A looking Glass for the Court.  
Composed in the Castilian tongue by the Lord Anthony of Guevarra Bishop of Mondouent, and Chronicler to the Emperor Charles. And out of castilian drawn into French by Anthony Alaygre. And out of the French tongue into English by Sir Frances Briant Knight one of the privy Chamber, in the reign of K. Henry the eight. And now newly printed, corrected and set forth with sundry apt notes in the margin by T. Tymme Minister.  
¶ Imprinted at London, for William Norton. An. 1575.   


nor  
w   printer's device of William Norton   

¶ To the Right honourable, john, Lord Russell, son and heir apparent to the right Noble Frances, Earl of Bedforde, one of the Queen's majesties privy Counsel, and Knight of the most honourable order of the Garter.  
THe recommending of this learned and pleasant Treatise, the more generally to have it perused (right Honourable) is the cause why I have dedicated the same to your Honour. For it being warranted under your protection, (in whom such virtues have their seat, that in you is expressed the right pattern of true Nobility) can not but carry great credit, though the matter of itself, should less deserve the same. It nothing doth dismay me for that I being unknown to your Honour, have thus far presumed, neither may this seem any rash attempt for that cause. For such is the alluring force of virtue, that she constraineth us to bear singular love and affection, not only to our own Countrymen by view of face unknown, but also to Aliens, which by Land and Sea are far severed from us. Wherefore I being caught with the commendation of your Noble heart, furnished with virtue generally noised, could not but take courage to present this Pamphlet unto your Honour's hands, as a most meet Patron for the same. In the which you shall find pleasant matter concerning the dispraise of the Court, and the commendation of the Rustical life being eloquently pend by that Reverend Father in God the Lord Anthony of Guevarra, a man of great learning and gravity, whose name may sufficiently warrant the work to be handled with great discretion: last and lest, my willing travail to revive the same lying as dead, and by time worn●●lmost clean away. Therefore accept my good will (Right Honourable) and if opportunity shall serve, hereafter there shall greater things appear under your Honour's name. For this time, not to trouble your Honour with longer speech, I take my leave, recommending my poor pains as the needy Widows Mite to your Honourable courtesy, 
Mar. 12.42.  and courtuouse acceptance: beseeching Almighty God to give you increase of Honour, and to bless you and your most Noble and virtuous Lady, that she may enjoy to her comfort and yours, that long desired and blessed fruit and with Anna the Mother of Samuel, 
1. Sam. 2.1.  joyfully praise God for the same.  
Your Honour's most humble Thomas Tymme.   

To the Reader.  
IF high estate and Noble birth  
Adournde with learning's lore,  
Deserve high commendation  
And merit praise therefore:  
If pearls of greatest price deserve,  
Of right in finest gold  
To be coutched and enamelde  
For all men to behold:  
If wisdom, or authority,  
If knowledge, credit, fame,  
If haughty courage, courtly grace,  
And mildness with the same,  
May give to book a countenance,  
Or make it more regarded:  
I say unto this book there aught,  
Like praise to be awarded.  
Whose Author, Dan Guevarra, height  
A Phoenix of our age:  
To Charles the fifth, late Emperor,  
A counselor full sage.  
And Preacher eke the same, and eke  
A Chronicler of Acts:  
Who could by sound of clanging trump  
Emblazon out his facts.  
Who many works to us hath left  
For which we better far.  
Dyrecting us to virtue, and  
Of vices to beware.  
Acquainted well with courtly guise  
In Kaisers' favour high,  
Yet verdict gives that Country life  
Surmounth it far and nigh.  
Whose pithy reasons, filed speech,  
And sugared words did move  
A worthy Knight of English Court,  
Whom Henry King did love,  
first to translate from foreign phrase  
Into our mother tongue,  
Investing it with English robe,  
As good for old and young.  
For pleasure and for profit both  
To recreate the mind:  
And reaping thence commodity,  
Ease for themselves to find.  
One not unlike to Xenophon  
Whose shape his Country men  
Set up with sword in right hand clasped,  
In left, a writing pen.  
In like sort lived, this worthy knight  
In marshall feats well tried  
With Lance, spear, Targe: in time of peace  
His pen good works descried.  
Whose worthy pains, and learned pens  
I do commend to thee:  
Whose virtues brightly shine, and need  
Not to be praised by me:  
That Mite of labour, which myself  
Therein bestowed have,  
In gentle sort accept, for more  
I neither seek ne crave.  
And join with me in prayer firm  
For health, long life, and reign,  
Of our most noble Queen, that she  
On earth, may long remain.  
To guide the stern of Christian barge  
With Oars of sacred lore:  
And afterward to reign with Christ  
In bliss for evermore.  
FINIS.  
T. T.   

¶ A Table containing briefly the sum of every Chapter.  

CHAPTER. 1. OF certain Courtiers which aught to complain of none but of themselves.  
CHAPTER. 2. That none aught to counsel another to go to the Court, nor when he is there to come from it, but every man to choose the life that liketh him best.  
CHAPTER. 3. That a Courtier aught to leave the Court for not being in favour: but being out of it already, that he aught not to seek entertainment there again, that he may be more virtuous.  
CHAPTER. 4. Of the life that the Courtier aught to lead, after that he hath left the Court.  
CHAPTER. 5. That the Rustical life is more quiet and restful, and more beneficial than that of the Court.  
CHAPTER. 6. That in the Village the days seem more long, and the air more clear, and the houses more restful than in the Court.  
CHAPTER. 7. That commonly the Inhabitants of the Villages, be more happy than Courtiers.  
CHAPTER. 8. That in Prnices Courts the custom and use is to speak of God, and live after the world.  
CHAPTER. 9 In the Court few amend, but many wax worse.  
CHAPTER. 10. That a man cannot live in the Court without he trouble himself or some other.  
CHAPTER. 11. That in the Court those that be grave are praised and well esteemed, and the other that do the contrary not regarded.  
CHAPTER. 12. That in the Court of Princes all say we will do it, but they do it not.  
CHAPTER. 13. That there is a small number of them that be good in the Court, and a great number of good in the common wealth.  
CHAPTER. 14. Of many affairs in the Court, and that there be better husbandmen, than commonly is of courtiers.  
CHAPTER. 15. That among Courtiers is neither kept amity nor faithfulness: and how much the Court is full of travail, of envy, and rancour.  
CHAPTER. 16. By how much the common wealths and the Courts of the time past, were more perfit than the Courts of the time present.  
CHAPTER. 17. Of divers Noble and valiant men that left the Court and the great Cities, and drew them to their proper houses more by will than by necessity.  
CHAPTER. 18. The Author complaineth with great reason of the years that he lost in the Court.  
CHAPTER. 19 The Author maketh account of the virtues that he lost in the Court.  
CHAPTER. 20. The Author taketh his leave of the world with great eloquence.    

To the right reverend and worthy Prelate my Lord William de Prat, bishop of Cleremount, Antony Alaygre sendeth greeting.  
IT is not many days past sithence I being retired for a time (my good lord) into the village, and there taking the commodity and pleasure of the fair sweet fields, a certain friend of mine sent unto me a work in the Castilian tongue of the lord Antony of Gueuera bishop of Mondouent, & Chronicler of the Emperor: in reading whereof I found great pleasure and profit. The title of the book is the Dispraising of the Court, and the praise of the life rustical, dedicated unto the king of Portugal in such sort, that the better to keep and to hold the wise sentence and eruditions therein contained, I employed certain hours after supper to translate the same into french, not thinking among mine other simple works ever to put it abroad, but after that I had communicate the same with some of my friends that have knowledge of the Spanish tongue, I thought it not good to leave it in a corner to make it meat for Rats & Mice. Now for truth, the first exempler was so evil divided, and the leaves so out of order that I gave charge to the Scrivener that was my nigh neighbour to copy them, & as who should say to writ it fair and in order, the which so evil went about it, although by ignorance he could not ensue the original, yet for to get a little money he sold where his pleasure was the copies so uncomely set together that I was sorry and repentant that ever I consumed the time to translate it, till at the last moved by the persuasion of Annas Regin Vicar general, and by Peter Cister your advocate, by them twain my great friends, I thought it better to present to the eyes of all men this evil translated, then to suffer longer those evil exemplers so corrupted to my blame in the hands of those that have no right judgement, to know from whom the fault came: wherefore my good Lord, under your prudent favour and correction I do adventure herein my name & fame according to my knowledge, trusting assuredly that your only name shall suffice to vanquish and set aside this slander, the which slander as enemy to learned men, cease not to withdraw those that have good will and mind to study: I say this that as me seemeth it is well worthy that work of the wise bishop of Spain be presented to his semblable or superior in learning in France, or rather above him knowledge and virtuous manners. I will add to this, that the grave sentences and persuasion to virtuous life contained in this book, deserve to be offered to you that are accustomed to use them after such sort that every man have plain opinion of you that ye are sent of God to be protector and patron of virtue, troubled and despised. Therefore (my singular good Lord, as one of the chiefest of the best sort) I dedicated to you this my little labour, not that I think it worthy to come into your hands, but for to be a perpetual witness that I do own unto you my service with all reverence, to the which most humbly I recommend me. From your City of Clerimont this first day of May. Anno. M.D.xlii.   

A dispraise of the life of the Courtier, and a commendation of the life of the husbandman, composed in the Castilian tongue, by the reverend father in God, the Lord Antony of Gueuera, bishop of Mondouent, and Chronicler to the Emperor Charles. And out of Castilian drawn into French by Anthony Alaygre, & now out of the French tongue into our maternal language, by sir Frances Bryant knight, one oh king Henry the viii most honourable chamber.  

The first Chapter. Of certain Courtiers which aught to complain of none, but of themselves.  
AFter that the noble prince Philip of Macedony had overrun the athenans, one a time he being at supper amongs certain of his Philosophers, asked them which was the greatest thing in the world? One of them answered, that to his thinking it was the water, because there was more of that only then of any other thing under the sky. 
The greatest thing in the world defined by Philosophers.  Another said it was the Sun, seeing his only brightness doth suffice to give light to the earth, to the stars, and to the water. Another said it was the great hill Olympe, whose height passeth the clouds. Another said it was the most renowned giant Athlas, on whose sepulchre was builded the fear full mountain Ethna. Another said it was Homer, that in his life was so much praised and after his death so much bewailed, that seven. great cities made war amongs themselves for the recovery of his bones, to keep them as a relic. The last and most wise Philosopher said, that nothing in this world aught to be called great, 
Man's heart is the greatest thing in the world.  but that heart which esteemeth no great things. O high and noble sentence, since there by that it is given us to understand, that as touching the riches & honour of this world, more is the glory of him that sets light by them, than he that hath the cast for to get them. Titus Livius praiseth and never ceaseth to praise, the good Consul Marcus Curius in the house of whom, came Ambassadors of the Sannites for to recover certain lands that he had of theirs, offering to him for the same plenty of Gold and silver: He having in his hand certain herbs to put in his pot for his dinner, answered them after this sort, ye should have offered this money to the Captains that disdain to dress their own dinners, and not to me that desireth no greater riches then to be Lord over their Lords.  
Deserved not this Marcus Curius more praise in setting light those talents of Gold of the Sannites, than the Counsel Lucullus for robbing them of Spartes? Deserved not the wise Crates more glory for the riches that he cast in to the Sea than the king Nabugodonezer for the treasure that he rob from the temple? To your judgement, did not they of the Isles of Bariares deserve more honour, agreeing not to have among them neither gold nor silver, than the covetous greeks that took by force and peeled the mines of Spain? was not the heart of the good Emperor Augustus more great, in setting light the Empire, than of his uncle julius Ceasar, that did take possession?  
It is needful to have wisdom, experience to order it, cunning to set it forth, and fortune to bring it to good end: but to uphold and keep it, it had need of great strength, and for to dispraise it, a good heart, because that which is seen with the eyes is more easy to dispraise than that thing which we have already in our hands. It hath been seen, that many noble men have had fortune so much at their desires, that they have enterprised a thing almost impossible to attain, the which after for lack of good discretion, were not able to keep it. Whereby it is to be understand that the greatness of the heart doth not consist so much in obtaining the thing that we desire to have, as it is to set light, 
True fortitude consisteth in mortifying our affctions.  & contemn that that one loves best. Apolonius Thyaneus, did he not despise his own proper country & travailed throughout all Asia for to go to see the Philosopher Hyarchis in Ynde? 
Abraham in like manner forsook his own country and kindred. Genes. 12.1. Moses regarded not in like manner the stateliness of Pharaos' court. Exod. 2.15. Exod. 10.28. Ambition is to be avoided as these examples teach.  Aristotle leaving the familiarity he had with Alexander, returned to his own house for to read Philosophy. Nicodius nothing extemed the treasure that the great king Cyrus gave him for to follow him in the wars. The Philosopher Anatillus refused three times the principality of Athenes, saying: he had rather be servant to the good, than a chastiser of the evil. Cecilius Metellus a valiant captain Roman, neither would accept the estate of Dictator that to him was given, nor the office of Consul that to him was offered: saying, 
proverbs Chap. 16.19.  that he would eat in rest that which with great travail he had gotten in the war. Themperor Dyoclesian (as it is manifest) forsook with his free will the Empire, for no other cause but to flee the brute of the common speech, and to live in rest at home. Worthy is he to be praised that hath the heart to care little for an Empire or a realm: 
proverbs Chap. 16.32.  but yet more is he worthy that can set light by himself and not to be governed by his own will: for there is no man in this world, but that he is more in love with that he desireth, then with that he hath: 
Covetous men never satisfied  but how covetous or ambitious so ever any man be, if he travail x. days for that which he hath, he will bestow an hundredth to obtain that which he desireth, 
Most men mislike of their estate.  because that we do not bestow our labour as we should, but we bestow it after our desires. If we do travail, if we be troubled, if we cannot sleep, it is not for necessity, but for to satisfy our will and appetite. And that is worst of all, we not contenting ourselves with that we can do procure to can that that we desire. O how many have we seen in the court of princes, 
Will, hath over thrown mighty men, and brought them from princes' courts to destruction.  to whom it had been better for them that they had been no lords of their will, and less of their desires because sithence they did that they might and desired, began to do, that they aught not to do? If the man that offends us aught to ask pardon, let every man ask pardon to himself before any other, 
Men are to themselves the greatest enemies.  for in my life I found never none that hurt me so much as myself, I have been only the procurer of mine own hurt. 
Presumption and pride go together. Dan. 4.30. Envy is the fruit of unbridled affections. Gen. 4.5. Gen. 32.5. and .11.  Who made me fall into pride, but mine only presumption and fondness? Who durst have prisoned my sorrowful heart with envy, but lack of natural government? who durst have inflamed mine inwards with the fire of ire, if it had not been my great impatience? what is the cause I am so great a gurmander, but that my bringing up was to delicate? what is the cause I have not departed with my goods to the poor and needy, but the excessive love I had to my riches? who gave leave to my flesh to rise against my foolish desire, if my heart had not been fixed in voluptuous pleasures? O my soul, of all this damage and open faults, to whom do you say the blame, but to mine own sensuality? Great folly it is, the thief being within the house, to seek for him without: even so it is with us a manifest fault of experience, when seeing in us the blame, and yet charge another with the occasion: 
Reformation of our faults bringeth quietness.  by this we aught to perceive that we shall never cease to complain until the time we begin to amend. O, how often and many times hath virtue fought with the bottom of our consciences, 
This battle is in the children of God, in the which they overcome: but the wicked are subdued to sin. Rom. chap. 7.18. Ephes. 6.12. Heb. 12.1.  which stirred us to be good, and our sensuality resisted, which is vain frowardness, by the which battle followed a dark corrupt judgement: but to conclude, we of ourselves as of ourselves are very miserable. The Poet Ovid rehearseth the loving Philis the Rhodian complaining of herself & sayeth: O Demophon, if I had not bestowed time to love thee, and silver and ships for thexpedition of the voyage, thou durst not well to have gone, nor I to have bewailed thy departing, in such wise that with my own weapons was my body wounded. If we believe josephus in that he did write of Maryana, & Homer, in that he said of Helen, Plutarch in that he spoke of Cleopatra. Virgil of the queen Dydo, Theophrast of Pollysene, Xanthippe of Cammilla, Assenarius of Clodia: 
Men are by nothing more deceived than by themselves  All these ladies and excellent princes never found themselves so deceived by their lovers as they were by believing their own proper counsels, and lightly consenting to the same.  
If to Suetone, Xanthippe and Plutarch we will give credit and believe those things that they declare of Pomp, Pyrrhus, Hannyball, and the Consul Marius, of the Dictator Caesar, of Mark Antony & many others we shall find they blamed not fortune so much to be vanquished by others, as in their prosperity they were ruled by their own advise and counsels. It is true, that often times the opinion of our kin & friends maketh us to enter into business out of the way of reason, 
Friends often times seduce from reason.  not caring but for a foolish advancement of goods and riches. And at the end when by their setting forth one hath enterprised a certain business of importance which doth require aid and help, those same be the last that show themselves helping friends: 
Many are friends in words, but few are to be found in deed  which is the occasion many times that men cannot return from enterprising such things as neither shall grow to their honour nor profit. Many men say that they have enemies, recounting them often without finding number: Although it be true if it be well noted, that none have oftener or a greater enemy than himself. And the most greatest danger that I see, 
Climbing causeth falling.  is that under the shadow to prefer and make better myself, myself is the cause of my destruction. The Philosopher Neotidas on a time being asked which was the best counsel that a man might take, answered, The counsel of others with the dispraising of his own: 
We must not stand in our own conceit.  and he showeth the cause, for that the corruption of man is such, that often he searcheth in himself with great pain that which in the head of another, he findeth with great ease. Then it followeth, that in the best time of our life our own life deceiveth us, the evil cometh fourth on every side, heavy thoughts overtake us, our friends leave us, 
A lively description of the miseries of man's life.  persecutors torment us, troubles make an end of us, ambition burieth us. If we behold this thing: what we be: whereof we be: and wherefore we be, we shall find that our beginning is oblivion, our middle age travail, the end sorrow, and altogether an open error. Then see how heavy is the courtier's life, 
The courtiers life is full of perils.  as also how dangerous the way is, where as be stones to stumble at, mire to stick fast in, ice for to fall on, pathways for to loose him in, water for to pass thorough, thieves for to be afraid of, great affairs and business to do, so that hard it is for any to go there as they would, and more hard to arrive there as they desire. All these things have we said, to the intent that the Courtiers may understand that neither I nor they can choose the good way & leave the evil, void that that hurts us, and conserve that which profiteth us, follow reason and pluck away the occasion: but if by chance some good fall to us, 
Blind fortune praised for prosperity, and blamed for adversity.  we thank fortune, and if evil come to us, than we do put the fault in her.   

The second Chapter ¶ How that none aught to counsel a● other to go to the Court, nor when he is there to come from it, but every man to choose the life that best he liketh.  
ARistarch the great Philosopher of Theban, said, That, time and man was so divers, that hard it was for the most wise to choose that to them which was good, and to keep them from that which to them is evil.  

One thing is not pleasant to all men.  There is nothing more true, for we see daily, with the same that one is healed, another falleth sick: with that that one waxeth better, another waxeth worse: with that that one is amended, another is put down: and to conclude, with that little thing that one is content withal another is in despair. The learned Alchymus was by his Moecoenas king Demetrius, asked wherein specially did consist the greatest travail of the world? He answered, there is few things but in them there is either travail or suspicion, 
A mind never satisfied hath excessive travail.  but above all the most excessive travail that a man may have, is never to be satisfied. And that this is true, we perceive that when a little thing contenteth us, how little soever it be, we make it our paradise with the rest of our life: which seldom chanceth to few men, because that living as we live, not being contented, we would assay and know if it were good to be a king, a prince, a knight, a married man, 
No man contented with his estate.  a religious or a merchant, a labourer, a shepherd, or of some other estate. And at the end, when all is proved, it shall be hard to find where we would rest, so unpleasant is the lightness of men. The wise determineth that to choose the best is the mean. A simple creature is lightly contented with a small thing, 
The poor content themselves with that which the rich & mighty contemn.  but he that hath a great heart, thinks that poverty is a grievous life, like as they that be of high estate fear the fall of fortune. Plato was in his young years very worldly, as he that had seen much, aswell in the wars as in offices, in which he was used, and also in handy crafts. On a time it was asked him wherein he had found most quietness and rest? He answered, there is no estate of life wherein is not mutability, there is no honour where is no peril, 
There is no rose without a thorn, nor any pleasure but it is mixed with pain.  no riches where is no travail, no prosperity but it endeth, nor also pleasure but faileth: but when all is said, I never found so much quietness of mind, as since I left mine offices in Cities, withdrawing me to my books: signifying, that as long as we live servants of the world, we desire all, we prove all, we procure all, than all things are well seen and tasted, & all things do annoy us: the greatest part of our disquietness cometh hereof, that the abundance we have, seemeth to us little, and the little of others, seemeth to us much. 
We mislike all that we have ourselves, and commend that which other enjoy.  We say that our wealth is travail, and that the evil hap of others is rest: we condemn others acts and we allow our own: we watch to get somewhat, and suddenly we sleep to lose it again: we imagine that all men lives content, and we alone needy: And yet the worst is, we believe that we dream, and put not our trust in that we see before our eyen. What weigh one aught to follow or what estate he ought to choose, none can well know nor counsel, because the thing is so troublesome and without good judgement, by which many are deceived. 
Man's life on earth, full of troubles.  If the sailing on the sea be dangerous, so is the walking on the earth troublous.  
As touching our life, we see that he that is whole, daily falleth sick, the sick dieth, some other scapeth deadly dangers, & some others lingers forth to death. 
Better is he that hal●●●th in the way, than he that runneth out of the way  As touching the wayfaring men, assoon cometh he to his lodging that goeth softly, as he that goeth hastily and loseth his way. He that is in favour, living in slothful rest, had as much need of upholding, as he that continually sweats in travail. Therefore I conclude, 
The certainty of all things is, that all things are uncertain.  that there is nothing in this world so certain, as that all things are uncertain.  
Then let us return to that we spoke of: It is said that it is fearful, to counsel any to marry, to study, to go to the war, or to take upon him any other thing, then that he is called to: because in this case none is so apt to receive, 
man likes best of that to the which he is inclined.  that which to him is said as he is to receive that which he is naturally inclined to. Plutarch greatly praiseth in his book of common wealth, the good Philosopher Plato (and not without cause) for he used a great policy, which was, that there was no young man entered into his school, 
Plato proved the inclination of his scholars before he entertained them.  but first he would prove him whether he was inclined to learning or no, so that those that he thought not apt to study, he sent them back, causing them to use their lives in the common wealth. Alcibiades the Greek may be a sufficient witness unto you, which although he was young brought to the school, and taught of a discrete master, yet notwithstanding his inclination was such, that he professed himself wholly to the wars. 
The courtier is unfit to be a shepherd, & the shepherd as unmeet for a courtier.  To him that is borne to wear a sword by his side, it seemeth him ill to wear a tippet about his neck and he that loveth to keep sheep, the court is nothing fit for him. To her that desireth marriage, it is hard to keep her chaste: He that loveth to be a barber, why should he be made a Painter. To counsel our friend to leave a craft for to live by, is but well done: but especially to appoint him what craft he aught to learn, that me thinketh worthy to be reproved. The Lacedæmonians commanded to all fathers upon great pains, to put none of their children to any craft till they were xiiij years of age to see that in the age of discretion what their nature was inclined to. Let us leave this long communication, and speak of that we aught to advertise the redar of: to counsel any to leave the court, such counsel I think not best to give, nor yet wisdom for other to take, seeing that there is doubt to counsel any in that they aught to do: Howbeit mine advice is, 
Sage persons should live in a quiet state.  that the sage persons chose to live in a quiet state, and to devil in such a place, that they may lead a life without reproach, and christianly to die. Oftentimes men do remove from one country to another, from one town to another, from one street, from one house, from one company to another: but to conclude, if that he had pain in the one, he doth complain himself utterly of the wrongs of the others: And this is the reason, because he layeth the fault to the nature of the country, which nothing else is but his own evil nature. What more shall we say, but in Courts, 
In Courts & in most places virtue is blamed and vice uncorrected.  in cities, in villages, and in other places, is seen the virtuous and the discrete corrected, and the vicious not blamed. The wicked with their wickedness search by all means to make themselves worse. And likewise do the virtuous with their virtues, make themselves better in what state soever they be called. As for the prelate's, there is no charge in the Church so dangerous but that a good conscience can avoid it, but a weak or corrupt conscience may soon be cast away: 
Good and evil may be taken from one and the self same thing.  Like as the wild rose from whence the be fetcheth her honey, & likewise the Spider her poison. The prince may do his devor doing justice & not using tyranny: The man of arms going to the war & not hurting the poor people: The religious may be contemplative in their cloister without grudging. The married man may live well in his house without adultery. The rich man giveth his goods for God's sake without usury: The labourer in working, the shepherd in keeping his sheep without hurting his neighbours, & in like case of others. And to prove that it is true by the Scripture in the state of Kings, David was good, and saul evil, to the estate of Priests, Mathias good, and Obnias nought. Of Prophets, Daniel good, 
Of all estates some good & some evil.  Balam evil, Of shepherds Abel good, Abimilech evil, Of widows judith good, jezabel evil, Of rich, job good, Naball nought: Likewise of the Apostles, Saint Peter good, judas was reproved. Then perceive to what estate soever a man cometh unto, be it good or evil, the estate showeth not the man, 
Inclination 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉, and not the state.  but the inclination of the parson. If we should counsel any man to live in the village, he would say he cannot agree with them of the village, if ye will counsel him to leave the Court, he will say that he hath a thousand businesses to do there: If he be counseled to serve any great Lord: he will say that he hath nothing wherewith to find him: If we advise him to be a religious, he will say that he cannot rise early: If to marry, he will say it will grieve him to hear his little children cry and weep: To go to study it would trouble his brain: If he were counseled to withdraw him to his house, he would say he could not live without company. Then presuppose that which is said, that none aught to counsel any to choose the life he will take concerning his honour & the wealth of his life, because afterward he will more complain him, of the counsel that he hath taken, then of the evil that he hath suffered.   

The three Chapter. ¶ How that a Courtier aught to leave the Court for not being in favour, but being out of the Court already that he aught not to seek entertainment there again that he may be more virtuous.  
PVblius Minus saith in his Annotations that we aught to think many days on that which we intend to do in one day. The king Demetrius, son of Antigonus was asked by one of his Captains named Patroclus, wherefore he gave not battle to his enemy Ptolemy, seeing his strength, his wit and his number of men? He answered, 
Advice & counsel aught to be had before we take any thing in hand  that a deed once done, is hard to call back again, and before a man begin a hard enterprise, he had néed● of long counsel.  
Agiselaus a wise Captain of the Lycaoniens, being forced to answer the Ambassadors of the Thebeans said: Know not you O Thebeans that to determine a thing of importance, nothing is matter then long study.  
Plutarch doth greatly praise the life of Sertoreius in that he was not rash in determining, but grave in enterprising. Suetone sayeth that Themperor August was never hasty to get friends, but very diligent to keep them when he had them. Of these ensamples, note what danger he falleth in, that is hasty in businesses and quick in counsels.  
None will wear a garment if it be not sowed: nor eat the fruit, if it be not ripe: nor drink the wine, if it be not clear: nor eat the flesh if it be not dressed: nor warm him with wood, if it be not dry: Wherefore then do we counsel us with green counsel, which sooner shall smudder us then warm us. The wise man aught to have before his eyen a sober deliberation in his affairs, for if he think one hour of that which he would say, he had need think x. of that that he would do: 
Words may be called back again: but deeds finished cannot so easily be revoked  words be but words, they may be corrected, but never the unconsidered deed. The fault of this, is that every man studieth to speak, to dispute, to judge, but none to live well, nor yet to die virtuously. 
Virtuous life not regarded Stubborns, wilfulness, and fickelnes are to be shunned in any enterprise.  The grave persons that will conserve their authority may not be testy or stubborn in such things as they enterprise nor wilful in that they take in hand, nor fickill in that they begin: for one of the greatest faults that a man may have, is not to be found true of his word, & inconstant in that he hath begun. 
Constancy aught to be in a man of noble hearts.  A noble heart aught to foresee that which he is charged with, and if it be just & reasonable sooner to die, them not to do it: by the which noble hearts are known If it were a thing hard & almost impossible Achilles to flee Hector: Agisalus to overcome Brantes: to Alexander, Darrius: to Caesar Pompeius: to Augustus, Marcus Antonius: to Silla, Mithridates: to Scipion Hannibal: and to the good Trojan Dacebalus: these noble princes had never been so much esteemed as they be, but that they uttered their noble courage: Then, good advice joined with a noble heart, aught to govern great enterprises. Then to our purpose, my master the courtier saith, 
The courtear misliketh his estate, often times, and yet continueth therein.  he will leave the cursed life of the court, and go die at home, saying, that to live in such trouble is a continual death. O how many and often times have I hard these fair words, that never were followed, excusing them only by the destiny of the court, in the which they were last glued. When that a courtier lacks money, that any man doth him displeasure, or that he hath lost his process: God knoweth how many oaths he maketh that he will forsake all, not to leave his evil conditions, but because that his business goeth backward: but long his purpose lasteth not, for if our courtier hap to come to wealth, or that he be advanced by his prince, ye shall see his former promises to wax cold, his will and his desire to remain there in such wise that ye would judge him to be naturally borne there. 
Favour and covetousness guide the courtier.  favour and covetousness guide the Courtier, so that one groweth with the other, and at the end converted from the manner of Christians to Courtiers. 
Wealth and beggary are to be had in the court.  For all men know that the court is a place where men may get wealth, & likewise the place of men's undoing: We have already rehearsed the occasions why men do withdraw them from the court, some for lack of money, some for poverty, or not being in favour, or for age, all these things be of necessity and nothing of free will, nor yet praise to them that so withdraw them for the causes aforesaid: but the true leving of the Court, 
We should forsake that which is evil before evil forsake us.  and of the world is, when the courtier is young, strong, in favour, rich, and in health, then with good heart to leave the court, to find in other places honest rest after his degree is praise worthy. This is said, to the intent that he which leaveth the court, should leave it merrily and without repenting, for fear that after his sorrow is past, he would be ashamed to return to the same, where he may chance to have great business.  

Deeds require long repentance.  The proud and unpatient man doth many things in a day which he had need to mourn for all the days of his life. A choleric head is nothing meet for the court for if he will be revenged of the shames, injuries, crafts, 
Moore injuries are offered in one hour in the court, than a man can revenge in ten years.  and wrongs, that in the court he shall find, let him trust that he shall suffer more in one hour, than he shallbe able to revenge in ten year: Whosoever leaveth the court let him leave it for evermore-because that if he will return to it again, and leave his dwelling in the country, he may be likened to him, that hath a continual Ague: He that sins and mends and after returns again to sin, that sin is more grievous than the first. In likewise to leave the court and after return to it, is so open a fault that it cannot be hid, except ye will say, he goeth to cell virtue and to by riches.  
To our purpose, if we should ask of an ancient man, what hath been the whole course of his life, and that he would answer us, he hath enterprised much, wandered, spoken, searched, found and lost. etc. We would say that his life hath been a dissembling folly. 
The life of a Courtier is dissembling folly.  What shall we say then of our inconstant Courtiers that daily do the same things? which forgetting themselves, for the obtaining of a little favour, do against nature, flatter, and beg. Remember above all things gentle reader here andels where, 
That which is spoken in this book, concerning the dispraise of Courtiers, is spoken against the undiscrete Courtiers. The heart is unsatisfied when the body is weary.  that I speak not but of the undiscrete Courtiers that cannot refrain their appetite with an honest contentation: which thing most chief causeth many sage and discrete persons to give over the Court, because to refrain the will of the heart, is a greater pain than to content the body: for the body is soon weary of sinning, but the heart is never satisfied in desiring: One may know easily the complexion of the body, but the mind of the heart never, and to contenting less, for the heart at every instant requireth now one thing now another, and within a little time after forgetteth all. O dissembling heart that under a pretence to be clear and joyful, maketh men to judge that hypocrisy is devotion, ambition nobility, avarice husbandry, cruelty zeal of justice, much babbling eloquence, foolishness gravity, and dissolution diligence: To conclude, that every man aught to know how much he may do: if a man know himself to be ambitious, 
Ambitious impatient and covetous men are meet for the court. A contented peaceable and quiet man is meet for the town.  impatient, and covetous, let him go hardly to the court: And contrary, if the courtier feel his nature content, peaceable, and desiring rest and quietness, let him be dwelling in the village, and he shall well know that he never knew how to live, till he had drawn himself from the Court.   

The four Chapter. Of the life that the Courtier aught to lead, after that he hath left the Court.  
MYronydes a wise & sage Philosopher, Captain of the Boheciens said, that the prudence of a man was as well known by retiring from the evil, as in choosing of the good, 
Wisdom consisteth in choosing the good and shunning the evil.  forasmuch as under the evil commonly the good can not be hid, but under the pretence of good much evil may be dissembled: even much like as the Anthem that begins Per signum crucis and ends in Sathanas and Barrabas: In like manner the great evils have their beginning by some pretence of feigned goodness, in such sort that they be counterfeict much like Maskers, wrapped in sweetness as purging pills, and gilded as is the Rhubarb. There is no man I think so mad that keepeth not himself in as much as he can from catching evil, and specially from open evil: but contrariwise, it were wisdom to keep him from that which is not altogether good.  
Alexander the great, causing himself to be healed of certain wounds that he had received in battle, was reproved of his great minion Parmeno for putting himself into great hazard in the war: 
Friends feigned are more perilous than open enemies  To whom Alexander said, assure me my friend Parmeno of those that be dissembling friends, for I will be ware of them that be my open enemies.  
Alcibyades, Agiselaus, Purrhus, Antigonus, Lentulus, and julius Caesar, were so circumspect in these things that they were always vanquishers, and died in the hands of their friends, and specially because they chose the good and left the evil.  
Then he that leaveth the court aught not only for to see what he leaveth, but also what he taketh, considering that as much or more hard it is to content him having left the court, as it was afore in the desiring to be in the court: what profiteth it to leave the Court weary & troubled, If thy heart can find no rest in the place whether thou resortest? Our body fulfilled with meats is led where one will have it, but the heart is never satisfied with desiring, 
An ambitious heart is never satisfied.  and would (if he might) be in favour with princes of the court, and on the other side at his ease in the village. If the Courtier daily have mind being at home, of the passions & afflictions that he had in the Court, it had been better for him never to have gone from it, because that in remembering them, that thinking is more pricking, and the mind weaker to resist them.  
In the court of princes' chances often times that lack of money or other great business makes a man abstain from doing evil, 
Want of money maketh some forsake the court.  the which being after in his house doth such deeds unseemly in a gentleman, that they deserve to be corrected, yea, and bitterly punished.  
There be also another sort of men that forsakes the Court to be more idle at home: 
Idleness maketh other some to forsake the court  And such would be rejected from the number of honest men, seeing they chose that time for their purpose to sin in the village, fearing to be infamed or dishonoured in the court, and yet being in the country lives with shame forgetting all reason. To eschew these things he that leaveth the Court aught to leave his partiality that he hath followed, and to forget all passions: otherwise he shall lament the sweet bitterness that he leaves, and bewail the life that he hath begun. This is true, that in the court are more occasions given to destroy a man, 
There are more occasions in the court of destruction than there are in a private house.  then are at home in his own house to save him. It is a small profit to the courtier the changing of his dwelling, unless by the same means he change his conditions. When the courtier saith I will withdraw me to my country and go die at home, that is well said: but this shall suffice that he honestly withdraw himself, without determining there to die. This mortal life is to us so appointed, 
We must amend our lives, and not curse them.  that we aught not to pursue it with sorrow, but that we are bound to amend it. When job said Tedet animam meam vite me, it was not for that his life wearied him, but because he did not amend it.  
Whosoever leaveth the court may be bold to say that he goeth not to die: but may well think he hath escaped from a fair prison, from a confused life, from a dangerous sickness, from a suspicious conversation, from a great sepulchre, 
Many perils shooned by forsaking the court. Death is in the court, and life at home.  and from a marvel without end. The wisest being in the court may say every day that they die, and at their houses in the country that they live. And the reason is: that being in the court, those necessary things that are to be done in the world, cannot be done as they would, nor when they would, for lack of liberty. Yet I will not say, 
There is more good will in the court to do good, than liberty to perform the same.  but many in the court do their devor to do as they would, but I dare affirm that for x. pound weight they have of honest will, they have not half an ounce of honest liberty.  
Likewise, let him that forsakes the Court set a wise order in such business that he hath to do, calling to mind that to go home to his country needs no long journey, 
Evil customs gotten in the court are hardly left.  but to despoil himself of the evil clotheses of the Court needs a wonder long time. For like as vices increase in a man little and little, so is it meet to root them out by little & little. This aught the courtier to do the minds to rule himself, pluck up by little pieces the most notable faults that are in him, and so preately dispatch himself of one vice to day, & from another to morrow, in such sort that when one vice takes his leave and is gone, straightway a virtue do enter in his stead, so that in process he may go from good to better. The courtier is in nothing more deceived then in living a wild and wanton life, peraventure the space of twenty or thirty. years, thinketh in a year or two to become sage and grave, 
Virtue is differred until age, by the Courtier.  aswell as though he applied all his life in a sober and sad life, & truly that happeneth for lack of good judgement, for it behoveth without comparison a longer time for to learn to cast away vice, them to learn virtue: 
Vices come merrily: but departed hardly.  considering that vices enter our gates laughing, and goeth out from our house weeping and lamenting. O how much grieveth it the ambitious courtier, when he can not command as he was wont to do? then it may be said, that to forsake the court is requisite to a good heart, and a good wit to obtain rest.  
Those that leave the Court for faint heart, be of that nature that it is more painful to them to see themselves absent from the Court, then their joy was when they were in the court: which said persons if they would follow mine advice and counsel should not only leave the court, but forget it utterly for ever. And farther, the courtier aught to retire in such manner that he may come to the Court again, if the fear and study in ordering of his household constrain him eftsoons for to desire the voluptuousness of the court. In the heart of the prudent courtier that forsaketh the court, 
Courtiers gape after bishoprics.  when there falleth bishoprics or other great offices, the affections and desires of the mind ryngeth alarm, when he shall think if I had not come away so soon, that office or that dignity had been mine: but he again remembering that many such things hath fallen which he had not: so likewise might he have in the stead of ye, a plain nay, of that which fell when he was gone. Then, is it not much better to oversee and travail his own house then to have such a shameful denial in the court?  
Therefore destinies of the courtiers are so prompt and ready that for the most part one is constrained to despise them more by necessity, then by will, and in that mean while their purpose is at an end before they themselves beware thereof, For when the Courtier cometh to be at quiet with himself, above all things it is necessary that he take heed of pestering of himself, 
An admonition for the retyered courtier  for if he did live in the court evil willed, let him take heed, that in the village he despair not, by reason of charge, the importunity of his wife, of his children, and the faults of his servants, the grudging of his neighbours may percase make him astonished: but to think again, that being escaped from the dangerous golf of the court, he may repute himself half a God. And besides this, 
No place, or state, is free from troubles  none aught to think that he dwelling in a village in the country shall put away all troubles and displeasures, for it can not be, but he that never fell in the crooked and rough way may happen to stumble in the plain way and break his neck: and therefore it is necessary that he retiring from the court, take the time as it shall come, that he may the more occupy himself in virtuous exercise, to the intent that to much rest, and to much business of mind let him not from the great good that cometh of this, 
Contentation of mind bringeth great profit.  to be well contented with a little. join unto this also that there is none so much enemy unto virtue as is idleness, of the which idleness be taken in the beginning thoughts superfluous, 
Idleness is an enemy to virtue.  and consequently the destruction of men.  
To the purpose, hath not the courtier cause to complain, 
The life of the courtier is epicurisive.  that occupieth himself in nothing but in eating, drinking, and sleeping, and in the mean season his better age, that is to say, his youth consumeth away, as the fume of smoke, which proceeds of idleness in the court and doing nothing? 
Time is evil spent in the court.  where contrariwise he might in the village exercise himself to his honour, & to the health of his body & profit of his neighbour.  
In like manner also, the courtier that withdraweth himself should use the company of such as be grave, sage & honest, to the intent that in the stead of liars, 
Liars, flatterers, and triflers are in the court.  flatterers, and triflers, which he was associate withal in the court, he may be accompanied in the village with wise and sage friends, or at the hardest with good books, whereby in the looking of them he may virtuously employ the residue of his time, 
In a private house a man may be occupied in many godly exercises which in the court he cannot use.  and with sobriety entertain every man, that men may say he is come from the court to please the good, and not to rule. And if percase one would make him baylief in the village, or some other public officer, I would counsel him to take heed thereof as he would of the pestilence, for because there is nothing so troublous nor so hard a burden to the mind as to take charge of the rude and simple. I do not say nay, but that he may & aught to help the poor commons of the village with such knowledge as he hath learned in the court, or had before he came there, when they shall have need, either for love or for money. Also if they be at variance, help to appease them: if they be evil entreated, defend them. And this doing, he shallbe esteemed of the commons & praised of the wise and prudent. 
Three things are to be shunned of the retired courtier.  Above all things beware of prodigal apparel, superfluous banquetes, and delicate meats, and strong or precious wines. For the absenting from the court aught to be to none other purpose but to live soberly in the village, 
A private house aught not to be a court.  or else shall he make of the village the court, which should make of the court, the village. And the courtier retired from the court aught to have in singular commendation mercy, as to visit Hospitals, 
Charitable deeds to be practised of all men.  succour the poor, counsel the Orphans, visit the prisoners, read the holy scripture, and finally that he study to dispose his goods virtuously during his life, for when he shallbe dead, every man will claim his goods, 
Many love our goods but ●ewe or none care for our soul.  but none will nor can discharge his soul. And most chief, let the courtier that goeth from the court occupy himself virtuously to die. All these things that I have said, let no man say that they be more easy to read then to do: for if we will enforce ourselves, we are more than ourselves, and do not then well remember ourselves.   

The .v. Chapter. ¶ That the rustical life is more quiet and restful and more beneficial than that of the court.  
THe village whereof we speak and the domains thereof, Put we the case that it were all free and not subject to any Lord (as certain there be so privileged) that every man there lieth in his own house, whether it be by succession, or that he have bought it freely without doing any homage or service to any man. This I dare say, the courtier hath not, nor is not in such free liberty in respect of such as be of the village, forasmuch as of very necessity, my master the courtier must win the Marshal or Harbengar of the lodging, and must receive at his hands the billet to come to his lodging, and that late enough and weary to his host, break open doors, beaten down walls, 
Shameful shifts of courtiers.  disorder houses, burn implements, and sometime beaten the good man, & defile the wife. O how happy is he that hath wherewithal to live in the village with out troubling both of himself and many sundry places, without seeking of so many lodgings, without assays of so many strange occasions of strange men, without weeping of any person, but is content with a mean estate, and is delivered of all such breakebraines. Another benefit of the country is this, that the gentleman or burges that there doth inhabit may be one of the chief or chiefest, either in bounty, honour, or authority, 
Little worship in the court is great honour in the town.  the which happeneth seldom in the court & in great cities and towns: for there he shall see other go before him, more trim and more brave and gorgeous than he, as well in credit as in riches, as well in the house as without the house. And julius Caesar said to this purpose that he had rather be the first in a village, than the second in honour in Rome. For such men as have high hearts and minds, and base fortune, it should be to them much better to live in the village with honour, then in the court overthrown and abated, and out of favour. The difference between the tarrying or abiding in a little place and a great place, is that in the little places are found much people poor and needy, of whom men may take compassion: and in the great place many rich men whereby envy is nourished.  

The commodities that come by dwelling in the village.  Another commodity in the village is, that every man enjoyeth in quiet and peace such as God hath given him, without to have such to come to their houses, that shall constrain them to make extraordinary expenses, or to have his wife seduced, or his daughters defiled. The occasions to do evil be put away by reason that he is occupied in the maintaining of his household, in training of his sons & chastening of his servants. He liveth confirmed to reason and not to his opinion: and lives hoping to die & not as he that loveth to live ever. In the village, 
We aught to live, as dying.  thou shalt not care for good lodging, nor for looking to thy Horses and Mules, nor for the lading of such things as they shall carry. Thou shalt not hear the crying of pages, the plaints of the stewards of the house, the babbling of the Cooks, nor thou shalt fear judges nor justices, lest they should be to sore against thee. And that which is much better, thou shalt have no crafty knaves to beguile thee, nor women to betray thee.  
Another benefit of the village is this, that he shall have time enough to all things that he will do, so that the time be well spent, time enough to study, time to visit his friends, time to go a hunting, and leisure when he list to eat his meat: the which leisure courtiers commonly have not, 
Courtier's ●●●dom leisure to eat their meat.  for asmuch as they employ the most part of their time in making of shifts to play the courtier, or to speak more plainly, to weep and lament, in such sort that one may say of them the which the Emperor Augustus said of a Roman a great busy broker the same day that he died. I wonder said he, seeing the time failed him to chop and to change, how he could now find leisure to die? Another commodity of the village is this, those that be dwellers there may go alone from place to place without to be noted to fall from gravity, they need no Mule nor Horse with a foot cloth, 
The country life, requireth ●o great train  nor page to wait of my lord, or damosel to wait upon my lady. And that were scornful to do in the court alone And without danger one may walk from neighbour to neighbour, and from land to land, and not thereby minish any part of his honour.  
Another benefit is, 
The rustic life requireth no sumptuous apparel.  that men may go whether they will, clothed simply with a staff in his hand, a sword by his side, or hacbut in his neck, and if he be weary of pounced hosen, let h m wear stops, if he be a cold let him take his furred gown for all is one there. A good gentleman dwelling in the village and having a good coat of cloth, an honest Spanish cloak on his back, a pair of leather shoes, goeth as well trimmed to the church as doth my Lord the courtier to the court with his gown furde with martyrs or Sables. A man of the village of what sort soever he be, is in as good case, that rideth to market or to the fair to make provision for his household upon a mare or a nag, 
A poor ploughman is far better than a rich and honourable extortioner, though he be in the court  as a lord of the court is at justs upon a great courser trapped with gold. And (when all is said) better is the poor ploughman on a poor ass, living as he should, than the rich man well horsed, pilling and doing extortion to poor honest men.   

The uj Chapter. ¶ That in the village the days seem more long, and the air more clear and better. And the houses more easy and restful than in the court.  
ENsuing still the commodities of the village, we aught not to forget that he which dwells there, among other things hath commodity of good corn, and consequently good bread: contrary to this, in the court, & specially in great towns they have bread for the most part evil baked or evil leavened, or not leavened at all, & the cause is, forasmuch as in the towns often there lacketh good corn, or good corn mills to grind the corn, & wholesome water, whereby often hath come among them great death.  
Another commodity in the village is this, the which I praise much, he that dwells there, may practise and labour in more things and better employ the time then in the court or in the great towns: in which places it behoveth a man to dissemble, to say little, to be full of revenging & envious, a treader of stones and pavemontes, & must use gravity, and seldom to come out of his house, and incessantly be grave. O half a God, that dwells in the village where liberally one may speak what he will, and jest with his neighbours before his gates and his window. And this may he do without ever to change or to lose any of his mean authority.  
Another commodity is in the village, 
Health more aboundeth in villages than in great towns & courts.  that those that dwell there, be without comparison more healthful & less sick than in the cities and in the court, because in the great towns the houses be more high, and the streets narrower, & more crooked, which is the cause that the air is corrupt and makes men very evil at ease▪ In the village the houses stand more at large, the men more better disposed, the air better, the sun more clear, the earth more sweet, the private goods or commons better ruled without contention, and the exercise more pleasant, and the company much better: And above all things the thoughts lesser, and the pastime more great.  

Young Phisioians, and old sicknesses are not in villages.  Another commodity in the village is, that there are no young Physicians, nor old sickness: And contrary to this, the courtier is constrained there to part his goods in four parts, the one part to flatterers, the other to men of law, another to Pothecaries, & the fourth to the Physicians. O well fortunate village, forasmuch as in thee, seldom or never is the French pocks named, 
French pocks dwelleth not in the village as it doth in the court.  neither the paucy nor yet the gout: few or none there knoweth what is a julep, a pill, a syrup, or a Thysan, nor no sudden sickness. What will ye that I shall say more of the village? And if it were not, but that for necessity, they are compelled to build there little pretty houses, ye should scant find one of them that knew what to do with mortar and stones? And sometime they are very well pleased with cabons made of small sticks well fastened together.  
Another commodity of the village is, that the days there seem to be more long, and they are better employed, than they are either in the court or in the great towns, forasmuch as the years pass away there or one be ware, and the days without any enoying of them. And howbeit that the sports and pleasures be more in the village then in the towns, yet so it is that one day shall seem longer there than shall a month in the court: and the reason is, for that the village is happy and fortunate, forasmuch as there the Sun seems to make a more longer day, the morning is ready to show, and the night slow to come. 
Time spent in the court suddenly vanisheth away.  Scarcely one can perceive the days slide away in the court: In the village if it be perceived, it is bestowed with honest business, which cannot be done in the court.  
In the village also is much more plenty of wood then in other places: 
Victuals and all provision is more plenteous in the villages than in the court.  hay, straw, Oats much better cheap then in good towns. Also in the village a man is at liberty to eat his meat where he will, & when he will, & with whom he will: but in the court they eat late, the meat evil dressed & cold, & with out savour, & that which is worst of all, for the most part, he must eat with his enemies, where as the good fellows of the village live at their pleasures and without suspicion, keeping their three good fashions that belongeth to good repast, 
Three good fashions in the country.  that is, first he earneth his meat, next that he eateth his meat merely, and thirdly he eateth with good company.  
Another commodity is, that the husbandman of the village hath how to occupy himself and how to be merry, which the courtier, nor the citizen hath not, that hath enemies enough to fear, and few friends to company withal. 
Recreations of the village.  O recreation pleasant of the village, to fish with nets, and with hooks, to catch birds with lime, to hunt with dogs, to catch Coneys with Ferrets, & hays, to shoot in the crossbow and the hacbut at stockdoves, at Mallardes & at patriges: & see folks labour in the wines, raise ditches, amend hedges, to jest with the ancient labourers, All these pleasures have they of the villages, whereas the courtiers and citizens desire it, and cannot have it.   

The vij Chapter. ¶ That commonly the inhabitants of the villages be more happy than courtiers.  
ANother commodity of the village is, that they do feel the travails less on the working day, and rejoice merely on the holy day: 
Holidays neglected of courtiers.  where the courtier continually vexed with weighty and troublous affairs, never knoweth when it is holiday. O village, it is not so in thee, whereas on the feastful day the clerk ceaseth not to tolle the bell, to make clean the church, to make ready for service, the people honestly appareled, the feasts commanded to be observed, the curate preacheth the gospel, and after dinner they make merry with a thousand honest pastimes. In the great towns the holidays are known when the wives go gay, when they sleep long in the morning, 
True notes of vanity in Cities and Courts.  when they play after dinner: and generally when they consume the day in voluptuousness and vanities.  
Another commodity is this, that where the courtiers use to eat flesh and corrupt venison & wild foul that is long kept, they of the village have their meat fresh and fresh, tender and wholesome, 
The diet of the Country.  and as one may say, in good season: that is, housedoves, Partridge, pullets, Stockdoves, Woodcocks, pheasants, fat Capons, conies, Hares, and innumerable victayl of all sorts. And over and beside this, to their great advantage they have sheep that beareth will to cloth them, good mutton to eat, dung to make fat their ground, and kids and Goats also, with Oxen to labour in the plough, and kine to milk and make butter & cheese: and hogs to make bacon of, Colts for to nourish, and Horses for to serve them and for to cell when need requireth. And another privilege of the village is this, that the good shall be honoured for a good man, and the unthrifty person known as he is, which is not so in the court, 
The partiality of the court  for there is no man praised for that he deserveth to be praised, but because he hath authority and riches.  
O how much is the wise man honoured in the village for his wisdom and good counsel? how many times is he thanked and how many presents hath be: 
The thankfulness of the husbandman.  If percase one of his neighbours have any good fruit in his garden, a good melon, a good pear, or a good muscadel grape, gladly they will present him therewith, as to him that hath deserved it.  
Another privilege of the village is this, that every man may marry his daughters to his equals and neighbours, that thereby daily he may receive both pleasure & service, the which the courtiers cannot do that marry his daughters so far from them, that for the most part they lament them or they see them. O happy inhabitor in the village that finds at his gate husbands for his daughters, and wives for his sons. He marrieth them nigh to him that he may easily see his sons in law, 
The husbandman hath comfort of his children by their presence.  his little nephews and his posterity: he is beloved of them, succoured in his affairs, served & nourished in his sickness, & great comfort to him in his age  
Another commodity is, that they are not to much careful nor yet ireful or envious: which commodity they of the court and the citizens little taste or enjoy: for the courtier many times lacketh money, when his great affairs should be brought to pass. I say therefore O happy man of the village, that needs not to go at ten of the clock to the palace to beg counsel, to speak fair to the usher, to wait upon the precedent, and make flectamus ienua to the lawyer, 
The courtier croucheth and flattereth for advantage.  and flatter the king & his counsel, and the Magistrate: but hath in stead of these Idolatries for a happy solace, the benefits of nature & the pastimes thereof, to hear the sheep blete the Bulls to bray, 
The delights of the country.  the Horse to neyh, the Nitingales to sing, the Thrushes to warble, the Lynets to mynse their songs, dogs to run, Lambs to leap, kids to gambolde, and see the Pekockes set up their tails like a wheel, Hens to kecle, kockes to crow, & a thousand kind of beasts and birds play and sport.  
Another commodity is, that in the village one may be there more virtuous and less vicious than in the court or in the great cities, & the reason is, for that in great companies we shall commonly find a M. that keep men from good doing, & ten M. that will move us to do evil. And in the village every man sanctifieth the Sabbath day, 
The Sabbath better hallowed in the country th●n in the city.  keepeth the feasts, heareth the sermons, & by this means with great labour worketh his soul health assisted by grace. Wherefore the village is to be praised for that the occasions of evil, & of our destruction are not so plentiful & practised there, as they are in the court and in good towns, no cooks houses to make them lickerous: nor there are no great estates whereby envy should arise: there is no chopping nor changing by usury: 
Usury, whoredom, and other evils, nothing so comen in the country as in the City.  whores to quarrel and fight for, nor courtiers to tourney in armure, nor wanton and lewd places to corrupt youth withal: nor justices to fear them, ye (and that best of all is) no covetousness which should swallow up and devour them.  
Another privilege there is, that their one may well gather some good, 
Prugallitie in the country, and prodigality in the court.  & spend much less than in the court. For every man knows well what excessive expenses are accustomed to be wasted in the court, and specially in these days, that the great appareling of banquets is such that they be well worthy to be reformed. O peaceable peysaunts which needs not the tapets of Flaunders, linen cloth of Holland, silver plate, garments embroidered, Parcement lace purfilde, nor yet carriage, Mulettes, varlets to conduct them, nor other superfluous attire: but contrary in steed of that, is contented with a little household well ruled, with a gross table & a few plain stools to eat his meat upon, with dishes of Pewter, and a mattress for to sleep on, two gowns, one for summer, another for winter, one gelding in the stable, one varlet, one chamberer to do him service: As much happy is a gentleman and as much honoured with his little company in his house in the village, as is a rich Lord in the court with his pride, & ruffling train.   

The viij Chapter. ¶ That in princes courts the custom and use is to speak of God and live after the world.  
IN the Court, even as there is no rigorous justice, no father that chastiseth his son, no friend that correcteth one the other, none that loveth his neighbour, 
Liberty to do evil, is in the court.  no bishop nor curate that governeth well his sheep, nor teacheth them after the gospel: So he that is by nature good, hath great liberty to be nought. In the court if one will be an adulterer, he shall have fellows. If he will be a quarreler, he shall have help, 
Fellow furtherers of wickedness in the court.  and that with such as will draw their sword. If he be disposed to banqueting, every where he shall find gluttons, If he will manifestly & shamefully lie, he shall find companions ready that will approve his lies: If he will steal, he shall find them that will instruct him many ways there to: If he will play, there are so many cards & so many dise, 
Cards and Dise are plentiful in the court.  that it is shame to see it: If one will be falsely forsworn, he shall find them that will give money for forswearing: Finally, if he will utterly give himself to do evil, in the court he shall see perfect examples. To the court resorteth men of divers nations, some for business, some to plead or to serve, 
After what manner, strangers come acquainted in the court.  or to show themselves, which persons to bring themselves acquainted are forced to follow the servants of such as be in authority, to flatter them, and speak fair to them: and to follow the companies and fellowship of the taberers, the pipers, the Musicians, the flatterers & merry jesters, and at the end become God knows poor and needy gentlemen, in such wise that by very necessity they be compelled to demand rewards, Newyear's gifts, and new apparel. And yet to these evil fellows, they which give any good thing, give it rather to get themselves a name to be called full of magnificence, then for any charity at all.  
In the Court, fortune is inconstant, 
Fortune is in constant in the court.  in that she promiseth, and yet more in that which she giveth, for at one instant, where one riseth, another falleth, one is borne, another dieth: he is advanced that is unknown, and the faithful servant forgotten, he that will abide is not received, but he that will run away is taken in: fools are believed and wisemen belied, opinions be followed and reason let pass. With these things and other semblable things that we assay and see in Courts of princes, every man may be assured that fortune will knock at his door, though for the most part the courtiers find sooner their grave then any good fortune, and specially such that under colour to be descended of a good house, go to the court to brag, 
Some Courtiers are meeter for the cart than for the spear.  and yet nevertheless are so foolish and ignorant, that it may be said they are more meet for the cart then for the spear, so that they serve in conclusion to be a dalliance to the mockers and jesters. And one great mischief is in the court, that there is ever hatred amongs the princes, envy among familiars, 
Contention among courtiers.  contention among officers and with their fellows. And among these there never lacketh meddlers & busy bodies, which profit more thereby, than some doctor of divinity doth by preaching. In the court all is suffered, 
All sorts of men resort to the court.  all is dissembled withal, all is inconstant, and all sorts desire there to live: and forasmuch as all desire there to live, it is impossible but there must be liars, players, slanderers, & a great number of naughty persons.  

Every evil parson hath his mate.  In the court the evil followeth the evil: The brawler finds one to brawl withal: The adulterer one that he may sin withal: The thief a companion and receiver: The sophister a babbler: and all reckoned together, one ready to deceive another.  
In the court every man praiseth and commendeth himself of holy purposes and noble thoughts. One saith he will withdraw himself from the court. And another sayeth he will forget his suits. 
Words without deeds in the court.  Another sayeth he will quench enmity. And when they have all said, all is but words, for the heart thinketh of nothing else but of the world. None knoweth there the one the other: The men of arms go without harness: The prelate's without their rotchettes: The The priest without his porteaves: 
Confusion and disorder in the court.  The daughter without her mother: The wife without her husband: The clerk without his books: The thief without a spy: The glutton from table to table. The vagabond from place to place, and the bawd from door to door, and from harlot to harlot. In the court there be bishops to confirm curates, to baptize and change names: For he that is glorious gay, they name him honourable, 
Vice is called virtue.  he that spends all, full of magnificence, the coward wise, the valiant over hardy, the fool joyous, the wise an hypocrite, the malicious subtle, the scoffer eloquent, the adulterer Amorous, the covetous measurable, and he that talketh little, a fool & an ignorant person.   

The ix Chapter. ¶ In the court few amend, but many wax worse.  

Wisdom without fortune profiteth little in the court.  IN the court it profits little, men to be wise, unless they be fortunate, forasmuch as good service is soon forgotten: friends soon fail, & enemies augment, the nobility doth forget itself, science is forgotten, humility despised, truth cloaked & hid, and good counsel refused. The best mine and the richest Alcumet that the courtier may have, 
favour is the Courtier's staff, to lean unto.  is to have wind at will to sail with, that is, to be in favour with them that be favoured, till fortune laugh upon him: for the conditions and fashions of entertainment changeth daily and hourly. To prove this true, Plato needs not to speak, nor Cicero to swear, forasmuch as afore our eyes we see the fool become wise, the meek, become proud, the sober a glutton, 
Wise men transformed into fools.  the patient a brawler, and the devout an evil christian man.  
In the court it is a great business and travail for to find virtue, 
Virtue is hard to find in the court.  and greater danger and peril to keep it. Is not humility lost among them that be in honour, or patience among wrong doers, or abstinence among gluttons, or chastity amongs women, or rest amongs business, or charity amongs evil willers, or peace amongs seditious, or silence amongst babblers, or good wit: where is so much folly? In the court no man is content, every man complaineth, 
No man is contented in the court.  either because the king giveth him naught, or because the prince helpeth him not, or that one or other is ever betwixt him and home: He complaints of the porter he will not let him in: of the treasurer that he payeth him not: of his crediture which taketh away his goods: or of one or other that doth him wrong in the court. If one read a letter of pleasure, he shall read an hundredth of displeasure. The wife shall writ to her husband and pra●●im for to come home, that he may marry his daughters being of age, or that his children be disobedient, that his friends hath forsaken him, and that by ingratitude they tender evil for good, weariness doth assail her on all sides, that her tenants call her to the law, that his goods be spent? surely he shall hear such news, so that for two groats that he giveth to the bearer of the letters, he would gladly have given more to have hard no such news.  

Evils inevitable in the court.  In the court a man doth many things by necessity, that to die for it he would not do in his house: he dines & sups with his enemies, he speaks with him that he never knew nor pleaseth him not, defends him that helps him not, followeth him the honoureth not him, lends to him that payeth him not, dissembles with him that doth him injury, & trusts to him that beguiles him.  
O unhappy and sorrowful courtier if by chance he grow to be a poor man, 
The miseries of the court.  no man will secure him, and if he fall sick no man visits him, and if he die he is incontinent forgotten: if he be virtuous no man commends him, and if he be out of credit no man regards him. In the court there is nothing more rare nor more dear to recover than virtue, nor more easy to find then the abundance of three manner of people. That is of tale bringers, of flatterers, and of liars. 
Three sorts of people plentiful in the court.  The liars deceive the princes. The flatterers the rich men. The tale bringers, those that be in favour. The women, deceive the men. The covetousness, the old men. The pomp the prelate's The avaricious, the priests. The liberty the religious, ambition, the presumptuous, the wise confidence in men, and all they joined together be deceived by fortune.  
In the court men employ the time so evil that from the time the courtier doth arise, 
News is still inquired for in the court.  till he go to bed, he occupieth himself about nothing but in asking of news, jetting about the streets, writ letters, speak of the wars, entertain them that be in favour, counsel with bawds, make as he were in love and lose always the time. In the court more than in any other place the things are slow. For one rises late, and worst of all amends his life late. All things there is variable and changeable and inconstant. 
Alteration of states.  The estates change, The little ascend, the great fall. The widows there be marred: The married be defamed: The maidens be shamed: The good spirits be dulled: The valiant becomes cowards: The prelate's wax worse and worse: The sciences are forgotten: The young lose their time: The old undone: This is the courtier's life, He is not worthy to be a courtier unless he be in debt and oweth to the draper for cloth, 
Debt becometh a courtier.  to the Merser for silk, to the tailor for the making of his apparel, to the goldsmith for jewels for my Lord the courtiers lady, to the judges for the disputing of processes, to the servants for wages, to their hosts for their expense. There is to much evil counsel, even such as is more than the half way leading to damnation.   

The ten Chapter. ¶ That a man cannot live in the court, without to trouble himself or some other.  
A Courtier doth many things, 
Fashion is the rule of the court.  more for to say, I do as other men do, than for any need he hath so to do. He banquets with every man because he will not be called an hypocrite, Plays because he would not be named a niggard, and companies with many, because he will not be named a solitariman & gives to rascal & naughty persons because he would not be evil said of them. 
All men seek for a name.  A man in the court is full of pensiveness and passions: For it is truth that it is appropried to them of nature that follows the court, to be incessantly tormented. He must praise his fellows, dispraise strangers, and look unto them that do evil, and blame them that do well, and spend at large with his fellows, and against the enemies spare not his own proper life: And all this must he do because he will not be dispraised. In the court commonly one professeth to wait of one master, 
A courtier serveth many masters.  but for all that, he must serve at the tail of divers other lords. O broken heart of the poor courtier that must needs serve such as knoweth him not, and make reverence to them that deserve not to have it, and must say to my master the officer an hundredth times a day, Sir and if it please you. And he shall answer when I am at leisure: 
Every officer in the court looketh for reverence.  tarry a while at the door. And yet we must call him master that deserves it no more than the hangman that strangles a man with a halter. O what pity is it to see a poor suitor in his needy business follow the king from town to town evil nourished, 
Suitors which follow after the court have a cold suit.  and worse lodged? The king hath business, the counsellor is deaf, the Almoner hath no hand, and he that thou knowest hath no eyes: 
Money maketh friends.  And without money & extreme pain, the five wits of nature be lame.  
In the court, albeit that one hath no enemies which is seldom seen, yet is it truth that many times his own friends put him out of quiet, forasmuch as if the courtier will take rest in his lodging, they grunt at him because he will not go see his friends, & provoke him to go follow the princes in the court, saying, that the rascal and the varlets mock at him that he goeth not thither and show himself free and liberal: and when he is arrived at the court, which is a natural enemy to rest, 
The court is a natural enemy to rest.  and a desire of novels, then must he change, as doth the Egipcian, which every day seeketh a new country, a new lodging, new apparel, and conversations, business and fashions of men. Lo my friend and the reader of this: This is the life of the courtier as it is here described: and also of him that liveth in the village the which said life of the peysaunts shall be much practised of many, and chosen of a few, because that every man readeth books enough & the more he readeth the less he changeth of his evil customs. And to call to reason why it is so, it followeth that the court of princes is good but for two manner of men, 
The court is good for two sorts of men.  for them that be in favour, and for the young which be yet of a weak judgement. And those that be in favour, and do wait daily, see themselves so rich, so feared, and so well accompanied that they feel not the pain of the court. And the pleasure they get thereby makes them for conclusion forget themselves, yet notwithstanding for all this, 
The happiest courtiers are not without trouble.  it is impossible but that their brains must be troubled, because they be to much occupied, for their houses are to full of people, their ears full of lies, their tongues to much troubled with answering of every man, their hearts to much pressed to aid and help them that they would help, and other. And finally the greater in authority and credit they be, ye shall see them the more pensive and the more astonished, and for the most part sooner complain then rejoice: but command who command will, have credit who will, the truth is, 
There is no pleasure without rest be joined therewith.  none can take pleasure of his goods, without honest rest. Beside this, those which be said to be in favour, are ever in fear to be put down from their authority: And by that means are in continual dread and torment, the which is an enemy mortal to quiet and rest. And the young in like case (as I have said) that be with out judgement and blinded in vices, do not know nor see the incommodities of the court, nor care, neither for favour nor honour, but bounden and drowned in voluptuousness and vices, pass the better part of their days in the school that is nothing worth, under the master of perdition.   

The xi. Chapter. ¶ That in the court those that be grave are praised and well esteemed, and the other that do the contrary not regarded.  
THe Courtier should not acquaint himself with vain and idle persons, that he be not reputed to be such as he companieth withal. For it had not been enough for him to say he must needs do there as other do, and dissemble as other dissembles. Neither behoveth it him not to cloak his naughty doing, in going secretly to such as be nought, for why? the wits of the courtiers are so fine, that they know not only what one sayeth but what he thinketh. There is neither little nor great, but men spy him whether he goeth, from whence he cometh, & where he abideth, with whom he talketh, in whom he talketh, in whom he trusteth, and what he will do, so well, that the curtains may hide a person, but to hide the vises of the courtiers is impossible. The courtier also aught not to brag and crack that things shallbe as he would, he may not presume to speak to the king and require audience as he himself lust: for he that followeth the court must be as one that hath no mouth to speak, nor hands to be avenged withal, 
Little love is in the court.  being well assured that there is no more love in the court, then are clotheses upon a bore horse. For he that is in the court, and is not armed with patience, it had been much better for him not to have come out of his country, for being a quarreler and seditious fellow, 
Patience belongeth to a courtier.  in the court he shallbe hated, and peradventure banished from thence, and then his returning shallbe to his utter shame.  
Malice and displeasures take often an end in the village, but in the court is always an overplus of them. What is the cause? Fortune I say: which hath the rule over them who count her for a goddess, 
Fortune is feared more than there is cause.  which is more feared of a foolish opinion, than for any power she hath over men.  
The courtier also aught not to condescend to that which his sensuality requireth, but to that which reason doth persuade him unto, 
Reason aught to rule all men.  forasmuch as the one demands more than needs, and the other contents him with less than he hath. Forasmuch then as in the court, there are so many tables to glutton on, so many new found plays to play at, so many quarrels to fight for, so many matters to plead, there is no cause to marvel if the sage be cherished, and the dissolute person blamed. The good man within the court, is as a nut within the shalt, 
A good man in the court is as a nut within the shalt.  and marry within the bone, and a pearl within the cokle, and a rose among the thorns. I do not say reader, for the quality and quantity of the malice of the court, that all be vicious that be there: God forbidden that it so should be, but when I call to remembrance we be all mortal men, I think it in manner impossible to arrive safe into the port, among so many Silla's and Caribdes. You will say that the wily and the subtle person there waxeth rich, and that the great sums of money be there: I confess it, & I would say your saying should be good if they that were of the best knowledge and the most virtuous number were advanced for their prudence, as the other be by hazard and chance or by theft, 
virtues rewards excel the rewards of fortune.  for the reward of virtue, is not like the reward of fortune.  
Iten the courtier aught not to give presents, nor lightly take, for why? 
Presents and gifts how they aught to be given.  for to give him that deserves it not, there lacks wisdom. And to receive of him that one aught not, is a thing but vile.  
Who that will exercise liberality, 
Liberality.  aught to consider what he giveth, & to whom he giveth: for it should be but folly to give that which one may not, and that which he himself needs. And one aught to consider the time and the end and the season, and wherefore he giveth. And if the courtier give something over liberality & without just cause of recompense of him which is out of credit, and in the time that he beginneth to decline, is not then the gift evil employed? is it not to be lamented that one gives sooner to the flatterer to tell some feigned or lying tales, 
Gifts ill bestowed.  or a jester to make them laugh, or to a common liar to make them talk, or to a pleasant fellow to invent a lie, rather than to a trusty servant that hath all the days of his life deserved to have thank for his good service? Yet for all this, mine intention is not to persuade great men that they should not give to all men: but I say the true servants aught to be preferred, because it is more meet that their service should be rewarded, than the presents of strangers considered.  
When a man giveth to strangers, the servants seeing the same draw back: ye may be assured that they not only murmur at that which is given, but also accuse him of his ungentle deed, and become a mortal enemy to him that the thing is given unto. 
Gifts bind the giver.  The gifts makes a man much subject that receiveth them, for assoon as any man doth take of another an horse or a gown, or often sit with him at his table, he binds himself thereby to bear him favour, to defend his quarrel, to keep him company, to take his part, and to love that that he loveth. And reason will, that sithence one feeleth profit of another that he be not unkind, howbeit let a man beware to bind himself so much under the will of other men, that he thereby forgetteth his own honesty. Many young children descended of an honest house go to the court & take with them a good part of their goods & consume the same playing, eating, and drinking, 
Prodigal sons.  and using bawdry and adultery under colour of learning their behaviour: and resort to the great men's houses, to no other intent, but to be much made of them where they take a great repast, and afterward so play the young wanton fools, that they spend rend, honour and all. And when the purse is flat, 
News hunters.  their office is to go all the day in the streets to the churches and to the palace to ask news and tidings, only to pipe out lies and fables at the lords boards, and all for to go scot free. And there is a sort of young men in the court, yea I may say to you, of those that have beards, that neither have master nor entertainers, that as soon as a stranger cometh to the court, straightways they board him, saying that they will show him the fashions and manners of the court, 
Fashion teachers.  the pleasures of the palaces, the manner how to keep him from deceitful fellows, and to entertain young gentlewomen. And thus the new come courtier that is yet a fool, in the mean season shallbe handled in such wise that now goeth a gown, now a coat, another time a horse, and sometime purse and all. And there is another sort of men in the court that busieth themselves with so great authority and with so little wit, that after they have used the company of some great Lord, they will sand him a letter by their page, saying they be poor gentlemen, 
Poor gentlemen shifters.  kinsfolk to some great men, and that they be there suing for some office, and that they have a payment in hand, wherefore they require him to lend him a certain sum of money: And yet are they in no such necessity, but only to get somewhat, either to buy a gay coat, or a horse, or to keep a whore.  
There is another sort of false and beggarly courtiers, the which after they be once used to the court, they go from church to church to ask for God's sake, 
Rogues.  saying they be poor suitors & that they love better to beg then to rob, commending themselves to the priests to beg for them on the poor parishioners when they preach, and so take against reason the good that poor men should have.  
There is another sort of haunters in the court, 
Table haunters  that go from one house to another of the great estates and Lords, counterfeiting to be diligent servants, flattering the steward, the butler, and the cook, and live of that which is left of the dinners, and go their ways with their pockettes and their sleeves full of meat for to sup withal. And there is another manner of sort that go two and two, and three and three together in a morning to spy and see if there be any thing evil kept, 
Picking pilseter●.  and with that to look and to pry if a sword or a Spanish cloak, or a purse be fallen aside, if there be, they sing in a merry note this is pro nobis. Other there be that for to conduct and defend a whore when the court removes (as one may say more than ruffians) they live of the gain of the miserable woman. 
Apple squeeres  Another hath false dise, false marked cards for to deceive the innocentes, win their money, 
Cogging gamesters.  and lose their own souls. And there lacks not in the court old women and wrinkled trots that after their harvest is past, 
Bawds.  cloak the sins of other, and beguile those that be chaste and undermine such as be married, hurt their neighbours, cell maidens to whoredom for lucre, and do nourish them therefore, whereof follows that these old whores sometime sell wenches better cheap than fishers do lamperyes. O behold the company of the court, the holiness, the religion, the brotherhood, and finally the foul disorder of the same. And I say for my part, go to the court who will and there abide, and triumph who will: as for myself I do remember I am a christian man, & that I must account for the time I have lost, and therefore I had much rather to labour and dig and delve out of the court and be saved, then to be nigh the king, my conscience not clean nor pure.   

The xii. Chapter. ¶ That in the court of princes all say we will do it, but none do it.  
Bias the great Philosopher of great renown amongs the Grecians, said upon a time to the great Alexander Quilibet in suo negotio, hebetior est quam in alieno, meaning, that commonly every man is more blinded in his own affairs then in another man's. And he so said by very good reason, 
Most men are wisest in other men's matters  for that there be men, which for to give a wise deliberate and sage counsel for to remedy a sudden mischief, have excellent wits, so that it be in another man's matter. But in their own affairs they have neither wit to govern their own houses, nor stable mind to cover their own misery. Cayus julius Caesar, Octauus Augustus, Marcus Antonius, Septimius Severus, Marcus Aurelius, & other in great number, that were esteemed in their privy business, 
Some can go nerve the common wealth which cannot govern their own houses.  that is to say, in the ruling of the common wealth were wonders witty: but we read that they were so negligent in governing their own households, their wives & their family, the it is much to their shame & reproach: therefore such be seen often to be good to rule the common wealth, the be nothing worth to govern their own, & had need (if it might be honestly said) to have a ruler to rule them. Plutarch reporteth that the noble & valiant captain Niseas never lost battle, 
●●●lfe liking h●●●●eth.  but only in trusting to much to his own wit & judgement. And if we believe Hiarcus the Philosopher, it is more hurtful to a man to stand in his own conceit, them to phansy a woman: for in loving a woman, a man hurteth but himself: but in sticking to much to his own phantasy, it may redound to the hurt of a whole common weal. All this the is said, shallbe to admonish them the tarry in the court, to be conversant with the grave & sage persons: and with such as be learned, & such as have good experience: For the grave, learns virtue: 
Silence and experience.  Silence is a certain guide to a man: & experience, is the consummation of all. For although the courtier being young, be never so sage, grave, rich or in favour, 
The guides of a young courtier.  he shall need a father to counsel him, a brother to persuade him a guide to teach him the way, & a master to instruct him, & a corrector to punish him, because the mischiefs, crafts, & wickedness doth so abound in the court the it is impossible that a man alone may defend him from all, & utterly resist them. For in the court there is none so high away to destruction as for a man to be governed only by himself, and have his own swing.  

A definition of the court.  The court is a perpetual dream, a bottomless whorlepole, an enchanted fantasy, and a maze: when he is in, he cannot get out till be be mor founded. One of the best remedies that the courtier may get against so many evils, 
A faithful friend is a great help to a Courtier.  is to have a faithful friend that flatters him nothing, but that rather will correct and rebuke him if he go home late, if he walk by night, if he be a false player or whorehunter. But where shall we find such a friend: For we see the friendship in the court is commonly used among young courtiers in this sort, that so soon as two or three are met together, 
Faithful friends are seldom found in the court.  strait fall they to quarreling, fight, rioting, so that there is rather occasion given to do evil, then good counsel to refrain. Therefore he that haunteth the court, it were meet that he had some friend to whom without fear he might common of his business, and that the multitude be also to him common friends, but above all one perfect friend.  
I would also he should keep himself from the conversation of seditious persons, 
Seditious persons are to be avoided.  from choleric persons and vagabonds, for the rascal sort will slander & say, the king payeth nought, that those which be in favour have all the swing, that the officers are proud, that men's service is evil recompensed, & the good unknown: With these words and such other like, the poor courtiers forgets to serve and begin to murmur.  
Also the good christian man aught not to cease to amend his life, 
Amendment or life seldom practised in the court.  for that he hopeth to live long: although those that be old there occupy themselves rather in new pastance, then to correct their old sins. You shall find them that promise every day for to amend themselves in their age, and yet nevertheless die there worse than devils: 
Amendment promised, but not performed  the cause is that they all say we will do and yet never do. There be some old doting fools, which shall brag of the kings & princes which they have served, of the changing of offices that they have seen, and of the wars passed, and of the great mutability & change of fortune. And yet notwithstanding all that they have seen and endured, 
Doting courtiers.  they be as greedy of gain, and delight in young and foolish pastimes as though they were new to begin to live. Alas miserable men that in perpetual travail, and continual sorrow, & infinite trouble have passed their lives, even from their first time of knowledge (which is, xv. years) to the time of manhood, and then from that time to their doting age, and all to have gained riches and increase in renown: not in all this time once remember that in stead of a true and perfit rest, they prepare for themselves a hell both for body and soul. The courtier also aught not lightly to complain of adversities which many times come to him, thinking that oftentimes (though it be our own fault) we do complain of things which should complain of us, if they had a tongue.  
What time a man seeth himself base and is little esteemed, or poor and forgotten of the rich, and deceived of that he looked surely to have, 
Fortune is not the cause of poverty.  incontinent he curses his fortune and laments his evil: In the mean while it is not fortune that hath thus served him, but himself that hath searched it and found it. Such a man thinks to be quickly rich, honoured and esteemed, that shortly after seethe himself poor, overthrown, despised, and blamed of all men, & cannot revenge himself, but only say, he is unfortunate & unhappy to the world, and that it is mishap: which is not so, but his own folly that makes him to leave the surety of his house, and prepareth himself to the hazard of fortune, and therefore hath no cause to complain but of himself which choose the way to it. The best is, after that a man purposeth himself to continued in the court, 
Patient dissemblers come to preferment in the court.  that then patiently he await and fairy the time of advancement or advantage that he looketh for: or else if he cannot patiently dissemble with the time, let him not remain there, 
Contentation wherein it consisteth.  for contentation consisteth not in the place, but in the ambitious heart, and troubled mind. And take this for a truth, ye that be courtiers that if two or three things succeed to your purpose prosperously, there shall come a hundredth overthwart the shins, either to you or to your friends. For notwithstanding that the courtiers doings and desires come to good pass, there shallbe things for his friend or fellow that goeth all awry, whereby often times he laments the hurt of his friend, and that which is denied him more than the pleasure he hath of his own hap: wherefore there is always lack or fault of contentation. Will ye any more? the being in court or out of the court, ye shall bear no other matter, 
News is all that is sought for in the court.  then, what news at the court? what doth the king? where is he? where is the counsel? and where lieth the officers of the household? and this is most true, that they which desire to hear such news, are as desirous to see news: And by this means the poor ween to make themselves rich, the rich the more to command, and the lords the more to rule. O what a pleasure is it for them to be in the court hoping that the king may know them, that those that be in favour may die, or that fortune may change, & that they come forward? And it followeth, that in tarrying the time, the time deceiveth them, and then death taketh them unware.   

The xiij Chapter. ¶ That there is a small number of them that be good in the court, and a great number of good in the common wealth.  
PLutarch in the book entitled De exilio telleth of the great King Ptolemy, that having on a day at supper with him seven Ambassadors of divers provinces, moved a question to them, which of all their common wealths governed themselves with best laws & customs? The said Ambassadors, were romans, Carthaginiens, Ciciliens, Rhodiens, athenans, Lacedemoniens, & Cicioniens: among whom the question was effectually debated afore the king, forasmuch as every one of them being affectionate to his country alleged the wisest reason that he could. The good king desirous to know the truth and the resolution of the question, commanded that every one of the Ambassadors should tell of the best laws or customs that were in their common wealth three points, and that thereby it might easily be seen which was better ruled and deserved more praise. Then the Ambassador of the Romans began & said, In Rome the temples be honoured, 
The government of Rome. The government of Carthage.  the governors obeyed & the evil chastised. The Ambassador of Carthage said, in Carthage the noble men never cease to prepare to the war, the poor people to travail, and the Philosophers to teach.  

The government of Cicill.  The Ambassadors of the Ciciliens said, In Cicill is true justice executed, troth is beloved, and equality praised. The Ambassador of the Rhodiens said, 
The government of the Rhodiens.  In Rhodes the old men are honest, the young men shamefast, and the women meek and gentle. The Ambassador of the athenans said, 
The government of the athenans.  the athenans do not consent that the rich should be partial, nor the mean people idle, nor the governors without learning. The Ambassador of the Lacedemoniens said, 
The government of the Lacedemoniens.  in Lacedemony envy rains not because all are equal, nor covetousness because all is common, nor idleness because all men travail. The Ambassador of Cicioniens said, 
The government of the Cicioniens.  in Cition they receive no strangers, inventors of news, nor Physicians that kill the whole, nor advocates that makes the processes' immortal.  
When king Ptolemy and his company had heard these so good and holy observances, he praised greatly the institution of every of them, saying, that he could not judge which was the best. This history is well worthy to be noted, and better to be followed: And I believe if in our days so many Ambassadors should meet, disputing as these did of their common wealths, they should find more things to blame and speak evil of (and that without comparison) then to praise & commend. In times passed the king's houses were so well reformed, 
Vice was severely punished in old tyme.  the kings themselves so wise, and the governors so moderate, that little offences were chastised, and once to think of great offences forbidden: to the intent that the chastisement should be terror to the evil, and the prohibition a plain advice unto the good: It is not so in our common wealths, where is done so much evil, and committed so many bitter offences and unhappiness, 
Sin is less accounted of in our days than in old tyme.  that those which the ancients did chastise for deadly sins by death, we dissemble to be but venial: the truans and wantoness be so entertained as though we lacked them: and not as meet to be chased and driven away. My Lady the widow, or my masters that is married, if they fall to lewd and wanton living, ye shall not find one that will say madam or masters ye do nought: 
Sin is committed without reproof.  but rather six hundredth that shall procure her dishonour.  
This is in our time, such is our fashion and manners which causeth evil: so that he is more to be praised which may be called good in our common wealth, them any of the Consuls of Rome, because that in the old time it was almost a monstrous thing to find one evil among a hundredth, and now it is a great chance to find one good amongst a hundredth.  
The holy scripture praiseth Abraham that was just in Called, Loath that was just in Sodom, Daniel in Babylon, Toby in Niniveh, and Neemyas in Damascus. And likewise may we among this Cathalog of holy men number the good courtiers if there be any, 
A good courtier is a black swan.  but it cannot be forasmuch as none goeth about to move the courtiers to virtue, but that counsel them to perdition.  
There is in the court so many vagabonds, so many players, blasphemers, and deceivers, that we may be abashed to see such a multitude: but it were a novelty to hear of the contrary, for why? the world hath nothing in his rosiers but thorns, and for fruits of trees, 
The world is replenished with counterfeit treasure.  but leaves, for vines but briars, and in their garnerdes but straw, and in their treasures, but Alcumin. O golden world, O world desired, O world passed: the difference betwixt you and us is, that afore you little and little the world passeth, but afore us it is quite passed. In thee O world every man undertaketh to invent, to do, to begin and to make an end of that he will: and that which is worst of all, liveth as he will: but the end is right doubtful. There is little to be trusted in thee O world. 
The world is not to be trusted.  And contrariwise little to defend, little to enjoy, and very little to keep. There are many things to be desired, many things to be amended, and many things to be lamented. Our ancestors had the Iron world, but our world may well be called the dirty world, 
The world is replenished with filthiness.  because it keepeth us continually in a filthy mire, and always we be there in defiled and rayed.   

The xiiij Chapter. ¶ Of many affairs in the court, and that there be better husbandmen, then commonly is of courtiers.  
THe Poet Homer hath written of the travels of Vlixes one of the princes of the greeks: Quintus Curtius of Alexander & Darius: Moses of joseph, And of them of Egypt: Samuel of David and of Saul: Titus Livius, of the Romans: Thucydides of jason with the Minotaur: and Sallust of ●ugurth and Cathelyne. I then willing to follow these good authors, have undertaken to write the unkind travails of the court that the courtiers of our time have which have patience enough for to suffer them, and no wisdom to avoid them: than it is not without a cause if I do call the travails of the court unkind, 
Unkind travails of the court.  for they be accustomed unto it as the old horses are to the packesadle and to the plough, sith that the courtiers themselves do suffer them so much and have no profit thereof. Some men will say that I am evil advised because I writ the courtiers have not their ease, seeing that he that may attain to be in the court is accounted to be fortunate. But he abuseth himself, if he think that all such as are out of the court be beasts and ignorant persons, and he only wise: they rude and he delicate: he honoured and they vile, they stammering and he eloquent.  
If it were so that God would that the most perfit men should be in the court, it should be to us more than a fault, not incontinently to be a courtier: knowing that there can be no better time employed, then that which is bestowed in hearing the wise and sage men: but when all is said, the places do not better the men, 
The place bettereth not the man, but the man the place.  but the men the places. God knows (for example) how many gentle and good honest minds labour in the villages, and how many fools and lubbers brag it in palaces. God knoweth how many well ordered wits and judgements is hid in the villages, 
Fools in the court have countenance when as wise men in villages, are obscure  and how many rude wits & weak brains face and brace in the court. How many be there in the court the which although they have offices, dignities, estates, and préeminences, yet in the village (after a manner of speaking) with great pain they are not able to rule ten men. How many come out of the court correctors of other, that themselves in the villages should be corrected? O how many things is said amongs the poor labourers worthy to be noted? And contrary, spoken afore princes worthy to be mocked? O how many is in the court that make themselves highly to be esteemed, not for to be honest & diligent, but to come in authority? And how many is there in the village forgotten and not set by, more for lack of favour then for either lack of wit or diligence: The princes give the offices: Those that be in favour have the entry: nature, the good blood: The parents, the patrimony: and the deserving, honour: but to wise and sage cometh only of God, 
Wisdom and virtue cometh of God.  & men have not the power to take it away. And if it were so the princes might give good wit to whom they would, they should keep it for themselves, 
Prince's never lose, but for lack of knowledge.  seeing they never lose, but for lack of knowledge. I take it for an evil point of such as newly come from the court to the village, & being there, rather use mocking then taste the benefit thereof. But in the mean time, thou seest their manner of life, that is, to go to bed at midnight and rise at ten of the clock, & in making ready till noon, 
A Courtier's life.  trimming their bush, or beard, and setting the cap awry. And all the day after, to talk of his darling that he hath in the court, or of the battle of Granado where he did marvels. 
●ragginge courtier's.  And some there be of them that will lie and brag that they were at the journey of Pavay with the captain Antony Deleva: at Tunes with the Emperor: or at Turron with Andrew Doria. And for all his brabbling he was no better than a ruffian or a zacar of Tholydo, or a knave of Cordova. We have rehearsed these things before written, to 'cause our minion friskers to leave mocking of the poor inhabitants of the village, esteeming them to be but fools and lurdens. For I believe, if my master the Emperor would banish all the company of fools, 
If fools were banished the court the Emperor should be left alone.  I fear me he were like to devil alone in the court. Let us say then, that very late they of the court know themselves & the order of their life & profession, 
Courtly profession.  I mean the profession of the religion which they keep straightly, the which consists in this: they promise' to please the devil, & to content the court, & to follow the world: They promise' to be ever pensive, sad & full of suspicion: They promise' always to be chopping & changing, full of business, to buy, to cell, to weep, to sin, & never to reform themselves: They promise' also to be jagged & ragged, an hungered, indebted & despised: they promise to suffer rebukes of lords, theft of their neighbours, injuries of choleric men, mockeries of the people, reproach of their parents: & finally, missing & lacking of friends.  
Lo this is the profession and rule of the observants of the court: which I will not name a rule, 
Confusion and disorder of the court.  but a confusion: not a order but a disorder, not a monastery, but a hell, and a religion not of brethren, but of dissolute persons: not poor hermits but covetous worldly men. O pity, O lack of good judgement. The Oracle of Apollo being asked by the Ambassadors of the romans where lay the point for one to govern himself well, 
A rule for a man to govern himself by.  The answer was, for a man to know well his own estate and degree, that thereby one may rule his desires, and bridle his affections. The courtier desiring all, and persevering in nothing, shall think in his mind, that if he get not in one year some fee or office, that it is not for lack of knowledge: but as a person ignorant and foolish blameth his fortune, and curseth the hour that ever he came thither, without calling to mind that the court is as the Palm tree whose root is a feadome under the ground, before that he show two fingers breed of leaves above the ground. 
●r●●●●sion ●●●loweth long ●e.  In like manner, a man must be long in service before he be promoted: yet so much resteth that the persevering and abiding by it, causeth a man to hope: For to say the truth, it is seen, if there be three which deserve more than they have, there be three hundredth that have more than they deserve. O how seldom times doth fortune that she aught for to do? 
Fortune selldom doth give to men that which they deserve.  And how many times fortunes hazard and chance doth better than the assurance of virtue? because she measures her merits by the evil length of opinion, and not by reason: she makes the water burn without fire, the knife to cut without steel, the Candle to light without flame, the Mill to go without water, 
Fortune is unconstant.  and the cause is only her inconstancy. If she laugh in the court of any, it is but with her ears, If she weep, it had been better never for a man to come out of his house: If she lift any up aloft, it is to throw him down again lower than he was: If sometime she dissemble, it is to take one in a trap. Let no man them trust of fortune, for she is so variable, that she never holdeth her promise of that she giveth, neither by word nor yet by writing that she maketh.   

The xv. Chapter. ¶ That among courtiers is neither kept amity nor faithfulness: And how much the Court is full of travail, of envy and rancour.  
ONe of the most excessive travails among the courtier's is, that none is resident there without he be hated or at the least the he hate: that is not pursued or else doth pursue, that doth not mock or else is mocked.  

Courtly dissimulation.  And one unhappy thing is in the court, many there be that will do of their bonnet to you, that gladly would see your heads of by the shoulders: And such there be that makes reverence unto you that would have his leg broken to see you dead and carried to your grave: Is it not a great pity to be conversant all day together, to laugh and make merry one with another, 
Hatred, under the colour of friendship.  and yet have mortal hate? Is not this more than a dissimulation, to honour him whom they would be glad to see led to the gallows? One thing for all, it is ambition & to much hope of sharp and bitter fortune, and lack of knowledge, of this, that amity well observed, is much worth to moderate a man.  
What life, what fortune, what taste may he take that seeth himself daily present in the court, where is so much theft, bribry, murders, poisoners, felons, and traitors ready to betray and cell a man, & be himself betrayed and sold? And contrariwise what felicity is it to be in the company of those, with whom a man may faithfully recreate himself fearing no man? In the court, there be gentlemen so rooted in vengeance and hatred that by no mean, request, nor gentleness a man may direct them from their evil intents, in such manner that they be glad to make war with their own houses, to chase peace from themselves to the houses of their enemies? Whereby one may well presuppose as is aforesaid, that uneath one may hope to have friends in the court, and less trust: & the greater men are in authority, the more afraid they be to fall. What then causes a man there to tarry in such travail? I have wonder that any can suffer it or have a heart to dissemble it. 
The country man is happy and the courtier miserable.  O how fortunate is he that leadeth his life in the village, with the mean business of his little possession, in comparison of the courtier whose estate is ever unhappy and of all parts miserable, that never ceases to hope of things vain, in procuring unjust things and such things that never can be determined. And if thoughts were wind, and his desires waters, it should be greater danger to sail in his heart then in the main sea. In the court is one thing I wot not what, 
Three things in the court.  & one thing I know not how, and one thing I understand not, which causeth there incessauntlye complaints, and continual chopping and changing, and evermore despite and envy: and that worst is, there is no liberty to departed thence.  
The yoke of the court is hard, the bonds fast tied, 
Courtiers are tied to the court.  and the plough so tedious that those that ween to be the first to triumph, are the first that labour and draw the weighty burdens. And such as are poor and ignorant men suffer these intolerable travails, because they would not be as subjects in their own countries, and to have a greater liberty to do evil. But God knows what such liberty costeth them, 
The liberty of the court, bringeth perpetual bondage.  that for a short and vain pleasure purchase to themselves, continual travail and perpetual bondage. The property of this vicious liberty, or better to call it, this mischievous subjection is, that at the beginning it seemeth somewhat pleasant: but in the end all converts to a bitterness, sorrow, and lamentation, chief when a man hath experience by little and little of the vice that this life containeth. For if he accompany with women, he must flatter them, serve them, and entreat them: And if money lack, 
Shifts are made for lack of money.  then must there be some devilish shift made.  
For why, when one cometh new to the court, my lady dame gorgeous, leads him a train, she entertains him, she makes much on him, she colles him: but when she spieth him to lack, she sends him to pasture in the bore fields. 
Money causeth entertainment.  And if the time of eating come, the courtier must often times feed with them, whom he would see eaten without sauce: Now, if his turn be to play, therein is little profit: if he win, he must liberally departed with the gain to those that stand by: and if he lose, they restore to him never a penny. And if the courtiers turn be to jest, and to be merry, therein he findeth no fruit, for the courtier's play beginneth in fair words, and ends with brawling, chiding, and fight. And forasmuch as it is the worst life of all other lives: Let us conclude that there is nothing worse than a vain courtier, 
A vain courtier & an idle husbandman are the worst men.  and an idle husbandman.   

The xvi Chapter. ¶ By how much the common wealths and the courts of the time passed were more perfit than the courts of the time present.  
THe king Anchises did lament the destruction of the proud Troy, done by the princes of Greece: The Queen Rosaine bewailed her husband Darius, when he was overcome by the great Alexander.  
jeremy the Prophet complained the estate of Babylon, when it was held captive. King David lamented his son Absalon when joab killed him. The Lady Cleopatra thought no nother but to die for sorrow when her dear & well-beloved Marcus Antonius was vanquished by the Emperor Augustus. The Consul Marcus Marcellus lamented the City of Syracuse when he saw it on fire. Sallust, Rome, evil governed.  
The patriarch jacob his son joseph: The king Demetrius his good father Antigonus, when he found him dead at the battle of Marathone. It shallbe also convenient that amongs these well renowned princes we should lament the miseries of our time, in the which we see things so marvelous, that the curious auctors of the time passed, never wrote things semblable unto them: Nor the men in those days never saw the like. Truth it is that the Chroniclers in those days wrote what they would, In our time scant any man dare speak.  
The Philosopher Ariminius hath written of the abundance of Egypt: Demophon of the fartilitie of Arabia: Thucydides of the treasures of Tyrus: Asclepius of the mines of Europe: Dodrillus in the commendation and praisings of Grece: Leonides of the triumphs of Thebes: Eumenides of the government of Athens: Thesiphontes of the order that is kept in the court, and of the princely houses of the Siciomens': Pitheas' of the profit that came by the little speaking of the disciples of Socrates: Apollinus of the continency & abstinence that was kept in schools of the divine Plato: Myronides of the great exercise, and of the little rest that was in the house of Hyarcus: Aulus Gelyus' of the temperance and little eating, and of the moderate sleeping of the disciples of master Favorimus: Plutarch of the wise women of Greece, and of the chaste wives of Rome: Dyodorus, how those the were inhabitants in the Isles of Balyares cast their treasure into the sea for fear jest the strangers for covetousness of their riches should make them wars, and to the intent also that no partiality should grow among themselves.  
Hearing then all this that I have said, I demand of the reader his advise what my pen should write of our time? If we should writ of bounty and verity, we should falsely lie: If of riches, men be so greedy that all be disposed to desire and hunger covetously. 
Covetousness in all men.  How shall we then praise the men of our time? Shall we say they be hardy and puissant and learned, and we see that they employ their minds to nothing else but to rob and beguile each one the other? 
Robbery.  How shall we praise them of prsoperitie and health, seeing that the pestilence & the French pocks more than common is among them? 
French pocks a common disease.  How shall we commend their continency and abstinence, seeing that scant in fifty years ye shall not find one that will bridle his lust and desire? 
Unbridled affections.  Shall we praise them of little rest and of much exercise, when we see that there is a greater number that give themselves to idleness and thefery, 
Idleness.  then to honest travails & pains? How shall we praise them of temperate eating, 
surfeiting.  when we see in our days the belly is men's God? How shall we commend them for having chaste women and obedient, seeing that there is nothing more common among them then adultery? 
Adultery.   
Shall we say, they be not covetous, seeing that not only men search gold and silver in deep mines, but men travail to seek it as far as the Indiens, of a vineyard so frozen, of a tree so dry, of fruit so unripe, of a water so troubled, of bread so evil baken, of so much false gold, of a world so suspicious, what shall we hope any other thereof but evil and confusion? Let us read that is written of the courts of the princes of Syria, of Percia, of Macedonia, of Crecia, and finally of the romans: And let us confer these to our courts, and ye shall see such evils and vicious customs in our common wealths, that the ancients did never attain to the knowledge how to commit such abominations, nor yet (I say) to invent such evils. In those most happy times and golden worlds an evil conditioned man scant durst to have showed himself in any honest company: but now alas (a thing to be lamented) the world is so replenished with dissolute and corrupt living, that it is counted but a small fault to be evil, except he be such a one as is past all shame & grace. The cortiers will not deny me but that whiles they give attendance for the uprising of their masters, they tell each one the other what pastime they have had the night before, 
Vain delights of the court.  how they have played, sworn and stared at their game, of their laughings, & the companies they have had with the gentle dames: which of them was fairest & best appareled? & sometime in secret of those that they have committed adultery withal.  
And thus, as the world is new, the inventions are new, the plays new, the garments new, new speaking, new manners, 
New fangled things.  and every year, every month yea and every day, and every hour: we see vices so largely delated, & virtue so diminished, that I am ashamed to writ it: And the true cause is, that in the court virtue hath many controllers & enemies, 
Virtue controlled: & vice upholden.  and vice innumerable upholders and maintainers. For if there be brought into the court one laudable custom, it is no sooner come, but forthwith it is chased away: And on the other part, vice cannot so soon appear, but it is as soon embraced and entertained. The sage lawyer Lygurgus did defend expressly by a law that the strangers should not know the secrets of his common wealth nor that his citizens should meddle much abroad, for that purpose as is said, that in meddling with them, they should not learn their vices nor their barbarous conditions.  
In the time when Marcus Portius was Consul, 
An example of a physician.  there came an excellent Musician out of Grece into Rome, which for because that he put one string more on his harp then was accustomed to be played withal, he was by the consent of the people banished from Rome & his harp burnt: Howbeit in this our time, we could well agree with Music, & would not pass how many strings the harp had: so that men might agree & stay themselves.  
Plutarch sayeth that he saw once at Rome a priest of Greece stoned to death in the great place of Campus Marcus, because that he did sacrifice to the Goddess Berecinthe in other manner than they were accustomed to be sacrificed unto. Suetonius that affirmeth that in four C.lxiiij. years which was the time that the temple Vierges Vastales endured, there was never found but iiij. evil living persons, which were Domicia, Rhea, Albina and Cornelia, the which for their offences were openly buried quick. If at this day one would register the names of such like, to be so punished, I leave it to your judgement whether there should lack hangmen to do execution. Threbelius Publius said that the Emperor Aurilianus Quintus took a great friend of his from the office of Dictator, which was named Rogerius, only because he had danced at the wedding of Posteria Auia his nigh neighbour saying, 
Dancing reproved.  that the good judge should not leave his gravity & use such wild and common plays. But so it is, whatsoever this Emperor said, In our time we will give licence to judges to remove their feet as fast as they will, 
Bribery finely reproved.  so that they hold their hands still. It shall make no matter to the poor pleader whether his judge sing or dance, so that he minister justice with expedition, 
Expedition of causes in law.  that the poor man come not oftentimes and give to much attendance. In this case it were very good to raise the Emperor Domitian, which as Suetonius writeth made a law, that whosoever prolonged the process of his cliant more than one year, that he should for ever be banished Rome. If this holy law had dured to this day, there should have been more banished in Rome and else where, then there are now citizens.   

The xvij Chapter. ¶ Of divers noble and valiant men, that left the court and the great cities and drew them to their proper houses, more by will, then by necessity.  
MArcus Crassus a captain of the Romans' was greatly commended and praised for that he was valiant in the war, and wise in the business of his household: This is that Crassus that followed the partiality of the Consul Silla against Marius and julius Caesar after Dictator. It chanced on a time that by the fortune of the sea, the said Caesar was prisoner to certain Pirates and robbers of the sea, and he said boldly to two or three of the best of them that kept him fast bound, It doth (said he) grieve me much, not for that I am taken prisoner, forasmuch as that is but hazard of the war, but of the pleasure that mine enemy Crassus will take when he doth hear of the news. 
The court is utterly renounced of Crassus  This Crassus was Master to a Philosopher named Alexandrius, that governed him as a father, counseled him as a friend, and taught him as a master: And this did he by the space of xviij years, which passed, them he demanded licence to return to his country: And going his way, said these words unto Alexander: I ask of thee none other reward for my pain, nor for my labours in teaching of thee, then to grant that I shall never return to the court again: and when I am gone that thou wilt never write unto me of thine affairs, for that I am so weary of being a courtier, that I will not only leave the court, but also forget all that ever I saw or heard in it. Denis of Siracuse, albeit that he was a cruel tyrant, yet notwithstanding he was a great friend to the Philosophers, and a honourer of wise men. And he said that he took much pleasure to hear of the wise and sage men of Greece, but he believed them not, because their teachings were words without deeds.  
Seven of the most sagest and best learned of Greece came to Siracuse a City where the said Denys was resident: that is to say, Plato, Chylo, Demophon, Diogenes, Myrtho, Pylades and Surranus, the which meddled more of the affairs of Denis than he did of their doctrine. Diogenes dwelled a xi. year with him, and after returned to his country, where he being and washing of herbs for his dinner, another Philosopher said to him: If thou hadst not left the service of Denys thou needest not now to have taken the pain to wash thine own herbs and make them ready for thy dinner. To whom Dyogines answered: If thou couldst have been content to have washed & eaten herbs the needs not at this time to have been in the court of Dionysius, Cato the censor of whom the names of Cato first began, was esteemed for one of the wisest of the Romans: And he was never seen in lxviii years (for so long he lived) not once to laugh nor to do any thing repugnant to his sage gravity. Plutarch sayeth that he was in speaking prudent, gentle in conversation, in correcting sharp and severe, in presents liberal: in eating sober, and in that that he promised, sure and certain, and in executing justice irreprehensible.  

Cato forsook the court to devil in a village.  After the age of lu years he left the court of Rome, and withdrew himself to a little village nigh to Picene, which is now at this present ccalled Puzol: & there he passed the residue of his years in quiet and rest, accompanied only with his books, and taking for a singular recreation for to go twice or thrice a day to walk in the fair fields and the vines, and himself often to labour in them. And it fortuned on a day when he was absent from his house that one wrote with a coal upon his door O felix Cato, tu solus scis vivere, which is to say, O happy Cato, thou only knowest how to live.  
Lucullus Consul and capitain, a Romayn, right valiant brought to an end the war against the Parthes which had continued by the space of .16. years, whereby he got great honour of the citizens of Rome, and immortal renown for himself and great riches for his family. And it is said of him that he only of all the Romans' did enjoy peaceably in his age, the riches that he had won in his youth in the wars. And after when he came from Asia and saw that the common wealth was in division betwixt Marius and Silla, he determined to leave Rome & make a house in the country nigh to Naples upon the Sea side (now at this present time called the Castle of Lobo) which he edified and lived there xviii years in great tranquillity. His house was haunted with many people, specially with great Captains that went into Asia, and with Ambassadors that came from Rome, which he received very gently & benignly. One night when his servants had made ready his supper with a less diet than he was accustomed to have, they excusing themselves that they ordained the less because he had no strangers: He said unto them, although said he, that there be no strangers with me, know not you that Lucullus must sup with Lucullus.  
Plutarch speaking of this valiant man's exercise that he did after he was retired to the place aforesaid, saith that he delighted much in hunting & hawking, but above all pleasures he most delighted in his Library, 
Reading of good things is a virtuous exercise.  there reading and disputing incessantly. Helius Spertianus saith that Dioclesian, after that he had governed the Empire xviij. years, forsook it, and went to take his pleasure in the fields, there in quiet to end the residue of his life, saying: that it was time for him to leave the dangerous estates of the court and get him to a peaceable life in the village. Two years after he was thence retired, the romans sent unto him a solemn Ambassade to invite and desire him effectuously that he would take pity of the common wealth, and return, promising him that so long as they lived there should none have the name of Emperor but he. Now when the Ambassadors arrived at his house, they found him in a little garden where he was setting of Lettys and Onions: And hearing what they said unto him, he answered in this wise: Do you not think my friends, that it is much better for him that can sow his Lettys, and afterward pleasantly and merely to eat the same, so still to exercise himself, then to return and enter into the gulf of troubles in a common wealth? I have assayed both, I know what it is to command in the court, and what it is to live & labour in the village, wherefore I pray you suffer me here to abide in patience, for I desire rather here to live with the labour of my hands, then in the sorrow and cares of an Empire.  

The labourers life is more to be desired then the life of a prince  Note by this example that the life of the labourer is more to be desired then the life of a prince.  
Cleo and Pericles succeeded in the ruling of the common wealth after Solon, a man excellently learned and well esteemed, and taken among the Grecians for half a God, by the reason of the wise laws he made among the athenans: These two noble governors were much beloved, because that (as Plutarch telleth) Pericles which thirty. years had the administration of the business and affairs of the city, was never seen to come into any man's house but his own, nor yet to sit in any open place among the common people, such a gravity was in him.  
About the years of his age which was lx. he went from Athens to a little village where he ended the rest of his days, studying and passing the time in husbandry, he had a little small gate or wicket in the entering of his house, over which was written inveni portum, spes & fortuna valet, That is to say, forasmuch as now (and before I have knowledge of vanity) I have found the port of rest, fie of hope, and fortune far well. By this example, no courtier can say that he leadeth a sure life, but only that courtier which doth as this wise captain did withdraw himself.  
Lucius Seneca, was as who should say a right leader to good manners, and a instructor to good letters to Nero the sixth Emperor of Rome, with whom he tarried. xxiiii years, and had great doings of things pertaining to the common wealth as well of private causes as otherwise, because he was sage and of great experience. And at the last, coming to great age and wearied with the continual conflicts and business of the court left the court and went and dwelled in a little mansion he had nigh to Nolè Campana, where he lived after a long time as witnesseth his books De offiicis, de Ira, de bono viro, de adversa fortuna and other books which were to long to rehearse. At last (fortune & man's malice did their office) Nero commanded him to be slain, not for that he had committed any crime worthy to die, or done any thing otherwise then an honest man aught to do: but only because the lecherous Domicia hated him: Note well reader this example, that sometime fortune pursueth him that forsaketh the court, aswell as the courtier.  
Scipio the African was so esteemed among the romans, that in xxii years, whiles that he was in the wars he never lost battle: And yet made he war in Asia, Europe, and Africa, and to this, never committed act worthy of reproach: And yet he won Africa & put to sack Carthage, brought in bondage Numance, overcame Hannibal, and restored Rome weakened and near destroyed by the loss they had at the battle of Cannes. And yet for all this, being of the years of lii he withdrew him from the court of Rome to a little village betwixt Puzoll and Capua, where he lived a solitary life, and so content withal, that whiles he tarried there a xi. years space, he never entered into Rome nor Capua.  
The divine Plato was borne in Liconia, and was nourished in Egypt, & learned in Athens: It is read of him, that he answered the Ambassadors of Cirene that required of him laws to govern themselves in sure peace, in this wise: Difficilimum est homines amplissima fortuna ditatos legibus continere. Which is to understand, that it is hard to bring to pass to make rich men to be subject to the rigour of the law. To conclude, Plato not willing to abide longer the clamour and cry of the court, went and dwelled in a little village two miles from Athens called Academia, where the good old man after he had tarried there xiiij years, teaching and writing many notable doctrines, ended there his most happy days. After the memory of him, the ancients called the village Academia, which is to say in English, a school: The conclusion is, that all these honourable sage princes & wise men, left Monarchies, kingdoms, Cities, and great riches, and went into the villages, there to search a poor, an honest, and a peaceable life.  
Not that I will say that some of these left the court, to be there poor and banished and rebuked, but of their free will and free liberty, minding to live a quiet and honest life or they died.   

The xviij. Chapter. ¶ The author complaineth with great reason, of the years that he lost in the court.  
I Will demand of mine own self, mine own life, and make account of the same, to the intent that I will confer my years to my travails, and my travails to my years, that it may appear how long I left of to live, and began to die.  
My life (gentle reader) hath not been a life, but a long death: my days a play new for to begin: my years a very tedious dream: 
The author's life past.  my pleasures Scorpions: my youth a transitory fantasy. My prosperity hath been no prosperity: but properly to speak, a painted Castle, and a treasure of Alcumyn.  
I came to the court very young, where I saw divers manners of offices and changes, even among the princes that I served. And I have assayed to travail by sea and by land, and my recompense was much more than I deserved: and that was this, that sometime I was in favour, and sometime out of favour. I have had experience of the summer santes of destinies: I have had in the court friends and enemies: I have had false reports: 
Inconstant fortune.  I have been even now glad and merry, and forthwith sad and sorry: to day rich, to morrow poor: now mounted upward, & strait thrown downward: This hath been to me a masking, where I have lost both money and time. And now I say to thee my soul, what hast thou gotten of this great journey? The recompense is this, 
A Couriers recompense.  that I have gotten there a grey head, feet full of gout: mouth without teeth: reins full of gravel: my goods laid to pledge: my body charged with thought: and my soul little cleansed from sin. And yet is there more seeing that I must needs speak, that is, that I have returned my body so weary, my judgement so dull, my time so lost, the best of my age so passed, & that is worst of all, I found no taste in any thing that is in the world: so that to conclude, I am of myself all weary of myself. What should I more tell or say of the alteration of my life, and of the changes of fortune? I came to the court innocent, and come from it malicious: I went thither true and meaning truth, 
The alteration that cometh by the court.  and returned a liar: I went thither humble, and returned presumptuous: I went thither sober, & returned a gurmand and glutton: I went thither gentle and human, and returned clean contrary. Finally in going thither I marred myself in all points: And I have no cause to say the fault in my masters, for the vices be soon learned without a master, & cannot be forgotten without a corrector. O miserable that I am, I kept in the court an account of my goods, to know how they were wasted, & not for to distribute them to the poor: I took heed of my honour for to increase it, not for to better myself by the time: I took care of them that should pay me, to know what was owing me, and not that I might get to profit the poor withal, but to profit in riches and not in virtue. I held an account with my servants, to none other purpose, then to know how long they had been with me and served me, and not to inquire what life they led: Finally, I held a count of my life, but it was more to conserve it, then to correct it.  
Lo, behold, this was my account, this was my calculation, this was the Arsmetrique that I learned in the court.  
Let us yet go a little further and see mine exercises. I never was yet in the court but I found to whom I bore malice, or else that envied me. I was never yet in the palace but I found a window open, and a courtier murmur. I never yet spoke to princes, 
The misliking of courtiers of their state.  but I went from them not contented in my mind with some part of their answer. I never yet went to bed without complaint, nor never did rise without a sigh. If I went about to do any good thing, my great affairs hindered me. If I would study, my fellows letted me. If I went to take any honest and quiet pastime, mine affairs would not permit me. If I kept myself solitary and from company, my thoughts martyred me: 
The lack of money a great misery.  Finally there was never any thing that so vexed my heart as the lack of money in my purse. And yet all this is nothing, remembering that I was ever envious to such as were mine equals: a flatterer to my superiors, and without pity to mine inferiors: & where I fancied one, I bore hate almost to all other. I found every man worthy of reproof, but against myself I could not suffer a word to be spoken. O how forgetful have I been, which should forget or a morsel of meat had been put in my mouth, & have talked aloud to myself alone, as it had been one that had been mad? O how often hath chanced me that in coming from the counsel weary, or from the palace thoughtful, I would not hear mine own servants speak, nor dispatch such as I had to do withal? O how many times have I been so drowned in business, that I could not moderate my pensiveness, although my friends did counsel me to the contrary? O alas, how many times hath my mind pressed me to leave the court and the world, and to yield myself to some solitary desert, as an Eremite? because I saw the king advance him and him, and I put back as a person half desperate.  
Moreover to fulfil my travails, always I went ask & searching news of the affairs of the court: always hearkening what one said of another: always spying and watching: and all this considered, I found by mine account, that I lived in heaviness, captivity, and state of damnation.  
Let us yet go farther: If I were rich, one or other searched some mean to devour me: If I were poor, I found none to secure me: my friends cried out upon me, and mine enemies sought my death. Overmuch babbling of the courtiers broke my brains: and much silence made me to sleep, and the solicitude caused me to be be sad: And overmuch company oppressed me: much exercise wearied me, and idleness confounded me.  
To conclude, I so burdened and vexed myself in the court with so much travail in naughtiness, that I durst not desire death, although I had no desire to live.   

The xix. Chapter. ¶ The author maketh account of the virtues that he lost in the court, and of the eull customs that he learned there.  
But now to proceed, my fortune passed, my friends died, my force decayed, and my first fashions failed: O if all my pains had been ended at the first time when I came to the court, how happy had that been for me? but now all consumed, I complain singularly of my traitorous heart, which would never cease to desire vain things, and the cursed tongue to speak slanderous things. O gentle reader, be not weary, if I tell thee in few words the difference betwixt him that I was when I went first to the court, and that I am now since I have been in the court. First and before that I did cast myself into this perilous labyrinth (which is to say a prison full of snares) I was a good devout person, gentle and fearful and since I have learned to be a mischievous fellow, slow in doing good, and little or nothing regarding the wealth of my soul. I went thither being very young and of good disposition, and came from thence deaf, and more than spur-blind, and no more able to go then he that is full of the gout: And briefly an old grisarde, full of ambition, in such wise that I am so variable, that scant I know on what ground to set my feet. My heart was of so depraved a sort, that it desired to be discharged of all actions, and yet for all that found no nother but peril and torment.  
Sundry times I purposed to leave the court, and suddenly I repented. Sometime I purposed not to come out of my lodging, & straight ways I was enforced to troth a trot to the court. Sometime I purposed not to come to the palace, and or I were ware I was compelled to go thither sometime or it were day. I purposed to be no more vexed, and suddenly my passions augmented, And it followed that my good purposes ceased and went from me: and I did that was lewd and naughty. Behold how I lived of wind and of fools imaginations as many a foolish courtier doth, I have phantasied with myself (in the court sometime) that I governed the King and the Princes, and that I came of a noble house and ancient stock, excellent in science, great in favour and beloved of all men, sage in counsel, moderate in speaking, eloquent in writing, prudent in service, and comfortable to all. But when I waked out of my folly as from a dream, and looked to my feet, I knew easily that I had borne false witness to myself of this golden and pleasant imagination, and saw of truth in other, the which I dreamingly imagined of myself.  
I searched the way how to be esteemed of every man, holy, wise, gentle, content, and of a good zeal, and a sea of sadness. Lo this fault happyned to courtiers as it did unto me, that is, to join foolish liberty with virtuous honour, 
Disordered will is an enemy to virtue and honour.  which be two things that cannot agree, because that disordinate will is enemy to virtue & honour. But for my part good reder, I give thanks unto god my affections be somewhat wasted & mortified, for I was wont being in service to desire daily that the court might remove And now I care not though seldom or never I come from my house. I had a special lust to hearken for news. And now I care not for them at all. I saw the time when I loved not to be out of company, And now I desire nothing more than to be solitary, I was wont to delight to hear, to see jugglers, dancers, liars and dalyars: And now so to do, were to me more than death. In like manner I was wont to solace myself in Fishing, Hunting, shooting in the hackbut: And now I mind no nother but to bewail and lament the time I have lost: and call to mind the first time that the Emperor took me into his service, from thence where I was nourished from my tender years in great fere, and not knowing what the world was, but occupied only in my devotions and learnings: I often rose at midnight I comforted the sick, I read the Gospel and other good books of good doctrine. Briefly, every man did help me to be good, and chastised me from evil: If I did well, I was praised: if I did evil I was corrected: if I were heavy, I was comforted: if I were angry, I-was appeased: if in any agony, my friends prayed to God for me: O what cause have I to repent out of measure, thus to have forsaken rest and Godly living and to have enjoyed episcopal dignity, in which the Emperor set me: forasmuch as a virtuous life is the haven of all good, and the Episcopal dignity the sea of all danger. Lo how I have passed my good years without employing my time well, and without knowledge what my fortune should be I do therefore admonish the reader, to do better than I have done in the court, if thou be there, or else to forsake it in a better hour than I have done: for so doing thou shalt declare thyself, that thou hast determined to live sagely & well advised.   

The twenty Chapter. The Author taketh his leave of the world with great eloquence.  
FArewell world, forasmuch as one can nor may trust of thee nor in thee For in thy house O world the passage is past, 
The world is not to be trusted.  and that which is present goeth soon away, and that which is to begin, cometh wondrous late, forasmuch as he that thinketh himself most firm, soonest doth fall, the most strongest soon doth break, and perpetuities soon decay, in such sort that those which be destinate to live an hundred years, thou sufferest him not of all that time, to live one year in quiet.  

The world is unthankful.  Farewell world, for as much as thou takest and renderest not again, thou weariest but comfortest not, thou robbest, but makest no restitution, thou quarellest but dost not pacify, and accusest before thou have cause to complain, & givest sentence before thou hearest the parties, even till thou kill us, & then buriest us before we die. Farewell world forasmuch as in thee, 
The pleasures of the world are mixed with pains  nor by thee there is no joy without trouble, no piece without discord, love without suspicion, rest without fear, abundance without fault, honour without spot, riches without hurt of conscience, nor high estate but he hath somewhat that he complaineth of.  
Farewell world forasmuch as in thy palace promises are made and never kept, men serve and have no reward, 
the world promiseth and performeth not.  they are invited to be deceived, they labour to be troubled, & travail to take pain, they laugh and are beaten, thou feignest to stay us, to make us fall, thou lendest, to pull away strait again, thou honourest us to defame us, and correctest without mercy.  
Farewell world thou slanderest them that are in credit, 
The world doth unjustly.  and dost advance the infamed, thou lettest the traitors pass free, and puttest true men to their ransoms, thou persecutest the peceable and favourest the seditious, thou robbest the poor and givest to the rich, deliverest the malicious, and condemnest innocentes, givest licence to departed to the wise, and retainest fools: 
The perverse and blind judgement of the wo●ld.  and to be short, the most part do what they list, but not what they should. Far well world forasmuch as in thy palace no man is called by his right name, for why? they call the rash valiant: the proud, cold hearted, the importune, diligent, the sad, peaceable: the prodigal, magnifical: the covetous a good husband: the babbler, eloquent: the ignorant a little speaker: the wanton, amorous: the quiet man, a fool: the forbearer, a courtier: the tyrant, noble. And thus thou world, callest the counterfeit, the true substance, and the truth the counterfeit.  

The world deceiveth.  Farewell world for thou deceivest all that be in thee: promising to the ambitious, honours: to the greedy, to come forward: to the brokers, offices: to the covetous, riches: to the gluttons, banquets: to the enemy's vengeance: to the thieves, secretness: to the vicious, rest: to the young, time: and to all thing that is false, assurance.  
Farewell world, for in thy house fidelity is never kept, nor truth maintained: and also we may see in thy house, one glad and another afraid: some overcharged: some out of the right way: some void of comfort: desperate, sad, heavy overburdened and charged, and more than lost and sometime both.  
Farewell world forasmuch as in thy company, he that wenes himself moste assured, is most uncertain, and he that follows thee goeth out of the way and he that serves thee, is evil paid: and he that loves thee, is evil entreated, and he that contents thee, contenteth an evil master: and he that haunteth thee is abused.  
Farewell world forasmuch as thou hast such mishap, that services done & presents offered to thee, profit nothing, nor the lies that is told thee, nor the banquets made to thee: nor the faithfulness we give to thee: nor the love we bear to thee. Farewell world, forasmuch as thou deceivest all, backbytest all, and slaunderest all, chastisest all, thretest us all, achivest all, & in the end forgettest al.  
Farewell world, sithence in thy company all men complain, all cry out, all weep, and all men die living.  
Farewell world, sithence by thee we hate each one the other to the death: To speak till we lie: to love, till we despair: to eat till we spew: to drink till we be drunken: to use brokage to robbery: and to sin, till we die.  
Farewell world for being in thee, we forget our infancy, and our green age, without experience: our youth in vices, our middle age in turmoiling and business: our old age in lamentations: and all our time counted together in vain hopes.  
Farewell world, for in thy school we are led till the heir be white: the eyes bleared: the ears deaf: the nostrils dropping: the forehead wrinkled: the feet gouty: the reins full of gravel: the stomach full of evil humours: the head full of migram: the body full of sorrow, & the mind full of passions.  
Farewell world for none of thy lovers come to good profit, witness those that daily we see, are not false knaves marked in the face, thieves hanged? manquellers headed? robbers by the high ways set upon wheels? heretics brent? false money maker's boiled, killers of their parents, torn in pieces, and other divers punishments of such as are great in favour with thee? Farewell world forasmuch as thy servants have no more pastime, but to troth by the streets, to mock one another? to seek out wenches? to send presents: to beguile young girls: writ amorous letters, speak to bands: play at the dice: plead against their neighbour: tell news: invent lies, and study new vices. Farewell world for in thy palace none will do good to other for the bore fights against the Lion: the Vnycorne against the Cocodryl: the Eagle against the Vulture: the Elephant against the Mynotaure: the Sacre, against ehe Kite: the mastyf, against the Bull: One man against another: and all together against death.  
Farewell world, 
All fight against death.  because thou haste nothing, but to our ruin: For often the yearh openeth afore our feet: the water drounes us: the fire burns us: the air mistempers us: the Winter doth kill us: the Summer doth chafe us, the dogs doth bite us, the Cats doth scrat us: the Serpents doth poison us, the flies doth prick us: the Flees doth eat us: and above all, worldly business devours us:  
Farewell world seeing no man can pass thy dominion in surety, for in every path we find stones to stumble at? bridges that breaks under us? Snow that letteth us: Mountains that weary us: Thunders that fears us: thieves that rob us, encounters that hurts us, and evil fortune that kills us.  
Farewell world, forasmuch as in thy country there is little health: for some be lippers & some have the french pocks: some the Canker, and some the gout: and some have the foul evil, & some the Sciatica, and some the stone, and some Quotidian fevers: some wandering fevers: some tertian and quartan fevers: spasmes, palsies, and the most part sick of fair folly.  
Farewell world, forasmuch as there is not a man in thy house but he is noted with some default in his person: For if there be any tall man, the rest is lubberlyke. If he have a fair face, his eye shall be too black: If he have a good forehead, it shallbe wrinckeled: If he have a well-favoured mouth, he shall lack teeth: If he have fair hands, he shall lack fair heir, And if he have fair heir, he shall have a foul skin.  
Farewell world, forasmuch as the inhabitants in thee are so variable of manners and conditions, that some will follow the court, some will sail on the sea: & if one would be a merchant, the other will be a husbandman: If the one will be a hunter, the other will be a fisher: If one will govern a Monarchy, the other under pretence of that, will pill and poll the poor people.  
Farewell world, forasmuch as in thy house there are none that prepare themselves to live, & much less to die: And yet we see some die young, & some in middle age, some in old age, some die by hanging, & some by drowning: some die for hunger, & some in eating, sleeping, and resting, and some or they beware, and for the most part or they look for death.  
Farewell world, forasmuch as we can neither know thy disposition nor condition: For if one be wise, another is a fool: If one be fine, another is of a gross wit: If one be valiant, another is a coward: If one be given to peace, another is seditious: And if one be of a gentle spirit, another is very froward.  
Farewell world, seeing no man can live with thee: for if a man eat to little, he becomes weak: if to much, he waxeth sick: if a man labour, straight he is weary: if he be idle, he liveth beastly: if he give little, he is called a niggard: if he give much, he is called prodigal: if a man visit his friends often, he is called importune: if to seldom, full of disdain: If a man suffer wrong, he is called false hearted: And if he do revenge, then is he wilful: If he have friends, he is praised: If enemies, he is pursued: If one tarry to long in a place, he waxeth weary: and if he change to oft, he is grudged at. Finally, I say, that such things as displease me, I am forced to follow, and that which I would, I cannot come by.  
O world unclean, I conjure thee thou filthy world, I pray O thou world, and protest against thee thou world, that thou never have part in me, for I demand nor desire nothing that is in thee, neither hope of any thing in thee, for I have determined with myself that posui finem curis, spes, et fortuna valet. I have finished worldly cares, therefore hope and fortune farewell.   
FINIS.   

 

  

   


nor  
w   printer's device of William Norton  
¶ Printed by William NORTON.