THE GOLDEN BOOK OF MARCUS AURELIUS EMPEROR AND ELOQVENT ORATOUR.  
ANNO. M.D.XXXVI.   

THE TABLE.  

OF the birth and lineage of Mark Aurely Anthony emperor. Cap. primo.  
¶ What masters Mark Aurely had in his youth. cap. two.  
¶ What sciences Marcus the emperor learned, And of a marvelous letter that he sent to Polion. capitulo. iii.  
¶ how for the wisdom of Marcus many wise men flourished in his tyme. capit. iiii.  
¶ Of the emperor Marcus son named Verissimus. capit. v.  
¶ What wise and ancient men Marcus chose to instruct his son. cap. vi.  
¶ How it chanced to five wise men, wherefore they were put out of the emperors house. cap. seven.  
¶ How the emperor reasoned with the masters that should learn his son. cap. viii.  
¶ How the masters of princes ought to keep them from vices. cap. ix.  
¶ How the emperor Marcus nourished the princessis his daughters. capit. x.  
¶ How Marcus the emperor did chose and proved his sons in law. cap. xi.  
¶ What the emperor Marcus said to the father of a young man, that would marry one of his daughters. capitulo. xii.  
¶ How a son in law ought to be well examined ere he be accepted to his purpose. ca xiii.  
¶ How Marc the emperor favoured all noble exercises, and hated trewandes and fools. cap. xiiii.  
¶ Of the good conversation of this emperor Marcus Aurelius. cap. xv.  
¶ Of the feast that the Romans kept to the god jano in Rome, and what chanced to the said emperor there. cap. xvi.  
How Marcus the emperor answered a senator in the senate. capitulo. xvii.  
How the emperor Marcus divided the hours of the day for the businesses of th'empire. capitulo. xviii.  
The answer of Mark th'emperor when Faustine his wife demanded the key of his study. capi. nineteen.  
The emperor rehearseth the perils of them that haunt women excessively. capitul. xx.  
The emperors answer to Faustine for that she said, she was with child. capit. xxi.  
How tidings was brought to th'emperor, that the Mauritaynes would conquer great britain. cap. xxii.  
What the emperor said to them of his court in eschewing idleness. capit. xxiii.  
Of the perilous living of them that haunt the court continually. capit. xxiiii.  
How th'emperor would have them of his court to live, capitulo. xxv.  
Of a marvelous and fearful monster that was seen in Scicile, and of his writings. cap. xxvi.  
What befell to a citesen of Rome in the time of this emperor Marcus. capi. xxvii.  
Of a great pestilence that was in Italy in this emperors tyme. cap. xxviii.  
How Marcus ansewred his physicians that would have him leave his study. cap. xxix.  
How science ought to be in prnicis. capi. thirty.  
What a villain said to the Senators of Rome in the presence of the emperor. cap. xxxi.  
Of divers other things that the vylayn said before the senate. capi. xxxii.  
How the emperor desired the wealth of his people, and the people his wealth. cap. xxxiii.  
How the emperor gave Lucilla his daughter licence to sport her at his palace. cap. xxxiiii.  
What Marcus the emperor said to a Senator as touching triumphs. capit. xxxv.  
Of the great reproach that the emperor gave to his wife Faustine and her daughter. capit. xxxvi.  
How the emperor counseled faustine to eschew ill occasions of her daughter. cap. xxxvii.  
What thought Marcus the emperor took for the marriage of his daughters. cap. xxxviii.  
Of a sickness, whereof the emperor died, of his age, and where he died. cap. xxxix.  
The words of Panutius, secretary to th'emperor, at the hour of his death. cap. xl.  
How the emperor demanded to have in writing all that the secretary had said. cap. xli.  
The answer of th'emperor to Panutius. cap. xlii.  
What the emperor said to the masters of his son and to the ruler's th'empire. cap. xliii.  
How the emperor at the hour of his death, sent for his son, and declared to him, who should govern the empire. cap. xliiii.  
What the emperor said to his son at the hour of his death. cap. xlv.  
Of other more particular counsels given by th'emperor to his son. capit. xlvi.  
Of divers and particular recommendations, which the emperor commanded his son. cap. xlvii,  
Of the last words that the emperor spoke to his son, and of the table that he gave him. ca xlviii.  
A letter sent by Marcus Aurelius to Pyramon his special friend. The first▪ letter.  
A letter sent by Marcus the emperor to Cornelius, of the travail of war, and vanity of triumph. the ii letter  
To Torcatus being at Gayette in consolation of his banishment. The iii letter.  
A letter to Domitius of Capue to comfort him in his banishment. The four letter.  
A letter sent fro th'emperor to Claudius & Claudine his wife, because they being old lived as young persons. The fifth. letter.  
A letter sent from Marcus the emperor to Labinia a Roman widow for to comfort her for the death of her husband. the vi letter.  
A letter sent by Mark the emperor to Cyncinatus his friend, because he being a gentleman became a merchant, the vii letter.  
A letter sent from Marc the emperor to Catulus censorius▪ that was sorrowful for the death of his son Verissimus. The viii letter.  
A letter sent by Marc the emperor to Marcurino, being at Sanny now called Benauent. The ix letter.  
A letter sent by Marc th'emperor, to Antigonus, comforting him in a sorowefulle case, the ten letter.  
Another letter sent by Marc the Emperor to the same Antigonus against cruel judges, The xi letter.  
A letter sent by Mark to Lambert governor of the isle of Hellespont, when he did banish the vagabonds fro Rome, the xii letter.  
A letter sent by Marc the emperor to Catulus his special friend of the novelties of Rome. the xiii letter.  
A letter sent by Marc th'emperor to the amorous ladies of Rome, because they made a play of him, the xiiii letter.  
A letter sent by Mark the emperor to Boemia a lover of his that would have gone with him to the wars. The xu letter.  
The answer to the emperors letter sent by Boemia. The, xvi. letter.  
A letter sent by Mark th'emperor to Matrine a young maiden of Rome, of whom he was enamoured, saying her at a window. The xvii letter.  
Another letter sent by Mark the emperor to the said gentle woman Matryne. The xviii letter.  
A letter sent by Mark the emperor to Libya a fair lady Roman. The xix letter,   
FINIS TABULE   


LUCRETIA ROMANA  
THOMAS BERTHELETUS    

THE PROLOGUE.  
AS the time is an inventor of novelties, and a register certain of things ancient, and at the end time giveth end to that suffereth end: The truth all only among all things is privileged, in such wise, that when the time seemeth to have broken her wings, than as immortal she taketh her force. There is nothing so entire, but it diminisheth, nor nothing so hole, but that is weary, nor nothing so strong, but that it breaketh, nor nothing so well kept, but that it corrupteth. So all these things time achieveth and burieth, but only truth, the which (of the time and of all thing that is in the time) triumpheth. Neither to be favoured of the good, nor to be persecuted of the ill, may be, but that sometime troth may be stopped and hid, but when it is displeased, and will displease, than at the last she cometh to a good port, and taketh land. The fruits in the springing time have not the virtue to give sustenance nor perfit sweetness to satisfy the taste of them that eatetth thereof: but then passeth the season of summer, and harvest cometh, which time doth better ripe them, and than that that we do eat doth profit us, the proof thereof is right saverynesse, and giveth the more force and virtue, and the greater is the taste. I will in these first words say, that in the first aeges men were more esteemed by their meek customs and delycatenes, than they were after reproved by their gross and rude understandings. Certainly some of the ancient philisophers, I speak of the most ancient, as well Caldees as Greeks, who first lifted themselves to regard the stars of the heaven, and surmounted the high mount of Olympius, there to contemplate and regard the influences of the planets in the heaven: I dare well say, that they have rather merited pardon by their ignorances, than praising or grace by their wisdom. These were the first that would search the truth of the elements of the heaven, and yet they were the first that did so we errors in things natural of the earth. Homer in his Illiade said these words in speaking of philosophers: I praise nothing the knowledge of mine ancestors, but I can them great thank and praise, in that they desired knowledge. This was well said of Homer. For if among the ancient men had not rained such ignorance, there had not been so many sects and partialities in every school. He that hath red the ancient antiquities of the philosophers, shall not denay me, the presumption of the knowledge and ignorance of that they desired to know, the which is chief cause, that science is not all one. There is great number of partialities, Cynitiens, Catoniens, Peripaticiens, Academyens, and Epicuriens, who were as contrary in their opinions, as divers in their naturalities. I will not that my pen be so dismeasured to reprove so moche the ancient men, that the glory all only should abide with them that be present. Truly if he merit guerdon and praise, that showeth me the way, whereby I think to pass: yet no less meriteth he that showeth and advisethe me of the way, whereby I may fail. The ignorance of the ancient men hath been but as a guide to advise and advertise all other, and because they erred, we have found sith the way, to their great praise, and to our great shame. I say that if we that be no we present had been than, woe had known less than they did. And if they that were than were now at this hour, they should surmount us in knowledge. And that this is true, tt appeareth well. For the ancient sages, with their diligence to know the troth, by their close and farm made the ways: But we by our sloth follow not the open ways. Than to the purpose that I will say, we that be now present, can not complain of them that have been, but that the truth (the which according to Aule. Gel. is daughter of the time) In this time of the world declareth to us the errors that we ought to flee, and the truth of the doctrine that we ought to follow. But as now the human malice is so expert, and the understanding of mortal men is so dull, that in time of need, in goodness of wit we fail and in all ill we know more than we ought to know. In such wise, that some with one part of the more, and some with less, all presume to win the game. And though this be true, yet it is but a small thing to that we abide fore: There is so moche that we ought to know. For the most that we know, is the least part of that we be ignorant of, as the things natural, according to the variety of the time, like manner doth the operations of the elements. In semblable wise in things mortal, as the ages hath succeeded, so are discovered the sciences. For certain all the fruits cometh not together. When one faileth an other beginneth to enter in reason. I will say, that neither all doctors among christian men, nor all the philosophers among the gentiles were concurrante in one time, but after the death of one good, an other came better. The high and supreme wisdom, the which all mean things governeth by justice, and departeth it according to his bounty, will not that at one time the world should want or be destitute of sage men, nor at an other time want of simple persons: some desiring the fruit, and some the leaves. In such sort that they should have envy of that other were impeached. This ancient world that ran in Saturnus days, the which other wise was called the golden world, the which was so esteemed of them that saw it, and so much praised of them that hard the writing thereof, and so much desired of them that felt no part thereof, was not gold by the sages that did guilt it, but because that there was none ill that did ungylt it. This our age now is of iron: yet it is not called of iron, for fault of sages, but because the malicious people surmount. I confess one thing, and I think I shall have many will favour me in the same, that there was never in the world so moche people teaching virtue, and so few following the same. Aul. Gele saith in his book, that the ancient sages were holden in reputation, because there were few teachers and many learners: & at this hour it is contrary, there be but few learners and many teachers. The small esteem that the sages be in at this time may be seen by great veneration that the philosophers were holden in as than, the which thing was true: Homer among the greeks, Salomom among the Hebrews, Lygurge among the Lacedemonyens, Livy among the romans, Cicero among the Latins, Apolonius Thianeus among all the barbarike nations. I desire to have been in all these ages, when the world was so rich of sage persons, and so poor of simple persons, when they assembled out of far countries, and of divers realms and strange nations: not all only to have hard their doctrines, but also to have seen their persons. I think I am not beguiled in the histories, for when Rome in his most prosperity was highest in triumph, Titus Livius doth write it in his histories, and the glorious saint Jerome affirmeth it in the prologue of the bible, that more people came to Rome to see the eloquences of the books, more than to joy any Roman triumph. When Olympias was delivered of her child the great Alexander, Philip her husband and father to the young child wrote a letter to Arestotle, wherein he said: I give great graces to the gods, not all only that they have given unto me a son, but because they have given him to me in the time that thou mayst be his master, and he thy disciple. Marc Aurele the emperor, of whom this present book entreateth, he speaking of himself wrote to Polion these words: Friend I will thou know, that I am not made emperor by reason of the blood of my predecessors, nor yet for the favour of my lineage now present, but it was because I have been always a friend and lover of the sage people, and enemy to them that have no good knowledge. Right happy was Rome to choose so valiant an emperor, and right fortunate was that emperor to come to such an empire, not by patrimony but by sageness. And if that age was glorious in ioyinge of his person, no less it is to us to joy of his doctrines. I will entitle this book the Golden book. It may be called golden, because in so high estimation it holdeth the virtuous, discovering in their time this book with the sentences, as these princes holdeth their minds of gold in their Indes. But I say that at this hour there be more hearts banished into the Indes of gold, than to employ them to read the works of this book. Sallust saith, that there aught great glory be given to them that have done there high and great acts: And that there ought no less fame and renown be given to those that in a good style have written them. In this case I confess to deserve no merits for my traduction or any fame, but I demand pardon of all them that be sage, for the faults that they shall find therein. For except the divine letters, there is nothing so well written, but that there may be found necessity of correction, line, and censure. Seemed this to to be true, by that Socrates was reproved of Plato, and Plato of Aristotle, Aristotle of Abenruyz, Scilio of Sulpice, Lelie of Varro, Marinus of Tom, Enio of Horace, Senec of Aule Gele, Estratocles of Strabo, Tesato of Galene, Hermagore of Cicero, Origen of saint jerom, saint Jerome of ruffian, and ruffian of Donate? Sith that in them and in their works there hath been correction, who were men of high knowledge, it is no reason that I should be in their fraternity, seeing that I know so little as I do to the examination of wise and virtuous men. To them I submit this present work, and to them that have been such, I them require to be content to be the readers, and not judges thereof. It were no patience to suffer, nor law to permit, that a thing that a sage person with great maturite and deliberation hath written, to be dispraised by a simple person. For once reading, oftentimes the auctors and writers are dispraised, not of them that can traduce and compose works: but of them that can not understand them, and yet less read them. I say further of advantage, that divers have written of the time of the said Mark Aureleo emperor, as Herodian wrote little, Eutropio less, Lampridio yet less, julius Capitolyn some what more. The writings of them and of other seemeth rather epitomes than histories. There is difference between this writing, and that they wrote by hearing say: but they by whom I have composed this present work, they were witness by sight, and not by hearing of other, but they wrote what they saw themself: That is to say among the masters, who learned the said emperor their sciences, there were three, that is to say, junto Rastico, Cina Catule, and Sexto Cheronense, nephew to the great Plutarch. These been they that have written this present history, Sexto Cheronense in greek, and the other two in latin. I think of this history is but small notice, because unto this hour it hath not be seen imprinted. When I departed from the college of my study, and went to preach in the palace, where I saw so many new novelties in the courts, I delybered myself with great desire to know things, and gave myself to search and know things ancient. And the case fortuned on a day, reading an history, I found therein matter to be noted in a pistle, and it seemed to me so good, that I put all mine human forces to search farther. And after in revolving divers books, searching in divers libraries, and also speaking with divers sages of divers realms, finally I found this treatise in Florence, among the books left there by Cosme de Medicis, a man of good memory. I have used in this writing, the which is human, that that divers times hath been used in divinity, that is to reduce, not word for word, but sentence for sentence. We other interpreters are not bound to give for the mean the words, it sufficeth to give for the weight the sentence: As the historiographes, of whom there were divers, and the history that they made was all but one thing. I will not deny, but I have left out some words, which were not meet, nor well sitting, rude, and least of valour, and I have meddled it with other more sweet and profitable. I think that every wise man, after he hath red this book, will not say that I am the principal author of this work, nor yet to judge me so ignorant to exclude me clean from it, for so high sentences are not found at this present time, nor to so high a style they of time passed never attained.  
❧ Here endeth the prologue.   
¶ Here beginneth the book of the life of the noble and eloquent Mark Aurely emperor.  

¶ Of the birth and lyguage of Mark Aurele Anthony emperor. cap. primo.  
IN the year of the foundation of Rome vi C. lxxxxv. in the olympiad a. C.lxiii. Anthony the meek, being deed, than consuls Fuluie Caton, and Gnee Patrocle in the high capitol, the four day of Octobre, at the demand of all the people roman, and consent of the sacred Senate, was declared for emperor universal of all the monarch of Rome, Marc Aurely Antony. This excellent baron was naturally of Rome borne in the mount Celye. And according as julius Capitolyne saith, he was born the vi kalends of May, the which according to the account of the latins, was the xxvi. day of the month of Apryll passed. His father was named Anio Vero. For the occasion whereof the histories divers times call him Marc Anthony Vero. True it is, that Adriane the emperor called him Verissimus, because in him was never found no lies, nor never failed the troth. These Anius Veres was a lineage, that advanced them to be descended of Numa Pompilio, and of Quintus Curtius the famous roman: which for to deliver the town of Rome from peril, and to give his person perpetual memory, of his own good free will he yielded himself to the same vorage, that as than was seen in Rome. The mother of this emperor was called Domiciade, as Cyne historian recounteth in the books of the lineages of Rome. The Camilles were persons in that time greatly esteemed, by cause they were accounted to be descended of Camille the famous and ancient capitain Roman, which delivered Rome from the gauls, that had won it. The men that descended of that lineage were called Camilli, for the remembrance of Camille, and the women were likewise called Camilles, in the remembrance of a daughter of the said Camylle, that was called Camilla. ¶ There was an ancient law, that all Romans should have a particular privilege in the same place, where their predecessors had done to the Roman people any great service. For this ancient custom they had privilege, so that all they of the lineage of Camylle were kept and maintained in the high capitol. And though the variety of the time, the multitude of tyrants, the ebulition and moving of civil wars were cause of the diminishing of the ancient policy of Rome, and introduced in manner a life not very good: yet for all that we reed not, that the preemynences of the Romans were broken, but if it were in the time of Sylla, when he made the universal prescription against the Marians. After the death of this cruel Sylla, in exalting of himself, julius Cesar the pitiful, made dictator of Rome, and chief of the Marians, annulled and undydde all that Sylla had made, and brought again into the ancient estate the common wealth.  
¶ What hath been the conditions, the estate, poverty, richesse, favour, or disfavour of the ancestors of this Mark Aurelye Emperor, we find not in the ancient histories, and yet it hath been diligently searched for. The ancient roman hystoriens were not accustomed to write the lives of the emperors fathers, namely when they be made monarchs, but the merits and graces that their children had, as for the authority that they had inheriting their fathers. Truth it is, as saith julius Capitolyn, the father of Mark Aurelee th'emperor, had been praetor in exercises, and captain in the Frontiers, in the time of trajan the good, and Adrian the wise, and Anthony the meek, emperors. This is confirmed by that the same Marc Aurelee wrote (being at Rhodes) to a friend of his called Polion, that was at Rome, saying thus: Many things have I felt and known friend Polyon, by the absence of Rome, namely of that I see myself here alone in this isle: but as virtue maketh a stranger natural, and vice turneth natural to a stranger: And as I have been ten years here at Rhodes to read philosophy, I thereby repute myself as natural of this land, & that hath caused me to forget the pleasures of Rome, and it hath learned me the manners of the isle. And here I have found many of my father's friends. Here was captain against the barbarians, to my lord Adrian, Anthonye my father in law, the space of xu years. I let the to wite, that the Rhodian people are curteis, and full of good graces. I would have red philosophy as long as my father had been at Rhodes in war, but I may not: for Adrian my lord commandeth me to go and keep residence at Rome, how be it every man rejoiceth to see his natural country.  
¶ So by the words of this letter it is to be believed, that Anio Vero, father to this emperor Marc, had applied the most part of his life in war. It was not the custom lightly to trust a person to have the office of a governor on the Frontiers, without he had been well exercised in the feats of war. And as all the glory of the Romans was to leave after them good renown, the said Marc certainly was taken for the most virtuous, and had greatest friends in the Senate, whereby he trusted on the conquest of the most cruel enemies: according as the said Sexto Cheronense historian saith. The romans all though they had in their hands most perilous wars, yet they had in four parts of the empire strong and entire garnisons. That is to say in Byzance, the which is now Constantinople, by reason of them of the oryente: And Engades, the which now is called Calex a city of Spain, for love of them of the west: In the river of Rhodano, which is now the river of Ryne, for the germans: And in Collosse, which now is called the Rhodes, because of the Barbariens. In the kalends of januarie, when the senate divided the offices, being purveyed of a dictator, and of two consuls yearly. incontinent in the third place they provided for four most excellent barons to defendeth said four Frontiers: The which seemeth to be true, for the most famous and renowned barons of their young days were captains in the said Frontiers. The great Pompeius was sent to the Byzaunces Canstantinople: The worthy Scipio was sent to the Collossences and Rodyans: And the courageous julius Cesar was sent with the Gadytaynes of Calyx of Spain: and the strong esteemed Marcus was sent to them of the river of Ryne. This we say because that Anio Vero father to Marc Aurele emperor, had been provost and praetor in the offices, and one of the captains of the Frontiers, which ought to be in Rome one of the persons most esteemed.   

¶ What masters Mark Aurely had in his youth. cap. two.  
We have not by any authentic histories, fro whence, when, or how, in what manner, or in what exercises, or with what persons, or in what lands was spent & consumed the most part of the life of this good emperor. But to be short, julius Capitolyn saith, that he had been xxiii. year under the commandment of Adrian the emperor. How be it contrary wise is found by other hystoriens, according as saith Sexto Cheronense in his history. It was not the custom of the romans cronyclers, to write the things done by these princes, before they were princes, but only of young people, being in their young age, having great and high magnificence, and doing great enterprises. This seemeth to be of troth: for Sueton Tranquyll recounteth largely the fearefulle deeds and enterprises done by Caius jul. Cesar in his young age, to show to princes to come, how it was a great ambition, that they had to attain to the monarchy, and but of small wit and maturity to keep themself therein. It is no new thing that men gape for high and frail things. And the more higher the magnificence is, the more lower they feel fortune. And when they were diligent to accomplish their desire, as much thought had they to conserve their quietness and rest. In case than that Anio Vero, father to Mark the Emperor, followed the exercise of wars: yet he put his son in the way to learn science. For there was a law sore used and accustomed, and well kept in the Roman policy, that every citizen's sons, that enjoyed the liberty of Rome, and had accomplished ten years, should not be suffered to go by the streets as vagabonds. Nor it should not be suffered by the Censure, who governed Rome, & daily took heed to the forfeits done therein, to suffer a child no longer than ten years of his age to play the child. But fro thence forth the father of the child should be bound to nourish him out of the circuit of Rome, or to lay a pledge, that his son should do no follies. When Rome triumphed, and by their policy governed all the world, it was certainly a marvelous and monstrous thing to see it then, and no less fearful unto us now to here thereof. There was at that time in Rome four hundred. M, inhabitants, among whom there was ii hundred. M. young people, that were refrained and bridled from their young pleasures. The son of Cato was chastised, because he was wilful and presumptuous. And also the brother of good Cyna was banished, because he went idly as a vacabounde. Without that Cicero beguileth us in his books of the Roman laws, no Roman ought to stray abroad in the streets of Rome, but if he bore in his hand the sign or token of the office, whereby he lived. To th'intent that every man should know, that he lived by his travail, and not by the sweat of other men. This law was kept of every person. The emperor had borne before him a brenning brand: The consulle an axe of arms: the priests a hat in manner of a coif: the senators a tongue in manner of a crusyble on their arms, the Censure a little table: the tribunes a mace: the centuryons a sign or banner, the orators a book, the gladiatours a sword, the tailors shears, the smethes a hammer, and in like wise of all the other offices and crafts. We may know than by this that is said, that after that Mark Aurelye was borne at Rome, his father in his youth had taught him good nurture. And though it so were, that the beginning of his young age should be hid from us: at the least way we are certain, that the middle age and end of him was right glorious. His father Anio Vero would that his son Marcus Aurelius should leave feats of arms, and follow study. And surely it is to be thought, that it was done more by the valyauntenes of the father, than the cowardness of the son, except the deeds of them that be deed beguile us that been alive, and the cause judged by clear understanding, and that we find more sentences of divers sad persons, that there hath been but few that been lost by writings and learning, ye and a great meinie fewer that have had advantage by arms. Revolve all books, and search through all realms, and finally they show us, that very few in their realms have been happy in arms, but there have been many famous & renowned by scripture and learning. Take here example and see if it be true or not that I say. Had the Assiriens more than one king, that was Ninus, one Lygurge among the Lacedæmonians, the Egyptians one Ptholome, the Hebrews one Machabee, the Greeks one Hercules', the macedonians one Alexander: the Epirotiens one Pirrhe, one Hanyball the Carthageniens, and one julius Cesar among the romans? It is not thus of learned men: for if the Greeks had one Homer, no less the Greeks vaunteth them of the vii sages, whom we believe more in their philosophy, than Homer in the wars of Troy. For as difficile it is to find a truth in Homer, as a lie in these sages. Semblably the Romans had not only Cycero as right eloquent, but also they had Sallust, Lucan, Titus Livius, with a great company of noble men, and well approved, who have left right great credence in their scriptures in the saying of truth. What lost Cicero in the senate for using of invectives? And as we say of so small a number of Greeks and latins, we may say of the Assitiens, Persians, Medes, Argives, Acayens, Peniens, frenchmen, Britons, englishmen, and spaniards. All the which nations without comparison have of themself left more memory, and have honoured their lands and countries more by writing, than they that have left signs by arms. Than let us leave these strange histories, and return to the pith of our emperor Marcus Aurelius, as Eutrope recounteth. According as this excellent baron learned divers sciences, so he had divers masters to teach him. He studied grammar with a master named Euphorion, music with an other named Gemino Comode, eloquence with Alexander a greek, In natural philosophy he had to his masters Comode Calcedonien an ancient baron, which expounded to him Homer: and Sexto Cheronense, nephew to the great plutarch. Also he studied in the laws, and Volusie Meciano was his master. This emperor esteemed to have the knowledge of painting, and to grave in wood and metal, in earth, and other sculptures, in which art his master was Diogenito, in his time a famous and renowned painter. He travailed also to know and search what extended to the art of necromancy. By occasion whereof he went openly to here Apolonio. And to th'intent that there should be nothing unlearned of him, he above all sciences set his mind to Cosmography, in the which for his masters, he took junio Rostyco, that sith wrote his life, and Cina Catule, the which wrote of his death, and the life of Comode his son. Of these noble and excellent barons, that flourysshed in those days, he was taught in virtues and sciences. Cicero lamenteth the ancient policy of Rome, because that he saw great loss in the common wealth than present, saying in his Rhetoric, that the ancient romans had always regard to that part, where they thought most damage and peril should grow. There were .v. things among all other in Rome, whereunto they had ever a vigilant respect, the which the senate needed not to care for, nor no law dispensed for them: and these been they, the pryestes were honest: and the virgins vestales right chaste: the penalties right just, the captains full valiant: They that taught young children were virtuous. It was not permitted in Rome, that he that was a master in sciences, should be disciple of vices.   

¶ What sciences Marcus the emperor learned. And of a marvelous letter that he sent to Polyon. cap. iii.  
PHilostrate saith, that it was demanded of Polion, who was the rycheste man of the world: He answered, It was he that had most wisdom. He was demanded again, who was most poor: He answered, he that had least wit. Of troth it was a worthy sentence of such a person. The effect thereof we see daily by experience, the wise sliding in divers chances of fortune, relieveth himself: The unwitty person, in very small things touching his living not greatly decayed, falleth down. There is nothing that is so lost, but that there is hope of recovering, if it be in the hands of a wise man. And contrary wise, there is no thing so assured, but the recoverance thereof ought to be feared, if a fool have the guiding thereof. It was axed of Xenophon the philosopher, whether he had rather to be foolish and a great lord, or to be wise and poor. He answered and said, I have pity of a rich fool, and I have envy of a wise man waxed poor. For if a wise man have but one foot, yet will he rise and keep himself from falling: And if ye give an abbey to a fool, if by fortune he fall, he will never relieve again. ye may think that the father that dieth and leaveth his son poor and wise, that he leaveth to him moche: And he that leaveth his son ryshe and foolish, I think he hath left him nothing. These things considered, Anio Vero, father of the emperor, as a father that loved his son heartily, was not content, to deliver one master to his son, to make him virtuous, and to learn one science, wherewith he might occupy his understanding, but he gave him many masters, that refrained him from vices, and commanded, that he should learn many sciences, to th'intent that he should be the more busily exercised. When and how much he travailed to learn, and what sciences, and with whom, and with what will he learned, and what he knew, he wrote himself, being at Agrippine, now called Coleyn, to a friend of his, named Polion, as it followeth.  
¶ Friend Polion, thou marvelest, why that I leave not to learn new things at the end of my days. He that hath but one meat to eat, and can not eat thereof, he leaveth it, and peradventure it was wholesome for him, and eateth other things, that he seeth, which may be hurtful to him. It is a great magnificence to a man, to have divers sorts of meats: for if he have no lust to one, that is good for him, he may take of an other, that is better. He that is wise, may understand me, without any more declaring. As in all arts, a man is content at the last: so at the last, be they never so sweet, they torn to a weariness. He that knoweth but one science, though he be wise, yet he runneth in great danger. For being annoyed therewith, he will occupy his life in other hurtful things. The noble and worthy persons, that did cast sloth away fro them, have left of them eternal memory, not willing to learn all only one science, to attempre their understanding with, but also travailed, to learn divers other, wherewith they sharped their wits, to th'intent that they should not be dulled and made blonte. In all natural things, nature is with right little content, but the spirit & understanding, is not satisfied with many things. And sith the understanding is of such condition, that it is lost by liberty, and is lightly encumbered, with subtlety it pierceth, with quickness it knoweth, & with ignorance it wasteth: it is necessary, by time to remount to very high things, lest it bow unto low and ill things. All corporal damages, that chance to mortal men, are by medicines healed, or by reason remedied, or by length of time cured, or else by death ended: The only understanding, which is dusked in errors, and depraved in malices, can not be healed by medicines, nor redressed by reason, nor holp by counsel. The ancient philosophers, in the said happy golden world, and golden age, did not all only learn one thing, whereby they might sustain their life, and increase good fame: But they travailed, to know all that was to be known, and yet ever sought to know more. ¶ In the .lxxv. of the olympiad, as divers persons were assembled in the high mountain Olympius, to celebrate the plays, by fortune thither came a philosopher of Thebes, which had made all that ever he brought with him. He made his shows, his cote, and sewed his shirt, and had written his books, and so of all other things. They that were there assembled, were abashed, and marveled greatly, that one man could do it. He was divers times asked, where he learned so many things. And he answered and said, The sloth of man is the cause, that one art is divided into divers arts. For he that knoweth all arts together, must needs know one alone. This philosopher answered highly. And surely, they that herd him, aught to have been as greatly ashamed of his words, as the philosopher was of the vainglory of his apparel. Let every man remember himself, and let no man blame the shortness of the time, nor weakness of our nature. For there is nothing so hard, but it is made soft: nor so high, but it may be reached: nor kept so close, but it may be seen: nor so subtile, but it may be felt: nor so dark, but it may be lighted: nor so profound, but it may be discovered: nor so dissevered, but it may be gathered together: nor so lost, but it may be found: nor so impossible, but it may be conserved, if with all our hearts, we occupy our powers in good exercises, and apply our understanding in high things. I deny not, but our nature is little worth: But I know well, that less worth is our slothfulness. I would demand of evil men, the which pray us to be good, and asketh counsel of us, for their sensuality, saying, that they be weak and frail, although they have understanding, to invent evils, and have strength enough, to put them in effect, and to persever therein, they never lack constance. The cause is, we call it natural, for to do and commit vices and miseries. And sloth in virtue, we call strange and weak, because of the works.  
¶ Let no man blame our nature, for being weak and faint: nor lay against the gods, that they be cruel: for we have no less ableness to do well, than readiness to do ill. Let none say, I would, and I can not withdraw me from vice. It is better said, I may, but I will not follow virtue. I will not defame strange realms, but I will speak of us, that be latins, and by them shall be seen, how they have been full of malice, and that they might have done well. I would wit of the deeds, that Marcus Antonius did with Cleopatra: The proscription, that Scylla made of the nobles of Rome: The conjuration, that Catilina invented against his country: The blood, that was shed for the cause of Pompey, in the camp of Pharsale: And the great theft, that julius Cesar made of the treasure, the cruelties, that Nero did to his mother: the shames, that Calygula committed with his sisters, the treason, that Brutus did to his father Gaius: the shrewdenes and cruelties, that Domician did to the virgins vestales: the treasons, that julius Patroclus used with the Syliciens and Syculians, the frays & murders, that Vlpio, the mariner, made in the temples and churches of Campaign. I would know of such, as I have rehearsed, and divers other, that I speak not of, that applied them to so many shrewd turns, who letted them (if they had would) to have applied themself to do other good deeds? All this I have said, my friend Polyon, to answer, to that ye have demanded of me. That is, in what sciences I have wasted and consumed my tyme. Wherefore it pleaseth me, to tell it to the. Anio Vero my father, suffered me but viii year in my childhood: and than, till I was ten year of age, I went to school for to write and read: and fro ten year to xiii, I went to study with Euformion, and learned grammar: From xiii year to xvii I learned eloquence, with Alexander the greek, a famous orator: fro that time to xxii year, I was with Sexto Chalcedon, learning natural philosophy. Those years passed, I was at Rhodes, and studied humanity, till I was xxxii year of age. And than I went to Naples, where as I was three year with Fonton a greek, learning greek letters. And I put my good will so moche thereto, that I spoke, and wrote greek more easily than latin. Than I returned to Rome, where the war of Dace arose, to the which Adrian my lord sent me: And because that in arms, and in time of war, I could carry no books of science, I determined me, to learn the science of music with Hieronyme Comode, to th'intent that I might with sweetness of instruments, restrain my body fro certain vices, which as than in my house began to take force. All the rest of my life, thou knowest, it hath been in bearing of offices in Rome, unto the time that the weight of the monarchy was laid on my shoulders. Hitherto the emperor spoke.  
¶ Than by this letter, written to his friend, it seemeth well, that without sleuth he passed his tyme. It is reason, to believe it holly, in that he hath said. For so excellent works, that he made, and so high sentences, as he wrote, might not proceed, but of a prudent man, and a very wise spirit.   

¶ how for the wisdom of Marcus, many wise men flourished in his tyme. Cap. iiii.  
AS the life of the prince is but as a white, for all other to shoot at, and as a glass wherein all the world doth behold: so we see by experience, that whereunto a prince is inclined, the people travailing to follow the same, have not the discretion, to eschew the evil, and follow the good. Certainly they muse no less upon a counterfeit fowl, made of feathers, than though it were of flesh, and yet at the first flight, it loseth the liberty, and yet his hunger is not thereby quenched. Whereby all the wings of liberty are turned to pain of servage. It is a great offence, and an immortal infamy, to a prince, that in the steed of giving his hand of good living, to relieve other, casteth backward his foot of evil example, whereby all other overthrow. Than without comparison, greater is the wickedness of the people, than the negligence of the prince. For if one liveth ill, and another loweth him, it is no marvel: and though there be but few, that follow him, it is no new thing. Nor in case, that many follow him, is no fearefulle thing: but all the hole to follow him, is a great slander. If the people were such, as they ought to be, one should rather turn from ill to good for many, than that many for one should torn from good to ill. Certainly every man knoweth, that though we be bound to follow the honest commandments of our princes, yet we be not bound to follow their ill living. What shall we say then, saying that now adays, the delights of men are of so great price, and the rigour of their empire, in so poor estimation, that without shame, some dispraise their just commandments, and follow their evil works. O, if the princes had such number of good folk, that would fulfil their commandment, as they have great number of wretches, that follow their doings, I swear, that there should be no need of any prison for the misdoers, or carcans for blasphemers, chains for slaves, nor hedding blocks for traitors, nor knives for adulterers, nor gallows for thieves. I will give you example of all this, whereby ye shall see, that it is true, that I say. If the king be inclined to hunt, all will be hunters: if he be a player, all will play: if he use arms, all will tourney: if he be an adulteror, other will use the same: if he be fierce, other will be fierce: if he be virtuous, all will be virtuous and valiant: if he be temperate and moderate, all will abstain: if he be hardy, all will be bold: if he be pitiful, all will have pity: if he be wise, all will learn. And to the intent, that we blame not all only the princes of our days, let us call to memory, the princes of times passed. Who that hath red Sextus Cheronense, in his book called the divers inclynatyons, that princes have had, shall find, that Romulus, foundatour of Rome, honoured greatly gravers in stone: Numa Pompilius, his successor, honoured priests: Paulus Emilius, mariners: Caius Cesar, goldsmiths: Scipio, the captains: Augustus octavius, tennis players: Calligula, ruffyens, Tiberius, bawds: Cruel Nero, sword players: Claudius, writers: Scylla, armourers: Marius, his companion, gravers of images: Vespasian, good painters: Titus his eldest son, minstrels: Domitian, his mighty brother, crossbow makers: And above all other, our Marcus Aurelius emperor, wise men. The divers inclinations, that princes had in divers things, hath made to vary the favour & disfavour of many princes, with their people. And as the common people regardeth more favour, than justice, such officers are most favoured, to whom princes doth most incline. All this we say, to show, how that in the time of this good emperor, wise men were favoured. If the hystorians do not lie, sith the time of Mecena, the Roman (which was moche more happy, to have wise men to his friends, than to invent new manner of meats and banquets) unto this Marcus Aurelius, have passed xvii emperors, which were julius, Octavius, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Galba, Othus, Vitellus, Vaspasianus, Titus, Domitianus, Nerua, Traianus, Adrianus, Antonius, and Aurelius. And of all these, we can find all only but two, that favoured wise men, that is to say, Nerua and trajan. All the other emperors were not only disciples of liars, but also were persecutors of the truth. This seemeth to be true: for julius persecuted Cicero: Octavius banished ovid: Tiberius' enpoisoned Caluitio: Caligula caused to cut the throats of four orators together: Nero slew his master Senec: Claudius set his uncle Lucan in prison: Othus hanged up Patroclus: Domitian banished all the orators of Rome: And the more to show his cursedness, when the wise men, that were banished, went out at one gate, there entered in at an other gate all unthrifts, the which by Tytus his brother, had been banished and exiled. And as I say of these few in number, I might say of many other. For certainly the wise men were not thus entreated in the time of this good emperor Marcus: and that this is true, it seemeth by divers excellent barons, well learned in divers sciences, that flourished in his time: julius Capitolin recounteth of them as followeth. Alexander, a greek, Trasion, Polyon, Euticius, Anius Macrion, Caninius, Crodiaticus, Fornius, Cornelius, Apolonius, Nius, Sextus Cheronense, junius Rasticus, Claudius Maximus, Cina Catulus, Claudius Severus, and the renowned Diogenitus painter, and the well learned lawyer Volusius Mecianus. All these were in this emperors palace, and resident in his persence: And yet for all that, he had divers other wise presons in Rome, and abroad in Italy. It was no marvel, to see in those days, the multitude of men, that flourisshed in wisdom. There was no father, but if he had two sons, he would set one of them to study, and the other, according to the Roman law, should be set to the wars. And if this emperor wist of any wise young man above all other he would favour him.   

¶ Of the emperor Marcus son named Verissimus. Cap. v.  
THis emperor Marcus Aurelius, had only two sons, as Herodian saith. The greatest and eldest, was called Comode, and the youngest was named Verissimus. He was a fair child of person, and right virtuous of living. With his beauty he drew to him the eyes of many, and with his good inclinations, he rob the hearts of all men. He was the hope of the people, and the glory of his father's age. And though the eldest was prince, yet th'emperor determined, that the last borne, for his virtues, should inherit as the eldest: And he that was first borne, for his demerits, should be disherited. And as good desires in the best time fail often by unhappy chance, this emperor being of lii years of age, and the son. of xvi the glory of Rome, and hope of the father, the life of the son took an end. And as moche was the death bewailed, as the life desired. It was great pity, for the senate by reason thereof saw not th'emperor, nor the old emperor for sorrow saw not the senate of a long space. Rome was right heavy, and the senate withdrew them to the height of the capitol divers days. And as the mists and winds cause the leaves to fall, that were green in summer, and the deeds of honour constrain us to forget the mishaps of fortune, & as a man of high lineage, and of strong courage, though that sorrow remain in his heart, and abideth locked therein, determynethe to cleanse the branches of sorrows that is outward, feigning joy and mirth outwardly, keeping the sorrow within: so this Marcus the emperor, as a man whose vine freezeth and dieth, wherein he had all his hope, contented him with that was left behind. When his dear son Verissimus was deed, he sent for the prince Comode his only inheritor, which sith the child his brother was deed, entered not in to the palace. And the emperor saying the proud and outrageous port of his son Comode, bedewed his eyen with salt tears, remembering the shame of the one, and the death of the other. The which perceived by faustine his mother, which loved him most entirely, commanded to have her son away fro the presence of his father.   

¶ What wise and ancient men Marcus chose to instruct his son. Cap. vi.  
Though that the heart of this emperor was occupied with the death of his child, yet for all that he raised his understanding, to have the prince his heir right well brought up. For certainly princes bene such, when they come to man's estate, as they be brought up in their tender youth. The father than knowing the frail inclinations of his child, not correspondent to the good governance of the empire, as a good emperor sent over all italy for the most wisest persons in learning, the most famous of renown, and the most virtuous in deeds. And as in divers things the infamy is greater in the ill doing by malice, than the fault of the trespassour by weakness: so in divers other things, the common voice is more than the secret virtue. For the which occasion after the assembling of these wise men, the emperor commanded to examine them, and to be informed of the blood of their predecessors, of the appointment in all their things, and of the treaty of their business, and of the credence among their neighbours, and of the pureness of their lives, and gravity of their persons, and finally of their sciences, what they could do, and this to be done in an order. The astrologiens in astronomy, the musitiens in music, the orators in their art of rhetoric: and some in other sciences. And this not in one day, but in many: and not only by information of other, but he would know it by his own proper experience. Thus they were all examined, so that there was none left behind. And as for perfect knowledge of things, wherein we have great affection, it behoveth to have strange advise, clear understanding, and proper experience: so the emperor commanded to choose out of divers a few, and out of few the wisest, and of the wisest the most expert, most worthy, and most ancient. And according to the seven. arts liberal there was assigned to every science two masters: so that the prince was one, and the masters xiiii. This renown that the Emperor sent over all, to have masters for his son the prince, caused to come to him more wise men from strange countries, than of the marches and neighbours of Rome. The good emperor considering that it was no reason, that such as came to his service, should return myscontented, some with joyful words, some upon certain hope, and some with gifts and presents were dispatched, so that they were all pleased. And if this doing was renowned by the report of the wise men, it was no less virtuous by the wisdom and worthiness of the emperor, to send them home so well content. For he sent them away as well satisfied that were overcome, as they were contented that overcame them. And certainly they had all reason, for some bore the sweet words and satisfienge of the father: and some abode there charged with the enterprise of the son. Yet the good emperor, not being contented with this, commanded that these masters should be lodged in his palace, and eat in his presence, and acconpany his person, to see if their life were conformable to their science, and whether their pleasant and well couched words, agreed in effect with their work. It was a marvelous thing to see the study and thought that the emperor had to regard them, as well in going as feeding.   

¶ How it chanced to five wise men, wherefore they were put out of the emperors house. Cap. seven.  
IN the month of Septembre, the xi day thereof, in hallowing the feast of the emperors nativity, in the same house where as he was borne, in the place of mount Celio: As a trewande and fool doth like himself, and semblably as he is accustomed to do: And like as one doth the semblable things and customs, that he is wont to do: so the emperor set more his intention on wise men, than his eyes on fools. He saw .v. of them sat beating the pavement with their feet, and arose from their places, clapping their hands, speaking loud, and laughing excedyngely, the which was no less marked of the emperor than beholden. When the feast was done, he called them aside, and said: Friends let abide with me the pitiful God's, and let the good deeds go with you. I have chosen you to th'intent that fools should be converted to wise men, but I see wise men become fools. Do ye not know, that with the fire of mixture gold is drawn, and by the lightness of fools wise men are proved? Certainly the fine gold defendeth his qualities in the quick fournayes: and likewise the wise man showeth his virtues among fools. Wot ye not, that a fool can not be known among fools, nor a wise man among sage folk? Among wise men, the fool is made bright, and among fools wise men do shine. Do you not know, what shame it is to make the disciples of fools, masters of princes? Know ye not, that of the courageous understanding proceedeth the composition of the body, the rest of the person to be the temperance of the tongue? What profiteth it you to have an expert tongue, a quick memory, a clear understanding, great science, profound eloquence, or a sweet style, if with all these graces ye have a wicked will? Wherefore will wise men have their words so distinct and moderate, if their words be light? And to th'intent that it should not seem to you that I speak of pleasure, I will bring to you an antyke law of Rome. In the seventh table of the laws of our fathers was written these words: We command, that a more grievous chastisement be given to the wise man for a light deed done openly, than to a secret murderer. O just law and just men that ordained it. For the simple labourer sleeth but one with his knife in his anger, but he that is wise sleeth many with the evil example of his living. curiously I have regarded, that Rome beginneth to decline, when our senate fayllethe of meek and wise Senators, and multiplieth with these serpentines. The holy senate was adorned with old prudent persons: And not without tears, I say at this hour it is full of janglers and liars. Auncientely in the scoles of Grece was taught only words, leaving the works: and than in Rome was taught to do works, and leave words. But now it is contrary, for now in grece the liars and janglers are banished, and hath sent them to Rome: and Rome hath banished and sent the good wise men in to Grece: and in this manner I desire rather to be banished into Grece with wise men, than to abide in Rome with fools. To the praise of a good man (I swear to you my friends) that whiles I was young, I saw in the senate the philosopher Chrysippus (brought up with good trajan) speak oftentimes: and he was so sweet in his words, that many times he was hard more than three hours together: And he never spoke word but it was of eternal memory. And when so ever he went out of the senate, I never saw him do deed, whereby he deserved to have grievous pain. Certainly it was a marvelous thing to see & here the estimation of his eloquence, & the infamy of his person. All Rome was abashed of his high eloquence: and all Rome and Italy were slandered with his wicked works. The prosperity of Rome dured CCC. year. And so long Rome was Rome, as it had simplicity in words, and gravity in works. One thing I shall show you▪ which is great confusion to them alive, and great admiration of them that be deed, that of all the ancient men I never red a light word that they spoke, nor an evil deed that they did. What thing was seen than in that glorious world, but to rejoice in so glorious wise men? And now at this day the world is so corrupted, because there is so many young corrupt, surely I have greater envy of their deeds than of our writings. Their few words and good works have left us example of great admiration. And the wise men of this time teach us openly, and write us secretly doctrines of perdition. Than by this that I have said, and by other examples that I shall say, ye may know, what I mean. When the realm of Acaye submitted his perilous horns and his proud heed, to the sweet obeisance of the empire, they drew them to this condition, that they would have been the hosts of the garnisons of all Asye, and not disciples of the orators of Rome. At that season there was in Rome a great lord, ambassador of Acaye, temperate in words, and honest of living, with a white heed: He was inquired of the senate, why he was so cruel, to lead into his country for men of war, poor and covetous squires, and leave wise men of great heart. He answered with such love as he had to his country, and with such gravity as longed to such a person, and also with such hardiness as his office required, saying O father's conscriptes, O happy people, It is ii days sith I yet any thing, and ii days sith I slept, cursing the fatal destinies of fortune, that hath brought me into italy, and lamening unto the God's, that keep me in this life, because my spirit is between the hard anuelde and the importunate hammer, where as I do see all is as hard as the anuelde, whereon the hammer often striketh. The thing most perilous among all perils, is to make election. ye constrain me to choose, and mine understanding can not attain thereto: and the God's do not show me, what I have to choose. If I lead garrisons of men of arms, it shall be very noyful to the families: if I bring advocates, it shall be perilous for the common wealth. Sorrowful that I am, what shall I do? Oh heavy and unhappy realm, that abideth for them, and ye cruel, that commandeth them. Than sith it is thus, I determine me to lead them, that shall waste our goods, and spend them, rather than those that should corrupt and break our customs. For a legion and an army by necessity may put to affliction and sorrow only a people: But an orator or an Advocate by his malice, may corrupt a hole realm. Than said the emperor to these wise men: Friends, how great is the credence of ignorant people, and loss of learned men? Wherefore should they of Acaie rather give meat to poor soldiers, men of arms, than to have for their neighbours orators and wise speaking advocates? So when this communication of the emperor was ended, the .v. great masters went away with great shame, and the ix other tarried with great fear. In all this while it passed not two months after, that the prince Comode was come from his norces, where as he had learned the doctrine of sucking of breasts. Also he was but of tender age, and not of great delicate understanding. This prince Comode was borne in Rome on the mount Celio, and nourished at the gate of Hostie. He was more dearly beloved of Faustina his mother, then hated of Marcus Aurelius his father. And to speak with all due honour among them, the mother held her for certain to be the child's mother: and the child according to his customs was moche like his mother: and the father was in doubt, whether he were his son, because he resembled but little in virtues to the father.   

¶ How the emperor reasoned with the masters that should learn his son Capitulo. viii.  
ALL these matters being paste, the good emperor for to esteem the thing that he had done, and to purvey for that he had to do, he called aside the nine wise men, and said to them, There is great fame in Rome of that I have done in th'empire, to do such diligence as to discover all the wise men, and of the curiosity that I have showed as in certaining of the best. Of troth if ye be wise, ye can not be slandered of any thing. The annoyance of ill things cometh of wisdom and virtue, but the admiration of good things proceedeth of small understanding or less experience. The wise person will suffer none admiration. To show at the first brunt motion in every thing, showeth to be constant in nothing. I have made straight examination among you, for so ought such to pass as should be admitted to straight amities. New amities is weary in three days: and ever have I seen and proved by experience, that friends lightly taken, are lightly left again. I chanced in company of an ancient Roman, which was all white for age: and because he merited it, I called him father, and he for love and nurture called me son: the which in case of adventure inquired many things of me, but I would make him none answer. Than he said these words to me: Son behold, In the law of friendship it is written, that the friend in all things trusteth to his friend, first regarding who is his friend. Surely this council was good. The curious man of arms (if he will buy a horse) first he will see him renew and assayed, or he speak of the sale of him: if he please him not, though he might have him for a less price, he will not have him: if he please him, what so ever the price is set, he will not leave him. Than it is a leeful thing, that the beast be examined and felt ere he be had into the stable. In like wise a man should be examined, ere he be received in to amity. And if the horse that eateth but hay, straw, and oats, be left for one ill tache, moche more the friend, which is the intestine of the heart, and ought to keep our secrets and affections, for divers faults ought not to be received in to the same. There was a philosopher named Arispo, the first that was in the time of Silla and Marius, who said, that friends ought to be like good horses: That is to say, that they ought to have a little heed by humble conversation: quick of hearing, to the intent that they be ready when they are called: a soft mouth, to th'end that their tongue be temperate: The hoof of the foot hard, to suffer travail: and their hands open to do good deeds: their feet sure to persever in amity: a bay colour for his good renown: And finally the horse returneth, that is the manual friend: And thereto is joined these words: That is, that he be without curbs or bits: and that he may go where as any fatal destinies turneth the bridle and rain of fortune. The gods understand me, though that men can not attain thereto or comprise it. Returning than to the purpose, I will ye know, because I have taken you for friends, not to put you away at length. And though that cherytrees produceth their flowers in February, we abide not to have the cherries but in may. Friends ought to be as molberies, that in such time produceth their berries, which is their fruit, that they fear not the frosts of may, as the wines do: nor the mists of Octobre, as the peaches and quinces do. I will not that they come when the prosperity is good, and go away when the fortune is nought. For that is no point of true friends. As the lies of wines causeth drunkards to vomit in the taverns, like wise adversity driveth away faint friends out of the house, because the service is not acceptable, without the will be known of him that doth it. Than hold you sure of my contentation, sith that I have it of your work. I come now to the effect of our purpose. I have taken you for to be masters of this child: and regard, that I have taken you few among many, to th'end that my son should be noted among few. His nurses at the gate of Hostie have given him two years suck of their milk, and his mother faustine hath given him other two years to sport him in the palace, And I like a good father will give him twenty years of chastisement. It sore displeaseth faustine his mother to leave him so soon, and I am sorry that I took him so late. It is no marvel, for these women with their lightness, and these children with their small knowledge, occupy themself in things present: But worthy wise men ought to think on that is passed, and also to ordain for that that is present, and with great study to provide for the time to come. I think on every day in the year, and of the day that the God's have given me, and of the day that I give unto you. The God's to me, and I to you do give him mortal to be as a man, and than you to me and I to the God's do render him immortal to be wise. What will ye that I say more? Certainly god hath made him man among men by the soul: and I have engendered him a beast among beasts by the flesh, ye shall make him a god among God's by shape. I ascertain you of one thing, which is, I have not given to my child but mortal flesh, wherewith he shall take an end of his life: but ye shall give him doctrine, wherewith his memory shall never perish. If his youth knew the weak and faint flesh that I have given him, and that his dull understanding would reach to the wisdom that ye may give him, he should call you fathers, and me an ill stepfather. And though he say not so, yet I confess it, that is, that the natural fathers of the flesh are stepfathers of nobleness, sith that we give the naturality of them subject to so many mutabilities, and bond and captive to so many miseries. For certain ye shall be just fathers to him, if as now ye can enable his flesh in good customs, and then to bring his understanding to be occupied with high sciences. And sirs, repute it not small, that I commit to your charge and arbitrement, that thing which princes ought most to regard, that is, to see to whom they commit the nourishing of their children. To be masters of princes in earth, is to have the office of the God's that been in heaven. For they govern him that hath cure to govern us: They endoctrine him that should teach us: they show unto him, that aught to show us: chastise him that ought to chastise us: and finally they command one, the which afterward alone may command all the world. What will ye that I shall say more? For certain they that have the charge of a prince, be the governal of the ship, The standard of an army, the governance of people, the guide of ways, the shield of kings, the treasure of all, because they have among their hands him that afterward aught to govern all the world. And furthermore to the intent that ye have him in more estimation, I will tell you, that in giving my son unto you, I do give you more, than if I had given you a realm. The pure & clean living of the son alive, is the glorious fame of his father that is dead. For of him, that the son trusteth in his life, dependeth the renown of the father that is dead. Thus have ye had the God's at will, and the bryttel destinies of fortune happy to you, as unto this hour ye have not watched with children of strangers. from henceforth wake ye with the prince, which is the profit of all other. And take good heed my friends, that there is greater difference in bringing up of princes children, than to teach young boys of the common people. The most part of them, that come to schools, come for to learn to speak, but I delivered not my son Commode to you to learn him to speak many words, but for to set him in the way to do good deeds. The glory of foolish fathers is to see their children vanquyshe other in disputing: but my glory and joy is to see my son surmount other in virtue: for the glory of the Greeks was to speak moche and to do little, and the glory of the romans is to do moche and to speak but little.   

¶ How the masters of princes ought to keep them from vices. Capitulo. ix.  
MArcus Aurelius following his purpose, joined this to his foresaid words, and said: Regard well my friends, and forget not, that I trust you in mine honour, who am my sons father, and of the study of Comode my son, and of the glory of Rome my natural country, And of the solace and rest of Rome, which is my subject: Of the governance of Italy, which is your country: And above all things of the peace and tranquillity of our common wealth. Than he that is put in trust with such administration of other, hath no cause to sleep. Now let us come to more particular things. Regard as now, what thing is most convenable for my son, which as a young colt would go play in the green meadows, and noisome shall be the keeper to him, and a thing peynefulle to keep him therefro. The first thing, whereof I pray you, is to give him a strong bridle, and a sharp bit, to th'intent that he be well mouthed, so that none take him with lies. The greatest fault that can be in men of honesty, is to spare the truth, and not to be veritable: And the greatest villainty in a villain is to be given in largesse of lies. Set good order upon him. Take heed to his hands, to the intent that he accustom him not to demand to play at the tables and dice with such as be lost and nought. The greatest token, that a prince will lose and destroy the empire, is when in his young age, he is known to be vicious in play. The play is such a vice, that who so ever it biteth, it is like the biting of a mad dog, the which rage endureth unto death. I recommend to you my child, though he be young, make him sad and moderate. Certainly it is not so great a glory unto a prince to have the crown on his heed, nor a chain of gold about his shoulders, nor the sceptre in his hand, nor the great company and guard that he hath about him, as to show sadness from his youth. The open honesty supplieth many faults and debilities. Spare not to cast on him a strong chain, and to tie him fast, that he go not to delights and vanities. For an effeminate person never hath spirit to any high or noble deeds. I am greatly satisfied with that the teacher of Nero said to his disciple: Though I wist that god would pardon me, and that men knew no miss of me, yet for the villainy of the flesh, I would not sin in the flesh. Surely they were good words, and ill borne away of Nero. Let not yet go the rain. For if he see the young mares, he will neigh or bray if he see tyme. The vice of the flesh in all times, in all ages, and in all estates holdeth his season or course, if it pass not in the green age of childhood, casting of the rain of reason, and striking with the spurs of the flesh, and blowing with the trump of sensuality: Taking the bridle in the teeth with a furious will, running through mountains and woods after the mare: In leaving her going but softly, and in the overtaking moche less. And than afterward being therein deliberate, the body remaineth impotent, the understanding accloyed and blinded, the reason troubled, the good name lost, and yet nevertheless at the last the flesh remaineth flesh. What remedy for this? I find none other but that a great quick fire, covered and laden with earth, dieth. And when the vicious man is laid in his grave, he maketh an end and may never correct himself. Wherefore I advise you to give no place to this young child to be vicious. And in the chastising of him, give no respite, though he be young, and my child, and well loved and cherished with his mother, and though he be the only heir of th'empire. With children of a stranger cruelty is tyranny, but with a man's own child pity is the occasion of his loss in time to come. It is showed us by trees, how we ought to nourish our children. Of truth the chestain trees bring forth the soft sweet chestnut out of the sharp pricking & hard husk: And on the nut trees among the sweet soft leaves, is nourished the hard nut. applying this to our purpose, we have seen a pitiful father, bring forth a cruel son, and a cruel father a pitiful son. He that was learned among all other learned, and renowned among all other renowned, Ligurgus king of the lacedemonians, in giving his laws in his realm, I remember to have red therein these words: We command as kings, & pray as men, that all thing be forgiven to them that be old and broken: and to them that be young and lusty, to dissimule for a time: & nothing to be forgiven to very young children. In good sooth these were good words spoken of such a person, and seemeth reason. For it is reason that the horse, that hath run and passed his course of carriage, should rest him. And who that hath passed rightousely, it is justice that he be suffered in rest. And the child that will pass reason, aught to be reform. Cause him to be always occupied in virtuous acts. For if the understanding be dulled, and the body slothful in such age, with great difficulty will they draw to things that be strange to their delectations, because that the lightness is in the heed, and reason under the eyes. His youth will demand you some recreation, which ye shall consider, so it be not often nor to seldom. first that it be by treason: secondly that they be taken in noble exercises. Take heed, For I give not my son unto you, that ye should give him recreation, but only for to teach him. The hen having her eggs under her wings, in that season goeth not abroad in the yards, and though the eggs be not her own, yet she hatcheth them, as if they were her own. For this cause at this time in Rome of a C. disciples. lxxxx. cometh forth without doctrine, for if their master's waist two hours in doctrine with them, they lose with them twenty hours in mockery. And thereof it is, that of the small gravity of the master, springeth great boldness and little shame in the disciple. Believe me friends, that the teachers to princes, and masters to disciples, profit more in one day with good examples, than in a year with many lessons. My son saying you draw to virtues, will draw to the same, if he see you study, he will study, if he see you peaceable, he will be still: he seeing you temperate in feeding, will eat but little: seeing you shamefast, he will fear you, seeing you restefulle, he will rest, and if ye do contrary, he will do contrary. This surely is true, for the ancient men only with the evil that they see, either do they corrupt their bodies, or slander their own judgements, as children do, that can say nothing but that they here: nor do nothing but that they see. I will also that the prince my son learn the vii arts lyberalle. For I have taken many of you, to th'intent that ye should teach him moche. And if at the last we should be sorrowful, because he hath not learned all, we shall not be sorry, if he know moche, nor think his time ill spent, nor be beguiled, in saying, that he knoweth enough of that so young a child should have to govern and rule th'empire. A very philosopher after the law of lineage, aught to have speech at place and time convenient, to fight in the field, and to speak in the senate. If mine own remembrance beguile me not, among mine antiquities I have brought a stone out of Grece, the which Pythagoras the philosopher held at the gates of his school, wherein was written with his own hands, these words: He that knoweth not, that he ought to know, is a brute beast among men: He that knoweth no more, than he hath need of, is a man among brute beasts: He that knoweth all, that may be known, is a god among men. O most high words, Glorious is the hand that wrote them, the which not at the gates, as they were than, ought to be written, but within men's breestes they should be painted and graven. Our forefathers took the last sentence of this philosopher, and the first rebuke abideth to us their last children. For certain among the Greeks and lacedemonians was attained as much fame by their philosophers and conquests, as by their writings, which they have left us. And our former emperors got no less love in their empire, by their profound eloquence, than they feared all the world by their noble triumphs. For a proof whereof, behold julius Cesar, which being in the middle of his camp, with his lift hand would hold his spear, and his pen in his right hand. Ne he never left of his armour, but forthwith he took his books. We must not lay excuses, saying with them that be ignorant, that the liberal arts are to high, and the time that we have, very short. For certain the diligence of men in times passed, reproveth our sloth at this day. One thing I do see, that in a short while we learn all ill, but in a long season we can not learn goodness. Will ye see, what is our fortunes and destinies, and in what thought the gods do keep us, that for to do one good deed we lack time, and for to do many shrewd turns, we have to much tyme. I will say no more, but that I would my child should be nourished in such wise, that he should learn the fear of god, the science of philosophers, the virtues of ancient romans, the quietness of you his masters, and the goodness of all them that be good, as he hath taken of me to be the heir of the empire. I protest to the immortal God's, to whom I trust for to go: and protest to the high capitol, where my bones shall be brent, that neither Rome now in my life, nor the heavens in time to come shall curse me after my death, if by ill living my son should lose the common wealth, if by your small chastisement, ye shall be cause of the loss of the empire.   

¶ How th'emperor Marucs nourished the princesses his daughters. Cap. x.  
MArcus Aurelius the emperor had but two sons, that is to wit, the prince Comode and Verissime: He had four daughters by faustine his wife, legitimate and heirs of th'empire. This emperor was exceeding diligent for to nourish his daughters. As soon as any of them were borne, forthwith they were put to nours into some farm without Rome: He would never suffer any of his children, sons nor daughters, to be nourished within the walls of Rome: Nor consent, that they should suck the breasts of delicate women. He hated delicate and gay nurses, and they that were laborious homely and wholesome he loved, and to them and none other he betook his children to nourish, and he would never agree, that they should be brought home to his house. He was wont to say in his sporting: I have more ado to content these nourysses, than to marry my daughters. Homer showeth, that in Grece there died Arthemio, that was king of Argive, without any son to inherit: and the nurse, that had nourished him, with all her might demanded the realm for a son of hers, which had sucked of the same milk, that the said king had done, alleging, that sith they were both nourished together, and sucked one milk, that they both should inherit one realm. This said Homer, to reprove the nurses of Grece, which took more presumption for nourishing of princes, than queens did in bearing of them. Therefore this noble Marcus Aurelius emperor, would not that his daughters alonely should suck gross and rude milk, but he would not agree, that any reverence honour or service should be done unto them, as it belongeth to the children of so high princes to be done, and as the custom is to be done. On a day as the said emperor was at supper, a fool named Galindo, at whose words the emperor often took pleasure, said, Sir yesterday I came from Salon, and fro the gate of Hostie, and there I saw the emperors children go like labourers, and I see here in thy house labourers children go like emperors: Tell me, why do ye dissimule as a wise man, for I that am but a fool, understandeth it not. The emperor answered: O Galyndo, because that yet at this time, Rome is not Rome, all though through all the world it be renowned Rome. In myself I find far more assurance, that my children begin like poor labourers, and end as rich emperors, than to begin as rich emperors, and end as poor squires. Dost thou not know why Italy is now lost? They would have their children to be wanton and delicately nourished, and will not suffer them to live in travail, and to leave their heirs poor and needy, and themself to end in great peril. This answer was so excellent in fame, that it was ever taken for a proverb in Rome. When this emperors daughters were of two year old, incontinent he provided women and mistresses for to teach them. Sextus Cheronense saith, that he searched among the ancient matrons of Rome, which were cleanest of life, most esteemed of good fame, of nobleness of blood, of sad wit, and that had been most used in bringing up of princes children. This emperor was so thoughtefull in the ordering and teaching of his children, that he would have no woman, but if she were of l year of age at the least, and ten year a widow, and that she had nourished a. C. children, daughters of senators. Imagining, that she that had meddled in so many things of other men's, should not be ignorant in her own. After that he had provided these mistresses, he caused his daughters to be brought to their houses, and there gave them their charge. And from the birth of any of his daughters, he would never consent, that they should come into his palace, till they should have husbands. It chanced, that Faustine the empress childed a daughter, and she being certified, that it was like her, and very fair, moved with a soft heart of womanhood, and with a motherly affection, prayed th'emperor, that the said child might be nourished in her presence, sith every man said, the child was so fair and so like unto them. The emperor answered and said: faustine, for those things that all other have said to you, doth it beseem you, to demand this of me? But I that have red in this case, and in other cases have seen, in no manner I ought to condescend thereto. Do you not know, that the time, that the daughter is nourished in the house, the father is charged with thought, the mother with wanton flatterings, envy in the brethren, boldness in the daughter, and folly in the nurse. I would wit of you, if she were nourished in the house: what profyttethe it, if her master teach her sadness and honesty with her words: and we entice her to lewdness with our works and deeds? what profiteth it, if the daughter deserve chastisement, and the mother flatter and make her wanton? More reason it were, that your daughter should follow the good doings of you, that are her mother, than the words of the strange widow, that is her master. Mark well faustine, if ye ought to rejoice at her childish toys. Remember, that the pleasure of young children, is but childish trifles. But if you nourish them not well, as the pleasures were joyful when they were young, so when they be old, to refrain them, shall be greater displeasure. Therefore, if you be virtuous, with draw their iaping trifles as now, for them that shall be virtuous. I will tell you one thing, I would rather my daughters, in mine absence, should be disciples to virtues, than to be mistresses in lewdness in my presence. And sith it is so, I desire you, require it not of me. And I desire you, that it be not so. I am importune on you, that ye be not importunate on me. I pray you, that you pray not me. or else I command you, that you demand it no more of me. This hard answer of the father, ceased the importunity and pitiefulle request of the mother. Thus Faustine, all fearefulle, seeing the father within the walls of Rome, durst not go see her daughter without, but as privily as she might.   

¶ How Marcus th'emperor did chose and proved his sons in law. Cap. xi.  
LIke wise as Marcus Aur. the emperor surmounted in virtues all mortal men, that died, so for certain in marriage of his daughters he seemed to be kin to the gods, that ever live: & by the grace and gift of god, or by his fortune, he was as happy in virtuous sons in law, as greatly infortunate of dishonest daughters. After the death of the good old man, with the small thought of the prince his son in his governance, and ungodly fame of his doughtes in their living, it seemed to have made an end of the glorious memory of the father, but if it were by the sovereign goodness of his sons in law, that he had chose by his life tyme. It is daily seen, that the loss of the father by evil children, is won by virtuous sons in law. Than Marcus Aurelius, in choosing husbands for his daughters, he took not of divers, that the vanity of the world offered him: but of a few, that of many folks were esteemed to be of good behaviour, and that to his seeming were such in deed. And as in marriages all the error is to covet goods that be in the purse, and not to examine the person that is brought to the house, He regarding this, married not his daughters to strange kings, but to natural borne Senators, not to such as descended from high lineage, as were the Sipions, Fabritions, and torquates: but to such that with their virtues raised newly good lineages: Nor he married them not to such as were presumptuous of the prows and deeds of their predecessors: but to them that resplendyshed by the deeds of their own persons. Nor of truth he chose none that were very rich, but such as were virtuous: nor such as were soon moved, but such as were quiet: not the high minded: but to the moderate, that were no boasters, but shamefast: no babblers, but small speakers: no quarrelers, but suffrers: not to presumptuous, but to them that were meek, not to hasty men, but to them that were patient: not to them that were esteemed among the commons, but unto them that deserved laud among wise men. In this manner he trusted no person, for he married not his daughters to such as were praised a far of▪ but to them that of long time had been proved nearhand. In good faith herein his reason was good. For in the thing that toucheth a man's honour, he that is wise ought not to trust in the only information of strangers: Nor he is not wise, that is so hardy, to do all things by his own seeming and opinion. And he is but a simple person, that will do all thing after the opinion of strangers. And in these points the emperor Marcus had a good respect to keep them: In walking good rest, In speaking great eloquence, in eating good temperance: In answering great subtlety: In his sentences and determynations great gravity. And therefore in this case of marriage he was full of gravity, till he was therein determined. And this only came not of him, but of other, when they came to pray him. It befell that in a feast of the god janus, the emperor going to the camp of Mars, upon a lusty horse fierce and flinging, he met so rudely with a trumpeter, that coursed as a knight upon a horse, that with the stroke of meeting, the trumpetour was overthrown with his horse, so that he was slain, and th'emperors horse leg broken, and his own foot hurt, and his arm out of joint. So greatly increased his hurt, that he was in peril, italy in heaviness, and all Rome was in doubt of his life. And because a few days afore that, he had communication of a marriage for his third daughter, named Matrina, for the determination that he should have made the same day, great suit was made to him. But for the great pain of his arm, and the blood that was congealed in his body, and the anguish that was at his heart, as for the demand that was offered him, he differed the answer till another day. The which day comen, in open presence he said in this manner.   

¶ What the emperor Marcus said to the father of a young man that would mary one of his daughters. Cap. xii.  
OFtentimes I have seen in other, and have proved by experience, that the small consideration passed, and the great acceleration in businesses now present, maketh great inconveniences in time to come, unless that at that point the thing be committed to the virtue of some wise person, rather than to his own sole opinion. Never the less in the case of marriage, though the father be wise, yet without the opinion of an other, he ought not to determine him lightly: For envious fortune, though she show herself somewhat froward in all things, yet in this case of marriage, she overthroweth more than in all the other. He that will speak of marriage, aught to enter into his own secretness, and to think profoundly thereon, as of a thing that all his wealth lieth in, his credence, his life, his honour, his good fame, the rest of his own person, and his flesh, which is his child. I am of opinion, that if all wise men were melted in a fournayes, they could not give one good counsel to make a marriage: And would ye that I, which am simple, should do it lightly by myself? Truly therein behoveth ripe and sad counsel. For ones fallen into the peril thereof, none may have remedy without greater peril. The renowned Marcus Portius, whose living was a mirror in his days, and his words and counsels remain for a remembrance, said openly in the senate: O noble fathers and happy people, by the decrees openly proclaimed in places accustomed, I know that in a counsel and senate ye ordained three things, that is, ye undertook to make a new war against the Parthes, to continue the enmity against the Peniens, and to marry .v. hundred matrons of Rome, to .v. C. knights of Mauritanie. And certainly I am abashed, that among wise men so high affairs should be so soon and suddenly concluded and determined. To satisfy mine understanding, and for the good will that I own to the country, I shall say one word, that is, to begin war, and to pursue hatred and ill will, and to conclude marriages, In these causes a man ought to ask counsel of all the men of the world, and all the God's ought to correct and amend it. And ten M. counselings would be holden upon each of these things. These words were worthy of great recommendation. For one thing by divers opinions ought to be determined: But many things by one opinion ought not to be determined. And if this be for all things, it serveth then most specially in marriages. My friends, ye say, that he that offereth him to be my son in law, is greatly desired loved and well named among the common people. To sell such merchandise, set it not in so ill a show▪ The credence of an honest man lieth not among the common voice of the people, but among philosophers: not among many, but among few: not among how many, but what they be. Ye know yourself, that at this hour all that the commons think is but a vain thing: that they praise is false: that they condemn is good, that they approve, is nought, that they allow is shameful: and finally all that they laud, is but folly. Their praising beginneth with lightness, their following without order, and it endeth with fury. O how many have I seen in italy like the lies of wine cast out of the senate, and after put as fyrebrondes of taverns in Rome, by whose opinions the common wealth is governed, and with great lightness men put down, and with no less lightness exalted again. Behold here, that the works of the people are holden in mockage with wise men: and that that is agreed among them, is esteemed but for vanities with wise men. For that that is meal with philosophers, is eaten but for bran & chaff with simple folk: and contrary wise, the meal of the simple, is but bran & chaff among wise men. Of all that our predecessors have sifted, in these days the children of vanity work thereafter, for they will be desired, and hate to be hated. All such holdeth a general rule, that every man that desireth to be beloved of every man openly, can not escape fro divers secret faults. Shall I tell you, who is best beloved now adays? Than hearken to me, and I will tell you, as much as it toucheth, to whom it may touch, hurt who it may hurt, feel it who that may feel it. The people loveth him that can dissimule with them, and him that is nought, and envious of them that be good, & also such as favour liars, & setteth troth aside, and such as accompanieth with mankyllers and murderers, & to be served of thieves, and favoureth quarrelers, and pursueth such as be peaceable, delivereth offenders, and sleeth innocents, renometh them that be shameful, and shameth them that be of good fame: Finally he is most set by, that putteth them that be good fro him, and is the most vain among them that be vain. Certainly there is great suspection to set him among wise men, that is allowed of all fools. And the reason thereof is, that the commons lightly love none but men that with malice refraineth them that be virtuous, and letteth the rain slip to them that be vicious. Truly wise men have him as suspect that the commons desire, which will not be displeased with his ill doings. O how often times doth the God's permit the ambitious man in honours, that procureth to do ill many days without justice, and doth not behold the sudden hole loss thereof with shame? Than take this word of me, that in the multitude of men there are few to be praised, and many to be reproved.   

¶ How a son in law ought to be well examined ere he be acceptep to his purpose. cap. xiii.  
Now to come to our particular purpose. ye among you do praise this young man, and if his works be as your words, ye should not only say, that he hath merited to be my son in law, but rather meriteth to be only inheritor of the hole empire. And therefore I would wit of you, whereof you can praise this your kinsman, that there be no contrarity between his works and your words. If he be rustical, it abateth him sore: if he be of high blood, he will be presumptuous: if he be rich, he will give him to viciousness: if he be poor, he will be covetous, if he be valiant, he will be overbold: if he be a coward, he is defamed: if he be a great speaker, he shall be a liar: if he be to little a speaker, he shall be noted as unwise: if he be fair, he will be coveted: if he be foul, he will be jealous. Than if he be quite of all these, I swear to you, that I will give him my daughter Matrine with all my heart. I do not say this unto you, because I suppose any ill in your kinsman: but to th'intent that ye should think, that I say it according to my naturality. And than sith I say it not against your credence, for the knowledge that ye have of him, mistake not my suspection, sith that I am hold ignorant of this young man's living. And I will not, that ye should think, that the child my daughter, that hath been brought up in so great virtue in my palace, should be married to this young man for the only fame that he hath among the people. O how often have I seen in our time now, and have red of the world passed, the which as now by commandment of the God's, at an other time by their ill works have deserved it, at another time by their sorrowful destinies have permitted it, weening for to bring sons in law into their house, have brought in a hell: In stead of wise and fair daughters, have recovered adders: And seeking sons, have found basilycke serpents: In bienge of blood, poison delivered: In seeking friends, they have found enemies: In demanding honour, shame hath be given: and finally in marienge their children, weening to have lived merrily, the sorrowful fathers have had evil life and a worse death. And in case that such aught to be moved more of them that be joyous, than they that been sorry, of them that been joyous, as well ought we to approve the just chastisement of the just God's, by the unjust works done to just men. For he deserveth great chastisement, that with fearful hardiness as a fool determineth himself in high and difficult things with sudden counsel. And therefore my friends, if ye be virtuous, be not abashed of that that I say, nor take the examination that I make in a slander: If I take this young man to be my son, to be son in law to faustine my wife, husband to my daughter Matrine, brother to Comodus the prince, fellow to them of the senate, kinsman to my kinsfolk, and lord of my servants: It is reason, that such a rob ought well to be regarded, sith that so many persons must wear the livery thereof. The garment that so many persons must wear, must be wisely cut, to content them all. We see naturally many things noyful to us, if it be near us, and yet not damageable to us far of. The son with his shining beams doth parch the flesh of the people of Ethiope, because it is near unto them: and contrary wise it doth no grief to their persons that inhabit in the end of Europe: for because it toucheth them afar of. There have been divers sons of Rome, which being in strange countries, have done great profit to the common wealth, and no less famed throughout the world, which after they were returned to their own houses, have spilt more blood of innocentes, than they had done before of the Barbariens. And that it is sooth demand of julius Cesar, of Pompeius, of Sylla, of Marius, of Casius, of Catilina, and of Lypulus, of Octavius, and Marcus Antonius, of Caligula, and of Nero, of Othus, and Domitianus. And as I say of so small a number of bastard children that held Rome, I may say of divers other tyrants brought up in italy. Believe me in one thing, All that is agreeable to us abroad, agreeth not to us if we bring them into the house. For there goeth many things between the entreating of a man in words, and to belong conversant with him in works. Little needeth human ignorance for to beguile an other, and yet less to be beguiled of many an other. With a meek visage, sweet words in the tongue, good deliberation in the person, temperance in the word every one may beguile an other now adays: and by shrewdenes and malice, is beguiled himself. I say to you, I being a young man knew the famous orator Taurin propose divers times in the senate: And on a day he spoke for a roman matron, which should have married an honest daughter of hers to a master of horses, by seeming a Roman, and not very well appointed: And among other words he said: O noble fathers, O happy people, command not that thing, that afterward ye would were not commanded. An ill marriage is like as he that shooteth a pellet of dust, it hurteth him that it toucheth, and blindeth them that stand next. Sothelye these were high words, and the comparison well understanden, containeth in it sentences of gravity. It is manifest to all men, that an ill son in law is the death of the wife that hath him, shame to the friends that procured it, and at the last an ill end for himself, and for his father that offered it. Than by all these things that I have said, ye may understand what I think in this marriage. His sayings thus ended, the Senate was greatly edified therewith, and the knights kinsfolk to this young man, greatly abashed: and Faustin the empress sore confused, for by her introduction the matter was moved. And how this marriage failed, the historiens writ not, whom we have followed in this work.   

How Mark th'emperor favoured all noble exercises, and hated trewandes and fools. ca xiiii.  
THe virtues of this good emperor, and the knowledge of sciences, the worthiness in arms, and the pureness of his living, caused him to be named among the famous men of Rome. The gentle conversation that he had with every man, made him to be renowned among the worthiest of all the world. The thing most agreeable without reprehension of the greatest, mean, and lest is, that a lord and prince of many, be communicable and conversant with many. All the good works of good men may be condemned with the ill intentions of them that be ill: But the good conditions have such a privilege, that of ill the good is praised, and the good approveth the ill. In a man's living, there is none so great a vice, but by good conversation it is covered and hid. And contrary wise, no crime is secret, but with ill conversation, at the time that it hurteth, it is more openly known. Of two extremities it is not so grievous to the common wealth, a man to be weak and faint in secretness, & of gentle conversation abroad, as it is of him that is secret, and is rude & of ill conversation openly. divers not being of good order and policy, we have seen conversant a great while in Rome, only for being well conditioned. And many more we have seen, that in a short while after they were put in office, have been so proud and hasty in their conditions, that they have been deprived from their offices. And this we say because this good emperor was so joyous of visage, so amiable in his customs, so loving in his conversation, that lightly he would cast his arms about the neck, and on the shoulders of them, and take them by the hands, that had any thing to do with him. The porters should not let them that would accompany him in the palace: nor his guard was not so hardy to put aback such as would speak with him in the fields. In all his ages he applied to that that every age gave him by nature: He was a child among children, young among young folks, worldly with them that were worldly, good fellow with good fellows, a baron among barons, hardy with hardy men: and finally old with old men. He was wont to say, when any in his presence that were young and not well taught in their language, jested at the debility of age, or old men at the folly of youth: Leave them, sith they leave you. Many times of wise young men cometh old fools, And of young fools customably cometh wise old men: Naturalyte at the last maketh all thing in kind. As of great debility we can draw but small strength, by our naturality we may for a time resist it, but not utterly master it. I am sore abashed, that some will be so lordly and valiant in virtues, and so high minded, and yet will make us believe, that they living in the flesh, and being of flesh, only feel not the flesh. I can not tell, if nature hath made other of an other nature than I am of, or me of an other nature than other be. For I being never so fast enclosed in the sweet conversation of philosophy, yea in the best time, this false flesh wool calleatte the gate with his naughty flesh. The more that we raise and exalt us with science and get liberties, the more lower we do put the flesh with her miseries. Believe me one thing, that if a tree beareth not in primetimes his flowers, we hope not to have the fruit in harvest type: and a young man that hath not passed his youth with young people, we have no hope that he should pass his age with old men. And as we may resist our naturality, and not clean to for do it, so those fathers err, that are so extremely affectioned, to have their children to begin as old men, whereupon it followeth, that they end as young. This emperor was so wise in all things, that among them that were merry, he was of great mirth. And in verities he was very veritable. In his pastimes he was greatly temperate, and a lover of music, specially in good voice and instruments, and sore displeased if he hard any discord therein. He passed most of his youth in learning of sciences. When he came to man's state, he exercised feats of knighthood: he loved discipline and not of adulation. He was apt and happy in arms, but yet in riding of horses he had oft times ill hap. In his young age he delighted to play at the tennis, and at the chess in his age. He loved not these counterfeiting players of farces and mummeries, and yet less trewandes, that been natural fools, jugglers, and jesters for pleasure. The players and jesters suffered great variety in the empire, according to the diversity of emperors. julius Cesar sustained them, Octavian his nephew drove them away, Caligula called them again, Cruel Nero banished them, Nerua made them come again, Good trajan banished them out of all Italy, Anthony Pius brought them in again: And by the hands of this good emperor Marcus Aurelius, they ended. And the occasion was, the romans did celebrate with great joy, the four day of May, the great feast of the mother Berecynte, mother of all the God's. The sacred priests flamines diales, would have brought thither these minstrels jugglers and jesters, for to rejoice the feast, and contrary wise the holy nuns vestales would have done the same, so that variance fell between them, some with force, and some with resistance, and some ran thither in favouring of both parties, and not a few, to depart them. The cruel and great noise of slaughter among them, was such, that it turned the feast to weepings, the pleasures into sorrows, and their songs into wailings. This good emperor laboured to pease this fury of the people, and to set peace among the neighbours of Rome. When all was done, he made curious diligence to search out all the players, jugglers, and jesters of Rome, and in all the circuit of Italy, that they might be chastised, and Rome delivered of them. And for example of all the world, he sent them to the gate of Hostie, and commanded to set them in Galies, and to banish them for ever, into the isles of Hellispont: which was accomplished, as the emperor commanded. And fro that day, was never seen at Rome, juggler nor jester, as long as the emperor lived. But it passed not two years after his death, but they returned, when his son had the rule. And except the books do lie, there was in Rome greater number of fools than of wise men.   

¶ Of the good conversation of this emperor Marcus Aurelius. Cap. xv.  
WE have said of the hatred that this emperor had to trewandes, revellers, getters, jugglers, jesters, and such other: Now will we speak of his laudable exercises of them that came to him. To be well conditioned, the malice of mankind is so great, that as good men are bound to regard the ill, so do they that be ill, regard to destroy the good. The trace of virtue is as good in good things, with them that be good, as the vice & dishonesty of evil folks, is in evil things. What greater corruption in this world may be, than a virtuous person, for one work of virtue, can not find one to help him to work it, and when he alone hath wrought it, there cometh ten thousand to gainsay him? The greatest goodness of all goodness is, when tyrannies are put under by virtues acquired: or to find remedy against accustomed vices, with good inclinations. And the greatest evil of all evils, is when a person forgetteth that he is a man, putting reason under foot, straining his hand against virtue, and letteth vice rule the bridle. This emperor Mar. Aurel. sustained in his life great glory, in the eschewing the villainy of villains: no less merited he immortal memory, in suffering divers dyshonesties in the execution of his virtues. An unfallible rule it is, among the children of vanity, to child the vices of them that be vicious. And the virtues well incorporate, nourish many envious. They that be ill, been always double ill, because they bear armour defensive, to defend their own evils: and arms offensive to assail the good manners of other. The truth is, if good men be diligent to seek other that be good, no less ought they for to hide them from them that be ill: for a good man with one finger, hath power over all them that be virtuous, but for to withstand one ill person, he hath need of hands feet and friends. And though fortune be ill to good men, their own proper fame shall be spent as of strangers. This good emperor was strong in virtue, meek in words, attemperate in his exercises, homely with every man, sad among sad men, hasty among hasty men, merry with merry men, and wise among wise men, as it is convenable for a curious prince to be. And when these are approved in the law of good men, by clear understanding, as well shall they be condemned by them that have ill intentions. then as the cools can not be in the embres without sparkis, nor corruption of the carrion without stench: no more can he that hath a hole and clear heart be, without inforsing him to utter loving words: And he that hath an ill heart, always overcometh other with words of malice. For it is certain, for a small season the lover may abstain his love, and yet less time the pain of him, that is pained with love hid. The sorowfulle sighs, show the hurt of the heart, and the malicious words discover the ill of the heart. We have said all this, because that the bounty of this good Emperor Marcus Aurelius set all his joy and gladness in them that were good, and bewailed them that were ill. And as in semblable things, the worthy men show their worthiness, and wise men their wisdom, being virtuous in working, and wise in knowledging, were very wise in dissimuling. One of the virtues, that a wise man ought to have (wherein he shall be known as wise) is that he can suffer well. For a man that can suffer well, was never but wise & well manerd, and therewith to suffer the virtue of ill business, is a thing reasonable, of all reasonable beasts, and of them that be good, very good. And by contrary wise, the man that can not well suffer, though it be in very just things, hopeth not to be well treated. And likewise as this Emperor Marcus in all virtues, hath been equal with all the emperors of Rome, that have been, In this virtue of sufferance, he hath surmounted all them of the world. He was wont to say many times, I have not attained to the empire, by the sciences that I have learned of the philosophers, but by the patience, that I have had with them that were froward and not learned. And this seemeth to be true: for oftentimes this Emperor, being with the Senate at Collisee, or the Senate with him in the high Capytolle, he saying in his presence divers that praised him, and other, that in his absence among the people blamed him, and rebuked him, his attemperance yet was so great, and showed himself so just with one and other, that neither his friends, that agreed with him, were sorrowful, nor his enemies, for any disfavour, went away complaining and angry.   

¶ Of the feast that the Romans kept to the god jano in Rome, and what chanced to the said emperor there. Cap. xvi.  
Among the solemn feasts, that the ancient Romans had invented, was one of the god janus, kept the first day of the year, which as now is the first day of janiver: He was painted with two faces, to show, that it was the last day of the year passed, and the beginning of the new year. To this god was dedicate a sumptuous temple in Rome, which temple Numa Pompilius, called it the temple of peace. And except the temple of jupiter, it was holden in most reverence of all other. When the roman emperors went or came to Rome, to visit the high capitol, and the vestal virgins, forthwith they went to pray, worship, and to offer at the temple of janus. The day of celebration of the said feast, all Rome rejoiced, and put on them the best clothes that they had, brenning great lights in every house, and made many plays of interludes, of gests and juggling, & watched all night in the temples, & delivered all the prisoners that were in prison for debt, & paid the debts with the common treasure. They had tables with meat before their doors, in such abundance, that more was left than eaten, wherewith all the poor folks in Rome were relieved. The romans thought, that what so ever they spent that day, that the god jano (which was god of times) would reward them double. The Romans said, that this god janus was not unkind nor no niggard, for if they spent a little, he would recompense them with a great deal. At this feast was made great processions, every sort of people by themself, the senate went apart, the priests apart, The Censores apart, the Plebeyens apart, The matrons and young maidens by themself, and the ambassadors went in procession with all the captives and prisoners. Thus they went ever two and two: the end of one company, was the beginning of an other. And thus out of the temple of janus, they went about all the temples of Rome, and so out of port latin into the fields, and round about the walls of Rome. And because the circuit of Rome was great, the processions went but from one gate to an other, so that toward night all the processions of Rome had gone everichone in their company about: And that done, they returned all into the temple, that they came out of, and there offered eachone as they might. And in the said processions it was of custom, that the emperors went accompanied with the senators: but this good emperor was so familiar, that he would honour and accompany every man. It was accustomed in Rome, that the said day th'emperor should wear on his rob, and mantel unperiall. And all prisoners and captives that might touch him with their hand, were delivered, & all trespassers were pardoned, and banished folk were forgiven, and called again. And this emperor to use his clemency, and to leave after him perpetual memory, left the procession of senators, and without any guard, went the procession with prisoners and captives. The which doing, was occasion to leave behind him perpetual memory of himself, and great example of clemency and lowliness to princes for to come. How be it there is nothing so well done of them that be good, but forthwith it shallbe contraried of them that be ill: And therefore this example was so much dispraised of them that were ill, as praised and allowed of them that were good. And in likewise as among them that be good, there is one noted to be pure good, so among them that be ill, there is one noted to be right ill. And that worse is, that the virtuous person esteemeth not the glory his virtue so great, as the malicious person by his malice is shamid. This is said, because there was a senator in the senate, named Fuluius, which was as black by his malice, as white by his hears. He laboured sore in the days of Adrian to have been emperor, and had Marcus always as competitor. And as it is a natural thing to them that have ill hearts, to show their malice in small things, so this emperor did never no good thing openly, but this Fuluius would grudge thereat secretly. And though this emperor was greatly praised for the delivering of prisoners, yet the said senator could not have the prudence for to suffer it, and so part in mockery, and part in earnest, he said these words to the emperor in the senate: Why givest thou thyself to all men?   

¶ How Marcus the emperor answered a senator in the senate. Cap. xvi.  
THe emperor Marcus Aurhering what the senator had said to him, in the presence of the senators, that is to wit, Wherefore he gave him to all men, He answered, Friend, I give me to all men, because all men give them to me, and are glad of me. Believe me, that over great rigour in a prince, causeth hatred of the people. The God's will not, nor the laws permit not, nor the agreement of the common wealth will not suffer, the princes be lords over many, & to accompany but with a few. I have red in books, & have proved it by myself, that the love of subjects, the surety of the prince, the dignity of th'empire, and the honour of the Senate, do conserve the prince, not with rigour, but with gentle conversation. The fisher goth not to take divers fishes of the river with one bait, nor the mariner with one net entereth into the see. I promise you the deepness of good wills ought to be won with the deepness of the heart, some with gifts, some with words, some with promises, and some with favours. The insatiate covetous men are never content, nor will open their affection, but lock up their treasures. And such as serveth for love, are less content with opening of their treasure, than locking up their wills. It is an old proverb of Pythagoras: Love is paid with other love. O how ill fortune it is to a prince, & how unhappy it is to a common wealth, when the people serve not their lords, but for rewards, & the lords to keep & maintain them, but for their service. With divers stones and one cement, building is raised, and of divers men, and one lord, is composed a common wealth. And if geometry beguile me not, the mortar that joineth one stone with an other, aught to be meddled with sand and slecked lime by reason. Separate the stones, and the wall openeth, and let the cement fail, and the edifice falleth. He that is wise, may well understand me. Love between neighbours suffereth to be mitigate with water: but it is requisite, that the love of the prince and his people be pure. divers troubles, and act divers times, I have seen among the common people of Rome in one day moved and appeased: but one discord, raised between the lord and the common wealth, unto the death, is never accorded. It is a difficile thing, to make appointment of many with many, and more difficile, to accord one with another. But without comparison, more harder it is, to appoint divers with one, than one with divers. And in this case I will not save the prince, nor leave the people uncondemned. From whence (as ye think) cometh it now adays, that lords with annoyance command unjust things, and in just things the subjects are unobediente? Now hear me, & I shall tell you. The prince doing a thing in deed, and not of right, will confound the will of every man, and believe his own understanding, and draw of himself and all other his only will. Contrary wise, the multitude of the people dispraising their lords understanding, do as they will: not as all will, but as every man desireth himself. Of troth it is a grievous thing, although it be greatly accustomed, to will, that all gowns should be meet fore one man, and that one man's harness should be meet to arm all men. Than what shall we do, that our fathers have left thus in the world, & also we hold that we be their children, and that worse is, we leave the same to our heirs? O how many princes of my predecessors, I have red of, that have been lost in showing themself over strange, and beloved of none? I will tell you of some of them for examples, that I have red in my books, to th'intent that princes may see what they win by amiable conversation, and what they lose by overmuch strangeness. In the realm of Assiens', greater in arms than the Chaldeans, and less in advantage and antiquity than the assyrians: One manner form of kings endured among them. CC. and twenty years, by reason they were of lowable conversation. And another form and manner (as Homer saith) lasted but xl years, because their kings were of an ill condition. And the ix Epiphanes of the Egyptians was unnumbered and put down, because there was a law that each one should be bare legged in the temples upon the holy days. And this king on a day riding came before the god Apis, god of the Egyptians, the which thing was not suffered, for beside that he was put out of his realm, he was chastised. Also the vi Arfacidavel the invincible king of Parthes, not only was deprived, but also banished out of his realm, because he dined at a knights bridal, and would not eat at the bridal of a communer. Yet also though the realm of Italy was scant, their hearts were great: for because one of their Marranes, for so were their kings called, had shut his gates by night, for to sleep the surelier, he was deprived of his realm: because a law was made, that no prince should shut his gates night nor day. for they said, they had made him king for to drive away their enemies, and not to be daintily nourished. Tarquin the last king of the romans was unkind to his father in law, defamed his blood and kindred, was a traitor to his country, cruel of his person, and adulterer with Luctece: but for all that he was not called ungentle, nor infamed, nor traitor, nor cruel, nor adulterer, but he was named Tarquin the proud, because he was of ill conditions and complexions. And yet by the law of good men, I swear to you, that if the said unhappy Tarquin had had good will in Rome, for the adultery of Lucrece he had not be put out of his realm, for as much as other greater and more grievous harms had been done before his time, and also much worse sithen by aged emperors in the empire, the which crimes by them committed were such, that the offence of this frail young man was but small in estimation. For thing certain these princes hold, that if they give divers occasions for their ill will, yet a little thing sufficeth if he show, that the hate that he hath is for none ill will: but the hate that the subject hath to the lord, is because he hath no power. ¶ julius Cesar, the last dictator and first emperor, because he forgot to be a man among men, but thinking to be a god among God's, being a laudable custom, that the senate should salute the emperor on their knees, and the emperor to rise courteysly against them: because of a presumptuous mind, he would not keep the seremonie, he merited to lose his life with xxiii strokes of pen knives, And as I say of these so few a number, I may say of many other. The physicians with a little Rhubarb purge many humours of the body, and the emperor with a little benevolence taketh many griefs fro the stomachs of his subjects. The people own obedience to the prince, and to do his person great reverence, and fulfil his commandments, and the prince oweth equal justice to every man, and meek conversation to all men.  
¶ Marcus Portius said divers times in Rome: That the public wealth is there perpetual and without any sudden fall, where the prince findeth obedience, and all the people findeth love with the prince. For of the love of the lord breedeth the good obedience of the subject, and of the obedience of the subject breedeth the good love of the lord. The emperor in Rome is like to a spider that is in the mids of her web. For if the said cobweb be touched with the point of a needle, forthwith the spider feeleth it. I mean that all the works of the emperor in Rome been straight way known in all the earth. I believe that this day I have been judged of human malice, for accompanying the procession of the captives, and that I suffredde them to touch me, that they might enjoy the privilege of liberty. I yield and give great graces to my God's of my good hap, because they have made me pitiful for to deliver prisoners, and not cruel as a tyrant for to make them bond that be free. The proverb saith: One snare may take two birds: So it hath been this day, for that benefit rebounded only to the miserable prisoners, but the favour, to all their nations. And do ye not know, that by the taking away of their irons, I have drawn to me the hearts of all their realms and countries? Finally it is more sure to a prince to be served with free hearts, and love of them that be at liberty, than of subjects constrained with fear.   

¶ How th'emperor Marcus divided the hours of the day for the businesses of th'empire. Ca xviii.  
HEre before we have showed how this good emperor had great hatred of men that were of ill living, and that passed their time in ill exercise. It sufficeth not the philosopher to reprove the vice of other by words, but it is necessary that he do the works that he requireth other to do: It is reason now to show, how this Emperor by his great prudence compassed & dispatched the great and huge businesses of the empire, the particularities of his household, the recreation of his person, thexercise of his studies, the infinite reasoning with one and other, with such pain taking, and in so short tyme. He was so apt and well advised, that by him there was no time ill spent. Nor never failed to dispatch the business of the empire. And because the time is glorious of him that gloriously spendeth it, and the time is accursed, that to our damage and without profit to other passeth, leaving us ignorant as brute beasts: He departed the time by times, the order whereof was thus. Seven hours he slept in the night, and rested one hour in the day: At dinner and supper he wasted but only two hours: he deputed two hours for the matters of asia: Other two hours for the business of Europe and Africa: and in conversation of his house, and with his wife and children servants and friends that came to see him, he spent other two hours: And for the outward business, as to here the complaints of them that were grieved: The suits of poor men wanting justice, the widows, the robberies of pickers, of mychers, and vagabonds, he deputed an other hour. All the rest of the day and night in reading of books, to write works, to make metres, to study antiquities, to practise with wise men, to dispute among philosophers, he passed thus ordinately in winter: And in summer if cruel wars letted him not, or that he were troubled with great and heinous matters, he went ever to bed at ix of the clock, and awoke at four It was of custom that emperors had everlyghtes brenning in their chamber. And therefore when he awoke, because he would not be idle, he had ever a book at his beds heed. And thus in reading he spent the rest of the night, till it was day. He rose at vi of the clock, and made him ready openly, not angrily, but merrily: he would demand of them that were present, how they had spent all the night tyme. And there he would rehearse what he had red that night. When he was ready, he would wash his hands with very well smelling waters: for he was a great lover of all sweet odours. He had a good and a quick smelling. Than in the morning before every man, he would take iii or four morsels of electuary of stechados, and two draughts of Aqua vite. After that in summer he would go forthwith a foot to the riverside, and there pass the time the space of two hours. And as soon as the heat came, he would go to the high capitol to the senate. That done he went to the college, where as all the procurers and ambassadors of all provinces were, and there he would be a great part of the day, and here every nation by hit self, according to the time that was deputed by order. And toward the evening, he would go to the temple of the virgins vestales. He eat but ones a day, and that was somewhat late, and than he would make a good meal, and but of few meats. He had a custom every week in Rome, or other cities, where as he was, that two days late in the evening he would walk in the streets without his guard or knights, only with ten or xii pages, to see if any person would speak with him, or complain of any officer of his court and house, and this he caused to be demanded of other men. This good emperor would often times say: A good prince that will rule and govern well, and not to be a tyrant, ought to do thus: That is, that he be not covetous of tributes, nor proud in his commandments, nor unkind to services, nor bold in the temples, nor deaf to here complaints. In fulfilling hereof he shall have the gods in his hands, and the hearts of men shallbe his. All the while that this Mark was emperor, he had never porter at his chamber door, but if it were the two hours that he was with Faustine his wife. This good emperor had in his house a secret closet locked with a key that he bore himself, and never trusted none other therewith to the hour of his death. And than he commanded to deliver it to Pompeiano, a prudent ancient bacon that was married to his daughter: In the which closet he had divers books written in all languages, as Greek, hebrewe, latin, and Chaldee, and other antic histories.   

The answer of M. th'emperor, when Faustine his wife demanded the key of his study. ca nineteen.  
AS it is natural to women to despise that thing that is given them unasked, so it is death to them to be denayed of that they do demand. This emperor had the study or closet of his house in the most secret place of his palace, wherein he neither suffered his wife servant nor friend to enter. On a day it chanced, that Faustin th'empress desired importunately to see that study, saying these words: My lord, let me see your secret chamber. Behold I am great with child, and shall die, if I see it not. And ye know well, that the law of the romans is, that nothing shall be denied to women with child, of that they desire. And if ye do otherwise, ye do it in deed, but not of right. For I shall die with the child in my body. And more over I think in my mind, that ye have some other lover within your study. Therefore to put away the peril of my travailing, and to assure my heart from jealousy, it is no great thing to let me enter into your study. The emperor seeing that Faustines' words were of troth, & because he saw her words washed with weeping, answered her on this wise: It is a thing certain, when one is contented, he saith more with his tongue, than he thinketh with his heart. And contrary wise, when one is heavy, the eyen weep not so moche, nor the tongue can not declare that is locked in the heart. Vain men with vain words show and declare their vain pleasures: And the wise men with prudent words, dissemble their cruel passions. Among wise men he is wisest, that knoweth moche, and showeth to know but little: And among the simple, he is most simple, that knoweth but little, and showeth himself to know moche. They that are prudent, though they are demanded, say nothing: but simple folk will speak enough without asking of any question. This I say Faustine, because thy weeping hath so hurt me, and thy vain speech so tormented me, that I can not declare that I feel, nor thou canst not feel that that I say. divers advertisements have they written, that have written of marriage, yet have they not written, how many travails that one woman causeth her husband to suffer in one day. Of a surety, it is a joyful thing to rejoice in the childhood of children, but it is a right cruel thing to suffer the importunities of their mothers. The children do now and then a thing that turneth us to pleasure, but ye women do nothing but give us displeasure. I shall agree with all married men to pardon their children's pleasures, for the annoyance that the mothers give to them. One thing I have seen, the which never beguiled me, that the just gods do give to the unjust men, that all the evils that they do in this world, shall be remitted to the furies of the other world: But if they do commit any sin for the pleasure of any woman, the God's command, that by the hands of the same woman, we shall receive pain in this world, and not in the other. There is not so fierce or perilous an enemy to a man, as is his wife. And though a man can not live with her as a man, I never saw none so light, being with a vicious woman, in doing vice, but that by the same woman at the last he received shame and chastisement. Of one thing I am sure, and I say it not because I have seen it, but experimented in myself, that though the husband do all that his wife will, yet will she do nothing that her husband would have done. great cruelty is among the barbariens to hold their wives as slaves: And no less madness is it of Romans, to keep them as ladies. Flesh ought not to be so lean, that it abhor: nor so fat that it cloy the stomach: but mean and interlarded, to the end that it be savoury. I say that a wise man can not give so strong a brydelle to his wife, that she will obey as an hand maiden: nor give her so little of the bridle, but she will exalt herself as mistress and reuler. Behold Faustine how ye women are so extreme in all headlong extremities, that with a little favour ye will exalt, augement, and grow into great pride: and with a little disfavour, ye recover great hatred. There is no perfect love, where is no egalitie between the lovers. And as ye and other are unperfit, so is your love unperfit. I wot well ye understand me not. Therefore understand Faustine, that I say more than ye ween. There is no woman, that with her will would suffer any greater than herself: nor to be content to have an other equal with her. For though she have a. M.li rent, yet she hath, x. M. follies in her heed. And that worse is, though it chance her husband to die, and she lose all her rent, yet endeth not her foolishness. hearken to me, and I shall tell you more. All women would speak, and have all other to be still: they would govern, and be governed of none other. One thing they desire, that is to see, and to be seen. And such as be light in following their lightness, they hold as their subjects and slaves: and such as be wise, and reprove their appetites, they pursue as enemies. In the annals Pompeyens, I have found a thing worthy for to be known, and that is: When Gnee Pompeie passed into the Orient on the mountains Rifees he found a manner of people called Masagetes, which had a law, that every inhabitant or dweller should have two tons or fats, because there was lack of houses in the said mountains: In one was the husband, the sons and men servants: and in the other the wife the daughters and maidens. On the holy days they did eat together, and ones in the week they lay together. When great Pompey had questioned the cause of their living in that manner, for that he never saw nor knew a more extreme thing in all the world, One of them answered: Pompey behold, the God's have given us but a short life, for none of us may live above lx year at the most, and those years we travail to live in peace. And in having our wives with us still in company, we should live ever dying: for we should pass the nights in hearing their complaints: and the days in suffering their brawlings and chidings. In keeping them this wise from us apart, they nourish their children more peaceably, eschewing the noises that sleeth the fathers.  
¶ I tell the Faustin, that though we call the Masagettes barbariens, in this case they be wiser than the romans. One thing I will tell you Faustin, and I pray you mark it well. If the beastly moving of the flesh enforced not the will of man to do his lust, and that he would not desire women, I doubt whether women would suffer it or love it the less. Of troth if the God's had made this love voluntary, as it is natural, that is as we would we might, and not as we would and may not: with great pain a man might be satisfied, though he should lose himself for any woman. It is a great secret of the God's, and a great misery to man, that the faint and week flesh doth force the heart which should be free, to love that it abhorreth, and to allow that that domageth. This is a great secret, that men can feel it every hour as men: and yet by discretion may not remedy it. I envy not the living God's, nor the men that be deed, but for two things, and they been these: The God's live without fear of them that be malicious, and they that be deed are in peace with out need of women. The air is so corrupt, that it corrupteth every man with two pestilent plagues so deadly, that the flesh and the heart endeth. O Faustine, is the love of the flesh so natural, that when the flesh fleeth scornfully we should leave the true heart as captive? And the resonne as reason put her to flight, the flesh as flesh forthwith yieldeth her to you as overcome.   

¶ The emperor rehearseth the perils of them that haunt women excessively. Cap. xx.  
th'emperor following his purpose declareth the universal damages, that come to man by overmuch conversation and haunting of women. And after he had told some particular cases that he had suffered with Faustin his wife, he said: I am well remembered, that in my young age I followed the flesh to much, with purpose never to return. And therefore I confess, that if I had good desires in one day, in stead thereof a. M. days I wrought ill. It is reason that ye women flee from them that flee from you: to hide you from them that hide them fro you, to leave them that leave you, to separate you fro them, that separate them fro you: to forget them that forget you. For some escape fro your hands ill famed and effeminate: and other are hurt with your tongues, many been persecuted with your works, and the better to scape free, they come away abhorred of your hearts and bound to your lyghtnesses. Than who that feeleth this, what getteth he by the attaining thereof? O to how many perils offereth he himself, that with women is greatly conversant? If a man love them not, they count him as a villeyne: if he love them, they think him light: if he leave them, they repute him for a coward: if he follow them, he is lost, if he serve them, he is not regarded, if he serve them not, he shall be hated of them, if he will have them, they will not have him: if he desire them not, they will seek on him: if he haunt them, he is ill named: if he haunt them not, they reckon him no man. What shall the unhappy man do? Let men take this for certain, that though the husband do for his wife all that he can do as a man, and that he ought to do as a husband, and with his weakness do the best that he can, for to find remedy against poverty with his travail, and put himself in danger for her every hour: all this shall not please his wife, nor make her the better, but she will say, that the traitor loveth other, and that all that he doth, is only to accomplish his pleasure on them. Many days ago faustine, I have willed to tell the this, but I have differred it till now, hoping that thou wouldest give me occasion to tell it thee: the which long ago thou haste caused me to feel. It is no point of wise men, that for every time they are annoyed with their wives, forthwith to hurt them with words. For among wise men the said words are most esteemed when they are well appropried and said to good purpose. I do bethink me, that it is vi year sith Anthony Pie thy father did choose me to be his son in law, and thou me to be thy husband, and I the for my wife: this my fatal destiny did permit, at the commandment of Adrian my lord. My father in law gave the his fair daughter to me for wife, and the very sad and ponderous empire in marriage. I trow we were all beguiled: He to take me for his son, and I to choose the for my wife. He was named Anthony Pius, because he was pitiful in all things, save unto me, to whom he was cruel, for in a little flesh he gave me many bones: and to say the truth, I have no teeth to gnaw it, nor no heat in my stomach to digest it: and many times I have thought myself lost with it. For thy beauty thou were desired of many, but for thine evil conditions thou were abhorred of all. O how unhappy been thy destinies faustine, and how evil have the God's provided for the. They have given the beauty and richesse for to undo thee: And they have denied & refused to the the best, that is good conditions, quality, and wisdom to maintain them. I say to the again, that the God's have been very cruel to thee, sith they addressed the to the whirlpool, where as all ill folk perish, and have taken from thee, the sails and oores, whereby all good folk escape. The xxxviii years, that I was without wife, seemed not to me xxxviii days: and the vi years that I have been married, seem to me vi hundred years. I will assure the one thing, that if I had known before, that I know now, and had felt than, that I feel at this hour, I would say an other thing. And though the God's would command me, and Adrian my master would command me, I would not change my poverty and quietness, for the marriage of the & th'empire. But I have desired the in thy good fortune, and myself to mine ill fortune. I have said but a little, and have suffered a great deal: I have feigned a great while, but I can feign no longer. No man suffereth his wife so moche, but he is bound to suffer more. Let a man, that is a man consider, and likewise a woman that is a woman consider, what boldness she is of, that quarellethe with her husband, and that he is a fool that brawleth openly with his wife. For if she be good, he ought to favour her, that she may be the better: if she be a shrew, he must suffer her, that she wax not worse. Every man knoweth, that all things suffereth chastisement save a woman, which (as a woman) will be desired and prayed. Faustine believe me, if fear of the God's, the shame of her person, and speech of the people, withdraw not a woman from evil, all the chastisement of the world will not overcome her. The heart of man is very noble, and the heart of a woman is dainty, and will have great hire for a little goodness, and for much evil no chastisement. A wise man will know what he hath to do or he marry. Than if he determine him to take the company of a wife, he ought to enlarge his heart to receive all that may come with her. It is but a small wit in a man to set by the small fantasies of his wife, or for to chastise openly that may be righted between them secretly. He that is wise and will live quietly with his wife, aught to keep this rule: Admonish her often, and reprove her but seldom, and lay no handis on her. For by other means he getteth no fidelity in her, nor good entreating of her, nor good bringing up of their children, nor service to the goodis, nor any hope of profit of her. And thus faustine I will say no more to thee, but that thou consider, that I do consider, and know that I do see, and that my sufferance unknown to thee, may suffice to amend thy life.   

¶ The emperors answer to Faustine for that she said, she was with child. Cap. xxi.  
Now that I have opened and put out the old venom, I will answer to thy present question or demand. To th'intent that medicines may profit them that be sick, it is necessary to despoil the oppilations & lets of the stomach: Likewise none can counsel his friend conveniently, but if he show first his grief. Thou demandest of me the key of my study, and thou thretnest me, that if I give it the not, thou shalt be lost and hurt with thy fruit: ye women with child have a good hostage or pledge, for under colour of travailing before your time, ye would have us fulfil all your fond appetites. when the holy senate in the unhappy time made a law in favour of Roman matrons, they were not so desirous. Now I wot not how it is, but ye all annoyed and weary of all goodness. And all ye in all ill are desirous and covetous. As far as I can remember, when Camylle made his vow to Cybille the mother of God's, to send him victory in a battle, when he had won the victory, Rome was so poor, that it had neither gold nor silver for to make the statute of promise, the matrons than being, seeing that their husbands did offer their lives in the said war, they granted to present their jewels to the holy senate. It was a marvelous thing to see, that without any speaking to them, or without any man's enticement they determined all together to go to the high capitol, and there in the presence of every man presented their ouches hanging at their ears, The rings of their fingers, the bracelets of their arms, the pearls from their attires of their heads, the collars from their necks, The broochs of their breasts, the girdelles about their myddels, and borders of their gowns. And though that their gift was esteemed to a great value, yet their good wills was esteemed a great deal more. The richesses that they offered there was so great, that there was not all only enough to perform the vow of the statute, but also to pursue the war. And as than the custom of Rome was, that none did them any pleasure, but he was shortly recompensed: the same day that the matrons did offer their rich and fair jewels in the capitolle, there was granted unto them five manner of things in the Senate: The first, that at their deaths the orators should preach, publish, and show their good living: The second that they should sit in the temple, where as before they were wont to stand: The third, that they should were furred & lined gowns, where as before they were none but single: The four that in their diseses they might drink wine, where as before on their lives they durst drink none, but water: The .v. that the matrons of Rome great with child, should not be refused of any thing that they desired. These five things for certain were justly and willingly granted by the senate. And why this law that commandeth to denay nothing to a woman with child was made, I will tell the the occasion that moved the senate so to do. Fuluius Torquate being consul in the war against the Volseos, the knights of Mauritayne brought to Rome a wild man, that had but one eye, that they had taken in hunting in the deserts of Egypt. And the matrons of Rome were at that time as sad and honest, as they be now bold and light: so was the wife of the said Torquate, that was nigh the time of her deliverance great with child, of troth a woman so honest, that for the sober solitariness that she kept in Rome, she had no less glory than had her husband in the wars for his worthiness, the which was well proved. For in the xiiii year that Torquate her husband was in Asye a war fare, the first time that he went thither, she was never seen at the window looking out, and she was not all only regarded for that, but in all the said xiiii years never man-child nor man above the age of viii years came within her gates. And not content with this, that she did to give example to all Rome, and to attain perpetual memory, where as she had left with her three sons, the eldest of whom was but three years of age: and as soon as they came to viii year, she sent them out of her house to their grauntefathers. And thus did this excellent Roman lady, to the intent that under colour of her own children there should none other young children entre into her house. Those years passed, after that the good old man Torquate was returned fro the wars of the Volseos, the said wild man with one eye went by the door of the said Torquate, and one of her maidens told her, that it was a marvelous thing to see: and the good lady had great desire to see him, and because there was none to bring him to her, that she might see him, she died for sorrow. And for certain though he came often enough by her door, yet she would never go nor look out at her window to see him. Her death was greatly bewailed in Rome, for she was in Rome most dearly beloved, and good reason: for many days afore was no such woman brought in Rome. And by the commandment of the senate, the tenor of this writing in verses were set upon her sepulchre,  
¶ Here lieth the glorious matron wife of Torquate, that would adventure her life to assure her good fame. ¶ Behold Faustine, this law was not made to remedy the death of this matron, but to the end that to such as ye be, and to all the world it should be a perpetual example of her life, and memory of her death. It was well done to ordain that law for an honest woman being with child, that it should be kept to all virtuous women. And as women would, that the law of them that be with child should be kept, so by the same law it is requisite to require that they be honest. In the vii table of the law it is said: we command, that where there is corruption of customs, there liberties shall not be kept.   

¶ How tidings was brought to the emperor, that the Mauritayns would conquer great Britain. Cap. xxii.  
IN the liiii year of Marcus the emperors age, and the tenth year of his election to th'empire, In the month of july, as he was in the city of Naples, and not in very perfit health, for he was sore pained with the gout in his foot: there came a Centurion in manner of a messenger with great haste, saying, that in great britain was suddenly arrived a great navy of war, to the number of. C. & xxx ships of the realm of Mauritain, and the quantity of twenty M. men of foot: and ii M. men of arms: and that the king of Mauritayns brother was their captain, named Aselipio, the which had taken land at a haven of the isle called Arpine, and that to resist so great a power, there were but a few people in the said isle. The good emperor hearing these tidings, though he felt it inwardly as a man, yet he feigned it outwardly as a discrete man with a sad countenance, and made few words. Than seeing, that business might not be delayed, he said these words: I will go with a few people, and do what I can. For better it were with a few to go betimes, than to tarry for many and go to late. And forthwith the good emperor purveyed, that all they of his palace should depart to go to britain, and none to tarry behind, to do him service. The custom was, that the emperors should have alway in their houses such men as were meet to be sent forth in any business that should happen for war. And after that they were shipped, there arrived one of Britain, that showed, how the Mauritayns were returned, so that none of them was left in the i'll. Than this emperor kept his house in a good point. little occasion sufficeth to them that be naturally of ill inclination, to depart and spread through countries to do harm: therefore he sent them of his house to the intent, that by occasion of the war, they should not lead an ill life. Than the emperor fearing the dissolution of his court, and boldness of his officers, to the intent they should not leave virtue and grow in vice, he determined on a day to call them to him secretly, and to say these words to them.   

¶ What th'emperor said to them of his court in eschewing idleness. Cap. xxiii.  
THe greatest sign in a virtuous man is to do virtuous works, and virtuously to spend and occupy his time: and the greatest sign of a lost man is to lose his time in naughty work. The greatest hap of all, and the greatest desire of men is to live long. For divers chances that fall in short time may be suffered and remedied by long space. Plato said: A man that passeth his life without profit, as one unworthy to live, ought to have the rest of his life take from him. The filth of secret chambers, the stench of the pomp in ships, nor the ordures of cities do not corrupt the air so moche, as idle folk do the people. And as there is in a man, that occupieth his time well, no virtue but it increaseth, so in him, that occupieth his time ill, there is no villainy but it is suspect in him. A man that is alway well occupied, ought ever to be reputed as good: and the idle man with out further enquerie, aught to be condemned as nought. Show me now, I desire you, what doth nourish the corrupt and fowl weeds, the nettles that sting, and the briars that prick, but the earth that is untilled, and waxed wild, and the fields full of thystelles, which is not wyeded, and visited with the plough? O Rome without Rome, that now as unhappy haste but only the name of Rome, because thou art so dear in virtues, and makest vices good cheap. Yea yea, and I shall tell thee, knowest thou wherefore thou art so? because thou haste unpeopled the lanes and streets of workmen and officers, and haste peopled it all about with infinite vagabonds. I know for truth, that the Samytes, Vosigoths, Astrogoths, and Peniens spread in your territories, do you not so much damage as do these idle and lost people stuffed in every shop. All writers can not deny me, that if all nations would conquer Rome, they could not take away one loop of the walls of it: and these idle people have trodden and pulled under their feet the good renome of it. An infallible rule it is: a man given to exercises is virtuous, and one given to lewtringes is a vicious person. What a divine thing was it to see the divine worlds of our predecessous, the which sith Tullius Hostilius, unto Quintus Cincinatus dictator, and sith Cincinatus unto Cyncinos, which were of the Syllans and Marians, there was never Consulle at Rome, but he could do some manner of office or occupation, wherewith they were occupied when their office in the Senate was ended. Some could paint pictures or other flat works: Other could grave images and portry in wood or earth, or other things, or could work in silver, and other metals: and other red in schools: In such wise that the holy senate might choose none, but if he were first known in some manner handy craft. I do find in the annals all that is above said: and if I lie, I do give me to the flames of Vulcan. And there was an ancient law, that a miller, a smith, a baker, or a point maker, might not be a Senator, because men of the said occupations were commonly taken with deceits and gyles'. Than regard the manner and change of time, and the corruption of customs, that. CCC. years every man travailed for the renown of Rome, & this viii C. years every man sleepeth to the slander of Rome. Other things I find in the said annals worthy of eterne memory, the people of Rome having four perilous wars together (young Scipio against the Peniens, Mucio against the Cayens, Metellus against Alexander of Macedon, and an other Metellus his brother against the Celtiberes of Spain) the law being so sore kept, that none should be taken from the mystery and office that he occupied, & the senators having extreme necessity of messengers to send to the wars, when the senators had gone three days about with the censors of Rome, they could not find one idle man to be sent forth with their letters. I weep for joy, that I have of this antyque felicity: and I mourn for compassion of the misery now being. It is a confusion to say, but I will say it: Twenty years I had office in the senate, and it is ten years sith I have ruled the empire, which is xxx in all, In the which season I swear by the God's immortal, I have caused to whip, cast in wells, to bury quick, to hang, to prick, and to banish more than xxx M. vacabundes, and ten M. idle women. Than what difference is there between that life and this death, that glory and this pain, that gold and this ordure, that antic roman work and this our present inventive idleness of Rome?  
¶ In the laws of the lacedemonians this was written in the table of the idle people: We command as kings, we pray as servants, we teach as philosophers, and admonish as fathers, that the fathers shall first teach their children to labour the fields, where by travail they may live, and not brought up in places, where by idleness they may be lost. And that law saith furthermore: If that young people obey not as young, we will that the aged people do correct and punish them as aged. And in case that the fathers be negligent to command them, or that they be disobedient: We command the prince than to be diligent to chastise them.  
¶ Certainly these words are worthy to be noted: whereby Lygurge the king deserved eternal memory for his person, and the said realm perpetual peace in the common wealth. O Rome, what dost thou? why regardest thou not these laws of the lacedemonians, which with their friendly customs, doth mock thy brutal vices? sleepest or wakest? O Rome thou wakest all the world to leave sweet travails, and sleepest in unjust idleness. Thou art sure of enemies, and thou careless art drowned in sloth and idleness. Than sith that they that been far of, do waken thee, thou oughtest to awaken them that thou keepest with the. I would speak to all them together of my palace, and long ago I willed so to do, but the multitude of strange business sometime causeth a man to forget his own.   

¶ Of the perilous living of them that haunt the court continually. Cap. xxiiii.  
THan the emperor joined these words to that he had said. Many things I have seen, and of credible persons I have hard, which me seemed to be ill, and none of them good. Specially one, which offendeth the God's, sclandreth the world, perverteth the common wealth, and endomageth the person self: which is this cursed sloth, and idleness that destroyeth them that be good, & utterly bringeth to nought them that be ill. Sometime secretly, and half as in sport openly I have admonished and rebuked some of you, but I see it proufite none of you. On one side the prick of reason constraineth me to chastise you: again considering the malice of mankind, all though that it be prompt to ill, sometime I am determined to suffer you. Many times I would with fury chastise you as children, but I do refrain it, considering that ye are young, & as yet know not the wiles of the world: for they hold so stiffly together the ill with the ill, & among them make so great a league of vices with the vices, that there be many that do by guile suffer themself to be beguiled, and that when we escape fro a little wile, and know the beguiler, we think that we are beguiled all ready with other great wiles. I have marvelous great compassion of you my servants, speaking to you as a lord: and to you my children speaking as a father, for to see you all the day and night wandering through Rome as lost persons: and that worst of all is, I perceive that ye do not perceive your own perdition. What greater beastliness can there be, than to see you wander like fools from house to house, fro tavern to tavern, from one gazing to an other, fro street to street, fro place to place, fro play to play, fro revellers to revellers? And that more is, that ye know not, what ye desire, nor what ye would, where ye go, nor whence ye come, what pleaseth you, or what displeaseth you: what is profitable or loss unto you. Nor ye remember not, that ye were borne reasonable men, and that ye live as wild folk among men, and after shall die as brute beasts. From whence ween ye that this cometh? The cause is the desire of beastly movings, not resisting the desires of the lust of youth, and above all not applienge your minds and wills to be well occupied. Take heed among you of my court, and forget not this. Have ye no thought but to seek new pastimes, and to borrow every day? No man, of what condition so ever he be, except he haunt feats of arms, or other learning in some ordinary exercise, shall have his body lusty and his spirit quick: but shallbe accloyed in all other things, and wander from street to street, as a vacabounde. The heart of man is noble, and hath power continually for all acts, and all pastimes of the body: and yet in three days it is annoyed of himself alone, so that with him can not rest one laudable exercise. Like as I am emperor of all the world, so it is reason, and must needs be, that I have folk of all nations in my palace. And such as the prince is, such shall be his household: & as his house is, so shall his court be: & as the court is, so shall the hole empire be. For this cause a king ought to be right honest: his house well ordered and ruled, his officers well learned, and his court well kept in awe. Of my good life dependeth their good lives, and consequently the ill lives. Every nation learneth in their particular scoles, The syrians in Babylon: the Persians in Dorkes: the Indiens in Olympe: the Caldees in Thebes: the Greeks in Athenes: the Hebrews in Helye: the Latins in Samie: the French men in Orliance, the Spaniards in Gades: and they all together in Rome. The universal school of all the world is the person, the house, and court of a prince. As we emperors do say, the same will our subjects say: as we do, they will do: that we forsake, they will leave: if we lose ourselves, they will lose themselves: if we win, they will win: and finally our wealth is their wealth, and our harm is their harm. Truly the prince is bound to keep his own person honestly and well beseen, his house and court so well ruled, that all they that shall see it, may have desire to follow and do thereafter: and that all they, that here thereof, may desire to see it. Take ye heed, and let us take heed: Have ye in mind, and let us have in mind, that they, which be of strange lands, going through strange lands into strange lands, by their great travails coming to have and demand succour and remedy of us, may have no cause to report any slanders of our ill customs. What thing more monstrous can be noised among men, than that they should come and complain of the thieves of their countries, to the thieves of my court? What greater shame and inconvenience can be, than to demand justice of their mensleers, of the mankyllers of my court and house? What cruelty were so cruel, as to complain of the vagabonds of their lands, to the slothful and idle folk of my house? What thing can be more shameful, than to come to accuse them that have said ill of emperors, before them that every day blaspheme the God's? What thing can be more inhuman, than to come to ask justice on him, that hath transgressed but ones, of them that never did good work? Truly in such case the poor men should return with their ignorance beguiled, and we should tarry with our cruel malice shamed of men, and culpable before god. O how many small matters do we chastise in men of small reputation, which without breaking of justice we might forbear? and how many great things do the God's suffer in the high princes and lords, the which not without justice, they may grievously punish? And by that cruel men as cruel, can pardon nothing: and the God's pitiful scantly will chastise any thing. Yet for all this, I would that none should deceive himself, for though the God's forbear their injuries, yet they leave them not unpunished, by strange justice. The God's been in their chastisements as he that giveth a blow to an other, the higher that he lifteth his band, the greater is the stroke on the cheek. By semblable wise, the more years that they forbear our sins, the more afterward do they hurt us with pains. truly I have seen the God's divers times to divers persons forbear divers sins a great while, but at the last I have seen them all unwaares chastised with one chastisement.   

¶ How the emperor would have them of his court to live. Capit. xxv.  
scythe that the God's have ordained, and my fatal destinies have permitted, that I should be chosen emperor (not to slothful) I have laboured all that I might, to visit the Empire: ye lyttelle young folks that are here, were given to me of your fathers, for to nourish you in my palace. And for you that are bigger, I was desired to receive you, in hope to have gifts and rewards, and other I did choose to do my service. The intention of the fathers, when they bring their children to the court of princes, is to put them from dalliance of their friends, and banish them from the wantonness of their mothers. And me seemeth it is well done, for the children from their youth ought to give themself to travail, whereby they ought to live, and resist the disfavour and falls of fortune. Ye are not come from your countries to learn the vices of Rome, but to learn many good manners that are in Rome, and leave the ill manners of your lands. All that do not this, and forsake travail: give themself to very idleness. The miserable Rome hath moor need of labourers for to labour, than of lords and habytauntes, Patriciens, that will but pass the time in rest and pleasures. I swear to you, that not for wearing the arms with the craft of giving, and the fingers with spinning, the brothel houses now adays are fuller of idle women, than the churches of good priests. And I swear again, that easilier may be found ten M. ill women in Rome to serve in pleasure of vices, than ten M. good men to serve in the churches. I pray you, who sleeth the merchants in high ways? Who despoileth wayfaring men and pilgrims on the mountains? Who piketh the locks and breaketh honest men's doors and windows? Who rob by strength the churches? but these lewtring thieves, which will not labour by day, but dispose them to rob by night. O Rome, what harms come to the for one only evil? Who hath filled Italy so full of lost people, the palace so full of unable persons, the mountains so full of thieves, the taverns so full of ill women, and every place so full of vacabundes? but one, the canker of idleness and sloth, which destroyeth the god customs more than the winds and waters thine old worn walls. Believe me one thing, for I wot that I say troth therein, that the craft of weaving, wherein all the naughty vilanyes are woven and wrought, and the seed of all unhappy vices, the sliding of all goodness, the falling of all them that be evil, and the awaking and provoking of all these, is but this fowl vice of sloth and idleness. And more over I say, that there is no vice among all vices, that breedeth so great a fire, and causeth so contynualle a sickness of sleep among aaged folk, and that putteth good folk in so great peril, and doth so moche damage to them that be evil, as doth idleness. Who is it, that causeth sedition among the people, and slander in Realms, but they that rest and do nothing: because they would eat the food gotten by sweat of them that labour? Who is it, that findeth new inventions of tributes and foreign exactions, but idle men, the which because they will not work with their hands, find profit with infinite exactions? who maketh dissension between neighbours but idle folk? they divide their ill among their neighbours, because they occupy not their forces in good works, nor refrain their tongues to clatter of other men's lives? who imagineth in these days so many malices in Rome, the which was never hard of our fathers, nor red in our books: but vacabundes, that neither apply nor set their wits about nothing else: but think how to endamage other? The emperor that could vanish all these idle persons out of his empire, might well avant himself to have oppressed all the vices of the world. I would it pleased the immortal God's, that of so many triumphis, that I have had of strangers, occupied in good exercises, that I had seen one of the vacaboundes of Rome driven out of all houses. There was an ancient law, none might be taken and received for a citizen in Rome, but he were first examined by the Censure. In the time of Cato Censorius, when any would be a citiesin of Rome, this examination was made of him: He was not demanded, of whence he was, nor what he was, nor whence he came, nor wherefore he came, nor of what kin or ancient stock he came: but only they took his hands between theirs, and if they felt them soft and smooth, forthwith as an idle vacabunde man they dispatched and sent him away: and if they found his hands hard and full of hard knots, by and by they admitted him a citizen and dweller in Rome. Also when any officers took any ill doers, & put them in prison, that was called Marmotine, in stead of information, the first thing that they took heed of, was their hands, which if they had been as a labourer's hands, and a work man, though his crime were grievous, yet his chastisement was mitigate, and more easy: and if the unhappy prisoner chanced to have idle hands, for a little fault he should have sharp punishment. It hath been an old saying: He that hath good hands, must needs have good customs. I say, I chastised never a labouring man, but I was sorry for it: nor I never caused to whip a vacabunde, but I was glad of it. I will tell you more of this Catho Censorius, which was greatly feared. For even as children in the schools, hearing their master coming in, run to their books, So when Catho went through the stretez of Rome, every body went to their work. O right happy baron, before whom the people feared more to be idle, than to do ill before any other. Than behold ye at this hour, what force virtue hath, and how valiant a virtuous man is, seeing that all the world feared Rome only, for her worthiness in arms: and all Rome feared Catho, only for his virtues. The adventures of men are so divers, and the suspect fortune giveth so many overthwart turns, that after that a great space she hath given great pleasures, incontinent we are cited to her subtle travails of repentance. O happy Cato Censorine, who with such as have followed his ways, are now sure fro the abatementes of fortune. Than he that will have glory in this life, and attain glory after death, and be beloved of many, and feared of all: let him be virtuous in doing of good works, and deceive no man with vain words. I swear unto you by the law of a man of worship, that if the gods would accomplish my desire, I had rather to be Cato with the virtuous policies that he used in Rome, than to be Scipio, with the abundance of blood, that he shed in Africa. All we know well, that Scipio had a great fame in beating down of cities, and cutting innocentes throats, and Catho hath attained eternal, memory in reforming the people, pardoning trespassers, and teaching ignorant folk. Than ye may all see, if I have not good reason, more to desire to be Cato, to the profit of many, than to be Scipio, to the prejudice of so many. Lo my friends, these words I have said, because ye may see, that our predecessors, some in their own lands, other in strange lands, some being young, and some old, in their times had glory in their persons, for themself: and for the world to come have left no less memory for their successors and offspring. And we do all the contrary, I being emperor am loath for to command any ill, and our officers for their interest do worse. And where as we are set in divers pleasures by our vice, we fall hourly into divers miseries, and are noted to our great infamy. By the which occasion the just gods for our unjust works, giving just sentence, command, that we live with suspection, die with shame, and to be buried with forgettefulnes, never to be had in memory. Than you of my court take good heed, and print well my words in your minds: for who so sever I see or find idle from henceforth, I discharge him out of my service. ye that be learned may write and read, ye that be men of arms and knights, exercise you in feats of war, ye that be officers, occupy you in your offices. And take this for certain, that if ye take not this for a warning and monition, that I have given you between you and me, the punishments that I shall give unto you, shall be openly. And to the intent that ye have it better in your memory, and to be a doctrine to princes hereafter to come, this present practice and remonstrance I have written in all tongues, and set it in the high Capitol with many other of my writings. The God's be keepers of you, and also they defend and keep me from ill fortunes and mysaduentures.   

¶ Of a marvelous and fearful monster, that was seen in Scicile, and of his writings. cap. xxvi  
IN the year of the foundation of Rome seven. C.xx. and xli of the age of Marcus the emperor, and ii years before he took possession of the empire, the twenty day of the month Sextilis, which now is called August, about the time of the son setting, in the realm of Sycil, than called Trinacrie, in a city called Bellyne, on the see now named Palerme, a port of these, there chanced a thing right perilous to them that saw it, and no less fearful to them that shall here it now. As they of Bellyne or Palerme were then celebrating a feast with great joy: for the gladness that their Pirates had overcome the army of the numidians, and had taken ten of their ships, and cast xxxii. persons into the see, because at that time they were enemies each to other, and for the ill works they did, were showed the great passions, that passed among them. And as it is the custom, the thing that these Pirates get on the see, they depart it among them all, when they come home. And when they come to land, they spend that merrily, that they got with great travail. It is a thing well to be noted, how all good and ill hearts are applied: The good men have great desire to their triumphs, and covetous men to their lucre & winning. Thus men ought to be beloved, though shortly after they ought to be abhorred. And also they ought to be abhorred▪ as though shortly after they ought to be beloved. Thus than the governors of the said city, commanded all the said ships to be sequestered into their own hands, to the intent, that they should not be sold, nor the covetous people to have the advantage in the buying of them. The cause was, for the custom of the men of the isles was, that all things should be kept together, unto the end of the war, or at least till they had peace. This was a just law: For many times is made steadfast appointments between great enemies, and not all only for the ancient hatred, but also for lack of richesse to satisfy the present damages. then as all the people were withdrawn into their houses about suppertyme, for it was summer, suddenly there came a monster into the mids of the city, after this shape: He seemed to be of two cubits of height, and he had but one eye, his heed was all pilled, so that his skull might be seen: He had none ears, but that a little of his neck was open, whereby it seemed that he hard: He had two crooked horns as a goat: His right arm was longer than the left, his hands were like horse feet, he had no throat, his neck was equal with his heed: his shoulders shone as pitch, his breast and stomach was all rough of hear, his face was like a man, safe it had but one eye in the mids of his forehead, and had but one nosethryll, from the waste downward he was not seen, for it was covered, he sat on a chariot with four wheels, whereat were two lions fastened together before, and two bears behind: and it could not be determined, whereof the chariot was made, but there was no difference in fashion thereof, and other that were used commonly: In the mids of the said chariot was a cauldron like a table with two ears, wherein the said monster was: and therefore it was seen but fro the gyrdelstede upward. He went about in the city fro gate to gate a long space casting out spercles of fire. The fear was so great, that divers women with child were delivered with great peril, and other that were weak hearted fell in a swoon. And all the people great and small, less and more, ran to the temples of jupiter, Mars, and Phoebus, making importunate cries and clamours. And the same season all the said Pirates were lodged in the governors palace named Solyn. He was of the nation of Capue, and there was all the richesse kept. And when this monster had been over all the city with his chariot, than the lions and bears brought him to the palace, where the Pirates were, and being very nigh to the gates that were fast closed, the monster cut an ear of one of the lions, and with the blood thereof he wrote these letters. R. A. S. P. I. P. These letters were a proof to all them of high spirit, to give declaration of them: and there were more declarations than there were letters. But finally a woman divineresse, or contrary, a soothsayer, that was had in great reputation for her crafts, made the very declaration of the said letters, saying thus. R. reddite. A, aliena. S, si vultis. P, propria. I, in pace. P. possidere. Which all together is to say, Render that pertaineth to other, if that ye will in peace possess your own. Surely the Pirates were sore afraid of that dreadful commandment: and the woman was greatly praised for her high declaration. Than forthwith the same night the monster went into a high mountain called as than janitia, and there by the space of three days was in the sight of all the city: and in that season the lions made great roaring and howling, and the bears and monster keste out great fearful flames. And all that season there neither appeared bird in the air, nor beast in the fields, and all the men offered great sacrifices to the God's, in such wise that they broke the veins of their hands and feet, and offered their blood, to see if they might appease their God's. After the three days passed, suddenly appeared a cloud black and dark upon the earth, and it began to thunder and lighten, with a great erthequake, so that many houses fell in the city, and many of the dwellers and citizens died. And than suddenly there came a flame of fire from the monster, and brent all the palace, where the said Pirates were, and the richesses that were in it, so that all was consumed in it, yea the very stones: and the damage was so great, that there fell more than ii M. houses. And there died as good as ten M. persons. And in the same place on the top of the mountain, where as the monster was, th'emperor commanded to edify a temple to the god jupiter in memory of the same. Of the which temple th'emperor Alexander, having war with them of the realm, made a strong castle.   

¶ What befell to a citizen of Rome in the time of this emperor Marcus. Cap. xxvii.  
THe same time that this adventure chanced in that isle, there was dwelling in the same city a Roman named Antigone, a lord of noble blood, and somewhat entered in age: and about two year before, he, his wife, and a daughter of his were banished Rome, and not his sons. The occasion was, There was an ancient laudable custom, sith Quintus Cincinatus dictator, that two of the ancient senators together should go with the censure newly created, and the old, in the month of December for to visit all Rome: and they to call every Roman apart alone, showing him the xii tables of their laws and particular decrees of the senate, demanding of them if they knew any neighbour in their quarter, that had broken these laws. And if they did, it should be informed to the senate. And there all together to ordain punishment, according to the diversity of the faults that they had committed: But the faults committed that present year, they might not chastise, but to advertise them to amend afterward. And all such as were once warned, and in the next visitation found still unamended, to be grievously punished, and sometime banished. These were the words of the law in the .v. table and third chapter: It is ordained by the holy senate, by consent of blissful men, receiving the ancient colonies, that if men being men in one year do trespass, the men as men for the said year shall dissimule and forbear: but if they that be ill as ill do not amend, they that be good, as good, shall chastise them. Also the said law saith, the first faults are suffered, because they are committed with weak ignorance: but if they continued them, that they be chastised, because their ill cometh of sloth and malice. This inquisition was ever made in the month of Decembre, because that soon after in the month of janiver the offices of Rome were divided. And it was reason, that they should know to whom they should give or deny their dignities: to th'intent that good should not be chosen in stead of ill, nor the ill in stead of good. The particular cause why they banished the man & his wife with their daughter was this: The second emperor of Rome August ordained, that none should be so hardy to piss at any doors of the temples: and Caligula the four emperor commanded, that no woman should give any cedules to hang about the people's necks, to heal the fever quartain. And Cato Censorine made a law, that no young man nor young maiden should speak together at the conduits or wells, where they fetched water, nor at the river, where they washed their clothes, nor at the ovens where they baked bread, because all the young people of Rome that were wild and wanton, ran ever thither. So it befell, that as the censures and consuls visited the quarter called mount Celio, there was a dweller named Antigonus accused, that he was seen pissing against the temple wall of Mars: and his wife was accused, that she had sold cedules for fever quartaynes: and likewise his daughter was accused, that she was seen at the conduits, rivers, & ovens, speaking and laughing with young men of Rome. The which was a great shame to the maidens of Rome. Than the censures seeing the ill order, that they had found in the house of the said Anthygone by the registers, by due examination, being warned afore, they were banished into the isles of Cycill, for as long as it should please the senate. And like as in edifices, sumptuous and of great estimatoin, one stone is not decayed or writhed out without shaking or moving of another: even likewise is it in the chances of men. For commonly one unhappiness chanceth not, but another followeth. And I say this because Anthigone lost not alonely his honour and wealth, but also he was banished, and beside that by the trembling of the earth his house fell down, and slew a well-beloved daughter of his. And all the while that this was done at Rome, & that that befell of the monster in Cicile, Mark the emperor was in the wars against the Aragon's, and there he received a letter from Antigone, wherein was rehearsed his banishing▪ whereof the Emperor had great compassion, and to comfort him, sent him an other letter.   

¶ Of a great pestilence that was in Italy in this emperors tyme. Cap. xxviii.  
Five year after the death of Anthony the meek, father in law to Marcus Aurelius, and father to Faustine, there fell a pestilence in italy. and it was one of the .v. great pestilences among the Roman people. This mortality dured the space of two years, and it was universal through out all Italy, to the great damage and fear of all the Romans: for they thought that the God's would have destroyed them, for some displeasure that they had done against them. There died so many, as well of great estate, as rich and poor, great and small, young and old, that the writers had less travail to write the small number of them that were left alive, than to write the multitude of them that were deed. Like as when a great building will fall, first there falleth some stone: In like wise the romans never had no great pestilence in their time, but first they were threatened with some token, sign, or prodigy fro heaven. Two year before that Hanyball entered into Italy, in an evening, when the wether was clear and fair, suddenly it rained blood and milk in Rome. And it was declared by a woman, that the blood betokened cruel war, and the milk a mortal pestilence. When Scylla returned from champagne, to put Marius his enemy out of Rome, his men of war and knights saw in a night a fountain that ran blood, and who so ever was bathed therein, seemed to be poisoned with venom. Of the which prodigy followed, that of ii C. and l M. dwellers in Rome, what with them that died with the sword, and other consumed by pestilence, were consumed with Scylla, and of them that fled with Marius, of the said great multitude of romans, there abode alive no more but xl M. persons. Certainly Rome never received so great damage in vi C. years before, as they did by their own proper people. All the tyrants were never so cruel against strange lands, as the romans were than against their own proper lands. And this seemeth to be true, because the same day that Scylla passed through Rome with his bloody sword, a capitain of his said to him: Sir Scylla, if we slay them that bear armour in the fields, & them that bear no armour in their houses, with whom shall we live? I conjure the by the high God's, sith we be borne of women, let us not slay the women: and sith we be men, let us not slay the men. Thou thinkest that in slaying all the Romans, to make a common wealth of beasts of the mountains. Thou interest with a cry to defend the common wealth, and to put out the tyrants that destroy the common wealth, and we do remain tyrants ourselves. To mine understanding that capitain merited as great glory for the good words that he spoke, as Scylla did merit chastisement for the cruelty that he did. This we have said, because that ere such damages did fall, there appeared before certain prodigies and tokens. No less token was showed before the mortality that fell in the time of this good emperor, the which was a fearful thing. The case was so: On a day as th'emperor was at the temple of the Virgins Vestales, suddenly there entered in two hogs, and ran about his feet, and there fell down deed. And on an other day as he came from the high Capitol, for to have gone out at the gate Salaire, he saw two kites joining together with their talons: and so fell down deed at the emperors feet. And within a short while or season after, as the said emperor came fro huntynge, his hounds running at a wild beast, as he gave two greyhounds that he loved well, water to drink with his own hands, suddenly they fell down deed at his feet. Than he remembering the swine, the kites, and the greyhounds deed so suddenly, he was greatly dismayed, and assembled all his priests magitiens, and divines, demanding what they said to the prodigies. And they by those things passed, judged the deed present, and determined, that within two years the God's would send great & grievous punishments to Rome. Than within short while after there began a war against the Parthes, whereby there fell the year after great famine and pestilence among the romans. This pestilence came with sores under the arm pits, so that all the senate fled away, and the emperor alone abode still in the capitol. Than the air began to be so corrupt, that though he scaped the pestilence, yet he was vexed with hot fevers. Wherefore he was fain to leave Rome, and went into champagne: and finally in the city of Naples he made his abode during the time that the pestilence was in Rome.   

¶ How Mar answered his physicians that would have him leave his study. Cap. xxix.  
THe emperor being in the said city of Naples, where as other sought pastime to conserve their lives, this emperor occupied himself in his books to augment science. A man could do him no better service, than to seek to get him a new book: not such as was written in his time, but such as were forgotten for age. This emperor was not only a lover of old and antic books, but also of ancient stories, and set very great store by them. And he thus being in the city sick and very ill at ease, there was brought to him out of a city of Asia called Helia, by certain Hebrews, a book written in Hebrew: & he took such pleasure in that book, that oft times he would leave his meat and go to study: and for all that he was in his hot fever, he would not leave to reed, for all that his physicians warned him, and his friends prayed him: and they that were about him, counseled him, and demanded him, why he left to procure the health of his person in so much reading. He answered: By the God's that we honour I conjure you, and for the friendship that is between us, I pray you let me alone. Ye know well, that such as are of a delicate blood, have not so much solicitude as the rustical people, that have hard sinews and be of a more harder complexion. Like manner they of clear understanding have need of other medicines, and to be heeled with other syrups than they of gross understanding. This is the difference that I have of either of them: The idiot keepeth diet from books, and resteth on his meat, and the wise man abhorreth meat, and draweth him to his books. If they knew, that know not, what thing knowledge is, I swear to you, they should see what availeth more the little knowledge that a wise man hath, than the great riches of the rich man. For the miserable rich person, the more that he increaseth in richesse, the more he diminisheth in friends, and groweth in enemies to his damage. And he that is witty, the wiser that he is, the better he is beloved of them that be good, and feared of them that be ill for his profit. One of the things, wherein I hold myself most bound to the God's is this, that they have caused me to compass the time as I have done, the which is no little gift for a man to live in this world. I say it is, because I have had great compassion of the poor, that be very poor, of widows, of them that be sorrowful and unhappy, and of Orphelins. But without comparison, I have had greatest compassion of them, that lack knowledge. For the God's, making men ignorant by naturality, might have made them God's by cunning and knowledge: and as the slothful men are tamed and made less than men, by their negligence, so certainly blessed he is, that is not content to be a man, but if he procure to be more than a man, by his virtue. And cursed is that man, that knoweth not to be a man, but maketh himself less than a man by his vice. By the judgement of all philosophers, there is but one, that is the first cause, which is one god immortal, and if there be divers God's in the heavens, it is because there are divers virtues in the earth. And in the world, that is paste, when the simple men were servants and bond men, and the good men rulers and governors, they were then so esteemed, because they were known and renowned for their good works in their life. So that they were holden and reputed as God's after their death. This is the right reward, that cometh of virtue. It is a thing consonant to reason, that they that be good among so many ill in this life, should be greatly honoured among the God's after their death. Ye are not well content with me, because I am alway reading▪ but I am worse content with you, because I never see book in your hands: ye think it great travail, to a sick man, to read, and I repute it a very perilous thing, for a hole man, to rest and be idle. Ye say, my reading is cause of my fever quartain in my flesh: and I say, that idleness engendereth great pestilence. Sith I may profit by my books, let no man have compassion of my travail. For I desire rather to die as a wise person, among wise men, than to live ignorantly among men. I demand one thing of you: A man, presuming to be a man, and is not learned, what difference is between him and other beasts? Certainly, the beasts are more profitable to labour the earth, than simple persons be, to serve the common wealth. A poor ox giveth his skin to make shone, his flesh to be eaten, and his strength to labour: and a poor simple sheep doth profit, his fleece and will to make cloth, & his milk to make cheese: But what profiteth a foolish idiot man? Nothing, but offendeth the God's, slandereth innocentes, eateth the bread of other, and is chief heed of vagabonds. Of troth, if it lay in my hands to do, I had rather give life to a simple ox, than to a malicious idiot. For the beast liveth, for the utility of divers, without doing damage to any other: and the simple idiot man liveth, to the damage of all other, and without profit to any person. Therefore think well, why I am not pleased with them that be ignorant, and love them that be learned. Hark sirs, what I shall show you: That man seemeth good, that is meek and gentle of condition, soft in words, and restefull in his person, and gracious in conversation: And contrary wise, that person sore displeaseth me, that is sharp of words, sore moved in his work, riotous in his condition, and double of his promise, and hard hearted. Also I say, that if any thing want in a wise man by nature, he supplieth it by science: and he that is ignorant and foolish, if he want discretion, he supplieth it with his malice. And trust surely, that a worthy virtuous man thereby becometh wise, and he is to be trusted: and he that is of an other manner, beware of him, for he goeth about to sell his malice. He that will beguile an other, the first thing that he doth is, he showeth himself to be simple and ignorant. For a man being in credence, may soon spread abroad his malice. The moths and soft worms, freete fret the cloth, and the canker worm pierceth the bone, and flattering men beguile all the world.   

¶ How science ought to be in princes. Cap. thirty.  
THe said emperor, following his purpose, said: Friends behold, how great damage ignorance doth to all men. And though it be damageable to every man, yet it is most hurtful to a prince, which ought, not only to be content, to know as much as any other wise person knoweth, but to know that every man knoweth, sith he is lord over all other. To my judgement, these princes are not chosen, that they should eat more meat, than all other, nor to be appareled rychelyer than all other, nor to run faster than all other: but with presupposition that they ought to know more than all other. When a prince will refrain his sensuality, than he ought to regard, that his person be right honest, and remember this word, that is, The greater that a prince is of power, above other, the more ought he to be virtuous above all other. For certainly the greatest infamy is, to see a man most mighty & most rich above all other, and than to be known an idiot, & less of knowledge than other. All defaults in a governor may be borne save ignorance: for ignorance in a prince, is a stroke of pestilence: and it sleeth divers, and infecteth all persons, and unpeopleth the realm, chaseth away friends, & giveth heart to enemies of strange nations, that were in dread, & finally domageth his person, and sclaundreth every one. ¶ When Camyll triumphed over the french men, the day of his triumph he wrote these words in the capitol: O Rome, thou hast been mother of all wise men, and stepdame to all fools. ¶ These were worthy words of such a lord. and but if my remembrance beguile me, certainly Rome was more renowned for wise persons, that came thither, than for the featis of war, that were sent from thence. Our ancient romans were more feared, for their wisdom and knowledge, than for their conquests. All the earth feared them more, that turned leaves of books in Rome, than them, that were armed with armour. For that cause Rome was never vanquished: and though their armies were divided and broken, yet they never lacked wise men. I can not say it without tears, Rome is fallen from the most height of her estate, not for fault of money and arms, for to fight withal, but for lack of wise men, and virtuous, for to govern. Our forefathers wan like men, and we lose like simple children. All things that are desired of men, they attain by travail, sustain with thought, and depart fro, with great annoyance. And the reason is this: There is nothing so good, nor so well beloved, but the course of time, causeth us to leave it, and to dispraise and abhor it, or to be weary thereof. This is the vain vanity of the world, and lost time lost: for with their young desires, they do refrain their desires. They would oftentimes attain a thing, and after they study, how to go therefro again. And yet to show further their lightness, that that cost moche, they give for a little price. That that they love at one time, they hate at an other: and that that they with great study and labour have attained, with great fury they forego. And me thinketh this is the ordinance of the God's, that he that loveth, shall have an end, and it that is beloved, shall take an end: and the time that we are in, shall end. Than it is reason, that the love, wherewith we do love, shall end in likewise. Thus our appetite is so dishonest, that in seeing we desire it, and in desiring we procure it, and in procuring, we attain it, and in the attaining we abhor it, and in the abhorring, we leave it: and than forthwith again, we procure an other thing, and that new procuring, we abhor again: In such wise, that when we begin to love a thing, than we fall again to hate it, and in the falling to hate it, we begin again to love an other thing. So thus finally, our life doth end, ere our covetise doth leave us. It is not thus of wisdom and knowledge, the which, if it once enter into a man's heart, it causeth him to forget the travail, that he took in the attaining thereof. For he taketh the time past as good, and enjoyeth with rightful joy, the time present, and hateth idleness. Nor he is not content with that he knoweth, but enforceth his appetite, to know more, loving that other leaveth: and leaving, that other loveth. Finally, he that is perfittely wise, sporteth in this world with travail, and in traveling in books, is his rest. We have not to say of all things, but of that we feel of them. For it is an other manner to speak by similitude of a stranger, and of our own experience. And in this case I say, that though we hope of no reward of the God's, nor honour among men, nor memory of the world to come: yet am I right glad, to be all only a philosopher, to see how gloriously the philosophers have passed their tyme. I demand one thing, when mine understanding is dulled, in that I have to do, and when my memory is troubled, in that I have to determine, and when my body is compassed with dolours, and when my heart is charged with thoughts, and when I am without knowledge, and when I am set about with perils, where can I be better accompanied, than with wise men, or else reading among books? In books I find wisdom, whereby I may learn: also there I find worthiness, which I may follow: I find there prudence, to counsel me, I find such as be sorrowful, with whom I may weep. I find them there that be merry, with whom I may laugh: I find there, simple folk, at whom I may sport: I find that is nought, which I may leave: And finally, in books, I find, how in prosperity, I ought to behave me: and how in adversity, I ought to guide me. O, how happy is that man, that hath well red: And yet more happy is he, that though he knoweth moche, yet stayeth upon counsel. And if this be true generally, than moche more is it necessary, that he keep the true way, which governeth all other. It is a rule infallible, that a prince being wise, can never be simply good, but very good: and the prince that is ignorant, can not be simply ill, but very ill. A prince, that is not well fortunate, his wisdom may greatly excuse him to his people, of his misfortune given to him by fortune. When a prince is greatly beloved of his commonty, and is virtuous of his person, than every man saith, if he have not good fortune: All though our prince want good fortune, yet his worthy virtues fail not: and though he be not happy in his intents, yet at the least he showeth his wisdom in the mean season. And though fortune deny him at one hour, yet at an other tyme. she agreeth, by his wisdom. And contrary wise, an unwise prince, and hated of his people, by evil fortune, runneth into great peril. For if ill succeed to him in weighty matters, than incontinent it shallbe said, it is by reason of the ignorance of himself, or by ill counsel of such as be about him: & if goodness succeed to him, it shall not be attributed by reason of his good governance, but that fortune hath suffered it, and not by the circumspect wisdom, that he hath had in the mean season, but that it was of the pity, that the God's had of him. Than sith it is thus, a virtuous and a worthy prince, in his idle times, ought secretly to read is books, and openly to common and counsel with wise men. And in case, ill fortune will not permit him, to take their counsels, yet at the least, he shall recover credence among his subjects. I will say no more to you, but I estem the knowledge of a wise person so much, that if I knew, that there were shops of sciences, as there is of other merchandise, I would give all that I have, only to learn, that a wise man learneth in one day. Finally I say, that I will not give, that little that I have learned in one hour, for all the gold in the world: And more glory have I, of the books that I have red, and of such works, as I have written, than of all the victories, that I have had, or of the realms that I have won.   

¶ What a villain said to the senators of Rome, in the presence of the emperor. Cap. xxxi.  
THis emperor, being sick, as it is aforesaid, on a day, as there were with him divers physicians and orators, there was a purpose moved among them, how greatly Rome was changed, not all only in edifices, but also in customs, and was full of flatterers, and unpepled of men, that durst say the truth. Than the emperor said: The first year, that I was consul, there came a poor villain from the river of Danubie, to ask justice of the senate, against a censure, who did divers extortions to the people: and he had a small face, and great lips, and hollow eyes, his hear curled, bore heeded, his shoes of a porkepes skin, his cote of gotis hear, his gyldell of bull rushes, and a wild eglantine in his hand. It was a strange thing to see him so monstrous: and marvel, to here his purpose. Certainly, when I saw him come into the senate, I wend it had been some beast, in the figure of a man. And after I had hard him, I judged him one of the gods, if there be gods among men. And as the custom in the senate was, that the complaints of the poor persons were hard, before the requestis of the rich: this villain had licence to speak, and so began his purpose, wherein he showed himself as bold in words, as extreme and base in his array, and said: O ye ancient fathers, and happy people, I Miles, dwelling in a city on the river of Danubie, do salute you Senators, that are here assembled in the sacred senate. The deeds do permit, and the God's suffer, that the captains of Rome, with their great pride have redused under subjection, the unhappy people of Germany. Great is the glory of you romans, for your battles that ye have won throughout all the world. But if writers say true, more greater shallbe your infamy, in time to come, for the cruelties that ye have done to the innocentes. My predecessors had people nigh to the flood of Danubie, and because they did ill, the earth warred dry, and they drew to the frseshe water: than the water was noyful to them, and they returned to the main land. What shall I say than? your covetise is so great, to have steangers goods, and your pride so renowned, to command all strange lands, that the see may not profit us, in the deepness thereof, nor the earth, to assure us in the caves thereof. Therefore I hope in the just gods, that as ye, without reason, have cast us out of our houses and possessions: so other shall come, that by reason, shall cast you out of Italy and Rome. And infallible rule it is, that he, that taketh wrongfully an other man's good, shall lose the right of his own. Regard ye Romans, though I be a villain, yet I know, who is just & rightwise, in holding his own: and who a tyrant, in possessing others. There is a rule, that what so ever they, that be ill, have gathered in many days, the goddess taketh fro them in one day: and contrary wise, all that ever the good have lost in many days, the God's restoreth to them again in one day. Believe me in one thing, and have no doubt therein, that of the unlawful winning of the fathers, there followeth the just loss to their children. And if the gods took from them, that be ill, every thing, that they have won, as soon as it is won, it were but reason: but in letting them alone, thereby they assemble by little and little divers things, and than, when they think lest thereon, is taken from them all at ones. This is a just judgement of the God's, that sith they have done ill to diverse, that some should do ill to them. Certainly it is not possible to any virtuous man, if he be virtuous, that he take any taste in an other man's good. And I am sore abashed, how a man, keeping an other man's good, can live one hour. Sith he seeth, that he hath done injure to the God's, sclandred his neighbours, pleased his enemies, lost his friends, grieved them that he hath rob, and above all, hath put his own person in peril. This is a shameful thing among men, and culpable before the God's, the man that hath the desire of his heart, and the brydelle of his work at such liberty, that the little, that he taketh and robbeth fro the poor, seemeth moche to him: but a great deal of his own, seemeth to him but little. O what an unhappy man is he, whether he be Greek, or latin, that without consideration, will change his good fame into shame, justice into wrong, right into tyranny, or troth into losing, the certain into uncertain, having annoyance of his own goods, and die for other men's? He that hath his principal intention, to gather goods for his children, and seek not for a good name, among them that be good: it is a just cause, that he lose all his goods, and so without good name to to be shameful among them that be ill. Let all covetous and avaricious people know, that never among noble men was gotten good renown, with spreading abroad of ill gotten goods. It can not endure many days, nor yet be hidden under covert many years: a man to be holden rich among them that be rich, and an honourable man among them that be honourable: for he shall be infamed, of that he hath gathered his riches, with great covetise, or keepeth it with extreme avarice. O if these covetous people, were as covetous of their own honour, as they be of other men's goods: I swear to you, that the little worm or moth, that eateth the gowns or clothes of such covetous people, should not eat the rest of their life, nor the canker of infamy, destroy their good name and faame at their deaths. Hark ye Romans, hark what I will say, I would to the God's, that ye could taste it. I see, that all the world hateth pride, and yet is there none, that followeth meekness and humility. Every man condemneth adultery, and yet I see none, that liveth chaste: Every man curseth excess, and I see none live temperately: every man praiseth patience, and I see none that will suffer: every man blameth sloth, and I see none, but they be idle: every one blameth avarice, and yet every body robbeth. One thing I say, and not without weeping: I say every man, with his tongue only, praiseth virtue, and yet they themselves, with all their limbs are servants unto vices. I say not this only for the Romans, which been in Illirie: but I say it, by the senators that I see in the senate. All ye Romans, in your devices about your arms bear these words: Romanorum est debellare superbos, et parcere subiectis, That is, it pertaineth to Romans, to subdue them that be proud, and to forgive subjects. But certainly ye may better say: it pertaineth to Romans, to expel innocentis, and to trouble & vex wrongfully peaceable people. For ye romans are but destroyers of peaceable people, and thieves to rob from other, that they sweat for.   

¶ Of divers other things that the villain said before the senate. cap. xxxii.  
O Ye romans, said this vylayn, what action have ye, that are brought up nigh to the river of Thyber, against us, that are nigh to the river of Danubie? Have ye seen us friends to your enemies? or have we declared us your enemies? or have ye hard say, that we have left our own land, and inhabited any strange lands? or have ye hard, that we have rebelled against our lords, or have troubled any strange realms? or have ye sent us any ambassadors, to desire us to be your friends? or hath any host of ours come to Rome to destroy you, as our enemies? or hath any king died in our realm, that in his testament made you heirs to our realm? or what antyke law have ye found, whereby we ought for to be your subjects? Of truth in Almaigne hereby, they have felt your tyranny, as well as we have herd of your renown. And more over I say, that the names of the Romans, & the cruelty of tyrants, arrived together in one day upon our people. I wot not what ye will say, that the God's care not for the hardiness of men: for I see, he that hath moche, doth tyranny, to him that hath but little. And he that hath but little, though it be to his infamy, will serve him that hath moche. So that disordered men appoint them with secret malice, & secret malice giveth place to open theft: and the open robbery no man resisteth. And therefore it cometh, that the covetise of an ill man necessarily is had to be complete, to the prejudice of many good men. One thing I will say, that either the God's ought to think, how these men shall have an end, or else that the world must end: or else the world, to be no world: Or fortune must hold sure with you, if all that ye have won in viii C. years, ye lose not in viii days. And where as ye are become lords over many, ye shall become slaves to all the world. Certainly the God's shall be unjust, without that thing come, that must fall to the world hereafter. For that man that maketh himself a tyrant perforce, it is right, that he return to be a slave by justice. And it is reason, that sith ye have taken our miserable land, that ye keep us in justice. I have great marvel of you Romans, that ye send so smple people to be our judges. For I swear to the God's, they can not declare your laws, nor understand ours. I wot not whether ye sent them thither or no, but I shall show you, what they do there. They take openly, what so ever is delivered to them: and they do their profit with that they desire in secret. They chastise the poor person grievously, and they forbear for money, them that be rich: they consent to many wrongs, to bring them after to the laws: & without goods it booteth not to demand justice: and finally, under the colour that they be judges, under the senate of Rome, they say they may rob all the land. What is this ye romans? shall your pride never have an end in commanding, nor your covetise in robbing? say what ye will. If ye do it for our children, charge them with irons, and make them slaves: If ye do it for our goods, go thither and take them: If our service doth not content you, strike of our heeds. Why is not the knife so cruel in our throats, as your tyrannies be in our hearts? Do ye know, what ye have done ye Romans? ye have caused us to swear, never to return to our wives: but to flee our children, rather than to leave them in the hands of so cruel tyrants. We had leaver suffer the beastly motions of the flesh for twenty or xxx years, than to die without wound, leaving our children slaves. ye ought not to do this ye Romans. Alond taken per force, ought the better to be ruled, to th'intent that the miserable captives, seeing justice duly ministered to them, should thereby forget the tyranny passed, and to set their hearts to perpetual servitude. And sith we are come to complain of the griefs that your Censures do upon the flood of Danubie, peradventure you of the senate will here us. Wot ye what they do? Hark, and I shall show you. If there come a right poor man, to demand justice, having no money to give, nor wine to present, nor oil to promise: they feed him with words, saying, how he shall have justice, but they make him to waste the little that he hath, and give him nothing, though he demand much. And so the miserable person, that came to complain, returneth complaining on you all, cursing his cruel destinies, and maketh exclamation upon the rightwise God's. I live with acorns in winter, and cut down the green corn in summer, and sometime I go a fishing for pastime, so that the most part of my living, is feeding in the fields, and ye wot not why: here me, and I shall show you. I see such tyrannies in your censures, and such robberies among the poor people, and I see such wars in that realm, and hope of so small remedy in your senate, that I am determined, as most unhappy, to banish myself out of mine own house, and honest company, to th'intent that my heart should not feel so great a hurt. It is a great pain to suffer the overthrow of fortune: but it is a greater ill, when one feeleth it, and can not remedy it: and yet without comparison my greatest grief is, when my loss may be remedied, and he that may, will not, and he that will, can not remedy it. O ye cruel Romans, if the sorrows all only should be reduced to memory, that we suffer, my tongue should be weary, and all my membres faint, and mine eyes should weep bloody tears, & my flesh would consume. This in my land may be seen with eyes, hard with ears, and felt in proper person. Certainly my heart departeth, and my soul is troubled, & mine entrails break. And I believe yet, the God's will have compassiion. I will desire you to take my words for slander. For ye Romans, if ye be romans, ye may well see, that the trouble, that we have, cometh by men, and among men, and with men, and by the hands of men. Than it is no marvel, though men feel it as men. One thing comforteth me, and divers times among other, that be unfortunate, it cometh to such purpose, the which is, I think the God's be so rightwise, that their fierce and cruel chastisements come not but by our own cruel shrewdness: & our secret sins awaketh us so, that we have open justice. But of one thing I am sore troubled, because the God's can not be contented. For a good person, for a little fault, is greatly chastised, and he that is ill, for many faults, is not punished at al. So thus the God's forbear some, & some have no mercy. Thus it seemeth, that the God's will torment us by the hands of such men as grieve us extremely. So that if there were any justice in the world, when they chastise us with their hands, we should not merit to have our heeds on the shoulders. Therefore I say to you, ye romans, and swear by the immortal God's, that in xu days, that I have been in Rome, I have seen such deeds done in your senate, that if the least deed of them had been done at Danubie, the gallows & gibettes, had been hanged thicker of thieves, than the vineyard with grapes and raisins. And sith that my desire hath seen, that it desireth, my heart is at rest: in spreading abroad the poison that was in it. If my tongue hath offended you in any thing, I am here ready, to make recompense with my throat. For in good sooth, I had rather to win honour, offering myself to the death, than ye should have it, in taking my life fro me. Thus this villain ended his purpose. Than the emperor said: How think ye my friends, what kernel of a nut? What gold of filth? what grain of straw? what rose of thorns? What marrow of bones, did he uncover? what reason so high? what words so well set? what troth so true, and what malice opened he so? He discovered the duty of a good man. And I swear to you, as I may be delivered from this evil fever, that I have, that I saw this vilayn standing a hole hour on the earth boldly, & we holding down our heads abashed, & could not answer him a word. The next day it was accorded in the senate, to send new judges to Danubie. And we commanded the villain to deliver us in writing, all that he had said, that it might be registered in the book of good sayings of strangers. And the said villain, for his wise words, was made physician, & so tarried still at Rome, and for ever was sustained of the common treasure.   

¶ How the emperor desired the wealth of his people, and the people his wealth. ca xxxiii.  
IN the second year that Mar was chosen emperor, the xlv year of his age, as he returned fro the wars, that he had in conquering the Germans and the Aragon's, whereby he got glory & riches for the Romans empire, he lay at Salon to rest him, and to appoint his army, and to the intent, that the Romans should apparel his triumph in Rome right glorious and richly: There was one thing done, that was never seen before in Rome. For the day of his triumph, by all the people and consent of the senate, the prince Comodus, son to Marcus Au. was chosen after the death of his father to be emperor universal of th'empire. He was not chosen by the petition of his father, for he was against it with all his power, saying, that the empire ought not to be given for the laud of them that be deed, but he should be chosen, for his own good work. Often times this emperor would say, Rome shall be lost, when the election shall be taken from the Senate, and the Emperor to inherit the empire by Patrimony.  
¶ Now to return where as we left. This emperor being at Salon, studied sore to enter into Rome in good order, and Rome studied sore how to receive him, as it appertained triumphantly for such a war. He was sore desired of th'empire: and ever he imagined, how to do pleasure to the people, and the people were ready to die in his service. divers times was moved a pleasant purpose in the senate, which of these things was most to be loved: The emperor to love the people of the empire, or the people of th'empire th'emperor. On a day it was determined, to set judges in that case: There were chosen the ambassadors of the Parthes and roods: and upon that effect they had writing. It was laid for the emperor, the good deeds that he had done in his absence, and the tokens of love, that they had always showed in his presence. And on an other day the emperor moved an other question before the senate, saying, that it was a greater glory, to have such subjects, than the glory of the senate, to have such an emperor. Than the Senate said nay: Affirming that it is a greater glory that they had of him, than he could have of them. And in this manner the emperor gave the glory to the people, and the people to the emperor. Thus in sport and play they took judges again. It was a marvelous thing to see the joy that they all had to prove their intentes. And the good emperor for a memory gave the laud to the people, because of their great obedience and service, and extreme love that he had found in them: And the happy people recounted the great clemency and mercy that was in the emperor, and his virtue and worthiness in governing, his honesty of living, and his force and valiantness in conquering. It was a great thing to see the honour that the people gave to th'emperor, and the good renown that th'emperor gave to the people. The writings were given to the strange ambassadors, to th'intent that the people might learn to obey their princes: and princes to love their people. To the end that by such examples, as it was reason, the good people should enforce themselves, and the ill to withdraw. Thus this emperor addressed his entry with his captains and captives, and Rome appareled them with all their senators and people to receive him. It was a huge thing to see what people was at Rome to go forth to meet him, and what people were with the emperor to enter. They that were at Salon had their eyes and also their hearts at Rome: and they that were at Rome had their hearts at Salon. In such wise that their eyes dazzled with that they saw, and their hearts ached for that they hoped to see. There is no greater pain, than when the heart is deferred fro that it longeth sore to have.   

¶ How th'emperor gave Lucilla his daughter licence to sport her at his palace. ca xxxiiii.  
IT is to be known, that the Romans had a custom, that in the month of janiver, they should make triumphs to their emperors: and in the same season that the triumphs were appareled, Faustin th'empress caused divers high persons to pray the emperor to give licence to a daughter of his, to come from there as she was kept, to the palace, and sport her at the feasts. This maiden was named Lucy or Lucyll: She was higher than the prince Commodus her brother: she was of a goodly gesture and well proportioned of her body, and well be loved of her mother. And she resembled her not all only in her beauty, but also in her living. And though the request was pitiful, and they that made it familiar, and he to whom it was made was the father, and the demander was the mother, and she for whom it was made, was the daughter: the emperor granted it, but not without great displeasure. Nevertheless Faustine was full glad, and as soon as she had obtained licence, she brought her daughter to the palace. And so when the day of the great feast and triumph was come, the damosel Lucylle being out of governance, and seeing herself at large, trusting then upon her own innocency, took no heed of any strange malice, laughed with them that laughed, talked with them that talked, and beheld them that beheld her, and without care she thought that none thought ill of her, because she thought ill of none: yet in those days a maiden to laugh among men was reputed as much as a woman to have done adultery with the priests of Grece, so great was the honesty of roman women esteemed. And lightness of maidens was a great infamy: for they were worse punished for one open lightness, than for two secret faults. Among all other seven things the women did observe surely, that is to wit, not to speak moche at feasts, not to eat moche at banquets, to drink no wine in their health, nor to speak alone with men, nor to lift up their eyes in the temples, nor to stand long looking out at windows, nor to go out of their houses without their husbands. The woman taken with any of these dishonest things, was always after reputed infamed. Many things were suffered of persons in small reputation, that were not suffered in persons of honour. For the noble women could not conserve the reputation of their estate, but by reason of keeping their person in great fear & good order. All things done unkindly is sin, & may be amended: but the dishonest woman is always shamed. The noble ladies, if they will be taken as ladies, when they exceed other in riches, the less licence ought they to have to go wandering about. Certainly the plenty of goods, & the liberty of psons, should not be a spur to prick them forward, but rather a bridle to keep them in their closets. And this is said, for because that during the said feastis, the damosel Lucille, as a young maiden, and faustine, her loving mother not being old, sometime a foot, and sometime riding on horseback, sometime openly, and sometime marvelous secretly, sometimes with company, and sometimes without company, sometime on the day, and now and than by night, they would walk abroad in the streets of Rome to see the fields of Vulcan, in gardens Saturnynes, and drink at the conduits of Nero's water, and sometime pass the time by the fair river of Thiber, and in all such other pleasant sports as appertained to their age. And though the fore riped primetime provoked them thereto, yet the gravity of such ladies should not suffer it. I will say one thing, to th'intent noble women should take advertisement thereby, and that is this: I know not which was the greatest dissolution, either the walking abroad of faustine and Lucylle through the streets and other places, or else the boldness of ill speakers, speaking against their persons and good names. The withdrawing and keeping of women close is a bridle to the tongues of all men: and the woman that doth otherwise, otherwise putteth her good name in danger. Of truth it were better for a woman never to be borne, than to be defamed. Among the romans the lineage of the Cornelies were had in great estimation. For of them all, never none was found a coward, nor a woman defamed. The histories show, that one's a lady of that lineage being only defamed, was hanged on the gallows by the hands of her own kinsfolk. Surely it was well done of the Romans, to the intent that the wickedness of one woman should not suffer ill fame to run upon the hole lineage: where is there nobleness without shame? The things that to wche honour, ought not to be hid but amended by Justice, and to put them to death, that lose their good fame. It is not sufficient for a person to be good: but it is necessary that he put fro him all occasions that are reputed to be ill. All the losses that a man may have of any temporal goodis, can not countrepeyse the least loss of good fame. A man that layeth his good name for a farthing at a but of this world, at a hundred shots scantly shall he shoot one aright. And contrary wise the man that feareth no shame, nor will not have his person in reputation, there is no hope of goodness in him. Than this emperor, as a shipmaster, sailing in most fair and calm wether, forecastethe, and is in great thought and fear of tempests and storms to come, in the feastis of his great glory, was in doubt of these two ladies, lest suddenly any mysfame should follow. And certainly he had great cause. For it is an infallible rule of envious fortune, that this present felicity is given with a prick of a sudden fall of mischance. In things natural, we see sometime the see calm, and yet forthwith followeth a perilous storm, and consequently the great heat of the day is sign of thunder at night. I say fortune coming with some present delight or pleasure, is a token that by flattering us, she hath made ready her snares to catch us. When the miller is sure, he dresseth his water gaate, and the labourer when it raineth not, covereth his house, thinking that an other time the wethers or rains will fall thereon and trouble him: In like wise a wise and a virtuous man ought to think, as long as he liveth in this world, he holdeth his felicity but at adventure: and his adversity for his natural patrimony. Among all them that could rejoice in prosperity, and help themself in adversity, this emperor Marcus Aurelius was one: which for any flatterings that Fortune could show him, he never trusted in them: nor for mishap that he had in this life, he never despaired.   

¶ What Marcus th'emperor said to a Senator as touching triumphs. Cap. xxxv.  
when these feasts were passed, as Sertus Cheronense saith, a senator named Aluinus said to th'emperor, the same night that the triumph ceased: Sir rejoice you sith that this day ye have given so great riches to the common treasure of Rome: and I have seen your person in the triumph of glory: and to the world to come of you and your house you have left perpetual memory. The emperor hearing these words, said in this manner: Friends it is good reason we believe, the hunter knoweth the fierceness of vestis, the physician the property of herbs, the mariner the perils of rocks, the captains the chances of war, and the emperor that triumpheth, the joys that he hath of triumphs. As god help me, and as ever I have part with my predecessors, and as ever I have good fortune, the thoughts that I have had for these feasts, have been far greater than the fears that I have had in all the journeys and battles afore. And the reason thereof is very evident to them that have clear understanding: For always in cruel battles I was ever in hope to have glory, & feared not the overthrow of fortune. What could I lose in battle? Nothing but the life, that is the least thing that men have, and always in these triumphs I fear to lose renown, which is the greatest gift that the God's have given me. O how happy is that man, that loseth his life, and leaveth behind him perpetual memory? Let every man understand this that will, and say what they list: that among noble and valiant barons, he dieth not, that loseth his life, and leaveth good renown after him: and much less time liveth he that hath an ill name, though he lived many years. The ancient philosophers reckoned not the life of a man, though he lived many years, but they reckoned the good works that he had done. The senate was importune upon me, that I should take this triumph, as ye know well: and I can not tell which was greatest, their desire or my resistance. You know not the truth why I say thus. I did it not because of ambition, and for covetousness of glory, but it was because I fear the humain malice. At the day of the triumph there was not so great joy showed by the simple persons, but the hid envy was greater among the greatest persons. This glory passeth in one day, but envy abideth a hole year. The plentifulle realm of Egypt, so happy in the bloodshed of their enemies, as in the waters of Nile, had a law immovable. They never denied their mercy to the captives overcome: nor they gave no triumph to their captains overcomers. ¶ The Caldees mock at the Roman triumphs, affirming how there is not given so great chastisement to the captain of Egipte overcome, as the empire Roman give to the overcomer, when triumph is given to him. And surely the reason is good, for the thoughtefull capitain, when he hath chased his enemies, that Rome hath in strange lands, with his own proper spear, in payment for his travail they give him enemies in his own proper land. I swear to you, that all the Roman captains have not left so many enemies deed by sword, as they have recovered ill wyllars the day of their triumphs. Let us leave the Caldees, and speak we of our ancient Romans, which if they might return now again in to the world, they would rather be tied fast to the chariots as captives, than to sit in them as victors. And the cause is, their neighbours seeing them going as captives, would move their hearts to set them at liberty, so that the glory of their triumphs is a mean to cause them to be persecuted and pursued. I have red in writing, and herd of my predecessors, and have seen of my neighbours, that the abundance of felicity hath caused cruel envy to be in many. O in what peril are they that with particular honour would be exalted among other? In the most highest trees the force of winds is most advanced. And in most sumptuous buildings lightening and thunder doth most hurt, and in great thick and dry bushes the fierce kindle most easily: I say that in them that fortune hath raised most highly, against them spreadeth the greatest poison of envy. All such as be virtuous say: The more enemies they subdue to the common wealth: the more envious they recover of their renown. One ought to have great compassion of a virtuous man: because where he travaileth to be good, there abideth one thing in him, of the which all only at the death he seeth the end. And that is, the more a man recovereth here renown among strangers, the more he is persecuted with envy among his own nations. Homer showeth in his Iliads, that Caluitio king of the Argives was expert in clergy, valiant in arms, and endued with divers graces, beloved with his people, above all other he was a great lover of his God's and worshipper of them. This good king had a custom, that in all things that he had to do, he would first ask counsel in the temples of the gods: he would begin no war against other, nor ordain no new law nor custom in his realm: nor give answer to the ambassadors, nor put no trespassers to death: nor set no tribute on his people: but first he would go to the temple, and make divers sacrifices to know the will of the gods. And because he went so often to the oracles, he was demanded what answer the God's made to him in secret, seeing he was so importunate. Then he answered and said: I demand of the gods, that they should not give me so little, that every man might abate and overcome me: Nor also that they should give me so moche, that every man should hate me: but my desire is to have a mean estate, wherewith every man might love me. For I had liefer be fellow with many in love, than to be king of all with hatred and envy.   

¶ Of the great reproach that the emperor gave to his wife faustine and her daughter. Capitu. xxxvi.  
AFter the feasts of the triumph afore said, this good emperor willing to satisfy his heart, and to advertise Faustine his wife, and to teach his innocent daughter, without knowledge of any other, he sent for them and said: I am not content Faustine, with that your daughter doth, and yet less with that you do, which are her mother. These maidens, for to be good maidens, ought well to know, how to obey their mothers. And the mothers to be good mothers, aught to know how to bring up their children. The father is excused in giving counsel, if the mother be virtuous, and the daughter shamefast. It is a great shame to the father, being a noble man, that his wife being a woman, should chastise his son: And a great inconvenience of the mother, being a mother, that her daughter should be chastised by the hands of her father. There was a law ordained by the Rodiens, that the father with the daughter, if she had a mother, nor the mother with the son, if he were a man, should not intermeddle each with other, but alonely men with men, and women with women, aught to be brought up. And th'extremity of the law was such, that among them that dwelled in one house, seemed that the fathers had no daughters, nor the mothers no sons. O Rome, I weep not to see thy streets unpaved, nor that there is so many gutters in thy houses, nor that the batylmentes fall down, nor the timber hewed down, nor for the minishing of thine habitantes, for all this the time bringeth, and the time beareth away: but I weep for thee, and weep for the again, to see the unpeopled of good fathers, and unprovided in the nourishing of their sons. Our country began to fail utterly, when the doctrine of sons and daughters was enlarged, and their bridle let go at liberty. For there is now such boldness in men children, and so little shamefastness in women children, with the dishonesty of the mothers, that where as one father sufficed for twenty sons, & one mother for xxx daughters, now twenty fathers, scantly dare undertake to bring up well one son, and xxx mothers, one daughter. I say to you thus Faustin, you remember not how you are a mother, for you give more liberty to your daughter, than ought to be suffered. And you Lucill remember not, how you are a daughter: For you show to have more liberty, than requireth for a young maiden. The greatest gift that the God's have given to the matrons of Rome is, because they are women, they keep themself close and secret: and because they be romans, they are shamefast. The day, when the women want the fear of the God's secretly, and shame of men openly, believe me, either they shall fail the world, or the world them. The common wealth requireth so great necessity, that the women that dwell therein, should be as honest, as the captains be valiant. For the captains going to war, defend them, and the women that abide at home, conserve them. As a. iiii. years passed ye saw the great pestilence, and I demanded then to have a count of the people, and I found, that of a. C.xl M. women well living lxxx M. died: And of ten M. ill women, in manner they scaped all. I can not tell for which I should weep, either for the lack, that we have of the good and virtuous women in our common wealth, or else for the grievous hurt and damage, that these ill and wicked women do to the youth of Rome. The fire that brenneth in mount Ethna, doth not so great damage to them that dwell in Scycille, as one ill woman doth in the circuit of Rome. A fierce beast and a perilous, enemy to the common wealth, is an ill woman: for she is of power to do moche harm, and is not apt to follow any goodness. O how many realms and kings read we of, to be lost by the ill governance of women, and to resist against them hath been need of wisdom, perils, money, force, and worthiness of many men. The vices in a woman is as a green read, that boweth every way: but the liberty and dishonesty is as a dry kix, that breaketh: in such wise that the more ill they utter, the more unlikely is the redress thereof again. Behold Faustin, there is no creature that more desireth honour, and worse keepeth it, than a woman. And that this is true, see by justice, by orations, by writing, and other travails, man getteth renown: but (without it be by flattering and fair speaking) unto this hour, by antyke writing, we can read of few women or none, that either by writing, reading, working with needle, spinning, or by weaving, have gotten them any great renown. But as I say of one, I say of an other. Certainly of divers we read, by keeping them close in their houses, well occupied in their business, temperate in their words, faithful to their husbands, well ordered in their persons, peaceable with their neighbours, and finally being honest among their own family, and shamefast among strangers, such have attained great renown in their life, and left eternal memory of them after their death. I will tell you an antic histore, as profitable to restrain our vices, as it did than augment virtues, and it is this: The realm of lacedemonians (as Plato showeth) was at a season more dissolute by the unthriftiness of women, than infamed by the cruelty of men: so that of all manner nations they were called barbarians. What time Grece as a mother, called philisophie of philosophers, Lygurge, a wise philosopher in knowledge, and a right just king to govern, partly with his doctrine right profitable, and partly with his pure life, made laws in the said realm, whereby he extirped all vices, and planted all virtues. I can not tell, which of these two were most happy, The king, having so obedient people, or else the realm, to have so rightful a king. Among all other laws, for women he made one greatly to be commended: He commanded, that the father that died, should give nothing to his daughter. And an other, that neither living nor dying, he should give any money to marry her with: to the intent that none should mary her for her riches, but all only for her goodness: and not for her beauty, but for her virtues. And where as now, some be unmarried, because they are poor, so than they abode unmarried, because they were shamefulle and vicious. O time, worthy to be desired, when maidens hoped nothing to be married with their father's goods, but by the virtuous works of their own persons. This was the time, called the golden world: when neither the daughter feared to be disherited by the father in his life, nor the father to die sorry for leaving her without remedy at his death. O Rome, cursed be he that first brought gold into thy house: and cursed be he, that first began to hurde up treasure. Who hath made Rome to be so rich of treasure, and so poor of virtues? Who hath made men wed villain's daughters, and leave the daughters of senators unmarried? What hath made, that the rich man's daughter is demanded unwilling, and the daughter of a poor man none will desire? what hath caused, that one marrieth a fool with five. C. mark, rather than a wise woman with ten M. virtues? Than I say, that in this point the flesh vanquisheth the flesh, and ere ever the vanity of the malice thereof is vanquished. How cometh it, that a covetous person will sooner now adays have a wife, that is rich and foul, than one that is poor and fair? O unhappy women that bring forth children, and more unhappy be the daughters, that are borne, which to have them married, no store is set by the blood of their predecessors, nor the favour of their friends, nor the value of their work, nor the beauty of their persons, nor the cleanness of their life. O cursed world, where the daughter of a good man, without money, shall have no marriage. But it was not wont to be so. For in the ancient time, when they treated of marriages, first they spoke of the persons, and after of the goodis: not as they do at this hour, in this unhappy time: for now they speak first of goods: and last of all, of the person. In the said golden world, fryste they spoke of the virtues, that the person was endowed with, and when they were married, in sporting, they would speak of the goods. When Camillo triumphed upon the Gauls or frenchmen, he had then but one son, and he was such one, that his person merited great lauds. And for the renome of his father, divers kings desired to have him to their son: and divers senators desired to have him to their son in law. This young man, being of the age of xxx years, and the father at lx was importunately stirred by his natural friends, and desired of strange kings, for to marry him: but always the old Camyll repugned the counsel of his friends, & the importunity of the strangers. when it was demanded, why he determined not upon some marriage for his son, sith thereby should follow the restefulle life of the young man, and the quietness of himself in his age, He answered: I will not marry my son, because some offer me rich daughters, some noble of lineage, some young, and some fair: but there is none hath said to me, I give you my virtuous daughter. Certainly Camylle merited to have triumph, for that he did. And he deserved eternal memory, for that he said. I say to you Faustine all these words, because I see you lead your daughter to the Theatres and plays, and do bring her into the Capitol. You put her to the keeping of the sword players, you suffer her to see the toumblers, and yet you do not remember, that she is young, and you not aged: ye go into the streets without licence, and play by the rivers. I find no villainy therein, nor think that your daughter is ill: but I say it, because you give occasion, that she should not be good. Beware Faustine, never trust in the case of the flesh of young people. Nor have no confidence in old folks. For there is no better way, than to flee the occasion of all things. For this intent the virgins vestales are closed up between the walls, to eschew the occasions of open places, not to be more light and foolish, but to be more sad and virtuous, fleeing occasions. The young shall not say, I am young and virtuous, nor the old shall not say, I am old & broken. For of necessity, the dry flax will burn in the fire: and the green flag smoke in the flame. I say, that a man being a diamond enchased among men, yet of necessity he ought to be quick and merry among women. And as wax melteth in the heat, we can not deny, that though the wood be taken fro the fire, and the ymbres quenched, yet never the less the stones oftentime remain hot and brenning. In like wise the flesh, though it be chastised with hot & dry maladies, or consumed by many years with travail, yet concupiscence abideth still in the bones. What need is it to blazon the virtues, & deny our naturalities? Certainly there is not so crooked a horse, but if he see a mare, he will bray once or twice. There is no man so young nor old, but let him see young damosels, either he will give a sigh or a wish. In all voluntary things I deny not, but that one may be virtuous: but in natural things, I confess every man to be weak. When ye take the wood fro the fire, it leaveth brenning: When summer cometh, the cold winter cessethe: when the see is calm, the waves leave their vehement moving: when the son is set, it beshyneth not the world. I will say that than, and not before, the flesh will cease to pain us, when it is laid in the grave. Of the flesh we are borne, and in the flesh we live, and in the flesh we shall die. And thereby it followeth, that our good life shall sooner end than our flesh. Oftentimes some wholesome flesh for meat corrupteth in an unwholesome pot: and good wine sometime savoureth of the foist. I say, though that the works of our life be virtuous: yet shall we feel the stench of the weak flesh, I say this faustine, sith age can not resist the hot enterprise, how can the tender membres of youth resist it? you being the mother, without you go the right way, she being your daughter can not go the same way. The Roman matrons, if they will nourish their daughters well, aught to keep these rules. When they see, that they would go abroad, than break their legs: and if they would be gazing, than put out their eyes, and if they will hark, stop their ears: if they will give or take, cut of their hands: if they dare speak, sow up their mouths: and if they will intend any lightness, bury them quick. words ought to be given to an ill daughter: and in stead of presents and gifts at her wedding, give her worms: and for her house, a grave. Take heed Faustine, if you will have great joy of your daughter, take fro her the occasions, whereby she shall be ill. To underset a house, behoveth divers props: And if the principals be taken away, it will fall down. I will tell you, women are so fraylle, that with keepers with great pain, they can keep themself: and for a small occasion they will lose all together. O how mamy ill hath there been, not because they would be so, but by cause they followed such occasions, the which they ought to have eschewed? It is for me to enter into this battle, but yet it is not in me to attain the victory. It is for me to enter into the see, yet it lieth not in my hands to escape the peril. It is in the hands of a woman to entry into the occasion, and after that she is therein, it is not in her hands to deliver her from fault.   

¶ How the emperor counseled Faustine, to eschew ill occasions fro her daughter. cap. xxxvii.  
Peradventure Faustine ye will say to me, that none may speak to your daughter Lucylle, but if you here it: nor see her, but in your sight, nor hide her, but you know where: nor make none appointment, with out your knowledge. And atte this hour you know not, that they that do hate her, & would her ill, what dishonour their tongues do speak of her. New love in young blood in the springing time and flourishing youth, is a poison, that forthwith spreadeth in to every vain: It is an herb, that by and by entereth the entrails: a swooning, that incontinently mortifieth all the membres, & a pestilence, that sleeth the hearts: and finally it maketh an end of all virtues. I wot not what I say yet, all though I know what I will say: For I would never blazon love with my tongue, without I were sore hurt in mine understanding. Ovid saith in his book of the art of love. Love is I wot not what: that cometh I wot not whence: who sent it I wot not: it engendereth I wot not how: it is contented I wot not wherewith: it is felt I wot not how oft, nor I wot not wherefore. And finally love taketh rote without breaking of the flesh outward, or piercing the entrails inward. I wot not what ovid meaneth hereby: but I trow when he said these words, he was as far banished from himself, as I am at this time from myself. O Faustin, they that love together, show the signs of their hearts by divers ways, and in sleeping they reason and speak: and by signs they understand each other. The great voice outward is sign of little love inward: and the great inward love keepeth silence outward. The entrails within embraced in love, cause the tongue outward to be mute. He that passeth his life in love, aught to have his mouth close. And to the intent that ye shall not think, that I speak fables, I will prove this by ancient histories. ¶ We find anciently, that in the year ii C. and lx after the foundation of Rome, Estrasco a young Roman that was dumb, and Veronne a fair lady of the Latins, that was dumb also. These two saw each other on the mount Celyoit at a feast, and there fell in love each with other. And their hearts were as sore fixed in love, as their tongues were tied for words. It was a marvelous thing to see them, and fearful to note here. The young lady came fro Salon to Rome: and he went fro Rome to Salon, by the space of xxx years together without the witing of any person, nor they two spoke not. Than at the last died the husband of the lady Veronne, and the wise of Estrasco, and than they discovered their love, and treated a marriage between them, of whom descended the noble lineage of our Scipions: which were more lyberalle in the feats of arms, than their father and mother were in their tongues. Than Faustine mark this thing: Little advantage it had been to have cut out the tongues of the two dumb folks, to have remedied their love, and not to have cut out their hearts.  
¶ Also I shall tell you of Massinissa a worthy knight of Numedie, and Sopharise a famous lady of Carthage, all only by one sight, as they saw each other on a ladder, he declared his desire unto her: and she knowing his lust, breaking the oores of fear, and lifting up the anchors of shame, incontinent raised the sails of their hearts, and with the ships of their persons, they joined each to other. Here may we gather, how the first sight of their eyes, and knowledge of their persons, and the league of their hearts, and the marriage of their bodies, & the perdition of their estates, and the infamy of their name, in one day, in one hour, in one moment, and in one step of a ladder were agreed. What will ye that I say more to this purpose? Do ye not know that Helen the Greek, and Paris the Trojan, of two strange nations and of far countries, with one only sight in a temple, their wills were so knit together, that he took her as his captive, and she abode his prisoner. In Paris appeared but small force, and in her but little resistance. So that in manner these two young persons, the one procuring to vanquish, and the other suffering to be vanquished, Paris was cause of his father's death: and Helen of the infamy of her husband, and they both of their own deaths, loss to their realms, and slander to all the world. All this love caused one only sight.  
¶ When great king Alexander would have given battle to the Amazons, the queen capitain of them no less fair than strong and virtuous, came to a river side, and the space of an hour each of them beheld other with their eyes without speaking of any word, and when they returned to their tents, the fierceness was turned into sweet wanton amorous words.  
¶ When Pyrrhe the faithful defender of the Tarentynes, and renowned king of Epirotes, was in Italy, he came to Naples, and he had not been there but one day, the same season there was a lady in the same city named Gamalicice of a high lineage, and greatly esteemed in beauty: The very same day she was gotten with child and shamed through out all Italy, and was thrust out of the city, and after she was delivered of child, she was slain, by one of her own brethren.  
¶ Also Cleopatra in the province of Bithinye, in the wood Sehyn, made a goodly banquet or solemn feast to Marcus Antonius her lover. And though she was not very honest, yet had she with her right chaste women: and thus the banquet enduring a great part of the night, and the would being thick, the young damsels were not so wily to hide them, but the young men romans found them: so that of lx daughters of senators lu were gotten with child among the thick bushes: which thing made a great gender in the people, and augmented the infamy of Cleopatra, and minished the honesty of Marc Anthony. ¶ Thus as I have showed of a small number, I could say of many other. All men are not men, nor all women be not women. I say it because I would it should be said: let it touch them that it toucheth, and let them that can, understand me. There is some ships, that are so light, that they will sail with a little wind, and there be some mills that will grind with a little water. I say there be some women so brittle, that as a glass with a fyllop will break, and will slip with a little mire. Show me Faustin, have you suffered your daughter to speak but with her uncles, and kept company but with her cousins? I say in this case as much wilenesse hath the mother as the daughter to run in peril. Do you not know, that the quick fire doth not forbear the wood be it wet or dry, but in likewise it consumeth the hard stones? Do you not know, that the hungers excessive causeth beasts to devour with their teeth the thing that was bred in their entrails? Do you not know, that the gods made a law over all things, except on lovers, because they may not abide it? And doubtless it is ryghtwysely done, that Rome condemneth not these foolish innocentes, because they have none understanding. The gods give no pain to amorous people, because they are deprived fro reason. Ye know when I was censure, there was a young woman that had a child by her own father, and an other that had a child by her son, and a niese by her proper uncle: and there was sentence given on them, that the fathers should be cast to the lions, and the children buried quick, and the mothers were brent in the camp of Mars. The matter was so horrible to here, that I might not endure to see the cursed men. And I commanded by my decrees, that none should be so bold to speak in such a case any more. And if this case were fearful to men, than certainly the Roman matrons ought to live chastely. Than if the fire of the father do chafe the daughter, inflameth kinsfolk, and bourn themself: ye may be sicre, if he find after either cousin or fair sister, the flames of his concupiscence will not leave to take hold on her for any parentage. If this riotous flesh will obey reason, than it may be, that your daughter may speak liberally with her cousins: but sith that passion repugneth so moche at reason, I council you trust not to much in her brethren. you see by experience: that the worm that is bred in the thymbre, eateth the same timber: and the moothes that are bred in the cloth, eateth the same cloth. I say that sometime a man bringeth up in his house some person, that after taketh his life fro him. Faustine take this that I have said for a warning, and these last words I give you for council, If you will keep yourself from thought, and your daughter fro peril, always let your daughter be occupied with some good works. When the hands are occupied with any good exercise, than the heart is void fro many idle and vain thoughts. Every lightness done in youth breaketh down a loop of the defence of our life: but idleness, whereby our envy entereth, is it, which openeth the gate to all vices. Faustines will you wit: I see daily the parditon of the young Roman daughters. For as soon as they be borne, they presume to be amorous: they as unthoughtfull, with the recklessness of the father, and wantonness of the mother, leave the just travail, and take unjust idleness. Of idle motion and outrageous thoughts the eyes take licence without leave, the mind altereth, and the will is hurt: and finally thinking to be the white, that amorous men shoot at, they remain as a butt full of all vices. And in conclusion there is nothing that more rechaceth the ball of the thought (in this play) than the hand set a work therewith.   

¶ What thought Marcus the emperor took for the marriage of his daughters. ca xxxviii.  
THan the good emperor Marc having a clear understanding, and a quiet wit, took right great heed of things that were paste, prudently weighing things present, & things to come. seeing that the perdition of princes, lay all in will, totally giving themself either to strange things, forgetting their own, or else to intend to their own, nothing regarding strange things. His heart was so agreeable to him, that neither the high businesses of them: nor for all the affairs of his house, he would not leave one of th'empire unsped. I say this, because this emperor Marcus had four daughters, whose names were Lucylle, Porsena, Matrina, and Domitia. All resembled their mother in excellent beauty, but they resembled not their father in honesty and virtuousness. And though they were in governance under their mistresses out of his presence, yet he had them always in memory: and the elder they were, the more study and thought he took for them: and when they came to complete age, he studied to find provision for them. It was a laudable custom, that the daughters of the officers of the Senate, should not mary without licence, nor the emperors daughter without the advisement of the senate. Than it was so, that one of the said princesses his daughters, being of age, and of will to be married, her father seeing her importunity, to accomplish her desire, because he was sick, he sent for faustine, that she should go and commune in the senate. The which with all her power she withstood, because that secretly she had treated for an other marriage for her daughter. And openly she excused herself, saying, that her daughter was to young and tender of age: and as the God's had given age sufficient to the father, so had not the daughter of years When the emperor understood this, he called faustine to his bed side, where as he lay, and said: divers things are dissimuled in particular persons, the least of them is not to be suffered in them that should ensign all other. The prince is never well obeyed, but if he have good credence among his people. I say this Faustin, because you do one thing in secret, and say an other openly. Here in faileth the credence of so high a lady, and putteth inconvenience in the authority of so great an empire. If ye suppose my good desires be sinister in your heart for the wealth of your own children: how should we hope than in any of your good works for the children of strangers? It seemeth to you better, to give your daughter to them that demand her of the mother, and refuse them that the father doth choose. Certainly because ye be a woman, you deserve pardon: but in that you are a mother, you augment your fault. Do you not know, that marriages are guided some by fortune, and some by virtues and wisdom? Such as demand the daughters of the fathers, believe me, their eyes been moor upon their own proper utility, than upon the wealth of an other. I know well, you bring forth the children, but the God's will marry them, sith they have endued them with so marvelous beauty. Do you not know, that the beauty of women setteth strangers on desire, and putteth neighbours in suspection, to great men it giveth force, to mean men envy, to the parent's infamy, and peril to the person self? With great pain it is kept that is desired of many. Of truth I say the beauty of women is nothing but a sign for idle folk: and an early waking for them that be light: where as of the strange desires lieth the renome of themself. And I deny not, but that a light person searcheth sooner a woman with a fair face than one of honest living. But I say, that a woman, that is married only for her beauty, may hope in her age to have a sorry life. It is an infallible rule, that she that was married for her fairness, is hated for her foulness. O what travail he offereth himself unto, that marrieth a fair woman? It behoveth him to suffer her pride, for beauty and folly always go together. Also he must suffer her expenses. For folly in the heed, and beauty in the face been two worms, that frete the life, and wasteth the goods. Also he must suffer her riots, for a fair woman will that none but she have her commandements in the house: Also he must suffer her nice minionness, for every fair woman will pass her life in pleasure: Also he must suffer her presumption, for every fair woman will have pre-eminence before all other. Finally he that marrieth with a fair woman, aparaileth him to a right great adventure: and I shall tell you wherefore. Surely Carthage was never so environed with Scipions, as the house of a fair woman is with light persons. O unhappy husband, when his spirit is at rest, and the body sleeping, than these light persons will come about his house, drying his body with jealousy, casting their eyes to the windows, scaling the walls with ladders, or climbing over, singing sweet songs, playing on divers instruments, watching at the gates, treating with bawds, uncovering the house, & waiting at every corner thereof. All these things, in case they shoot at the prick of the woman's beauty, they leave not to shoot at the butt of the sorrowful husbands good name. And whether this be true or not, report me to myself, that married me with your beauty: and let them wit of my renown that go so about the city. I say moche, but truly I feel more. No man complaineth of the God's for giving him a fowl wife, among his destinies. white silver is not wrought but in black pitch: and the tender tree is not conserved but by the hard rind. I say the man that marrieth a fowl wife, leadeth a sure life, let every man choose as he listeth: and I say a man that marrieth a fair wife, casteth his good fame at hazard, and putteth his life in peril. All the infamy of our predecessors stood in none exercising of deeds of arms: and now all the pastime of the Roman youth is to serve ladies. When a woman is famed to be fair, than every man goeth thither, and taketh great pain to serve her, and the women will be seen. I say Faustine, you never saw a young damosel Roman, greatly renowned in beauty, but either in deed or in suspection there followed some ill name of her. In that little that I have red, I have hard of divers fair women, both of grece, Italy, Parthe, and Rome: and they be not put in remembrance, because they were fair, but for the great perils and heavy chances that by their beauty's fell in the world. For in manner by reason of their excellent beauties they were visited in their own lands: and by their infamy shamed through all the world.  
¶ When the realm of Carthage was flourishing in riches and happy in arms, they ruled the common wealth by wise philosophers, and sustained it by discrete armies on the see. Arminius the philosopher was as greatly esteemed among them, as Homer among the greeks, or Cicero among the Romans: he lived in this world two score years and ii Of the which happy age lxxx years he ruled quietly as a baron most peaceable of mind: and was as strange to women, as familiar with his books. Than the senate seeing he was so broken with the common wealth, and withdrawn from all natural recreations, they desired him with great instance to be married, because that memory might be had of so perfect a wise man in time to come: and the more importunate they were the more he resisted, and said, I will not be married: for if she be foul, I shall abhor her: if she be rich, I must suffer her: if she be poor, I must maintain her: if she be fair, I must take heed to her: if she be a shrew, I can not suffer her: and the least pestilence of all these, is sufficient to flee a M. men. With such words this wise man excused himself: and he in his age, by reason of his great study, lost his sight. And the solitariness of his sweet liberties constrained him to take company of a woman, and she had by him a daughter, of whom descended the noble Amilcares of Carthage, competitors of the Scipions of Rome, the which showed no less worthiness in defence of Carthage, than ours were fortunate to augment Rome. ¶ Tell me Faustine, may not such suspection fall upon your daughters, though their virtue secure in the peril, and their honesty assure their persons? I will discover a secret thing to you. There is nothing, that can be so quickly committed, if a woman be environed with chaste keepers and feminine shamefastness. Steadfastly they desire, and with great leisure they procure these things, that lightly may be attained. There is nothing so certain, but that the wealth of an other is matter for the own evil. And Faustine ye know, that the most honest women, by our malice are most desired. Certainly their shamefastness and keeping close, been arrows in defence of our honesty. We read not that blood, riches, nor beauty of the unhappy matron Lucrece was the cause, that she was desired: But the clearness of her visage, the gravity of her person, the pureness of her life, the keeping of her self close in her house, the exercytie of her time, the credence among her neighbours, and the great renown that she had among strangers, waked the foolish Tarquin to commit with her adultery by force. What think you? Whereof came this? I shall show you. We that be ill, are so ill, that as ill we use the goodness of them that be good. This is no fault to the ladies of Rome, but rather in the immortal God's. Their clean honesty accuseth our cruel malice. Faustine, you say, your daughter is to young to be married. Do you not know, that the good father ought to endoctrine his sons fro their young age? and to provide for his daughters whiles they be young. Of a truth, if the fathers be fathers, and the mother's mothers, as soon as the God's have given them a daughter, forthwith they ought to fix in their hearts a new remembrance: and not forget it, till they have provided their daughter an husband. The fathers ought not to tarry for riches, nor the mother for high lineage, the better to marry them: So what with the one & the other, the time passeth, and the daughters wax aged: and than after this manner they be to old to be married: and to abide alone, they be maidens: and to serve, they be women, they live in pain, the fathers in thought, the parents in suspection, lest they should be lost. O what great ladies have I known, daughters of great senators, and not for fault of riches, nor of virtues in their persons, but all only for slack of time, and driving of one hour to an other, so that at last sudden death came to the fathers, and no providence made for the daughters: So that in manner some were covered under the earth after their death, and some buried with forgetfulness. Either I lie, or I have red in the law of the Rodiens, where as it is written, We command the father in marrying ten sons, to travail but one day: but to marry one virtuous daughter, let him travail ten years, ye & suffer the water come to the mouth, sweat drops of blood, travail the stomach, disherit all his sons, lose his goodis, and adventure his person. These words in this law were pitiful for the daughters, & not less grievous to the sons. For ten sons by the law of men are bound to discover, & to go over all the world: but the daughter, by the good law ought not to go out of the house. I say more over, that as things unstable threat falling, so like wise it chanceth to young damsels, which thinketh all their time lost and superfluous unto the day of their marriage. Homer saith, it was the custom of ladies of Grece, to count the years of their life, not fro the time of their birth, but from the time of their marriage. As if one demanded of a Grecian her age, she would answer xx. years, if it were twenty years sith she was married: though it were lx years sith she was borne: affirming after they had a house to govern and to command, that day she beginneth to live. The Melon after it is ripe, and abideth still in the garden, can not scape, but either rotteth, or else must be gathered. I say the maiden that tarrieth long, till she be married, can not escape, either to be taken or infamed. I will say no more. As soon as the grapes be ripe, it behooveth that they be gathered: so it is necessary, that the woman that is come to perfit age, be married and kept. And the father, that doth this, casteth peril out of his house, and bringeth himself out of thought, and contenteth well his daughter.   

¶ Of a sickness, whereof th'emperor died, of his age, and where he died. cap. xxxix.  
MArcus the Emperor being old, not only by age, but by travail and great peines that he had taken and suffered in wars: In the xviii. year of his empire, and lxii year of his age, and of the foundation of Rome vi C. and xl as he was in Panony, now called Hungary, with his host, and Commode his son, at a city called Vendebone, situate upon a river, that had four M. fire housis, and being in winter, and the waters great, & very wet wether, he being in the fields about the xxx day of December: suddenly upon a night as he went with lanterns about his camp, there took him a sickness or palsy in one of his arms, so that he could not wield his spear, nor yet draw his sword, nor put on his own clothes. Than this good emperor charged with years, and with no less thoughts, and winter increasing with many great snows, and fresing of the earth, there fell on him an other malady called litharge, the which put the barbarians in great hardiness, and his host in great heaviness, his person in peril, and his friends in great suspect of his health. There was done to him all the experience that could be found by medicines, as unto great princes and lords is accustomed. And all did him no profit: by reason the malady was grievous, and th'emperor charged with years, and the air of the land was contrary to him, and the time helped him nothing: and also he was not well intended. And as men of worship do set more by their honour than by their lives, and had rather die with honour, than live dishonoured, to assure their honour, they adventure every hour their lives, and had leaver have one hour of honour, than a. C. years of life: So thus this sick emperor, caused himself to be borne all about his camp, and went to see the scarmyshes, and would sleep in the fields: the which was not without great peril of his life, nor without great travail of his person. Thus on a day the emperor, being in a great fever and let blood, hard a great clamour or noise in the field: made by his men that had brought home great quantity of forage, and their enemies set on them, to rescue it: there was meddling on both parties, the one to bear away, and the other to defend: The Romans for hunger, did what they could, to bear it a way: And the Hungaryens fro whence it came, made resistance: They meddled so one with an other, and their debate was so cruel, that there was slain .v. captains of the romans, the worst of them was more worth, than all the fourage that they had won. And of the hungarians were so many slain, that all the forage that they had lost, was not so much worth. Certainly considering the cruelty that was there done, the profit that came thereby, was very small to the romans, so that there went but a few away with the fourage, & of the hungarians fewer was left to make resistance. The emperor seeing the ill order, and that by the reason of his blood letting and fever, he was not present at that act, he took such a heaviness at his heart, whereby he fell into such a trance, that it was thought he had been dead: and so he lay iii nights and two days, that he could see no light of the sky, nor speak to any person. The heat of his sickness was great, and his pains greater, he drank moche and eat little, he cold not sleep, his face was yellow, and his mouth black. Sometime he lifted up his eyes, & oftentimes joined his hands together: He spoke nothing, and sighed many times. His throat was so dry, that he could not spit: his eyes were very sore with sobbing and weeping. It was great compassion to see his death, and a great plague of confusion to his house, and also the very great loss of his war. There durst no man look upon him, and fewer speak to him. Panutius his Secretarye, sorrowing at his heart, to see his master so near his death, on a night in the presence of divers other that were there, he said to him.   

¶ The words of Panutius his secretary to th'emperor at the hour of his death. Cap. xl.  
O Marcus my lord, there is no tongue that can be still, nor any heart suffer, nor eyes dissimule, nor wit that can permit it. My blood congealeth, and my sinews dry, the stones openeth, and my soul would pass forth: the joints unjoine asunder, and my spirits are troubled, because you take not the wise and sage counsel, the which ye gave to other that were simple. I see you my lord die, and I ought for to be sore displeased therewith. The sorrow that I feel at my heart is, how you have lived like a wise person, and at this hour you do like a simple man. Ten year a knight giveth meat to his horse, to th'intent that he should keep him from peril: and all that the wise man studieth for a long season, ought to be to pass his life with honour, and to take his death with great virtue. Right dear lord, I demand of you, what profit is it to the mariner to know the card of the see, and after to perish in a torment or tempest? What prouffytte is it to a captain, to speak moche of war, and after know not how to give battle? What profiteth it to a knight, to have a good horse, and to fall in the street? What profiteth it one to teach an other the plain way, and himself to wander aside? I say, what profited it the force of your life, that you esteemed so little, many times seeking your death? And at this present hour, that you have found death, you weep, because it will take away your life? What things have I written with mine own hand, being your Secretarye, devised by your high and profound understanding, touching the stroke of death? What thing was it to see the letter, that you sent Claudine upon the death of her husband? what wrote you to Anthygone, when your son Verissimus died? Wherein your virtue did consolate his heaviness. What high things did I write in the book that you sent to the Senate, in the year of the great pestilence: comforting them after the great mortality passed: therein you did show them, how little men should set by death, & what profit followeth thereby. And I have seen and hard you blazon death in your life, and now you weep, as though you should live here still. Sith that the God's command it, and your age requireth it, & your sickness is the cause, and nature permitteth it, and fortune consenteth to it, and is the fatal destiny of us all, than you must needs die. The travails that come of necessity, aught with a good courage to be abiden. For the courageous feeleth not so sore the hard strokes, as the weak that falleth, or he be fought with. You are but one man, and not two: and ye ought to have one death and not two. Therefore why would ye for one life have two deaths, entering the body, and slaying the spirit with sighs? After so many perils of long life to take a sure port, will ye lift up the sails, and enter again into the swolowe of the see, for to engloutte you? In the see you have chased the bull, and scaped his woodness, and now ye refuse to enter into the park, where you may surely slay him. You make assault with victory of your life, and will die attaining the death. you have fought lxii years in the camp of misery, and now you fear to enter into your sepulchre: you have got out of the bushes and thorns, wherein you were closed: and now at this hour you stumble in the fair way: you have had in certain the damage of your death: and now ye put in double the profit of your death: you are entered into the camp of defying of the world: and now you would turn your back, when it is time to put your hands to arms. Lxii year you have fought against fortune: and now you close your eyes, because fortune will strike you. I say it, because that willingly you refuse this present death, the which will cause us, to have your life passed suspect. What do you, high and mighty prince? Why weep you like a child? & why sigh you, as one in despair? if you weep, because ye shall die, why did you laugh so moche in your lifetime? For of moche laughing in the life time, cometh moche weeping at the death. Will you do that you can not do? and not be content with that you may do. The ground and pasture, that is common, you would join to your own, the renown of the common wealth you applied to your own heritage. Of a subsidy or loan, you would make your perpetual right. I will show you who be deed. All be deed and shall die. And among all other you would all only live. Will ye have that of the God's, that they be God's for? That is, because you are mortal, that they make you immortal. And you to have that by privilege, which they have by nature? I that am but simple, demand one thing of you my lord, that are ancient and wise: which is the greatest or least wealth, to die well or live ill? To live well no man can attain certainly, for hunger, thirst, solitariness, persecution, ill fortune, sicknesses, and disfavours. This can be called no life, but rather a death. If an ancient man would make a show and boast of his life, from the time of his birth, to the laying in his grave, and the body to show all that it hath suffered by dolours, and the heart to discover all the strokes of fortune: I think, that the God's would have marvel thereof, and men would be abashed thereof, that the body could suffer so moche, and the heart bear it. I hold the greeks wisest, which weep, when their children are borne, and they sing, when an old man dieth: but the Romans sing at the birth of their children, and weep when they die old. Certainly to laugh at the death of them, that die old, sith they die to laugh: and to weep at the birth of children, sith they are borne to weep, and that the life abideth the sentence of ill, proveth well, that the death is good. Will you, that I say one verity to you? I have always seen, that counsel in the wisest man, soonest faileth him. Such as would govern all things, by their opinions, of necessity in some, or in the most part, they do err and fail. O Marc my dear lord, ween you, that have caused to bury so many, that some should not bury you in likewise? As you have seen the end of their days, so other shall see the end of your years. Therefore me seemeth, it were better for you to die, and to go your way, to attain so moche wealth, than to scape, and to live in so much misery. If you feel death, I have no marvel, sith you be a man. But I marvel, that you do not dissimule it, sith you are discrete. They that have clear understanding, feel many things at their heart, that putteth them to pain, which they show not outward, for the presumption of honour. If all the poison, that is in a heavy heart, were spread abroad in the weak flesh by small grains, no walls should suffice us to rub, nor our nails to scratch. For certainly the death is but a play, wherein the player, if he be apt, adventureth but little, to win moche: and they that play, may see well, that this is a wily play, and not a strong. And that also, as well they lose, that have but a small card, not fearing death, as they, that with a great card, love long life? What thing is death, but a trap door, wherein the tent is closed, in the which is sold, all the miseries of our life? This the God's do change us, fro an old filthy house, into a new. And what other thing is the sepulchre, but a castle, wherein we be closed against the assaults of the life? Of troth you ought more to covet, to take that you find at your death, than the hurt of that you shall leave in your life. I demand of you, what is it, that doth you most pain, in losing of the life? If you peyn yourself, for Helie Fabrice your wife, because you leave her young, weary not yourself, for she is well thought on in Rome, for any peril of your life. And as soon as she knoweth it, I am in certain, she will not weep moche, though you go your way. Than you ought not to weep, for leaving of her. These young damosels, married to old men, have ever their eyes fixed in the death of their husbands. And wholly fasten their hearts on him, that they think, to marry with again. They weep with their eyes, & laugh in their hartis. And think not contrary, though she be an empress, and can not find an other emperor, to be her husband, yet she will find some other man. For if they be so determined, they will change their robes of silk, for a gown of cloth. I dare well say, they more desire a young shepherd, than an old emperor. If you care for your children, whom ye must leave behind you: I can not tell, why you should do so. For if your death be displeasant to them, much more displeaseth them, that you live so long. It is great pain to the child, not to desire the death of his father: For if he be poor, it is for fear, how they should be maintained: if he be rich, than because he shallbe his heir. They sing, & you weep, you fear the death & weep, because you leave your life. Do you not know, that after the night cometh the dewy morning: & after that cometh the bright son: & after the son cometh a dark cloud, and after again cometh fair wether, & after that cometh lightning & thunder: & than again clear air? Also I say, that after infancy, cometh childhood, than cometh youth, & age after that, and so at last cometh death, and after death, fearful hope, of a sure life. Sir, believe me, in one thing, The beginning, the mean, and the end every man hath. Certainly, if you had been taken as the flower fro the herb: if you had been cut green fro the tree, if you had been graffed in primetime: if you had been eaten in the sourness of the vine: I mean, if in the first youth, when life was at the sweetest, if death had come and knocked at the gate, ye should have had cause to be sorry: but as now, the walls are weak and ready to fall, and the flower withered, and the very putrefied, the spear full of moss, and can not draw the knife out of the sheath. Herein you have desired the world, as if you had never known the world. Lxii year you have been prisoner in the dungeon of the body: & now when the shakles or gives should be taken from you, you complain: you lord would make new of other news. He that thinketh it not sufficient, to live lxii years in this death, or to die in this life, he will not be content with three score thousand.  
¶ August the Emperor said, that after that men had lived l years, they ought to die, or else cause themself to be slain, because that unto that time, is the felicity of man. He that liveth beyond that time, passeth his time in heaviness, in grievous aches, death of his children, and loss of his goods, in importunities of his children in law, burying of his friends, sustaining process, paying of debts, and other infinite travails: So that it were better, with his eyes cloosed to abide them in his grave, than with his eyes open, to abide them in his life days. Certainly it is a fortune of all fortunes, and he is right privy with the God's, that at l year, leaveth his life. For all the time that he liveth after, is in decaying, and never upright, but rolling, reling, and ready to fall. O Marc my dear lord, do you not know, that by the same way, that life goeth, cometh death? It is lxii year, that ye have sought the one from the other. And when ye went fro Rome, where as you left your house, ye went to Illirike, where you left a great pestilence: and now you are returned into Hungary. Do you not know, that as soon as you were borne, to govern the earth, incontinent death issued out of his sepulchre, to find your life? And if you have honoured ambassadors of the strange kings, much more ye ought to honour death, that cometh fro the God's. What lordship can be lost in this life, but you shall find greater in the death? Are you not remembered, when Vulcan my son in law poisoned me, because he desired my goods more than my life, how you, my lord, for love that you had to me, gave me comfort and counsel, for the death of my sorrowful youth: and you said to me, the God's were cruel, in killing of them that be young, and pitiful, when they bury them that be old. And also you said to me, Comfort thyself Panutius: For if thou didst live to die, now than thou diest to live. Therefore right high and mighty prince, I say to you, as you said to me: and I counsel you, as you counseled me, and that you gave me, I give you again. Finally, of this reping, take the best in worth, & let the rest abide.   

¶ How th'emperor demanded to have in writing, all that the Secretary had said. Cap. xli.  
ANd as of the contenting of the will, oftentimes proceedeth health and ease of the body, the emperor was well satisfied with the words of Panutius, which he eloquently uttered, and with profound counsel, hardily and familiarly, and in due time, as a good friend. Great compassion it is, to them that would die, when it is showed them, what they ought to do. For of them that be about the bed, some rob him of his money, some serve him well, some hold the place, to be his heir, some gape for gifts, some weep for losing of him, some laugh for the gains they have by his death, and so in this manner the poor patient, having many, looking for their profit, hath no body to counsel him. We see daily, that servants, when they see the going out of the candle of life, care not for the cleansing of their lords vices. And thereof cometh, that as soon as he is deed, straight way beginneth to stink. And so I say, that the end of his life, is the beginning of his infamy. All they that were there, as well the old servants as the new, belonging to th'emperor, captains of war, & other, were not a little abashed, of the saying of Panutius, and they all allowed his saying, and said, he was worthy to have the governance of th'empire. The good emperor, all the season that Panutius spoke, wept with deep sighs fro his heart. And because he was so sore grieved, he could not forthwith give him an answer: At the last he commanded Panutius, to give him in writing, all that he had said, to th'intent that he might study thereon. For he said, it was no reason, to forget things so well said. So all the rest of that night, the Secretary occupied himself, to put in writing the same saying: and the next day he delivered it to th'emperor, which took it, and looked thereon all the day: and kept it still in his hands, and often times red thereon, And the next night th'emperor sent for the Secretary, & in open audience he said, as followeth.   

The answer of th'emperor to Panutius. ca xlii.  
HAppy was the milk, that thou suckedst in Dacie, & the bread, that thou didst eat at Rome, & the learning, that thou hadst in Athenes, and thy bringing up in my house. For in my life, thou haste well served me, and at my death, thou hast well counseled me. I command Commodus my son, to reward the for thy good service. And I pray the God's, to recompense the for thy council. The reward for divers services a man may make: but the reward for good council, all the God's had need to do. The gretist reward, that one friend may do to an other, is in a great & weighty matter, to secure him with good council. All the travails of the world are weighty, but the travail of death is the weightiest: all be perilous, but that is most perilous: all been great, but this is the greatest: all things have an end at last by death, safe only death, whose end is unknown. He that is hurt with death, is as he, that is sick of the sleeping evil, having a quick understanding, & yet he knoweth no man: & many things being offered to him, he can determine upon none. Yet again I say, he is a true and faithful friend, that in such time, will give good counsel to his friend. All they that here this, that I say, will say, that it is true. But I swear, that no man can know it perfitly, but he that is in case, that I am in, ready to die. Lxii year hath been the course of my life, and now death commandeth me, to close mine eyes, & to follow the course of death. Moreover, as thou knowest not the infirmity, so thou approachest not to the cure and health. The dolour is not there, as thou hast made defensives, it is not the fistula, where against thou hast given cautere, it is not against oppilations, that thou hast given siropes, it is not in the veins, that thou hast given me incision: Thou hast not well heeled the wound, that thou hast stitched me. I say, that thou must enter further in me, to know perfitly mine access. The sighs that proceed fro the bottom of my heart, can not be understanden with hearing of them: the God's alonely know the thoughts of the heart. Also divers things are in me, that I know not of myself, no more than that is without me. O Panutius, thou accusest me that I fear death. To fear it greatly, I deny it: but I confess to fear it as a man. Of troth, if I should say, that I fear not death, I must deny, that I am not made of flesh. We see, that the Olyphant feareth the lion, and the bear feareth the olyphant, and the wolf feareth the bear, and the sheep feareth the wolf, and the rat the cat, and the cat the dog, and the dog the man, and all only their fear is, that they dread to be slain. Than if these brute beasts refuse death, not fearing the fighting with furious spirits, nor the enjoying with the gods: How moche rather ought we to fear the death? For we are in fear to be torn in pieces with the furies in their pains, or to be received in pleasure with the gods. Therefore I say, that the natural fear of death, I have over come with the bridle and liberties of reason. thinkest thou Panutius, that I see not my grass wasted, and my grapes gathered, that my house breaketh, and that I have nothing left, but the stock of the grapes, the skin of the flesh, and but one only blast of all my life? Thou seest well, that by the tokens, the exercise is seen. And nets be cast in the rivers, and in the parks bulls been chased. I say that the rumour of death holdeth in safety the life that is in me, at this hour ready armed against death. I make battle with death, at this hour barren and naked of life: and so ready to enter into the sepulchre: at this hour I shall enter in to the camp, where as I shall not be gored with bulls, but shall be eaten with worms: and finally, I shall go, from whence I can not flee. Thus I hope abiding death. And this I say, because thou shalt know, that I know it, and that thou shalt feel, that I feel. And to the intent thou live unbegiled, I will tell the a secret. secret. The novelties, that thou hast seen in me, as in abhorring of meat, bereving of sleep, living alone, weariness of company, drowning in sighs, and pastime in weeping: Thou mayst well think, what torment ought to be in the see of my heart, when such tremblings and motions of earth and reins are set in the earth of my body. Shall I show thee, wherefore my body is in this thought, and my heart in such trouble? The cause, why I suffer death so grievously, is that I leave my son Commode in this life, in a perilous age for him, and suspicious for th'empire. By the flowers the fruits are known, and the vives in burgeoning: by the colt the horse is known, whether he shall be meek or stubborn for labour or carriage: & in the youth the young man is known: and by the little that I see in my life by my son Commode, I fear me, it will be less after my death. Thou knowest not, why I say thus. And I say it not without cause: for my son Commode is very young, and yet younger in wit. He is of an ill inclination, but he be forced: he governeth himself by his own wit and understanding, as though he were a man of experience: he knoweth but little, and careth for nothing. Of the time passed he hath no knowledge: all only he occupieth himself with the time present. Finally, by that I see with mine eyes, and think in my heart, I fear me the person of my son shall be in peril, and the memory of his father's house perish. faustine his mother hath fostered him to delicately: and by a hard stony ground he hath a great way to go. He entereth as now alone into the path of youth without any guide. I fear me he shall go out of the right way, and wander in the bushes and thorns of vices. O Panutius, hearken what I say, I say it not without tears, thou seest that my son remaineth rich, young, and at liberty. riches youth, solitariness, and liberty been four pestilences, that enpoysone the prince, and waste the common wealth: it slayeth them that be a live, & infameth them that be deed. Believe me one thing, divers graces are requisite to sustain divers virtues. With the fairest women the brothel houses are peopled, the most villains are made ruffyens: the most hardy are robbers in woods: the quickest of understanding oft prove fools: and the most subtylle become thieves. I say, that such as are clothed with divers graces of nature, lack the furs of accquired virtues. We may say, they hold in their hands a knife, wherewith they strike and hurt themselves: fire on their shoulders, wherewith they bren: and a cord about their neck, wherewith they hang: daggers at their stomach, wherewith they are stain: thorns at their feet, wherewith they are pricked: a stony way afore their eyes, where they stumble, and stumbling fall, and falling they lose their life, and win death. The great trees of whom we have fruit in winter, and shadow in summer, first be planted the roots fast in the entrails of the earth, or ever their wavering boughs are adventured in the wind. Mark Panutius, mark well. The man that from his youth hath, set before him the fear of the God's, and the shame of men, is habited in virtues: & he that accompanieth with them that be virtuous, maintaineth troth to every man, and liveth without prejudice of any man. Malicious fortune may sometime cleave the bark of the wealth of such a tree, wither the flower in his youth, break the leaves of his favour, gather the fruit of his travail, break down a bough of his offices, & bow down the height of his council: yet for all the strokes that the wind can strike, it can not be plucked up by the rote. Certainly the son that the father hath endued with graces, and the son applienge him in vices, ought not to be borne in this world: & if he be borne, to be buried quick. For the father's sweat by day, and watch by night, to leave honour to their children, which the father's buy of the God's with sighs, & the mothers delivered of them with pain, and bring them up with travail: and the child proveth so, that he giveth grievous age to the father in his life, & great infamy after his death. I consider well, that the prince Comode, being young and I old, against his will, forbore vices, & I fear me, that after my death, he will hate virtues. I remember divers of his age, have inherited the empire, which were so hardy in their lives, that they deserved to be called tyrants after their deaths. Example of Denys, renowned tyrant of Sycill, which hired them that could invent vices, as our Rome rewardeth them that conquer realms. What greater tyranny can be in a tyrant, than to make most privy to him, then that be vicious? Also I forget not the four kings, that succeeded after great Alexander, as Ptholome, Anthiocus, silvius, & Antigonus, which the greeks called great tirantis: all that Alexander had gotten with renowned triumphs, they lost by their viciousness. And in this manner the world that Alexander had divided among them four came to the hands of more than four. C. for Antigonus set so little by that had cost his lord Alexander so much, & was so light in his age, & so bold in his realm, that in mockery in the stead of a crown of gold, he ware a garland of ivy: & in stead of a sceptre, he bore a thistle in his right hand: and after that manner, he would sit among his men, & when he spoke to strangers. I lay shame to the young man so to do, but I marvel, that the sad and wise men of grece suffered it. ¶ I remember also Caligula the four emperor of Rome, a young man, in whose time it was hard to know, which was the greater, either the disobedience of the people to their lord, or the hatred, that the lord bore to the people. And this young prince went so far out of the way in his youth, and was so far wide from reason in his tyrannies, that every man studied, how to take his life from him: & he studied to slay every man. He wrote these words in a table of gold: Would to god, that all Rome had but one heed, to the intent that with one stroke, I might strike it of.  
¶ I also remember Tyberie, son adoptive of good August, called August, because he augmented Rome. But this good old prince did not so much augment it in his life, but this young successor destroyed it moche more after his death. The hate that the Roman people had against Tyberie in his life, was right well showed after his death. For the same day that he died, or when he was slain, the people made divers processions, and the senators offered great gifts in the temples, and the priests offered great sacrifices to their God's, to th'intent that they should not receive the soul of the said Tiberie into their glory: but to send it to the furies of Hell.  
¶ Also I mind Patrocle, the second king of corinth, which enheryted the realm, being but xvi year of age, and he was so vicious of his body, and so liberal of his mouth, that where as his father held the realm lx year, he possessed it but xxx days.  
¶ Also the ancient Tarquin the proud, the vii king of Rome, which was right goodly in gesture, right valiant in arms, and of a clean blood, as an unhappy prince, defiled all his virtues with naughty living: in such wise, that he converted his beauty into lechery, his power into tyranny, for the villainy that he did to Lucrece, the chaste lady of Rome, whereby he lost not only his realm, but the name of Tarquin was banished for ever out of Rome.  
¶ I remember cruel Nero, which inheryted, and died young: & in him ended the memory of the noble Caesar's: and by him was renewed the memory of Antygones the tyrants. Whom thinkest thou this tyrant would suffer to live, which slew his own mother? Tell me I pray thee, what heart is that of a child, to slay his own mother, to open the breasts that he sucked, to shed the blood of her that nourished him in her arms, and to behold the entrails, wherein he was formed? What thinkest thou, that he would not have done, sith he committed such an ill deed? The day that Nero slew his mother, an orator said in the senate, that Agrippyne his mother had deserved death, for childing such a child in Rome. These three days, that thou haste seen me so altered in my mind, all these things came before me: and I have drawn them into the deepness of my heart, and disputed them. This son of mine holdeth me in the gulf of the see, between the waves of fear, and the anchors of despair, hoping, that he should be good, because I have nourished him well, and fearing, that he should be ill, because his mother Faustine hath brought him up wanton, and the young man is inclined to ill. And as ye see a thing made by artifice perish, and a natural thing last: I am in great fear, that after my death, he will turn that way, that his mother hath childed him, and not as I have nourished him. O how happy were I, if I had never a child, to leave behind me to be emperor? Then a child might be chosen among children of good fathers, and I should not have been troubled with him, that the God's have given me. Panutius, I demand one thing of thee, whether thou callest most fortunate, Vespasian the natural father of Domitian, or else Nerua, the father adoptive of trajan? Vespasian was good, and Nerua very good, & Domitian was of all other most cruel, and Trayane the mirror of all clemency. Than regard, how Vespasian in the fortune to have children was unhappy, and Nerua in the misfortune to have children was happy. I know not why these father's desire to have children, sith they been the occasion of so much travail. O Panutius, I will say one thing to thee, as a friend to a friend (as thou knowest well we be in this world) I have lived lxii years, in which time I have red many things, and have hard, seen, desired, attained, possessed, suffered, and rested much, and now at this time I must die: and of all thing I shall bear nothing away, because both it and I are nothing. Great business the heart hath to search for these goods, and great travail to come to them: but without comparison the greatest dolour is at the hour of the death, to departed and leave them. What greater disease can be to the body, than suddenly to be surprised with enemies? What peril of the see, or loss of friends, can be equal, to see a virtuous man draw to his death, to leave the sweat of his face, the authority of the empire, the honour of his person, the company of his friends, the remedy of his debtors, the rewarding of his servants? and to leave it to a child, that hath not merited it, nor hath not the power to will to merit it.  
¶ In the ix table of the laws were these words written: We command and ordain, that every father, who in the opinion of all men is good, shall disherit his son, that is ill in every man's opinion. Also every child, what so ever he be, that disobeyeth his father, or robbeth any temple, or hurt any widow, so that she bleed, flee fro the battle, or do any treason to a stranger, who so ever is found in any of these five cases, let him be banished for ever the habitation of Rome, and cast out fro the heritage of his father.  
¶ In good sooth this law was good, and in the time of Quintus Cincinate, it was ordained, and now by us, which be unhappy, it is clean left and forgotten. Panutius without doubt I am weary to speak, and also I have such an impediment in my stomach, that I want breath: or else I could show the all by order, if mine understanding failed me not, how many parthians, Mediens, Assiriens, Caldiens, Indiens, Egypeyens, Hebrews, Greeks, and Romans, have left their children poor, and might have left them rich: and all was because they were vicious: and other children that were very poor, were left rich, because they were good and virtuous. I swear to the by the immortal gods, that when I came fro the wars between the parthians and Rome, and that the triumph and glory was given to me, and my son confirmed to be emperor: I would the Senate had left me my son Commodus poor, with all his vices, and that I had made the Senate heir and lord to the empire: and to have chastised him to the example of all the world. I will that thou know, I shall carry five things with me out of this world intermeddled, the which is great sorrow to my heart. The first is, that I have not determined and judged the ple● and process of the noble widow Drusia, with the Senate, seeing that she is very poor, and hath no body to do her justice: The second is, because I do not die in Rome, to the intent that I might cause to be cried and proclaimed every where in Rome, ere I died, to wite if any complained on me: the third is, that where as I did slay xiiii tyrants that undid the country, that I had not as well banished all the Pirates that kept the sees▪ the fourth is, that I left my dear son Verissimus deed: and the .v. that I have left alive, as heir to the empire, my son Commodus. O Panutius, the greatest hap, that the God's can give to a man (not covetous but virtuous) is to give him renown in his life, & a good heir, to conserve him after his death. Finally to conclude, I pray to the gods, if I shall have any part with them, that if by my sons offences, Rome be sclandred, and my renown minished, and my house lost by his life, that they will take a way his life yet or I die.   

¶ What th'emperor said to the masters of his son, and to the rulers of th'empire. Cap. xliii.  
I See you ancient fathers and noble romans, and right faithful servants, take pain and sorrow, for that I must yield me to death, and leave this life, and treat with my sepulchre. Ye sorrow for my sorrow, ye are tormented with mine anguish, & pained for my pain: it is no marvel. For the clear understanding of the pure blood of true and faithful friends, is to double their travails, and to weep for other: if one brute beast morn for an other, much more ought one human creature to so tow for an other. And this I say, because I know by the tears of your eyes, the feeling of your hearts. And sith that the greatest reward for any benefit, is to know it, and thank the patie thereof: as much as I can, I thank you. And if my weak thanks be not correspondente to your pitiefulle weeping, I require the God's, after they have taken away my life, to reward you for my duty. It is great pleasure for the family to know their master go with the God's, and great pain to him to leave them. For company of many years is loath to leave the life. In my life time I have done with you as I ought to do, and as now I must do as I may. The God's will take my soul away, Comodus my son the empire, the sepulchre my body, and ye my special friends my heart. And soothly it is reason, that sith ye were in the life my hearts, that it be yours after my death. And in that I will speak more particular this night shall be our reasonning. Now my hearty friends ye see, that I am come to the end of my last journey, and to the beginning of my first journey with the God's. It is reason, that sith I have loved you in time past, that ye believe me now. For the time is come that ye can demand nothing of me: nor I have nothing to offer you: nor mine ears as now can not here flatteries, nor my heart suffer importunities: if ye never knew me, know me now. I have been he that I am, and am he that hath been, in times passed like unto you, some what: now ye see I am but little, and within a little while I shallbe nothing. This day shall end the life of Mark your friend, this day shall end the life of Marc your parent, this day shall end the fatal destinies of Marc your lord, this day shall end the signory of Mark your emperor, and this day shall end his empire. I have vanquished many, and now I am overcome with death: I am he that hath caused many to die, and I can not as now give myself one day of life: I am he that hath entered into chariots of gold, and this day I shall be laid on a bier of wood: I am he, for whom many have song merrily, and this day they weep: I am he that hath had company in all exercites, and this day I shall be given to hungry worms: I am Marcus greatly renowned, that with famous triumph mounted into the high capytolle, and this day with forgetfulness I shall descend into the sepulchre. I see nigh with mine eyes, that was far hid in my heart. And as the God's be favourable to you in this world, & equal and favourable to me in another world, as my flesh never took pleasure to pass this life, but my heart was suddenly taken with the fear of death: than take no pain for me, for either I must see the end of you, or you of me. I yield great thanks to the God's, that they take away this old person to rest with them, and leave you young for to serve in th'empire. For there is no comparison for to speak of death to the life, nor to eschew the death at the hour thereof. And yet I will not deny, but I do fear death, as a mortal man. When the life passeth, there is no prudence in a prudente, nor virtue in a virtuous, nor lordship in a lord, that can take away the fear of the spirit, nor pain of the flesh. at this time the soul and the flesh are so combined and so conglutinate together, and the spirit with the blood are so annexed, that the separation of the one from the other is the most terrible, and the last terrible of all terribleness. Certainly it accordeth unto good reason, that the soul depart dolorously, leaving the flesh unto worms, and the body as envious to see the soul go and sport with the God's. O what little thought we take in this life, until we fall grovelling with our eyes upon death. Believe me, Sith I have passed from whence ye be, and have experimented that ye do see, that is the vanities of us that are vain, is so agreeable to us, that when we begin to live, we imagine that our life will endure a whole world: and when it is ended, it seemeth us to be but a puff or a blast of wind. And because than sensuality paineth for sensibility, and the flesh for the flesh, reason guided with them that be mortal telleth me, that it paineth not with the departing. If I have lived as a bruetbeast, it is reason that I die as a discrete man ought to do. I dying, this day shall die all my sickness, hunger shall die, cold shall die, all my pains shall die, my thought shall die, my displeasure shall die, and every thing that giveth pain and sorrow. This day the night shall be taken away, and the son shine bright in the sky: This day the rust shall be takem from mine eyes, and I shall see the son clearly: This day the way shall be made smooth for to go right: this is, the day shall end the journey, wherein I shall not dread the stays of Fortune. I thank the god's immortal, that have suffered me to live so clearly, and so long a tyme. This day I shall have an end of all unhappy destenes of envious fortune, and not they of me. Of truth if the God's have commanded my flesh to be hidden in the sepulchre, and to be as mortal: yet if they be just and do well, they will make my renown to be immortal, because I have lived well. Than sith I change this weary life and company of men, for the sweetness of the God's, and the doubts of fortune for this sure life, and great and continual fear for perpetual peace, and this ill and naughty corrupt life for good renown and glory, I think verily this should be none ill change.  
¶ It is now three score and two years sith the earth hath sustained and fed the earth of my body: It is now time that the earth knowledge me for her son, and I will also take her for my mother. Verily it is a pitiful mother, that will now take me in to her entrails for ever, sith that I have so long space trodden her under my feet. And yet though that I were as I am, for to be as she is, I am in certain that she would keep me surer among her worms, than Rome among the Senators. And all though it be peynefulle to you, if it please the gods to have it thus, no man can excuse nor scape it. I should be right well eased, if this web were broken, and my possession taken in the Sepulchre. Than should I have the first thing proper of mine own, and perpetual without any fear of losing thereof. All things mortal, that mortal folks have, and the envy of them that be envious may be broken, except the death and the sepulchre, the which are privileged from enraged hungers of envy. I see you well, shedding tears from your eyes, and raise heavy sighs from the deepness of your hearts. will ye not that I should desire death, sith the physicians give me but three hours of life? and there are contained in me iii M. years of pains, the length whereof is a cyronisme of death. And all though our debility be weak, yet for all that our honour is so sensible, that at the hour of death, the more that the bones dischargeth them of the flesh, the more is the heart charged with thoughts. In manner that when the sinews untie them from the bones of the body, than newly they tie again a sore knot to the heart. Now let us leave speaking of that that toucheth particularly myself, and speak we in general of it that is convenient to a young Prince, and to you that are his tutors and masters.  
¶ Ye see here my son Comodus only prince and heir, abiding for the heritage of th'empire: neither for being good, that he meriteth praise, nor for being ill reproof. For he hath taken his naturality of the gods, and his nurture among you. divers times when he was a child, ye took him in your arms, to th'intent that now he is a man, ye should set him in your hearts. Hitherto he hath taken you for his masters: and now at this time, he must repute you as his fathers. And whiles I lived, ye held him for your prince in nourishing him, for your emperor in serving him, and as your parent in helping him, and as your son in teaching him. Hitherto ye only held him charge, as father, mother, and masters: he is now as a new ship put this day into the right see, fleeting to the bottomless swallow, where as the sails of prosperity will make him fall, and the rocks of unhappiness will drown him. Than among so many unportunate winds and unstable waters, there is great necessity of good oores. Surely I am very sorry for th'empire, and have great compassion of this young prince, and such as would his wealth, shall more bewail his life than my death. For scaping fro the see I see myself at a good sure port, and upon main land, and leave him the sweat and travail. For as yet he knoweth not how to adventure to sail on the see: nor yet knoweth not whether he shall abide the age of my long experience, nor whether he shall be a reasonable emperor or no. But what shall sorrowful Rome do, when it hath nourished a good prince, and that fatal destinies maketh an end of him? or that by envy of them that be ill he is slain? or the cruelty of the goddess taketh him away: or that the body by his own proper hands be lift up in such wise, that in the experiment of princes, all the life time parteth in be wailing of the youth of young princes, and the gravity of their ancient princes passed. O if these princes believed at the beginning of their empire, other kings that are failed in the world, how they be taught when it is so importable for one man without charge to rule so many realms, and he doing nothing but take their goods, rob him of his renown, banish their persons fro him, and he to end his life, and his subjects augment their sorrows: and sith he is but one, he can do no more than one, though divers hope that he doth for all. Regard in what misadventure a prince liveth, when the least villain in Italy thinketh, that all only for him and on him alone the prince setteth his eyes. And sith the world is so changeable, and the people so unruly, the day that a prince is crowned and exalted with a sceptre royal, the same day he submitteth his goodis to the covetous, & all his estate to the semblance of other. Thus than in this the God's show their power. For all the understandings are tacked to one free will. The seeming of all they codempne, and allow but one. They give the domination to one, and the subjection to many. To one they give the chastisement of all, and not all to the chastisement of one. For the taste of many, they give meat but to one: the savour whereof is sweet to some, and sour to other: to some remaineth the bone, and to some the flesh: at the last some be drowned & other be hindered, & at the end all have an end. I would demand of you that be most familiar, what is the crown of th'empire, or the sceptre of gold, or the collar of pearls or precious stones, or rubes of Alexander, or vessel of Corinth, or chariots of triumph, or what offices of consuls or dictators are desired in change of their rest? for it is certain, they can not attain to the one, without losing of the other. And this is the cause that there be ill mariners, & to hardy pilottes, for they i'll fro the see to the land, & fro the land to the see. One thing I will say, that is against myself: every man hateth war, & no man seeketh for peace. All sorrow for one that is angered, and none is content to appease: all would command, but none will be commanded. This hath been in the world passed, & now at this present time men be so light, that they rather chose to command with peril, than to obey with rest. Seeing that my days are diminished, & my sickness augmented, suspecting than that I see now, when I returned fro the war of Sycill, I determined to make my testament, the which ye may see here: Open and behold it, and thereby ye shall see, how I leave you to be masters of my son, yet in love and fidelity ye be together all as one. Great peril the prince is in, and the common wealth in an ill adventure, where as be many intentions among the governors. Certainly the princes are glorious, and the people well fortunate, and the senate happy, when all agree in one counsel, and that the counsellors be ancient, and many of them, and all their intentions agree upon one thing. When this was in Rome, it was feared and dread of tyrants, having their consultations approved with iii. C. barons. And though their reasons were divers, yet their wills and intentis were all one for the common wealth. I desire and conjure you by the God's, that ye be all friends in conversation, and conformable in counsel. All the weak debilities in a prince may be suffered, except ill counsel: and all defaults of counsellors are tolerable, except envy and ire. When the fretting worm called a moth, entereth among them, it causeth peril in justice, dishonour to the prince, slander in the commons, and partiality in the superiors. The counsellor that hath his mind overcome with ire, and his heart occupied with envy, and his words outrageous to a good man, it is reason that he lose the favour of the God's, his privity with the prince, and the credence of the people. For he presumeth to offend the God's with ill intention, to serve the prince with ill counsel, and to offend the common wealth with his ambition. O how ignorant are these princes, that take heed of such herbs & venims that might poison them in their meats, and care not for the poison that they of their privy counsel do give them? Doubtless there is no comparison, for the herbs and poisons can be given but on one day: but the venom of ill counsel is given every hour. venom is defended by the horn of an unicorn, by treacle, and otherwise by vomits: but the poison of ill counsel hath no remedy, and less defensives. And finally I say, that the venom given by an enemy can but slay one emperor in Rome, but the poison given by him that is most privy to evil counsel, sleeth the emperor, and destroyeth the common wealth. And where as every virtuous prince setteth more by perpetual renown than this fallible life, ye being governors of th'empire, and masters to my son, they that own him ill will have not so much power over his life, as ye have upon his renown. Therefore if he be awaked by his enemies strangers, moche rather he ought to be awaked among his domestical friends. One thing I command as to my servants, and I desire you as my friends, that ye show not yourself so privy openly, as ye be in secret: to th'intent that some seem not as natural sons, and other as hired servants. He that is virtuous, aught to have great regard to the profit of his lord secretly, and to be meek of conversation with every man openly, else his privity will not long endure, and the hate of the prince with the people will increase. Oftentimes I have red of our predecessors, and I have seen it in the present Romans, when many hold with one, that one holdeth but little with divers, and less with many, the which keepeth their wills as far of, as the persons be nigh. And sith the illness of the time, and unstableness of fortune never leaveth any thing in one case, but all is as in manner of a dream: the most sure purchase is to flee fro peril, for then when the princes have passed their pleasures intermeddled in travails, they search for many, and find not one. Thereof cometh, that one present for fear will withdraw him, and an other out of favour and absent, will not come. I will show you one thing, the which you shall always put in my sons memory: They that in our travails have determined of a long season to apply them, we ought to win their good wills. The wily labourer in one year laboureth to get corns together, and in an other year he soweth and gathereth. Be not to presumptuous, for the presumption of an ancient prince, fordoth the authority of the young prince: yet for all this despair nor rebuke him not to much: For the lack of manners in the state of a lord engendereth unshamefastness in him, and boldness to the servant. I have left in my testament the prince Comodus for your son, and you for his fathers. But I will and command, that every man knowledge him to be their lord, and to be at his commandment. And ye my other servants and subjects to be in his obedience, and in all his high business to be well guided as his friends and lovers. justice ought to be seen to, by wise orators, according to the opinion of you that be his governors. And always the determination to be done by the prince, which is lord of all. One counsel I will give you (and if you find it ill, blame me afore the God's) whereby the empire of my son shall be stable and permanent in Rome, and your privity sure in his house, if your counsels be moved by reason, and his will ruled by your counsels. I desire sore that ye be not covetous: and therefore I have given you divers gifts and thanks in my life, to take covetousness from you afore my death. It were a monstrous thing and very dreadful, that such as ought to refrain covetise fro strangers, to have their own hands open for their own proper lucre's. The virtuous prive men, ought not to do all the ill that they may, nor to desire all that they may attain unto, to the intent that the prince give them so moche goodis for the profit of their houses, as pain and envy of the people to their persons. And as in mean ships men scape best in a mean see, sooner than in great carrackes in the waves of the roaring and impituous sees: in likewise such as be in mean estate among them that be but meanly envious, live more surely, than such as are set in high estate and privity being rich, to be passioned among enemies, that disdainfully would put them under. It is a notable rule among wise men, and an infallible experience among them that be good, and I think that by hearing thereof the ill shall knowledge it: The glory of one among great men maketh strife, suspection in them that be equal, and envy among them that be mean. One thing, that they that govern well, aught to have, is liberality. The less ye be covetous, the more ye shallbe liberal. For with the rage of covetousness the right of justice is minished. It is long time sith I determined to give you the governing of th'empire, and the nourishing of my son. And to have provided to have given you largely of my goods, to put the coveting of other men's goods from you. I warrant you one thing: if covetousness be among you, and be envy of your neighbours, you shall live in pain, and your hearts shall be pained with other men's business, and your minds shall be ever in suspect. Than shall ye follow the justice of other, where as ye shall see your own proper wealth. One counsel finally I will give you, which I have taken always myself, Never commit your honours to the mishaps of fortune: nor never offer yourself to peril with hope of remedy. For suspicious fortune keepeth always her gates wide open for peril, and her walls been high, & her wyckettes narrow to find any remedy. And because I feel myself sore travailed, I pray you suffer me to rest a little.   

¶ How th'emperor at the hour of his death, sent for his son, and declared to him, who should govern the Empire. cap. xliiii.  
THus a great part of the night passed, and the day began to break, and the life of this good emperor began fast to draw to an end: yet for all that he left not the remembrance of such things as should be ordered after his death. There were that time in the war with him divers right excellent men senators of Rome: and in all things he showed himself right wise, & specially he would never have any vicious person in his house. He had ever in his company l gentlemen knights, and in each of them he might have put trust to govern Rome. Oftentimes this good emperor would say, that princes lived more surely with the gathering to them men of good living & conversation, than with treasure of money stuffed in their chests. Unhappy is that prince, that esteemeth himself happy to have his coffres full of treasure, and his council full of men of ill living. These malicious and ill men make princes poor: and a perfit man sufficeth to make a whole realm rich. Surely this emperor said well. For we do see daily, that what the father hath gotten in fifty years, the son loseth in half a year. Than choosing among many a few, and of few to take the best, this emperor appointed out vi notable barons: Three of them to be masters of his son, & iii to be governors of th'empire. One was called Partinax, which after was emperor: an other was called Pompeiano, husband to his daughter, as sure in council as he was aged in years: The iii Gneo Patrocle of the ancient stock of the Pompey's, which was no less clean in this living than his hears were white: The four was called Andrisco which in goodliness of his gesture, highness of body, virtue of courage, and wisdom in conscience, none was equal to him in Rome: The .v. was named Bononius, which at that time was consul, and in the ancient laws very expert: The last was called ivan Varius the good, and he was called the good, because that in lx year never man saw him do any ill works, nor hard him speak any idle word, nor do any thing but it was profitable to the common wealth. Though in case they were all equal in governing: yet I say these last three were principal. For ivan Varius particularly was left to be chief captain of the army, and to him was delivered all the treasure, and the testament was put into his hands: and with sore weeping the emperor recommended to him the prince his son. Than when the pain of his sickness increased, and that he looked for the hour of his death, he commanded to awake his son Comodus, which without any care was fast a sleep, and when he was brought into the presence of his father, it was great pity to see the eyen of the old emperor sore discoloured with weeping, and the eyes of the son allmooste closed with sleeping: the son was waking with small thought, and the father could not sleep for great thought and pain. And when he was in his presence, seeing the little care that the son took for the death of his father, and considering the great desire of the father for the good life of his son, it moved to pity the hearts of all the great lords that were there, no less to leave the company of the good old man, than the annoyance of the dealing of the young prince. Than the emperor said to his son these words.   

¶ What the emperor said to his son at the hour of his death. Ca xlv.  
Unto thy masters and my governors I have showed how they shall counsel thee: and now my son at this hour I say to thee, how they (though they be but a few) all for the alone shall govern: and it is not to be taken in small estimation. The most easiest thing in the world is to give council to an other: and the most hardest and hieste thing is a man to take it for himself. There is none so simple a man but he may give good council, though there be no need. And there is none so wise that will refuse council in time of necessity. I see one thing that all take counsel for all, and at the last take it for himself. Son I think according to my heavy fatal destinies, and thine ill customs, that one thing shall not profit thee, that is, if the little goodness that thou hast done was for fear of me in my life, that thou wilt do less when thou hast forgotten my death. I do more now for to satisfy my desire and the common wealth, than for any hope that I have of the amendment of thy life. There is not a worse complaint, than that a man holdeth of himself. If thou my son be ill, Rome will complain to the God's, that they have given the so ill inclinations: They will complain of Faustine thy mother, that hath brought the up so wanton: and they will complain on thyself, that thou dost not refrain the from vices: and they shall not complain of thine old father, that hath given the so many good counsels. I am in certain, thou hast not so great dolour to see the end of this night, and the end of my life, as thou hast pleasure to see the day that thou shalt be emperor: and I have no marvel, for where as sensuality reigneth, reason is put aside. divers things are believed because they are not known certainly. O how many things of truth been there, that if they were known truly they should be left. But we been so doubtful in every thing, and go about our businessis so variably and inconstantly, that sometime our spirits break the purpose, and an other time they rid us not of trouble nor hindrance. I say we be so swift to do ill, that sometime we lose by a card of the most, and to do well we be so dull, that we lose by a card of the lest: and at the last we do nothing but lose. Son I will advertise the by words, that I have known in lxii years by long experience: and sith thou art my son and young, it is reason that thou believe him that is thy old father. As we princes are regard of all men, and regard all men, and are regarded of all other, this day thou dost inherit th'empire of the world and the court of Rome. I know well there be enough in the court of princes, that know nothing what is to make themself of worthiness, and to maintain themself among so many trumperies as are treated in the houses of princes. I let the to wit, that in the court is ancient partialities, present dissensions, fearful understandings, evident wittenesses, entrails of serpents, tongues of scorpions, many detractors, and few that seek peace: and where as all men should hearken to the common voice, every man searcheth his own proufite. Every man showeth a good pretence, and all are occupied in ill works: In such wise that some by avarice lose their good fame, and some prodigally spend and waste all their goods. What should I say more? In the court every day the lords change and after the laws, awake strifes, and raise noises, abate nobleness, exalt the unworthy, banish innocentes, and honour thieves, love flatterers, and dispraise them the which be virtuous, they embrace delights, and tread virtue under their feet: they weep for them that be ill, and laugh to scorn them that be good, and finally lie they take all lightness for their mother, and virtue for their stepmother. And my son I say more unto thee, The court, the which thou shalt inherit this day, is nothing but a shop with waares, and a house of va●aboundes, wherein some sell vile and corrupt things, and other byelyes, some have credence, and some have renown, some have goods, and some have living, and all together is but loss of time: and that worst of all is, they will not believe the poison thereof, till it be at their hartis, they are so foolish and sturdy. Rome hath very high walls, and the virtues is very low: Rome vaunteth itself to be very strong in number of inhabitants, and afterward Rome shall weep that there is more people than virtue, and vices are not accounted. In a month a man might reckon all the stones of the proud edifyces, but in a. M. years he might not comprise the malices of his ill customs. I swear to the by the immortal God's, that in three years I repaired all that was decayed in Rome, and in thirty year I could not reform one quarter thereof to good living. Good son believe me, the great cities full of good inhabitants ought to be praised, and not the great edifices. Our predecessors have triumphed on strangers as weak and feeble: and now they may triumph on us also, as men that be more vanquished with vices than any of the other. By the mightiness and prowesses of our predecessors, we that be now, are greatly honoured and exalted: and by the small estimation of us that be now, they that come after us shall be greatly ashamed. Of a very truth it is a great shame to say, and no less infamy to do, that the goodness and travail of the ancients should now be turned and converted to follies and presumption. My son look well on thyself, that the rain of thy youth, and liberty of the empire cause the nor to commit vice. He is not called only free, that is free borne, but he that dieth within the same. O how well are the slaves borne, that after their death are free by their goodness? & how many have died slaves by their naughtiness, that were borne free? There is freedom where nobleness abideth. The prows of thy person shall give the more hardiness and liberty than th'authority of th'empire. It is a general rule, that every virtuous man of necessity is to be holden hardy: and every vicious man of necessity is to be reputed a coward. Now boldly they be chastised that be noted with any vice, and coldly they be chastised that deserve chastisement. Let the prince be in a certain, that the love of his people, and the liberty of his office, hath not wherewith to uphold him in arms spread abroad on the earth, without the divers virtues assembled in his person.  
¶ Certainly Octavius Cesar subdued more nations by the renown of his virtues, than did Gaius his uncle with his army of many men. All the world joy of a virtuous prince: and it seemeth that all the world riseth against a vicious prince. Virtue is a strong castle, and can never be won: it is a river where needeth no rowing, a see that moveth not, a fire that quencheth not, a treasure that never hath end, an army never overcome, a burden that never wearieth, a spy that ever returneth, a sign that never deceiveth, a plain way that never faileth, a syrup that healeth forthwith: and a renown that never perisheth. O my son, if thou knewest what thing it is to be good, and what a man thou shouldest be if thou were virtuous, thou wouldest do service to the gods, good renown to thyself, pleasure to thy friends, and engender love of strangers, and finally all the world should fear and love the.  
I remember, that in the book of years, of the battle of Tarentyne, I found, that the renowned Pyrrhus, king of the Epyrothiens, bare in a ring graven these words: To a virtuous man, is but a small reward, to be lord of all the earth: and it is but a small chastisement to take a vicious man's life fro him.  
¶ Truly it was a worthy sentence of such a prince. What thing is it, be it never so difficile, begun by a virtuous man, but there is hope to have a good end thereof. soothly I have seen in divers parties of mine empire, divers men very dark of good fame, very low in goods, and unknown of their kin and blood: undertake so great things, that to my seeming, it was a fearful audacity to begin: And yet by the wings of virtue all only they have had good renown at the last. By the immortal God's, and as the god jupiter bring me in his mansion, and stablish thee, in all that is mine. There were once, a gardener and a potter, dwelling in Rome, which only by their virtues, caused to put ten vicious senators out of the senate, and the first occasion was, for making a hedge of thorn, and a pot, for the workmanship and labour whereof, the Senators would not pay them. I tell it the my son, because that vice maketh a bold person thoughtefulle, and virtue causeth him, that is in thought, to take strength and boldness. I was well aware of two things in my life, not to plead against the clearness of justice, nor to take part against a virtuous person: For with virtue god sustaineth us, and with justice the people are well governed and ruled.   

¶ Of other more particular counsels, given by the emperor to his son. Cap. xlvi.  
Now to come to things more particular. seeing son, that thou art young, and that nature can not deny thee: And as in all dyfficile things, ripe counsel is necessary, no less to comfort thestate of our living, we desire some recreations. For thy youth, I leave the with great lords children, with whom thou mayst pass the time: And to teach thee, I leave old Romans, that have nourished thee, & served me, of whom thou shalt take counsel. The invention of interludes, of theaters, to fish in pondes, to hunt wild beasts, to course in the fields, to hawk for birds, and to exercise deeds of arms, are the things that thy youth desireth. And youth with youth ought to keep company, in doing the same: But behold my son, that in ordering of armies, to apply the wars, to pursue victories, to accept truce, to confirm peace, to raise tributes, to make laws, to promote some, and dismiss other, to chastise the ill, and recompense the good: in all these things, that be so chargeable, they that be of clear mind, ready broken and travailed of their bodies, & whit heard, aught to be taken to counsel the. And sith thou art young & lusty of body, rejoice & sport with them that be young: & when thou art emperor, than touching thy secret affairs, take counsel of them that be old. Beware my son of all extremities. For as ill may the prince be, under the colour of gravity, to be ruled by the ancient persons, as under the colour of pastime, to keep company with young folks. It is no general rule, that all young persons shall always be young and light, nor that all old persons, should be always wise. I am sure of one thing, that if the young man be borne with folly, the old man liveth and dieth with covetise. Therefore my son beware, be not extreme in extremities. For the young people will corrupt the with their lightness, and old folks will deprive thy mind with their covetousness. What thing can be more monstrous, than a prince, that commandeth every man, to be commanded of one? soothly the governing of divers, can not be governed well by the opinion of one alone. Than the prince, that governeth many, ought to have the intention and opinion of divers. ¶ In the annals of the Pompeyens, I found a little book of remembrance, the which great Pompeie bore always with him: wherein were divers good counsels and advertisements, the which were given in divers parties of the world: Among the which, I found these, words: He that governeth the common wealth, and putteth the governance to them that are old, showeth himself unable: and he that trusteth in youth, is light: and he that governeth by himself alone, is hardy and bold: and he that governeth by himself and other, is wise. These were notable words.  
¶ Than my son, determine the to take counsel, and specially in high things and matters of difficulty, and other wise let them not be determined. For when the counsel is taken of divers, than if any fault be, it shall be divided among them al. Though the determination might be done by a few, yet take counsel of many. Among all thy wealths, here the common counsel. For one will show the all the inconvenience, another the peril, an other the damage, an other the profit, another the remedy. And set as well thine eyes upon the inconveniences, that they lay, as upon the remedy, that they offer. When thou beginnest any hard matter, esteem as well the small damages, that may befall afore, and stop them, as to remedy the great misfortunes, that come after. Of troth the strong and mighty ship oft times for a small taking heed of the pylotte, is sounken and drowned in a little water: and an other ship, not so strong, with wise diligence, is saved in the gulf of the see. Be not annoyed to take council in small matters every hour. For many things forthwith require to be looked to, and in abiding for council, it endomageth. And that that thou canst dispatch by thine own authority, without damage of the common wealth, put it not to any other person. For sith thy service all only dependeth of thine, the reward dependeth of the alone. ¶ In the year vi C.xxx. of the foundation of Rome, after the cruel wars done against the king of Numedie, the day that Marius triumphed, without putting of any of the riches, that he brought, into the common treasury, he divided it to his men of war. And when he was therefore accused, and asked, why he took not first the opinion of the senate: He answered and said: Sith they took not the opinion of other, to do me service, it were no reason, that I should take council of other, to reward and recompense them.  
¶ Son, yet I will advertise of other things. Peradventure some will give the counsel, ere thou demand it: In that case keep this general rule: never abide the second counsel of a man, if he have given the counsel before in the prejudice of an other. For he offereth his words in thy service, to bring the business to his own profit. O my son, there are many things to know a man. Xv, year I have been senator, consul, censure, captain, and tribune: and xviii years I have been emperor of Rome, and divers have spoken to me, in prejudice of other, and many more, for their own profit, and none have spoken clearly to me, for the profit of other, nor for my service. Great compassion ought to be taken of princes: for every man followeth them for their own profit, & none for love and service. One counsel I took for myself, all the while that I have governed Rome: I never kept man in my house, after that I knew him hateful against the common wealth.  
¶ In the year of the foundation of Rome vi C.lix. of the olympiad. C.lxviii. Lucullus Patricien, great friend to Sylla, going to the war of Methridates, It chanced, that in Tygoano, a city of Caldiens, he found a plate of copper or brass, upon the kings gatis, wherein were certain litters, which they said were graven there by the commandment of Alexander the great: The letters were in Chaldee, containing these sentences, That prince is not wise, that will hold his life in peril, and will not assure his life and state with the love of all men: That prince is not virtuous, that in giving moche to one person, willeth all other to have but little: That prince is not just, that will satisfy more the covetise of one person, than the voices of all men: That prince is a fool, that despiseth the council of all other, and trusteth all only upon the opinion of one: And finally that prince is to bold and hardy▪ that for the love of one, will be hated of all other. ¶ These were words of eternal memory. And in deed these princes, should have this always in their presence. Son yet I shall say more to the. This Lucullus Patriciens brought into the Senate, all the treasure that he had, and this plate, with the said words thereon, to th'intent that they should choose the one, and leave the other. And the senate refused all the treasure, and took the counsels written thereon.   

¶ Of divers and particular recommendations, which the emperor commanded his son. Cap. xlvii.  
I Have showed, like a father, the thing that toucheth thy wealth: Now I will show thee, what thou oughtest to do after my death, for my service. Those things, that I have loved in my life, if thou wilt be son to thy father, esteem them after my death. first my son I recommend to thee, the worshipping of the temples, and the reverence of the priests, with the honour to the God's. So long shall the honour of the romans last, as they persever in the service of the God's. The realm of the carthaginians perished not, because they were not so rich, or more cowards than the romans: but because they loved their tresors to much, and were but ill worshippers and lovers of the temples. My son, I recommend to the Helia, thy stepmother, & remember, that though she be not thine own mother, yet she is my wife: and on the pain of my cursing, suffer not, that she be ill entreated. For the damage that she should suffer by thy consent, should give evidence of the small thought, that thou takest of my death, which should be an injury to thy life. I have left to her the tributes and revenues of Nostie, for to maintain her degree: and the gardens of Vulcan, which I caused to make for her recreation. And if thou take it fro her, thou she west thine illness. And to suffer her to enjoy it, I command the by thine obedience, and to show her thy bounty and largesse. Remember, she is a Roman, young, and a widow, of the house of my lord trajan, and how she is thy mother adoptife, & my natural wife: wherefore I leave her under thy recommendation. Also I commit to thee, thy breterne in law: & thy sisters, my daughters. I leave them all married not to strange kings, but to the natural inhabitants and citizens of Rome. They dwell all within the walls of Rome, where as they may do the service, and thou mayst do them good. Son, entreat them in such wise, that though their good father be dead, yet let them have favour. And though they see their brother emperor of Rome, yet let than not be defouled. Women be of a right tender condition, they will complain for a small cause, and for less they will rise up in pride, thou oughtest to conserve them after my death, as I have done in my life. For otherwise their conversation should be fekyll to the people, and importunate to the. Also I commit to thee, Lipula thy sister, that is among the virgins Vestales. Think, that she is daughter of thy mother Faustin, which I have greatly loved in my life, & unto the hour of my death, I have lamented hers. Every year I gave to thy sister ii M. sexters, for her necessities: she had been as well married as the other, if she had not be brent in the visage: which was esteemed of every man an ill adventure, and specially of her mother, that wept always for her. But I esteem that ill adventure, a good fortune. For if she had not been brent in the face with fire, she had in the world, as touching her renome, be brent with divers tongues. Son, I swear to thee, that for the service of the gods, & the fame of men, she is more surer with the virgins in the temple, than though she were in the senate, with the senators. I dame, that at the end of the journey, she shall find herself better at ease, closed and locked in, than thou with all thy liberty. In the province of Lucany, I have left for her, the ii M. sexters: I will not, that thou take them fro her. Also I commit Drusia the widow to thee, which hath laid a great process against the senate, because that by motions afore passed, her husband was banished: I have great compassion of her: for it is three months, sith she put, in her demand, and because of my great wars. I could not declare her justice. Son, thou shalt find it true, that in xxxv year, that I have governed Rome, there was never widow, that held her process before me, passing viii days. Take compassion of such. For womens' necessities are right perilous, and at the last, if their business be long in hand, they recover not so much of their goods, as they lose in their renown. Also have compassion of poor men, and the God's shall reward thee, with great riches. Also I commit to thee, my ancient servants, to whom my long years and cruel wars, my often necessities, the displeasure of my body, and my long sicknesses, hath been right painful. For they, as true servants, to give me life, have taken pain unto the death. It is reason, that sith I have taken their death, that they inherit part of my life. One thing I hold for certain, In case that my body abide in the sepulchre with worms, yet I shall always, before the God's have remembrance of them. In this doing, thou shalt do as a good child, to satisfy them, that have served thy father. Take heed my son, every prince, doing justice, acquireth enemies in the execution thereof. And this is done by them, that are most near to him. For the more privy they are with the prince, the more hateful they are to the people. And though every man loveth justice in general, yet they all hate the execution thereof in particular. When a just prince is dead, the people take vengeance of the unjust servants. When thou were a child, my seruantis nourished thee, to the intent, that thou shouldest sustain them in their age. Surely, it were great shame to the empire, an offence to the God's, an injury to me, and an ungentleness of thee▪ that thou hast found them xviii years, with their arms abroad to halse thee, that they should find one day thy gates shut against them. These things I commit to the particularly, keep them always in memory. And sith I remember them at my death, consider how I loved them in my life.   

¶ Of the last words that th'emperor spoke to his son and of a table that he gave him. Cap. xlviii.  
When the emperor had ended his said recommendations, the day began to spring, and his eye strings began to break, and his tongue faltered, and his hands shaken. Than the said happy emperor, feeling that weakness began sore to draw about his heart, he commanded Panutius to go into his study, and to bring to him a coffer that was there. And when it was brought to his presence, he opened it, and took out a table of three foot brood, and two foot long, it was of wood Lybanus, & round about garnished with unicorn. It was closed with two leaves, subtilely wrought of a red wood, that some said was of the tree that the phoenix breedeth in: and is called Rasyn. And as there is but one bird Phoenix breeding in Arabia: so likewise there is no more trees in the world of the same kind. On one of the outward parties of the table was pictured & graven the god jupiter: on the other the goddess Venus: In the inward parties of the Table that shut, was pictured god Mars, and the goddess Ceres: In the principal of the said table was pictured a bull subtilely wrought to the quick, and under that a king was pictured. The which payntures were said to be of the handy work of the expert Appelles an ancient work man in painting. Than the emperor took the table in his hand, and with great pain, he said: Thou seest my son Comodus, how I am all ready scaped from the traps of fortune, and am entering into the heavy adventures of death. I wot not why the God's have created us, sith there is so great annoyance in our life, & so great peril at our death. I understand not why the God's have and use so great cruelty to the creatures. Lxii year I have sailed with great travail through the great perils of this life: and at this hour I am commanded to take land and discharge me of my flesh, and to take earth in the sepulchre. Now untyeth the lively threads, now undothe the spyndel, now riveth the web, now endeth my life. Now am I awaked from the sleeping evil: remembering how I have passed my life, I have no more desire to live. And in that I know not which way to go, I refuse death. What shall I do? I am determined to put me into the hands of the God's willingly, sith I must do so of necessity. Whom I require, if they have created me for any goodness, not to deprive me fro them for my demerits. I am now in the last gate: and to this hour I have kept the greatest and most excellent jewel that I could find in all my life. In the ten year of mine empire there arose a war against the Parthes: wherefore I determined in mine own person to give them battle. After that war I came by the ancient city of Thebes, for to see some antiquity. Among the which in a pristes house I found this table, the which as a king was raised in Egypte, incontinent it was ever hanged at his beds heed, and this priest showed me, that it was made by a king in Egipte named Ptholome Arsacides, that was a virtuous prince. And in the memory of him, and example of other, the priests kept it diligently. And son I have kept it always with me: and I beseech the God's, that such may be thy work, as therein thou mayst find good counsel. As emperor I leave the heir of many countries and realms: and as thy father I do give unto the this table of counsels. Let this be the last word, that with the empire thou shalt be feared, and by this table thou shalt be beloved. This said, and the table delivered to his son, the emperor turned his eyen, and within a quarter of an hour he yielded the spirit.  
¶ Now to return to the said table and writing. There was written between the bull and the king a scrowe in Greek letters, in manner of heroical verses, containing in our vulgar tongue thus: I never chose rich tyrant, nor abhorred the poor just man. I never denied justice to a poor man for his poverty, nor pardoned a rich man for his great goods and richesse: I never did good deeds, nor never gave hire for affection, nor gave correction only for the pain: I never left illness unchastised, nor goodness without reward: I never committed an other to do justice that was clear, nor dark justice I never determined by myself alone: I did never deny justice to them that demanded it, nor mercy unto him that deserved it: I never did correction for anger, nor promised any reward in my mirth: I was never charged with thoughts in my prosperity, nor despaired in mine adversity: I never committed ill by malic, enor any villainy for avarice: I never opened my gates to flatterars nor dissemblers, nor listened mine ears to murmurers: I have laboured always to be loved of them that be good, and to be dread and feared of them that be ill: And finally I have favoured the poor, that might do but little, and have be favoured of the God's that may do moche.  
¶ Hitherto is showed briefly the worthy and laudable life of the emperor Marcus Aurelius, and of his death.  
And hereafter ensueth the second part of this book.   

¶ A letter sent by Marcus Aurelius to Pyramon his spciall friend. Capitu. xlix.  

¶ The first letter.  
Mark orator roman, borne at mount Celio to Pyramon of Lion, my great friend, desiring salutation to thy person, and strength and virtue against thy sinister fortune. In the third kalends of januarie I received thy letter, whereby I perceive thou hast received one of mine. I set small store by thy words, but I esteem greatly what thou meanest by them. So that without declaring thereof I have gathered the sentence. Reason would because I have written so often to thee, that thou shouldest the better understand me: but thou art so slothful, that though I call thee, thou wilt not here: nor though I strike thee, thou wilt not feel. But now to come to the purpose. Thou knowest well Piramon, how near we be in parentage, ancient in friendship, steadfast in love, and tender of hearts: and when so ever thou put it in experience, than one true friend shall prove an other. Thou remember'st well, when we were at Rhodes, that we dwelled together in one house, and did eat at one table, and all that thou thoughtest I did it in effect: and that I said, thou never gaynsaydest. Certainly thou were in my heart, and I in thine entrails: I was thine, and thou were mine. We being together, it seemed to all other that we were but one, and of one will. What is it my friend Piramon? Thou writest how thou art heavy, and yet thou dost not show the cause why: thou complainest that thou art almost deed, and thou showest me not who taketh thy life fro the. If thou wilt not show to my thine ill destinies, sith thou art my friend, I will thou know, that I demand it of right. If thou wilt not, I will that thou know, that the pitiful gods have determined, that all pleasures and profit shall depart from my house: and that all heaviness and damages shall be registered in my person. Scythe I am prince of all honour, being in tribulation, if thou wouldst, thou canst not escape out of my signory. For if thou complain, that thou art unhappy in fortune, than I esteem myself to be happy in unhappiness. I demand one thing of the. When hast thou seen me have sufficient, and thou need? When hast thou seen me sleep, and thou wake? and when hast thou travailed, and I rested? Of truth sith the goods and persons are their own proper, the travails and ill adventures are always common. One thing thou oughtest to know, if in mine amity thou wilt persever, that all my goods are thine, and all thine evils are mine, sith thou art borne to live easily, and to be gently ordered and entreated, and I do live for to travail. I say not this faynyngely: for thou haste had experience of me, that when jamaria thy sister died, that was no less virtuous than fair, thou sawest well when she was buried deed, I was buried quick: and at the sown of my tears thin eyes danced. Sith thou holdest such sureties of my person, surely thou mayst discover to me thy pain. Yet as often as I have demanded it, there hath not feigned reasons failed in the. I require thee, and desire the again, and in the name of the gods I pray thee, and in their names I conjure thee, that thou dispose all thy sorrows into mine entrails. For the way that thou goest, I will not leave one pace to go fro the same: if thou go, I will go: if thou rest, I will rest: if thou work, I will work: if thou leave of, I will do the same: if thou wilt die, thou knowest well, I will not live. Regard friend what thou wilt do. For thine evils and mine, torment both one heart. If thou have displeasure, all things displease me: if thou weep, I swear fro henceforth never to laugh: if thou discharge the of thy pain, fro henceforth I shall take it for mine: if thou go alone, I will forsake company, and forth with live solytarily. What wilt thou that I should desire? For all that ever thou wilt I will. Thou complainest, that in all thy travails thou canst find no parent to remedy thee, nor friend to counsel the. I swear to the my friend Pyramon, that of these two things I have as much poverty in my house as thou hast sorrow in thine. I know well the remedy should come by riches, and by council, and consolation of them that be wise. And by reason of my heavy destinies, sloth hath taken fro me the knowledge of wisdom: and fortune will not permit me to have great riches. Certainly I weep for thy misery, and yet there is but small remedy in me. Thou sayest in thy letter, that thy neighbours and friends in promising have behight the many things: but in giving they do nothing. Hereof I marvel: for the virtuous hand is not bound to make the tongue a fool. Truly though our feet dance, our hands should work at the sown of the tongue: our life endeth in few days, and our renown in fewer. Promise is an ancient custom among the sons of vanity, and of custom the tongue speaketh hastily, and the hands work at leisure. Now let us speak more particularly.  
¶ Thou oughtest not to complain, in that thou findest not but in a few, that divers have found in the alone. Custom is to receive forthwith and merrily, and to give slowly with ill will and repentance. They that be presumptuous do the one, and they which be sloutheful, do the other. The Greeks say: that he that promiseth and is long in fulfilling, is but a slack friend. We romans say, that he is much better that denieth forthwith, because he will not beguile him that asketh. In this case I say, He that may give and giveth not, is a clear enemy: and he that promiseth forthwith, and is long or he do it, is but a suspicious friend. What need words to our friends, when we may secure them with works? Is it not right, to whom we give our hartis, which is the best thing within us, that we give him our tongue, that is the worst thing of all our vices? In good sooth the God's wylle not suffer in the place of amity, to desire any thing of our friend in haste, & to be driven it of with long delaying. Plato in his laws saith, We command, that in our governing, that politic counsel be given to them, that be in prosperity, to th'intent that they decay not: and to secure them that be in heaviness and trouble, to th'intent that they despair not. Certainly under these words are comprised divers great sentences. Thou knowest well my friend Piramon, that sweet words comfort the heart but little that is in tribulation, but if there be some good works therewith. I will not deny, but that they, to whom we have given our good wills in the time of our prosperity, be bound to give us of their goods, & to show us favour in our adversity. I demand one thing of thee, Wherefore holdest thou a presumptuous licence to demand? And reprovest on the other part the liberty of denying. Truly as there is shame in the demanding, there is obligation in some thing to deny: an importunate man is not worthy to have mercy. Thou mayst know, if thou know it not my friend Piramon, that to attain to every thing that is demanded, belongeth only to the God's. To give all thing that is demanded is no sign of any servant. And to deny any thing is of liberty. To weep for that is denied is the condition of tyrants. And to con no thank for that is given, is the condition of the Barbaryens: and to have ever a steadfast hoop of that is denied, is the guise of the Romans. One of these things, wherein Gayus Cesar showed himself to be of high courage was, that he had most greatest joy when the senate refused any thing desired by him. Oftentimes he said: There is nothing wherein Rome giveth me more glory and renown to my person, than when I show myself most hasty to demand, and they most stiff to deny me: to th'intent that after they should know, what is my power to abide, and how little their strength is to resist. Me think it is better to have recourse to the God's with virtues, than to displease them with quarrels. And to give contentation to thy reposed will, when thou seest thyself in tribulation: and that thou demandest of the God's and of men to be frustrate, thou oughtest to measure it with a right measure, and to poise it in a right balance, the great quantity that hath been given to thee, and the little quantity that hath be granted the. O how uncourteyse be we to the God's, and of small remembrance to men, when we mynishe with forgetfulness, that we have received of them: and that little that hath been refused us, we augment it with complaints? Friend Pyramon, I am beguiled if thou be not fifty years of age, and all that season thou haste done nothing but received gifts: and yet for all that, I have not seen the do one day of service. Certainly it is no reason to complain of viii days of ill fortune, being thirty years of age. Thou sayest in thy letter, how thou hast much pein, because thou knowest all thy neighbours to be envious. In good sooth I have pain for thy pain, and of thy marveling I have great marvel. For all admiration proceedeth but by surmounting of ignorance, and fault of experience. Doth the quick understanding of men rule the life of them that be mortal, that they need not to think of the travail to come, having in their hands hasty remedy? If they be hungry, they may eat: when they are cold, they may warm them: if they be sleepy, they may sleep: when they be weary, they may rest: When they are sick, they may be healed: when they are heavy, they may rejoice, in such manner, that the thoughtful life passeth, some to make tiltes and lists, some to make armure and scaffolds, some to invent new gins, and some to repair bulwarks. I say the world and the flesh do nought else but fight against us, and we have need at all times to defend us fro them. All these remedies are against the travail of the flesh. But what shall we do, that the cursedness of envy extend not among all these? Cursed is that wealth, that every man envieth. Certainly against envy is no fortress to defend, nor cave to hide, nor high hill to mount on, nor thick wood to shadow in, nor ship to scape in, nor horse to bear away, nor money to redeem us. Envy is so venomous a serpent, that there was never mortal man among mortals, that could scape fro the biting of her tooth, and scratching of her nails, foiling of her feet, and poisoning of her poison. I swear to the my friend Pyramon, that such as fortune lifteth up with great riches, she full of cruelty giveth them profound bitings. Envy is so envious, that to them, that of her are most denied, and set farthest of, she giveth most cruel strokes with her feet. This unhappy envy prepareth poison secretly fro them that be in rest among divers pleasures.  
¶ I have red divers books of Hebrew, Greek, Latyn, and Chaldee: And also I have spoken with many very wise men, to see if there might be found any remedy against an envious man. I confess the truth: Reed all that can be red, and imagine all that can be, demand all that can be demanded, and ye shall find none other cure against this cursed envy, but to banish us fro all prosperity, and to sit with adverse fortune. O how unhappy are they that be in prosperity: for justly they that be set up in high estate, can not flee from the peril of Scylla, without falling into Charybdis. They can not scape the peril, without casting their treasures into the see. I say that the malady of envy will not suffer them to scape fro death, and the medicine that is applied to them, will not assure their life. I can not determine me, which is the best, or to say more properly the worst, extreme misery without the danger of fortune, or extreme prosperity, that is always threatened to fall. In this case to be so extreme I will not determine me, sith in the one is a perilous life, and in the other renown is sure.  
¶ I shall tell thee, what wise Cicero said, when he was pursued with many at Rome: Behold you Romans, I hold you not for so good, nor myself so ill, to say the troth always, nor always to make lies. I am certain, that ye bear me none envy, for that I am not as ye be, but it is because ye can not be as I am. In this case I had rather that my enemies had envy at my prosperity, than my friends at my poverty.  
¶ This orator spoke after the appetite of them that be in prosperity, leaving to give remedy to them that be sorrowful. And after this Cicero had seen the fields of Farsalye, he took other council and remedy, such as pleased him in Rome. For if Cesar had granted him his goods, yet that turned not his credence and renown. Surely friend Pyramon I know no remedy to give the against envy, sith thou seest all the world full thereof, we see how we be the sons of envy, and we live with envy, & die with envy: & he that leaveth most riches, leaveth the greatest envy. The ancient wise men counseled rich men, that they should not have poor folks near them: and they admonished the poor, that they should not dwell near to the rich. And truly it is good reason. For the richesse of rich men is the seed of envy to the poor. And because the poor man lacketh and the rich hath to much, causeth discord among the people. I swear by the God's immortal, friend Pyramon, though they that be ill would that I should swear falsely, as much as riches with thought nourisheth covetise, so much the envious nourisheth envy thereby. I tell the one thing, and that is, that it is no good counsel to flee envy, and to avoid the virtue contrary to the same. Homer saith, that in his time there were two Greeks extreme in all extremities: The one was extreme in riches, & therefore he was persecuted by envy, & that was Achilles: & the other was sore noted of malice, but no man had envy at him, and that was Thyestes'. Certainly I had liefer be Achilles with his envy, than Thyestes' without it. Thou knowest well, that we Romans search not but for rest in our life, and for honour after death. And sith it is so, it is not possible but the man that every man envieth his renown, aught to be exalted in the rest of his life. And sith I see these two things in thee, such as be thy friends taketh little thought, for that thine enemies murmur against the. Thou writest to me, how they of Lions do well, and are merry, except thyself, that art heavy, and full of pensiveness. And sith they show not to have pleasure at thy displeasure, show not thyself disposed with their pleasure. For it may chance one day they shall be sorrowful, when that thou art merry: Than thou shalt be quite with them. In an evil person there can be no greater ill, nor in a good man a greater fault, than to be displeased with an other man's wealth, and to take pleasure at an other man's harm. And in case that all do us damage with envy, yet much more a friend, than the enemy. For of mine enemy I will beware, and for fear he will withdraw: but a friend with his amity may beguile me, and I by my fidelity shall not perceive. Among all mortal enemies there is none worse than a friend that is envious of my felicity. Pyramon my friend, I will conclude, if thou wilt withdraw thyself fro enemies, than keep company with thine own familiar friends. I wot not what to write more to thee, but with all my heart I lament thy heaviness. Thou knowest how thy niece Prussia was slain with a dagger by her own husband. I had great compassion for her death, and for the renown that she left behind her. Flavius Priscus thine uncle is newly made Censure. The process between thy brother Fornion and Britio is determined by the senate, and it pleaseth me right well, that they be friends, and every man well content. The book entituled the consolation of heaviness I have ended, and laid it in the capitol. I have written it in Greek, and that is the cause that I sent it not to the. But I do send the a rich sword, and a fair girdle. Faustine my wife doth salute thee, and sendeth thy wife two slaves. The God's be my keepers, and comfort the in thy present heaviness. Mark the man fortunate, to Pyramon sore discomforted.   

¶ A letter sent by Marcus the emperor to Cornelius of the travail of war, and vanity of triumph. ¶ The second Letter.  
Mark emperor of Rome to the Cornelius my faythfulle friend, salutation to thy person, and good fortune to thy desired life. As thou in time passed, haste been partner of my travails, I have sent to call the to give the pleasure of my triumphs. By the abundance of richesse, diversity of captives, fierceness of captains that we have brought to Rome, thou mayst perceive what perils we have suffered in this war. The parthes are good men of war: & as every man findeth in their own land defendeth their houses with strong heart: and surely they do like good men. For without reason we die of affection to take other men's goods: & they with reason do labour to defend that is their own. Let no man take envy at the roman capitain, for any triumph that is given him by his mother Rome: For one day of honour, he is a. M. days in despair of his life. I will not speak that I might say of them that be in war, and dwell in Rome, & been cruel judges of their own fame. And sith that the proper renome of a man lieth in other folks tongues, it is not said because his person hath merited, but because that they do show their envy. But our foolishness is so foolish, and the reputation of men so vain, that for one vain word, more than for our profit, we put our life in danger, and lay our honour to gauge with travail, rather than to live, and to assure our renown with rest. I swear by the God's immortal, that the day of my triumph being in the chariot, I was as pensive as I might be. O Rome cursed be thy folly, & woe be to him that hath brought up in the so moche pride. And cursed be he that hath invented so great pomp in the. What greater or more unegal lightness can be, than that a Roman capitain, because he hath conquered realms, altered peasibles, destroyed cities, cast down fortresses, rob the poor, enriched tyrantis, shed moche blood, and made infinite widows, should for recompense of all these damages be received with great triumph? Where hast thou seen a greater folly? Infinite number is destroyed in war, & one alone shall bear away the glory thereof. And though such miserable conquerors merited not to be buried, yet when I went through the streets of Rome (I tell it as a secret between the and me) that when the charyotte triumphant came, and the unhappy prisoners charged with irons, remembering the infinite treasures ill gotten, and hearing the lamentations of the widows sorrowfully weeping for the death of their husbands, and calling to mind our manifold friends deed: though I rejoiced me openly, I wept drops of blood secretly. I can not tell what person taketh pleasure in himself of an other man's damage. In this case I praise not the assyrians, nor I envy not the Persians, nor am content with the lacedemonians, nor approve the Chaldeans, nor content me with the Greeks. I curse the Trojans, and condemn them of Carthage, because they followed not the zeal of justice, but what they did in their time was with rage of pride, whereby they and their realms were brought into slander, and was occasion to lose us. O cursed Rome, cursed thou haste been, and cursed thou shalt be. For if the fatal destinies deceive me not, & mine understanding fail me not, and that fortune hold not fast, we shall see in time to come, Rome shall be in like case as other realms be now in our days. And where as now with tyranny thou art lady over all seignouryes, it shall come by justice, that thou shalt turn to be bond to them, that are now under thy bondage. O ill fortunate Rome: I say it because that virtue is so dear in thee, and makest folly so great cheap. Peradventure thou art more authentic than Babylon, fairer than Hely, richer than Carthage, stronger than Troy, better peopled than Thebes, more stored with ships than Corinthe, more delicious than There, more inexpugnable than Aquilie, more happy than Numancy: we see how they all are perished, for all their virtues and valiant defenders, and thou hopest to abide perpetually, stored with them that be vicious, and peopled with such as be full of vice. O Rome, mark this for certain, that the glory that thou hast at this hour, was first theirs: and this destruction that now is theirs, hereafter shall be thine. My dear friend Cornelius, shall I show the the loss of the Roman people, but I can not tell it the without weeping? I the emperor of Rome command, I make decrees for the war: if any country arise, by swooning of a troumpette to make men to raise their banners, and to create new capitains. And it is a thing very evident to see, that when they raise their standards, and have leave to make and assail enemies, children leave their mothers, Students leave their schools, servants forsake their masters, and officers their offices, to the intent that under the colour and craft of going to war, they should not be chastised by justice. They have no fear of the gods, nor reverence to the temples, nor obedience to their fathers, nor love nor awe of the people, and love to live ydylly, and hate just labour, and their exercises are damageable. Somme do rob the churches, some make qarelles and strifes, and some break gates open and bear the goods away. Sometime they take them that be at liberty, and deliver them that should be prisoners. They pass the nights in plays, and the days in blasphemes: Finally they are unfete to do well: & are wholly disposed to do ill. What shall I say of their negligence? I am ashamed to write it. They leave their own wives and take other men's, They dishonour the daughters of honest men, and beguile young maidens, They enforce their hostesses, and neighbours wives: and worst of all, the women that do go with them, set them agog that do tarry. And so in this manner none of these women that so go, scapeth without loss of honour, and the other are stricken with vices in their hearts, because they tarry. Think surely Cornelius, that the enterprises are small, where as women do go to war. Thou knowest, that the women Amazons have made greater war in Grece, than the cruel enemies, and not for because they had not men enough, but because they were so many women. Pyrrhus was overcome by Alexander, The valiant captain Hanyball was lord of Italy, as long as he suffered no women to come in his wars. And when he was enamoured of a fair young damosel of Capue, he was feign forthwith to turn his back to Rome, because Rome cleansed the field fro lechery. For the same cause Numancie was cast to the earth. And I myself have seen in the war of Parthes xvii M. horsemen lxxx M. foot men, and xxxv M. women. And our business went so, that fro our host I sent away Faustine my wife, and so did other senators their wives home to their houses, to th'intent that they should serve them that were old, and bring up their children. That day that a Patrition is approved by the Senate, and led about Rome by the consuls, the eagle is hanged at his breast, and his raiment is read, and he after riseth in such pride, that he remembreth not the poverty of the time passed, but thinketh to be emperor of Rome forthwith. Behold than what they do. They writhe their beards, and ruffle their hears, boistous their words, they change their clothes, & roll their eyen, that they may seem the fierser. And finally, they love to be feared, & hate to be loved. And wottest thou not, that they will be feared? On a day being at Pentapolyn, I hard a captain of mine, not seeing me, swear and blaspheme, saying to a woman his hostess: ye villainous people, will not know the captains of war: I will thou knowest mother, that the earth never trembleth, but when it is threat of a captain Roman: and god never causeth the son to shine, but where as we be obeyed. But now friend Cornelius, sith I have blazoned his vaunt, hearken his virtue and worthiness. I swear to thee, that the said capitain, for all his boast, being in a cruel battle, was the first that fled alone fro the battle, and left the standard: wherein he did enough, to cause me lose the field. But when it was done, I caused to strike of his heed. It is an infallible rule, that they, that show themself most fierce, in effect are most cowards. ¶ In divers books I have red, and of divers I have hard, and in many I have seen, that it can not fail in a man, that can suffer and take patience, to have virtue and force: And it is marvel, that he is strong and valiant, that can not suffer. What shall I say more of the griefs and damages, that these men of war do, in passing through realms, & of thefts and robberies, that they commit in the houses, where as they lodge? I ensure thee, the worm in the timber, nor the moths in the clothes, nor the sparkle in the tow, nor the darnel among the corn, nor the weasel among the grain, nor the caterpillars in fruit trees, doth not so much damage, as one company of men of war doth hurt the poor people. They leave no cattle unslain, no garden unrobbed, no wild beast unchased, nor no maid undefloured: and yet which is worse, they eat without payment, and they will not serve without payment, nor no man can converse & endure among them. When they are paid, by and by they play it away: if they be not paid, they rob, and grudge: and the case is come to so great corruption, that if thou sawest it, thou wouldest say, that each of them were the heed of rumour, and the beginning of strife, poison to virtues, Pirate of rovers, and captain of all wretched thieves. I say not this without weeping. It is the greatest mocking of all mockeries: and the cause goeth to such loss and perdition, that these mischievous people are our homely & familiar enemies: & yet there is no emperor, that can have lordship over them, nor justice chastise them, nor fear withdraw them, nor law subdue them, nor shame refrain them, nor death that can kill them, for they be men remediless: They over run, and eat, and despoil every man. O how sorrowful I am for the Rome, that was not wont to have in the such ill adventures. Certainly in the ancient time, when thou were peopled with right and true romans, and not as thou art now with bastard children, than the armies, that went from Rome, were as well disciplined and morigerate, as the schools of the philosophies, that were in Grece. The old ancient histories witness, that king Philip of Marcedony, and his son Alexander, were happy in war, because they kept their armies so well ordered, that it seemed better, to be a senate ruled, than an army that would fight. I swear to the by mine honesty, that fro the time of Quintus Cincinatus, unto the noble Marcus Marcellus, (in the which time was the greatest prosperity of Rome) the common people had great glory, as long as the discipline of knighthood was well corrected: and we began to lose, when our captains began to deserve, to be depraved and condemned. O cursed be thou Asye, and cursed be the day, that we had conquest of the. The goodness that hath followed thereby, we see it at our eye: and the damage that is come by thee, shall all ways be sorrowed. In the we have wasted our treasures, and thou haste filled us with thy vices: In change of strong and virtuous men, thou haste sent thy wantoness to us: We have overcome thy cities, and thou triumphest of our virtues: we have beaten down thy fortresses, and thou hast destroyed our good customs: by force thou art become ours, and with our good wills, we are now thine: Unjustly we are lords of thy realms, and we are just subjects to thy vices: Finally, thou Asye shalt be the sepulchre of Rome, and thou Rome shalt be the sink and gutter of the filthiness of Asye. Certainly Rome ought to have been content with the lands of italy, which is the navel of the world, without conquering the lands of Asye, to bereave them from other. I like well all things that I have red of my predecessors, saving that they were proud, as we their successors be to hardy. And I swear unto thee, that yet peradventure, after the pain, we shall become virtuous and good. All the richesse and triumphs, that our forefathers have brought out of Asye, the goods and the richesse, and they also, with the time at last had an end: but the wantonness and vices, that are in us their children, doth remain still unto this day. I would to god, that the princes knew, what an outrageous thing it is, to invent wars in strange lands and countries, and what travail they search in their persons, and what thoughts in their minds, and what murmur and motion in their subjects, what end and wasting of their richesses and treasure's, What poverty to their friends, what pleasure to their enemies, what damage to their native countries, and what poison they leave to their own inheritors? I swear to thee, that if I had known, that I do know (I will not say, but by blood shed they be taken) if they had offered themself with good will, and shedding of tears, I would not have taken them. The truth is, that our captains never slew twenty M. men of asia, with their armour, that they bore out of italy, but they lost more than a. C.M. romans, with the vices that they brought to Rome: As eating openly in the palace Ausonios, supping in their houses secretly, the women to clothe them as men, and the men painted as women, The Patritiens bearing Measques, The Plebeyens using smells, and the emperors to wear purpul. These vii vices of asia, Asie sent for a present to Rome. Seven noble captains brought them, I leave to show their names, lest I should shame them with their faults, sith they were so noble men by their high deeds. Now ye princes, behold what profit it is, to take strange realms with our wars: I leave the vices, that they recover, and the virtues that they lose, with the perdition of their treasure that they love. For certain there is neither king nor realm brought to extreme poverty, but by watering a strange realm, with final and extreme conquest. I demand of the mine own friend Cornelius, What causeth princes, to lose their treasure, and require them of other? When their own can not suffice, than they take fro churches, search divers lones, raise tributes, and invent new subsidies, give and spend on strangers, and make himself hated of his own, pray every man, and have need of every man: adventure his person, and adventure his renown? If thou knowest not this, I will tell thee, if thou wilt hear me. These princes counsel with men, they live with men, and finally at the last they are men. At one time by pride, that surmounteth them, an other time by council, that faileth them, some imagining by their fantasies, some saying, that if he have great goods, he ought to increase his fame, and that no memory should be of him, if he invented no war, & that the emperor of Rome by right, is lord of all the earth. And in this manner, as his fortunes is base, & his thoughts high, the God's suffer, that when he thinketh justly to win an other man's, than justly he loseth his own. O princes, I can not tell what beguileth you, for where as ye may be rich with pleasure, ye will be poor with war: where as ye may be beloved, ye will be hated: where as ye may play and sport yourself, and rest in a sure life, ye will commit yourself to the chances of fortune: and where as other have necessity of you, ye put yourself to be in the necessity of other. And though the prince make no war, he should not suffer his people to war: Every man ought to leave the war. Friend Cornelius, I demand of thee, whether is more travail to his person, or damage to his realm, a kings enemies, or else his own army? His enemies rob on the costs, but our men rob all the land: The enemies may be resisted, but we dare not speak to our own men. The enemies invade us on one day, and recoil back again, but our garrisons rob daily, and abide still. The strangers have some fear, but ours are shameless: and at the last, the farther that our enemies go, the more they wax liberal, and our armies of men, every day increase in cruelty, in such wise, that they offend the God's, and be importunate to their princes, and noyful to the people, living to the damage of every man, and be unprofitable to all men. By the god Mars, I swear to thee, and as I may be helped in the wars, that I govern with my hand, I have more complaints daily from the senate on the captains that been in Illyrike, than on all the enemies of the Roman people: I have more fear in maintaining one standard of a hundred men, than to give battle to l M. enemies. For the God's and fortune dispatch a battle in an hour, be it good or bad: but with these other, I can do nothing in all my life. Thus it hath been my friend Cornelius, and thus it is, and thus it shall be. Thus I found it, thus I hold it, and thus I shall leave it. Our fathers did invent it, and we sustain it, that be their children, and for ill, it shall abide to our heirs. I say to the one thing, and I think I am not deceived therein: To endure so great damage, and to no profit of the people, I think it a great folly in man, or else a great punishment of the God's. Be the God's so just in all justice, and so true in all verity, that they will suffer us without reason, to do ill in strange lands, to whom we did never good, and in our own houses to have shrewd turns of them, to whom we have alway done good? These things friend Cornelius, I have written to thee, not because I think it needful, that thou shouldst know it: but my spirit resteth in showing of it. Panutius my secretatrie went to visit this land, and on the way I gave him this letter, and I do send to the two horses, I think they be good. The armour and jewels, that I won on the Parthes, I have departed them. How be it I send the a chariot of them. My wife faustine saluteth thee, and sendeth to thy wife a rich glass, and an ouche of precious stones to thy daughter: I beseech the God's, to give the good life and me a good death. Marcus thy love writeth to the Cornelius his friend.   

¶ To Torcates' being at Gayette, in consolation of his banishment. ¶ The iii letter.  
Mark of mount Celio, companion of the empire, to the Torcate, being at Gayette, patrician Romain, salute to thy person, and virtue and force against adverse fortune. It is a three months, sith I received thy letter, the which mine eyes might not make an end to read, nor my hands to answer. I am so heavy for thy heaviness, so painful for thy pain, and so hurt with thy wound, that where as thou weepest with thine eyes outwardly, I weep with my heart inwardly. I wot what difference is between the tree and the crop, and the dream fro the truth: I here of thy travails by strange persons, and I feel them in mine own person. But where as true friends be, the pains are in comen. The great infortunes ought to be suffered for one thing, because they declare, who are the true friends. I know by thy, letter how thou art banished from Rome, and all thy goods confyscate, and that for pure heaviness, thou art sick in thy body. I would go see thee, and counsel thy person, because that thou mightest see, with what heart and will, I do weep for thy misadventure. But if thou take me for thy true friend, believe me, as I believe thee, that is, how moche I feel thy misadventure. Of truth, as thou art banished bodily, so am I banished inwardly in my heart. And if thy goods or substance be taken away fro the, I am rob of a good friend and companion. And if thou lackest thy friends, I am abiding among mine enemies. Though I might remedy by working of my power, thy banishment: yet I will counsel thy spirit with certain words. If I be not forgetful, I never saw the content in this life: because thou were ever busy in thy prosperity, and weary of any adversity. And as now, I see the despair, as though thou were but new come into this world. I have known the this xxxii years in great joy: and now thou complainest of vi months, that fortune hath turned her wheel. O Torcate, now thou mayst know, that virtuous men, fear more two days of prosperity than two hundred of adverse fortune. O how many men, and how many rich cities have thou and I seen, slip fro their prosperities, through their vicious living and strange enmities? In such wise, that their vainglory and slipper prosperity, endured but two days: and the hurts and loss that they have had, and the cruel and extreme enmities, the which also that they have won, lasteth to this day in their heirs. Contrary wise, we see some set in the height of tribulations, the which have escaped by casting away vices, clothing them with virtues, weary of evil work, following goodness, being friends to all, and enemies to none. What wilt thou, that I should say more? They that are happy, are overcome in peace, and they that are unhappy, do overcome other in war. Therefore my friend Torcate, it seemeth to me, no less necessity, to give good counsel, than to prosper with great prosperity, to remedy them that are in great heaviness. For as weary are they, that go the plain way, as they that costeth the high mountains. By thy letter I perceive, that what time thou hopedst to have been in most quietness and rest, this ill fortune and chance fell on the. Be not abashed thereof. For though that all new chances causeth new thoughts presently, yet thereby cometh more cause of steadfastness in time to come. Certainly the tree beareth not so much fruit, there as it springeth first, as it doth when it is new set in an other place. And all good smells are more odoriferous, if they be well meddled and chafed together. I pray the tell me, abiding in the world, being a child of the same, and loving the world, what hopest thou to have of the world, but worldly things? the world shall always be the world. At this hour thou art worldly, and shalt be worldly, and shalt be entreated as the world is accustomed to entreat them that be worldly. If thou knewest thyself and thy weakness, if thou knewest fortune and her mutation, if thou knewest the men and their malices, if thou knewest the world, and the flattering thereof, thou wouldest raise the fro the hand thereof with honour, and not be chastised with infamy. O how we hope to spread by fortune? O how often without respect unwares we pass this life? O how often we trust the bobance of this world? and we trust therein as much as though it never beguiled man. I say it not because I have hard it said, nor because I have red it in books: but for we see it daily with our eyes, some decay and lose their goods, other fall and lose their credence, some fall in sight, and lose their honour, and other arise and lose their lives, and some think, that all are free by privilege, where as never none were privileged. O my friend Torcate, of one thing I am certain, and let every man take it for a warning: Men, by whom we be borne, be of so ill disposition, and the world so fierce and cruel, with whom we live, and the gliding serpent fortune so full of poison, that they hurt us with their feet, & bite us with their teeth, and scratch us with their nails, and swell us with their poison, so that the passing of the life is no less than taking of death. And in case thou haste seen some live long without any fall of fortune, think not it is well, for it is not by good adventure, but the more his ill fortune. The world is so malicious, that if we take not heed to prepare against his wrinches, it will overthrow us to our greater loss and hurt. Moche sooner die they that been healthful with the infirmities & sickness of few days, than they that be week with their languor of many years. I say this because I hold it for most surety, that the miserable man, that may not live without miseries, should feel the pains by little and little, and not all at ones. We eat divers things by morsels, which if we should eat hole, would choke us. In likewise by divers days we suffer divers travails, which all together would make an end of us in one day. And than sith the God's will permit, that thy misfortune shall fall, and that the river of thy decay overflow her channel, & where thou weenest to be most sure, thou shalt be in greatest peril, we shall minister to the a syrup, to th'intent that thou lose not thy good renown, though thou have lost thy goodis that be nought. Tell me I pray the Torcate, why complainest thou, as he that is sick? Why criest thou like a fool? why syghest thou as a desperate man? Why weepest thou as a child? Thou haste gone an ill way, and complainest of thy rest. Thou art clothed to go through bushes, and thou sayest that thy gowns do tear. Thou walkest among the stones, and art sorry because thou fallest. Thou hast leaned, and thoughtest not to fall, and finally thou art set with the world, and thinkest to be free with heaven. wilt thou have saufeconduite of Fortune, that is enemy to many? She can not give the naturality, which is mother to all things. I will axe the one thing: I put case the see had promised thee, to be always in surety of her, and the sky clear wether, the summer snows, and the winter flowers. It will not be of a surety Torcate. If nature can not fulfil this, being thine own mother, thinkest thou than, that fortune will give it thee, which is thy unjust stepmother? Keep this rule for certain, and never forget it, that all natural courses are subjects to mutation every year. And all worldly folk that trust on fortune, shall suffer eclipse every moment. And than sith natural things can not be always in one case, of necessity the goodis of Fortune must perish, sith they be superfluity. Right unjust should the rightwise God's be, if they had made perpetual that, which is damageable to so many: Or that which is profitable, to have created it fallible. I will speak no more of thy prosperity in times passed, but now I will come to the banishment that thou sufferest presently. suspicious fortune made a fair at thy gate, knowing what she sold: and thou wist not what thou boughtest: She made a dear bargain, and sold it dear to thee: she hath given the sour for sweet, and the sweet is turned into sourness for thee: she hath given the evil for good, and hath turned thy good to ill. And finally she hath beguiled the at a just price, not weening to the that she would have done the damage: and though that she was malicious in selling to thee, thou were no less foolish in the buying thereof: for the more there is in fortune's shop, the more suspect is the merchandise. O how unhappy be we, for in that market is nothing sold but lies. And she trusteth nothing but upon the pledges of our renown: and at last will not be paid but with the shot of our life, and that is the most greatest and mischievous wound. It is as openly known to every man as to thee, that where as they think not to lose their wares, false Fortune in that they purpose, to their mishap lieth in await, and is ready to buy them. Thou makest me very sore abashed Torcate. I have reputed the right wise and virtuous, and now I take the for a lost fool. In good sooth when I saw the young in Gayette, I judged the worthy to govern Rome: and now that thou art old, thou deservest nothing but to be cast in a galley as a slave. O how many things are there to know a man by? There is not so high a top of a hill, but it is trodden with feet: nor so deep a see, but it is sounded with lead. And in a hundred years one man can not attain to know an other man's heart. Tell me I pray thee, what lokedste thou for of fortune, after so great wealth? living to the world, think to be in the world. The children of vanity go and walk so long, that at last their disordinate desire can not take fro the world their antic vilanyes and shamfulnes, the which fortune doth not with them that she hath raised unto the skies, thinkest than, that she shall bow with the to the lowest parties? O fool Torcate, thoughtest thou to pass the see without peril, to eat flesh without bones, To drink wine without lies, to walk in the ways without finding stones, To buy wheat without chaff? In good sooth, if thou thoughtest to buy ill goods without hindrance of thy good fame, and to maintain thy good renome without loss of ill gotten goods, I would wit of thee, what thou didst hope to do, sith so long season thou haste made a face in the world xxxiii, year thou hast been in the grace of the world, now it is time fro henceforth to fall at some discord therewith, Abel, king of the assyrians, hoped to have but seven years of good prosperity. Queen Simiramis but only six. Abel king of the lacedemonians five, Eutrete king of the Chaldeans four Alexander king of the greeks iii Amylcar the great of Carthage but two, and our Gayus Cesar Roman but one only, and many before and sith not one year: And sith thou were the most unknown of lineage, the grossest of understanding, and the least of power, the darkest of fame, and the most week in merits: wherefore than complayneste thou on fortune? If thou hadst been virtuous in all these xxx years, thou hadst never eaten without thought, nor never spoken without suspection, nor slept without starting, thinking what thou hadst to do, and wherein fortune might beguile the. He that is so long beset about with so many enemies, I can not tell how he should take any sure sleep. Ah Torcate Torcate, the world hath so many falls, and we know so ill how to continue among them, that be worldly, that scantly we are fallen when our hands and feet like slaves be so fast tied, that we can not lose them. It filleth our persons full of vices, strengtheth our sinews to wickedness, weaketh our hearts in virtues, and finally rendereth our spirits in a trance, and masethe our understanding, and changeth our taste, and suffereth us as beasts to show our evils that we feel with wailings, all though as men we durst not show it. And that this is true, it appeareth, that when we see, that we lose, we lament and complain, and none can help himself. This small lesson I writ to thee, to the end thou shouldest live in less thought. The horse colt that thou diddest send me, leapeth very well: The spaniel that thou sent to me, is well, but he is wild: the calf was very fat, and I would have eaten it forthwith, but my wife Faustyn busily prayed me to keep it, and thinketh that it was stolen in a garden. I send to the ii M. sexters for to secure the in thy travails. And as touching thy banishment, at time convenient I shall dispatch thy matters with the senate. The consolation of the God's, and the love of man be with the Torcate. The sodeynnes of evils, and the ire of the furies be separate from Marcus Aurelius. Faustyn my wife greeteth thee, and in like wise fro her part and ours, to thy mother in law, and thy wife have us recommended. Marc of Rome sendeth this writing to Torcate of Gayette.   

¶ A letter sent to Domitius of Capue to comfort him in his banishment. The fourth letter.  
Mark orator roman, borne on mount Celio, to the Domitian of Capue salute and consolation of the God's consolatours. In this right cold winter there arose in this land a mighty great wind, and by reason of the great wind arose great quantity of waters, and the waters have caused great humidities, and great humidities breed divers maladies and diseases: and among all the infirmities of this land I have the gout in my hand, and the ciatica in my leg. For the health of my wife Faustine I can neither go nor write. I say it because I can not write to the so long as the case would require, and as thy thanks meryteth, and my desire coveteth. It is showed me, that by occasion of a horse thou hast had strife with Patricio thy neighbour, & that thou art banished fro Capue, and set in the prison Mamartyn. Thy goodis are confisked, and thy children banished, thy house cast down, and thy nephew is put out of the senate, and banished the senate for ten years. It is told me, that all the day thou weepest, and wakest by night: in company thou diest, and dost love to rest solytarilye: Thou hatest pleasure, and lovest pensiveness. And I have no marvel: for the sorrowful hearts live with tears and weeping, and be merry & laugh in dying. I am right sorry to see the lost: but moche more, that for so small a thing thou should be cast away, as for a horse to lose all thine estate. O how variable is fortune, and how soon a misadventure falleth before our eyes? Fortune giveth these evils, & we see it not: with her hands she toucheth us, and we feel it not: she treadeth us under feet, and we know it not: she speaketh in our ears, and we here her not: she crieth aloud unto us, and we understand her not: and this is because we will not know her: and finally, when we think we are most surest, than are we in most peril. Troth it is, that with a little wind, the fruit falleth fro the tree: and with a little sparkle the house is set a fire: a small rock breaketh a great ship: and with a little stone the leg is hurt. I say, that oftentime of that we fear not, cometh great peril. In a close Fistula, rather than in an open, the surgeons doubt the peril: In deep still waters the pilot feareth more than in the great high waves: Of secret enbushement, rather than of open armies, the warrior doubteth. I will not only say of strangers, but of his own proper, not of enemies, but of friends, not of crewelle war, but of peace, not of open damage or slander, but of secret peril and mischief, a wise man ought to beware. How many have we seen, that the chances of Fortune could not abate, and yet within a short while after, unwarenes with great ignominious shame hath overthrown them? I would wit of thee, what rest can a person have, that trusteth ever upon the prosperity of fortune, sith for so light a cause we have seen so great a strife in Rome, and such a loss to thy house? saying that I see, I will not fear the winds of her travails, nor believe in the clearness of her pleasures, nor her thunders shall not fear me, nor will trust upon her flatterings, nor thank her for that she leaveth with me, nor be sorry for that she taketh from me, nor wake for any truth that she saith to me, nor rise for any of her leasings, nor laugh for any thing that she desireth of me, nor weep for giving me leave. If thou knowest not the cause of this, I shall tell the. Our life is so doubtful, and fortune so way ward, that she doth not always threat in striking, nor striketh in threatening. The wise man goeth not so temperately, that he thinketh at every step to fall, nor live with so small athought, to think to overthrow in every plain path. For oftentimes false fortune shaketh her weapon, and striketh not, and an other time striketh without shaking. Believe me of one thing Domitius, That part of the life is in most peril, when with little thought or care men think themself most sure. Wilt thou see the truth thereof. Cal to thy mind Hercules, that scaped fro many perils by see and by land, and yet died between his lemans arms. Laomedon perished not under Troy, but was slain in his house. great Alexander died not in making war over all the earth, but he ended with a little poison. The courageous Caius Cesar saved himself in lii battles, and after in the senate was slain with xxxii strokes of penknyves. Asclipio brother of Pompeie, perished not floating xxii year upon the see, but he was drowned after in drawing water at a well. Ten captains that Scipio had with him in Africa, that vanquished many hard battles, as they were mocking on a bridge, they fell fro the bridge, and were drowned. Good Drusio that had overcome the Parthes, the day of his triumph, going to his chariot, there fell a tile that clave asunder his heed, so that vainglory was the end of his good life. What should I tell the more? Thou knowest well that lucy my sister, having a needle on her bosom, playing with her child between her arms, the child with his hand hit the needle such a stroke into her body, that he slew his mother. Gneo ruffian the consul, sent against the germans, of our time was so valiant in arms, that none of our predecessors surmounted him: yet he kembing his old white hears, one of the teeth of the comb entered into his heed, whereby grew an impostume, by occasion whereof he ended his honourable life for so small a case. How seemeth the Domitius? As I do tell the of so small a number, I could recite infinite examples, What misfortunes fell after good fortunes, What mischance after great glory, what mysaduenture after great hap, what great evil they take of their death, after the beginning of great wealth in the life. I being as they, know not what to desire, but they being as I am, will rather choose the labourous and honourable death, than an ill death and an honourable life. To my seeming he, that will be a man among men, and not a beast among beasts, aught to travail sore to live well, and much more to die better. For at the final end an ill death putteth great doubt of the good life: and the good death excuseth the ill life. I have written to the at the beginning of my letter, that by reason of the humidities, the gout grieveth me ill. But to satisfy thy desire, I would fain write with my hand more at length. Two days the love that I bore to thee, hath fought with the pain that I endure. My will would write, but my fingers can not hold my pen. The remedy is, sith I may not as I would, that thou wilt take as thine own, that I may do, as mine own deed. Faustine my wife saluteth thee, who by reason of my diseases, is half ill at ease. It is showed her, that thou haste great pain of a hurt of thy face, she hath sent the a box with balm, that thy hurt shall not appear in thy visage. If thou canst find any green almonds or new nuttis, Faustine prayeth thee, to send her some by this bearer. I have but little store of money, therefore I send the a gown, and thy wife a kirtle. No more, but I pray the God's to give the that I desire for thee: and to give me, that thou desirest for me. And beside, that I do write to the with my hand, I give to the mine own proper heart.   

A letter sent fro the emperor to Claudius and Claudyne his wife, because they being old, lived as young persons ¶ The .v. letter.  
Mark of mount Celio to the Claudius and Cladine husband and wife, dwelling in my ward, I desire health, sending you this letter. The truth is, because ye are my friends, & under my charge, I inquire of them that come fro you, of your estates: and by them that go to you, I send recommendations to you both: if ye have my good will, demand it of your hearts. And if in your stomach ye repute and take me but as a suspicious friend, than I think myself even clean condemned. The cruel forgetfulness, the which may be causex of mine absence, peradventure banysheth the good deeds, that ye have received of my person. If in any thing I have entreated you with lies, than I require, that ye entreat me nothing with troth. But if I have been always your good neighbour and friend, if ye have any need of mine honour, than be to me as good. Gayo Furion my friend, as well as your parent, passing this way to alexandria, hath showed me many things, the which were done in Rome: & among other, he showed me one thing, that caused me to laugh, when I hard it: and yet it was right grievous to me, when I thought thereon. Some things we take suddenly in sport and mockery, the which afterward, well considered, maketh us very sorry. He showed me, how that ye seem to every man right ancient, and very young in your doing: for you array yourself daily with new apparel▪ as ye should go to weddings: and where as men do honour you as ancient persons, ye show yourself wanton: and when folk run to see gewgaws, ye are not the last. There is no lightness in Rome, but it is registered in your house. Thus ye give yourself to pleasures, as they that think never to have displeasure. And finally, when ye should lift up your hands, ye enter newly into the wages of the world. Truly my neighbours and friends, to speak with dew reverence, I am ashamed of your unshamefastness, and am no less sorry for your faults. There be divers grievous faults, that are made light by the honest withdrawing of them. And some other that are but small faults: and finding no ways to leave them, are esteemed very great. By all the God's, I can find none occasion, howfor to excuse your evils: but I see enough, wherewith to condemn them. Wherefore pardon me, if that I seem unhonest to speak so moche, when ye be not honest in your living. In good sooth I denay not, but that thou Claudius haste been right free and lyberalle of thy person, and thou Claudine right fair of visage, and many persons for the beauty of thy forehead have been curious to have had the to wife, but I would wit of the youth of the one, & beauty of the other, in using all your lives in vanity, what goodly trinkettes ye hope to were in the straightness of the Sepulchre. O great fools, ye and fools again, Do you not know yet, that the time fleeth with moving of wings? The life travaileth on her way without lifting of her feet: fortune stretcheth her without stirring her arms, & the world voideth itself saying nothing, the flesh consumeth without feeling, and our glory passeth as it never had been: and finally death assaileth us ere ever he knock at the gate. Certainly it is impossible for to make sinews of blood, of veins to make bones, of a craggy rock a plain way, and of possible to make impossible. I mean that none shall think, but that the greenness of youth shall waste and wydder in age. O world, what a world art thou: so little is our force, and our weakness so great, that without resisting drowneste us willingly in the deepness of thy perilous whirlpool: and hidest us in the thickest of thy mountains, and leadest us out of the broad way, wandering by thy narrow paths, and bringest us into the rugged way. I do mean, that they that be greatest in favour, thou bringest into danger, to the intent that with one stroke of thy foot, thou mayst overthrow them. O world lii year I have been in thee, and yet thou never saidest one truth to me, and I have taken the with ten M. lies. I never desired any thing of thee, but thou didst promise it me, but thou never gavest me any thing promised me: I never treated with the, but thou begyledste me, I never arrived at thee, but thou lost me: I never saw thing in thee, whereby I should love the. For all that we see in thee, is worthy to be abhorred. And beside this, I wot not what is the world. O what fault is in us thy worldly wretches? For if thou hate us, we dare not hate thee: if thou brawl with us, we must be still: if thou spurn at us, we must suffer thee: if thou beat us with a staff, we say nothing: And yet if thou wouldest have us gone, we will not go. And worst of all is, that we had rather serve the for nothing with travail, than the God's with prayer and rest. I swear to the by the immortalle God's, that oftentimes I make account of my years passed: and an other time I revolve my books, to see what I have red. And likewise I demand of my friends, to give me counsel to know, wherein it is that I would speak. I being at Rhodes, reading Rhetoric, My lord Adrian keeping me there, at the age of xxi year, my young flesh, and no less weak than tender, at the first work I found solytarynesse, and the solitariness with liberty adored the world: In adoring I felt it, in feeling I followed it, in following I overtook it, in overtaking I took it, in taking I proved it, in proving I tasted it, in tasting I found it bitter, in finding in bitter, I hated it, in hating it, I felt it, in leaving it, it returned, and returning I received it. And in this manner lii years, we have eaten of one bread, and dwelled in one house. When I saw it displeased, I served it, when it saw me thoughtful it cheered me, when I saw it in prosperity, I demanded it, when it saw me merry, it beguiled me. And thus we be together unto this day, not giving me leave to go, nor I willing to depart fro it. O world, thou haste so many countenances in thy vanity, that thou leadest all wandering in unstableness. Sith we suffer the to take us, thou wilt never deliver us: if we withdraw our feet fro the snare of fortune, forthwith thou fettrest our legs fast with irons: and if by chance we file the irons, anon thou manaclest our hands: and though the way be straight, the path sharp, the journey long, and our flesh weak, yet our bodies are ever laden with vices, and our hearts fulfilled with thoughts and pensiveness. Of one thing I have great marvel, and I can not devise what it is: without any constraint to the contrary, we go surely over the bridge, and yet we will go an other way: and though the same way be sure, yet we will adventure into the gulf: if the ways be dry, yet will we go through the dirt and mire and plash: having meat for our living we search for poison to kill us: we search to be lost, and may be assured: without interest we commit sin, seeing pain coming withal: and finally, to the intent that we should be taken for good, we shoot at the white of virtues, and hit the butt of vices. One thing I confess, though it be mine own shame, Peradventure in time to come it shall be profitable to some other. In l years of my life, I would prove all the vices of this life, to see if any thing might have satisfied the human malice: And after I had seen all thing, I found, that the more I did eat, the more I died for hunger: The more I slept, the more fluggye I was: the more I drank, the more thirst I had, the more I rested, the more weary I was: the more good I had, the more covetous I was: the more I sought, the less I found: And finally I never took pain for any thing, but I was ever let: and than anon I had appetite to an other. Let no man think to live in the flesh, and satisfy the flesh. It hath power to take fro us our life: and we have no power to take from it the disordinate covetise. I would fain know of the God's, why our days should have an end. O cruel God's, what is this? We can never pass one good lives day, we do but taste it, and so passeth our life, and life is but a dream, and death waketh it. Let every man know, that the world taketh our will, and we with our good will give it thereto: and it taketh our will, to the end to content us, and praise that we praise, and the time passeth so, that we live after the cursed tyme. To attain virtues, we have good desire: but to attain to vices we put to all our work. This have I said for you Claudyus and Claudine, that in three score years, ye will not issue nor go out of the prison of the world: Having your feet putrefied with irons and chains. What is then to be hoped of young persons, which be of five and twenty years old? Except my memory fail me, when I was with you, ye had your nephews, sons of your children married, and nieces, daughters of your daughters married: and me thinketh, when the guynes come, the season of cherries is not come: and when the new wine is tounned, the dry husks are cast out. Can ye suffer divers nephews, sons to your children, in your house, and few years in your persons? Very seldom we see fruit and the floweres together: for when the one is ripe, and in season, than the other is clean gone and avoided.  
¶ In this case I think great marvel, how ye can be of many years, and seem to be young. I know none other thing, but when ye married Lambert, your own daughter to Drusio, and Matryne your niece, daughter of your daughter, with Lamberte, that were all little and young children: and sith that ye be of a good age, and lack good, ye may give unto each of them twenty years of your age, in stead of their dowry. And so ye shall unlade you of your years, and charge you with other men's goods and substance. No less this matter passeth in my thought, than the short cloth doth in a false weavers hands. Ye have strained it on the tentours, and drawn it on the perch, for to to lengthen the life. If ye were made fair and clear cordwainers wax, and sweet of savour, that ye might be drawn out at length, it were well done, but ye are but as fruit of almonds, seeming dry without, and worm eaten within. For the love that I have to you, and for neyghbourheed that ye have had with me, I desire still friendship of you, that like as I knew you young and very young, so to know you old and very old. I say not that ye surmount in age, but your wit faileth you. O Claudius and Claudine, I will ye know, that to sustain youth, and to deface age, to length the life, and drive away death: it is not in men's hands that desire it: it is the God's that do give it, which according to justice and our covetise, giveth us life by weight, and death without measure. Ye may know, that our nature is corruption of our body, and our body is putrefaction of our wit, and our wit is guide to our soul, and our soul is mother of our desires, and our desires are sleers of our youth, & our youth token of our age, and our age spy of our death, and death the house of our life, wherinto youth goeth on foot, and from age we can not flee on horse back. I would wite a thing of you: what find ye in this life? wherefore doth life content you after lxxx years of age? either ye have been good or ill: if ye have been good and virtuous, ye shall not rejoice you with ill God's: if ye have been ill▪ than as well desire death, to th'intent ye should be no more ill, or else justly ye might be slain by justice. For he that hath been ill till lx years of age, in him there is no hope of amendment. When the courageous great Pompeie, and Caius Cesar were enemies, and being in cruel civil battles, Rome was infamed, and themself lost. The annals show, that such as came in favour of julius Cesar, came out of the west, and the succours of Pompeie out of the east, among other there came certain people out of Barbary, dwelling among the mountains Riffees toward Ind: Their custom was, when they came to thage of l years, to make great fires, and burn themself quick in sacrifice to their God's, and the same day the parents and children would make great feasts, and eat of the flesh half brent, and drink wine with the ashes of the bones. This was seen with the eyes of Pompey, because that some accomplished the years of fifty in the camp. O golden world, wherein were such men. O happy people, that in all the worlds to come, hath left such a memory of them. They despised the world, and forgot themself. What strokes gave they to fortune? What delights for the flesh? and how little set they by their lives, and yet more, to set so small store by death? O what bridle was this for the vicious, and what hope for the virtuous, what confusion for them that loved this life, and what ensample, not to fear death, have they left us? And sith they despised their own proper life: it is then to be thought, that they died, not to th'intent to take other men's goods, to think that our life never shall have end, therefore our covetise never hath end. O glorious people, and ten M. times blessed, that left their sensuality, and vanquished their natural will, believe not that ye see, but give faith to that ye never saw, as they that see nothing go against the fatal destinies: who goeth against the way of fortune, give a wrynche to the life, rob the body at the death, win honour of the God's, not that they should length your life, but to take the rest of the life. Archagatus surgien, and Antonius the physician, and Esculapius the father of medicines, I think wan but little in that land. Who commanded these barbarians to take syrup in the morning, and to take pills at night, and to refresh them with milk, to take clear barley to anoint their livers, to day to be let blood, and to morrow to take a purgation, to eat one thing, and to abstain fro many things? Than me think, that they being of l year of age, and you of lxxx. at the least, should be equal with them in wisdom. And if ye will not take death in good worth, yet at the least, amend the ill life. I remember well of a long time, that Fabricius, our neighbour willed us, to beware of a mockery, the which if it be not broken, there shall follow great dysshonour. And sith he showed me so good a lesson, I will pay you with the same money. I will show it you, if ye poor aged folks do not know it: ye be such, that your eyes are bleared, your noses dropping, your hears white, your hearing dull, your tongue faltering, your teeth wagging, your face wrincled, your feet swollen, your shoulders crooked, and your stomach distempered, finally if the graves could speak, they might rightfully call for you to come, and inhabit in them. Of truth it is great compassion to behold young ignorance, that open their eyes, to know the infortunes of this life, when it is time to close them and to enter into the grave. And thereof cometh, that it is in vain to give counsel to vain young people. For youth is without experience of that it doth, & is suspect of that it heareth, & will not believe that is said, and dispraiseth other men's counsel, & is right poor of their own. And therefore I say Claudius and Claudyne, my friends, I find without comparison, none so ill an ignorance of goodness, that holdeth these young persons, as is the obstinacy of these aged persons in ill. The definition of ill, is a man not to know that he ought to know, yet it is worse to have the knowledge of wisdom, and to live like a brute beast. O ye old gouty people, ye forget yourself, and run in post after the life, and ye never regard what shall fall, till ye be such as ye would not, and without power to return back: & hereof cometh, that ye lack of life, ye will supply it with folly. Than awake ye that be slombringe, have no force to sleep, open your sleepy eyes, and accustom you to do well: Take that is needful for you: and finally appoint you betimes with death, or he make execution of your life. Lii. years I have known them of the world, yet I could never know none so old, nor so putrefied in their membres, but that their hearts were hole to think unhappiness, and their tongues hole to make lies. Take heed, ye poor old persons, me think sith summer is paste, ye haste forward with the time: and if ye tarry a small season, yet ye make haaste to take lodging. I mean, that though ye have passed the day in the see with peril, the night of death will take you at the port of health. Mocks do pass with mockings, and troth with truth: though I have seen you right young and hardy, now I see you very old: Though the knight pass his course, yet it is not his fault, if the horse be not well rained: but at the end of his course, he will trim his horse. Let not that beguile you, that of custom hath beguiled men: That is, ye shallbe as well esteemed thereby, as though ye had moche money. I believe ye follow divers, and yet they all have envy at you. But trust me, that at the end, honour is given to a young person poor and virtuous, rather than to an old person rich & vicious. The rich may have power to be more esteemed with poor people, and accompanied with rich and covetous: but the virtuous poor person, shall be better esteemed and less hated. What can be greater confusion to a person, or more shame to our mother Rome, than to see in divers places, the old people behave and appoint them, as young folk, as though they like the vine leaves did newly burgeon? What thing is it to see the old persons, now in our days, brayed and make fair their white hears, trim and comb their beards, wear straight shows, their hosen guarded, their shurtes frounced, their cloaks of scarlet, their bags enbrodred, their chains of gold about their necks, fringes of gold and silver about their apparel, ostrich feathers upon their hats like greeks, pearls and rings on their fingers like Indiens, their gowns long like flamine pristes, and finally worst of all, when death hath given them day, than they answer that newly they will serve a lady? O how many have I known in Rome, that were highly renowned in their youth, and after through wanton lightness they were but lost in their age: and worst of all, they lost their renown in their age, and the favour of their parents, and the profit of their children. Certainly Guagyn Caten of the ancient lineage of the caton's, was in Rome, a priest of the law .v. years, & provost iii years, and Censure ii years, & dictator one year, and Consul .v. times, & when he was passed the age of .lxv. years, than he began to serve Rosane daughter of Gneus Curcius, a lady right fair & young: and he doted so far in her love, that he spent all that he had to serve her, and would weep like a child when he saw her. It fortuned this lady fell sick of a fever, and she listed to eat new grapes, and it was in springe time, when there was none ripe as than in Rome. He sent for some to the field of Danubius, that was a. M. and .v. C. mile thence, and this was showed to the senate, and they ordained, that Rosana was closed in with the virgins vestales, and the old man was banished perpetually out of Rome, and his children lived in great poverty, and the father died infamed. I believe that ye have hard of this. There were divers that reputed for a great villainy the deed of the old lover, and praised the sentence of the senate. But I think if Guagin had had as many young persons in his banishment, as there were old amorous persons that took by him example, I think there should not be so many men lost, nor so many women so ill married. And therefore the best is, that such people, when they be warned by their servants, and reproved by their parents, and desired by their friends, that they make not excuse & say, how they be not amorous, but in mockery. When I was very young both of age & wit, on a night I met with a neighbour of mine nigh to the capitol, I was his nephew & son to his son, & said to him, My lord Fabricius ye are amorous thus and thus. He answered me, I do it but for pastime. Certainly I had marvel to meet him at that hour, and I was abashed of that answer that he gave me. In them that be sore aged and of sadness and gravity, such requests ought not to be called amours, but rather dolours, not a pastime, but a lost time, no mockery but a foolishness. For in love with mockery, followeth the troth of infamy. To the Claudius and Claudine, I demand of you old lovers, what is it to be polished and arrayed as ye be so gaily, but the brand of the tavern, where there is nothing but vinegar, fair eggs and nothing in them, guilt pills, and bitter in taste, an old bottle and a new stoppel, a hole wound rankled underneath, the figure of an ox to take partridges, a slipper way, where no foot is sure, and finally an old lover is as a knight decayed, that helpeth to lose money, and can help no man fro peril. Of troth the old lecherous lover is as a swine with a white heed and a green rail. Than me think ye that be my friends and neighbours, ye take no heed in breaking the wings out of season, when the feathers be gone: and yet ye beguile me not, to say that there is time enough. Believe me, that that may be done in the day, leave it not till the night of your age. For the blunt knife cutteth but ill with the edge, and he that is wont for to eat the flesh, can not eat the bones. Than let us come to the remedy, to redress this damage, that is, if that the house begin to fall, shore and stay it not with pieces of slender timber, but with straight pillars of the life, that we have to yield the God's, and to men by good fame. And if the vine of all our virtues, be ready to be gathered, at the least let us gather that is left us by understanding. And sith the waters of our rest, are wasted with our ill works, let us water them with new must of good desires, and than the good God's will be content with the services, that we ought to do, for the merits and rewards that they do to us, so that if we desire, to attain gold for our work, yet to pay us with the copper of our good desires. And finally, I say to you Claudius and Claudine, if ye have offered the flower of your youth to vices, offer now at this time, the bran of your age to the God's. I have written thus largely to you, as I think: and because ye shall not be taken as cowards, nor I for hardy, give no part of this letter to any person.  
¶ And I desire you to have me recommended unto all my neighbours in Rome, namely unto Drusine the honourable widow. I send to the two thousand sexters, thou shalt give a thousand of them to Gaurina the daughter to thy daughter, I send it to her for a pleasure, which she did me at a feast. Faustine my wife is very sick. Thou shalt give the other thousand to the vestal virgins, that they may pray for her unto the God's. Unto the Claudine, faustine my wife, sendeth a coffer, but by the God's I do not know what there is within it. Now that ye be aged, I beseech the God's to send you and me, and my wife, for to end the rest of our days in a good life. Mark your neighbour and friend hath written this with his own hand.   

A letter sent fro Mark th'emperor to Labinia a Roman widow, for to comfort her for the death of her husband. The vi letter.  
MArc of mount Celio, first Consul Roman, sent against the Daces, to the Labinia Romain lady, wife to my good friend Claudine, salute to thee, and consolation of the God's consolatours. I think well, thou hast suspect, that I have so little set by thee, sith in thy profound and grievous hurts, my consolation hath been sloutheful. But I remember thy nobleness, which can never fail: and my good will, the which hath never desired to serve the. I am in surety that thy great virtue should put away the suspect. For though I am the last to comfort thee, yet I am the first that feeleth thy dolours, and shall not be the last to remedy thy troubles. And in case that ignorance is the end of all virtues, esperance for all vices, as well sometime great pleasure taketh away rest from the wise folks, and sclandreth the innocentes: much better among us latins we find with ignorance of vices, more than the greeks do with the knowledge of virtues. If that we be ignorant, we have no pain to abide it, nor sorrow to take it. I say it because I have known, that I would not know, and that is, the travails are at an end of Claudine thy husband, and now beginneth the sorrow of Labinia. I have known it certain days, and would not discover it to thee, for it should have been cruelty. She that hath been in trouble so long a space with absence, that I should have given knowledge of the death of such an entirely desired husband: and it had been no reason, that she of whom I have received so many good dediss, should have of me so ill news. And sith the hour that I knew, that ye wist thereof, my pain hath been double. I feel his death, and now I feel in his death my solitariness, and thy desolation. Thou haste reason to weep, not for that he is with the God's in rest, but for us miserable persons, living in the power of so many ills, therefore we should not cease to take pain and sorrow. O Labinia, oftentimes I have thought, for what thing I might first weep, for the ill that liveth, or for the good that dieth. For as moche hurteth the ill that is found, as the good that is lost. It is great pain to see these innocentes die, and surely it is no less pain to see the malicious people live. But of that that necessity must needs come, when it cometh we ought not to slander it. Show me Labinia, dost thou not know of how good conversation the gods be, to whom we hope to go, and how ill the men be, with whom we are conversant, that as the ill are borne to die, in like wise the good dieth to live? For a good man always liveth in dying, and the ill always dieth in living. And than sith the God's have caused him to come to them, it is no great thing that they have taken fro the. I am in certain, thy desired husban Claudyn, and my true friend, seeing where he is, and remembering what he hath scaped, had rather to be still there as he is, than to return again to the. Of troth the remedies for widows is not to think of any company passed, nor of the solitariness present, but to think of the rest that they hope to come to. If hither unto thou hast been in pain, abiding in thy house, now rejoice the because he abideth for the in his, for thou shalt be moche better entreated among the God's, than here among men: nor consent not to think, that thou haste lost him all only. For sith we all rejoiced of his life, we are than bound to weep for his death. The greatest sorrow to a sick heart among all other sorrows▪ is to see other rejoice, at his dolours: and contrary wise, the greatest ease among all griefs of fortune, is to see that other feeleth their sorrow. All that my friend weepeth for me with his eyes, and all that he feeleth of my sorrow, dischargeth somewhat mine inward pain. The books in the time of August the emperor showeth, how as he was near to the river of Danubius, he found a manner of people, having this custom: The same hour when a husband taketh a wife, or a lover, they would swear by their God's, never to weep nor sorrow for any manner of infortune, but to forget their own proper troubles, and to die to remedy their lover, & so in likewise each to do with other. O glorious world, O right happy age, O people of eternal memory, wherein the men were so humble, and their lovers so true, that would forget their own sorrow, and weep for others. O Rome being Rome, O time ill spent, O life ill applied, O small thought reckless in these days, the hearts present separate from wealth, and assured without remedy in evil, that men forgetting that they be men, turn themself to be beasts? I desire to give the life, & thou diest to take away my life: Thou weepest to see me laugh, and I laugh to see the weep. And thus without profit of any of us we lose, and we rejoice in losing of ourself. By the law of an honest man I swear to the Labynia, if thy remedy lay in my hands, as thy sorrow doth at my heart, thy pytiefulle weepings should not hurt me, nor thy heavy and woeful solitarynes of thy husband: but sith thy remedy and my desire can not be accomplished, and that with death, nor with them that be deed we have no power: than remit it into the hands of the God's, who can much better deliver us than we can choose. We see by experience natural, that some sickness is healed by words, that be said to us, and some by words that be laid to us, and some with words do leave other medicines. I say this, because the hearts that be in pain make a see of thoughts, sometime comforted with benefits done to the person, more than with words spoken in their ears: an other time the sorrowful heart is more comforted with words of a friend, than with all other services of the world. O how sorrowful am I, for in all these am I faulty, considering the highness of the honourable lady roman, and the small ability of me Marc of mount Celio? I see myself so unable to comfort thee, and to remedy the I lack substance, I have made the a sore wound, the which would be taken in worth. I will not pay the with ink and paper, that which I may do with my person: for he that giveth counsel with words, may remedy with works, if he show himself a friend in time passed not taken in suspect to be an enemy in time to come. If thou hast reputed me hitherto for thy neighbour and parent to thy husband, I pray the now to take me for thy husband in love, and for thy father in counsel, and for son in service, and for advocate in the Senate, in such manner that I hope thou shalt say, all that I have lost in many, I have found in Mark alone. And because that in grievous conflicts, where as craft and subtlety is forgotten, the understanding is altered, and the reason withdrawn, than there is as much necessity of good counsel as of a mean remedy. Claudyne now deed was my friend, and I Marc alive am his, and also by thy deserving thou mayst command me what thou wilt: and for the love that I have to thee, thou mayst desire of me any thing needful. I pray the eschew the extremity of the Roman widows. For in all extremities lieth the vice, for all such wearieth themself, and annoyeth the God's, and lose them that be alive, & do no profit to them that be deed, but give suspection to them that be ill, as did Fulvia wife to noble Marc Mercello, she seeing her husband buried in the field of Mars, scratched her visage, & tore her here, & broke her teeth, & at every pace swooned, & two senators held her by the arms, because she should not hurt herself. Than said flavius Censurius, let her alone, for this day she will follow the journey of widows, & so it was, for while that the bones of Marcello were a brenning, she was intreting to marry an other husband, & yet more to be noted, one of the senators that led her, gave her his hand, as one Roman to an other by perpetual marriage. This case was so foul, & taken of every man for a great villainy, & all the Romans there present were abashed, & were in suspect never after to believe widow in Rome. I say not this Labinia, because thou wilt do so: for by the god Mars I swear, the heart of Marc hath of the no such suspect, nor thy great age will not suffer it, nor the authority of so sad a matron will demand it. I require the right heartily, forget not the honesty that ought to be in a roman woman, nor retreat that is requisite in a widow. For if thou be a widow of solitariness, that thou feelest by him that is deed, than comfort the of the reputation that is holden of the by them that be living. I will say no more to the at this time but that thy renome may be such with all men, to cast such a bridal upon them that be ill, to cause them to be still, and to them that be good to give them spurs to serve the. And if ye will thus do, take no thought for any business that ye have in the senate. My wife Faustyn greeteth thee, and oftentimes weepeth for this misadventure. I send the money to pay thy creditors. The God's that have given rest to Claudine thy husband, give comfort and consolation to Labinia his wife. Marc of mount Celio hath written this with his own hand.   

¶ A letter sent by Marc th'emperor to Cyncinatus his friend, because he being a gentleman became a merchant. The vii letter.  
MArc Edilis Censure, to the Cincinatus of Capue send salutation for thy person, force and virtue against sinister fortune. Sith the feast Berescinte, mother of the God's, I have seen no servant of thy house, nor letter of thy hand, that I have red, the which putteth me in great suspection of thy health, and that thou art in some peril, or else thou dispraysest our amity. discharging not thyself with so little thought, nor forget us not with so great recklessness: for thy travail can not be so moche in writing, as it should be consolation to me to read thy letters, and if thy hand wax stowe from travail of writing, yet enforce mine heart for mine ease, wherein is semblant of true friends. In that I will put the fro annoyance, and thou to do me pleasure: thou knowest well the small distance that is between Capue and mount Celio, was not the cause of our friendship, but the space hens to Illirico should not cause us to be strangers. The delicate wines sent out of their own country to strangers take the greater might: and the further that the persons of true friends be separate, the sooner they ought to unite & join together their minds. Show me I pray the Cyncinate, sith thou hast ever found me true, why hast thou any suspect of my desire? The green leus outward showeth, that the tree is not dry inward: and the good works openly notifieth the inward heart secretly. Where it is not perfit, there is always breaking and failing in service: for he that perfitly loveth, perpetually and faithfully serveth. And I am as much astonished of thy sloth, in demanding somewhat of me, as of thy couwardyse to write. I will confess to the one truth, if thou hadst as much hardiness as will and thought of the small effect of my letter might satisfy to the greatness of thine understanding, it should abide than for ill done, but not for short, as he that throweth his spear. In time passed when I was young, and thou old, thou in thy counsels, & I which my money each gave to other: but at this hour, that thy heed is white, men reckon the to be old, & yet thy works accuse the to be young. Reason is that I secure thy poverty with money, & to remedy thy lightness with council. For the good will that I have to thee, and for the law of amity that I own to thee, I will advertise the as a virtuous man ought to do, and that is to remember the benefits that he hath received, and to forget the injuries done to him: esteem moche his own small power, and hold the greatness of other at nothing: favour the good, and dissimule with the evil: be great with the greatest, and communicable with your inferiors: presently do good deeds, and also of them that be absent speak good words: The grievous losses of fortune, hold them in small estimation, and the small loss of honour, hold that in great estimation, for one thing adventure not money, and for divers doubtful adventure not a certainty: and finally be friend to one and enemy to none. These things ought he to have, that among good will be accounted good. I know well thou hast left to be praetor of the war, and now thou haste set thyself by land and by see to use merchandise. Thou makest me sore abashed, to conquer thine enemies as a roman, and now to take on thee, the office, to persecute thy friends as a tyrant. wilt thou do ill to thy neighbours, and leave the strangers? Wilt thou take away the living fro him that giveth us living, & take away the death fro him that taketh away our life? wilt thou to them that be movers and strangers give moderation, & fro them that be sober take away their rest? Thou wilt give to them that take away fro us, and take fro them that give us: deliver them that be condemned, and condemn innocentes. Thou wilt be tyrant to the common wealth, and not defender of thy country. Than scythe to all this he adventureth him that leaveth deeds of arms, and becometh a merchant: I study sore what hath moved the to leave chivalry, wherein thou haste had great honour, and now to take on the an office, whereby followeth so moche shame and rebuke. Surely I think in the none other excuse, but that thou art old, and canst not climb the mountains, and now thou sittest still, and robbest the plains. To old men old malady, when outward force faileth them, than forthwith they arm them with malice inward. I say it by the sore covetous persons as thou act now. One thing I will say, thou haste taken an office, whereby all thy fellows have rob in divers days, thou shalt give account thereof in one hour, ye and after the time shall come, that thou shalt lose all in a moment. For the God's permit, that one shall be a chastisement of divers, and long time chastiseth all. How is it my friend Cyncinate, that in the house of thy father Cyncinate were spears, and not writings hanging? I have seen his hall full of armure, & not of farthels: and portal and gates full of knights, & not marchantis. Certainly there have I seen the school of nobleness, and not as it is now the den of thieves. O Cincinate, cursed be so vilayn an office, the merchants live poorly to die rich: & let us say again, cursed be it, because the covetise of one that is ill, would be accomplished to the prejudice of many that be good. I will not hurt the by thy predecessors, but I will advertise the of thy misery and of thy successors. If thou thinkest, that thy virtue should hold to the end of the world, as the world holdeth to thee, as it seemeth by thy white hears, hold me excused of the travail in persuading the to hear me. How be it, it is reason, that the gate of so great a cause be knocked at with the hammer of some warning, & to bring it to good reason, of necessity it must pass the mill: and to make clear the understanding from time to time, of very need there requireth counsel. divers times wise men fail, because they would fail, but if the things be of such quality, that wisdom sufficeth not to assure them, than it is needful, that his will be untied, and his understanding dissolved, and his own proper opinion void, & than incontinent to take a thread to the advise of an other. Take good heed Cincinate, where as the foundations be not well edified, the buildings are in peril. The dungeon of this world, wherein the children of vanity do abide, is founded on the sand. For let it be never so sumptuous, yet a little blast of wind will cause it to shake, and a little heat of prosperity will open it, and a little rain of adversity will divide it, and within a short while or space, when we least take heed, it will fall all flat on the earth. If the pillars be of silver, and benches of gold, and though the benchers be kings, and continue a thousand year, and rule into the entrails of the earth: yet they can find no steadfast rock nor mountain, wherein to close the goods of their predecessors, and their estates perpetual. The God's immortal have made all things communicable to men mortal, except immortality: and therefore they be called immortal, because they never die, & we be called mortal and failing, because we all take an end. How strong so ever the walls be, yet great age causeth it to fall to ruin. Two things seemeth to be free, the which fortune can not set aback, nor the time cause to be forgotten, & they be these: The good or ill renown among men, and the pain or reward that they that be good or ill have of the God's. O my friend Cyncinate, thus achieveth the persons, but the God's never. What green or ripe or rotten holdeth any season the fruit of the tree flowered? I esteem it nothing, because it must die by nature. How be it divers times in leaves and flowers we bear the frost of some malady, or the blast of some envious mishap. Long is the web in making: but it that is made in many days, is cut asunder in a moment: Semblably it is a piteous thing to see a man die with so great travail, and to be set in the state of honour, and afterward we, regarding neither the one nor the other, and yet we see it perish. And without any memory of any thing abiding. O my friend Cyncinate, for the love between us I pray thee, and by the immortal God's I conjure thee, believe not the world, the which under the colour of a little gold, hideth moche filthiness: and under colour of truth changeth us into a. M. lies: and for a short delight giveth us a. M. displeasures. To them whom it showeth most love, it beguileth with greatest trumperies: to whom the world giveth most goods, it procureth most damages: to them that serveth it with mockeries, it rewardeth with true recompenses: and to them that love it truly, it giveth them goods of mockeries: finally when we sleep most surest, it waketh us with great peril. What wilt thou say than of the world, show me? One thing I will tell thee, and me think thou shouldst not forget it: and that is, we ought not to believe the vain vanities that we see with our eyes, rather than the great marvels that we here with our ears. One thing I have regarded, and by long experience I have known it, that but a few houses painted nor stalls raised up, we have seen in Rome: but of a small time they take no thought for the walls, but they have cruel enmities with their neighbours, and great annoy of their heirs, and importunate shame of their friends, and double malice of their enemies, and envious profit in the senate, & sometime to put a governor out of possession, they set four in honour: and finally all that with great thought have be gathered for their child, whom they love well with great rest, sometime an other heir enjoyeth it, of whom they think least. It is a just sentence, that such as beguile divers with ill deeds in their life, should be beguiled of their vain thoughts at their death. Cruel should the God's be, and right grievous for men to suffer, that the ill that hath gathered for one heir in the prejudice of divers that be good, should enjoy it many years. Me think it should be a sovereign folly to be borne weeping, to die sighing, and to live laughing. The rule to govern all parts ought to be equal. O Cincinate, who hath beguiled thee, that for a pot full of water, thou haste need of a great laake of this world to pass this wretched life? Wilt thou flay away the skin of thy hands with the cord of thoughts, break thy body in battle with great travail, and adventure thine honour for one pot of water? What wilt thou more that I should say? but that to fell a pot of thy goods thou wilt suffer a. M. perils. And in the vile excercising of thy merchandise, thou doubtest not for losing of thy credence. And finally I swear to thee, thou shalt abide deed for thirst, as though there were no water in the fields. If thou wilt do by my counsel, desire death of the God's, to rest the as an aged wise man: and demand not richesse to live ill as a young fool. I have sore wept for many, that I have seen in Rome departed out of this world, and for the I have wept drops of blood, to see the return newly & vilely to the world. My amity and the credit of the senate, the blood of thy predecessors, the authority of thy person, and the honour of the country ought to refrain thy covetousness. Oh friend, thy white hears showeth honour and wisdom, the which should exercise and be occupied in noble deeds. Regard, It availeth more to follow reason by the ways of them that be good, than the common opinion, which is the large way of them that be ill. For though the one be straight for the feet, it raiseth no dust for to blind the eyes, as the other doth, to light young persons, the which procure lightness, ignorance excuseth them: but the disordinate covetise of the old persons, causeth them to occupy their life with travail, and to take death with great annoyance, and in the one as well as in the other abideth great infamy. O Cyncinate, take this counsel of a friend: Charge not thyself with taking of these vain goods, sith thou haste so small a vessel of thy life. For such as thou art, we see consume, and waste, and not to quicken. Put no trust in friends in the present prosperity, for it is a prognostication of an evil fortune. And sith thou art in a hazard like a fool, me think thou oughtest to descend a foot like a sage person. And thus every man will say, how Cincinate is descended, and not fallen. I will say no more, but the God's be thy safeguard, and defend both the and me from gylefulle fortune. My wife faustine saluteth thee, and she is withdrawn from me, because I wrote this letter to thee, and hath conjured me to write this word to thee, that is, she saith thou oughtest to have wit when thy neck is full of hear, and I think thou oughtest in continente to take a barber & shave away the hear, that thy wit may come forth. I would thy covetise should forsake thee, and folly Faustin, and the gout me, and the sooner our souls may depart fro our flesh, than guile should remain in our hearts. Marc of mount Celio writeth this with his hand.   

¶ A letter sent fro Marc the emperor to Catulus censorious, that was sorrowful for the death of his son Verissimus The viii letter.  
MArc censor new and young, salute and reverence to the Catulus censorius old and ancient. I have written two letters to thee, & thou haste made answer to none of them. If it be because thou couldst not, I hold my peace: If it be because thou wouldest not, than I complain me: If it be for forgetfulness, than I accuse thee: If it be because thou settest little by me, than I appeal thee: If thou haste dreamt, that thou haste written, I say believe not in dreams: And if thou wilt not it should veil to glorify me as a friend, yet thou mightest take it writ in advertising & reproving as the father to the son. Young virtuous persons are bound to honour ancient wise men, & no less old wise men ought to endoctrine the young people and very young, as I am. A just thing it is, that the new forces of youth supply & serve them that are worn by age. For their long experience mocketh our tender age & natural ignorance. youth is ill applied, when it surmonteth the force of the body, & faileth the virtues of the soul: & age is honoured, wherein the force dieth outward, whereby virtues quickeneth the more inward. we may see the tree when the fruit is gathered the leaves fall, and when flowers dry, than more green and perfit are the roots. I mean that when the first season of youth is passed, which is the Summer time, than cometh age called winter, and putrefieth the fruit of the flesh, and the leaves of favour fall, and the flowers of delight are wyddered, and the wines of hope dried outward, than it is right, that much better the roots of good works within be good. They that be old and ancient aught to praise their good works rather than their white hears. For honour aught to be given for the good life, and not for the white head. Glorious is that common wealth, and fortunate is that prince, that is lord of young men to travail, and ancient persons to counsel. As to regard the sustaining of the naturality of the life, in likewise aught to be considered the policy of governance, the which is that all the fruits come nor dry not all at ones, but when one beginneth an other faileth. And in this manner ye that be ancient teaching us, and we obedient, as old fathers and young pullets, being in the nest of the senate: Of some their feathers falling, and other young feathered: and where as the old fathers can not fly, their travails are maintained by their tender children. Friend Catulus, I purposed not to write one line this year, because my pen was troubled with thy sloth: but the smallenesse of my spirit, and the great peril of mine offices always called on me to demand thy counsel. This privilege the old wise men hold in their houses where they dwell: They are always lords over them that be simple, and are slaves to them that be wise. I think thou haste forgotten me, thinking that sith the death of my dear son Verissimus, the time hath been so long, that I should forget it. Thou hast occasion to think so, for many things runneth in time, that reason can not help. But in this case I can not tell which is the greatest, thy trumpery or my dolour. I swear to the by the God's immortal, that the hungry worms in the entrails of the unhappy child, are not so puisante, as are the cruel dolours in the heart of the father sore wounded. And it is no comparison, for the son is dead but one time▪ & the heavy father dieth every moment. What wilt thou more that I should say? but that one ought to have envy of his death, & compassion of my life, because in dying he liveth, & in living I die. In ill fortunes in case of life, & in the subtle adversities of fortune, where as her guiles profiteth but little, and her strength less, I think the best remedy is to feel it as a man, and dissimule it as discrete and wise. If all things as they be felt at heart should be showed outward with the tongue, I think that the winds should break the heart with sighings, and water all the earth with weeping. O if the corporal eyes saw the hurt of the heart with a true wound, I swear to thee, there they should see more of a drop of blood sweeting within, than all the weeping that is made out ward. There is no comparison of the great dolours of the body, to the least pain that the spirit feeleth. For all travail of the body, men may find some remedy, but if the heavy heart speak, it is not hard: if it weep, it is not seen: if it complain it is not believed. What shall the poor heart do? Abhor the life, wherewith it dieth: and desire death, wherewith it liveth. The high virtues among noble virtuous people consisteth not all only to suffer the passions of the body, but also to dissimule them of the soul. They be such that altar the humours, and show it not outward: They bring a fever without altering the of poulce: They altar the stomach: They make us to kneel to the earth, to suffer the water up to the mouth, & to take death with out leaving of the life: And finally they length our life, to th'intent that we should have the more travail, and denieth us our sepulture to th'intent that we should not rest us. But considering. If I be troubled with tribulations, as well am I let with consolations. For ever I have either desire of the one, or weariness of the other. I take this remedy to dissimule with the tongue, and to weep with the eyes▪ and to ●ele it with my heart. I pass my life, as he that hopeth to lose all that he hath, and never to recover that is lost. I say this▪ though ye see me not now make funeral weepings and wailings, as I did at the death of my son, yet think not but it doth burn my heart, so that with the inward great heat is consumed the humyditie of the eyes outward, for it brenneth all my spirits inward. Thou mayst know what an honourable father suffereth to lose a good child: In all things the gods be liberal, except in giving us virtuous children. Where there is abundance of great estates, there is greatest scarcity of good inheritors. It is a great hurt to here, and greater to see, how these father's clime to have riches, and to see their children descend to have vycyousenes: To see the father's honour their children, and the children to infame their fathers: yea and the fathers to give rest to their children, and the children to give trouble to their old fathers: yea and sometime the father's die for sorrow that their children die so soon, and we see the children weep because their father's die so late. What should I say more, but that the honour and riches that the fathers have procured with great thought, the children lose with little care. I am certain of one thing, that the fathers may gather riches with strength and craft, to sustain their children, but the God's will not have durable that that is begun with evil intention, and is founded to the prejudice of other, and is possessed with an evil heir. And though the heavy destinies of the father permit, that the riches be left to their children to serve them in all their vices for their pastime, at last according to their merits, the God's will that the heir & heritage should perish. Mark what I say, I had two sons, Comode & the prince Verissimus, the younger is dead, that was greatest in virtue. Always I imagined, that while the good lived, I should be poor: & now that the ill remaineth, I think to be rich. I shall show the why, the God's are so pitiful, that to a poor father they never give ill child: & to a rich father they never give a good child. And as in all prosperity always there falleth some sinister fortune, either soon or late, so therewith fortune doth arm & apparel us, wherein she seeth we shall fall to our greatest hurt. And therefore the God's permit, that the covetous fathers in gathering with great travail should die with that hurt, to leave their riches to their vicious children ill implied. I weep as much for my child that the God's have left me, as for him that they have taken fro me. For the small estimation of him that liveth maketh immortal memory of him that is deed. The ill rest & conversation of them that live, cause us to sigh for the company of them that be deed. The ill is alway desired for his illness to be deed, & the good always meriteth to have his death bewailed. I say my friend Catulus, I thought to have lost my wit, when I saw my son Verissime die: but I took comfort again: for either he of me, or I of him must see the end. Considering that the God's did but lend him to me & gave him not, & how they be inheritors, & I to have the use of the fruit. For all thing is measured by the just will of the gods, & not by our disordinate wills & appetites. I think when they took away from me my child, I restored him to an other, & not that they have taken mine. But sith it is the will of the God's to give rest to the good child, and hurt the father because he is ill, I yield thanks to them: for the season that they have suffered me to enjoy his life: And for the patience that I have taken for his death, I desire them to mitigate therewith the chastisement of their ire. And I desire, sith they have taken away the life from this child, to cause good customs to be in the prince mine other son. I know what heaviness thou haste take in Rome for my sorrow. I pray to the God's to send the joy of thy children, and that I may reward the with some toy, for that thou haste wept for my pain. My wife Faustine saluteth thee: and thou wouldest have compassion to see her: For she weepeth with her eyes, and sigheth with her heart, and with her hands hurteth herself, and curseth with her tongue. She eateth nothing on the day, nor sleepeth in the night. She loveth darkness, and abhorreth light, and thereof I have no marvel: for it is reason, that for that was nourished in her entrails, she should feel sorrow in the same. And the love of the mother is so strong, though her child be deed and laid in sepulture, yet always she hath him quick in her heart. It is a general rule, that the person that is entirely beloved, causeth ever great grief at the death. And as for me I pass the life right sorrowfully: though I show a joyful face, yet I want mirth at my heart. And among wise men being sorowfulle, and she wing their faces merry, is none other thing but burienge the quick, having no sepulture. And I swear by the God's immortal, I feel much more than I have said. And divers times me think I should fall down, because I dare not weep with mine eyes, yet I feel it inwardly. I would fain common with the in divers things. Come I pray the to Bryette, to th'intent that we may speak together. And sith it hath pleased the God's to take my child fro me, that I loved so well, I would counsel with thee, that art my loving friend. But few days passed, there came hither an ambassador fro the Rhodes, to whom I gave the most part of my horses: and fro the farthest part of Spain, there were brought me viii of which I send the four I would they were such, as might please the. The God's be thy safeguard, and send me, and my wife some joy. Marcus Aurelius right sorrowful, hath written this with his own hand.   

¶ A letter sent by Marc the emperor, to Marcurino being at Sanny, now called Benauente. The ix letter.  
MY special friend and ancient companion, a messenger of thine, and a lackey of mine, went out together at Capue, the one bare my desire and affection to thee, and the other brought a letter to me. And if thou look well, thou mayst see my heart as full of thoughts, as I see thy letter full of complaints. Thou dost send to comfort me in my fever tertian, I thank the greatly thereof, and it is come in a good season. For the going of the fever out of my poulse, and the joy of thy letter to my spirit, is all one. And surely if this case be left in my hand, and that my fever return not, than thy consolation shall serve. Lo behold the misery of man, that presumeth to take away realms from other, and yet can not take the fever out of my bones. Thou knowest well, that we love together, and of a long season thine amity hath trusted in me. My truth bindeth me, that thine ills should be mine, and my goods thine. And there is true love, where be two bodies separate, and but one heart together. And there is but a bitter love, where the hearts be as far asunder, as the strangeness of their persons. Take heed I pray thee, that our love be not invenimed with unkindness, nor our remembrance enpoisoned with small thoughts, and I being an other than thou art here, & thou being an other than I am there, in manner that mine absence with thy presence, and my presence with thy absence, may speak together. Thy messenger hath showed me the loss of thy goods, and by thy letter, I know the anguish of thy person. And it hath been showed me, that thou haste had a ship perished, and that thy factors, like wise men, to save their persons, did throw thy merchandise in to the see. Me think, thy ship hath eased the of thy charge. But I think, as it seemeth by thee, they threw not so many farthels into the see, as thought is into thy heart. And according as thou were before, I should be more bound to search for thy lead and tin, than for thy heart. Thy lead is sunken to the bottom, but thy counsel is spread abroad over all the world. If thou shouldst now die, and thy body be opened, of truth I think, that thy heart should be rather found drowned with thy lead, than alive with thy body. O Mercurius, atte this hour thou feelest no malady of any fever tertian, as I do, for the heart of thy body, and the dolour of thy spirit, causeth the to have a quartan. And this evil is not in the body, but in the ship, not on the earth, but in the see: not with physicians, but philosophers. I counsel the to seek health: For there thy life is drowned, where thy lead is sunken. Be not angry, for though thou haste not thy lead with thee, thy lead hath the with it. Oft times avarice seeketh out the avaricious, and sometime the avaricious seek avarice. I●●● showed me, thou art sorry, because thy damage can have no remedy: and dost thou not know, that where no remedy is, thou oughtest to take patience? O Mercurius, now thou knowest, that when thou didst adventure thy goods to the suspicious rocks, & thy desires to the deep waves of the see, and thy courageous avarice, to the importunate winds, and thy lead to strange waters, and as joyous, and desirous as thy factors went forth, in trust of winning, as much now thou art sure of the loss: and thus is thy desire drowned, and thy hope scaped. Dost thou not remember, that Socrates, casting into the see, not lead, but gold, not a little, but a great deal, not goods of other men's, but of his own, not by fortune, but by his wisdom, said, I will drown these guileful richesses, to th'intent that they shall not drown me? But I think, if a man should see the do so, he should here the say: O my sweet richesses, I had rather drown myself, than other should drown you? This ancient wise man durst not trust in gold, and thou wilt trust on lead: cast lots among your God's, he of Athenes, and thou of Rome, which of you hath most failed, or else is most assured? he, that cast his gold from the earth, in to these, or elles thou that wouldest bring thy lead out of these upon the earth? I know, that the ancient Romans will say, it is he, and the present covetous folk will say, it is thyself. and I think, in this thou art dispraised in the praise thereof, and the dispraised is allowed of all men. Thy messenger told me, that thou were right sorry and heavy, and criest out in the night, calling on the gods, and wakest thy neighbours, complaining on fortune. I am sore disposed for thy heaviness, because sorrow is next friend to thy solitariness, and enemy to company, and heir of desperation. I am sorry for thy cryings in the night: for it induseth folly. For the night, covering all the world with darkness, thou alone wilt discover thy heart with crienges. I am not pleased, that thou complainest upon the gods, because they have taken some thing fro thee: because thou that were aloft, they have brought lower: Nor I am not pleased, that thou awakest thy neighbours for thy riches, that caused them to envy thee: thy patience should move them to compassion. Nor I am not content, that thou shouldest so complain on fortune: for the thing so well known of many, should not be infamed by one alone. O Mercurius remember, that with them, with whom truce is taken, thou wilt enter again into the field of defiance. We unbend, and thou wilt spend thy spears. Thou never camest into the field, and yet thou wouldst enjoy the triumph. All be stopped, and thou wouldest pass surely. Thou yieldest thyself to fortune, and dost thou not know, how she beateth down the high walls, and defendeth the old rotten houses, and peopleth where there lacketh people, and unpeopleth where as people be? Of enemies she maketh friends, and of friends enemies, and despoileth the vanquishers, and crowneh them that be overcome. Of traitors, she maketh true men, and true men she maketh suspect persons. And finally, fortune is such a mistress, that she ruleth realms, overcometh armies, beateth down kings, exalteth tyrants, to the deed she giveth life, and to some renown, and to some shame. Why styckest thou to her? Dost thou not remember the word, that the king of the lacedemonians had at his gate, saying, This house is at the putting down of fortune. In good sooth these were high words, and of great understanding, he knew fortune much better than thou, sith he reckoneth his house at fortune's disposition, and not for inheritance. And if he had lost any thing, as thou haste done, he thought, that she restored it to other as theirs, and had not taken his. Reason holdeth confidence, to argue thy treason, by that she deposeth the fro thy height, to be an heriter: for he that liveth, heryteth death, and not death the life, for all dieth, and it heryteth all in their life. Wilt thou take vengeance, of that hath given the so much pein? Therefore take this council: be friend to fortune's enemy, the which is the grave: Over them that be borne, and not over them that die, is her empire. O how many great lords have been the thoughts of thy heart, so as many worms shall be in thine entrails? What greater victory may be, than she that overcometh all livers, shall be vanquished of the alonely by death. I say one thing to thee, that all only he that is closed in his grave, is assured of all things of this life. Thy messenger showed me, that this summer thou wouldest come to Rome, and now that it is winter, thou wilt sail into alexandria. O, my friend Mercurio, when thy life draweth to an end, thou beginnest to be avaricious. Thou shalt find two cities in this world, in two extremytes, Rome the heed of vice, and Alexaundry the end of all virtues. I say of thy merchandise, in Rome thou dost charge thy body with vices, and in Alexaundrye thy heart with thoughts. I swear by the oath of a just man, that thou shalt have more desire, of that thou leavest, than contentation of that thou bearest away. Thou remember'st not, how it is winter, and thou must pass the see, & but if the pylotes lie to me, the calm season most sure, is the vigil of the more unfortune. Thou wilt say, thy ships be void, and therefore they shall go more surely. I believe they shall go more charged with avarice, than they shall come with silk. O what a good change shall it be, if the avarice of Italy might be changed for silk of Alexandry. I know surely their silk will lad a ship, and our avarice will lad a hole fleet. Great is that covetise, which the shame of the world doth not reprove, nor the fear of death stop, nor reason appoint. I say it, because that he, which in such a time offereth himself to peril, either covetise surmounteth him, or else understanding faileth him. And because I can find none other excuse sufficient to excuse me to thee, but that thou art as much known by the see, as unknown to the God's, that is, the unstable waves know the wicked heart and unrestefull, and the hard rocks unruly men: and one wind knoweth an other wind. I pray the show me, what thou wilt go search? Wilt thou go into the gulf of Arpino for to seek thy lead? Than take heed, and think, how the fish hath eaten thy hard lead, and let them not eat thy soft flesh. Thou wilt peradventure go seek thy goods with peril of thy life, and to leave renown at thy death. Knowest thou not, that such renown, is a salve for a rheum, a balm for a swooning, light to a blind person, a nightingale to the deaf? I will discover the enbushment, ere thou fall therein. Thou sekeste thought for thyself, envy for thy neighbours, spurs for thine enemies, waking for thieves, peril for thy body, damnation for thy renome, the ending of they life, flight for thy friends, process for thy children, and cursing for thine heirs. And because the fever hasteth toward me, I leave my pen to write any more. My wife Faustine saluteth thee, and is sore displeased for thy loss. I send the a provision, to the intent that a ship may be given thee, because thou shouldest not lose thy wit. If thou be in Alexandrie, return not by Rhodes, least the Pirates take the. The God's be thy safeguard, and send me and other good life, and good name with strangers.   

¶ A letter sent by Marc the emperor to Antigonus, comforting him in a sorrowful case. ¶ The tenth letter.  
Mark praetor Roman, Aedile, Censorine, companion of the empire, to the Antigonus banished, sendeth greeting to thy part, and good hope of the senate. To me being in Champain, thy heavy case was showed, and at this hour in the temple of jupiter was thy pitiful letter delivered to me. I feel as much as thou feleste, and am hurt with as many wounds. As thou art separate fro thy neighbours, so in likewise I am banished from my wits: and I weep at this hour for thee, as thou in my travails haste wept for me: and now I feel for thee, as thou haste felt for me. For to friends afflicted with sorrow, we ought to give remedy to their persons, and consolation and compassion to their hearts. I swear to the by the law of good men, in this case I have not been uncourteys of ancient time, nor cruel at this time, to feel it. As I red the lines of thy letter, I could not hold my hands from shaking, nor my heart from sighing, nor mine eyen fro weeping, to see the small thing that thou sendest to demand, and much more for lack of power to send to the. The greatest infortune of all infortunes, is when a man may do little, and would do moche. And the greatest fortune of all fortunes is, when a man may do moche, and will do but little. In this I will see, if thou hast forgotten our amity, and adventurest at one time, that I have trusted in the divers times. Thou knowest well, that in the young days of my youth, all things were discharged fro my heart, and charged them to thine understanding. Than it is a just thing, that thy travails should be discharged fro thy will, and charged upon my heart. And in this manner, thou and other, shall see and here, that my hands shallbe as ready to remedy thee, as my tears of weeping are for thy damage. Now come to the rest of evil fortune. Thou givest me knowledge, that the God's have taken a daughter fro thee: And the monstrous erthequake hath thrown down thy house, and the senate hath given a sentence against thee, whereby thy goods are lost, and thy person banished. The God's be to me as propyce and meek, as they have been cruel to the. I am sore abashed, of that my spirit hath conceived in this, as of the loss, that thou & thy wife have felt: yet am I not abashed of the monster, that feareth the people, nor of the trembling, that hath shaken down thy houses, nor of the fire, that hath brent thy goods, nor of the God's that have permitted such things to fall: But I am abashed, that there is so moche malice in thee, and in thy neighbours: For the which justly ye do deserve to have so horrible and cruel chastysementes. Believe me in one thing Antigonus, and doubt it not, if men lived like men, and changed not the rule of conditours, the God's would then be always as God's, not to cause us to be borne of our mothers, to give us so cruel chastisements by the hand of monstrous beasts. Certainly it is just and most just, that brute beasts be chastised by other brute beasts, and the monstruous, by other monstruous beasts: and such as offend with great faults, to be punished with great pains. I say to the one thing, the which seemeth a new thing to thee, and that is this, the evil persons offend more by infamy, than the God's give them pain for it, rather than for the offence that is committed against them. As the God's naturally be pitiful, and alway have the name thereof, so we are always evil, and our evilness and shameful works deserve to have sore chastisement. The simple folks call the God's cruel, in that they see their chastisement openly, and for they see not our secret illness. Than the God's have reason to complain, because we with our sins offend them, and they by our cruelness are infamed. An ineffable rule it is, that the pitiful God's do not punish extremely with extreme chastysementes, sith that first the vicious men do extremely with extreme vices. The time that Camillus was banished Capue, and that the french men possessed Rome, Lucius Clarus consul was sent by the senate to the oracle of Apollo, to demand counsel, what the Roman people should do to be delivered out of their great peril. And there this consul was xl. days within the temple on his knees before Apollo, offering right strange sacrifices, and shed many tears with weeping, and yet he could have none answer: and so with no small inconveniences he returned to Rome. Than the holy senate sent out of every temple two priests, and when they were prostrate on the earth, Apollo said: As one beginning is correspondent to another beginning, and one place to another, marvel thou not, though by the reason of an extreme demand, I showed myself extreme to answer. Ye Romans sith ye fail men, ye come to seek to the God's, for the occasion whereof we will give you no good counsel when ye have need, nor permit that men should favour you, when ye go to seek for them. Regard my friends, not for the sacrifices, that ye have offered to me, but for the amity, that I have had with your fathers in time past, I will discover to you a secret, the which is, that ye shall say to the Romans fro me vii things. The first is, let never man leave the God's for an other man, for fear that the God's departed fro the miserable man in his most greatest necessity. The ii is, that more avayllethe to hold the part of one of the God's immortal, that is in heaven, than with all the mortal men in the world. The iii is, that men should beware to annoy the God's, for the ire of the goddess doth more damage than the iniquity of all men. The iiii. is, the God's never forget a man at any time, but if the gods be forgotten by men a. M. times. The .v. is, that the God's do suffer, that one shall be persecuted by an other that is ill, or they have first persecuted one that is good. And therefore ye are strike with the feats of the frenchmen: because ye have persecuted and banished Camillus your natural neighbour. The vi is, if the men will have the God's favourable in the time of war, they must serve them first in time of peace. The vii is, that the pitiful gods sendeth not to any realm some extreme chastisement, but if it be for some extreme offences commytttd in the same realm. And show to the Senate, that I would make none answer to Lucius Clarus, because they sent so ill a man to their god Apollo as ambassadur, the which they ought not to have done. Ye romans take this counsel of me, and if ye find it ill, take no more of me. In a strange message send always the most eloquent men, and in your senate set the wisest men: And commit your hosts to valiant captains: and to your gods send always the most innocent men. The just gods never appease their ires against unjust men: but if the requirers be very innocent and meek. For a fowl vessel is not made clean but with fair water. For with foul hands it is hard to make the vessel clean. The God's be so just, that they will not give just things but by hands of just men. Finally I say, if ye will drive the french men your enemies out of your lands, first cast out the passions fro your hearts. Think for troth, that the God's will never drive your enemies out of Italy, till Camillus and all the guiltless that be banished, be returned again to Rome. Certainly the cruel wars that the God's permit at this time present, is but a warning of the chastisements for offences passed. For that the ill men have done to the innocentes in divers days, after by the hands of other that be ill, the payment is made in one day. This answer Apollo made to the priests flamynes, that were sent to him out of Rome, which thing made the senate sore abashed. I remember, that in the book of the answer of the God's, in the annals of the capitol, there I found it: the which book the first day of every month was red by a senator, before all the other senators of the senate. Therefore friend Antigonus, as the god Apollo said, if thou wilt not believe me, that am thy friend, believe the god Apollo. O Antigonus, behold how the understanding of vain men are but beastly to the spirits of the God's, which are secret and hid: and where as they speak, all other ought to be still. For one counsel of the God's is more worth in mockery, than all the counsels of men, though they be never so earnest. Of whence thinkest thou that this cometh? I shall show thee: The God's are so perfit in all bounty, and so wise in all wisdom, and we are so ill in all malice, & so simple in all simpleness, that though they would err, they can not because they be God's: and we that would be assured, err, because we be men. And herein I see what a brute beast man is: for all these mortal men are so entire in their own wills, that they will lose more in following their own opinion, than win by the counsel of an other man: and that worst of all is, they take so the bit in the teeth in doing ill, that there is no bridle that can refrain them. And they are so slow to do well, that there is no prick nor spourre that can drive them forward. Thou dost complain of the pitiful God's, and of the sacrate senate. Also thou complainest of ioyfulle fortune. Three things there be, that one of them is enough with one stroke of a stone, to take away thy life, and bury thy renown. And when each of them hath drawn the apart, than all together will strike on the with stones. Thou hast taken great competitors, and yet I know not what thy worthiness is. I shall show the some strengths and valiantness that the ancient barons had, and thereby thou shalt see, what they of this world doth hold. ¶ The fellow of Scipio Nasica took a serpent in the mountains of Egypt, which after it was slain, flayed, and the skin measured in the field of Mars, it was vi score foot of length. Hercules of Thebes proved his force with the serpent Hydra, And in striking of one of his heeds, there sprang out vii other heads. ¶ Mylon the giant to exercise his strength was accustomed every day to overtake a bull with running a foot, and cast him down, and he made many courses with the bull, as it were an other naked young man: and yet, that was more marvel, he with one stroke of his fist slew the bull, and the same day would eat him all together. ¶ On mount Olympe Cerastus the giant of the nation of Grece, wrestled with more than l M. men, and none could stir nor shake him. And if Homer beguileth us not of this giant, he was of such fame and deeds, that every four years, there was a custom, that all nations of the world went to wrestle at mount Olympe. And thereof came the reckoning of the Olympiades'.  
¶ In the second war punic among the captives of sorrowful Carthage, Scipio brought a man, a lord of Maurytayne, right strong and fierce to behold: and in celebrating a spectacle in the palace of Rome, which was than of great renown, there were innumerable beasts run at: This captive prisoner leapt into the park, and killed two bears, and wrestled with a lion a great while: finally being sore hurt with the lions paws, he strangled the lion with his hands. This was a monstrous thing to see, and now it seemeth incredible to be believed. ¶ In the year. CCCCxx. of the foundation of Rome, Curio Ledent a renowned captain, coming fro Tarente against Pyrro king of the Epirotes: he was the first that brought four elephants to Rome the day of his triumph. Stages and places were made for xxx M. men to see the running of these Olyphauntes: and in the mids of the pastime, the planks broke, and slew more than .v. M. persons. And among them there was Numatian, the which bore upon his shoulders a plank with more than iii C. men, till that he and they were succoured.  
¶ Gayus Cesar being young, fleing the company of Sylla, because he was pertaining to Marius, he being among the Rodiens won his meat with coursing & running of horses, with his hands bound dehynd him. It was a monstrous thing to see, as the annals witness: how he would guide the horses with his knees so fast, as though he had drawn them with the reins of their bridles.  
¶ In the xu year that the captain of Cartagenens entered into Italy, our ancient fathers sent to the realm of Frigie for the dyesse Berecynthia, mother of the God's: and when she arrived at the port Hostie, the ship that she came in, ran upon the sand, and by the space of four days xxx M. men, that came in the army, could not remove it: by chance came thither one of the virgins vestales named Rea, which with her gyrdelle tied to the ship, drew it to the land as easily as she would have drawn a thread from the distaff: And to the intent that we should believe such things, as we here were done in times past, we may know it by deeds done presently in our days. I remember when my lord Adrian came fro Dacie, he did celebrate a spectacle in Rome, wherein there was more than ii M. wild beasts. And the thing most notable that we have seen, there was a knight borne by the river Danubio, who took a horse, and ran into the park, and slew so many wild beasts, that there fled fro him lions, leopards, bears, elephants, and we did i'll fro them: and he slew more of them than they did of men. These strange things I have recited to thee, that of all these I am not so abashed, as I am of thee, to see the ready to do arms against the God's, and against the senate, and against fortune. These three are giants in virtuous valyauntyse, and happy at all times: and they be such as command them that command other. The God's by their naturality and power close up the furies, and govern the stars: And the senate with their justice overcomethe realms, and subdueth tyrants: and fortune with her tyranny taketh them that they leave, and leaveth them that they take: and honoureth them that they dishonour, and chastiseth them that serve her: she beguileth every person, and no person beguileth her: she promiseth moche, and fulfilleth nothing: her song is weeping, and her weeping is song, to them that be deed among worms, and to them that live in fortunes: at them that be present she spurneth with her feet, and threateth them that be absent. All wise men shrink fro her, but thou like a fool showest her thy face. Of one thing I am abashed of thee, to complain of the senate, and yet I marvel not: for in conclusion they be but men: yet of troth in things of justice they ought to be more than men. And to complain on fortune, I marvel not a little: for in the end fortune is fortune among mortal men. And all the heavens is of an ancient quarrel, and when we are beset with most greatest quarrels, than she striketh us with most grievous hurts. I have great wonder, that thou being a Roman, complainest on the God's, as if thou were one of the barbariens. We romans are not so much renowned among all nations, for the multitude of realms that we have overcome, as we are for the great churches and services that we have made. Thou complainest, how the gods have broken thy houses with an earthquake, and have slain thy daughter, fellow in thy banishment, and all in one day: But thou dost not remember the offences that thou hast committed in divers cases. O my friend Antigonus, thou knowest not, that out of our ill processes cometh forth good sentences: and thou knowest not, that our wicked works are but a waking of true justice. Knowest thou not, that the fierce chastisements, is but a press that hasteth the great comings of your young desires? and knowest thou not, that it is no thing that the gods do chastise openly, to that they do dissimule in secret? Dost thou not know, that in conclusion the God's be God's, & the mortals are mortals, and they may do us more good in one day, than we can do service in a. C.M. year? Dost thou not know, that the least ill done by the hands of the pitiful God's, is more goodness than all the wealth that may come by the hands of the cruel men? Than whereof dost thou complain? I pray the be still. And sith thou art among strangers, suffer. And thou wilt have honour, dishonour not the God's of the romans. For the unjust men do great injustice to speak ill of them that be just, & specially of the God's, for they are most just. Certainly as Cicero saith, the greatest fault in a man that is good, is to approve the ill rather than the good: and the most greatest evil in an ill man is to condemn the good for the ill. Thou knowest not how just the God's be. Of truth they change not for any prayer, nor leave not for any threatenings, nor mock not by words: nor be not corrupt with gifts. Great aught thine offence to be, sith the earth hath taken vengeance for the God's: and thy innocent daughter hath paid the fault, for the offence of her father. O Antigonus, dost thou not know, that in all things the God's may work after their own opinion and will, except in justice: for in that they be God's of all, they ought to be equal to all? And if their bounty doth bind them to reward us for goodness, no less their justice constraineth them to chastise us for our ills. It is a great custom, and a righteous justice, He that willingly draweth to sin, against his will is drawn to pain. I say it because thy daughter hath left to do some good openly, or else she hath done some secret ill, sith in her youth her life is bereaved from her father for ensample of chastisement in other. And in the end of thy letter thou complainest, that the pain that men do to thee, is more greater than the offences that thou haste done to the God's. And if it be thus friend Antigone, thou oughtest to have no displeasure, but pleasure, no heaviness but joy. And I swear to the by the immortal God's, I would gladly change my liberty for thy captivity, and the state of Rome for thy banishment of Sycile. And I shall tell the why: He is honoured among them that be honoured, that fortune abateth without fault: and he is shamed among them that be shamed, that fortune inhanceth without merit. For the shame is not in the inconuenientes that is done to us by men, but it is of the offence that we commit against the God's. And in like case the honourable honour resteth not in the dignities that we have, but in the good works, whereby we merit. And thereby the words seem true, that the xi emperor of Rome bore written in a ring on his finger, which said thus: More is he to be honoured, that deserveth honour, than he that hath it and deserveth it not. These words are greatly to be noted, and spoken by a great lord. Than return to the purpose. Thou complainest of the wrongs and griefs that men do to men, and leave the God's. I have no marvel: for as the God's do never unjust things, so the men never lightly do any thing just. Note this that I say, and forget it not. The senate giveth an open pain, and publyssheth the secret fault, in such manner that with the pain they hurt us, and with the fault they shame us. The gods are more pitiful: for though they give us pein, yet they keep the fault close. A my friend Antigone, though the gods gather together the sloth and wickedness, that we commit secretly, Believe me and doubt not, the God's give life to many, the which men bereaveth. Therefore I think, that thou shouldest think and wish, that sith the God's have suffered the ills that thou hast done secretly, that thou must suffer open chastisement, that men have given to the. For otherwise thinking to put away the pain, thou shalt abide charged with infamy. I have written to the this long epistle, to th'intent that thou shouldest have some thing to pass the time with. Certainly the greatest easement to ease him that is in travail, is to exercise the wavering heart with some good occupations. I will write no more to the at this time, but as touching thy banishment, trust me I shall bring the at one with the senate. I send Panutius my secretary to thee, give as much credence to his words, as to my letter. And he bringeth a gown to thee, and therewith my heart and will for to comfort the. Salutation, peace, and good age be with thee: and their of the God's and ill fortune be separate fro me. Mark, my household, wife, and children salute the as thine own. And we salute all thy family as our own. Though the half of my letter be not of my hand, comfort thee, for my heart is entirely thine. Thou knowest how I was grievously hurt in the wars of Dacye in my hand, and in moist wethers one of my fingers sleepeth. Thus I make an end as always thine own.   

¶ An other letter sent by Marc th'emperor to the same Antigonus against cruel judges. The eleventh letter.  
MArc the sick man, to the Antigonus banished, desireth salute for him, and rest for the. To eschew the envious travails of Rome, and to see certain books of Hebrew, that were brought to me fro Helya, I came hither to Sanya: I made great haaste in my journeys, how be it at Salon the fever took me: and the twenty day of june I received thy second letter, and the same hour the fever quartain took me. I think none of us both had the better hand. For neither my long letter did put away thy travail, nor thy short letter did put away my fever. And though as now the feeling of thy travail minissheth that I had, the more brenneth the desire to remedy the. Therefore I will say some thing to thee, but not that I find any consolation that thou haste need thereof. In the law of Rhodes I have found these words: we command, that none be so hardy to give counsel with out remedy: for the words to him that is in trouble giveth small consolation, when there is no remedy. Also the heart that is in sorrow, hath more rest showing his own griefs, then hearing the consolation of other. Thou sayest in thy letter, that the censures are right rigorous in that realm: and therefore all that nation hath ill will with the senate. I believe well they have good occasion thereof: for dishonoured men make the ministers of justice to be rigorous, and namely they of that isle. For there is an ancient proverb, that saith, lightly all these ills are ill, and the sicilians worst of all. Now adays the ill are mighty in their illness, and the good with their virtues are kept so close, that if there be not some bridle by justice, the ill should possess all the world, and the good should finish shortly. But finally to consider how unable we be borne, & are environed with so many ills, being subject to so many miseries. I marvel not of the humanity's that the human people committeth: but I am ashamed of the cruel sentence that our Censures do, not as romans, but as cruel tyrants. Of one thing I am sore abashed, and greatly it troubleth my wits, seeing naturally & of right the justice of the God's is good, and we offending them, and that have justice but lent to us, yet we glorify us to be cruel: so that the God's do pardon injuries done to them, whereby fame of meekness abideth to them: and we chastise the injuries of other, whereby we win the fame of tyrants. In good sooth there is no man among men, nor human among the humains, but he is as a brute beast, and wild among wild beasts, that nameth himself to be of the flesh, and hath no pity to hurt other flesh: Nor considereth not, that the God's hath made him a meek beast & lowly by nature, & he becometh a fires serpent by malice. In the xii year of the foundation of Rome, Romulus the first king sent a commandment into all places & realms nigh to him: as to the Volgues, Samites, & Russiens', to Capue, Tarentis, & Albanoys: to th'intent that all such as were banished troubled and persecuted in their realms, should come to Rome, and there they should be received and well entreated: and except the histories lie, Rome was more inhabited in ten years, than Babylon or Cartage in a. C. years. O glorious heart of Romulus, that such a thing invented: and glorious tongue, that such a thing commanded: and glorious was the city or country, that founded them upon such mercy and pity. I have found divers letters of divers realms of the orient, sent forth, mentioning thus: We the king of Parthes in asia, to the conscript fathers of Rome, and to the happy people of Italy, and unto all them of that empire, having the name of Romans, and surname of clemency, Salutation to your persons. We send peace and tranquillity to you, as we demand the same of the God's.  
¶ Thus than regard, what glorious title of Clemency our predecessors romans had: and what example of clemency they have left for all emperors to come. Take this for certain, that the Censures or ministers of justice, forgetting the pity of the romans, shallbe reputed cruel, as barbarians: Nor Rome shall not repute them as her natural children, but as cruel enemies: and not for augmentours of the common wealth, but infamours and robbers of clemency.  
¶ When I was of the age of xxxvii year, being in the isle of Crete, now called Cypress, in winter time, There was a mountain called Archadio, whereupon four pillars were set, and a sepulchre of a king of worthy fame, and in his life pitiful and full of mercy: and as one showed me, there were certain words written in greek letters round about the sepulchre, saying thus: I have taken to me always this counsel, where as I might do but little good, I never did harm: & that that I might have with peace, I never strove for: Such as I might overcome with prayer, I never feared with threatenings. Where as I might remedy secretly, I did never chastise openly: them that I might correct with warnings, I never hurted with beatings: Such as I chastised openly, I first advertised secretly: and finally I never chastised one, but I forgave four. I am right sorrowful, because that I have chastised: and am glad because that I pardoned. In as much as I was borne as a man, my flesh is here eaten with worms: and because I have lived virtuously in my life, my spirit shall now rest with the God's.  
¶ How thinkest thou my friend Antygonus, what an Epitaphye was this? And how glorious was his life, sith the memory of him unto this day abideth so immortal? And as the God's may help me in all goodness, and defend me fro ill, I have not so great delight at Pompey with his army, nor at Gaius julius Cesar with his Gauls of France, nor at Scipio with his Africans, as I have at the king of Cypress with his sepulchre. For that king hath more glory in that mountain being dead, than all the other had in all their lives, with all their triumphs, that ever they had in Rome. I say not, but that the wickedness of ill people should be chastised: for with out comparison, he is worse that favoureth the ill, than he that committeth the ill: for the one proceedeth of weakness, and the other of malice. But it seemeth to me, and to all other that be wise, that as the sin is natural, & the chastisement voluntary: so ought the rigour of justice to be temperate, so that the ministers should show compassion rather than vengeance: whereby the trespassers should have occasion to amend their sin passed, and not to revenge the injury present. O what places and realms have been lost, not for the illness that the ill people hath committed, but rather by the disordinate justice, that the ministers of justice have exercised? Thinking by their rigour to correct the damages passed, whereby hath risen slanders and strife, never none such hard of afore. When a prince sendeth any person with the charge of justice, he ought to say to him these words, which August Cesar said to the governor of Africa: I put not the confidence of mine honour into thy hands, nor commit to the my justice, to be a destroyer of innocentes, nor an executioner of sinners: but that with one hand thou shouldest help the good to maintain them therein: & with the other hand to help to raise them that be ill from their naughtiness. And mine intention is to send the forth to be a preceptour of orphans, and an advocate for widows, a surgeon for all wounds, a staff for the blind, a father to every person, to speak fair to mine enemies, & to rejoice my friends. In this manner I would thou shouldest use thyself in every place, so that by the fame of pitiefulnes, such as be mine shallbe in rest & content to be my subiectis, and that strangers shallbe desirous to come and serve me. ¶ This instruction August Cesar gave to a governor of his, because it was showed him, that he was somewhat cruel in that realm. Certainly they were short words, but they be right compendious: And would to god they were written in the hearts of our judges. Thou writest, how that i'll is sore troubled by reason of the censures & judges thereof. It is a noyfulle travail to receive the authority of justice into the hand of an unjust man: and it is a thing not to be suffered, that one with tyranny should tyrannyse divers other: not with the life, but with the authority to correct good men, thereby to be called a good censure. The authority of his office given to him by his prince ought to be his accessary, and his good life for principal: in such manner, that by the rectitude of his justice, the ill should feel the execution thereof. All that have authority should temper it with wisdom & pureness of living. It is a great goodness to the common wealth, and great confusion to him that is chastised with pain, when the miserable that is chastised, seeth nothing in him that chastiseth, whereby he hath deserved to be chastised. And contrary, it is great slackness in a prince to command, and great shame to the common wealth to consent, and great inconvenience and reproof to the judge to execute: when a poor wretch for a small fault is put to more pain for the same small fault done in one day, than is given to them that be great for many tyrannies, that they have committed during their life. These be they that pervert the common wealth, and slander the world, and put themself out of authority.  
¶ In the iii year that great Pompey took Elia, the which is now jerusalem, the same time being there Valerius Graccus, thither came an Hebrew, or a jew, as the annals show, to complain to the Senate of the wrongs & griefs that were done to him in that land, & so in doing his errand in the name of all that province, he said these words: O father's conscript, O happy people, your fatal destinies ꝑmitte, and our god leaveth us with Jerusalem, lady of all asia, & mother to the Ebrues, to be in servage of Rome, & to the Romans: Certainly great was the power of Pompey, & much more the force of his army to take us. But therefore I say, that greater was the ire of our god, & without comparison the multitude of our sins, whereby we did merit to be lost. I would ye knew one thing, & it sore displeaseth me, that ye Romans have not proved it by experience. That is, our god is so just, that if among us there had been ten just men, & among l M. ill, one god, he would have pardoned all the ill: And than ye romans should have seen as the Egyptians did, how our god alone may do much more than all your God's together. And certainly as long as we be sinners, so long ye shall be our lords. And as long as the ire of the hebrews god doth endure, so long shall the power of the romans last. And because in this case I follow one way, and by your sect ye follow an other way, ye can not return to honour one god only, nor I to honour divers God's. I will leave this matter to the god, by whose power we have been nourished, & by whose bounty we be governed, and return to the case of our ambassade. Ye know what peace hath been between Rome and Judaea, and between Judaea and Rome, we with you, and ye with us. In all things we have obeyed you, and ye us. No just thing we have denied you. And because there is nothing more desired of the people, and less put in operation than is peace, and there is nothing more abhorred, by the which abhorring every man liveth, than is war: I do warn you of this with truth, provide therefore justice, put them away that follow your wills to do us ill: And let us have no such malicious folk, as entice us to rebel. The greatest sign and strongest pillar of peace is to put away the perturbers of peace. What profit is to say peace peace, & in secret to say war war? I say this because ye have banished the eldest son of king Idumeo out of Lion for his demerits, and ye have sent in his stead Campanius, Marcus, Ruffus, and Valerius Graccus for presidents. They be four plagues. or four pestilences, so that the least of them were sufficient to enpoyson the hole empire of Rome, than moche sooner our miserable realm of palestine. What thing can be more monstrous, than that the judges of Rome should send men to put away ill customs fro them that be ill, and they themselves are the inventors of new vices? What greater shame and inconvenience is in justice, than they that have authority to chastise wanton youth, to glorify themself to be captains of them that be wild? What greater infamy can be in Rome, than they that ought to be virtuous and just, to give example to other to be ill and vicious? I lie if they have not so writhe and enlarged the discipline of justice, that they have taught the youth of Jude such vices, that have not been hard of by our fathers, nor red in no books, nor seen in our tyme. O romans believe me in one thing, what counsels Jude hath taken of Rome at this hour, let Rome take of Judaea. Many realms are gotten with mighty captains, and moche shedding of blood, and aught to be observed with a good judge, not in shedding of blood, but in getting of hearts. Certainly the judge that winneth more good wills than money, aught to be beloved: and he that serveth for money, and loseth the good wills, for ever ought to be abhorred as pestilence. What think ye is the cause now adays, that your presidents be not obeyed in a just cause? Of a troth it is because, that first they command unjust things. The commandements that be just, maketh soft & meek hearts, and such as be unjust, maketh men cruel. We be so miserable in all miseries, that to him that commandeth well, we obey ill: and the more ill they command, the more obeyed would they be. Believe me in one thing, that of the great lightness and small sadness of the judges, is bred little fear and great shame in the subiectis. We that be jews think ourself well advertised by the mouth of our god that saith, Every prince committing charge of justice to him that he seeth unable to execute the same, or doth not principally for justice sake accomplish justice, but doth it for his own profit, or else to please the nor can not remedy a small matter, but invent other more greater, altering and troubling the peace for their own particular wealth. They weep for their own harm, and no less for the wealth of other, and finally lose themselves. And therefore they adventure themself into the gulfs, & inflame their lords, that have given them such offices, to give them to such as have deserved them. Thou mayst know, that the beginning of them is pride and ambition, and their middle is envy and malice, and their end is death and destruction. And if my counsel were taken, such should have no credence with princes or governors, but as slandered men to be separate, not all only fro the common wealth, but fro their lives. Surely great is the covetise of them that be shameless, which without shame demand offices of the senate or princes: but it is a more boldness of malice for the princes to give them. In this and in the other things these are so damnable, that neither the fear of the God's doth withdraw them, nor the prince doth not refrain them, nor vengeance doth not let them, nor the common wealth doth not accuse them, and above all other reason, doth not command them, nor the law subdue them.  
¶ O my friend Antygonus note this word that I writ in the end of my letter. In the year of the foundation of Rome vi C.xlii the Romans as than in the world had divers wars, as Gayus Celius against them of Trace, and Gneo Cordon his brother against sardine, junius Sylla against the Vmbres, Minutius Ruffus against the Macidoniens, Seruilio Scipio against the Lusitayns, and Marius consul against jugurtha king of the numidians, It befell so that Boco king of Mauritayne favoured jugurtha, and upon them triumphed Marius, and they jaded with chains were led afore his chariot, not without great compassion of them that saw it. After this triumph done, incontinent the same day by counsel of the senate, jugurtha was beheaded in prison, and his companion Bocus had pardon of his life, and the cause was, It was a custom none to be put to justice, but first the ancient books should be searched, to see if any of his predecessors had done before any service to Rome, wherdy the captive should merit to have pardon of his life: and than it was found, that the grandfather of Bocus came to Rome, and made great orations before the senate, by whose words and sentences, his said nephew merited to have pardon of his life: and among other of his sayings, he rehearsed these verses that said: what is that realm, where is no good among the ill, nor ill among the good? what is that realm, that hath their houses full of good simple persons, and banysheth away all wisdom? Or what is that realm, that such as be good are cowards, and the ill hardy? or what is the realm, where all peaceable are displeased, and the seditious praised? What is that realm, that sleeth them that would their wealth, and are angry with them that would help their ill? or what is that realm, that permitteth the proud poor folks, and the rich tyrants? or what is that realm, where they all know the evil, and none procureth any goodness? or what is that realm, where such vices are openly committed, that other realms fear to do secretly? or what is that realm, where as all that they desire they procure, and all that they do procure, they attain, and all that is ill they think, and all that they think they say, & all that they say, they may do, and all that they may do, they dare do, and put in operation that they dare do: and worst of all, there is none so good to resist it? In such a realm there should be none inhabitaunte. For within short space the ill men shall be changed, or else dispeopled of good men, or the God's will confound them, or the tirantis shall take them. divers things were said, the which I pass over at this tyme. How thinkest thou Antigone? I swear by the immortal God's, that my heart breaketh to think of the great shame that was laid upon Rome by such writing as was left to them by the grauntefather of this king Bocus. This my letter I would thou shouldest read in secret to the praetors, & if they amend not, we shall find the means to chastise them openly. And as touching thy banishment I promise the to be thy good friend to the senate, that we may joy our ancient amity together. And to get the out of that isle, certainly I shall do my diligence. I have written to my secretary Panutius to deliver the ii M. sexters to relieve thy poverty: and thus I send the my letter to comfort thy heavy heart. I say no more, but the God's give the contentation of that thou wouldest have joy, and rest to thy person. And all corporal evils, cruel enemies, and fatal destinies be separate fro me Mark. For the behalf of my wife Faustine, I salute thee, and thy wife Ruffa: She is thine, and I am thine. With visitation of joy I have received thy letter, and thankfully I send the mine. I shall not rest to desire to see thy person in Italy, and there in Sicyle to leave my fever quartain.   

¶ A letter sent by Marcus to Lambert governor of the isle of Hellespont, when he did banish the vacabundis fro Rome. The xi letter.  
Mark emperor of Rome, lord of asia, confederate with them of Europe, friend of them of Africa, enemy of the Maures: To the Lambert governor of the i'll of Helesponte, sendeth of his part contentation and surety fro the sacrate senate. I am furred with the furs that thou haste sent me, & am clothed with thy mantle, & am right well pleased with thy greyhounds: If I had thought, that thin absence fro Rome should have procured so moche fruit in that isle: long ago I should have determined as well for thy profit as for my service. I sent to the in demanding but small things in my sport, and thou hast sent me many things in earnest. In good sooth thou hast better proportioned thy service with nobleness, than I to command with my covetise. For if thou remember, I sent to the for a doseyne skins of fur, and thou hast sent me xii doseyns: and I did send but for vi greyhounds, and thou hast sent me xii Truly in this case my pleasure is double. For here in Rome thy great largesse is published, and my small covetise there in Helesponte. And because I am sure thou hast great thanks of me, I pray to gond to send the salute and health: And that fortune be not denied the at a good hour. I send the iii barks of master fools, & yet I have not sent the al. For if I had banished all the fools in Rome, we should have peopled us with a new people. These master fools have been so wily to teach folly, & the roman youth so apt to learn, though they be but in iii barks, their disciples would lad iii M. Carrakes. I have great marvel of one thing, and my heart slandereth the God's: for I see well that earthquakes casteth down houses, & great waters beareth away bridges, frosts freezeth the vines, sudden thundering and tempests breaketh down towers, scarcity of water causeth dearth, corrupt air maketh an end of them that be wise: & yet there is nothing that can make an end of these fools. All things at this day faileth at Rome, except all only these idle trewandes, gestours, tumblers, players, or dromslayes, jugglers, & such other, of whom there is enough & to many. O what a service shouldest thou do to the God's, & what profit to Rome, that for three barks full of fools to send one lade with wise men? One thing I will say, that with the bones of the wise men that isle is hallowed, that anciently were banished by the malice and envy of them of Rome: if thy smelling wits be not lost, as Italy stinketh of them that be simple, so that isle smelleth sweet of wise men. When I came fro the wars of the Parthes, the four year of mine empire, I passed into that isle by divers sees to see the sepulchres of ancient wise men: and in the city of Dorbite in the mids thereof, lieth ovid, that was banished by August: and under the mountain Arpines is the sepulchre of the renowned Armeno orator banished by Sylla: at the port of Argonaut thou shalt find the bones of Colliodorus recapituler of the antyke laws, that was banished by Nero the cruel: and in the field of Elinos, under a marble, is the powders of Sysifo Seteno, that was so well learned in the vii arts liberal, as though he had new found them, he was banished by the Marians. I say for truth thou shalt find it thus, for with my knees I have touched their sepulchres. And all that season my tender eyes were as full of water, as their bones were hard in the earth. These were not banished for no vylanies that they had done: but it was the merit of our forefathers, that they would be privated fro the company of so noble barons: and we their children fro the powder of so renowned sages. I can not tell which is the greater, the fantasy that I have to thine isle, or the compassion of miserable Rome. I do pray the as my friend, and command the as my servant, to regard the places that I have showed the. For it is a just thing, and most just, that such cities be privileged by them that liveth, when they are peopled with such dead wise men. And more over, Centurion knoweth by words, the heavy case, that these prisoners had with us, and we with them, the day of the feast of mother Berecyntia. I say, I saw not that day so much cruelty in Rome, as we caused infamy through all the empire. Rome, that never was overcome, by them that were valiant and virtuous, that day we saw overgone, and trodden under foot, by those fools. The walls of Rome, that were never touched by the Poeniens, had that day their lowpes full of armed trewandes: Rome that triumphed over all realms, was triumphed upon that day, with tumblers and jugglers. I am so abashed in this case, that I wots not what to say or to write. Yet one thing comforteth me, that sith Rome & the romans unjustly do rejoice with these fools: she and the famous wise men, justly shallbe chastised for these fools. And in this the God's shall not be displeased, that sith Rome laugheth at these trewandies and mockeries, one day she shall weep, with these tumblers and jugglers. I banish all these for ever fro Rome, not for the blood that they have shed, but for the hearts, that they have perverted: not for the occasion of any that be deed, but because they were masters of follies. Without comparison it is greater offence to the God's, and more damage to the common wealth, these trewandes to take away the wits fro the wise folks, than the murderers to take away men's lives. If the greatest gift, among all gifts of fortune, be, to keep a good wit, let no man presume, to be of a restful understanding, that is an extreme friend to these trewandes. Believe me one thing. As one bird loveth an other, and one best an other, and one wise man an other: so one fooole loveth an other fool.  
¶ I remember, on a day, as I revolved the registers in the Capitol, I red a right marvelous thing of Oruetus a famous orator, which is buried in the isle of Hellespont, on the mount Adamantine, When great Scipio came fro the war of the Poeniens, better accompanied with hunger starven trewandes, than with valiant captains, he said to him: Of truth, it is great shame to thee, and a small honour to the senate, that thou, that haste overcome the wise Affres, and being so wise thyself, and of the blood of the wise Romans, wilt be accompanied with these trewandes and fools. In that unhappy realm, all the wise men could not overcome one, that was thought so mighty, among so many fools. I say to thee, that thy wit is in more peril here in Rome, than thy life in Africa. ¶ These were good words, and not of no worldly malice. And within a short while after, and by divers light persons, and for a small occasion, this poor old orator, and rich philosopher, by the friends of Scipio, was banished Rome, and sent into that isle.  
¶ Than behold Lambert, let us return to these jugglers, and trewandes. When they are landed in that isle, let them go frank & free, so that they use not their accustomed toys. Thou shalt constrain them to labour, and chastise them, if they be idle. For these miserable folk, fleeing from just travail, take on them unjust idleness, & convert more men with their trewandyse, than if open schools of vagabonds were kept. There is nothing that our forefathers did, that displeaseth me so moche, as the sufferance of these unthrifty trewandes.  
¶ In the year. CCxxvi. of the foundation of Rome, in the time of an horrible pestilence in Italy, to rejoice the people, was first found out the invention of Theatres, by the advise of the trewandes. It is a shameful thing to here, that the pestilence dured but two years, and the rage of these unthrifts, dureth four C. years.  
¶ Lamberte, I believe well, that the complaints, that these prisoners have begun here, shall never have an end there. How be it, I care not: for the grudge of them, that be ill, justifieth the justice and sentence of them, that be good. As the master of Nero said: As much as the shame of sin ought to be fled of them, that be good, so moche praise, is the infamy of the ill. I shall tell the one thing, to the intent, that the chastisement should not seem cruel to the. saying the emperors of Rome are full of clemency to strangers, it is no reason, that they should be to sharp to their own. Sith fatal destinies hath brought me into this world, I have seen nothing more unprofitable to the common wealth, nor greater folly in them, that be light of conditions, nor a worse invention for vacabundes, nor a more cold revocation of mortal folk, than to learn of these gamners & trifelers, & such other jugglers. What thing is more monstrous, than to see wise men rejoice at the pastime of these vain trifelers? what greater mockery can be in the capitol, than the foolish saying of a gestour, to be praised with great laughter of wise men? what greater slanders can be to princes houses, than to have their gates always open, to receive in these fools, and never open to wise folks? what greater cruelty can there be in any person, than to give more in one day to a fool, than to his servants in a year, or to his kin, all his life? what greater inconstancy can there be, than to want men to furnish the garrisons and frontiers of Illirico, and these trewandes to abide at Rome? what like shame can there be to Rome, than that the memory shallbe left more in Italy, of these tumblers, trewandes, pipers, singers of gests, tabourers, cruders, dcaners, mommers, jesters, & jugglers, than the renome of captains, with their triumphs & arm. s And when these caitiffs wandered all about in Rome in safety, swooning their lewdness, and gathering of money: the noble barons and captains, went fro realm to realm, wasting their money, adventuring their lives, and shedding their blood. ¶ In the uttermost part of Spain, when war began between the Liberiens and Goditaynes, and they of Liberie laked money: Two jugglers and tabourers, offered to maintain the war a hole year. And it followed, that with the goods of two fools, many wise men were slain and overcome.  
¶ In Ephese, a city of asia, the famous temple of Dyana was edified with the confiscation of the goods, of such a trewande and fool.  
¶ When Cadmus' edified the city of Thebes in Egipte, with l gates, the minstrels gave him more toward it, than all his friends.  
¶ If the histories be true, when August edified the walls of Rome, he had more of the trewandes, that were drowned in Tybre, than of the common treasury. ¶ The first king of Corinth arose by such villains, I saw his sepulchre at Corynthie. And as I say of these small number, I might say of many other. Behold than Lambert, how little care the God's take, and how variable the case of fortune is, and how the deeds of men fall. Some be had in memory for their folly, and some for their wisdom. One thing is come to my mind, of the chance of these trewandes, and that is: while they be in presence, they make every man to laugh at the follies, that they do and say: and when they be gone, every man is sorry for his money, that they bore away. And of truth, it is a just sentence of the God's, that such as have taken vain pleasure together, when they are departed, to weep for their losses. I will write no more unto thee: but I do send the this letter in Greek, to the intent that thou show it over all the isle. Send forthwith the ships again, for they must be sent forth with provisions into Illyryco. Peace be with the Lamberte, health and good fortune be with me Marc. The senate saluteth the. And thou on my behalf, shalt show to the isle, the joyful happy customs. My wife Faustine saluteth thee, and sendeth a rich girdle to thy daughter. And in recompense of the furs I send the rich jewels.   

A letter sent by Marc th'emperor to Catulus his special friend, of the novelties of Rome. The xlii. letter.  
MArcus the new Censure, to the Catulus the old Censurine. It is ten days past, that in the temple of god janus, I received thy letter: and I take the same god to witness, that I had rather have seen thy person. Thou wryteste, how my writing is long, but the shortness of time maketh me to answer the more briefly, far away more than I would. Thou desirest me, to give the knowledge of the news here. Thereto I answer, that it were better to demand, if there be any thing abiden here in Rome or Italy, that is old. For now by our heavy destinies, all that is good and old is ended, and new things, that be ill and detestable, we may see daily. th'emperor, the Consul, the tribune, the Senators, the Aediles, the Flamynes, the praetors, the Centurions, all these things be new, but the villainies, that been old, & all passeth to make new offices, and to ordain statutes and practykes, to come to the councils, and to raise up subsidies. In such wise, that there hath been now more novelties within these four years, than in time passed in four C. years. We now assemble together a. iii. C. to counsel in the capitol, and there we blazon and boast, swear, and promise, that some of us may subdue and put under other, to favour one, and destroy an other, other to chastise the ill and reward the good: To repair old, and edify new: to pluck vices up by the roots, and to plant virtues: to amend the old, and follow the good: to reprove tyrants, and assist the poor: and when that we are gone from thence, they that spoke best words, are often taken with the worst deeds. O heavy Rome, that now adays hath such Senators, that in saying, we shall do, we shall do, passeth their life: and than every man, seeking for his own profit, forgetteth the common wealth. Oftentimes I am in the Senate, to behold other, as they regard me: and I am abashed, to here the eloquence of their words, the zeal of justice, and the justification of their persons: and after that I come thence, I am ashamed, to see their secret extortions, their damnable thoughts, and their ill works, so plainly manifest. And yet there is an other thing of more marvel, and not to be suffered, that such persons, as are most defamed, and use most dishonest vices, with their most damnable intentions, make their avows to do most cruel justice. It is an ineffable rule, and of human malice most used, that he that is most hardy, to commit greatest crimes, is most cruel, to give sentence against an other for the same offence. Me think, that we regard our own crimes, as through small nets, that causeth things to seem the lesser. And we remember the faults of other, in the water, that causeth things to seem greater than they be. O how many have I seen condemned to be hanged by the senate, for one small fault, done in all the life, and yet they commit the same faute every hour.  
¶ I have red, that in the time of Alexander the great, there was a renowned pirate or a rover on the see, which rob and drowned all ships, that he could get: and by commandment of this good king Alexander, there was an army sent forth to take him. And when he was taken, and presented to Alexander, the king said to him: Show me Dionides, why dost thou keep the see in danger, that no ship can sail out of the east into the west, for thee? The Pirate answered, and said: If I keep the see in danger, why dost thou Alexander, keep all the see and land as lost? O Alexander, because I fight with one ship in the see, I am called a thief, and because thou robbest with ii C. ships on the see, and troublest all the world with two. C. thousand men, thou art called an emperor. I swear to the Alexander, if fortune were as favourable to me, and the God's as extreme against thee: they would give me thine empire, and give the my little ship, and than peradventure, I should be a better king than thou art, and thou a worse thief than I am. ¶ These were high words, and well received of Alexander: and of troth, to see if his words were correspondent to his promises, he made him from a pirate to a great captain of an army: and he was more virtuous on land, than he was cruel on the see.  
¶ I promise the Catulus, Alexander did right well therein, and Dionides was to be praised greatly, for that he had said. Now adays in Italy, they that rob openly, are called lords: and they that rob privily, are called thieves.  
¶ In the year books of Livius, I have red, that in the second troublous war punyke, between the Romans and carthaginians, there come an ambassador Lusytayne, sent fro Spain, to treat for accord of peace. When he came to Rome, he proved before the senate, that sith he entered into italy, he had been ten times rob of his goods, and whiles he was at Rome, he had seen one of them that rob him, hang up an other, that had defended him. He seeing so ill a deed, and how the thief was saved without justice, as a desperate man, took a coal, and wrote on the gibbet as followeth.  
¶ O gibbet, thou art made among thieves, nourished among thieves, cut of thieves, wrought of thieves, made of thieves, set among thieves, and thou art peopled with innocentis. ¶ And there as I red these words, was in the original of livius, and in his histories. I swear to the by the immortal God's, that all the Decade was written with black ink, and these words with red vermylon. I can not tell, what words I should send thee, but that every thing is so new and so tender, and is joined with so ill syment, that I fear me, all will fall suddenly to the plain earth. I tell thee, that some are suddenly risen within Rome unto valour, to whom I will rather assure their fall, than their life. For all building hastily made, can not be sure. The longer a tree is kept in his kind, the longer it will be ere it be old. The trees, whose fruit we eat in summer, do warm us in winter. O how many have we seen, whereof we have marveled of their rising, and been abashed of their falls. They have grown as a hole piece, and suddenly wasted as a scum. Their felicity hath been but a short point, & their infortune as a long life. Finally, they have are died the mill, & armed it with stones of increase. and after a little grinding, left it in utile all the hole year after. Thou knowest well, my friend Catulus, that we have seen Cincius Fuluius in one year made Consul, and his children tribunes, and his wife a matron for young maidens, and beside that, made keeper of the capitol, and after that not in one year but the same day we saw Cincius beheaded in the place, his children drowned in Tybre, his wife banished from Rome, his house razed down to the ground, and all his good confysked to the common treasury. This rigorous example we have not red in any book to take a copy of it, but we have seen it with our eyes to keep it in our minds. As the nations of people are variable, so are the conditions of men divers, and appetites of mortal folk: and me thinketh this is true, seeing that some love, some hate, and that that some seek, some escheweth: And that that some setteth little by, other make of. In such wise that all can not be content with one thing, nor some with all things can not be satisfied. Let every man choose as him list, and embrace the world when he will, I had rather mount a soft pace to the falling, and if I can not come thereto, I will abide by the way, rather than with sweatte to mount hastily, and than to tumble down headlong. In this case sith men's hearts understand it, we need not to write further with pens. And of this matter regard not the little that I do say, but the great deal that I will say. And sith I have begun, and art in strange lands, I will write the all the news fro hens. This year the xxv day of May, there came an ambassador out of asia, saying he was of the isle of Cetyn, a baron right elegant of body, ruddy of aspect, and right hardy of courage. He considered being at Rome, though the summers days were long, yet winter would draw on, and than would it be dangerous sailing into his isle: and saw that his business was not dispatched: On a day being at the gate of the senate, seeing all the Senators enter in to the Capitolle, without any armour upon them, he as a man of good spirit, and zelatour of his country, in the presence of us all, said these words:  
¶ O father's conscript, O happy people, I am come fro a strange country to Rome, only to see Rome, and I have found Rome without Rome: The walls wherewith it is enclosed, hath not brought me hither, but the fame of them that govern it. I am not come to see the tresourie, wherein is the treasure of all realms: but I am come to see the sacred senate, out of the which issueth the counsel for all men. I came not to see you, because ye vanquish all other, but because I thought you more virtuous than all other. I dare well say one thing, except the God's make me blind, and trouble mine understanding, ye be not romans of Rome, nor this is not Rome of the romans your predecessors. We have hard in our isle, that divers realms been won by the valyantnes of one, and conserved by the wisdom of all the senate: and at this hour ye are more like to be destroyed, than to win as your fathers did: all their exercise was in goodness, and ye that are their children, pass all your time in ceremonies. I say this ye romans, because ye have almost killed me with laughing at you, to see how ye do all as much your diligence to leave your armure without the gate of the senate, as your predecessors did to take them to defend the empire. What profit is it to you to leave your arms for the sureties of your persons, and put them on, wherewith ye slay all the world? What profiteth it to the thoughtful suitor, that the senator entereth unarmed into the senate without sword or dagger: and his heart entereth into the senate armed with malice? O Romans, I will ye know, that in our isle we hold you not as armed captains, but as malicious senators: not with sharp grounden swords & daggers, but with hard hartis and venomous tongues ye fear us. If ye should in the senate put on harness, & therewith take away your lives, it were but a small loss, seeing that ye sustain not the innocentes, nor dispatch not the businesses of suitors, I can not suffer it. I can not tell in what state ye stand here at Rome: for in our isle we take armour from fools, whether your armours are take away as fro fools or mad folks, I wot not. If it be done for ambitiousnes, it cometh not of Romans, but of tyrants, that wranglers and ireful folk should not be judges over the peaceable, & the ambitious over the meek, and the malicious over the simple. If it be done because ye be fools, it is not in the law of the God's, that iii C. fools should govern iii C.M. wise men. It is a long season that I have tarried for mine answer and licence, and by your madness I am now farther of, than I was the first day. We bring oil, honey, saffron, wood, and timber, salt, silver, and gold out of our isle into Rome: and ye will that we go else where to seek justice. Ye will have one law to gather your rents, and an other to determine our justices. ye will that we pay our tributes in one day, and ye will not discharge one of our errands in a hole year. I require you romans determine your selves to take away our lives, and so we shall end: or else here our complaints, to th'intent that we may serve you. For in an other manner it may be than ye know by hearing with your ears, which peradventure ye would not see with your eyen. And if ye think my words be out of measure: so that ye will remedy my country, I set not by my life. And thus I make an end. Verily friend Catulo these be the words, that he spoke to the senate, which I got in writing. I say of troth, that the hardiness, that the Romans were wont to have in other countries, the same as now strangers have in Rome. There were that said, that this ambassador should be chastised, but the God's forbid: that for saying troth in my presence, he should have been correct. It is enough and to much to, to suffer these evils, though we slay nor persecute those that advertise and warn us of them. The sheep are not in surety of the wolf, but if the shepherd have his dog with him. I mean, dogs ought not to leave barking for to awake the shepherds. There is no god commandeth, nor law counseleth, nor common wealth suffereth, that they which are committed to chastise liars, should hang them that say troth. And sith the senators show themself men in their living, and sometime more human than other that be slaves, who else should deliver them fro chastisement? O Rome and no Rome, having nothing but the name of Rome, where is now become the nobleness of thy triumphs, the glory of children, the rectitude of thy justice, and the honour of thy temples? for as now they chastise him more that murmureth against one only Senator, than they do them that blaspheme all the gods at ones. For it grieveth me more to see a Senator or censure to be worst of all other, than it displeaseth me, that it should be said, that he is the best of all other. For a truth I say to the my friend Catulus, that as now we need not to seek to the gods in the temples, for the Senators are made gods in our hands. This is the difference between them that been immortal, and they that be mortal. For the God's never do thing that is ill, and the Senators do never good thing: the gods never lie, and they never say truth: the God's pardon often, and they never forgive: the God's are content to be honoured .v. times in the year, and the Senators would be honoured ten times a day. What wilt thou that I should say more? but what so ever the gods do, they ought to be praised: and the senators in all their works deserve to be reproved. Finally I conclude, that the God's assure and affirm every thing, and they err and fail in nothing: and the senators assure nothing, but err in all things: only for one thing the senators are not of reason to be chastised: and that is, when they intend not to amend their faults, they will not suffer the orators to waste their time to show them the troth. Be it as may be, I am of the opinion, that what man or woman, withdraweth their ears fro hearing of troth, impossible it is for them to apply their hearts to love any virtues: Be it censure that judgeth, or senator that ordaineth, or emperor that commandeth, or consul that excludeth, or orator that preacheth. No mortal man, take he never so good heed to his works, nor reason so well in his desires, but that he deserveth some chastisement for some cause or counsel in his doings. And sith I have written to the thus of other, I will somewhat speak of myself, because of the words of thy letter. I have gathered, that thou desirest to know of my person. Know thou for certain, that in the kalends of Ianuarye I was made censure in the senate, the which office I desired not, nor I have not deserved it. The opinion of all wise men is, that no man, without he lack wit, or surmounteth in folly, will gladly take on him the burden and charges of other men: A greater case it is for a shamefast man to take on him an office to please every man, for he must show a countenance outward, contrary to that he thinketh inward. Thou wilt say, that the good are ordained to take the charge of offices. O unhappy Rome, that hath willed to take me in such wise, as to be the best in it. grievous pestilence ought to come for them that be good, sith I am scaped as good among the ill. I have accepted this office, not for that I had any need thereof, but to satisfy the desires of my wife Faustine, and to fulfil the commandment of Antonius my grandfather. Have no marvel of any thing that I do, but of that I leave to be done. For any man that is wedded to faustine, there is no villainy but he shall do it. I swear to thee, that sith the day we were wedded, me seemeth that I have no wit. I leave wedding for this time, and return to speak of offices. Surely a peaceable man ought to be in offices, though it be painful: for as the offices are assured among them that be virtuous, so perilously goeth the virtuous folk among offices. And for the truth hereof reckon what they win, and than thou shalt see what they lose. say that is good, if thou knowest it, and here the ill, if thou desire to know it. He that will take the charge to govern other, he seeketh thought and trouble for himself, envy for his neighbours, spourres for his enemies, poverty for his riches, awaking of thieves, peril for his body, an end of his days, and torment for his good renown. Finally he seeketh away to reject his friends, and a repeal to recover his enemies. O an unhappy man is he, that taketh on him the charge of children of many mothers, for he shallbe always charged with thoughts, how he should content them all: full of sighs because one hath to give him: fear that one should take fro him, weeping if he lose, and suspection that they infame him. He that knoweth this, without long tarrying ought to set a bridle at his heed. But I say of one, as I say of an other. For I will swear, and thou wilt not deny it, that we may find some now adays, that had rather be in the park to fight against the bulls, than be in surety upon the scaffold. Oftentimes I have hard say: Go we to the Theatres to run at the bulls: go we to chase the hearts and wild boors: and when they come there, they run away, not the beasts fro them, but they fro the beasts. In such wise as they went running, they return again fleing. I say these ambitious persons procure to govern: & are governed: they command, and are commanded, they rule and are ruled: and finally thinking to have divers under their hands, these wretches put themselves under every man's foot. For the remedy of all these perils my thought is comforted with one thing, and that is without procuring or offering myself, the senate of their own will hath commanded me. In the viii table of our ancient laws be these words. We command that in our sacred senate charge of justice be never given to him that willingly offereth himself to it, but to such as by ripe deliberation be chosen. This is certainly a just law. For men now be not so virtuous nor so loving to the common wealth, that they will forget their own quietness and rest, doing damage to themself, to procure an other man's profit. There is none so foolish, that will leave his wife, children, & his own sweet country, to go into strange countries, but if he see himself among strange people, thinking under the colour of justice to seek for his own utility. I say not this without weeping, that the princes with their small study & thought, & the judges with their covetise, have undermined & shaken down the high walls of the policy of Rome. O my friend Catulus, what wilt thou that I should say, but that our credence so minisheth, our covetise so largely stretcheth, our hardiness so boldeth, our shamefastness so shameless, that we provide for judges to go & rob our neighbours as captains against our enemies? I let the to wite, where as Rome was beloved for chastising the ill, now it is as much hated for dispoyling of innocentes. I do remember, that I red, in the time of Denis Syracusan, that ruled all Sicily, there came an ambassador fro Rhodes to Rome, being of a good age, well learned, and valiant in arms, and right curious to regard every thing. He came to Rome to see the majesty of the sacred senate: the height of the high capitol environed with the Colliset: the multitude of senators: the wisdom of the counsellors, the glory of triumphs: the correction of the ill, the peace of the inhabitants, the diversity of nations: the abundance of the maintenance, the order of the offices, and finally seeing that Rome was Rome, he was demanded how he seemed thereby: He answered and said, O Rome in this thy present world, thou art full of virtues and wise men, hereafter thou shalt be furnished with fools. Lo what high and very high words were these? Rome was vi. C. years without nycetie of houses of fools, and now it hath been iii C. years without one wise or virtuous. Look what I say, it is no mockery but of truth, If the pitiful God's now adays did raise our predecessors fro death to life, either they would not know us for their children, or else attach us for fools. These be things used in Rome, but thou sendest no word of that is used in Agrippine. I will write nothing to thee, to put the to pain: writ to me some thing to rejoice me, if thy wife Dynsilla chanced well of the float that came out of Cetin with salt, oil, and honey, I caused it to be well provided for her. Wit thou, that Flodius our uncle was cast down by rage of his horse, and is deceased. Laertia and Collodius are friends together, by occasion of a marriage. I do send the a gown, I pray to the God's to send the joy thereof. My wife Faustin saluteth the. Recommend me to jamyro thy son. The God's have the in keeping: and contrary fortune be fro me. Marcus thy friend to the Catulus his own.   

¶ A letter sent by Mark the emperor to the amorous ladies of Rome, because they made a play of him. The xiiii letter.  
Mark orator learning at Rhodes the art of humanity, to you amorous ladies of Rome salutation to your persons, and amendment of your desired life. It is written to me▪ that at the feast of the mother of the goddess Berecynthia, all ye together there present played, and gested on me: wherein ye laid for an example my life and my renown. It is showed me, that Auilina composed it, Lucia Fulua wrote it, and thyself Toringula did sing it, and ye all together did present it to the Theatre: ye have portrayed and painted me in divers manners, with a book in my hand, turned contrary, as a feigned philosopher: with a tongue along, as a bold speaker without measure: with a horn on my heed, a common cuckold: with a nettle in my hand, as a trembling lover: with a banner fallen down, as a coward capitain: with half a beard, as a femynate man: with a cloth afore mine eyes, as a condemned vacabound: and yet not content with this, but the other day ye portrayed me in a new manner. Ye made my figure with feet of straw, my legs of amber, my knees of wood, the thighs of brass, the belie of horn, the arms of pitch, the hands of mace, the heed of yesso, the ears of an ass, the eyes of a serpent, the hears as roots jagged, the teeth of a cat, the tongue of a scorpion, and the forehead of lead: wherein was written in two lines these letters, M, N, T, N, I, S, V, S, the which meaneth (as I do take it) The mortal man taketh not the statute so strange, as the doubleness of the life: & than ye went to the river, and therein tied his heed downward a hole day. And if the lady Messalyn had not been, I think it had been tied there till now. And now ye amorous ladies have written to me a letter by Fuluius Fabritius, whereof I received no pain, but as an amorous man, from the hands of ladies I take it as a mockery. And to th'intent that I should have no time for to think thereon, ye send to wit a question of me, that is: if I have found in my writings, whereof, by whom, where, when, what, and how the first women were made. And because my complexion is to take mocks for mockings, and sith ye demand it, I shall show it: you and your friends and mine, and specially Fuluius your messenger hath desired me thereto. There is nothing whereof I complain, but I will hold my peace, save to your letter and demand I will answer. And sith there hath been none for to ask the question, I protest that to none other, but to you amorous women of Rome, I send mine answer. And if any other honest lady will take the demand of you, it is a token that she hath envy of the office that ye be of. Certainly if any lady showeth herself annoyed with your pain openly, fro henceforth I condemn her, that she keep no fault that she knoweth in secret. They that be on the stage, fear not the roaring of the bull: and he that is in a dungeon, feareth not the shot of artillery. I will say, a woman of good life, feareth no man with an ill tongue. The good Matrons may keep me for their perpetual servant, and they that be ill for their chief enemy. Now to answer the question, to know werof the first women were made: I say that according to the diversity of nations, that be in the world, divers opinions I find in this case. The Egyptians say, that when the flood of Nile ran abroad, and watered the earth, there abode certain pieces of earth cleaving together like grease, and than the heat coming in them created many wild beasts: and so among them was found the first woman. Note ye ladies, that it was necessary, that the flood of Nile should flow over his brims, that the first woman might be made on the earth. All creatures are bred in the entrails of their mothers, except the woman that was bred without a mother. And this seemeth true, that without mothers ye were borne, because without rule ye live, & without order ye die. Verily he putteth himself to many travails, and hath many wiles to find, and many times to think, and to ask many succours, and to abide many years, and to choose among many women, that will rule one only wife by reason. Be the beasts never so cruel and fierce, at the last the lion is led of his keeper without any band: The bull is closed in the park: the bridle ruleth the horse, a little hook catcheth the fish, and the wolf suffereth to be tied: only a woman is a beast unable to be tamed, and never loseth her boldness for any thing that is commanded her, nor the bridle, for not being commanded. The God's have made men as men, and beestis as beasts, and the human understanding very high, and his strength of a great power: but yet is there no man, be he never so high, that shall scape the woman lightly, nor defend him be he never so strong. But I say to you my ladies: There is no spurs that can make you go, nor reins that can hold you, nor brydelle that can refrain you, nor angle or net that can take you: and finally there is no law can subdue you, nor shame refrain you, nor fear abash you, nor chastisement amend you. O to what an ill adventure putteth he himself, that thinketh to rule and correct you. For if ye take an opinion in hand, all the world shall not draw you from it: if a man tell or warn you of any thing, ye will never believe him: If one give you good counsel, ye will not take it: if one threaten you, anon ye complain: if one flatter you, than ye wax proud: if one rejoice not in you, ye are spiteful: if one forbear you, it maketh you bold: if ye be chastised, ye turn to serpents: Finally a woman will never forgive any injury, nor give thank for any good deed. Now adays the most simple of all women, I swear, will swear, that she knoweth less than she doth: and of truth the most wisest man's wit shall fail in their reasons: and yet the wisest of them swerveth from all wisdom. Will ye know my ladies, how little ye know, and how much ye be ignorant? That is, ye determine suddenly in hard things of gravity, as if ye had studied for it a. M. years: and if any gainsay you, ye take him as a mortal enemy. Hardy is that woman, that dare give counsel to a man, but he is more hardy that taketh it of a woman. But I say he is a fool that taketh it, and he more fool that asketh it, and he is moche more foolish that fulfilleth it. Mine opinion is, that he that will not fall among so many stones, nor prick him among so many thorns, nor blister him among so many nettyls, let him here what I will say, and do as ye shall see: speak well and work ill: In promising promise moche, In fulfilling fulfil nothing, and finally allow your words, and condemn your counsels. If one should demand now adays of divers right renowned persons, that been deed, how they did with the counsel of women when they lived: I am sure they would not have risen than to believe them, nor at this hour to be revived again to hear them. How was king Philip of Macedon with Olympias? Paris with Helen? Alexander with Rosane? Aeneas' with Dydo? Hercules with Deianeira? Hanyball with Thamyra? Nero with Agrippine? And if ye will not believe what they suffered with them, demand of me how I do among other. O ye women, I remembering that I am borne of one of you, abhor my life: and I, thinking that I live with you, desire death. For there is none other death as to treat with you, and no better life than to flee fro you. It is a common saying among women, that we men be unkind, because we being borne in your entrails, do entreat you as bond women and seruantis: and ye say, sith ye bear us with peril, and nourish us with travail, that it were convenient and just that we always should be occupied in your services. Oftentimes I have studied, why men desire women so moche. There is no eyes, but they ought to weep, no heart but it should break, no spirit but it should be sorrowful to see a wise man lost by a foolish woman. The foolish lover passeth the day to satisfy his sight, the dark night to tumble with vain thoughts: one day hearing tidings, an other day he offereth service: one time loving darkness, an other time he hateth light: he dieth with company, and liveth solitary: and finally the poor foolish lover may that he will not, and willeth that he may not. More over the counsel of his friends profiteth him not, nor the shame of his enemies, nor loss of his goods, nor the adventure of honour, nor losing of his life, nor seeking of death, nor coming near, nor going far, nor seeing with eyes, nor hearing with ears, nor tasting with mouth, nor yet feeling of hand: and finally to attain victory, he hath always war against himself. I would these lovers knew fro whence love proceedeth, it is this: The entrails that we are bred in, is of flesh: the breasts that we suck, are of flesh: the arms that we are nourished in, be of flesh: the works that we do, are of the flesh, by the which occasions cometh the repeal of our flesh to their flesh. Many free hearts fall into the snares of love. It seemeth well my ladies, that ye are brought up in puddles, as the Egiptiens say: The puddles keep no clear water to drink, nor fruit to eat, nor fish to be taken, nor vessel to sail with: I do say ye are fowl in your living, shameful in your persons, in adversity feeble and lethy, in prosperity subtle and wily: false in words, doubtful in your works: In hating ye keep a disorder, extreme to love, avaricious to give, unshamefast to take: and I say ye are a receipt of fear, where as wise men find peril, and simple men suffer. In you wise men hold their renomes disallowed, and the simple men their life in penury. ¶ Let us leave the opinion of the Egyptians, and come to the Greeks, which say, that in the deserts of araby the son shineth most hot: and they say, that at the beginning there appeared a woman alone with a bird called phoenix, the which bird they say, was created of the water, and the woman of the great heat of the son, and of the corruption of the powder that falleth fro the trees, which the worms do eat. In this wise there was a tree sore eaten with worms, and it chanced by heat of the son, and dryth of the powder, that a fire kindled, and so brent it: and than of the fire and powder of the said brent tree, the first woman was made. And though I be a philosopher Roman, I will not say, that the opinion of the philosopher greek was ill. For of truth ye ladies that be amorous, have your tongues of the nature of fire, & your conditions of the rottenness of the powder of wood. After the diversity of beasts, nature hath put some strength in divers partis of their bodies, as the eagle in the beak, the unicorn in the horn, the serpent in the tail, the bull in the heed, the bear in the arms, the horse in the breast, the dog in his teeth, the hog in the groin, the wood dove in her wings, and women in their tongues. Of troth the flight of the wood dove is not so high as the fantasy of your follies, nor the cat scratcheth not so sore with her nails, as ye scratch fools with your importunities: nor the dog hurteth not them, that he runneth at, as ye do the sorrowful lover that serveth you: nor he is not in so great peril of his life that catcheth the bull by the horns, as the good fame of the lover is that falleth into your hands. And finally the serpent hath not so much poison in his tail, as ye have in your tongues. Set all the good Roman ladies apart: for there be many, of whom there is no complaint of their persons, nor suspection of their good names. Of all such my letter speaketh not, nor my pen writeth not of them, but of other: I speak of women that be such, that all venomous beasts have not so much poison in their bodies, as they have in their tongues. And sith that the God's have commanded, and our destinies do permit, that the life of men can not pass without women: therefore I advertise these young people, and pray them that be old, and awake wise men, and tech the simple, to flee away from women of ill name, rather than from a common pestilence.  
¶ reading the ancient laws of Plato, I find written thus: we command, that all women openly infamed, be openly put out of the city, to th'intent that other seeing their sins not unpunished, may abhor the sin for fear to fall into the same pain. Also the same law saith: We command, that pardon be given to a woman of all the faults committed by her own body, if any amendment be seen in her: but never to pardon them that have committed sin with their tongues. For committing sin with an ill person, is of fragility, but with the tongue it is of pure malice. ¶ O divine Plato, master & measure of all understanding, and prince of all philosophers, when thou madest that law in the golden world, that there was never such scarcity of ill women, and so great abundance of good women in Grece. What shall we do now in Rome, where there be so many ill openly, and so few good in secret? Naturally they were wont to be shamefast in their visages, temperate in words, wise of wit, sober in going, meek in conversation, pitiful in correction, well regarding their living, not keeping companies, steadfast in promise, and constant in love. Finally let not the woman that will be good, trust in the wisdom of wise men, nor in the flattery of light folks: But let her virtuously regard her renown, and beware always of any man that maketh her any promise. For after that the flames of Venus be set on fire, and Cupid hath shot his arrows, the rich man offereth all that he hath, the poor man all that he may, the wise man saith he will be her great friend, and the simple always her servant: the wise man will lose his life for her, and the fool will take his death for her. The old man will say, he will be friend to her friends: and the young man will say, he will be enemy to her enemies. Some will promise to pay her debts, and other to revenge her injuries. Finally to hide their poverty, and to show their beauty, they leave these fools losing their persons and good fames. I will leave to speak of good women, for it is not mine intent to lay any thing to their charge, but to advertise them well. I demand of you amorous ladies, if Platon was there, when ye made a play of my life, and drew my figure about in Rome? No surely, in deed by that I see in you at this time, it is suspicious that is said of other. For there is but a few in Rome, whom Plato and his law doth excuse. One thing ye can not deny, if I were the worst of all men, at the last ye have found the end of my villainies. And ye can not deny me, but she that is least ill of you, in all my life I could not show the malice of her life. It is great peril to wise women, to be neighbours to fools: Great peril it is to them that be shamefast, to be with them that be shameless: great peril it is to them that be of a meek and still manner, to be with them that be bold and rude: great perylle it is for them that be chaste, to be with them that live in adultery: great peril it is for the honourable, to be with them that be disfamed. For the women defamed, think that all other be defamed, and desire that they should be defamed, and procure to have them defamed: and say they be ill famed. And to th'intent to cover their own infamy, they infame all other that be good. O you ladies in amours, it is long sith ye knew me and I you: and if ye speak, I speak, if ye know, I know: if ye be still, I am still: if ye speak openly, I will not speak in secret. Thou knowest well Auilina, that made the jest, how Eumedes sold calves deter in the butchery, than thou soldest the innocent virgins in thy house. Thou knowest well Turinga, that one day thou recknedst all thy lovers, but thou couldst not reckon them on thy fingers, but desired'st to have a bushel full of peason. And thou Lucia Fulvia knowest well, when thou were, thou wottest where, with Breto, and madest peace with thy husband, thou tookest him a side, and saydeste, but if thou mightest lie out of thy house ones a week, he should not lie in the house. And thou Retoria knowest well, that in thy young days, two years thou were appointed on the see with a Pirate, so that he should take no more to satisfy a. C. men of war in the galley. Thou Egna Corcia knowest well, that when the censure entered to take thee, he found .v. men's gowns, in which thou goest ever by night: & thou hadst but one woman's gown, that thou wearest on by day. Thou knowest well Pesylane Fabrice, that Aluinus Metellus & thou being married, before the Censure demanded openly his part, of that thou gatest in thy house with thy secret lovers. And thou Camil knowest well, not being content with thine own nation, but by reason of the great haunting that thou hadst with strangers, thou canst speak all manner of languages. I will mark them that have marked me, & hurt them that have hurt me, persecute them that have persecuted me, and infame them that have infamed me: All other my pen doth pardon, because they have pardoned me in their play. And because my letter hath begun in that ye have done to my person, therefore I will end it in that it feeleth of your good names. And thus I conclude, that a man may scape free fro all damages, with abstaining fro them: But fro women there is no way, but to i'll fro them. Thus I end and demand of the God's, that I may see of you, as ye desire to see of me. And sith ye be lovers, I counsel you as ye have sent me your jest for a mock, in likewise for a mock to receive the answer. Mark Rhodian to the amorous ladies of Rome.   

¶ A letter sent by Marc the emperor to Boemia a lover of his, that would have gone with him to the wars. The xu letter.  
MArc praetor roman sent to the wars of Dacy, sendeth salute to the his lover Boemia, which art in the pleasures of Rome. I being scaped fro the cruel battle, have red the few lines written with thy hand, & have hard of the a long information. I say to thee, thou haste put me in a more great abashment, than the fear of mine enemies. In taking thy letter into my hand, forthwith the herb of malice entered into my heart. When I temper my body with thy delights, I think my heart is free fro the venom of thy amours. I of my will, and thou because thou canst do no more, we have given us to be free of our pleasures, I think as well as to make a divorce of our enemies. But such as ye be, so ye do, banyshementes of amours, and treasures of passions. The love of you all aught to be digested with pills: but the passion of one of you will not be oppressed with all the Rhubarb in Alexandrie. Ye show yourself cruel to pardon an enemy, and every day light to change lovers. Curiously I have kept you all the while that delights overpressed my youth: yet I could never see in any woman no certainty, nor reason in love, but hate at the last. Thy present lightness quarreleth with my youth past: and it is because thou seest not in me the ancient will toward thee, nor the present service. And certainly hearing thine accusation, and not my justification, as justly thou payest me with death, as I pay the with forgetfulness: The which forgetting is as strange to be in him that serveth, as ungentilnes in the lady that is served. Thinkest thou, that I have forgotten the law of Venus, where as it commandeth, that the curious lovers should exercise their strengths in arms, and occupy their hearts in love? and also that their apparel be very cleanly, their feet well compassed, their bodies steadfast and not wavering, their voices low and soft, and sad in countenance: their eyes open gazing at windows, and their hearts ready to i'll in the air. Of troth my love Boemia, he is but a gross lover, that holdeth his will in captivity, and his understanding free. The understanding ought to be lost, where as will is in prison. I say this to th'intent that though mine age have left the exercise, yet my spirit hath not forgotten the art. Thou complainest, because I give myself to rest, & that I have greatly forgotten the. I will not deny the truth: the day of forgetting maketh the muster of my thoughts, and reason which is provisour declareth, that it is not to my gravity to permit, that I should love, nor thy age to suffer to be beloved. As now thou knowest, that divers things, that youth dissimuleth in young persons, in age meryteth grievous correction. The deeds done in youth proceedeth of ignorance: but the villainies done in age proceedeth of malice. When I kept the Cantons, I jetted in the streets, I sang ballads, I gazed to the windows, I played on instruments, I scaled the walls, I wakened light persons: thinkest thou, that I wist what I did in my youth? and now that I see myself promoted fro these pleasures, and decked with so many white hears, and appareled with so many dolours, I think now, I was not than, or else I dream as now, not knowing the ways that I have gone, not seeing the ways full of stones, I have fallen ere I was ware, I have fallen in snares: seeking no guide, I was entered into the whirlpool: and by the grossness of my boldness, I was lost, and therefore I have deserved pardon. And now that I am out of the thorns and bushes, thou wouldest have me farther in than ever I was. And now that I can not take the purgations, thou offerest to me syropes. I have watched all night, and touched newly the alarm. For thy ancient amity I pray thee, and conjure the in the name of the God's, sith that my heart is rebel against thy will, which is right doubtful: cause me to leave to desire the thus without doubt. And to th'intent that thou shouldest not think any unkindness in my white hears, as I may argue thy face of idleness, I will that we reckon what we have won, or hope to win. Show me what cometh of these pleasures: the time ill spent, good name in scattering to perdition, the patrimony wasted, the credence lost, the God's annoyed, the virtues slandered, the name of brute beasts got, and surnames of shame: such ye and we and other be. Thou writest in thy letter, how thou wilt leave Rome, and come & see me in the wars of Dacy. seeing thy folly I laugh, and knowledging thy boldness, I believe the. And when I think thus, I take the letter again out of my bosom, & behold the seal, doubting if it be thy letter or not. Thou alterest my pulses and feelings of my heart, & the colour of my face changeth, imageninge, that either shame surmounteth in thee, or else gravity faileth in me. For such lightness should not be believed, but of like light persons. Thou knowest well, he that doth ill, meriteth pain sooner than he that doth infamy. I would wit: whither thou wilt go? Thou hast been cut for vertinace, and now thou wouldest be sold for wine. Thou beganst first as cherries, and thou wilt be last as quinces: we have eaten the in blosomes, and thou wilt be like the fruit: the nuts are very good, but the shells be hard, with straw and dung thou art made ripe, and thou art rotten, and if thou be rotten, thou art to be loathed. Thou art not content with xl years, that thou haste, of the which xxv years art passed in taste as wine, that is to be sold: and as straweberies hid under the leaves that are corrupt and rotten. Art not thou Boemia, that lacketh two teeth, the eyes hollowed, with white hears, & a riveled face, one hand lost with the gout, & a rib marred with child bearing? whither wilt thou go? put thyself than in a barrel, & cast the & it into the river, & thou shalt come out all wet. We have eaten the fresh fish, & now thou wouldest bring hither the rusty old salt fish in stead thereof. O Boemia Boemia, now I know there is no trust in youth, nor hope in age. Thou complayneste, that thou haste nothing. That is an old quarrel of the amorous ladies of Rome, which taking all, say they have nothing: and that ye lack of credence, ye do fulfil with money. Therefore believe me loving friend, the foolish estate, that proceedeth of unlawful winning, giveth small surety and less good name to the person. I can not tell how thou hast spend so moche. For if I drew of my rings with one hand, thou didst open my purse with the other hand. I had greater wars with my coffres then, than I have now with mine enemies. I could never have jewel, but thou wouldest demand it: nor I did never deny the. Now at this hour I marvel, for in this mine age I find great hindrance by my youth. Thou complainest of travail and poverty. I am he that hath great need of that medicine for this oppilation, and a plaster for that sore, and to have some cold water for that hot fever. Art thou not advised, that I banished my necessity in the land of forgetfulness, and did set up thy will for the request of my service. In winter I went all bare, and in summer charged with clothes, I went on foot in the mire, and road in the fair way: when I was heavy, I laughed: and when I was merry, I wept. For dread I drew forth my strengths, and out of my strengths cowardice. The nights to sigh, and on the day to wait where thou goest by. When thou hadst need of any thing, I was fain to rob my father for it. Tell me Boemia, with whom fulfilledst thou thine open follies, but with the ill orders that I put myself to in secret? wots ye what me seemeth by you amorous ladies of Rome? ye are in the court as the little moths eating old clothes, and a pastime for light folks, tresorers of fools, & sepulchres of vices. This that seemeth me is, that if in thy youth every man gave to thee, because thou shouldest give that to every man, now thou givest thyself to every man, because every man should give him to the. Thou tellest me, that thou haste two. sons, & lackest help for them. Yield graces to the God's of the pity that they have used with thee, they have given to xu children of Fabricio my neighbour but one father, & to two of thy children only, they have given l fathers. Therefore divide them among their fathers, and every man shall not have one finger. Lucia thy daughter in deed, and mine by suspect, remember that I have done more in marrying of her, than thou didst in her procreation. For to the getting of her, thou didst call divers, & to marry her I did it alone. I writ to the but little, to the respect of that I would write. Butrio Cornelio hath spoken moche on thy part, he himself shall show the as much of my part. It is long ago sith I knew thine impatience. I know well thou wilt send me an other letter more malicious. I pray the sith I wrote to the secretly, defame me not openly. And when thou readest this letter, remember what occasions thou givest me to write, & though that we be not friends, yet will I not leave to send the silver. I send the a gown, & the God's be with thee, & bring me out of this war with peace. Mark praetor in Dacie to his ancient lover Boemia.   

¶ The answer to the emperors letter sent by Boemia. The xvi letter.  
BOemia thine ancient lover, to the Marc of mount Celio her mortal enemy. I desire vengeance of thy person, & ill fortune for all thy life. I have received thy letter, & thereby perceive thy damnable intents & thy cruel malices. Such ill persons as thou art have this privilege, that sith one doth suffer your villainies in secret, ye will hurt them openly, but thou shalt not do so with me Marc: for though I be not tresouresse of thy treasures, yet at least I am treasouresse of thine illness: and where as I can not revenge me with my person, I shall labour to do it with my tongue. And think, that though we women be weak, and our bodies soon overcome, yet wite it for certain, that our hearts are never vanquished. Thou sayest, that scaping from a battle thou didst receive my letter, whereof thou were sore abashed. It is a very common thing to them that be week and slack, to speak of love, wanton fools to treat of books, and to cowards to babble of arms: I say it, because the answering to a letter was not of necessity to rehearse to a woman as I am, whether it were before the battle or after. I know well, thou art scaped fro it, for thou were not the first that fought, nor the last that fled. When thou were young, I never saw the go to the war, that ever I dread or had suspect of thy life: for knowing thy cowardice, I never took care for thine absence, for therein I was most sure of thy person. Than Marc tell me now, what thou dost in thine age. I think thou bearest thy spear not for to just in the war, but for to lean on when the gout grieveth the. Thy helmet I dame thou bearest with the to drink within taverns, and not to defend the fro the strokes of swords: for I never saw the strike man with thy sword, but I have known the slay a. M. women with thy tongue. O malicious and unhappy Marc, if thou were as valiant as thou art malicious, thou shouldest be as greatly dread of the barbarycke nations, as thou art hated, as reason is, of the matrons of Rome. Tell me what thy list: at the least thou canst not deny, but as thou haste been a weak and slack lover, so thou art now a weak and slack coward knight, an unknown friend, avaricious, infamed, malicious, cruel, enemy to every man, and friend to no body. And we that have known thee, young strong and lusty, condemn the for an old fool. Thou sayest, that taking my letter into thy hands, thy heart took the poison of malice. I believe it well without swearing, for any thing being malicious forthwith findeth lodging in thy house. Beasts, that be corrupt, lightly take the poison, that they that been of good complexion cast away. Of one thing I am in certain, thou shalt not die of poison. For one venom oftentimes destroyeth an other venom. O malicious Marc, if all they in Rome knew thee, as well as sorrowful Boemya doth, they should soon see, what difference were between the words that thou speakest, and the intention of thy heart. And if by the writings that thou makest, thou meritest to have the name of a philosopher, by the illness that thou dost invent, thou dost merit to have the name of a tyrant. Thou sayest, thou sawest never certitude in the love of a woman, nor end of her hate. I have great glory, that other ladies beside me have knowledge of thy small wisdom. A see Marc, I will not mock thee, thou art such one, as never deserved that one should begin to love thee, nor leave to hate the. wilt thou have certitude in love, and thou unfaithful of thy service? Wilt thou serve with mockeries, and wouldest be loved truly? wilt thou enjoy the person without spending of any of thy goods? Wilt thou have no complaints of thee, and thou not ceasing thy malices? Thou sayest, thou knowest the illness of women. I will thou know, we be not so foolish, as thou thinkest, nor thou so wise, as thou weenest, to praise thyself▪ yet hitherto hath been seen more men, to follow the appetite of women, than there hath been women following the will of men. 〈◊〉 none of both is great trust, and yet we both practise that one man hath his heart so mighty, to be more wiser than three wise women, and one woman thinketh her so strong, to put under her feet, and overcome iii C. such as be light. Thou sayest, thou art abashed of my lightness, to leave Rome, and come to the being in the wars. Great is the love of the country, sith that many leave divers wealths that they have in strange lands, and live straightly, for to live in their own land: but greater is my love, sith that I would leave Rome with all the pleasures, to go and search for the in strange lands among the cruel battles. O malicious Mark, O strange lover, if I leave Rome, it were to go and seek my heart being in the battles with the. And certainly divers times when I do think on thine absence, I swoon and sorrow as my heart were not with me, and yet I find no perfit remedy. I think our love is not like these beasts, that joy of their pleasures, without to will, and desire their wills. I swear to the by the goddess Vesta, and by the mother Berecinthia, that thou owest me more for one day of love, that I have had to thee, than for the services that I have done to the in xxii years. Behold unhappy Marc, how moche in thy presence I have always regarded thee, and in thine absence I have always thought on thee, and sleeping I have always dreamt of thee, I have wept for thy travail, and laughed at thy pleasure, and finally all my wealth I have wished thee, and all thine ills I have wished me. I ensure the one thing, that as now I feel not so much the persecution that thou dost to me, as I do the mysknowlege that thou makest to me. It is a great sorrow for an avaricious man to see his goods lost, but without comparison it is far greater for the lover to see his love ill bestowed. It is a hurt that is always sore, & a pain always painful, a sorrow always sorrowful, & it is a death that never endeth. O ye men, if ye knew with what love women loveth you in perfytenes when they love, & with what heart they hate when they are set to hate: I swear to you, ye would never company with them in love: or if ye do love them, ye would never leave them for fear of their hate: & there is never great hate, but where as much love was first. But thou shalt never be greatly hatid, for thou were never truly loved of ladies. The sorrowful Boemia hath loved the xxii year of her life, & now she only hateth the till after her death. Thou sayest, I may be eaten for verjuice, and yet I would be sold for wine. I know well I have erred, as one that hath been young and light, and when I perceived that I had lost my way, and that my misadventure can find no way nor remedy: It is the greatest loss of all losses, when there is no remedy. I have erred like a feeble and a weak woman, but thou hast erred as a strong man: I have erred by simple ignorance, but thou haste erred of a prepensed and wilful malice: I have erred, not knowing that I should have erred, but thou knewest what thou didst: I have trusted to thy words, as to a faithful gentile man, and thou haste beguiled me with a thousand losings as a liar. Tell me, didst thou not seek occasion to come into my mother's house Getulia, to allure me her daughter Boemia to thy mind? Dyddeste thou not promise my father to teach me to read in one year? and thou taughtehe me to read the book of Duidius, of the art of love? Didst thou not swear to be my husbaunde, and than withdrewest thy hand as a false advoultrer? Dost thou not know, that thou never foundest villainy in my person, nor I never found truth in thy mouth? At least thou canst not deny, but thou hast offended the God's, and art infamed of men, & odious to the Romans, slandered of good folks, and example to the ill folks, and finally a traitor to my father and mother, a breaker of thy faith, and to me sorrowful Boemia an unkind lover. O malicious Marc, hast thou not cut me in leaves, offering to my father to keep his vines surely? Ill may the chicken trust the kite, or the lambs the wolves: & worse the to bring up the daughters of them that be good. O cursed Mark, a damageable keeper of vines hath the matrons of Rome found thee, in keeping their daughters: I swear, that there was neither grape nor cluster, but it was eaten or cut by the. Thou didst eat me being green. I promise the it hath set thy teeth on an ill edge. Thou sayest, I riped by power of heat and straw. It displeaseth me not so moche, that thou sayest, as thou givest me occasion to say to the. Thy shame is so shameful, and thy malice so unshamefast, that I can not answer the to the purpose, without hurting or touching the quick. I would wit of thee, when thou maryedste Faustyn, whether thou foundest her green or ripe? Thou knowest well, and like wise so do I, that other beside thee, gauged the vessel, and thou drinkest the lies: other gathered the grapes, and thou gleynedst the vine: other did eat the grapes, and thou hadst the husks. O wicked Marc, behold thine evils, and how the God's have given the just chastisement, that thou being young meritedst not to be desired of thy lovers, nor that thy wives keep faith to the in thine age. For to be avenged of thy person, I need none other thing, but to see the married to faustine. By the mother Berecynthia I promise thee, that if thy small wisdom might attain to know entirely, what is said of her and the in Rome, surely thou wouldest weep night and day for the life of Faustyn, and not leave the thoughtful Boemia. O Marc, little thought is taken for thee, & how far is our understanding uncoupled fro thy thoughts: because that with thy great doctrine by day time thy house is made a school of philosophers, and the wantonness of thy wife faustine by night, maketh it a brothel of ruffiens. It is a just judgement of the God's, that sith thine only malice sufficeth to poison many that be good, that one alone may suffice to unbend and lose thy renome. One difference there is between the and me, and thy wife Faustine: for my deeds are but in suspect, and yours are openly known in deed: mine are secret, and yours are evident: I have stumbled, but ye have fallen. Of one thing alone I have merited to be chastised, but ye have deserved no forgiveness: My dishonour is deed with the fault, and is buried with mine amendment, but your infamy is borne with your desires, and is brought up with your wills, and liveth still with your works: finally therefore your infamy shall never die, for you lived never well. O malicious Marcus, with all that thou knowest, wottest thou not, that forlosing of a good name, an ill fame is recovered: and in the end of a good life, beginneth a good faame? Thou ceasest not to say ill only by suspicion, the which thy false judgements show thee: and yet thou wouldest we should not speak that we see with our eyes. Of one thing be thou sure, that neither of thee, nor of thy wife faustine there is no false witness: for the troth is so evident, that there needeth not to invent any lies. Thou sayst, that it is an old quarrel of amorous ladies of Rome, that in taking fro many we are the poorest of all other: because we fail in credence, we are honoured for silver. It is of certainty, that we mistrust the holly because of his pricks, the acorns, for his husks, the roses among nettyls, and thy mouth for thy malice. I have curiously taken heed, that thou never saidest well by women, nor I never could find, that any would the good. What greater correction should I have of thy wickedness, or more vengeance for mine injuries, but to be certain, that all the loving ladies of Rome are sorry of thy life, and would be glad of thy death? The life of that man is wicked, that many bewail, and in whose death every body rejoiceth. It is the property of poor unkind persons as thou art, to forget the great goodness done to them, and to be sorry for the little that they give. As much as noble hartis glorify them in giving to other, so moche are they ashamed to receive services unrewarded. For in giving they make themself lords, and in receiving they are as slaves. I would wit what thou hast given me, or what thou hast received of me? I have adventured my good name, and given thee, possession of my person: I have made the lord and master of all my goods: I have banished myself out of my country, and put myself in peril only for thy sake: and in recompense of all this, thou reprochest me now of misery. Thou never gavest me any thing with thy good will, nor I never received it willingly, nor it did me never profit. Il things recover a name, not for the common work that we see, but for the secret intention with the which we work. And thou unhappy man desiredst me, not to enjoy my person, but rather to have my money. We ought not to call the a clear lover, but a thief, & a wily see rover. I had a little ring of thee, which I am determined to cast into the river, and the clothing that I had of the I have brent in the fire. And if that my body were any thing amended with the bread that I have eaten of thine, I would cut my flesh, and let out the blood without any fear. O cursed Mark, thy dark malice would not suffer the clearly to understand my letter: for I intended not to ask money, to relieve my poverty and solytarynesse, but reknowledging and thinking to satisfy my willing heart. Such vain and covetous men as thou art thyself, are pleased with gifts, but the hartis incarnate in love are little satisfied with silver. For love only is paid with love again. The man that loveth not as a man of reason, but as a brute beast, and the woman that loveth not but for the interest of her person: such ought not to be trusted in their words, nor their persons desired. For the love of her endeth, when the goods fail: and the love of him, when her beauty faileth. If thy love proceeded only of the beauty of my face, and my love only for the money of thy pours: it were no right, that we were called wise lovers, but rather very nice persons. O wicked Mark, I never loved the for thy goods, though thou lovedst me for my beauty: with all my heart I loved the than, & with all my heart I hate the now. Thou sayest, the God's have showed me great pity, to give me few children, and to them many fathers. The greatest blame in women is to be unshamefast, and the most villainy in men is to be ill sayers. divers things ought to be suffered for the fragility of women, which are not permitted in the wisdom of men. I say this because I never saw temperance in the for to cover thine own malices, nor wisdom to excuse the debilities of other. Thou sayest, that my sons have divers fathers. I swear unto thee, that though thou die, the children of Faustine shall not be fatherless. And of truth if the God's, as thou sayest, have be pitiful to my children, no less art thou to strange children. For faustine keepeth the but to excuse her blame, and to be tutor of her children. O cursed Marc, thou mayst well rejoice & take no thought, for thine own children have no need to be married. For one thing we are bound, that is for the example, the which thou dost give of thy patience: For sith thou sufferest Faustine in so many infamies, it is no great need that we suffer any secrets in the. I say no more at this time, making an end of my letter, desiring the end of thy person.   

¶ A letter sent by Marcus the emperor to Matrine a young maiden of Rome, of whom he was enamoured, seeing her at a window. ¶ The xvii letter.  
Mark th'emperor, the very desirous, to the Matrine greatly desired. I wot not if by good adventure of mine ill adventure, or by ill adventure of my good adventure, I did see the of late at a window, where as thou heldest thine arms as close as mine eyen were spread abroad, that cursed be they for ever. For in beholding thy face, my heart forthwith abode with the as prisoner. The beginning of thy knowledge is the end of my reason, and feeling of flight. Of one travail cometh infinite travails to men. I say it for this, if I had not been idle, I had not gone out of my house, and if I had not gone out of my house, I had not gone out into the streets, and if I had not passed through the street, I had not seen the at thy window, and if I had not seen the at thy window, I had not desired thy person: and not desiring thy person, I had not put thy name in so great peril, nor my life in travail, nor had given none occasion in all Rome to speak of us. Of a troth lady Matrine in this case I condemn myself, sith I would behold the. And thou wouldest be saluted, sith thou desired'st to be seen. And sith thou were set as a white mark, it was no great marvel that I that with the arrows of mine eyes at the butts of thy beauty, with rolling eyes, with brows bend, well coloured face, incarnate teeth, ruddy lips, crisp hears, hands set with rings, clothed with a. M. manner of clothings, bearing purses full of sweet smells, and bracelets full of knacks, with pearls and stones at the ears. Tell me what becometh of a woman, with these things, that will show herself at a window? The most cause is, that I can esteem or think therein, that sith you do show your bodies openly to us at the eye, that your will is, that we should know your desires secretly. And if it be so, as I affirm, that it is so, it seemeth me madame Matrine, thou shouldest desire him that desireth thee, to inform him that searcheth thee, to answer him that calleth thee, & feel that he feeleth: intend to him that intendeth to thee: and sith I understand thee, understand me, and understand sith thou dost not understand. I am advised, as I went by the street Falaria to se thieves put to justice, mine eyen saw the at a window, on whom dependeth all my desires. Thou dost more justice to me, than I to the thieves: for I being at justice, thou haste iusticied the justice, & none dare pain the. The gibbet is not so cruel to them that never knew but ill doing, as thou art to me that never thought, but how I might do the service. The thieves suffer but one death, and thou makest me to suffer a. M. in a day: In one hour the thieves lives are ended, and I die every minute: I draw toward death wrongfully, and they suffer for their faults: I suffer an innocent, they openly, and I in secret. What shall I say more to thee? of truth they wept watery drops with their eyes, because they die, and I weep tears of blood in my heart, because I live. This is the difference, their torments spreadeth abroad through all their bodies, and I keep mine together in my heart. O cruel Matrine, I can not tell what justice it is to put men to death that steal money, & suffer women to live that rob men's hearts: If their ears be cut of, that pick men's pourses, why are women than pardoned, that rob men's inward hearts and entrails? By thy nobleness I pray thee, and by the goddess Venus I conjure thee, either answer to my desire, or else restore my heart again, which thou hast rob fro me. I would thou knewest the clear faith of my heart, rather than this letter written with my hand. If mine adventure were so good, as to speak with thee, and that thy love were not ashamed thereof, I would hope with the sight & speech to win that which I am in suspect to lose by my letter. The reason is, because thou hearest my ill and rude reasons reading my letter. And if thou sawest me, thou shouldest see the cruel tears that I offer to the by my life. I would my mouth could publish mine enraged evils, as my heart feeleth, than I swear to the lady Matrine, that my grievous dolour should awake thy small thought. And as thy beauty & mine affection have made me thine own, so the knowledge of my passion should make the mine. I desire that thou shouldest regard the beginning, and therewith regard the end. Certainly the same day that thou enprisonedst my heart at thy window, in the dungeon of my desires, I had no less weakness to be overcome, than thou hadst force to constrain me. And more greater is thy power to put thyself from me, than my reason is to put me fro the. I ask no mercy of thee, but that we might declare our wills together. But in this case what wilt thou that I should say, but that thou hast so much power over me, and I so little of my liberty, that will I nill I, my heart can not be but thine? And it being thine, thou mayst, and wilt not declare thyself to be mine. And sith it may not be, but that my life must be condemned in thy service, be thou as sure of my faith as I am doubtful of thy hope: For I shall have a greater wealth to be lost for thy sake, than to win any other thing. I will say no more at this time, but that thou account my perdition and death, and draw the life of my tears into open joy. And because that I hold my faith in thy faith, and will never despair in thy hope, I send to the ten little rings of gold, with ten stones of Alexandry: And I conjure thee▪ by the immortal God's, that when thou dost put them on thy fingers, thou set me in thine heart and entrails. Marcus amorous wrote this with his own hand.   

¶ An other letter sent by Marc the emperor to the said gentle woman Matrine. The . XVIII. letter.  
MArke habitant at Rome, to the Matrine his right sweet enemy. I call the sweet, for it is just that I die for the. And I call the enemy, because thou makest not an end to slay me. I can not tell wherein it is, but sith the feast of jano hitherto, I have written three letters to the. And to the answer of them, I would that I had seen two letters from thee, if it were thy pleasure. If that I serve thee, thou wouldest that I should not serve: if I speak, thou wilt not speak to me, if I look at thee, thou wilt not behold me: if I call thee, thou wilt not answer: if I visit thee, thou wilt not see me, if I writ to thee, thou wilt give me none answer, and worst of all, if other do show the of my dolours, thou makest but a mock thereof. And if I had as much knowledge, where to complain to thee, as thou hast power to remedy the plaintyfe, my wisdom should no less be praised among wise men, than thy beauty is among fools. I pray the heartily regard not the contrarieties of my reasons, but regard the faith of my weepings, the which in witness of my pains I do give unto the. I wot not what good may come to the of my harms: nor what winning of my loss thou shouldest hope to get: nor what surety of my peril thou shouldest attain unto: nor what pleasure of my displeasure thou mayst have. I have had answer of my messenger, that without reading of my letters, thou hast with thy hands toren them all to pieces. It ought to suffice the to think, that my person were hewn in quarters, yet I would thou hadst red these small lines lady Matrine: for by them thou shouldest have seen, how my thoughts were troubled. Ye women are so extreme, that for the fault of one man, a woman will complain of all other men in general, so that ye be cruel for one particular cause. Openly ye pardon all men's lives, and in secret ye procure every man's death. I esteem it nothing dame Matrine that thou haste done: but I lament me of that thou demaundedst Valirius thy neighbour to say to me. One thing I would thou hadst in memory and not forgot, and that is, sith that my liberty is so small, and thy power so great, because I being all holly mine own, I am turned to be thine, that thou shouldest think, that when thou wouldest injury me, thou shouldest do most injury to thyself, sith that by the I die, as thou by me dost live. In this ill purpose persever not, for thou dost adventure the life of us both. Thou damnest thy condition, and distroyest my health, and finally thou must come to the medicine. forgive me dame Matrine, if I say any malice to thee, that is, I know that ye women desire one thing, and keep us in dread, that it should not come by her thought. Thou were wont to be well conditioned, and at least though thou dost not put it in ure, yet thou hast the fame thereof: and an ancient fame ought not be left for a new unkindness. Thou knowest well, what contrarynesse doth ungentleness to the virtues in virtuous houses, and thou canst not be called virtuous, but if thou be gentle and courteyse. There is no greater unkindness than to love her that loveth not me: That I visit thee, and thou visitest not me, that I speak to thee, and thou speakest not to me is nothing, that I knowledge thee, & thou wilt not know me is nothing, though I weep and thou laugh is nothing, though I demand, and thou deniest is nothing: though thou own me, and never pay, yet it is nothing, but where as I love thee, and thou not me, is a great thing. That thing that can not be dissimuled with the eyes, nor the heart suffer, all the vices among mortal creatures, it is reason that they be forgiven, because they are committed by nature, save only the unloving of women, and the unkindness of men, which are vices committed of malice. After divers services by me done to thee, and much more that I have to do hereafter, thou Matrine mayst all only pay me with one thing, I pray the refuse not to give me remedy, sith I have not offered me in the peril. If thou say, that Patroclus thy spouse hath the property over thee, yet at least receive me to the proof, and I shall pretend possession of the. And in this wise in the vainglory to be thine, shall cover the damage not to be mine. Thou makest me to marvel sore, how for so small a mercy and reward thou canst suffer such importunity so long. For certain many things we grant to an importunate man, the which are not granted to a temperate man. If thou hopest to overcome me Matryne, I hold myself vanquished: if thou wilt lose me, I hold me for lost: if thou wilt slay me, I yield myself as dead. For by the gesture that I make afore thy gate, and the sighs that I make in mine own house, are greatly mine to resist, and the grievous assault of thee, be edifices more to summon death, than to defend the life: If thou wilt that I scape this danger, deny me not the remedy, because it shallbe a greater vice in the to slay me, than villainy to give me remedy. And it were no just thing for so small a price to lose the faith of so great service. I wot not what to do, to make the my debtor, and thou to pay me. And yet worst of all, I wot not what to do, nor what to think nor to say, nor to whom to determine me, because I can not assure any profit in me, but to be certain in thy services. And because thou dost trust him that hath done this message, by him I do send this open letter, and my secret answer. I do send the a jewel of pearls, and a besant of gold. To the God's I do commend the. And I require the for to receive it with as good a will as I do present it unto the. Marc the orator to the right honourable Matrine.   

¶ A letter sent by Marc the emperor to Lybia a fair lady Roman. ¶ The xix letter.  
Mark full of sorrow and pensiveness, to the Lybia taking but little thought or care: if thy small thought passed any thing on me, and also if my troubles and dolours were lodged and did rest in 〈◊〉 than thou shouldest perceive and see how small the quarrel were, the which I make to thee, in respect of the torment that I do suffer, if the blazing flames issued out, as the fired brands do burn me within, the smoke would reach to the heavens, and make ymbres of the earth: if thou dost well remember the first time that I saw the in the temple of the virgins vestales, thou being there praydste the God's for thyself, and I on my knees prayed the for myself. I know well thou offeredst honey and oil to the God's, and I offered to the sore weepings and sighs. It is a just thing to give more to him that offereth his inward entrails, than to him that draweth money out of his purse to offer. I have determined, and disposed me, to write to the this letter, that thou shouldest see how thou art served with the arrows of mine eyes, that were shot at the white of thy services. Alas, how sorrowful am I to think, lest the calm time now, doth threaten me with the tempest to come. I will say, that dislove in thee, causeth the hope doubtful in me. Behold what mysaduenture I had lost a letter, and I as I returned to the temple to seek for it, I had near lost myself, in going thither so often, considering my small merit. I see well, that mine eyes the ladders of my hope, are set on so high a wall, that no less is the doubt of my fall, than the danger of the climbing up. Thou bowing down the leaves of thy high merits, haste brought me to the point of continual service. Let me have the fruit, and give the leaves to whom thou wilt. By the immortalle God's, I have great marvel, for surely I thought that in the temple of the virgins Vestales, no man should have had temptations. But as now I do find by experience, that that woman is more liberal, and sooner overcome, that is fast and straightly kept and watched, than other. All the corporal damages are first hard of, ere they be known, and known ere they be seen, and seen ere they be felt, and felt ere they be tasted, yet it is not so in love. For first they feel the stroke thereof, ere they see the way how it cometh. The lightning is not so sudden, but it is seen afore the thunder clap, nor the wall falleth not so suddenly, but first some stones break asunder, nor the cold cometh not so fast on, but some small shiverings cometh before: but all only love is not felt till it be settled in the entrails. Let every man know it that know it not, and thou lady Libie if thou wilt, know: Love sleepeth when we wake, and waketh when we sleep, and laugheth when we weep, and weepeth when we laugh: it assureth in taking, and taketh in assuring: And speaketh when we be still, and is still when we speak: And finally it is of that condition, that for to give us that we desire, it causeth us to live in pain. I swear to thee, when my will becamme thy servant, and thy beauty caused, that thou were my lady, when I was in the temple and returned again thither, not desiring thee, thou beholdest me, and I as unhappy looked on the. But O what a thought came to me, that my heart being hole, thou haste divided, being in health thou haste hurt, being alive thou hast slain, being mine thou haste stolen it, and that worst of all is, not helping to my life, thou consentest that love assail me to the death. Many times lady Libya considering that all my thoughts been high, and my fortune low, I would have separate my self fro the. But considering that my travails are well applied in thy services, I say though I might, I will not be separate fro the. I will not deny one thing, and that is, that cursed love taketh away the taste of all things, and yet thereby alonely it giveth us appetite, the which giveth us much ill profit. This is the proof of him that loveth heartily. For one disfavour of him that is beloved, is more than all the favour of this life. I think lady Libya thou art greatly abashed to see me outward as a philosopher, and to know me inward a secret lover. I pray the Lybia discover me not: For if that the God's give me long life, I am minded for to amend. And though I be at this hour but a young fool in the art of love, when I am old I shall be wise: the God's know what I desire, and the force that I do enforce me to: but as the flesh is weak, and the heart tender, and hath many occasions and few virtues, and the world subtle, and the people malicious, I pass this beginning and spring of flowers with hope that in harvest I shall have some fruit. Dame Libya dost thou think, that philosophers thought they were never so sage, be not stricken with the cruelties of love? and that under their course clothes their flesh is not smooth? Certainly among the hard bones soft flesh is bred, under the sharp husks the chestnut is nourished. I say that under course apparel, is true and perfit love. I deny not but that our slack nature resisteth not with virtues: nor I deny not, but there be young wanton desires not repressed with virtuous purposes: I deny not, but that the bit of youth is not refrained with the bridle of reason: I deny not, but that that the flesh procureth, is divers times withstand by wisdom. And also I knowledge well, that he that is not amorous, is a fool. And thou knowest, that though we be wise, we leave not therefore to be men. All that ever we learn in all our lives sufficeth not to know how to rule the flesh one hour. To wise men in this case hath fallen many errors: there be many masters in virtues, and many more hath been, and yet they have been overcome with vices: wherefore then dost thou marvel of me alone? I confess of truth, that I had never mine understanding so clear, as when cupid fanned wind on me with his wings. There was never none unto my time, that ever was noted wise, but first he was a prisoner & bound with the love of Cupid. Gratian was amorous on Tamyr: Solon Salaminus giver of the laws, was amorous of Grecyane: Pytacus Mitelenus left his own wife, and was enamoured of a bond woman that he brought from the wars: Cleobulus of Caria when he was full lxx year old, and haddered philosophy xlv. year, scaling the house of his neighbour, fell of the ladder and died. Periander prince of Acaye, and a great philosopher of Grece, at the preier of one of his lovers slew his wife. Anacharsis a philosopher a Scythian of his father side, and a greek of his mother side, was so enamoured of a woman of Thebes, that he taught her all his counning: and when he was sick in his bed, she red in the school for him. Epimenides of Crete, that slept xu years without waking, and though he was ten year a great worshipper of the God's, yet he was banished from Athenes for the love of women. Archyta Tarentyn, master of Plato, and disciple of Pythagoras, occupied his mind more to invent the kinds of love, than his forces in doctrines of virtues. Gorgio Cleontino, borne in Sycyll, kept rather concubines in his chamber, than books in the schools. All these were wise men, and yet we may see, how at the last they were overcome with the flesh. Than blame not me alone: for as I have told of so few in number, so I could recite of other a whole army. Of troth he ought to have many things, that will be taken as curious in love. He must have his eyen displayed on her that he loveth, his understanding fore altered in that he thinketh, his tongue troubled in that he should say: So that in seeing he be blinded, in thoughts wandering, and in speaking troubled. O lady Libya, the loving in mockery passeth by mockery: but where as the true heart is, there is the grief and no mockery. Love sheddeth her poison, and cruel cupido fixeth his arrows up to the feathers. Than the eyen weep, the heart syghethe, the flesh trymbleth, the sinews shrink, the understanding waxeth gross, reason faileth, and so all falleth to the earth, so that finally the heavy lover abiding in himself, holdeth little or nothing of himself. All this I say, because that knowledge to love faileth in me: yet be ye sure, that the works fail me not to work in thy service. And sith it was mine adventure to see thee, now it is my chance to know thee, I demand nothing else of thee, but that thou wilt love me truly, sith I love the without feigning. And if thou haste hard, that I am sick at my heart, I desire the to do me some good: for sith it is all only in thee, it is reason that thou all only seek for remedy. I was greatly comforted, when Fabius Carlynus desired me in thy behalf to be a prisoner, and I did incontinent all that thou didst desire, to th'intent that thou on some day shouldest do that I desire. And behold lady Lybia, the woman that is served with services, it is reason that she receive some prayers. And though my strengths have no power to open the gates of thy purpose, as not to agree to thy demand, yet all my labours be because of thy renown. I pray the discover not the one, nor beguile me not with the other. For now thou seest that in granting is remedy, and in trust is comfort, but promise is deceivable, the delaying is perilous, and the entreating bindeth. I see very well, that the hasty demand deserveth a long answer: but I would not that thou shouldest do so: but as I desire thee, so desire me. I say again, I am all thine, and not mine own. And as for myself in all things I will serve the. And lady Libya regard, that it were as much honour for thee, as profitable for me, to turn thy disordinate desires and purposes. For thou seest well it is much better to heal shortly than to late with failing of thy purpose. All women keep one dangerous opinion, that is, they will never receive counsel that is given them in a great cause: and if it be so, as I think, sith thou art praised and esteemed of great beauty, than be esteemed to receive good counsel. And in this manner in case that my damage be very great, and thy patience very little, I shallbe called wise to give the such counsel, and thou right gracious to follow it. One thing I say, and pardon me, though I show it to thee, how that women be greatly infamed, that will take no counsel, and such as will assure their renown by the opinion of other, as much as though they were determined so to do their self. Wherefore I would ye should do one thing for an other, as I counsel you. And if thou findest any ill thereby, withdraw thy hand. I will say no more to thee, but that I do present to the all my unhappy troubles, my desperate sighs, and my services as thy servant: My troubled dolours, my words of philosophy, and my amorous tears. Also I send the a gyrdelle of gold, and I give it the on the condition, that thou set thine eyes thereon, and apply thy heart to me. I pray the God's to give me to thee, and the to me. Marcus Aurelius the philosopher writeth this in very great secret.  
¶ THUS ENDETH THIS GOLDEN Book of the eloquent Marc Aurelie emperor: who so ever be reder thereof may take it by reason for a rich and a new labour, and specially princes and governors of the common wealth, and ministers of justice with other. Also the common people each of them may find the labour convenient to their estate. And therein is contained certain right high and profound sentences, and wholesome counsels, and marvelous devices against thencumbrance of fortune: and right sweet consolations for them that are overthrown by fortune. Finally it is good to them that digest it, and thank god that hath given such grace to a paynim, in giving us example of virtuous living, with high and salutary doctrines and marvelous instructions of perfectness. Certainly as great praise as aught to be given to the author, is to be given to the translators, that have laboriously reduced this treatise out of Greek into latin, and out of latin into Castilian, and out of Castilyan into french, and out of french into english, written in high and sweet styles. O right happy travail, sith that such fruit is issued thereof. And also blessed be the hands that have written it. A right precious meat is the sentences of this book: But finally the sauce of the said sweet style moveth the appetite. Many books there be of substantial meats, but they be so rude and so unsavoury, and the style of so small grace, that the first morsel is loathsome and noyful: And of such books followeth to lie hole and sound in libraries, but I trust this will not. Of truth great praise is due to the author of his travail. And sith there can be no grace equipollent in earth, let us pray to god to give him grace & reward in heaven. Amen. Graces to god.  
FINIS.   
❧ Thus endeth the volume of Mark Aurelie emperor, otherwise called the golden book, translated out of French into english by Iohn Bourchier knight lord Barners, deputy general of the kings town of Caleis and marches of the same, at the instant desire of his nephew sir Francis Bryan knight, ended at Caleys the tenth day of March, in the year of the Reign of our sovereign lord king HENRY the . VIII. the XXIII.   

LONDINI IN AEDIBUS THOMAE BERTHELETI REGII IMPRESSORIS. ANNO. M.D.XXXVII. CUM PRIVILEGIO.   


LUCRETIA ROMANA  
THOMAS BETHELETUS