weasand, which, by reason of his subtlety is called loud or shirle.  
You ask me why such as contain but mean stature, are for the most part more wise than those that have great bodies. 
why little men are most wise.  That may be by this reason, that in a little body, the senses & spirits are always better united & compact then in a great, where in a greater by reason they suffer more separation and liberty, they cannot express so great virtue and effect as in the lesser body, whose littleness keeps them better to their natural properties and actions, according to the judgement of Homer, who in his description of Ulysses, makes him of little stature, but of much excellency of wit, and of the contrary he sets forth Aaix, with body & members of great corpulency, but very simple in mind and judgement. 
why poor men get children better accomplished than others.  Where you ask me how it cometh to pass, that for the most part peasantes & poor men of the country, get children well accomplished & wise, and of the contrary, to men of great wisdom and opinion succeed children that be Idyots and without judgement: I take it to proceed of this. The simple man and he that followeth the toil of his husbandry, when he is in the exercise of generation, thinks of no other thing but of the pleasure in the act, by which this seed is more perfect, as having the full consent and force of all the spirits vital, animal, and natural, the same breathing into his Children, minds subtle and resolute. But with the wise men it is otherways: For, they having continual exercise of mind, keep their thoughts in impression and contemplation of some particular things, either concerning honesty, profit, or matter of enterprise, whereby as it is not possible that in the act of generation, their natural seed should be accompanied with the forces of all the spirits, and specially of the spirit animal, which engendereth such cogitation in persons: So of necessity to the children which they get are referred more imperfections then to others. You would know why a stone, 
Difference between the quality of a stone & wood thrown into the water.  a piece of Iron, or other such like thing being thrown into the water, sinketh forthwith to the bottom: where of the contrary, a piece of wood, how great so ever it be swimmeth always upon the upper face thereof. Tocuhing the property of the wood, I think it may be referred to the little holes that be in it, which being full of wind & air, so hold it up, that his weight cannot work his natural condition: but stones & Iron compounded of bodies more close & heavy, and suffering no conduit or place for the air to enter: of necessity sink down, as having no impediments till they come to their ceinter. To this may be adjoined the experience of such as are drowned, who the first day, fall to the bottom, but afterward remount above the water: For, after the Body be rotten, the Weazand and all other concavyties are filled with Wind and air, by whose property they are blown up and seen float upon the upper most of the Water: For this cause there have been certain Pirates, who used to cut out the weazand of such as they slew in the Sea, to the end their bodies were not thrown up again to the disclosing of their vile act: By this reason also eggs that are not broken or corrupt sink fortwyth to the bottom being thrown into a river: Where such as are rotten float upon the water, for that the humour that is within being corrupted, 
whereof comes the alteration of lovers.  makes place to an air that entereth which keepeth the eggs swimming. You ask me how it happeneth, that lovers often times express in their utter parts a passion of cold, and sometimes a fervency of heat, seeming to suffer those same fits and motions which we see ascribe to Agues. Touching this demand, albeit you might be better satisfied with your own experience, then with any resolution of me, who have always professed the science of humanity, and not the study of folly: Yet, according to our method of natural reason I may thus far presume to your instruction that lovers plunged in the passion and perplexities of love, their natural heat with drawing to the inner parts leaveth the extremities of the body cold as deprived of all their hot substance: the same converting them into minds uncertain, tormented, and traunced: But when they are brought into hope of obtaining, their natural heat eftsoons returneth outwardly, and disperseth through all the extreme parts of the body which by this refreshing of the blood, becomes read and of pleasant temperature: For that cause it hath been an use amongst Painters and gravers of Images, to draw Cupid sometimes sad, and sometime joyful, giving him withal the form and proportion of a Child, for that light love is an affection great and vehement, and yet lasteth not long: Whereto the love virtuous and honest is joined continuance and constancy, as appeareth in the friendship between friend and friend, the affection of the Father to his Children, and the observation between the husband and his honest wife. But touching unlawful love, as it breeds oftentimes in peesons not well known one to another, & therefore, hath no great stability, and less continuance: so, the love honest taking his greatest consideration of the merit, qualety, and virtue of the party, remains always moderate and temperate, 
why lovers are stricken by the only sight of their Ladies.  where the affection that dare not be justified is full of violence, fury, and passion. Where you would know whereupon it proceeds that lovers are stricken and made slaves & bondmen, at the only regard and sight of their Ladies: I answer, according to the opinion of some, that as the true seat and testimony of love, consisteth in the eyes: and no part of man more truly expresseth the inward affections of the body then the eyes: so love being a certain affection, and good will, is naturally bred of a thing like to himself. For, such as love search nothing but recompense of affection, and by consequence the house and seat of affection, which is the eyes, by whose mean they are made certain of the love which remaineth within. You ask me, why lovers pass most part of many nights with out power to sleep: you must consider that this great affection draweth the whole man to it, 
Why Lovers sleep not a nights.  & so entangleth him with confusion, that he retaineth no contemplation of things necessary or profitable: This affection is that self-same love, who much less that he will suffer his subjects to live in rest, seeing as a Canker he increaseth more and more to the confusion of all their delights, felicity, and contentment, and therefore he is place amongst the natural diseases afflicting the tranquillity of man: There is also an other reason, which is drawn from the cares and thoughts which Lovers have: For, those malenchollyke contemplations mingled with passions of choler and heaviness, do heat and dry up the party.  
Restraining by that means his course of sleep, which proceeds of vapours cold and moist: the same being also the cause why old men wake more than the younyounger sort, as being Converted into more cold and drought.  

Why Lovess complain for small causes.  Where you demand why Lovers fall into great complaints for small causes: you must consider, that because Lovers (above all other sorts of men) are naturally suspicious, and carried into mutation for small things, like little Children: They are by that mean seldom without heaviness and sorrow of heart, and therefore, so much the more Subject to complaint, by how much their minds live always traveled in trouble and jealousy.  
You ask me how it happeneth that Lovers, in the presence of their Ladies, 
Why Lovers loose speech in the presence of their Ladies.  loose liberty of speech, and do oftentimes forget that which they had studied and well considered to speak: It may be, that infirmity proceeds of the trouble of the mind engendered by a look or glance cast by stealth upon the thing that they Love, and standing so amazed in mind the tongue hath no facilytie to the action of his duty, seeing the beginning of the speech deriveth of the mind or spirit to whom the tongue serves as an interpreter to express his conceits. This happeneth also to many, who called to question in the presence of a Prince or magistrate, fall oftentimes into a passion of stutting or mere silence, specially if they be traveled either with fear or falsehood of conscience.  

Why Lovers are shamefast to diclose their affections.  To that you ask me why Lovers are shamefast to discover their affections: I say, that men have certain appetites natural and necessary as to drink and eat, which of necessity they must satisfy to preserve life, and avoid death: so they have other affections which albeit are natural, yet not necessary but superfluous, vain, and withal dishonest, from those are derived many disordered appetites, as is the rage of love, which is an affection blind & engendered of Idleness: and for that it brings unto men an estimation of beast lines and dishonesty: The most sort seek as much as they can to hid their love, 
Why Loverr discern not the faults of their friends.  & under figures & appearances to live in expectation of that they desire. You ask me also how it happeneth that lovers discern not the vices & faults of their amorous friends. That must needs be an error deriving of their proper affection which divides them from their true judgement & senses. For lovers (as saith Plato) are like to such as hunt after estates & offices, or to those that are given to wine to whom all estates are welcome, & all wines seem to give a pleasing taste: beside, according to the philosophers, all great motions, hinder those that be less. So that love having occupied the chief & most principal motions of the spirit, troubleth for the most part the virtue & original of the senses: the same being the cause (with Plato) why lovers are made blind with the sight of their Ladies, 
Why men be hoarse after they have slept.  and according to the same the poets have feigned Cupid without eyes. And where you desire me to give a reason why men be hoarse & of corrupt voice after they have slept, I think that impediment comes no otherways, then by a replexion of humours caused by a rawness or indigestion of meat, the same occupying the upper parts of the body, & makes the head dull & heavy: therefore, the pipe of the weysand being full of the said humours they must necessarily be impediments to the voice, and make it hoarse and hollow: Thus much touching the Exposition of your Philosophical demands.  
And now where you require me, by a special and large request, to Communicate with you, what I have hard and read either in philosophy or Physscke, by what apparent signs & tokens may be judged whether one that is sick shall die or live, for that (as you say) you have a daughter in danger, and would gladly know her destiny. The resolution of this demand albeit appertaineth more properly to your doctor of Physic, then unto me that am a Divine, studying more how to Preach then to judge of complexions: yet, seeing you will have my opinion, I pray you let me debate with you as a Christian, that as God hath numbered the years of our life, and set down a limit which no man can pass, so if it be his good pleasure, your Daughter shall yet live, but if he think it convenient for her Salvation, he knoweth best when to call her to him: For, it is not only he that giveth life, but he is even the self life: And therefore according to the office of a Divine, more than in the council of a Physician, I wish you to put her in remembrance of her mortality, and prepare her to God, in whom and none other, all good Christians aught to béelieve is power to change our life and translate us to himself: Many and many have I known abandoned of the world and extremely past succour and help of man, have yet received restitution of God, and lived many years: and many again recovered of sickness & past all appearance of danger, and yet paid their tribute to nature when was no expectation of death: A thing that is not to be construed to the well or ill handling of the Physician, but to be referred to the providence of God which hath so ordained it. The king Ezechias was given over of the Physicians, and the son of the host of Samaria was dead: 
Signs and tokens of death in a sick man.  but at the commandment of God the Child revived, and Ezechias was recovered. But leaving those Testimonies of Scripture to a further leisure, let us gather some opinions of the Philosophers, who with many ancient Physicians, have set down in writing certain notable Signs to discern the peril of Death in such as are Sick: Plynie in his seventh Book, and one & fifty Chapter saith, that a man being sick of any sharp infirmity, as of a Frenzy, if he fall sometimes into a sudden mirth, or burst out into great laughing, that Patient expresseth great tokens of present death: if any be sick of a corruption of humours malencholike, and set himself to behold or stare much upon another without stirring his eye of long, such one is not far from death. If a man be sick of a Fever choleric or sharp, and his pulse move uncertainly, sometimes quick and sometimes slow, such one no doubt inclines to death. Who is sick of a burning Fever, and useth sometimes to draw up the sheet, or double the clothes of the bed, or pluck of the thrumbs of the same, in that man is great conjecture of the end of his life. One that hath lain long sick, and begins to shut and close his eyes often, and set his teeth and mouth, carrieth great appearance of death. He that is stricken with the plague, and being half awake, and beginneth to rave and murmur to himself, carrieth manifest conjecture of death. If any above the age of fourscore years fall into a greedy hunger to eat and drink without measure, it is a sign they have not long to live. A young Child being sharp in wit and ready in answers, or that he show in that tender age a discretion accomplished, in that child is no judgement of long life.  
These be the conjectures of the Philosophers, which I have gathered more to content you, then that I assure them to be infallible, advising you for end, to recommend your daughter to God, who only hath power to dispose all things by the same prerogative whereby he hath made them of nothing.   

A discourse of the Canonisiing of the Pagan Gods, and why they are holden for Gods, together with an exposition of sundry poetical inventions tending to the same.  
I Have sent you herwith my judgement touching the original of the Pagan Gods, both what they were, and why they were canonised and worshipped as gods, hoping you will read it, though not for any merit of my travel or diligence, yet for that you shall see disclosed the errors of the ancients, and have cause to acknowledge the goodness of God, that hath made you live in a time of Christianity and not to believe as a Pagan.  
And so falling to the matter, we will begin at jupiter and Saturn his father: 
The original of Saturn.  Saturn was the son of the king Celius and Vesta his wife, and brother to the mighty tyrant Titan: who at the persuasion of his mother and Ops and Ceres his two sisters (much misliking that one so rude as Titan should by the right of majority, ascend to the succession and Crown of Celius) yielded the kingdom to Saturn his younger brother, under this covenant notwithstanding that he should slay all his male children, to th'end the issue of Titan might eftsoons repossess the crown after the death of Saturn. By this contract Saturn was invested in the kingdom, & stood peaceable king, to whom Ops his wife and sister brought forth a son, which he caused to be slain according to his promise: after this she was eftsoons delivered of a son and a daughter at on burden: the son was called Lidamas which name the poets changed afterwards into jupiter, 
jupiter & juno borne both at a burden.  feigning that name upon a Planet which they erected according to their fancy. The daughter had to name juno: Ops desirous to save the life of her son, gave him secretly to Vesta her mother: and presented only the Daughter to Suturne.  
Vesta caused jupiter to be nourished, & being grown to some stature and age, she sent him to them of Crete or else a people called Coryvantes, a nation warlike and inhabiting certain mountains in a separate corner of the kingdom: after this, contrary to the knowledge of Saturn, Ops brought forth another son called Neptune, not for that it was his proper name, as Cicero saith, but the superstition of men, making him a God on the Sea, imposed upon him that name of Neptune signifying a swimmer.  
At another birth Ops brought forth two children Pluto, 
Neptune & his name disguised Pluto borne.  & Glanca and showing only the daughter: she bestowed Pluto secretly at nurse: Isidore saith the Pagans' endued him with that name, for that they hold him as God infernal: the Latins called him This pater, as Father of riches: and some named him Orcus, as devourer, for that the earth swalloweth all, & redelivereth again that she hath taken.  
But Titan understanding that his brother Saturn had broken promise and corrupted the contract, began to gather malice and despite against him, and accompanied with the forces of his children called also Titan's, took the kingdom from Saturn and imprisoned him together with Ops his wife: which coming to the knowledge of jupiter, being a young and valiant Prince, descended to the succours of his Father and Mother with the strength of the Coribantes amongst whom he was trained: and joining battle, jupiter obtained the victory and with honour was the deliverer of his Parents: of this quarrel came the fable of the wars of the Giants: At that time Saturn being forewarned by an Oracle to take heed of jupiter his son, for that he had intention to kill him and expulse him the kingdom, devised to destroy jupiter, who understanding the Conspiracies of blood against him, came with a great army against his Father whom he vanquished in battle.  
Saturn, being without courage eftsoons to recover his kingdom, fled into Italy: 
Saturn taught the people of Italy the toil of the earth.  & there taught the people of that country to sow & plant & labour the commodities of the earth, and for recompense, that brewtishe and rude Nation, living afore with roots and wild fruits, honoured him as a God: 
jupiter married his sister juno.  jupiter reigning peaceable king, took to wife juno his sister, and conquered many countries, not so much by force & strength at arms, as with the excellency and subtlety of his wit: For, he disclosed chiefly and communicated to divers People and Nations great secrets of nature, and ordained laws and sundry good forms of policy: He invented many arts profitable and necessary for the use of man's life: by mean whereof he rose into great renown amongst men, and also took upon him the name and title of God, which he easily achieved, for that that breutish and simple people not knowing how to join worthy recompense to so many benefits and helps to their living, 
jupiter- worshipped as a God  which they had received by his means: began to worship him, thinking that to be the most honourable degree of service they could do to him: And for the better establishment and perpetuity of this divine honour: when he contracted alliance or confederacy with any Prince, he enjoined him to build a temple in his name: as did the king Celius, who erected a Temple, and dedicated it to jupiter Celius. The king Molion set up another, & consecrated it to jupiter Molion: With many others builded to the monument and reputation of his name: about that time the brethren of jupiter summoned him to partiton of Patrimony, whereunto he agreed, and dividing the kingdom by lot, the west part fell to Pluto: The Isles and banks of the Sea happened to the portion of Neptune: and to jupiter descended all the confines of the East: Of this partition sprung the fiction of the Poets, 
How Neptune and Pluto had their names.  calling Neptune the God of Seas, and Pluto the God infernal, for that the west or falling of the Sun is more dark and cloudy, and also more base and low than the East. Here grew also the first fiction that jupiter chased his father into hell, for that Italy where Saturn was retired, stands West in respect of Candia, and is more dark.  
We will not now stand upon the discourse of other names which were attributed to the Gods, together with their numbers, & whether they were before or after them, the same serving to small end to our present purpose, but will eftsoons return to the east part which was the portion of jupiter: For the opinion of the Poets grew by this, and they gave it out for a Doctrine, that the firmament or heaven fell to the part of jupiter, the rather for that jupiter remaineth for the most part since that pertition in the mount Olympus of Thessalia, which the greeks called heaven, as they did also name all other mountains of the like height and hugeness of Olympus.  
And because king jupiter was the most lecherous and dissolute Prince of his time, 
Disclosing of the transformation of jupiter.  & descended oftentimes from his mount Olympus to accompany some fair Lady wherso ever he found her, and for that he disguised himself in to many sleights and subtleties proper to beguile women, the Poets feigned that he took other shapes, and transformed himself into many strange figures and forms: as when he converted himself into a shower of Gold, to lie with fair Danae, it was no other thing as Isidore saith, than a great mass of Gold which he made slide in to the hands of her keepers, to betray the chastity of that fair Lady. When they make him to transform himself into Amphitryo, it was no other thing then the consent that Amphitryo gave him to lie with his wife and that for the reward of a great sum of money. The Metamorpheses that he suffered into a Bull to steal Europa, was no more but the Image of a Bul painted on the sails of the ship, wherein jupiter bestowed her when he took her away. Such like were the transformations of jupiter, wherein may be discerned the simplicity and great blindness of such as worshipped that licentious king for a true God governor of heaven and earth, he that was the most unbridled bridled and dissolute man, and most drowned in his proper lusts of all other in his time.  
And seeing upon him they imposed the title of God of all gods, by him we may judge the qualety of the other gods, of whom the most part called him father, as in deed most of them issued of him: as Phoebus the god of science: Mars the ruler of battles, Mercury the infuser of eloquence, Bacchus the image of epicurity, Vulcan the spirit of fire, & Venus the vain idol of love: others there were that were his parents, as Pluto prince of hell, Neptune the director of the waters, Ceres the disposer & blisser of corn, and Diana the figure and example of chastity: 
The vanity of the Pagans' touching their gods  And so reckoning by degrees, they established particular gods, to all things that might be imagined, esteeming one God to be insufficient to reign alone & to lead the unuersall world within the power of his government: yea they adjoined to this Idolatry the worshipping of certain beasts, planets, & trees, by reason of the properties they saw in them: the Egyptians as juevenal saith were so far drowned in this superstition, that they worshipped as gods Onions & Léeks, attributing much to their felicity & happiness who had of those plants in their gardens: & as the ignorance of those blind people led them to do honour & sacrifice to such things as to gods, so they held it for religion to give obedience to them, holding such accursed as were not forward in the service and ministry of such vain & trifling things: M. Varo writeth that Brasillius the Philosopher found at Rome MMD. CCC. Gods, which carrieth no small possibility of truth seeing the abuse there was so great & general that they gave ceremony, worship, and sacrifice as to a God, to all things whereof they had received any benefit, or that they supposed had any power to keep them in fear. Tullus hostillius third king of Rome, 
Flora a public courtesan honoured as a God.  being vexed with a fever tertiam which had turned his complexion to a pale and yellow, did sacrifice to his ague the sooner to make it to leave him. Flora a public courtesan, & a woman whose body was abandoned to all lust & allurements of the flesh, was canonised, & honoured with an Image or figure, for that, of all the goods she had got with the filthy sweat & travel of her body, she constituted the Senate to be heir: they gave her divine honour, & celebrated her feast every year, wherein as a special ceremony, there was liberty to all youngmen to be naked & to exercise their pleasure with the first woman they found. S. Augustine writeth that the consuls and wise men of Rome, took council to abollishe that vile and abominable custom: But albeit for certain perils and impediments they durst never execute it: yet to deface the memory of that lewd woman, & give greater appearance to their superstitions, the named Flora the Gods of flowers.  
Amid these great darknesses & obscurities of ignorance, wherein this people of the Gentiles was plunged: 
The philosophers acknowledged god.  there were many notwithstanding, in whom was some impression of light, & possessed with those natural judgements & reasons which drew them out of that blindness, as in deed all the school of philosophy generally acknowledged one author & mover of all things, from whom, as out of a spring proceeded all the universality of things, 
The faith of particular Philosophers & Poets touching the omnipotency of God.  & were fed & enterteind by him as the true & sovereign governor of the whole: of this knowledge Socrates was not deprived, who being at point of death, said he was willing to die, to confess on only Lord to whom he had always laboured to do service according to the power of his human frayelty never having intention to offend him.  
Aristotle, at the article of death recommended himself to the sovereign Creator, saying, O cause of all causes, have pity on me: Plato and Cicero in their treatises of common weals, were of the same opinion: it was the faith of Virgil that all proceeded of God, and that as well the heaven and earth, as the air and water, are full of his greatness, acknowledging by that the essence of one only God.  
Cicero speaking of the nature of Gods, and Varro in his vain etymologies, being albeit both Pagans' and much addicted to their ceremonies, scoffed notwithstanding at the feasts and assemblies which the popular sort made to honour their Gods, partly through ignorance, more by flattery, but most of all for fear. It is no need here to prove by the doctrine of the scripture that all those Gods were but illusions & dreams, proceeding of the invention of man and abuse of the Devil, seeing that since the son of the everlasting truth is appeared, which is the son of the only God, all these damnable superstitions are not only discovered, but by the beams of that son shining in the minds and eyes of men, they are put to flight and vanished as the clouds give place when the son approacheth. They are fallen into ruin, as buildings ill founded, and meeting the firm vessel of the word of God, their tickle ship driven by the wind of abuse and deceit, is confounded and swallowed in the gulf of Christian religion. Thus much for the first point of your demand, which I doubt not is either sufficiently answered, or at lest nothing left doubtful.  
There resteth now to touch what opinion the Poets and other ancients had of these Gods and the plurality of them: As hesiod, Archilachus', Horace, Menander, Esope, Apuleius, Ovid, and many other writers of great gravity and authority, who published not their inventions and fictions to other effect, then to disclose to men the means to become more wise, and draw to a more Civil form of life in the world. For which purpose, they spread many fictions and fabulous metaphors, tending to sundry arts and professions: For fables (according to the opinion of Apthonius and Hermogenes, have taken their name of Fari in Latin, signifying to discourse and speak: so that a fable may be taken for a discourse feigned, inducing oftentimes, under an honest recreation and delightful resemblance, the readers to consider the moral sense and doctrine hid under those fabulous discourses, which discovering the customs and conversasions of men, they do also impropriate many things to the actions of men, extolling men of virtue, and embasing such as seek their felicity in vices, and are (as it were) men of nothing.  
There is the first point to be considered by all men of judgement in the reading as well of Ovid as of other Poets: And for the second, it is to be noted, that when there was any man excellent whether in sciences, or in arms, or in influency of wit, or had some other singular or sovereign qualety, which made him serviceable to his common weal, such men the Poets called the Children of God: and when they died, they held them transformed into Planets and Stars, the same to stir up others the rather to virtue: if any man brought forth any act of virtue or singularytie of what nature or moment so ever it were, they extolled him to the heavens, as appeareth in the glory which they gave to the Philosopher Promotheus, 
Promotheus the first that showed to the Egyptians a form of civil life.  who, for that he was the first in Egypt that showed unto men a form of Civylity, instructing them to live like men, and shake of that beastly ignorance wherein they were resolved: They feigned that he had stolen the fire from heaven (which is wisdom) to communicate it to men: for that Atlas was a great Astrologian, they feign that he holds up the heaven. And because jupiter and his race were also singular in that science, they ascribed their names to principal Planets: In other places, the Poets seeing the hearts of men, after they had once received the impression of errors in their brains, to continued hardened and obstinate in their false imaginations: feigned that Dewcalion & Pirrha had converted stones into men: But as Paulus Perusus Writeth, those simple People had read in the ancient histories of the greeks the particular deluge that fell in Thessaly, during the which, the people of that country sought their safety in the Hill Parnassus & other high mountains, remaining there in great amaze amongst the rocks, forests, & caves, without any courage or disposition to descend eftsoons to the plains, & follow the commodities of the earth till by Dewealion & Pirrha his wife (skilful in the course of the stars,) they were satisfied by natural reasons that those great waters were caused by certain constellations & influences, & that it would be a very long time afore the like imundation happened.  

Proper fictions of the Poets for many things.  The Poets also, when they went about to advance chastity, feigned a transformation of persons chaste, into trees always green as the Olive and Laurel, into the which were transhaped Lotus and Daphe, signifying by that continual gréenesse, virginity undefiled: and so following those fictions, they compared men both good and ill, to many trees according to the good and bad properties they had.  
In like sort, they feigned that all young men dying in the flower of their age and having any sparcke of virtue, were transfigured into flowers green tender, and delicate, withering forthwith. Ovid makes Hyacintus (a young and forward prince) to be changed into a Flower: And so saith he of Adonis, Narcissus, Ermaphroditus with others: And of the contrary, when he sought to blame and deface vices, the better to make men abhor them, he transformeth men dissolute and licentious into brute beasts▪ the same agreeing with the text of Boecius, that who liveth beastly and according to the inclinations of beasts, may be holden transhaped & changed into beasts: The Giants, for that they were men proud and intractable, denying the truth and power of their Gods, & raised war against them: were by the fiction of the Poets, connuerted into Apes, truly resembling, that wicked men and such as by presumption and haughtiness of heart, will not acknowledge their Creator, but hunt after brutality, are not improperly compared to beasts, retaining no other thing of men, than the outward figure, as we see in the similitude and proportion of Apes: with this opinion agreeth Cicero, who holdeth the wars of the Giants none other thing, than a life disordered, unbridled, and out of reason: thereupon came the Metamorphoses of Lycaon into a Wolf. For, being king of Arcadia he was so tyrannous towards his people, that they drew into revolt, & by the Council and aid of jupiter, he was constrained to retire into the Forests, Praying by ravin and stealth upon Passengers, as the Wolf doth upon the Sheep.  
The Poets also painting forth any cruel tyranny, feigned tyrants transchaunged into Hawks of pray, as Daedalian whom they make converted into a Bitter: And for such as dare not iustefye themselves in the face of the world by reason of their life abominable, they feign them converted into Birds and fowl that fly not but by night.  
Such one was Nictimenes, transfigured into an Owl, the carriers of news and Tales were changed into Crows and Ravens: Men Effeminate employing their time to Frissle their heir, Perfume their Garments, and behold their face in a Glass, are likened to the Seamews and Cranes, which are always pruning their Feathers,  
And to detect the abomination of pride, presumption, & vainglory, they brought in the daughters of Cinaca, who for that they were the Daughters of a Rich and mighty Father, despised all other that were poor: But God made their pride subject to such justice, that their poverty and misery brought them in the end, to lie always at the gates of the temples begging alms, & so (according to the fiction of the poets) they were turned into stones serving as the stayrs, or steps of the temple: Such as drowned or strangled themselves represented the insatiable desire of the covetous who albeit have all they desire, yet they rest not contented, but in following the infinite motion of their appetite, they find their own destruction by despair, feigning, for an example of that figure, Midas to be converted into Gold: For a spectacle of envy, and the works thereof, they paint out Aglauros: For a pattern of whoredom, they bring in Circe's, who was a whorso excellent in beauty, that she enchanted all such as beheld her according to the fiction of Horace: And because bawds and whoremongers, always attending on the train of public women, are like unto swine, the Poets feigned the followers of Ulysses to be transfigured into swine: To blaze prodigality and such as were too much given to their delights, they painted Actaeon turned into a heart, who was so much drowned in the pleasures of hunting, that in the end his Dogs devoured him. Epicures, and such as seek so much to please the lycorrous taste of their mouth, that no riches can suffice them, they feign in the end to eat one an other as did Erisichcton, whom they feigned to eat himself under this figure that he consumed the money which the whoremongers gave him to lie with his Daughter: They feign also this Erisichcton to be the son of Proteus a God of the Sea transformed into sundry sorts of Creatures: signifying thereby the lightness of our affections, who by their inconstancy are changed into many forms of appetite sometimes desiring one thing, and sometime an other: swelling sometimes with pride as a Lion, and sometimes taking the form of a heart by reason of their weakness and fear: and in the practice of sleights and subtleties, are turned into the similitude of a Fox.  
These be the names that Ovid sets before the eyes of men, as wonderful examples of things which happen in the world, as you and all readers of stayed minds may find by the discourse of his Book of the Metamorpheses: wherein you may perceive that the ancients aswell philosophers as Poets, when they began any work of importance, they called upon the aid and favour divine: according to the Testimony of Pliny in an Oration he made in the praise of Trayan, wherein he commended the Custom of the ancients to make invocation afore the beginning of their work, and judged that there could be no assured nor wise beginning of any enterprise without the special aid and council of God.  
Ovid was not ignorant of this custom, and being a gentleman Roman, he was also an Astrologian, Philosopher, politic and excellent Poet, as it is well expressed on his Books of Metamorphoses, & specially in the first which containeth indifferently both Philosophy, & excellent Poetry: In the second book he declars himself a perfect Astrologian, giving no appearance to have any opinion that he was a man living as he feigned nor that he had any children, chariot, or horse. But under this fabulous description, he declareth the natural course of the Sun & of the firmament, together with the natural effects that follow of them: wherein to rebuke such as are ignorant, and of little knowledge in the Science, he brings in Phaeton king of the Indees, who having a high pride & weening in his knowledge (albeit by the judgement of the Historians, he was very unresolute & simple) led diverse people into error by his Laws and statutes corrupt, which was that fire of error wherewith he burned all the earth: Some feigned him to be the son of the sun, unto whom they approiated all men of singular wit, & held him as God of sciences. But the occasion that the Poets took was upon his death, which happened in the voyage he made upon the river Pano, leading a great army by water by reason of the great heat, and there was divinely killed with an arrow or bolt that fell from heaven.  
But to return eftsoons to Ovid, it must be considered, that seeking to establish in his work an end and purpose, which was to show to all good wits that should come after him, the excellency of his conceit and wonderful invention of his Metamorphoses (which with good right may be called the mother of Poesy) and also his resolute knowledge in all disciplines, together with the copy and variety of his doctrine, joined to an exact judgement in policy & histories: knowing he was a man, whose frailty bore many impediments (without the aid of God) to execute and perfect the purpose he had taken in hand: began his work by a form of invocation to God, saying. O mild gods I beseech you (seeing all metamorphoses & transformations proceed of you) to assist me, & so bliss me in the beginning that I may have grace to continued to the end, being thereby the better able to recount the things that are happened from the beginning of the world unto our time, & so descended into the parts of his argument as is expressed upon his works. Thus you have the contents of your commandment & my promise, which I have sent you not contrived of myself, but as I have sought them amongst the writings of learned men, hoping they will satisfy you the better, since I was careful to writ nothing which is not justified by good authority.   

A rebuke to ambition under the speech of a savage man uttered in the Senate of Rome.  
SO much do your importunities trouble me, that I wish to be either further from you, or at lest that my condition were not so private, seeing that to the nearness of the place, you join your authority, & make all things serve to your occasion to trouble me: If you claim me to your devotion in respect of your merits, you bring stain to your liberality, since to exact recompense, is a manifest exprobration of benefits received: and in a demand so sudden, so great, and concerning so many even of the greatest, there can be no less fault in you to tempt my patience, then rebuke in me to hazard my ignorance, 
To exact recompense is an upbreading of benefits received  for that he that is the executor of the fault, is less guilty & blamable, than he that giveth the occasion. But seeing you prove me in a matter so high and jealous, I will (to avoid particular challenge) sand you my opinion, under this discreet and excellent discourse of a vilayn published in the presence of the whole Senate of the Romans, & recommended to posterity in writing by M. Aurelius, wherein if you find yourself touched with your proper errors, have regard to the reasons of this rude Orator, and be no less reformed of your covetousness, than he made the Senate ashamed of their ambition and Tyranny, assuring you that as ambition is the beastly nurse of covetousness, and both they creep in in these days under a form and manner of severity: So it can not be but that man which desireth power, is an ill mayteyner of justice, and he that thirsteth for glory, runs with great swiftness into actions of injuries and oppression. 
Ambition the nurse of covetousness.  And therefore who aspireth to glory and seeks his praise of wicked men, must of necessity be like unto them. But now to our villain, who speaking in a time when Rome was changed in Customs and Civil virtues & peopled more with flatterers than men of simplicity and truth: you must also imagine him to stand at the bar in this description, his face little & thin, his countenance sharp and piercing, his colour black & swarffy, his hair disordered & staring his eyes rolling and fiery, his beard long and thick, his eyebrows cloudy and hanging, his neck and stomach all hairy, his girdle of bulrushes pleated, his shoes of the skin of a wild Boar, and holding in his hand a great staff or troncheon: And being entered the Senate in this hideous figure, he protested the reasons of his coming with no less boldness & majesty of countenance & spirit then his presence & garments were monstrous & terrible. 
The oration of the savage man  O grave fathers (saith he) that in your lives & functions were expressed such effect of piety, & compassion as your outward presence declare merit of reverence & appearance of equity: them to my complaints should be joined present pity & grace, & to mine inocency, just favour & clemency. I salute you with that affection which the oppression of my country can best afford, and with that heart which you have torn in pieces with long miseries & exaction, I beseech the immortal Gods, so to inspire you with a spirit of justice & clemency, that the errors of your government may be redressed: and to give to my tongue that moderation & wisdom which is convenient to lay afore you the calamities of my country, the liberties & ancient prerogatives whereof, 
God raiseth one murderer against an other  have suffered a sinister and unworthy change: not by your might, nor by our weakness, not by your policy, nor by our negligence, but by the offences we had done to our gods, whose justice is terrible where they found obstinacy & hardness of heart, yea to the reprobate they raise one murderer to kill another, one wicked city to afflict another, & one proud nation to chase & persecute another. Great is your glory for the triumphs & victories you hove got in other countries: A thing very familiar with men ambitious whose desires tend all to oppression & all their felicities resolved in tyrannies: but greater shall be your infamies in the ages to come for the cruelties you have done, seeing there is no offence which at one time or other suffereth not his proper punishment, nor any injury without his assured subjection to justice. 
No offence with out his punishment.  So great is your extortion to ravish the patrimony of your neighbours, and your pride so unbridled to command over foreign regions, that neither the Sea sufficeth to contain you in her bottoms, nor the Land able to assure you in her huge valleys & plains, which intolerable ambition brings with it this unfeigned revenge, that as without reason you have thrown others out of their Countries and houses, so the Gods will arm others with good equity to remove you from your proud estate of Rome and Italy: 
A revenge infallible for such as ravish the goods of an other.  For the Law is infallible, that who by force ravisheth the goods of another, by good right loseth that which he holdeth of his own: yea, such is the measure and manner of God's justice, that as all that the wicked man heaps up by Tyranny in many days, suffereth spoil and is consumed in one day: So, of the contrary, what so ever goodmen lose in many years, God can and will restore it in one hour. And therefore it is no small consolation to men vexed and afflicted to remember that there is a Just God, to whom is referred the revenge and justice of Innocent causes, the certainty whereof entertains their hope, and keeps them from thoughts and acts of despair: And as when wicked men prosper, it is not for that God willeth so, but for that he suffereth it, so to such as dissemble in complaints, and suffer with expectation, he hath appointed the time of their delivery, when their injuries shall be redressed, and all their mourning turned into mirth and comfort, and they set as judges over the Tyranny of their enemies, whom they shall see burn and consume in the fire of gods justice: Let no man therefore marvel, why God taketh not from the wicked man forthwith that which he hath gained by violence and extortion: seeing that dissembling with them, he giveth them time to assemble and heap great things, to the end that when they are in their most security and delight, he might show his power to their general confusion: For this is one property in the judgement of God, that who doth injury to an other without reason, against him shall be raised others in whom it shall be holden good equity to reverse their estates and pull them quite down: Sewer it is impossible that the virtuous & valiant man should take taste in any thing that he holds wrongfully of another: For that, to remember by what means it is got, is enough to take away all contentment of the thing: 
Where the conscience is not quiet, the residue of the man is nothing but martyrdom.  seeing where the conscience only is not quiet, there the residue of the man is nothing but martyrdom & passion. O, that is the greatest infamy that can happen to men, to hold in their hearts so many dear desires, and to abandon their hands to such liberty of action, that they make the misery of others a riches to themselves, and kill their neighbours, they think to wipe away the offence by washing their hands in the blood of such as they have slain: wherein it hath no great reference whether he be Greek or Barbarian, absent or present, dead or a live, since it is most true that such are and shallbe accursed of God, and hated of me●, who without further consideration, exchange renown for infamy, confounded justice with tyranny, pervert equity with iniquity, abuse truth with falsehood, & be careless of that that is their own, & sigh for the goods of another: let no man have more resolute intentions to gather riches for his children, then to get renown amongst the virtuous, since it is a rule infallible that of the wicked gain of fathers, 
Of the wicked gain of fathers, comes just loss of their children.  comes just loss to the children, but where virtue is in action, there hath renown his perpetuity. And let no man esteem himself happy, for that he hath more than others, or that for the same he is more worthy of honour, seeing if withal he open not his eyes to discern his proper errors, where the wicked life him up with a wind of vainglory for his great power and patrimony, he shall find himself the slave of his proper riches: For, little doth it profit to have countries large and of long circuit, or houses of sumptuous presence, and bestowed full of wealth, and to have his mind commanded with cares, and all his desires still corrupted with covetousness, which can not but draw infamy to the getter, and yet serve little to the sweet sustenance of his life. O that you Romans were as covetous of your proper honour, as you are greedy of the goods of others, then should not the little worm of Ambition so fret the felicity and rest of your life, nor the miserable Canker of infamy devour your good renown. Most of you in appearance seem to hate pride, and yet none followeth humility: All condemn dissoluteness, and yet who is continent? You all praise patience and yet none of you can suffer: you all accurse intemperancy, and yet none live in order: All blame Idleness, and yet in none of you is any example of travel: All speak against bribing, and none are free from stealing. lastly every one of you with your Tongue is a publisher and blazer of virtues, and withal your other members there is none of you which doth not administer to vices: yea, even this Senate (afore whom I stand) are no other than tormentors of men that love & live in rest and quiet, and violent thieves, whose fury feedeth of the sweat of other men's labours. I pray you what action had you being borne upon Tiber, to seek to set out and dilate your limits even to our river of Daunby, where we lived in peace? We have lent no aid nor favour to your Enemies: we have conquered none of your Provinces: neither is there any ancient law to prove that the noble and warlike Germany aught of necessity to be subject to proud Rome: yea, if we had touched one another in neighbourhod or nearness of countries, it might have given some occasion of quarrel, for that amongst borderers it is familiar to entertain variance: But much less that we offended in any of these, seeing we have no sooner hard of your fame and renown, than we have felt the scourges of your Tyranny, the name of the Romans, and the Crueltte of their judges arriving at one instant in our Nation. O wonderful iniquity of men, when he that possesseth much, tyranniseth over him that hath little: and he that hath little bears envy to him that hath much: wherein the Law being led by affection, and justice measured by opinion: It comes to pass that unbridled covetousness debates with secret malice, and private malice gives place to public Theft: which, because no man calls into just examination and trial, it resolveth into this inconvenience, that the covetousness of one wicked man is accomplished by the preiudcie of a whole nation: But if you call not into reckoning your extortions past, and reform in time your present ambition, it can not be, but either the Immortal Gods will enter into judgement of your abuses, or the world will cease to be a world, seeing there can not be a thing more Just, than the Gods to make you Slaves by justice, as you have made yourselves tyrants by force. Think not therefore that because you have made yourselves Lords of germany, that it is happened by any singular industry of War, but by the judgement and sentence of the Gods: who, for that we have offended them, have ordained in their secret Counsels, that to chastise our vices, you should be raised as execucioners: wherein if for our wickedness, the Gods have withdrawn their favour, what hope remaineth to you, whose vices keep them still in anger: And if for a scourge of our sins we be made subject to these miseries, what other expectation appertains to you then to suffer infinite calamaties having so infinitely offended the Gods, that neither the life of you nor your children is able to satisfy your faltes. Think not that either for the terror of your mighty armies, or the brute of your huge treasures, or that you have the aid of more mighty Gods, or because you build sumptuous Temples, or offer therein great sacrifices, that you are the more victorious, seeing that by how much we favour & cherish virtues, by so much have we part & community with the Gods: If the glory & triumphs of Conquerors consisted not but to have subtle and politic wits, Captains well experienced, soldiers serviceable and valiant, and Armies compounded upon great numbers of men: It would be an easy matter to bring all these to the wars. But by experience we see that in men is no further power then to give the battle, and to the Gods only belongs the arbitrement and consent of the victory.  
In such a large distance of places, in wars so painful to march, in a country so subtle and subject to ambush, and a people so rude and intractable, I see not what might move you to make a conquest of Germany. Seeing if the desire of our wealth carried you into that enterprise, in good reckoning, there hath been more money spent to conquer it, and more allowance made to maintain it, than the revenues of Germany amount unto, yea perhaps it may be conquered afore the charges be satisfied. If you say you entered into the conquest for none other end then to make Rome the sovereign Lady over Germany: Your vanity was great, for that it little profits to hold the walls, and fortresses of people vanquished, if the hearts of the inhabitants be estranged: If you say you did it to amplify and make great the bounds and confines of Rome, that seems also reason both frivolous and vain, because it is far from the office of men wise and valiant to increase in countries and Patrimony, and diminish in honour and virtue. If you made invasion upon us, to the end to reduce us under good laws & customs, and exchange us from tyrants and people barbarous. How is it possible you should prescribe rules to strangers, seeing you make no conscience to break the laws of your predecessors? and no more aught you to correct others, that suffer so many vices in yourselves, than it is meet that the lame man take him that is blind to lead him. If all these be true what other minds can you allege to push you forwards to vex us in Germany, then that you made it lawful for all men to rob, to kill, to conquer and to spoil, and following the general corruption of the world far divided from the love of God and good policy, you set men's minds at liberty every one to take what he could, and kill whom he would: Whereunto this intolerable inconvenience is adjoined, that to all these grievous evils that are committed daily, neither those that govern will give remedy, nor such as are vexed dare complain. For, your judges are so partial and far estranged from piety and justice, that the miserable people oppressed, hold it a less evil to suffer their tribulations at home, then to lay them afore you here in complaint: The reason is, for that in their own country if may be they are pursued but by one, but here in the Senate they have the disfavour of all, the more, if he that complains be poor, and the party that doth the wrong be rich: For that in this Senate suits are not dispatched according to the equity and innocency of causes, but according to the wealth & authority of the party.  
Having made us subject to your obedience, it is withal good reason you keep us in justice, and minister to our country peace and tranquillity. But alas it is all in the contrary, seeing such as you sand to us do nothing but ravish our goods, and the Senate here robbeth us of our renown, saying, that since we are a nation without laws, without reason, & without a king, we deserve not to be otherways reputed & used then slaves, according to the custom of people barbarous unknown. Wherein in this only I may say you are justly confounded, for that such as we are, we are created of God: we lived at home contented with our own, & had no strange desires to seek out strange countries, and therefore with greater reason we may esteem you men without reason, law, & equity, seeing that not content to be contained within the compass of Italy, you stretch out your murdering hands to shed innocent blood through out all the world. Where you say we deserve no better than slaves, for that we have no Prince to command us, no Senate or council to govern us, nor armies to defend us: I may answer, that seeing we had no enemies to annoy us, we lived without care to arearearmies: every one being contented with his portion and fortune, there was no necessity of a proud Senate to decide our controversies: And being as we were, popular, and equal, why should we consent to have Princes, to whose office it appertaineth chiefly to suppress tyrants, and suffer those people that live in peace and tranquillity. And where you say that our country had no form of common weal nor policy, but that we passed a conversation like brute beasts in mountains and Caves: You are in this as well as in the rest far deceived, for that we never suffered in our country any that practised untruths, mutinies, or factions, and much less could we endure any that brought from strange countries, garments or other wares to make us proud or effeminate, but being modest in attire, we were also temperate in diet without expectation of better entreating. And albeit we knew not what were the sweet smells of Asia, nor meddled with the gold of Spain, nor tasted of the oil of Mauritania, nor sipped of the wines of Candia, and much less could skill of the purple of Arabia: Yet, for all these we lived not at home like brute beasts, nor yet forbore to manage a common weal: for that such spiced trifles as those, bring more occasion to stir up vices, then to breed or nourish virtues. Right happy and well governed is a common weal, not that wherein be many Traitors, but that which entertaineth men virtuous: not that which aboundeth in riches, but that which flourisheth in innocency and integrity: not where live men rash & wilful, but where bear rule such as are of peace and judgement.  
And therefore to the policy of Rome which is rich, we own pity and compassion, and to the government of Germany because it is poor, you aught to bear justice with favour: Wherein if the same contentment which we brook in our poverty, had also remained to you in your wealth and abundance, we had been without cause to complain, & you without spot or blame of conscience.  
I have yet many things to say, which in this perplexity of mind, I have no fear to speak, since you had no shame to do them, for that a fault public must not suffer secret correction. 
A public fault must not suffer a secret punishment.  Did it not suffice you to take from us our ancient liberty, and to overwhelm us with intolerable subsidies and payments, but the more to entangle us with all kinds of miseries, you sand us officers so covetous that they are all transformed into private gain, and judges so ignorant that they are not able to comprehend our statutes, nor make us understand your laws. They punish grievously the poor, and dissemble with the faults of the rich: they take all that is offered in public, & refuse nothing that they can rake in secret: they consent to many offences, because they will have occasion to be greater gainers: and under cooler that they are of Rome, they have no fear to rob all the world. When will cease your pride to command over strangers▪ and your covetousness to spoil your neighbours? If we be disobedient, or that you suspect our loyalty or service, proceed to the dispatch of our lives, to the end we may be delivered of pain, and you live without jealousy, assuring you that your sword can not be more cruel in our bodies, then are your tyrannies in our hearts. If you lay thus many burdens upon us for our children, load them with Irons and take them as slaves, because you can lay no more on them than they can bear, but of commandments and tributes you have given us more than we can suffer: if you do it for our goods, we give you liberty to take all, for that we have not your condition to delight to live poorly, for fear we should not die rich. O to what extremity hath your tyrannies brought us: seeing all the remainder of our miserable nation have sworn together, never to accompany with our wives, and to kill our proper children the rather to deliver them of your cruelties. And therefore holding it more honourable that they die with liberty, then to live in servitude and captivity, we have desperately determined to suffer from henceforth the violent motions and furies of the flesh, and so to sequester ourselves from the use of our wives to the end they may be barren, thinking it better to live continent for twenty or thirty years, (the residue of our time here) then to leave to our children an inheritance of perpetual slavery. For, if they have to suffer, those calamities which their sorrowful fathers have endured, it were not only good not to let them live, but withal it were better to consent not to have them borne. The land that is conquered by force, aught to be governed with more clemency and mildness, for that those that are miserable captives, when they see favourable justice administered, they will both forget the tyranny past, and better prepare their hearts to the perpetual servitude: which if it be so, why do your officers in Germany drive us to complain, and your Senate at Rome so slow to give remedy, that afore you will admit an offence to the question, the whole common weal suffereth danger. If a poor man come to demand justice, and have no bribes of gold, silver, wine, purple, and other precious things to disperse. At the beginning he shallbe entertained to spend all that he hath, through a vain hope to obtain his cause. And being entered, they consume him by delays, and whilst he hath means to bear out the charges of the suit, they assure him that he hath good right, but when his liberality faileth, they pronounce sentence against him, and so where he came to complain but of one, he returneth accursing all, crying to the Gods for justice and pity. I will disclose some part of my life the better to make you see the calamities of my poor countrymen.  
I live by Acorns in Winter, and fish in Summer, sometimes bearing of burdens, and sometimes digging up of wild Roots, and that more for necessity then pastime, passing the most part of my miserable time amongst the mountains, void of the comfort of my Wife, and company of my friends, and not for other reason then to keep mine eyes from the view of so many murders of good men, so many oppressions of the poor and innocent, and so many other calamities afflicting my poor Country, that neither finding justice there, nor hope of redress in this Senate, I am entered into this banishment from the society of my house and comfort, delighting more to wander alone through the woods and valleys desert, then to be made sorrowful always with the sighs, complaints, and lamentations of my neighbours: For, being a borderer in the Forests and woods, the wild beasts forbear to hurt me, if I refuse to do them harm, where the Romans in my country, although I do them service, yet will they not spare to torment me. It is no doubt a great perplexity to endure a change of fortune, but far more intolerable is the grief, when the pain is felt and can not be remedied: so that great is my evil, when my destruction is subject to such a remedy, as such as can help me, will not, and those that would, can not.  
O, it is time you had some sense of the miseries we feel, seeing that if in reducing them thus to memory, my tongue fainteth, my eyes grow dim, my heart vanisheth, and my flesh trembleth: Much more grievous is it to see them in my country, to hear them with mine ears, to touch them with my finger, and to taste them in my heart: yea the iniquity of your judges is so great, and the justice of this Senate so partial, that it exceeds the faculty of flesh and blood to endure the one, and is hateful to all good men to hear of the other. And therefore in the account of all that I have said I grow to this conclusion, that one of these two things are to be done, either to chastise me if I have lied, or, if I have told truth, you to be deprived of your offices, wherein for my part, if you think my tongue hath taken an unlawful liberty to publish the roundness and simplicity of my heart, I stretch out myself afore you in this place, and do offer my head to the Axe, assuring myself of more honour by my death, than you can merit fame or renown by joining so many miseries to my wretched life. Here the savage man gave ● to his Oration, leaving the Senate in such remorse for the oppressions of Germany, that the next day they established other judges over that part upon Daunby, and proceeded to punish the corruption of others for perverting so noble a common weal.  
Behold here (sir) what holiness flowed out of the mouth of an Ethnic, from whom I wish you with other judges mercenary as you are, to fetch your directions to reform the Provinces committed to your government, and with all to discover the subtleties, corruptions and iniquities of inferior officers subsisting in Cities and common weals. For, who would set him down to describe faithfully the deceits, the delays, the perplexities, and dangerous ends of suits, he should found it a subject not to be written with ink but with blood: seeing if every suitor suffered as much for the holy faith of Christ, as he endureth about the travel of his process, there would be as many martyrs in chaunceries, and other courts of justice and record of Princes, as was at Rome in the times of persecution by the old Emperors: so that as to begin a process at this day, is no other thing then to prepare sorrow to his heart, complaints to his tongue, tears to his eyes, travail to his feet, expenses to his purse, toil to his men, trial of his friends, and to all the rest of his body nothing but pain and travel. So, the effects and conditions of a process are no other, then of a rich man to become poor: of a spirit pleasant to settle into malencholly: of a free mind to become bound from liberality, to fall to covetousness: from truth to learn falsehood and shifts: and of a quiet man, to become a vexer of others. So that I see no other difference between the ten plagues that scourged Egypt, and the miseries that afflict suitors, then that the calamities of the one were inflicted by God's providence, and the torments of the other are invented by the malice of of men, who by their proper toil, make themselves very Martyrs.  
(⸫)   
¶ FINIS.   

 

   

¶ Imprinted at London by Henry Middelton for Ralph Newberry, dwelling in Fleetstreet a little above the Conduit, Anno. 1575.