THE proverbs of the noble and worthy soldier Sir james Lopez de Mendoza Marquis of Santillana, with the Paraphrase of D. Peter Diaz of Toledo: Wherein is contained whatsoever is necessary to the leading of an honest and virtuous life.  
Translated out of Spanish by Barnaby Googe.  
¶ Imprinted at London by Richard Watkins. 1579.   

To the right honourable Sir William Cecil, of the most honourable order of the Garter Knight, Baron of Burghley, master of her majesties wards and livereiss, and Lord high Treasurer of England.  
WHen I had (right honourable and my especial good lord) thoroughly perused and considered these Proverbs, or rather Aphorisms of the marquis of Santilliana. I thought it not amiss to bestow some travail in turning them into English: albeit I found them in some places so darkly written, and so corrupted by the Printer, as I could sundry times hardly attain to the author's meaning. The gentleman (if but in respect of his estate and calling deserveth of all men to be well-thought of. But considering the matter whereof he entreateth (which is chief to train his readers to honesty and virtuous life) he meriteth at the hands of every good man with double honour to be received and welcomed. For there is nothing assuredly more acceptable to God, nor that in deed better beseemeth man, than an upright and honest conversation. And although the chief intent of his writing was for the institution and behaviour of a Prince, yet are his rules and instructions so general, as they may very well serve for guides in good demeanour, to every man of what degree soever he be. My simple translation (for the Author himself needeth no defender) I most humbly commend to the protection of your Lordship, as to him that is perfectly able to judge, whether I have truly and faithfully followed my pattern, or no. As for such faults as have passed, as well in the title as in the notes, being as they were committed in my absence, & without my knowledge, I trust your lordship will discharge me of the blame. God send your Lordship with long and happy life to attain to the end of your good and honourable desires.  
Your Lordship's faithful servant Barnaby Googe.   

The life of Sir james Lopez de Mendoza, Marquis of Santilliana.  
SIr james Lopes de Mendoza, Marquis of Santilliana, & Earl of the Realm of Mancanares, Lord of Vega, son of the Admiral Don Diego de Hurtado, and nephew to Peter Goncales de Mendoza, Lord of Alva, was a man of a mean stature, very well limmed and proportioned, and of a gracious countenance, descended of great parentage, a Castilian and very ancient. He was a man of a quick judgement, and discrete, and of so great a mind, that neither could the weightiest matters that were dismay him, nor the dealing in matters of small moment any whit delight him. In the staidness of his person, and the gravity of his speech, he showed himself to be a Gentleman, and of a noble mind. He was a man, as they use to say, very well spoken, so as he was seldom heard to speak any thing that was not worth the noting: whether it were in matters of learning, or of disport. He was courteous and of great entertainment to all such as came unto him, specially learned men. After the decease of the Admiral his father, and the Lady Eleanor of Vega his mother, being left very young and within age, he was disseised of the Asturies of Santilliana and a great piece of his living beside. But coming to riper years, & perceiving himself to be greatly abused, very want and necessity, which many times awaketh a good wit, & his great mind that could not abide to be consigned, made him to use such diligence, as partly by law, partly by sword, he did shortly recover his own. He was both in his meat and his drink very temperate, having herein a singular and special grace. Touching his inclination, he gave himself in his life time unto two notable exercises, the one the feats of arms, the other study and learning, neither did his warlike exercises any whit hinder his study, nor his study was any impediment to the conference which he had with the Soldiers and Gentlemen of his house: about the tramp & fashion of their armour & Instruments of defence, how to offend the enemy, how to order his battles, & how to encamp, how to assault, and how to defend fortresses, and other like actions belonging to martial affairs, wherein he took a great deal the more pleasure, because he had therewith been brought up from his youth. And to the end that such as served under him might have experience of such things as they had heard him speak off, he had always in his house, Tilt, Turney, and Barriers, with sundry other exercises belonging to the field, to the end that his people being always accustomed to such martial exercises, might better away with the pains of a soldier, when they came to it. He was a gentleman of great nobility and valour, being in his determinations very wise and temperate, and in his execution speedy and resolute: so as there could neither be found any rashness in his courage, or any jot of cowardice in his devices. He had been General in many fought Battles betwixt the Christians and the Saracens, wherein he both wan and lost. But the greatest and of most account, was a battle that was fought with the Aragonese, and one other at the river of Torotto. And these two Battles were indeed every hot and bloody. For fight without any retire on either side, there were slain an infinite number on both sides: at which services, because this worthy gentleman happened to be present, though he saw his own forces all to weak, and very unmeet to match with the enemy, yet because the enemy was in sight, he thought it a greater shame and reproach to turn his back without Battle, then to lose his life or the field in fight. Whereupon he determined to try the battle, wherein he fought with such eagerness and courage, that although he was his self sore hurt, and all his company defeated, yet for his own person he gained the name and reputation of a worthy & valiant Captain. The sufficiency of this noble gentleman being thoroughly known to King john, he was sent Lieutenant general against the Saracens, which charge he took upon him with a very glad and willing mind, continuing a long time upon the frontiers. During which season he fought divers battles, and had many sharp encounters, both with the king of Granada & others of his captains, wherein he had always the better. He made many roads into the Country, where he won by fine force the town of Huelma, & drove the Moors to such a straight, that he he would have won a number of towns more, & have done diverse worthy exploits had not the king (being by matters of more importance at home enforced) commanded him to make an end of the wars, and to conclude a piece upon the receipt of which commission he bore such a hand upon them as he brought them in subjection, and caused them to pay for yearly tribute a great quantity of gold, such as neither the king did ever look to receive, nor the Saracens did ever think to have paid. And beside this yearly tribute, he compelled them to set at liberty all such Christian prisoners as remained in their custody, all which this good Marquis redeemed out of captivity, and brought them home to their Country. He governed with great wisdom all such soldiers as were under his regiment, behaving himself amongst them both as a captain and a companion, being neither insolent in authority, nor base minded in his familiarity. For he was always in heart of such humility and mildness, as made him to be beloved of God, and outwardly of such gravity and countenance as caused him to be reverenced of men. He bountifully bestowed upon his soldiers, what so ever belonged unto him in right of his generalship of all such spoils and booties as were taken, besides that which he gave them in their necessities out of his own purse: and to such as showed themselves thankful for his bounty, he used to say, that if we wish well to him that doth well unto us, we aught to give well to him that wisheth well unto us. and thus maintaining his credit by the means of his great liberality, he was of all his soldiers greatly beloved, who fearing to offend him did always observe a perfect discipline in the field. His rare and singular virtues being known to the king, and how worthy he was of honour & dignity, he forthwith advanced him to the Marqueship of Santilliana & created, him Earl of the Real of Mancenares, addorning him with great lands & revenues. Sometimes he committed unto him the charge of his own person, and many times the government of all his dominions. Who had such a special grace in his governing, as the Poets of that age accounted him for his noble behaviour in court, an other Apollo: & for his great valour in the field a 2 Hannibal. He was a great observer of all such things as belonged to perfect manhood, & so great a reprehender of cowardice and faintness of heart, that seeing on a time a Gentleman to weep, for the great mishaps that had happened unto him, breaking forth into some choler, he said unto him: O what a shame is it to see a Gentleman to shed tears for any thing, how grievous soever it be, saving only for his offences towards GOD? He was a man of a great mind, which nobleness of mind was an ornament & beauty to all other his virtues. A covetous worldling coming unto him, and telling him that he let his lands far under the value, and promising to make him a much greater revenue, as one not willing to give ear to any such matter, he made him this answer: My friend I do not understand thy language, go speak it, I pray thee, to some other that can better understand thee. He used always to say to those that sought to live in pleasure and delight, that much more delightful aught to be unto us a virtuous travail, than a life without virtue, how pleasant soever it seem. He was of such a pitiful mind, that whosoever came to him in his extremity, being either persecuted, or any ways troubled, should find relief and defence in his house, not regarding any danger that might happen him for so doing. He did evermore measure both the parties, and the cause according as in deed they were, and not as they were supposed to be: and in this thing he had a most singular and almost heavenly virtue, for he was never known to make any acception of persons, nor to regard the riches, the wealth, or mightiness of any man, but to regard every man according to the equity of his causeth wrote in verse the Proverbs that begin, My Son whom I do dearly love. etc. In which proverbs are contained almost all the precepts of Moral Philosophy, whatsoever appertaineth to a virtuous life. He had a very great Library, and gave himself chief to the study of Moral Philosophy, Histories, and Antiquities, he kept always about him Doctors and men of great learning, with whom he used to confer of such things as he read. He wrote besides diverse other treatises, aswell in verse as prose, tending all to the advancing of virtue, and abolishing of vice, & in such exercises he spent the most part of his leisure. He was of great fame & renown in many other Countries beside Spain, but always made more account of the estimation of a few wisemen, rather than the praise of the multitude, and because that for the most part we see that the conditions of men are answerable to their complexions and that they are most times evil disposed that are evil complexioned, we need not to doubt but that this Gentleman was greatly in favour with GOD, who gave him so good a teacher as he was of ability to receive every kind of virtue, and to resist without any great pain, every evil motion of sin. I will not deny but that he was touched with such temptations, as our frail flesh doth many times assail the spirit withal, and that he was sundry times overtaken, as well with anger as with the delight of the flesh, and that he did sometimes offend aswell in doing more than was meet, as in failing to do that which he aught to have done, For being as he was continually conversant in the wars & daily employed in sundry many matters. It should have been a matter of great difficulty living among such a number of errors, to carry himself clean without any error. But if it be true, that virtues do make a merry heart, as on the other side vices breed heaviness and sorrow, seeing that this gentleman was the most part of his time disposed to pleasantness, it is a great deal more likely that he was rather accompanied with virtues that bring forth pleasure, then subdued with vices, that continually do vex men with grief. And notwithstanding that he received many misfortunes in the wars, and that he sustained divers griefs, as well for the death of his Children, as of others his near kinsmen, yet he did always bear them with such a noble mind, as he served for an example to all others how to behave themselves in the like cases. He ended his life with great honour & prosperity, at the age of lxv. years. And if it may be thought that men may after their departure have any felicity in this world (as some suppose they may) we may assuredly think that this gentleman had it: for he left behind him vi. sons, whereof the eldest increased his inheritance with the estate of a dukedom: his second son was Earl of Tendilla the third was Earl of Curunna: the fourth was Cardinal of Spain, Archbishop of Toledo, Bishop of Ciguenca, & one of the greatest Prelates that was in his time: To these four and to the two others, Don john, and Don Hurtado, he left such Lordships, rents, & revenues, as made five great houses, besides his own principal house.  
FINIS.   

❧ The first Chapter, of Love, and Fear.  

1.  
My son, whom I do dearly love,  
Unto my words give ear▪  
Seek not by rigour for to rule,  
Nor govern men by fear▪  
Love, and thou shalt beloved be.  
And by the same shalt do  
Such worthy things, as hated thou  
shalt never attain unto.  

The Paraphrase.  
EVery wise Orator, as Tully in his book de Oratore teacheth, aught principally▪ in whatsoever matter he dealeth, to consider three things: That is, to make all those that shall either hear his speech, or read his works, to be well willing, understanding, and mindful. The speaker shall make his audience well willing, when he laboureth to obtain their favour and good will towards him. For no man will gladly give ear to such a man, as he is afore evil persuaded of: he maketh his hearers to understand, when he declareth the matter, that he meaneth to entreat off, in showing that it shall be profitable & commodious, he causeth them to be attentive, or mindful, when he moveth or stirreth them up by good means & inductions to be ready to hear, not having their minds carried away with any other matters. All these points hath this learned gentleman (following this inscription) observed in all his discourse. But especially in this first Proverb he hath observed the first, in making him that shall read him, well minded towards him, procuring his favour & goodwill, in calling him by the name of his son & beloved. For as the Civil law saith, we can name no man by a more sweet or better name, than to call him our son. He maketh him to understand, in showing him how to direct or order his life amongst the people: he maketh him attentive, in these words, where he saith, give ear. And the meaning and matter of this Proverb, is the most sweet & gracious behaviour, that men of all degrees aught to use in their conversation. And if so be, that men of great estate & calling, aught to use this gentle behaviour, much more aught they that are of mean degree to do it. And therefore Seneca in the speech that he hath with the Emperor Nero (as he bringeth in, in his 9 Tragedy) when the Emperor did strive to govern rather by fear then by love, and commanded sundry things to be done by force and disorder, to the end the people should fear him: because Seneca did therefore greatly blame him, the Emperor told him, that whatsoever he did, he aught by reason for to do, for the sword was it that defended the Prince. Seneca answered, that the faith and true allegiance of his subjects would better defend him. 
The prince that is feared, is never beloved  The Emperor replied, That it is good that the Prince be feared. Seneca answereth: it is better that he be beloved. The naked sword (saith Nero) shall make them do what I will have them. Beware, saith Seneca, you never fall into such an error. The Emperor answereth, I will force the people to fear me. Surely saith Seneca, that which you force and compel the people to do, they will very hardly suffer. And therefore it is not meet that any person (as is said) especially such governors as are virtuous and just, should urge or force any thing against the good will of the people, much less that private persons should in their conversation one with an other do it. For (as Seneca in his third Epistle sayeth, whereas he showeth the deliberation that a man aught to have in the getting and keeping of his friend) If thou wilt be beloved, love, or as the Proverb sayeth, By love thou shalt do, that hated thou shalt never attain unto. For there is nothing in the world that is sought with love, either by the prince of his subject, the Lord of his tenant, or the friend of his familiar, but it is easily obtained. For as Virgil saith in his Bucolikes. Love overcometh all things, insomuch is for the great love that the Almighty bore unto mankind, he sent his only begotten son, to take our flesh upon him, and to die for us, that he might bear our faults and infirmities (as Esai saith,) and suffer for our offences. And therefore if love could 'cause God to abase himself to be conversant with man, and to do that, which might chief avail us, being everlasting and most perfect, and we mortal, and imperfect: what shall it not do in the company and conversation of one man with an other? Whereupon Valerius in his third book in the title of Love and delight, writeth that Damon and Pythias, two of Pythagoras his scholars, bore so great love and affection one to the other, as when Dionysius of Sarragos would have put one of them to death, he seeing that there was no remedy but needs he must die, required that he might have liberty to go home to dispose & set in order such things as he had, promising to put in sureties for his return, at what day soever he would appoint him. Dionysius supposing that none so faithful a friend could be found, that in such a case would become surety, to the hazard of his life, and all that he had, answered, that he was content to give him leave & time to go to his house, so that he put in such surety as he promised: whereupon he left him for surety his other friend. And as the last day was now come, wherein the condemned person was bound to return, & to suffer his determined death, all those that were present did count a great folly in him that would in such a case become surety, & hazard his life for an other, how great soever the friendship was betwixt them. But the party that was surety did no whit distrust the fidelity of his friend, nor repent him any whit of his suretyship. Now as they were all gaping and gazing to see the end of the matter, at the last day, and even in the last hour, cometh the condemned man, whereat Dionysius was greatly astonished, and for the great faithfulness & love, that he saw between them, pardoned the party that he had condemned, and desired them both, that they would vouchsafe him for a third into their friendship. Whereby it is evident, that love is of so great a force, that it forceth such men as be true friends, to venture & give their lives the one for the other. So that very well saith the Proverb: Love, and thou shalt beloved be. For Seneca in his third Epistle affirmeth, that nothing doth more trouble a man in his prosperity and wealth, then to think that they can never be to him good and faithful friends, to whom he himself hath never been good. How many kinds of Friendships there be, and how some be friends for Commodity sake, others for pleasure and delight, others for virtue and honesty, how some be sworn friends, and what difference there is between Love and Friendship, because I will make no long process, I leave here to speak of. Of all which both Aristotle in his eight book of his Ethics, Tully in his book of Friendship, and Seneca in his ninth Epistle, do largely and thoroughly discourse. I should also here declare, how we should behave ourselves in getting of friends, and having once got them, how to continued them. Whereof Seneca entreateth in his 3. Epistle: whither, for avoiding tediousness, I refer the Reader.    

2.  
Who can assoil the man that's dread  
from care and deadly fear?  
If any reason, mind, or wit  
in him that dreads appear?  
Esteem, and thou shalt be esteemed:  
for fear is to the sense  
A grief that cannot be expressed,  
a deadly pestilence.  

The Paraphrase,  
IN this proverb the Marquis his mind is, to prove by natural reason, that which he hath written in the former proverb, that is, that men aught to be gentle and eurteous in their conversations, and that they aught not to do any thing by force or fear, but rather by love and gentleness. He also setteth down the inconvenience that followeth to him that had rather be feared then loved, saying: Who can assoil the man that is dread from care and deadly fear, etc. For if he that feareth, have not altogether lost his discretion and understanding, he will not fear him that he feareth: For he may easily understand, that he, that liveth in dread, will seek by all the means to be delivered of him that he feareth. For fear (as Aristotle saith in the 3. book of his Ethics) is a continual looking for the harm that shall happen. According to which, such as fear others, do continually look to receive harm at the hands of those whom they fear, or to escape the evil that they look for. They imagine how they may prevent, in doing of evil, them of whom they think to receive evil: And therefore in the speech that Thyestes the Son of King Pelops hath with his son Philistines, where his son requireth him to forsake the place of his banishment, and to come and govern and live together with his brother Araeus (as Seneca showeth in his second Tragedy) where Thyestes doth show the reasons, that moveth him rather to live in a poor estate, then to be a man of great place & authority, saying, While I lived in princely state and majesty, I was never free from fearing of those that feared me, yea and many times I was afraid of the very sword that hung by mine own side, lest in the end I should come to be slain with it. And afterward, O what a great happiness is it, not to be feared of any, to sleep sound upon the ground, and to eat in safety the meat that is provided. Poison is presented in golden cups: meaning, that it is not given to the poor labourer that drinketh in earth or wood, but to great estates, that drink in gold given by those that fear them, and by such as they have good cause to fear. And therefore Tully saith, in his book of Friendship, that in the life of Tyrants, which be such as govern by force and fear, more than by love, there can be neither faith, love, nor steadfast friendship. To the Tyrant all things are suspicious, and every thing ministereth, unto him occasion of sorrow and care. And it followeth: Who can love him whom he feareth, or him of whom he knoweth he is feared? With this agreeth that, which Boetius in his third book of Comfort writeth, that such as are guarded with men of war, stand in dread of those, whom they seem to make afraid. And therefore well saith the Proverb, That fear is a deadly grief unto the sense. Which is verified as well in the person that feareth, as in him that is feared. It is written of Dionysius, as Boetius in his 3. book of Comfort witnesseth, that he was a great Tyrant, and such a one as by tyranny and cruelty subdued many countries, and did many harms and mischiefs, who as he sought to govern by tyranny and force, it is most like he was rather feared then beloved. It is written, that a special friend of his coming to see him, told him, that he had great cause to think himself happy, in that he had attained to so great and so high estate as he was in: Dionysius made no answer at all, but bade him to dinner, where over the chair where his guest should sit, he caused to be hanged, by a very small thread, a weighty and a sharp pointed sword, in such sort as his friend being set, the sword hung directly over the crown of his head, so as if the thread broke, it was sure to run thorough him, & thus caused him to sit down to dinner: who all the while that he sat, sweated for fear, lest the thread breaking, the sword should fall upon him & destroy him. Dionysius caused him with sundry dishes to be daintily and delicately served: the board being taken up, he asked his guest if he had not pleasantly dined? Who answered him: what pleasure could I have at mymeate, seeing the sword by so small a stay hanging over my head, and still looking for the loss of my life, whensoever the thread should break? Lo saith Dionysius, such is the life of all tyrants, who for the mischiefs and tyrannies that they have done, and for fear of those whom they have offended and wronged, do live continually in fear and in dread, and do look every hour for either death, or some great danger, touching the which I have made a more large discourse in my Commentaries upon the proverbs of Seneca, in the Proverb that beginneth, He that always feareth, is every day condemned. To the which because I will not be long, I refer the reader, since the Marquis hath well concluded in this Proveth, where he saith, Esteem, and thou shalt be esteemed: meaning, that it lieth in thine own power to be feared, or to be loved, and that fear is a deadly grief to the sense, of which every man will seek to rid himself with as much speed as he may.    

3.  
Great Caesar as the stories tell,  
most cruelly was slain,  
And yet the worthiest conqueror,  
that in the world did reign.  
Who on the earth so mighty is,  
that when he is alone,  
Can of himself do any more,  
then can a silly one?  

The Marquis.  
CAesar (most worthy prince) he that is here mentioned, was called by the name of julius, and of others Caius, the self same that passed the Rubicon against Pompey, as Lucan writeth in his book of the Civillwarres, who after the death of Pompey and Cato, triumphing with great pomp in the city of Rome, and taking into his hands the common treasury, behaved himself with such pride and outrage toward the Citizens, that they could by no means abide him: and as his haughtiness was thought of them intolerable, they conspired to kill him, which treason of theirs they did no long time delay. The chief of this conspiracy, were Brutus and Cassius, as is more at large set forth by Eutropius in his book of the Emperors of Rome. Valerius Maximus doth also record the same, and john Boccace in his book of Ladies, where he entreateth of the virtues of women, commending Porcia the daughter of Cato, and wife of this Brutus.   

The Paraphrase of the doctor.  
IN this Proverb the Marquis proveth by familiar example, that which he hath showed in the Proverb before by natural reason. For as Aristotle saith in the second of his Rhetorics: In the works and actions of men, that which cometh after, doth commonly resemble that, which hath been done before, & therefore it is a common use with writers, when they would persuade or have their doings well thought of, to bring in examples of things that in the like case have happened. And for the same cause the Marquis hath in this Proverb made mention of that which happened to julius Caesar, whose doings are largely set out by Lucan, in his book that he wrote of the civil wars. This julius Caesar by force and tyranny sought to aspire (which nothing appertained unto him) to the government of Rome, and subdued and overcame both Pompey, and all his favourers, who fought for the laws and liberties of their country. In the prosecuting whereof Caesar slew many, disinherited a great sort, and injuried a number. And for the maintaining of this his tyrannical jurisdiction, he was forced to make himself to be feared, to the intent he might keep them from rebelling. But for all that ever he could do, two gentlemen citizens of Rome, whose names were Brutus and Cassius, conspired against him, and in the Parliament house where he mistrusted no such thing, set upon him, and siue him, giving him, as it is written, four and twenty wounds, whereof he presently died: and therefore the Proverb sayeth. Great Caesar as the stories tell: and so saith Lucan, most cruelly was slain. Although he was a mighty Prince, and had a strong and a puissant guard: yet at the time that Brutus and Cassius traitorously murdered him, they found him without any of his friends or servants all alone. It followeth. Who on the earth so mighty is, that when he is alone, can of himself do any more, then can a seely one? That is to say, though a man be never so mighty, yea, though he be a king of many lands and countries, yet is he but a man, and for his own person can do no more than a man may do. And although we read in the second book of the Kings, that the person of a King in an army, is of more value than a thousand soldiers: and that the death of a Prince or a Captain, is more hurtful to an army, then the death of a thousand others, because of the worthiness of the Prince or Captain: yet, as S. Hierom in one of his Epistles affirmeth, though in the ordering of a battle, the worthiness of a Prince or a Captain is chief considered, when it comes to the fight, not the degree, but the doings of every party, is respected: for when it cometh to the shout, the force and prowess of every one is his safeguard, be he King or Emperor: If he fight not as he aught to do, he is of none accounted. And though he be never so valiant, being but one man, he can, as the Proverb is, do no more than an other man.    

4.  
How many have I seen,  
by love advanced high?  
But many more I have beheld  
cast down for tyranny.  
For virtuous minds in bondage brought,  
will slack no time, but try  
By all the force and means they can,  
to come to liberty.  

The Paraphrase.  
FOr the proof and confirmation of that which goeth before, the Marquis affirmeth, that he hath seen in his time great numbers advanced and set up by love, and many overthrown and tumbled down, that have sought to rule by fear, which proof in having had the experience, is the truest and certainest that may be. For easier shall we be deceived by old records, or sooner err in trusting our own natural reason, then fail in knowledge of the truth, in a thing that we have had experience of. And therefore is it commonly said, that experience is the mother and mistress of all things: and as Aristotle in the first of his Physics sayeth, If any that be wise do err, touching their opinions in learning, they may well be called back again, and brought to the knowledge of the truth, by natural reason and persuasion. But he that denieth that which he seeth with his eyes, heareth with his ears, and knoweth by the trial of his other senses, with such a one we aught not to dispute: For he that denieth his senses, is altogether without sense. And therefore the proof that is made by experience, is most strong and assured. The Marquis saith, that in his time he hath seen many advanced by love. Love bringeth with it, unity, Peace, & concord: where fear always causeth hatred, as is witnessed afore by the testimony of Tully, in his book of Friendship, how great the force of friendship and concord is, may easily be known, by the harms that arise of dissension and discord. Which our Saviour in the Gospel expressly showeth, where he saith, That every kingdom divided within itself, shallbe destroyed. and come to nothing: & such as live in peace and amity, do prospero and increase. And Sallust in the conspiracy of Catiline saith, that by love and concord the smallest things that be, increase, and grow to be great, where by discord, great and mighty things decay, & come to nothing. For virtuous minds in bondage brought, will slack no time to try by all the force and means they can, to come to liberty. It is lawful for every man by the law of nature to defend his life, his goods and his good name, by all the means & ways that he may: Insomuch as if any man will kill me, it is lawful for me for the safeguard of my life, to kill the party, that doth so assault me, neither aught I to forbear (as the lawyers say) till I be stricken or hurt, for it is enough for me the fear that I am in to be murdered, and that if I kill him not, I am sure to be slain myself. In so much that it hath been the opinion of some Doctors. That if I stand in fear of a mightier man than myself: and know that wheresoever he meet me, he will kill me, and am not able to stand upon my guard, nor to band with him, in this case I am not bound to forbear, but may kill him, at the best advantage that I can take him. The like opinion is of some Doctors that if I be wrongfully detained in prison, and stand in fear of some violence or unjustice, that in this case I may lawfully break prison, and if a judge shall wrongfully condemn me, whereby I shall greatly be damnified in my person, and that the execution be out against me, it shall be lawful for me to assemble my friends and my kinsmen, and to resist the officer, using all the means I may to save my body and my goods: yea, I may hurt the other in the defence of my goods, and the saving of my credit. For as the Doctors say, if I remain in any place, and know that mine enemy is coming to do me some mischief, and that it shall be greatly hurtful and against my credit, to go from the place, that I need not to departed, but may well tarry there: and if the other assault me, if I kill him, I am not to be punished. And the reason is, that for the great fear that I am in, it is lawful for me to save myself, and my credit, as well as I may. And this is it, that the Proverb meaneth, that virtuous minds in bondage brought. And therefore he sayeth, Virtuous or good men: because the injury is not so great that is done to a rascal, or a lewd person, as that which is done to a virtuous or a godly man. And though such a man of a virtuous mind, will bear as much as may be, yet being unjustly wronged, and evil dealt withal, and put in fear, he slacks no time to try by all the means and ways he can, to come to liberty.    

5.  
O son, be mild and amiable,  
lay lofty looks aside:  
The haughty and disdainful man  
the Lord can not abide.  
Of wicked and malicious men  
avoid the company,  
For all their doings tend to strife,  
and end with villainy.  

The Paraphrase.  
IN this Proverb, the Marquis goeth about to beat down all manner of haughtiness and pride of mind, showing the great misliking, that the Lord hath of all such, as are proud and disdainful: As David in his Psalm sayeth: That the Lord resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to those that be humble and meek. And Solomon in his proverbs affirmeth, that after pride cometh always a fall, & he that hath an humble heart, shall come to great honour: & this is it that the Proverb meaneth, That every man aught to be amiable. That is gentle and lowly in his speech, & not haughty, not proud, nor disdainful: It is written in a book of the commendations of Caesar, that he never said to any Gentleman, get you away. But come you hither. And in the first book of the worthy acts of Philosophers, it is written, that the great Caesar passing by a court of judgement, where haply was arraigned an ancient Gentleman that had sometime served him in his wars, which Gentleman when he perceived the Emperor, cried unto him, & beseeched him to alight & to help him that he might be delivered from his false accusers, the Emperor willed a learned advocate that stood by, to take his cause in hand, & to do the uttermost he could for him for his sake. The poor Gentleman seeing the matter so put of, said with a loud voice: Caesar, when you were in the field, & like to be trodden down of your enemies, I did not in your danger serve you by a Proctor: but with the great hazard of my own life, I fought for the defence of your person, at which banquet I received these wounds for you: & there withal showed his wounded body. 
Hard for a soldier in these days to find a Caesar.  Which words when Caesar had heard, without any pride or disdain, he presently alighted, & coming himself to the bar, defended his cause. For he thought it a part not only shameful, but most unthankful, if he should not have done as he did? And when the whole assembly did greatly wonder at this noble & worthy deed, he said, that the Prince that sought not to be beloved, of his subjects, did never truly love them, and to this end the Proverb showeth, what great good it bringeth to be loving and not high minded, & how greatly God doth hate the proud and the disdainful, who much displeaseth our Lord, as is said before. And Seneca in his first Tragedy saith, That the gracious & righteous God doth always hunt & persecute the proud. 
Proud Princes hateful to God.  The Proverb saith, Forth of wicked & malicious men avoid the company: For all their doings tend to strife, and end with villainy. There is, nothing that more disquieteth and troubleth the company & conversation of one man with an other, than a brawling or a contentious person, neither doth any thing more allure men to company one with another, than courtesy and gentle behaviour, and therefore Chilo that was one of the seven. wise men of Athens, demanding whether of the twain were best for a man to be, wrangling and contentious, or mild and quiet: It was answered him, that the better was he that was mild and quiet: For the friends and neighbours of such a man did rather honour him, then fear him.    

6.  
And let your answers still be such,  
as may procure good will,  
As best beseems a gentleman,  
not froward, rude, nor ill.  
O son, how little doth it cost,  
at all times well to speak,  
How little again doth it avail,  
with words thy wrath to wreak?  

The Paraphrase.  
IN this Proverb, the Marquis showeth the order that men aught to have in their answers, when they be spoken to, and that howsoever it goeth with us, we aught continually to be courteous and gentle in our speech. And it is one of the principal graces that men can have of God, as David in his Psalms witnesseth, Thy mouth is full of grace, & therefore the Lord hath blessed thee. And though a man fall out & wrangle with thee, yet if thou answerest him gently and mildly, not proudly nor frowardly, thou shalt a great deal sooner pacify him. For as Solomon in his Proverbs saith, A soft vorde will break the bone, and a sweet peach doth pacify wrath. As Seneca in its first book that he wrote of Anger & Wrath, showing that great Princes, aught to be gracious & gentle in their answers, bringeth for example the King Antigonus, who having caused his men to march an unreasonable journey in a day, 
Prince's aught to be gentle in their speeches.  when that they all weighed and over-laboured, were come to the place where they should encamp, he made them, without giving them any rest, every man with great and heavy burdens to march, which was a great way farther, close to the wall of a town, that he meant to besiege: and as the poor men, being overladen, went railing and cursing of the King, because he had made them to take such an unreasonable journey, and after had caused them to march with so extreme burdens, not suffering them any whit to rest: the King perceiving it, changed his apparel, and keeping company with those that were scarce laden, and those that did most revile him, he helped them to carry their burdens, and as the soldiers felt themselves greatly eased by his company, they mused what he was that was amongst them, and so busy to help them, for the knew him not, by reason he had so disguised himself, at the last being importunate with him, to tell what he was: You have hitherto saith he, cursed and railed at the king Antigonus, for whose sake a day and night you have taken such pains. Now speak well of him, that hath made one amongst you and helped you, in bearing part of your burdens, this gracious answer made the king to be a thousand times better beloved of his soldiers then he was before, and therefore the Proverb saith, Here well that the answer should always be gentle, since good words cost but a little. It avoideth quarreling and fight, when any man falleth out with them. In the Chronicle of the Philosophers, we read, that one of Athens was always quarreling and falling out with an honest quiet man one Anacharsis a Scythian, which country was of all others of lest estimation. When the Athenian for the more despite called him a Scythian, Anacharsis, answering him gently again, and smiling, said unto him: my country is a shame to me, and thou art a shame to thy country. The Proverb goeth farther and saith, It little doth avail with words thy wrath to wreak, that is: he that threateneth with words, and hath a will to be revenged, and to threaten, shallbe counted but for a vaunter and a prattler, and if he have a mind to revenge, he looseth the opportunity of it by his boasting and threatening. In a Tragedy of Seneca, Medea vitterly threatening jason, because he had cast her of, and married an other, the Nurse reprehendeth her, and blameth her, telling her that it is not seemly for us to be presumptuous, high-minded, nor enraged with those, with whom we deal, neither ought we on the other side so much to abase ourselves as we come thereby to be counted for outcasts and persons of no value. Among all the virtues and vices that Aristotle doth entreat of in the fourth Book of his Ethics, he speaketh of the virtue of Magnanimity, which is for a man to stand upon his honour that he knoweth, for his virtues and qualities he deserveth, and to keep his estimation, in such sort as it decay not: and to this end saith the Prophet, My honour and my glory will I give to no other. This virtue hath two extremities and vices, the one is, as Aristotle saith, for a man to be vainglorious, proud and disdainful: which is, when he taketh upon him, more than of right to him pertaineth. In the other extremity and vice, are thought to offend all such, as by reason of their base mind are nothing accounted of, nor esteemed: and if they happen to come to any honour or preferment, they behave themselves like sheep or mecockes. Of this virtue and the vices, the Marquis speaketh in the Proverb where he saith, Let not unworthy honours please thee. For, those that are therewith all delighted, are vaunters, vainglorious, and foolish, as Aristotle saith, where he showeth the inconveniences that follow to them, that make more of themselves, than there is cause why, saying that such honour cometh quickly to the ground. So that the man that taketh more upon him than he may, is of others by great good reason soon put from it. Of these proud and vain vaunters speaketh job. The vain man exalteth himself in his pride, and thinketh that he is borne free from subjection, as the Colt of a wild Ass. And before he saith, I would not have thee so to throw down thyself, as to be counted an outcast. For this is not humility, but baseness and weakness of mind, and this is it that Aristotle proveth in the authority aforesaid. And the Apostle saith, that forasmuch as he was ordained the Apostle of the Gentiles, 
Humility springeth of Nobility.  he would honour and esteem his dignity and office, and yet for all that he left not to be humble and meek: for humility springeth not of baseness and feebleness of mind, but of virtue and nobleness of nature. And that which the Marquis doth here disallow, is only the baseness and vileness of the mind, in what sort the conversation of men aught to be. Isocrates in his Admonishments writeth in this sort, Be not haughty nor disdainful to those that be in thy company, for even the very servants will hardly away with their masters that are proud and disdainful. The modest and temperate behaviour, is that which all men delight in, & that is neither to be to haughty nor to base, to high minded nor to abject.    

7  
Flee Taletellers and backbiters,  
that strive to please the ear:  
As greedy ravening wolves, that seek  
the silly Lambs to tear,  
Whose traitorous trains and paths  
do nothing else at all,  
But serve for snares and subtle traps,  
Where heedless men do fall.  

The Paraphrase.  
IN the Proverb before, the Marquis hath showed, what order men aught to observe in their speech: in this and those that follow, he teacheth how we should behave ourselves in hearing. For as the tongue aught to be bridled in speaking: so aught the ear to be temperate in hearing, for such as are wise and virtuous aught not to give ear to every word that they hear, but only to such as are good and honest. For as Solomon in his Proverb saith, The Prince that is contented to hear lies and tales, shall have his court replenished with naughty persons. For when the rest of his servants perceive that he delighteth in a tatler or a tale-teller, the whole company will strait addict themselves to be liars and slanderers, & pickthanks, for as saint Gregory in the xiiii chapter of his book of Morals saith, That such as delight in hearing of slanders & accusations, are counted to be eaters and devourers of men, as Solomon sayeth, Be not present at the banquets of sinners, nor eat thou with those that come together to feed of flesh. To come together to eat flesh is as S. Gregory saith, To gather, themselves together, to speak evil of their neighbours. And therefore the Proverb saith, that we should flee taletellers as those that hurt & annoy Innocentes, For he that cometh to diffame or slander his neighbour, 
An evil prince maketh an evil Court.  cometh clothed with a sheep's skin, but is in very deed a ravening Wolf. For his intent is to infect and move the mind of him that heareth him against him whom he slandereth. Valerius showeth a way, how to reject & rid away such slanders, & picthanks, & saith that there was 2 very dear friends having great envy, and seeking to set discord between them, came to the one of them, and told him, that he had heard his friend speak very evil of him Quoth the other, I cannot believe it, for he is my friend, and I know he will not speak evil of me. The slanderer being very earnest, and the other not seeming to credit him, he confirmed it at last with a great oath, that the thing was true, that he had told him. I now believe you, quoth the other, since you swear that my friend hath spoken evil of me: but be you well assured, it was something, that he thought should benefit me, that made him to speak as he did. With which answer the slanderer was clean out of countenance, perceiving that the party, whom he would have abused, was to hard for him. For the trains and paths of pickthanks, are not for wise men to fall in, but for gross heads and simple people. Tully in his invective that he made against Sallust hath these words, I have seen (saith he) many that in telling of other men's faults, have more offended the hearers, than did they that committed the faults. And therefore Backbiters, whether their accusations be false or true, are not to be suffered. Since as Tully saith, They more offend the minds of such as hear them, with their spiteful and evil speech: then do those that commit the evil in deed. And therefore wise men aught greatly to shun & to stop their ears, against all clawbacks, taletellers, and backbiters, and not only to banish them, but all vain and idle talk, as Saint Bernard writeth in an Epistle, touching the government of a house, to a gentleman called Raymond, wherein he showeth, what ways he aught to use to avoid all Parasites and jesters, 
Juster's to be avoided.  saying: Whensoever thou art troubled with Coxcombs, counterfeits, or jesters, make as if thou didst hear them, and let thy mind be upon other matters, for if thou once answer them, and seem to take pleasure in them, thou shalt never be rid of them, thou shalt show thyself to be but a light fellow, in seeming to take pleasure in any such follies, & shalt be forced to give them rewards, losing and casting away (in so doing) whatsoever thou givest.    

8.  
Assuerus, if he had not heard,  
each part with equal ear:  
Had greatly abused the sword, that he  
for justice due did bear.  
And into error fallen, which strait  
he would have wished undone:  
So had the guiltless creature died,  
that no offence had done.  

The Paraphrase of the Marquis.  
ASsuerus was a man of so great power amongst the heathen, that he was accounted for a Monarch, or ruler of the world: and as it is written in the Book of Hester, Haman being in special favour with the King, taking a displeasure against the jews (who lived under the government of Assuerus) procured the King's displeasure greatly against them, but especially against Mardocheus, so as he appointed him to be hanged. And as it was a custom that Assuerus always used, to have many times read unto him a Book, wherein was contained the services that any of his subjects or any other had done unto him, where happily he chanced to hear a special service that Mardocheus had done unto him, (what service it was I leave here to speak off, being a matter commonly known to all such as have been studious in the scriptures). This being understood of the king, and at the earnest request of Hester, he commanded that Haman should be trussed up upon the same Gallows that he had prepared for Mardocheus, whereby according to the saying of David, He fell into the same pit, that he had digged for other. With this Proverb agreeth the saying of Solon, That every well guided common wealth, standeth upon two feet, the one & the right foot, is the bountiful rewarding of those that have done good service: the other the left foot, is the punishment and correction of all disordered persons and offenders. What Prince soever wanteth either this bounty in rewarding, or justice in punishing, his common wealth shall always be lame and halting, and the good deeds and service of the subjects, aught evermore to be recorded, and many times read to the Prince, and the parties themselves continually to be examined.   

The Doctor.  
IN this proverb the Marquis showeth by examples, that which he hath taught in the proverb before, and to this intent he bringeth in the story of king Assuerus, which story is written at large in the Book of Hester, which is one of the Canonical books of the holy Scripture. Of which to make you here a short relation, you shall understand, that this Assuerus was one of the greatest & mightiest Princes that was in the world, and as it is written, was Lord of an hundred and xxvii. Provinces, who took to wife Hester, a jewish woman, and of the lineage of the jews, whom he very entirely loved. This Queen had an uncle with whom she had been brought up, called Mardocheus, who used to come daily to the Court, to learn and understand how the world went with the Queen his Niece: and as the story telleth, the queen being so advised by Mardocheus, did not discover what country man he was, neither was it known that he was her uncle. This King Assuerus had one that was very great about him, called Haman, who bore all the sway in the King's house, and as the whole company, aswell the greatest as the meanest, gave honour and reverence to Haman, being so commanded by the King, only Mardocheus would neither honour him, nor do him any reverence, notwithstanding that the King's servants had many times blamed him, for not honouring of Haman, nor making obeisance to him, as the rest of the Court ' both did, and the king had commanded: and because they saw, that he would take no warning, they complained to Haman of him: who casting his eye upon the jew, and perceiving plainly, that he used no reverence towards him, conceived a great hatred against him, and for the displeasure that he bore him, devised how he might procure the destruction, aswell of all the jews, as of Mardocheus, and thereupon told the King, that throughout all his dominions, there swarmed a lewd and a contemptuous kind of people, being authors of new sects and Ceremonies, and despisers of his majesties laws and ordinances, which was a thing not before seen, that such a kind of people should be suffered to live within his dominions, made humble request to the King, that he might have licence and authority from him, to destroy them, promising thereby, to bring to the King's coffers, an infinite mass of treasure. The King answered him, that he freely gave him the treasure that he spoke off, and for the people, he bade him do with them what he thought good, and gave him his ring from his finger, that he might sand out letters, for the execution of his commandment. Whereupon Haman in great haste caused letters to be directed to all the Provinces and Cities within the kings dominions, that they should at a day appointed, set upon the jews, and destroy them, taking all their goods, and not leaving one of them alive: which news, when they came to the ears of Mardocheus, were not very pleasant unto him: whereupon he hied to the Queen, and persuaded her to go with great speed to the King, and to sue for pardon for her woeful countrymen: which at the first she refused to do, by reason of a law, that if any should presume to enter the kings chamber, without licence or special commandment (except the King did hold out, in sign of clemency, the golden sceptre that he held in his hand) should presently die for it. Notwithstanding, at the earnest request of Mardocheus, after that she & all the jews in the City had fasted three days & three nights, she got her to the king, whom when the King perceived, in token of his favour towards her, he held forth his golden sceptre, and said unto her, Queen Hester, What have you to say to me? Demand the one half of mine Empire, and I will give it thee? Who humbly beseeched the King that it would please him & Haman, to come to a Banquet that she had prepared for him, at which banquet she would declare what petition she had unto him. At the later end of the banquet, when the king had well fed, and demanded of Hester what her petition was, promising that if it were the half of his kingdom, he would presently grant it: She answered, O King if I have found favour in thy sight, grant me my life, & the life of my people, for both I and my people are betrayed and appointed to die: if it had so been, that we should have been sold for slaves, it had been far more tolerable, and with my sorrow I should have satisfied myself. when the King had heard her, he was greatly disquieted, and asked who it was that durst presume to attempt so great a matter, and what authority he had. The Queen answered this great enemy. Of me and my nation, is this Haman that is here present. Which when Haman heard, he was suddenly nipped in the head, and as the King flung forth in a fury, towards the garden, Haman came to the bed where the Queen sat, to beseech her to have mercy upon him, because he perceived that the King was determined that he should die. The King returning from the Garden, and finding Haman upon the bed, where the Queen sat, supposing that he had been too familiar with her, began to conceive a great hatred against him, and then some that were about him, told him that Haman had made a pair of Gallows for Mardocheus: wherefore he commanded, that both he and his sons should be hanged thereupon. Which shortly set down, showeth the meaning of this proverb, that if Assuerus had not given ear to Hester, showing him, that Haman against all order of justice had determined to destroy the people of the jews, he had undoubtedly abused the sword, that he for justice due did bear: & which he was bound as a King and a good justicer well to use. And into error had he fallen, & wished it straight undone: so had the guiltless creature died, that no offence had done. Which had been a great blot unto him. For as the civil law sayeth: It is a better deed to leave a fault unpunished, then to punish an innocent.    

9  
For very seldom shalt thou find  
the absent to be clear,  
And guilty seldom shalt thou see  
the man that doth appear.  
Hear well the cause, and suddenly  
do no man thou acquit:  
Yet take good heed that in thy pause,  
thou use both skill and wit.  

The Paraphrase.  
IN this Proverb, the Marquis meaneth to prove by natural reason, that which in the other Proverb he showed by example: and the reason why we seldom found the absent to be clear, and that we seldom guilty see the man that doth appear, Is because he that speaketh evil of him that is absent, maketh his tale to seem as true as may be, and persuadeth him that heareth him, to give credit to his words, & though perhaps some speak in his defence, yet the party that is absent, is always thought to be faulty: and so likewise of the other, that the present is not found to be guilty, because he is able to answer to whatsoever is spoken against him, and whatsoever his adversary hath set down for certain, by his denial of it, he bringeth it to be doubted of. And as Tully in his new Rhetoric sayeth, If any man be accused of any crime or trespass, if he be not guilty, he may flatly deny it: and if he be guilty, he may allege what great cause and reason he had to do, as he did, and so shall he clear himself of the fault that is laid against him. 
No proceeding against him that is absent.  And therefore it is a principal ground in the laws, that whatsoever is done in judgement against him that is absent, if he do not absent himself upon contempt, shall be nothing prejudicial to him: & the greatest bar that may be to any process that is brought, is to say, that he was not willed to appear. And therefore when Adam offended, and God was to condemn him for his disobedience, and contempt: the Text sayeth, that the Lord called and summoned him to answer (if any answer he could make) for himself, when he said, Adam, where art thou? For the Lord knew well enough, in what place he was, but because he should not say, that God had proceeded against him, without hearing him, or calling him, being absent, & not contemptuous, he both called for him, & heard what he could say, and finding his answer not sufficient, condemned him, although he sought to lessen his fault as much as he could, when he said, The woman, that thou gavest me, gave me the apple that I ate. Upon this ground also stood Medea, (as Seneca in his seven. Tragedy showeth) in the speech that she had with king Creon, the father in law of jason, that would have banished her his realm: when she asked, for what cause and fault she should be banished? And that they aught not to proceed against her, without hearing her cause, affirming that she was ready to prove her innocency, and to purge herself of any crime, that could be laid against her. And because Creon jesting at her, said: The poor innocent woman requireth to know the cause of her banishment, meaning that she was so lewd and so wicked, that her lewdness, and her naughtiness being so openly known, it was not needful to arraign her, because she was known to all men to be guilty. She answered: 
A notable answer of a woman.  If thou, being a King, takest upon thee to be a judge, thou oughtest to hear me: If thou take upon thee to be a tyrant, and an unjust man, thou mayest at thy pleasure take my life from me. And when the King would by no means be entreated, but that she must departed his realm, she made this notable conclusion: that whosoever he be, that commandeth any thing without hearing of the party, though the thing be just that he commandeth, yet he himself is unjust in the commanding of it. And the reason of this notable saying of Medea, is that which is before said, That according to the laws both of God, of nature, and of man, no judge aught to proceed against any man, without hearing the party: and the Proverb sayeth, You must hear the party, and give no judgement, till you have well weighed the matter. For there must information be had, and proof, whether it be truth, that the contrary part allegeth, and the proof and the witness well examined by good foresight and advise: and this is it that of right aught to be done in a case of judgement, and one of the greatest defeatings, or avoydings, as the Lawyers say, of any process, is, if judgement have been proved or done without deliberation. And therefore the Proverb saith, See that you take good deliberation in judgement.    

10.  
The deed that's done by good advice,  
doth always firmly stand,  
And seldom seen to crave amends  
at any second hand.  
Be ruled by counsel evermore,  
whatsoever thou dost intent,  
And from thy side let never go  
thy faithful aged friend.  

The Paraphrase.  
THe Marquis in this Proveth concludeth two things. The first is, the effect that followeth, when a thing is done with good deliberation, and brought to pass by good advise and counsel: the second is, whose advise and counsel in our doings we aught to follow. Touching the first, Solomon in his proverbs saith, The determinations of a man never come to good, where counsel is not afore had. The devices that are executed by good advise, are always perfect & good. And Seneca saith, Do all thy things by good advise, & thou shalt never repent them. For a man not taking counsel nor advise in that which he intendeth, it is not possible for him, that he should foresee the errors that he shall fall in. And falling therein, for want of good foresight & counsel, it must needs be, that he must repent himself, and say, I had not thought so great a mischief would have followed. And as Valerius writeth, that Scipio of Africa was wont to say. It was an evil favoured, & a shameful thing, for a man in any matter (especially in such as belong to a man of war) to say, I would not have thought it. For such things as are to be done with the sword, aught well to be thought of before. For the errors that in wars are committed, can never, as Scipio saith, be amended. And as Vegetius in his book that he made Of the knowledge of the Wars affirmeth, There is no other reason to be yielded why the Romans did subdue the whole world, & conquered wheresoever they came, but because they did all that they did by great deliberation & advise, being very skilful & well trained in such things as belonged to the wars. For what (saith he) was a handful of poor Romans to the infinite numbers of the Frenchmen? or what could so slender a power prevail against the great forces & puissance of the Germans? Certain it is, that the Spaniards were more in number, and of greater strength & force, than were the Romans. 
The skill of the soldier the only advancement of Rome.  They were always behind the Africans, both in wealth & policies. And no man doubteth, but the Greeks were far beyond them in gravity & wisdom. Yet always did the soldier of Rome prevail, because of his skill, being continually trained & daily exercised in the wars. For there could nothing hap in any skirmish or battle, wherewith they had not long time afore been acquainted. Certain it is, as the Proverb saith, that that which is done by deliberation, cometh not to crave amendment at the second hand, and that from this counsel and advise, the old stagger aught never to be shut out. For as Aristotle saith in the first of his Ethics, The young man by reason of his small experience, can have no great knowledge in any matter, and therefore not able to give any good counsel. And beside in his book of Rhetoric, In man's affairs and actions, the things that have passed, be commonly like to the things that after happen: and as the young man hath had no experience of such things as have happened before, so can he never be able to judge of the things that shall after fall out, & therefore the ancient men are always able to give better counsel. And therefore Roboam the son of Solomon, for taking the advise of young men, and refusing the old and expert fellows, did verire worthily forego ten parts of twelve, of his kingdom, as shall hereafter be more at large declared. And though young men are by reason of strength and lustiness, more able and fit for the fight, than are the old men: yet as Tully in his book of Age saith, The great and notable exploits are never done by force nor agility of body, but by counsel, authority, & secrecy, And among the principal causes that we read, why Alexander had always the victory and the better hand, it was the chief, that he went always accompanied with grave & ancient counsellors. For as Trogus Pompeius in his eleventh book writeth, That Alexander whensoever he was in any journey of great danger, he never called to counsel, nor made privy to his doings the young and lusty Gallants, but the old expert soldiers, that had followed the wars with his father, and with his uncle, whom he used not so much for soldiers, as for governors. And it is said that those whom he put in his battles, were commonly of the age of threescore years & upward, to the intent that none of them should think to run away, but to overcome, and trusting more to their hands then their feet, should set their whole minds upon the victory. And when divers of his old soldiers desired him, that they might departed, to rest and refresh themselves, offering him their sons, that were young and lusty to serve in their places. It is said that he answered, I had rather to have about me the well experienced gravity of aged men, than the frowardness and unadvised rashness of young men. And thus did Alexander attain to whatsoever he desired, and was in all his doings, honourable and virtuous, because he never suffered, as the Proverb sayeth, The old man to departed from his side.    

11  
So long the common wealth of Rome  
Did flourish strong and glad:  
As they their aged senators,  
At home in honour had.  
But when that Tyrants once began,  
To rule and bear the sway,  
They never any conquest made,  
But lost from day to day.  

The Paraphrase.  
IN this Proverb the Marquis showeth, and proveth by good example and great experience of things before passed: That which before he declared, that as long as the Romans gave credit to the advise and counsel of their aged Fathers, so long they prospered, and did well: and when they once ceased so to do, their honour presently ceased and came to naught. They were governed in those days by a certain company of men called Senators, which word and name cometh of the Latin word Senex, which signifieth aged. In what sort and by what means the Romans prospered, is plainly declared by judas Machabee, in the first book of the Maccabees: where he saith, The Romans by their wisdom and sober behaviour possessed the whole world, and overthrew the Princes that rebelled against them, and made Tributaries Galacia, and Spain, subdued and overcame the king of the Persians, and Antiochus the king of Asia, having in his company a hundred and thirty Elephants, sacked all their cities, and made Tributary unto them all their Dominions, and brought into subjection all the countries round about them, as well far as near: So that their very name was a terror to all that heard of it. And the only cause of this their prosperity, was the great wisdom and foresight, the which they had, and the great love that they bore to their country, they were governed by three hundred and thirty Senators, which every year elected one to have the chief authority? amongst them there was neither envy nor jealousy, and therefore saith the book, judas the Machabee, 
The Romans prefer the common profit before their own.  did enter friendship, and make a perfect league with them. For all their study & care was to maintain their common wealth, not having any regard of any private commodity: For as Tully saith, Two things they aught to do, that will profit their country. The first is, that leaving apart all private commodity, they bestow all that that they do upon the common wealth. The second, that they be not forward in some one thing, and backward in an other. And whilst the Romans observed this order, their common wealth increased still greater and greater, according to the saying of Cato, whose words are witnessed by Saint Augustine, in the seventh book of the city of God, the ix Chap. Do not think: (saith Cato) that our forefathers brought the common wealth of Rome from a small thing to be great, only by the sword. For if that were the matter, our company at this time is greater, our soldiers more in number, and our furniture a great deal better. Not, it was other matters that advanced our ancestors, whereof we be clean without: 
What made the Romans to flourish.  they being at home, were always careful for matters abroad, and governed uprightly and justly, their hearts were always free, and were continually faithful counsellors, they were neither entangled with riot nor vices, but we by our disordered lusts, have brought our common wealth to be poor, & ourselves to be rich. The offices and rewards that were to be given, as recompenses, and the encouragements of virtue, are sold for money, or given for favour. Our ancestors to enrich the common wealth; did make themselves poor: But in these corrupt times of ours the case is quite altered: The treasures of our own common wealth are small and poor, & we ourselves are become wealth & rich, which is a thing most monstrous, and the overthrow of all goodness. In which saying is verified and concluded whatsoever is contained in this Proverb: When Tyrants once began to rule and bear the sway. Which Tyrants be those, that more regard their own private commodity than their countries, they not only ceased their conquests, but shortly lost that, which they had won.     

The second Chapter. of Knowledge and Wisdom.  

12  
Apply thyself with all thy force,  
Some knowledge to attain:  
Procure the same with study great,  
With diligence and pain▪  
But seek not to be learned thou,  
For fond desire of praise:  
But skilfully to reprehend  
The unskilful sinners ways.  

The Paraphrase.  
THe Marquis in this Proverb showeth, with what care and diligence we aught to seek for knowledge and furthermore, to what end we aught to travail and seek for it. For as Aristotle in a book that he made of the Soul saith: Our soul or mind at the time of our birth, is as a blank, or a clean piece of paper that hath nothing upon it, but is ready to receive any perfectness, knowledge, or manners and therefore if it so be that: the very perfection of the soul, is knowledge. the Marquis doth to good end admonish and exhort us to seek for this knowledge, by all the means that we may. Cato saith, Seek to get knowledge or Art: For when fortune is fickle & will fail, yet Art and science will never forsake thee. And therefore it is written in the sixth book of Polycrates, That the Emperor Octavian, as great a Prince as he was, caused his children to be so brought up, that if ever fortune should fail them, yet they should have a means to get their living. And therefore he caused his sons to be trained up in knowledge of the wars, to learn, to run, to leap, to swim, to cast the dart, to throw the stone, both with the hand and with the sling, and his daughters to work all manner of linen works, and woollen works: So that if ever it should chance them to fall into poverty, they should yet be able with their hands to get their living, and the Proverb saith more, That a man aught not to seek learning for fond desire of praise, 
Learning to what end it aught to be sought.  but skilfully to reprehend the unskilful sinners ways. For the intentes of such as seek to be learned are divers: Some, to the end they might be counted wise & great learned men, and for such reputed and commended in every place, not for any good that they mean to do to others thereby: and the end of this is vanity: Others, not for to do any good withal, nor for any desire of praise, but for their own pleasure: the end of which is foolish curiosity. Some again seek to be learned, to come to riches and promotion: the end whereof is covetousness: Others seek to attain to knowledge, to profit & benefit their neighbours withal: And the end of that is charity: Others to be instructed and edified themselves: And the end of that is wisdom: And these two last be they, that seek not to be learned for vainglory, but to be skilful reprehenders and admonishers of others.    

13.  
By learning shalt thou understand,  
What God hath done for thee:  
And what he daily brings to pass,  
For all in each degree.  
And how to love and honour him,  
This dream forgotten quiet:  
Whereof within a little time.  
Thou shalt forego the sight.  

The Paraphrase  
Here doth the Marquis declare what profit & commodity cometh by knowledge, 
The commodity of learning.  saying, that by learning we come to know what GOD hath done, and what he doth for us. The knowledge whereby we may know GOD, and what he hath done for us, is to be had by perusing the old and new Testament, wherein we shall find, how God is the creator of all the whole world and how he created it only of his own goodness & mercy, and how he hath given us laws and commandments, by the which we may serve and obey him, & that though a man have of long time lived virtuously and godly, yet if in the end he offend God, and die without repentance, that God will never remember his righteousness nor good life, that went before: Again, if a man hath been a grievous sinner all his life time, and yet in the end repent and turn unto GOD, and die with unfeigned repentance, the merciful Lord will never lay to his charge any sin that he hath committed: According as the Prophet Ezechiel from the Lords own mouth testifieth, We shall also therein see that all the race and posterity of man, for the offence of our first father Adam, are adjudged and condemned to everlasting damnation: And how GOD, for the great love that he bore to mankind, hath sent his only begotten son jesus Christ, to take our flesh upon him, & to suffer most cruel death for our salvation: And to pay, as Esay saith, The price of our redemption. Also by the Scriptures we know, what other benefits soever the Lord hath done for us. Beside, the scripture teacheth us how we aught to love God with all our heart, with all our mind, & with all our forces, & that we aught rather to die a glorious death, then to offend him with a sinful life: & this he meaneth when he saith, The dream is forgotten quite that soon thou shalt forego. For our life is compared to a sleep, which we shall leave before we be ware, as Innocentius saith in a book that he wrote of the wretchedness of the state of man, where he hath these words: Tell me my brother, 
The vanity and misery of this life.  what goodness dost thou find in these worldly delights? What doth thy glory profit thee? What doth thy pleasures avail thee? These be not they that can deliver thee from death, nor defend thee from the worms: For he that late was lusty and glorious in his Palace, lieth now dead and stinking in his Sepulchre: he that late was tickled with the delights of the bed, lieth now torn a sunder with the worms in his grave What meanest thou to be proud, being but worms meat and ashes? Why moilest thou for riches, that shall shortly be distributed to the poor? As the Prophet saith, They slept their sleep, & those that were lately rich, 
The great good that cometh by reading the scriptures.  have now nothing in their hands. There true wisdom, knowledge of God, and skill in the scripture, bringeth us to this understanding. by this a man knoweth how to serve God, not regarding this transitory life, which passeth as a sleep or a dream.    

14.  
To Gentlemen it doth belong.  
To know the arts divine,  
Where knowledge chief floorisheth,  
And learning best doth shine.  
Assuredly he well deserves  
To have the upper seat,  
That garnished with wisdom is,  
And decked with learning great.  
IN this Proverb the Marquis showeth what manner of men aught to seek for learning and understanding, and for the better understanding hereof, we must consider, that there be arts Mechanical and arts Liberal. Arts Mechanical are those, that are used by men of base condition, as Shoemakers, Tailors, Carpenters, Smiths and all other that are handicraftsmen: Arts Liberal are those learnings, and sciences, whereunto liberal or free men, that is, noble men or Gentlemen apply themselves, as the seven Liberal sciences, & therefore they are called liberal, or free, that bestow their time in these knowledges, because they be not of base mind nor estate, neither are they subject or bound to any vile occupation: And therefore in the old time there were none brought up in learning, but only the children of noblemen and Gentlemen: and therefore saith the Proverb, To Gentlemen it doth belong, to know the arts divine, That is to say, to such men as are of good estate and condition. Traian (as Polycrates in his sixth book writeth) who was a Spaniarde and Emperor of Rome, in a letter that he writeth to the French king, persuadeth him, to bring up his children in the knowledge of the liberal arts, saying, that a king without learning, is like an Ass with a crown, & therefore the kings and Emperors in the old time did commit their children to the best learned men, that they could get. Traian was brought up with Polycrates: The emperor Nero with Seneca: & great Alexander with Aristotle. To whom (as Policartes in the foresaid book saith) King Philip upon the birth of his son Alexander wrote his letters in this sort: Philip the king, sendeth greeting to Aristotle the Philosopher. I understand that I have a son borne, for which I give thanks to the Gods, not so much for his birth, as that he happened to be borne in thy time, by whom I trust to have him so brought up, that he shallbe worthy to succeed me in my kingdom and dominions, The Proverb saith further, That he deserveth pre-eminence, that is garnished with wisdom and learning. And assuredly look what difference there is betwixt perfection and imperfection, 
The diversity betwixt the learned and the ignorant.  and betwixt darkness and light, so great is the diversity betwixt a learned man and an ignorant, & because we should understand what great honour he deserveth that is beautified with learning and wisdom, both Daniel in his second vision, and S. Jerome in his preface to the Bible do witness, that the learned and the wise shall shine, as the brightness of the firmament, and those that have instructed many in godliness, shall glister like the stars for ever and ever. And therefore great pre-eminence doth he deserve, that is garnished with wisdom and learning.   

15  
The head and spring of goodness all,  
Is wisdom, that doth show  
The means for to discern the truth,  
And virtue pure to know.  
Who so beginneth in his youth  
In virtue to delight,  
No doubt, but when he comes to age,  
Will lead his life aright.  

The Paraphrase.  
IN this Proverb the Marquis showeth that one of the principal causes of wisdom and knowledge, is to fear God, as Solomon in his proverbs saith, The beginning of wisdom, is the fear of God, and wisdom & knowledge the foolish do abhor, and therefore he saith, That wisdom is more worth than the weapons of the mighty, of greater value then precious stones, & more fine than pure gold. For by wisdom we are able to discern betwixt good and evil, betwixt virtue and vice, to which end leaving to speak of the doctrine and rules of the holy Scripture, whereby we are taught to flee from all sin and wickedness and to embrace and follow virtuousness) Aristotle hath written three books: In the one of them he entreateth of the rules and orders that are requisite for the guiding of a country and city, which book is called the Politics: In the other he showeth how a man aught to govern his house, his wife, and his children, & this book is called the Economics. The third, teacheth how a man should govern himself, wherein there is a medley of rules & observations, by which a man may know the virtuous, and discern and severe them from the vices. And specially in this book he showeth, that all manner of virtues are gotten by use and custom, and that a man by using a long time to live virtuously, it cometh at length to be natural unto him, and although a man be naturally inclined to vice, yet if he accustom himself to virtue, he shall leave his evil inclination and become virtuous. And this is it that the Proverb sayeth, Who so beginneth to live well in his youth, it is a sign that he shall not do amiss in his age. But it is not one virtuous act alone, that can be called a beginning, as Aristot. saith, no more than can one swallow show a spring. And the greatest presumption by which we may conjecture (as Aristotle in the second of his Ethics sayeth) whether a man shall prove virtuous or not, is the pleasure or the heaviness that he taketh in his well doing. For if he be joyful, & take delight in the virtuous acts that he doth, it is a token that he will prove well in his age, and be very virtuous. But if he go about them, with an evil will, and seem to take no delight therein, it is a sign that his virtues will not long endure. And therefore as the wise man sayeth: By the pleasantness and heaviness of a child in his youth, we shall easily guess what he will be in his age.    

16.  
That most renowned Solomon  
for wisdom chiefly sought,  
Whereby his Empire and his state  
to order good he brought.  
He governed of himself alone,  
and never did debate,  
Nor counsel called for any thing,  
that longed to his state.  

The Paraphrase.  
AS it is written in the third Book of the Kings, Solomon the son of David, after the death of his Father, was chosen to be King. And the first thing that ever he did, because he would lay a good foundation, he went to a high Mountain, that was near about him, called Gabaon, to offer sacrifices to the Lord. And that night the Lord appeared to him in his sleep, and said unto him, Ask what thou wilt, that I may give it thee. And Solomon said. Thou hast showed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, in that thou hast given him a son to sit upon his seat, and to succeed him in his kingdom: And now, O Lord my God, it is thou that hast made thy servant king, in stead of David my father, and I am but young, and know not how to go out and in, and thy servant is in the midst of thy people, which thou hast chosen, and verily the people are so many, as can not be told, nor numbered for multitude: Give therefore unto thy servant an understanding heart, to judged thy people, that I may discern betwixt good & bad. And this pleased the Lord well, that Solomon had desired this thing. And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked long life, neither haste asked riches, nor the soul of thine enemies, but hast asked understanding and discretion in judgement: Behold I have done according to thy petition, for I have given thee a wise & an understanding heart, so that there hath been none like thee before thee, nor after thee shall any arise like unto thee. This story serveth here for this Proverb, that showeth, how Solomon sought chief for wisdom, by which without debating of any matters, or calling of any counsel, he was able sufficiently to govern his kingdom and dominions.    

17.  
If thou be eloquent, great praise  
thereof to thee will rise,  
But much more commendable it is  
to be discrete and wise.  
For he that wisdom hath, will all  
his life obedient be  
Unto the rules, he learned hath  
in sweet Philosophy.  

The Paraphrase.  
THe Marquis here showeth in this Proverb, what is the mark that a man aught specially to shoot at, and saith, that although it be a goodly thing for a man to be eloquent, and to have a good tongue, yet it is a great deal more worthy praise, to be wise. Eloquence is a fine and sweet kind of speaking, by the pleasantness whereof, it draweth men to the opinion of the speaker: The figures, and rules whereof are set forth by Tully in his Rhetoric: And if this eloquence be joined with wisdom and knowledge, it is a special ornament: but if a man have more words than wit, he shall be counted a vain jangler and a prattker. And therefore sayeth Tully, That far better is wisdom void of eloquence, then foolish pratteling without discretion. Wisdom among all the moral virtues, that Aristotle in his Ethics entreateth of, is the most principal virtue, or rather, as he saith, the only virtue, meaning that all the virtues are chained and linked together in one. And therefore the Philosophers commonly say, that whosoever hath one, hath al. For if he have one virtue, he must needs have wisdom thoroughly, he that hath wisdom thoroughly, hath all virtues: therefore he that hath one virtue, hath all virtues. Wisdom, as the Philosophers say, consisteth of three parts: the first is memory, to remember such things as hath passed: the second knowledge, to know such things as are present: the third, providence, to foresee such things as are to come. And he that hath these three parts, may be counted wise, and a servant obedient to moral Philosophy. For as I said before, wisdom containeth in herself all moral virtue: And as Aristotle sayeth, It is a thing unpossible for a man to be wise, and not to be good. And therefore the Proverb sayeth, The wise man is all his life obedient to moral Philosophy.    

18  
Roboam being one that had  
no skill, but did assay,  
In every thing to strive against  
the stream, did soon decay:  
For vexing and molesting of  
his subjects kept in thrall,  
When lest he looked for such a change,  
they quite forsook him all.  

The Paraphrase of the Marquis.  
ROboam was the son of Solomon, and King of Israel, who after his father's decease, did use such tyranny over his subjects, that very worthily he was deprived of the most part of his government.   

The Doctor.  
TO prove the harms and mischiefs, that he that wanteth wisdom runneth into, the Marquis here bringeth in the Story of Roboam, the son of Solomon: Of whom it is written in the third Book of the Kings, that after the death of Solomon, the people assembled together to make him King, and spoke unto him, saying, Thy Father made our yoke grievous, now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke, that he put upon us, lighter, & we will serve thee. And he said unto them, Departed yet for the space of three days, and then come again to me. And the people departed. And King Roboam took counsel with the old men, that stood before his Father, while he yet lived, and said, What counsel give you, that I may have matter to answer this people? And they said unto him, If thou be a servant to this people this day, and follow their minds, and answer them, & speak gently unto them this day, they will be thy servants for ever. But he forsook the counsel that the old men had given him, and called unto his counsel young men, that were grown up with him, and waited on him, & said unto them. What counsel give you, that we may answer this people? And the young men, that were grown up with him, answered him, saying, Thus shalt thou say unto the people: My little finger shall be weightier than my father's whole body, and where as my father did lad you, and put a grievous yoke upon you, I will make it heavier. At which words the people greatly disdaining, ten tribes of them presently forsook him, and chose jeroboam for their king. Whereby is concluded, that Roboam, because he was not wise, nor advised, nor careful, to prevent such mischiefs as might happen, overshooting himself shamefully in his foolish answer, was worthily forsaken and rejected of his people: as is mentioned in the Proverb.    

19  
My son, serve God with all thy heart,  
for why, his wrath from high  
Doth fall, and whisk through all the world  
in twinkling of an eye.  
For when he list, he casteth down  
such as he blessed late,  
And doth advance the godly man  
to great and high estate.  

The Paraphrase.  
THe Marquis showeth in this Proverb the profit and commodity that cometh of serving and fearing God, and the hurts & inconveniences that follow to such as offend him according to the daily lessons of the church. The sovereign power of God is showed, in casting down the mighty out of their seat, which are those that heap to themselves his displeasure, and in exalting the humble and the meek, which are those that fear him. For as David in one of his Psalms saith: The Lord throweth down one, and lifteth up an other, for the vessel is in the hand of God: And of such as serve and fear God, he saith, I have not seen the just forsaken, nor his seed begging their bread: And of those that offend, and fall into his displeasure, he saith, I have seen the wicked in prosperity, and flourishing like the Cedars in Libanus, and within a while I went by the place where he was, and behold, he was perished, and not to be seen. And therefore well saith the Proverb, The Lord bringeth the mighty to the ground, that offendeth him, & provoketh his displeasure, & advanceth to honour the poor man that feareth him. And upon this is the whole Scripture in a manner grounded: that is to wit, that God promiseth everlasting joy, & sufficiency of worldly goods to all those that serve him, and everlasting destruction both of life and goods, to those that offend, and provoke his wrath.    

20.  
Be conformable to the time,  
and season that doth fall:  
For otherwise to be, is cause  
of grief and loss of all.  
Abhor presumption as a monster  
and an enemy  
To knowledge, that is only light  
and lamp of majesty.  

The Paraphrase.  
IT is written of David the King, that for fear of falling into the hands of Saul, he fled into an other country near adjoining, where they well understood that he was anointed king over Israel: And when they had taken him, and brought him before the King of the country, whose name was Achis, because they should not detain him in prison, nor gratify Saul with the delivery of him, he feigned himself to be mad, and wried his mouth, as one that had been possessed with a spirit, and foamed at the mouth: & this was counted for a great wisdom and discretion in David, because he framed himself according to the time and season, whereas if he had done otherwise, he had cast away himself. And Cato saith, That it is a great point of wisdom, to counterfeit folly in some place: and in an other place, It is good for a man to seem half out of his wit & enraged, when time and reason requires. As Aristotle in his third Book of Ethics witnesseth, where he speaketh of Fortitude: At some time again it shall behove him to show himself to be humble and meek, yea and also fearful, as Aristostle in the very same book writeth. The like is to be observed in the virtues of Temperance, Liberality, and all other virtues, in knowledge of which circumstances, Wisdom doth chief consist. Again the Proverb sayeth, That a man aught to abhor presumption, as the enemy, and contrary to the clear Lamp of Knowledge. Whereupon Saint Hierome in one of his Epistles writeth after this sort.  
Among all other things, that the romans wisely devised, this was one, That whensoever any of their Captains returned with victory to Room, lest he should be puffed up with pride and vainglory, for the worthiness of his person, or brought into a fools paradise, forgetting himself, for the great honour and triumph that was done unto him, they thought good, that as they honoured him three manner ways, for the overthrow that he won: so the self same day, to make him remember himself, and to let fall his Peacocks tail, they likewise dishonoured him with three notable despites. The honour (which was done to all conquerors) that they did unto him was in three manners: The first was, that all the people of the City, came out to meet and receive him, with great joy and gladness: The second, all the Prisoners that he had taken, went before his Chariot, with their hands bound behind them. The third, they put upon him a shirt of the God jupiter's, and set him in a Chariot of Gold, which was drawn with four white Horses, in which sort they carried him to the Capitol, with great honour, joy, and shouts of the people. And with these three sorts of honour, they joined these three reproaches, to the end he should not wax proud nor insolent. The first was, they placed by him cheek to cheek, a ragged and an unseemly knave: and thus they did to signify, that any man though his state were never so base nor miserable, might by virtue attain to the like honour: The second, this beggarly companion, did now and then buffet him, to the end, he should not be too proud of his honour, and ever as he struck him, bad him to remember that he was a man, and should die: The third dishonour was, that it was lawful for every man to give him the shamefullest words they could devise. And this the romans did as I said before, to the end the Conqueror should abhor presumption, which is the adversary of the Knowledge, that clear and comfortable light.    

21.  
For time is it, that all things makes,  
and time doth all things mar:  
And when dame Fortune pleased is,  
such things as hurtful are,  
Fall out to our commodity,  
and many times do please:  
While such things as commodious are,  
do turn to our disease.  

The Paraphrase.  
THis is the only difference betwixt everlasting things, and transitory things: The everlasting things, endure for ever: the transitory things, as with time: they come, so with time they decay, & therefore in the proveth before, the Marquis giveth us advice, and exhorteth us to be conformable to the time & season; And that reason that maketh him so to say, is, that as a thing is in one time wrought & done, so is it in an other time undone & destroyed. For as Solomon in his Eccleastes saith, There is a time to be borne & a time to die, a time to build, & a time to pluck down: neither aught we as the proverb saith, to be offended, if things fall not out according to our desire, for when it pleaseth Fortune, such things as seem displeasant unto us; shall redound to our commodity. For the better understanding whereof, we must consider what is the true signification of this word (Fortune) of which there be many & sundry opinions. For some, those that be heathen people, as Boetius in his first book Of Consolation saith, will needs have this Fortune to be a Lady, and a great goddess, under whose government and at whose disposition, are all the treasures and riches of the world: & farther they say, that she hath all manner of persons in thee, world upon a wheel, & that her condition and nature (for she is a woman) is, never to be long of one mind, but sometime of great and honourable personages, to make poor and miserable creatures, & again of poor & miserable caitiffs', to make high & mighty Princes, still whirling about her unsteadfast wheel, as pleaseth her. Aristotle hath also the like manner of speech in his Book Of good Fortune, where he affirmeth, that there are diverse and sundry opinions about Fortune. But all their opinions are far differing from our Christian faith. For as Boetius in his first Book Of Consolation, And Saint Augustine in the fourth Book Of the City of God, do unite, this Fortune & destiny, are no other things, than the providence of God, & therefore to speak like a good Christian, that which the Proverb here saith: When as it pleaseth Fortune, etc. is as much to say, as when it pleaseth the providence of God, the things that be hurtful unto us, shall turn to our profit, and such things as are profitable, to our hurt and destruction. Whereof there is a very good example in the holy Scriptures, in the first Book of Moses, where it is written, that the Children of jacob, for the malice that they bore to joseph their brother, threw him into a deep pit, and after sold him to certain Merchants, who sold him to an officer of King pharao's, that upon the unfull accusation of his wife, kept him a long time in Prison, from whence he was sent for by King Pharaoh, and after that he had declared the meaning of his dream and foreshowed the coming of the dear and the barren years, he was made the greatest man about him, which was the cause that the patriarch jacob with all his house escaped the great famine, & came to live honourably in Egypt and thus did it please fortune, that is to say, God, that the hurtful things, that is, the imprisonment of joseph, and all the other harms and miseries that he sustained, should turn to the profit of himself, his father, and his brethren. So likewise do the things that appear good and profitable, many times fall out to be hurtful and evil unto us, as to have great store of money, is a profitable thing, and yet it often falleth, that their throats are cut for it, that have it: and so doth a profitable thing become hurtful.    

22.  
My son, the wiseman and his life,  
still set before thy face:  
And speak no evil of thy Prince,  
in any secret place;  
Look that thy tongue & judgement both  
such nets do warily shun:  
For why, the very walls themselves,  
Will witness what is done.  

The Paraphrase.  
THE Marquis in this Proverb showeth, that if a man be not able of himself to rule and order his life, he should seek out, and set before his eyes, same wise and notable man, according to whose doings he should in every point frame his life, as Seneca writeth to Lucilius, & it is one of the chiefest lessons that he could devise to give him, for the framing of his life aright. He willeth him, that he should always imagine himself to be in the presence of some good man, for example sake either Cato or Lelius, for either of them were both virtuous & wise: and that he should frame all his thoughts, and direct all his deeds, according to the life and virtues of them, and so should he never do amiss, and this is it, that is meant in the proverb, Fellow the wise man and his law. The law of the wiseman is his discretion, for as Aristotle saith, The just and the virtuous man is a law unto himself, for he measureth the times, & disposeth his things, according as the time and reason doth require. And the Proverb saith more, Speak thou no evil of thy Prince: according to the doctrine of the Apostle Saint Paul, We are bound to fear God, and to honour the King. We aught to serve the King as our natural Lord, and we offend God grievously, in dissobeying of him: In so much as some Doctors of law are of opinion, that whosoever obeyeth not the kings commandment findeth deadly, according to that is written in the second of the Kings, He that obeyeth not the Prince, shall die for it. And therefore as it is a grievous and great sacrilege, to blaspheme the name of God: so is it a damnable and horrible offence to speak evil of the King: and against such as shall so offend, it is very well provided, both by the constitutions of the Emperors, and by the laws and statutes of Spain. And the Marquis saith, That we aught not only to forbear to speak evil of the Prince abroad and in company, whereby it may come to his ear, but also we aught not to do it in secret. For Solomon saith in his Proverbs. 
The Prince not to be evil spoken of.  Speak no evil of the Prince in any wise, for if thou dost, be sure the very birds of the air will disclose it. The Birds of the air, as some Doctoures teach, are the Spirits and devils, according to the saying of our Lord and Saviour in the Gospel, where he telleth the parable of the seed, that fell by the high way, and the Birds of the air devoured it. The The birds of the Air saith our Saviour, are the lewd and wicked spirits, that take out of the heart of man the word of God. And in this sort is the aforesaid allegation to be understood, that the birds of the air will discover it, that is to say, the wicked spirits, who shall reveal the treason that thou haste spoken in secret, and this is it, that the Proverb meaneth, when it saith. The very walls will witness bear.     

The third Chapter of justice.  

23.  
From justice see thou vary not,  
for duty, love, nor fear:  
Let no good turn at any time  
procure thee to forbear.  
Or for to serve in any point,  
from sentence just and right:  
In giving dew correction to  
the faithless faulty wight.  

The Paraphrase.  
AS Aristotle in the first Book of his Ethics affirmeth, that the clearest & most beautiful virtue of all others, 
The duty of a justice.  is justice, whose brightness doth far exceed either the day star, or the evening star: and therefore he saith, That justice comprehendeth in itself all other virtues. And Saint Augustine saith in his fourth Book Of the City of God, that justice being taken away, the kingdoms of the earth are nothing else but great companies of thieves, nor the companies of thieves any other then small kingdoms. And therefore saith the wise man in his Ecclesiastes, Fellow justice, all you that are judges on the earth. Whosoever is a judge, aught to be as a Balance, and just weight, in all his doings, and neither for fear, friendship, nor any other respect, to forbear the executing of upright justice. And therefore Valerius showeth in his sixth book, that where as a certain judge forbore to do justice, because of the love that he bore to the party that was accused, 
A good example.  Cambyses caused his skin to be plucked over his ears, & to be nailed to the bench where he sat, commanding his son to be set in the place, and to give the sentence, that his father should have given: which was such a terror to all those that came after, that from that time forward, they could never be brought by fear or friendship, to give any other judgement, then that which was just and upright. And so hath God in his laws commanded, Thou shalt do justice to the poor aswell as to the mighty, neither shalt thou have any respect of persons. One of the seven wise men of Athens, as it is written in the lives of the Philosophers, was wont to say, that the laws, where good justicers wanted, were like unto Cobwebs, where flies and such weak Creatures do hang and stick fast: but the great and the strong do break thorough without any stop. Who soever will deal in justice as he aught to do, must have no respect of persons, but must punish aswell the evil doings of the great ones, as the offences of the meanest sort.    

24.  
This is the just and certain line,  
that safely us doth guide:  
And shows the true and perfect path,  
by measure truly tried.  
She chosen was by God himself,  
sent down from heaven high,  
The Prophet doth confirm▪ that she  
descended from the sky.  

THe Marquis here showeth how great the excellency of justice is: and Tully writeth in the dream of Scipio, that for such as have well governed in the common wealth, and uprightly & truly administered justice, there is prepared in an other world more higher and glorious places then for us, because of the labours & toils that they have sustained, for the preserving of their country. And as Aristotle writeth in his Ethics justice is an external good, and is properly to give to every man that which is his. There are many that can use themselves well in such matters as touch their own commodity, but not in things that are to the behoof of others. And therefore justice is a most excellent virtue, and the very line and strait path that leadeth us to heaven, & as the Prophet saith, Righteousness (which is God) looketh continually down from heaven, for to give every man according to his deserts: glory & reward to such as do well, and correction & punishment to such as have done evil. And that all men are bound to do justice, Elianus proveth by a pretty tale in his story of the Romans, where he showeth that Traian the Emperor, going with a great army against his enemies, there meeteth him a widow, that with piteous cries and lamentations, falling down at his feet, besought him that she might have justice of certain that had slain her son. Traian made her answer, that as soon as he returned from his journey, he would do her justice. And what, saith she, If you never return, who shall do me justice? That shall, quoth Traian, my successor. The widow answered, What is that to thee if thy successor do well: when thou art to receive the reward of thine own doings, and are bound to do me justice: thy successor shallbe bound to do justice to such as suffer wrong in his time, neither shall the justice of an other man be an excuse for thee. The Emperor being touched with these words, 
A good Emperor.  alighted from his horse, & departed not from thence, till he had thoroughly satisfied the poor woman. For the continual remembrance of which his worthy deed, the people set up his image in brass in the midst of Rome, because he showed the true and perfect justice, that was elected by God.    

25.  
How worthy was the famous act  
of Lentus noble knight,  
Who all affection set aside,  
and love forgotten quite,  
Contented was (though guiltless he)  
of any trespass done,  
The cruel tortures of the law  
to suffer with his son?  

The Marquis.  
LEntus, as Valerius in his sixth book declareth, was a Senator of Rome, by whom the city was strengthened with good and profitable laws. Among a number of others, he made a law, that whosoever was taken in adultery, should loose his eyes. It happened that a son of his was taken for the same offence. Upon whom when the father observing the laws that he had made, would without qualifying or discharging of any point, presently have executed the punishment: the whole city being moved with compassion towards the young man, did earnestly sue for his pardon, with whose importunate and instant requests, the father being overcome, granted. Yet because the offence should not remain unpunished, he first caused one of his own eyes to be plucked out, and after one of his sons: which both is and aught to be a great example to all such as bear the sword of justice.    

26.  
Frondinus to the end he would  
preserve the law he made,  
Without delay did cast himself,  
upon the piercing blade.  
And therefore aught we to enforce  
ourselves to live upright.  
If that we will correctors be  
of other's oversight.  

The Marquis.  
FRondinus was a Citizen of Rome, as Valerius in his sixth book, and john Galensis in a Breviate that he made of the four principal virtues, writeth: Contentions & quarrelings arising many times amongs the Citizens of Rome, about the debating of their matters, there was a law made amongst them, that whosoever should come to the Capitol with a weapon, should suffer death. Frondinus forgetting himself, coming from the field with his sword about him, came into the Capitol, which when one of the standers by perceived, he blamed him, and told him, that he had broken the law that he made. Nay, quoth he, thou shalt see that I will confirm the law that I made, and suddenly thrust himself thorough with his own sword, whereas he might well with some colourable reason have escaped the punishment.     

The fourth Chapter of Patience and moderate Correction.  

27.  
Be not to hasty nor to quick,  
in rage without respect,  
But bear a temperate hand, when thou  
the offender dost correct.  
For moderate correction  
is good, and free from blame:  
Where cruelty, that doth exceed.  
deserves reproach and shame.  

THe Marquis doth show the moderation that a man aught to have in giving of correction, and saith, Whensoever we punish the evil doings of any man, we aught not to do it furiously, nor hastily, but with temperance and reason, whereof Valerius hath divers notable examples, but specially in his fifth book, he writeth of one Archita of Toranto, a man of great possessions, that he was a long time absent from his Country, about the study of Pythagoras his doctrine. And when he returned home, & had surveyed his manors and possessions, he found them to be greatly spoiled and decayed: whereupon calling to him his steward, he said unto him. Surely if I were not at this present furiously bend against thee, I would punish thee according to thy deserts, and make thee an example to all unfaithful varlets. So that Archita chose rather to leave the great negligence and evil dealing of his Steward unpunished, then hastily and furiously to correct him in his wrath. The same Valerius doth also in the same book tell us, that this Archita being extreme angry with one of his servants, for a villainous part that he had played, would not in any wise punish him himself, but committed the punishment of him to Spensippus a friend of his, to the end that he, not moved with wrath, should use measure and temperance in the corecting of him. Seneca writeth also of the very same Archita in his third Book of Anger, that being on a time greatly offended with one of his slaves, he caused him to be stripped stark naked, thinking to have scourged him: and as he was ready to strike him, he plucked back his hand, and restrained himself, wherewith a friend of his happening to come in, and ask what the matter was, I thought (quoth he) to have scourged this fellow, but feeling myself to be in a rage, I thought it no meet thing to punish any man in mine anger. And this is the meaning of the Proverb, where it sayeth, That moderate Correction is good, and free from blame: And when it is out of measure, deserves reproach and shame.    

28  
The man that seeks to make amendss▪  
refuse not to relieve,  
Nor let it ever thee delight,  
the woeful wretch to grieve.  
A base and beastly mind it is  
to follow him that flies,  
And valiant is it, to assail  
the tyrant that destroys.  

The Paraphrase.  
IN this Proverb, the Marquis showeth how men aught to behave themselves towards such as have offended, and are sorrowful for it. For according to the saying of the Prophet, God desireth not the death of a sinner, but to have him to turn and be saved. And the chiefest lesson that old Anchises (as Virgil in the sixth book of his Eneados writeth) did will his son to take heed unto, was to seek in all his exploits to maintain peace, as much as he might, to pardon such as were sorrowful for that they had done, and to use the sword against proud and disdainful tyrants. And to say true, it is not the part of a man, to persecute any man that is in misery, to follow him that flieth, nor to strive with such as are weak and unable. And therefore job saith unto God, Will't thou show thy power against a leaf, that trembleth with the wind? And persecute a straw that is dry and withered? Meaning, that it was not a thing beseeming the majesty of God, who was almighty, to persecute so miserable a creature, as he was. And the Proverb sayeth, That it is a point of manhood, to assail him, that mindeth to do mischief, And to invade with the sword, as Anchises sayeth to Aeneas, the proud and contemptuous persons, not suffering them to use their tyrannous mind in doing of evil, as the Civil law teacheth, touching the duty and behaviour of a Conqueror or governor, that they aught to take such order in every Province, that the wealthy & the mighty oppress not the poor & the needy, and that they hinder not such as go about to defend and cherish them. And this is the very meaning of the Proverb, where it sayeth, That it is the sign of a valiant mind, to resist all such, as seek to do wrong.    

29.  
It doth declare a noble mind,  
for to forgive a wrong,  
And with a perfect patience, to  
forbear and suffer long,  
The mercy that with measure meets  
is virtue great to praise,  
Restorer of thy state with life,  
and lengthener of thy days.  

The Paraphrase.  
AMong the rest of the virtues that Aristotle in the fourth Book of his Ethics speaketh of, Magnanimity, or greatness of mind is one. And the special grace of this virtue is, that such as have it, can not be touched with any injury or reproach. For if injury be offered unto them, a noble mind maketh no account of it, but rather disdains him that offereth it, as a vile and an unworthy person. Tully writeth in his Book of the virtues of Caesar, that he was of so great a courage, and so noble a heart, that where he was very mindful of all other things, he never would remember any injury done unto him. And Saint Augustine, in one of his Epistles saith, that he that hath a great mind, and a noble and gentlemanly heart, doth not only, not bear in memory, an injury done unto him, but also denieth, that he received any injury. And Seneca in one of his Epistles saith, that if a man of a noble and valiant mind, be at any time injured, he aught to behave himself as Plato did, who when one had given him a blow in the mouth, neither sought for amends, nor laboured to revenge, but denied, that any injury was done unto him. The same Seneca in his book of wrath telleth, that the athenans having sent their Ambassadors to king Philip: the king, after their message declared, required of them to know what thing he might do, that might be most acceptable to the people of Athens. Wherewith one churlish knave amongst them, called Democritus, stepped forth and told him, that the greatest pleasure that he could do to the city of Athens, 
The great modesty and magnanimity of king Philip.  was to go hung himself, and when all the company that stood by, were greatly offended with this lewd answer, and were about to have torn him in pieces, the king would by no means that they should hurt him, but let him alone, and said unto the Ambassadors, Go tell your masters of Athens, that much more proud are they that do utter such words, than those that hear them, and not revenge them: neither is there any other cause of this, but the modest clemency and virtue.    

30.  
What man is there alive, that may  
So great offender be,  
But if that he be judged by rules  
of love and charity:  
His trespass shall appear such as  
May pardon well deserve?  
For mercy is the shield, that doth  
The guilty only serve.  

The Paraphrase.  
SAint Isidorus saith, Evil is that justice that pardoneth not the frailty of man: And a little after, Do not desire to condemn, but to correct and amend. Beware of rigour in the executing of justice, and think of mercy in giving of sentence. And Saint Gregory in his Pastoral sayeth, That justice without mercy, and mercy without justice, are both unperfect. And therefore although a man have offended and done amiss, if he be not froward, obstinate, and without grace, being judged with love and charity, his offence shall be found tolerable, and the severity of justice, being tempered with pity, shall bring the offender to repent and amend.    

31.  
I always judge him worthy praise,  
that pardoneth graciously:  
For mercy doubtless is to man  
a crown of honour high.  
On the other side I do mislike,  
the sword with blood to stain,  
The stroke whereof unjustly dealt,  
cannot be called again.  

The Paraphrase.  
TO forgive, and show mercy to such as offend, we are stirred up both by the law of nature, the holy Scriptures, and the gracious admonition of our Saviour. The law of nature doth move us to be merciful, as Seneca in his first book of Mercy writeth, and hereof we have a natural example in the king of Bees, whom nature hath framed without a sting, having taken away his weapon, to the end he should be neither fierre, nor cruel, nor a revenger of injuries, and that men might take examples of these little poor creatures. The Scripture moveth us to mercy, as it appeareth in the Epistle of Saint james, where he saith, that judgement shal● be given without mercy, to such as show no mercy. Our Saviour exhorteth us to mercy, where he saith: Blessed are all those that are merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. The Proverb saith, That the punishment of the sword is misliked for if it be once done, it is passed all redress. And therefore Sallust in the Conspiracy of Catiline sayeth, that we aught to try every way, that may be, before we come to the sword, even as the Physicians do, who useth all the medicines that may be, before they cut of the member. And if so be that Princes may give sufficient correction without the death of the offender, they aught to do it. For if it be once done, it is to late to say, I would it were not.    

32.  
I do not mean that loathsome crimes,  
and heinous pardon crave:  
Or that the wholesome laws, or good  
decrees restraint should have:  
For such a man aught not to live,  
as murdereth wilfully:  
True justice always doth command,  
that he that kills, shall die.  

The Paraphrase.  
IN this Proverb are limited and interpreted the proverbs that go before. For such as aught to forgive, are either private persons or officers, in the common wealth. As they be private persons, they are bound to release the extremity, but not the injury, for they may require a recompense at the law: But if they do not, their reward shallbe the greater. According to the saying of our Saviour in his Gospel, Forgive, and you shall be forgiven. And touching the examples that are in the proverbs that go before: if they be officers and in authority, they cannot pardon an offence that is done against a common wealth, nor trespass, that is done betwixt neighbours: But they may use a moderation and discretion, according to the circumstances of the matter, as if the party grieved be a slave, or free born, if he be a gentleman, or a common person, if the offence were in words, or upon proposed malice, or ignorantly, & not wilfully done, if he murdered with poison, or with the sword. In such cases the judges and those that be in authority are wont to have great consideration: for he that killeth with poison, by treason, or secretly, his offence is more horrible than his that killeth by chance-medley. And therefore it is provided by the laws of Spain, that if the Prince upon special consideration doth pardon a man that hath killed, such cases are always excepted: for he that murdereth after any of the aforesaid manners, is not to be suffered, nor pardoned: and this is the effect of the Proverb.    

33.  
To pardon such a kind of man,  
were very cruelty:  
And quite contrary to the rule,  
of all humanity.  
Nor name of pity doth deserve,  
that suffers villainy.  
But is the overthrow of laws,  
and all authority.  

The Paraphrase.  
THe meaning of this Proverb, is declared in the Proverb that goeth before. For it is a great cruelty, and contrary to all humanity, to pardon such a one as murdereth by treason, or villainously, and it would be the decay and destruction of all justice and authority. For as S. Augustine in his book Of the city of God saith, justice is of such an excellency, as the lewdest people that be, cannot live without it, much less those that be good & virtuous. Likewise Saint Augustine, as hath been alleged before, saith, Take justice away, and your kingdoms are nothing else but great companies of thieves, and therefore it is ordained in the statutes of Spain, that if there be in any Province or Country, great numbers of evil disposed persons, and if they happen to take one of them, though the party deserve not to die, yet it shall be lawful for the justice to hung him, for a terror and example to the others. And if he otherwise do, it deserves not the name of pity, But of evil sufferance, and the hindrance and overthrow of laws and authority.     

The fifth Chapter of Temperance.  

34.  
As much as it deserveth praise,  
with temperance to feed.  
Which doth our mortal life sustain,  
and serveth for our need:  
So much abhorred aught to be  
the greedy glutton great,  
That thinks there is no other life,  
but for to drink and eat.  

The Paraphrase.  
IN this Proverb, and certain others that follow, the Marquis showeth the order that we aught to observe in eaeating and drinking: and these two, being the chiefest sustainers of our life, a man hath as much a do as may be, to use a moderation and temperance in them. For as Aristotle in the second book of his Ethics saith, These two do only sustain our mortal life, and are always desired as things of most pleasure: and because we have so great delight in them, as the things wherewith we have been accustomed from our birth, it is very hard and painful to be restrained of them. But those that exceed and observe no measure therein, are counted of Aristotle in the first of his Ethics, to live like Dogs, and to choose the life of monsters. The same Aristotle in his Ethics, telleth us of a great glutton, that was called Philoxenus, who put all his felicity in eating and drinking: and the earnest request that he made to the Gods, was that they would make his neck as long as a Crane's neck, to the end his delight might be the greater, in the long going down of his meat, and his drink. For he took that for the chiefest pleasure that was.    

35  
Great honour doth this temperance,  
deserve at all assays,  
Sigh it a virtue always is,  
of great and special praise:  
For heat and fury great it doth  
by honesty assuage,  
And stays the frantic flame, that in  
the youthful years doth rage.  

The Paraphrase.  
WE do read, that many have greatly offended more by excess in eating & drinking, then for any other offence. For example sake, let us look upon our first Father Adam, who for a gluttonous desire of eating, brought both himself and all his posterity to destruction. Lot, the brother to Abraham, by too much drinking, as it is written in Genesis, shamed not to lie with two of his daughters. And therefore is Temperance & sobriety worthy of great honour, being a virtue of greatest commendation. The maids of Rome that were appointed to attend upon their Gods, to the end they should be sober & temperate, did never eat more than three meals in a week: and Valerius writeth in his first book, that the women of Rome, to keep themselves chaste and sober, did never drink wine. Of such soberness & temperance was the great Alexander (as Vegetius writeth in his book Of the art of wars) that he was so far from setting his delight in eating & drinking, that he never used to eat but as he travailed. We likewise read, that hard by the camp of Hannibal, there grew an appletree, being as full of apples as it might hung: And so great was the continence and temperance of the soldiers, that the tree after their departure remained as full of fruit, as it was when they first encamped. For they counted it a great shame and dishonour, to eat any thing that was dainty, while they were in the field. And of julius Caesar the Emperor, we read that his diet was gross and common, as herrings, sprats, cheese, and green figs, & that he did eat at all times, and in all places, whensoever he was hungry, and with this temperance and modesty, he bridled the fury and disorder that followeth of to much eating and drinking. 
Gluttony provoketh Lechery.  For the belly, being stuffed with good meats and wines, doth presently yield to the rage of riot and Lechery. And therefore sayeth Solomon in his proverbs, That wine aught not to be given to Princes: For where drunkenness hath place, no secret can be kept, And therefore the Proverb sayeth, Temperance stayeth the raging lust of youth, and of small and temperate feeding, there ariseth neither disordinate lust, nor other evil. Saint Augustine did ever use to say, that he lived not to eat, but did eat for to live, and this is the Temperance which, as the Proverb sayeth, is worthy of honour.    

36.  
But seldom poverty is seen,  
such persons to molest:  
As are of heedful government,  
and slothfulness detest,  
But idleness and gluttony  
where once they do infect,  
No virtue ever do regard,  
nor honour do respect.  

The Paraphrase.  
SAint Bernarde in an Epistle that he writeth of the ordering and governing of a house, to one Raimond a gentleman, doth specially amongst other things exhort him, to have a careful eye to his living, and to his expenses, and to take heed that his receipts be greater than his charges. For if his expenses and his revenues be one as much as the other, he shall be sure to be overshoes and undone before he be ware: and therefore his counsel is, that he that is wise, should always set his belly and his purse at discord, and upon their strife be taught to know whose part he should take. The belly proveth his purpose by the present delight that he feeleth, and the purse proveth his by the trial of the present harm and the misery to come: and far better is it for a man to provide and be careful before he come in need, then to seek for help, when he is in misery. And this is it that is meant by the Proverb, That poverty is seldom known to come to a person of good government: And gluttony, and sloth, where they once come, have never regard to Nobility. For as Saint Bernarde saith, The negligence and poverty of the Master of the house is, as it were, a burning and consuming fire in the top of it.    

37  
His time he may not idly spend,  
that seeketh for to gain.  
For knowledge is not gotten, but  
by industry and pain.  
So oughtest thou for to rule thy life,  
and order such to keep:  
As thou prefer a gainful watch,  
before a harmful sleep.  

The Paraphrase.  
SOlomon in his proverbs willeth the slugard & the loiterer, that he go to the Emoth, and consider her order and her tratravayls, which having neither Captain, nor governor, seeketh and provideth in Summer for her living, and gathereth and layeth up in the Harvest time, as much as shall suffice he to live by in the winter: And saith, that if a man will take pains & be diligent, his harvest shall flow like a fountain, and poverty shall presently fly from him, and therefore doth the Proverb bid, To prefer a gainful watch before a harmful sleep. For learning is not to be got without travel, for all men have not knowledge by the inspiration of the holy Ghost. But he that will attain to knowledge, must seek and take pains for it, and he that will come to be able to live, must as the Proverb saith, prefer a good watching, before an evil sleep.    

38.  
For procreation only, and  
increase of mortal kind,  
Forsake the chaste virginity,  
with wise and sober mind.  
Consider that this vain delight  
was once the woeful fall  
Of Solomon, for which he lost  
both wit, and grace and al.  

The Paraphrase of the Marquis.  
THe perfection and profoundness of Solomon the king of Israel, as well in natural judgement, as in knowledge of the law, is both at this day sufficiently known, and shallbe always hereafter manifest, who in his latter age being waxen effeminate, and altogether ruled by women, laid aside his obedience to GOD, and become an idolater, as may be seen at large in the book of the kings.   

The Doctor.  
THe Marquis having in his Proverbs before, declared the inconveniences that men fall into by gluttony, and excess in eating and drinking, doth show us in this Proverb, and a few that follow, the inconueviences and harms that proceed of carnal and fleshly lust: For where as men cannot live for ever, nor always continued, and that it is incident and common to them, that some be borne, and some die: it is therefore of necessity provided by nature, that men should have the company and use of women, and so break the bonds of virginity: And this aught to be done with great modesty and consideration, as the Proverb here showeth: For a man to lie with any other than his own wife, though it be with intent of increasing the world, is heinous and deadly sin, Yea, if a man lie with his own wife upon a fleshly desire, and not for procreation, he doth offend: For a man aught not to have the use of a woman for any other end, then for the increasing of posterity: Or for avoiding of whoredom, he may use his own wife. And those that do otherwise, do fall into that filthy sensuality, that brought Solomon to all his misery, whereof the Marquis hath partly spoken above.    

39  
And for the self-same grievous sin,  
Was David brought full low:  
And in the midst of mortal plagues,  
was taught his fault to know▪  
The lofty Tarquin in his pride,  
Was punished therefore,  
And from the stately gates of Rome,  
Was thrust for evermore.  

The Paraphrase of the Marquis.  
David that most holy Prophet, and king of Israel after Saul, was a man that did many worthy and notable acts, and a man of great wisdom, he doth greatly set forth the glory and Majesty of GOD in his Book of Psalms. Notwithstanding he did grievously fall and offend in fleshly and beastly affection, committing most horrible adultery: howbeit he afterwards turned to GOD with great repentance, and with great grief and mourning bewailed his offence. He committed adultery with the wife of Urias, who was mother to Solomon, for the which grievous offence, the Lord was more offended with him, then for all that ever he did, as is to be seen at large in his life.   

The Doctor.  
SExtus Tarqvinius was the son of Tarqvinius the King, as Livy in the first of his Decades writeth. The like is affirmed by Saint Augustine in his book of the City of GOD, Valerius Maximus, and many other ancient writers. No less was Lucretia famous for her virtue, than was this Tarquin to be abhorred for his wickedness. Among many that have written of the worthiness of this Lady, none doth so greatly delight me, as M. john Galensis, in a book that he wrote of the four principal virtues, whom I only determine to follow. His words as I have translated them out of the Tuscan tongue are these: Well worthy of immortal and everlasting remembrance, is the noble & virtuous Lady Lucretia: Who refusing to live any longer, did rip out the stain of the villainy and violence done unto her, with the death of her own person: The manner whereof S. Augustine telleth in his book of the city of God, saying, that Sextus Tarqvinius came with Collatinus the husband of Lucretia, to a house of his, called Collatinun, where they found Lucretia virtuously disposed amongst her maidens and women: the only Paragon of her time, & most commended of all others, was this Lucretia: Whom when the son of Tarqvinius king of the Romans had thoroughly beheld, he was presently inflamed with disordinate and wicked love towards her: whereupon within a few days after, accompanied only with one man, he returneth unknown to Collatinus, unto the aforesaid place, where he was honourably entertained and received of Lucretia: who made him great cheer, and lodged him according to his estate, supposing that she had had her friend, and not her enemy in her house. Tarqvinius being now a bed, & all a fire with the flames of beastly desire, perceiving that they were all fast a sleep in the house, taking his sword in his hand, leapeth out of his bed, and goeth directly to the chamber of Lucretia, whom he found fast a sleep: where laying his hand upon her breast, he said unto her, Lie still Lucretia, I am Sextus Tarqvinius, if thou makest any noise, thou shalt die for it. Wherewithal the Lady being with great fear awaked, and seeing no succour about her, nor any way too escape death, Tarqvinius beginneth to disclose unto her his great affection, and sometime with fair words, entreating her, and sometime again terribly threatening her, assayeth all the ways that he can devise to bring her to grant to his desire: But when he saw that she was by no ways to be removed from her steadfast and chaste mind, and that the terror of death could nothing prevail, he casteth about again, and thinkeeths to board her on an other side, and saith unto her, I will tell thee what I will do, if thou wilt not consent unto me, I will first kill thee, and afterwards kill an evil favoured knave that I have here in the house, and lay him in bed with thee, whereby it shallbe reported to the world, that thou wert taken in shameful and filthy adultery. And with this fear he overcame the chaste mind of the virtuous Lady, and having obtained his desire, with great disdain departed. Wherewith the poor Lucretia, being now overwhelmed with sorrow and pensiveness, for her great and grievous mishap, sendeth with all speed possible to her father, her husband and all other their friends at Rome, earnestly desiring them to come unto her with as much haste as they could. Who when they were come, Lucretia, all heavy and sorrowful in her bed, at their entering into the house, fell into a great weeping, and when her friends began to salute her, and to bid her be of good comfort: Alas, quoth she, What comfort can there be to a woman that hath lost her chastity? and looking steadfastly upon her husband, she cried out, and said, O Collatinus, the feet of a stranger hath been in thy bed: But I swear unto thee of a truth, only the body is defiled, for the mind was never consenting, and that shall my death presently declare: And therefore I require you all to show yourselves men, and not to suffer this horrible act to remain unpunished. Sextus Tarqvinius was he, whom I received, not as an enemy, but as a supposed friend, who hath this last night deprived me (and you also, if you be men) of all joy. When she had uttered these words, they all began to comfort her, and to tell her that her offence was nothing, being forced and constrained thereunto, and that where there was no consent, there could be no offence. Whereunto Lucretia replied, and said, As for that, look you to those things that concern yourselves, I, though I do clear myself of being guilty of any offence, yet do I not discharge myself of punishment. There shall never chaste woman take occasion to be evil by the example of Lucretia: And with these words, plucking out a knife that she had secretly hidden, and thrusting it to her heart, she fell down dead, whereat both her husband and Brutus her father, making great lamentation, presently drew out the knife out of the wound, being all stained & imbrued with blood: which knife Brutus taking in his hand, swore to revenge the injury and the death of his daughter, and to destroy both Tarquin the king, his wife, and his children, either by fire, by sword, or by all the ways that he might, and never to suffer any of the kindred to reign in Rome. With which he gave the knife to Collatinus, and so from one to another: Whereby this mourning changed into wrath, and desire of revenge: they all made promise to follow Brutus, and taking with them the body of Lucretia, they brought it to Rome, and laid it in the midst of the market place, to the end that the horror of so strange a fact, might stir up the people to revenge it. At the sight whereof, the people were strait in arms, and following Brutus, they thrust out of Rome Sextus Tarqvinius, who after miserably died in prison.    

4●  
No less was worthy Scipio,  
Commended for the deed:  
That from his chaste and worthy mind,  
Did worthily proceed.  
Then for his valiant manly acts,  
Esteemed in his days,  
By which he to his Country got,  
A never dieing praise.  

The Paraphrase of the Marquis.  
COrnelius Scipio, as Valerius rehearseth in his third book, having taken the City of Carthage, was told by his soldiers that in the sack of the Town there was taken a young maiden, of wonderful beauty & great parentage, who was affianced to a Gentleman of the nobility: which as soon as he understood, he commanded that the Damsel, her husband, and her parents, should be brought before him, and caused the young maid safe and untouched to be delivered unto them, giving with the maid in marriage, a great mass and quantity of Treasure, that was offered for their ransom.    

41  
Shun idleness, and give thyself  
To honest exercise.  
That neither wicked vice, nor lewd  
Allurements of the eyes,  
Have power or force at any time,  
To bring thy heart in thrall:  
For to subdue the raging flesh  
Is (sure) no matter small.  

The Paraphrase.  
SAint Hierome saith, in a certain advice that he giveth to a friend of his, Be always busy in some labour or other, that the Devil may find thee occupied. And the reason is, because idleness is the root and groundwork (as the Proverb saith) of all manner of sin, specially, of lechery, which springeth sooner of idle imaginations, than any sin beside: Whereupon Seneca in his fourth Tragedy, bringeth in the old Nurse, who seeketh to dissuade Phaedra from the beastly love that she bore to her son in law Hippolytus, where Phaedra saith that there was no blame nor fault in her, since Cupid the God of love had so mortally wounded her, and that there was none to be blamed for it, but the God himself. The Nurse answereth, That brainsick and wicked persons, the better to cloak and colour their naughtiness, and that they might the freelier attain to their lecherous purposes, have vainly imagined a Godhead to be in love, saying that there is a GOD of love, whose power extendeth not only to men, but even to the very Gods: which, saith the nurse, is a false and shameful devise. For whosoever hath abundance of wealth, & liveth at pleasure, giving himself to idleness, banqueting, and surfeiting, passing his life in dalliance and disport, such a one doth love continually torment: if it be not so, ask of the Lady Venus, how chance she hath so cold entertainment in the poor labourer's houses, where you shall seldom or never see any of them go mad for love? And the only reason of it is, that they are continually painfully labouring and travailing to get their living, not having any time to be idle or evil occupied. To live in the flesh, as the Divines say, and not to follow the flesh, is a work more proper to God then to man, and cannot possibly be done without great labour and virtuous exercises: And therefore the Proverb saith, It is no small matter to subdue the flesh: That is to say, for a man to conquer himself. And therefore those that first devised Monasteries, and religious orders, did above all other things ordain, that they should never be idle, nor have any thing to occupy their minds withal but virtuous exercises, and this is the effect of the Proverb, where it saith: Shun idleness, and give thyself to honest exercise.    

42.  
For not enough it is, to flee  
From actions lewd or ill,  
But also from the motion to  
offend in thought or wil  
So much we aught for to eschew,  
The foul and wicked thought:  
Because it is the only seed,  
And root of doing naught.  

The Paraphrase.  
THE faults that we here commit are of two sorts, either they are done by chance, and unwittingly, or they are done upon knowledge, which cannot be without imagination: Also our thoughts and imaginations are, as the Doctors say, of two sorts. One is the first motion that we have to offend, and this because it is not in our power, being, as we be naturally, inclined to deadly sin, is not to be reckoned for sin: But if we take pleasure in our evil thoughts, and continuing in them, determine to put them in execution as soon as we may have time and place, this is as great an offence as if we had already done it, according to the saying of our Saviour in the Gospel, Whosoever looketh upon a Woman, to lust after her, hath already committed adultery in his heart. For the evil thought was the seed and causer of the sin, and would, if time had served, have performed the deed. And therefore Seneca in his fourth Tragedy, bringing in the Nurse, that dissuadeth Phedra from her evil pretence that she had to play the Whore with her son in law, maketh her to say thus, O worthy and most renowned Lady, descended of the worthy Stock of jupiter, and wife unto Theseus, banish speedily from thy noble and chaste breast this most heinous and shameful imagination, quench quickly the raging flames of this unnatural desire, make not thy mind to be the worker of so wicked and devilish a devise: whosoever resisteth this frantic and fond affection of love, the same may be well assured that he shall conquer and overcome it: But he that nourisheth the sweet poison, that is, the wicked thought, and delighteth in it, it is very hard for such an one to refuse the yoke, to which they have once submitted their neck. And this is it that the Proverb here saith, That we aught not only to flee from doing of evil: But also from thinking of evil, for of evil thoughts, there never springeth, as is said, good seed.    

43  
A goodly ornament to man,  
I do accounted the wife,  
Where as she is obedient,  
To reason all her life.  
In marriage look thou be not led,  
By fancy or opinion:  
But in thy choice beware and wise,  
With heed and great discretion.  

The Paraphrase.  
SOlomon saith in his proverbs, that the man that happeneth upon a good wife, is blessed of the Lord, and the tale of his years shallbe doubled, that is, he shall live twice so long as he should have done. And in an other place, he saith, That no better lot can happen to a man, than a good wife. And this is it that the Proverb saith, That the wife is an ornament to her husband, when she will be ruled by reason. In what sort this obedience aught to be, the Apostle teacheth, saying, Let the husband be the head of the woman, and as the head hath the pre-eminence and principality over all the rest of the members, so aught the husband to have over his wife, who as Aristotle in his Economics doth say, aught not to be used of her husband like a Slave, but as his companion, and his fellow: And the husband according to the doctrine of the Apostle, Is bound to use her well, and to love her, and she to honour and fear him. Fear (as Aristotle in the book above mentioned saith) is of two kinds. The one is called a servile fear, the other a sonly fear. The servile is that, which is had for fear of punishment, and not for any love: and this is the fear that the Slave hath of his master, who as he serveth against his own will and by force, he doth it more for fear, then for love. The Sonnely fear, is a medley of fear and love together: And this is the fear that the son hath of his father, and that the wife aught to have of her husband, for if the wife fear her husband, and doth what soever he commandeth her, she aught not to do it for fear of any punishment that she should have if she did it not, but for fear of displeasing & offending her husband, and to the end her husband should think well of her, in seeing her willingness in doing whatsoever he commandeth her. And this is the meaning of the proverb A godly ornament to man, I do account the wife, where as she is obedient to reason all her life. That is, when she shall love and reverence her husband, and while she keep herself honest and chaste, looking carefully to such things as be about the house, as Aristotle at large discourseth in his said book of Oeconomykes, and Solomon in the end of his proverbs, whither because I would be short, I refer the reader. The Proverb saith further, That in marriage a man aught not to follow his fancy. 
The choice of a wife.  Wherein there are two things to be understood. The first, that he take a wife of a good & virtuous kindred, according as a Philosopher once answered, when it was asked of him, what manner of wife were best to be chosen. Marry, quoth he, such a one whose mother & grandmother thou knewest to be honest & chaste: for as the parents have been, such will commonly the daughter be. So likewise in marrying, a man aught to choose a wife of like degree & state to himself, & such a one as is answerable to his years, according to the old Proverb, Like good, like blood, like age, maketh a good marriage. And as Ovid sayeth, The Oxen that are unequally matched, will never draw well together. And therefore the Proverb saith, Choose thy wife with heed, and great discretion.    

44.  
For such as seek a wife for goods,  
and do not greatly way  
Her virtues, nor her honesty,  
do seek their own decay.  
A harm it is that hath no help,  
such marriage for to make,  
Wherefore, my son, let never such  
a fault thee overtake.  

The Paraphrase.  
IT is generally agreed upon amongst the Philosophers, that good is divided into two kinds, the one of them profitable and commodious, the other honest. And where profit on the one side, and honesty on the other side meeteth, we aught always to prefer honesty before profit. And as their opinion is, the virtues are contained under the kind of honest goods, and worldly goods, under the kind of profitable goods. And he that refuseth a virtuous wife for her want of worldly wealth, and taketh a wife for riches, not regarding her virtues, trespasseth against reason, and seeketh his own disquietness and harm; that will never be recovered. For the goods that he hath, shall quickly be consumed, & he shall be plagued at home with a froward fool. For as the wise man in his Proverbs saith, A wise and a virtuous wife, raiseth and setteth up the house, but a foolish woman bringeth it to ruin: for she will waste and consume the goods that she brought with her, and whatsoever her husband besides by his travalle getteth: neither is it good to take a wife of greater parentage than he himself is, but only to regard, that she be virtuous, and equal in degree to himself. For as it is written in the Chronicle of the Philosophers, Cleobolus one of the seven wise men of Athens, did ever say, that the wife aught to be of no greater blood than her husband. For if thou takest a wife of higher degree than thyself, thou shalt always be sure to have thy wives kindred to be as Lords over thee. And therefore the Proverb sayeth, My son, beware thou never commit such a folly.    

45.  
The beauty and the favour sweet  
of women could I praise,  
If them I found accompanied  
with wisdom any ways.  
But very hardly or by hap,  
they agreed together right,  
And many times they are the marks  
of persons that be light.  

The Paraphrase.  
MOst certain it is, that the more good things do meet together, the better it is. As to have a wife that is honest, beautiful, and wise, is far better than to have one that is honest, and neither wise nor well favoured. But because they seldom happen together, nor are not far distant from looseness, you shall very hardly see a very fair woman to be very wise, and as Ovid saith, haughtiness, and disdain, is naturally incident to fair women. Pride is always the companion of beauty. And herein is verified that which the Poets in their fables have written, and also Seneca in his seventh book declareth, that the Goddess Venus the better to hide her whoredom, enclosed herself and her mate within a very dark house, and yet not so close, but the jealous Sun was peeping in with his bright beams at the small crannies & holes, where he discovered all. Whereat the good Lady taking great displeasure with the Sun, because he had so uncourteously handled her, laid her heavy curse upon him, causing that all the womankind that were descended from the Sun, should be as good as ever twigged. Now of the lineage and kindred of the Sun, are all well-favoured and beautiful Dames, and therefore, because you shall hardly found a fair woman, that is not foolish and dishonest, it is said, that the curse of Venus did light upon them. And this is the signification of this tale. And Solomon saith in his proverbs, That beauty in a woman without wisdom, is like unto a ring of gold in the snout of a sow. And this is it, That beauty and wisdom seldom meet, nor are far distant from lightness.    

46.  
Yet here withal I do not count  
the kind of women all,  
To be unprofitable, or  
of use or value small:  
For why, I know they have been praised  
of diverse worthily,  
And that their virtues have been pend  
in many an history.  

The Paraphrase.  
PYthagoras, and his followers, were of opinion, that there were two chief heads, the one the author of all goodness, the other the author of evil. And unto these two they referred all things that were wrought in the world, and said, that of the God of goodness, proceeded and came the light, and all things that were good and perfect: of which number they accounted Man. Of the God of evil, sprang darkness, and all unperfect things: amongst which they reckoned the woman. And in very deed, having respect to man, the woman is an unperfect creature, although not so unperfect▪ but by teaching she may be brought to some perfection, and to be profitable in her kind. For as Aristot. saith in his Economics, and they be also the words of saint Isidore, that to bring things to a perfection, it behoveth to have the man, the woman, & the ox that ploweth. And in the name of the working ox, he includeth all manner of Instruments that are necessary about an house. And further, he saith, that it proceeded of the great wisdom and discretion of nature, that man was made of more perfection than the woman, because he was to command, and she to obey, and that man was of more activity and ability than the woman, because his office was to travail in matters abroad, & without doors, & hers only to sit at home, and to keep that which is brought in. And therefore the Proverb saith, that the woman is not unprofitable, nor unperfect. Neither aught we to think, that because some women have been to blame, therefore they are all to be condemned. For as the nurse saith to Hippolytus, as Seneca in his fourth Tragedy showeth, where Hippolytus saith, that if there had never been other evil woman but Medea, the wife of Aegeus, her only villainies were sufficient to 'cause all other women to be abhorred. Whereto the nurse answereth, that it were greatly against reason, that the offence of one or two should be the blame of all the rest: And therefore sayeth the Proverb, that notwithstanding the faults of a few, the virtues of women have been highly commended and set out with the pen.    

47.  
For, setting here aside that sweet  
and blessed worthy rose,  
That over all the rest doth shine,  
and far beyond them goes:  
The daughter of the thundering God,  
and spouse unto the highest,  
The light and lamp of women all,  
who bore our saviour Christ:   

48.  
Many Ladies of renown  
and beautiful there be,  
That are both chaste and virtuous,  
and famous for degree.  
Among the blessed holy saints,  
full many a one we found,  
That in this compass may be brought,  
for lives that brightly shined.   

49.  
What should I of Saint Katherine  
that blessed martyr tell:  
Among the rest of Virgins all,  
a flower of preecious smell?  
Well worthy of remembrance is  
her beauty, and her youth:  
And eke no less deserveth praise  
her knowledge in the truth.  

The Marquis.  
SAint Katherine was a virgin, and a holy Martyr, and among the whole company of Saints of special commendation, touching whose life and death, being a thing so commonly known, I refer the Reader to the book called The Flower of Saints.    

50.  
We find that Hester wanted neither  
beauty great, nor grace:  
Whose noble mind was joined with  
the favour of her face.  
Of judith likewise do we read,  
the beauty great to be:  
And how she virtuously behaved  
herself in each degree.  

The Paraphrase of the Marquis.  
HEster the Queen, was the wife of King Assuerus, of whom it shall not be needful to speak much, considering that in the Paraphrase to the proverb of Assuerus, in the beginning of the Book, there hath been enough said. It is sufficient to know that she was a holy woman, and a devout servant of God, as appeared by her virtuous life, and by the earnest Prayers that she made unto God, in the case of Hamon and Mardocheus. judith (as her Book testifieth, which is one of the 24 books of the Bible) was reputed among the jews, for a woman of singular wisdom, and of great honesty in life: who slew the great Holofernes, that being sent by the King Nabuchodonosor with a great and puissant Camp, had besieged the City of jerusalem, as her Book at large declareth, where it also appeareth by what great policicie (after she had slain him) she conveyed his head, passing thorough the watch of the Camp, to the aforesaid City. This only fact (renowned Prince) struck such a fear and terror to the hearts of the enemies, as they speedily and without order, to their great loss, broke up their siege. So as she is greatly commended in the Scripture, for her beauty, and for her noble and valiant stomach.    

51.  
The famous worthy women, that  
among the heathen war,  
No reason that of good report  
among the rest we bar.  
For why? their valour and renown  
was wondrous in their days:  
And therefore not to be deprived  
of due deserved praise.   

52.  
In Athens and in Thebes too  
were Ladies great of fame.  
The troyans, Sabines, Greeks & Arge  
had many a worthy dame.  
The Laurentines, the Amazons  
may triumph for the same.  
And Rome of virtuous women can,  
remember many a name.   

53.  
Not fairer creatures could be seen,  
than Vagnes and Diana:  
Daphne's, Dido, Anna, and  
the virtuous Lucretia.  
Nor unrembred let we pass  
Virginia, the same  
Whose passing chastity procured  
her everlasting fame.  

The Paraphrase.  
VAgnes as Statius in his Book of the Wars betwixt the Thebans and the Argians reporteth, was the chief among the Argian Ladies, that went altogether to King Creon with humble petition, for the delivery of the dead bodies of their husbands and kinsmen, that were slain at the battle of Thebes, fight against Ethiocles the Son of Oedippus, and nephew to King Layus, who was of the lineage and stock of Cadmus: Who having received a flat denial, went altogether to Theseus, that then was Duke of Athens, declaring unto him with great exclamation, the great cruelty and extremity that was showed unto them. Theseus who was then newly come from the wars of the Amazons (as john Boccace the poet of Florence, in his Book of Theseus, at large describeth) vowed, that before he entered the City, he would go out of hand with his whole forces against Creon, requiring him yet before by his Ambassadors, to grant unto the poor Ladies, this their so just and reasonable request: which when he disdainfully refused to do, he made wars upon him, and slew him, whereby the gentlemen of Argos, by the industry and diligence of the virtuous Vagnes, came in the end to be honourably buried. At the end of this battle, wherein Creon was slain by the hands of Theseus, beginneth the story of Arcyt and Palemon, the servants and great lovers of Emilia the sister of Hippolytus, which because of the tediousness, and that the matter maketh nothing to our purpose, I here pass over. Diana was counted the goddess of Chastity, a Lady that set all her delight upon the field in the chase and hunting of wild beasts. Lucretia and other the famous Ladies of Rome, are sufficiently mentioned, as well by Livy, and Valerius in their stories, as by Saint August. a man of more credit, in his Book Of the City of God, and john Boccace in the fall of Princes, and commendation of worthy women, where it is showed how she, being the wife of Collatinus, was violently forced by Sextus Tarqvinius, whereupon with a knife, or a sword, she slew herself, saying, I free myself from the fault, but not from punishment: which I here but briefly touch, because I have written thereof before in the story of Sextus Tarqvinius. Daphnis was daughter to Peneus, a Virgin, dedicated to Diana the Lady of Chastity, who as Ovid writeth, being greatly desired of Phoebus, and not consenting nor able to withstand the force of her furious lover, commending herself to all the gods, but specially to Diana whom she served, was (as the Poets feign) transformed into the Laurel, a tree of continual greenness, sweet of savour, and of a delectable shadow. The moral whereof being declared by divers Authors, as Friar Thomas of Capua in his Morals upon the Metamorphosis, john Boccace, in his Genealogy of the heathen gods, and Master john the Englishman, commenting upon the same Book, I here leave to declare, as a thing to long to entreat off. It may suffice that she was counted among the heathen for a maiden of singular beauty. Anna was mother to the Virgin Mary, and wife to joachim, a woman of great sanctity and virtuousness of life. An other of the same name was sister to Queen Dido, a woman of great commendation among the heathen, both of them as well she of the hebrews as the Heathen, were worthy to be had in continual memory. Dido as appeareth by her true story, was the daughter of King Belus, sister to Pygmalion, & wife of Sichaeus, who after the death of her husband made a vow never to marry again, & forsook the country where her husband was murdered, by the means of her traitorous brother Pygmalion, & coming into Africa, founded the stately City of Carthage. Where while she purposed to live a sole and a chaste life, being required in marriage by the King Hiarbas, and utterly refusing, she was by the said Hiarbas strongly besieged, and brought to so hard a point, that seeing no other way to escape, and to preserve her chastity, choosing rather to die then to live thus violated, threw herself, into a great flame of fire, & so ended her days. This story although Virgil do otherwise declare, yet is he not, considering the liberty of a Poet, greatly to be blamed. Virginea with what earnestness she was required by Appius Claudius, to consent to his dishonest and unlawful lust, is sufficiently declared by Livy in his second Decade, and likewise by john Boccace in his Book Of the fall of Princes, where it is at large declared, with how great constancy the chaste maiden preserved her virginity.    

54.  
Prefer a life with liberty,  
above all other things:  
A virtue great it is, and worthy  
of the pains it brings.  
A shameful great reproach it is,  
without it for to fly:  
An honourable thing it is  
for such a good to die,  

The Paraphrase.  
THe ancient Philosophers were of opinion, that all the Virtues were to be reduced into the number of four, which they named Cardinal or principal virtues, whereof they accounted to be chief Fortitude or manhood, which as Aristotle in the third of his Ethics testifieth, is so much the more excellent and praiseworthy, as the subject and matter wherewith it dealeth, his dreadful and difficult: for manhood hath for his object or contrary, Death, which is, as Aristotle saith, the last of all dreadful and terrible things, beside the great dangers, and sharp and cruel adventures: So as by reason of the difficulty or hardness of the object, there are but few that happen to attain to this virtue. And as it is written in the Civil law, those that loose their lives for the liberty of their country, are counted to live for ever: for much better is it for a man to die freely in fight, for the liberty of his Country, then escaping to live with a shameful and cowardly flight. And as the Proverb here saith, and they be the very words in effect of Aristotle in the 3. of the Ethics, The death that is honourable, is to be preferred before a dishonourable life, which the Marquis doth plainly set forth by examples following.    

55.  
O, what a death had Cato died  
if it had lawful been:  
And had not by the just decrees  
of God been made a sin.  
No less do I the worthy fact  
of Mucius here commend:  
That Livy in his story hath  
so eloquently pend.  

The Paraphrase.  
AFter that Pompey was overthrown by Caesar at the battle of Pharsalia, & had retired himself to Lesbos, where his wife Cornelia lay, & passing from thence to Egypt, was slain by the hands of Photinus and Achillas, at the commandment of king Ptolemy, who was at that time his servant. Cato, who saw that the side of Pompey went in such sort to wrack, as was not by any means to be recovered, fled unto the city of Utica: where, fearing by some misadventure to fall into the hands of Caesar his mortal enemy, he presently dispatthed himself. Mucius Scevola was a man of great courage among the Romans, who when Porsenna the King had with a great power besieged the City, determined with a noble mind to raise the siege: and to bring his matter to better effect, went secretly alone out of the City, with full intent to kill the King, and happening to spy in the Camp, a Secretary of the Kings apparelled in Princely robes, supposing that it was the King, thrust him thorough the body with his sword, whereupon being presently taken by the Guard, and such as stood by, he was shackled and brought before the King, who demanding of him what foolish presumption had brought him to this misery? he answered, that not only he, but divers others, to the number of an hundred more, had professed by solemn oath, for the deliverance of the City, to do their uttermost endeavour in kill of the king: Whereupon Porsenna, giving credit to the words of Mucius Scevola, presently raised his siege, commanding that Scevola should forthwith be burned: who when he was brought unto the fire, thrusting out his hand with a valiant courage into the flame, there held it, till such time, as the whiteness of the bones, the flesh being scorched away, appeared, and when he was asked, what made him to use such cruelty to his own flesh: he answered, that since his hand had failed of his virtuous purpose, it was good reason, that it should suffer such punishment for so great an offence.    

56.  
For (son) if thou do much esteem  
thyself, and seek'st to live,  
Thou never shalt receive the crown,  
that mighty Mars doth give:  
But if thou dost abandon all  
faint heart and foolish fear:  
Thou shalt not want the honour, nor  
the state thou seekest to bear.  

The Paraphrase.  
ACcording to the true opinion of both the Astronomers and the Catholic divines, we are not in such sort constrained by the stars to do any thing, as we be thereby deprived of our own will, to do of necessity that which they foreshow, but by inclining us to do certain actions, they move all our bodily forces to do such things as they signify. Which doth not so far enforce us, but that as Ptolemy saith in his Centiloquium, A wise and a virtuous man, may rule & reign over the stars. That is, though the stars do stir and move a man to do evil, yet the party himself hath sufficient power, if he will, to do well. But the old people, being ignorant of this virtue, and seeing the Planet Mars did move men to be ventures and soldiers, held opinion, that he was the only god of battles, and that he advanced and rewarded all such as were valiant and venturous: which old manner of speaking, is here by the Marquis at this time followed. And most certain it is, that such as make much of themselves, do shun as much as they may, the coming into any peril or danger. Of which sort of people Seneca in his first tragedy speaketh, where he saith, That great years and grey hears, happeneth to fainthearted, and such as love to sleep in a whole skin. For such manner of persons will be sure to commit themselves to no hazard nor danger, whereby they are uncapable of any virtue or honour. For Honour as Aristotle in the fourth of his Ethics saith, is a reverence, that is given to men in reward and recompense of their virtues. And therefore the Marquis saith, That whosoever is so valiant, as not to regard his life in any virtuous attempt, shall be sure to receive the crown of Mars: that is, the renown & reward of a virtuous mind, which he shall quickly attain unto if he repress fear. And where as there are in the virtue of Fortitude two extremes or vices, the one in venturing to far, the other in fearing to much: the Marquis hath not here said, If thou restrainest boldness, as he sayeth, If thou abandonest fear: because as Aristotle in the third of his Ethics affirmeth, and as daily experience teacheth, the nature of man is more inclined to fearfulness then to boldness, and therefore those that seek to be valiant and virtuous, aught more to travel in the repressing and abandoning of fear, then in the restraint or temperance of boldness. And therefore to good purpose sayeth the Marquis in this Proverb, If thou abandonest or forcest fear, and not courage, and because as it is said above, it is in every man's power and will to be virtuous, it is here well said of the Proverb, Thou shalt not want the honour, nor the state thou seekest to bear.    

57  
Detest an evil life, that's led  
with foul reproach and shame:  
And always ready be to die,  
with honourable name.  
For life cannot be lent for loan,  
nor let from day to day:  
Nor can the appointed hour be shunned  
nor scape any way.  

The Paraphrase.  
THE Emperors did in their laws carefully provide for the behoof and good estate of their Subjects, to set down rewards and encouragements, for such as were honest and virtuous, and to devise punishments and corrections, for such as were wicked and evil disposed. And it is very well thought, as hath been said before, that such as valiantly lost their lives, either in defence of their faith, or for the liberty of their country, are rewarded with everlasting life: or if any man die in the defence of his own honesty, he shall continually be well thought of, and commended. But such as cowardly forsake the field, and run away from the wars, the laws have appointed to die, and are accounted for wretches and villains, whether they die or live, and their shameful and reproachful life, is more grief to them then any death that can be devised, especially an honest death, & this is the meaning of the Proverb, Detest an evil life etc. For as Aristotle in the 3. of his Ethics saith, A man is borne to honour & liberty, which two things, we aught always to keep and maintain, and to covet by all means we can, to diehonestly, & to live virtuously. The Proverb saith further, that life can not be borrowed. For as job sayeth, The Lord hath rated the days of our life, which can not be lengthened: And therefore no man may shun the appointed hour that God hath determined. And hereupon ariseth the tale among the Poets, of the three sisters of destiny, whereof the one of them called Clotho, carrieth the distaff, the other named Lachesis, spinneth, and draweth out the thread, which the third sister, Atropos, windeth up upon the reel. And as Seneca in his first Tragedy saith, These three sisters are so cruel and hard, that it was never seen, that the thread which they had once wound up, could ever be got back again. These sisters of the Destiny do signify in deed the posting time of our transitory life, whereof the day once past, can never be called back again. And therefore sayeth Seneca, these three unliberall Ladies do rule by assured order, and may neither shorten nor lengthen, otherwise then is appointed. Therefore aught every man to apply himself to die well, since the time of his death can by no manner of means be altered.    

58.  
King Codrus rather chose to have  
the conquest then to live,  
And never did his noble mind  
refuse his life to give,  
To save a valiant company  
of such as him did serve,  
The life is always well bestowed  
that doth such praise deserve.  

The Paraphrase.  
COdrus being (as both saint Austin & Valerius report) the king of Athens, when as he was to fight with Pelops duke of the Lacedæmonians, and had answer of his Idols, to whom he sacrificed, that the side whose captain was slain should have the victory, preferrin, glike a worthy gentleman, the lives & prosperity of his poor subjects far above his own, apparailing himself in a base and simple habit, and rushing into the thickest of the enemies, was presently slain. Of whom Virgil writeth, that he chose rather to die with the victory, then to live with the overthrow.    

59  
Take no delight to hear thy deeds  
commended to thy face,  
A thing that wisdom always hath  
accounted for disgrace,  
And if thou dost reproachful words  
of any man sustain,  
It is no commendation, to  
to report the same again.  

The Paraphrase.  
Under the virtue of Fortitude is taken and included all manner of virtuous and godly actions, that are done without respect of praise. For a man aught not to look for the praise of the people, as a recompense for his good deed, and specially if it be done in his own presence, which for two causes is to be disliked. The one, because that glory nor praise is no perfect recompense or reward for any virtue: For as Boecius sayeth, Praise or glory is naught else amongst the multitude, but a tickling and bewitching of the ears. The other reason is, that praises and commendations before the face, doth rather seem a kind of flattering and clawing, than a praise. The Proverb saith further, That if thou dost reproachful words of any man sustain, It is no commendation, to report the same again. The meaning of it is, that no man that is of great mind or courage, aught to speak of the injurious and evil words that hath been offered him, but shall rather be counted both wiser and valianter, if he dissemble them, and seem not to weigh them, as it is written in the third book Of the lives of the Philosophers: where a Philosopher being railed at, and reviled, made this answer, Thou, quoth he, hast learned to speak evil, and I have learned, to make no account of lewd speech. And more is he to be commended, that beareth evil words, than he that offereth them.    

60.  
Likewise the praising of thyself,  
thine acts and special grace,  
Doth never thee advance, but all  
thy doings doth deface.  
For if the deeds that here thou dost,  
be only done for praise,  
An error great thou dost commit,  
and walkest the crooked ways.  

The Paraphrase.  
SOlomon is his proverbs saith, Let a stranger commend thee, and not thine own mouth. And Cato saith, Neither praise nor dispraise thine own doings: for thy praise in thine own mouth is a great disgrace unto thee. And those that praise themselves, because as Tully saith, it seemeth to proceed of pride, do thereby bring themselves into hatred and evil william. So as if any man shall set forth his own doings, to the end to be commended & honoured, and shall thereby be reputed to be a man of great vanity and folly, his error as the Proverb saith, shall appear to be great.    

61.  
Such things as wonderful do seem,  
but seld or never tell,  
For all men have not heads alike,  
To judge thy credit well.  
And many words to use doth show,  
no great perfection,  
'tis better for to show thy deeds,  
and let thy tongue alone.  

The Paraphrase.  
THe chances that are wonderful, are those that do seldom happen, which though a man hath seen with his own eyes, yet will not the common people (who never believe more than is subject to their gross senses) give credit to him that shall report them, but shall be counted a liar and vain prater for telling of them. And therefore if a man be not driven by necessity to tell it, it is much better for him to keep his tongue. For as Isocrates sayeth, I have many time repented for words that I have spoken, but for keeping silence, never. And every man's perfection doth rather stand in the proof of his works, then in his words, according as Saint Luke writeth in the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles, touching our Saviour, where he sayeth, that our Lord jesus Christ began to do and to teach: where he placeth his works before his words, which is the meaning of the Proverb, And many words to use doth show no great perfection, 'tis better, etc.     

The sixth Chapter of Liberality and Frankness.  

62.  
Be frank and free at all assays,  
with speed bestow thy gift:  
The goodliest grace in giving, is  
to be short and swift.  
Well understand the quality  
of that thou dost bestow,  
Which seen, thou shalt be able soon  
the quantity to know.  

The Paraphrase.  
AS Seneca sayeth in his book of Benefits, we are not borne to live only to ourselves, but to benefit and profit our kinsmen, our friends, our neighbours, yea, and every other person that we can. Sigh nature, as the civil law saith, hath linked all men in a consanguinity and duty each to other. And therefore we are bound being of ability, to be liberal and bountiful to such as live in want and necessity, though as the Doctors say, it aught to be done by order and degrees, as first to consider our parents, next our children, than our kindred, and after them our friends, and so throughout as they be in degree. And if so be we have some of our kindred that be of the household of faith, and others that be not, the Apostle willeth us (if our power be not sufficient to serve them both) rather to relieve those that be of the faith, than the others, and this great virtue, Liberality hath, as Aristotle writeth in the fourth of his Ethics, certain circumstances: As that he that giveth aught, to consider to whom he giveth, and to what end he giveth, and to look that the things which he giveth, be not of the basest of his substance, as Cain did, who offered unto God the very worst and vilest of his flock, whereas Abel offering the best that he had, his Sacrifice was accepted, & Cain's refused. Likewise, he is to consider, to whom he giveth. For to give to such as have no need, is to cast away that, which is given. It must also be known, whether the party to whom we give, be able to work, and can by his labour sufficiently maintain himself. For to give to such a one, were to rob another, that is not able to labour, nor hath any mean to get his living, and yet, as the lawyers say, if a man be well borne and descended of a good house, so as he cannot, considering his parentage, without great shame & disparagement, give himself to any base trade of life, although he be of ability for body to travel and labour, yet is it a good turn to relieve him, because he is in the same case with him that can neither labour nor hath means to get his living, 
A right Spanish stomach.  for with his honesty he cannot abase himself to any vile occupation, and therefore is to be considered. Moreover we aught to regard the manner and intent of our liberality, which aught not to bestowed for any vaunt or vainglory, as appeareth by the example in the Gospel, where our Saviour, being present in the temple, there cometh in together, to offer, a proud wealth Pharisey, and a poor virtuous widow. The rich Miser offereth of his great substance, great and precious presents: the poor widow turneth out of the bottom her purse, and her heart, a poor silly Farthing. Our Lord demandeth, which of the twain had offered most, and gave sentence with the poor widow, because the mind of the giver, who only gave it in respect of the service of God, & not for any vaunt, or vainglory, as the rich man did. Beside all this, we aught to give that, which we give, with a willing & a cheerful mind, as the Apostle saith, For the Lord doth love a cheerful giver, and such a one, as is not slack nor slow in the bestowing of his benefits. For he giveth double, as the common proverb is, that giveth soon: & as Solomon saith in his proverbs, Say not unto the poor man, go, & come again to morrow, when it is in thy hand to help him presently. For as Aristotle in the fourth of his Ethics saith, Liberality standeth not in the giving of many & sumptuous gifts, but in the habit of him that giveth, whatsoever it be that is given: that is to say, in the cheerful & bountiful mind of the giver, which all are here briefly comprehended by the Marquis: Be frank and free. etc.    

63.  
By worthy liberality  
great Alexander won  
His fame and high renown, when all  
the world he overran.  
And likewise Titus for his frankness  
great, and acts of fame.  
Among the worthy conquerors  
obtained a worthy name.  

The Paraphrase.  
ALexander king of the Macedons, and one of the 3. monarchies of the world, was a Prince of great liberality and frankness, of whom Seneca writeth in his Book of Benefits, That when as a poor minstrel came unto him, & beseeched him to bestow a penny upon him, the king presently gave him a whole town, and when the poor fellow, half astonished, told that so great a gift was not fit for him: Alexander answered him, he did not regard what was meet for such a fellow to receive, but what was seemly for so great a Prince to give. Titus was Emperor of Rome, a Prince of a noble mind, and of great liberality, who as it is reported by Eutropius in his life, and other ancient Authors had proclaimed, that whosoever had any suit unto him, what soever it were, it should be granted, & when some of his counsel misliking it, had told him, that it would be a means to discredit him, when he should not be able to perform that which he promised. He answered them, that it was not convenient, that any person should depart from the face of a Prince with a discomforted and heavy heart. It is also reported of him, that being set at Supper, and calling to remembrance that he had not bestowed any thing upon any man that day, looking with a discontented countenance, he said unto those that were with him, Alas my friends, I have utterly lost this day: meaning that the time is never well spent of Princes, wherein they are not giving to some body.    

64.  
But Midas with his mass of gold,  
was had in great disdain,  
And he and all his treasures thought  
to be but fond and vain,  
The fowl unprincely answer of  
Antigonus the king,  
With stain unto his state, his name  
to infamy did bring.  

The Paraphrase.  
MIdas, as Ovid in his Metamorphosis declareth, was king of Phrigia, who received with great entertainment the Gods, jupiter, and Mercury, as they happened to come by him, who willing to make him some recompense for his good will towards them, bade him to ask of them whatsoever he most desired. Midas being a most miserable wretch, and covetous as the Devil, desired of them, that whatsoever he touched, and whatsoever touched him, might presently turn into gold: which was by and by granted him, whereby he become in a short time to be wonderful rich, but when the fool was in the midst of his Paradise, the very drink and meat that should sustain him, turning into gold, he died, (as it is reported) of famishment. The moral of this tale, I here mean not to meddle with, because it hath been touched by many great and learned Philosophers and Poets. It sufficeth to know, that it noteth and reproveth the shameful and most wicked vice of covetousness and filthy avarice. Antigonus the king is greatly blamed of Seneca, in his book of Benefits: of whom he writeth, that when a poor man desired of him a great quantity of gold, he made answer, that it was a great deal too much, and not meet for him to require: and when the poor soul desired him to give him but a penny, he answered again, how that was too small a thing for a king to give. And thus not regarding how foully this dishonourable niggardliness, & pinchpining doth blemish the name of a Prince, the covetous Antigonus made these answers to the poor miserable fellow, which deserve for ever to be recorded, as a foil & counter show to the noble Emperors Alexander and Titus.    

65.  
I like not him that's prodigal,  
nor such I list to praise:  
And yet the man that well deserves,  
I hurt not any ways.  
The troth is, that I much mislike  
to live in need and want:  
But ten times more a miser, that  
is covetous and scant.  

The Paraphrase.  
THE Prodigal man, as Aristotle in the fourth book of his ethics saith, is he that spendeth more than is needful, & where it is needless. Who, perceiving the virtues of the liberal man, that spendeth that which is meet, and where it behoveth, and that the covetous miser is condemned, for not spending that, which he aught: taketh himself straightways for a liberal and a virtuous Gentleman: and sayeth, that he useth money, as it aught to be used. And this is a vice greatly to be avoided, for the mean betwixt these two extremes of Prodigality, and covetousness, is the virtue Liberality. howbeit, true it is, as Aristotle sayeth, the lesser vice of the twain, and more to be borne withal, is Prodigality. For the prodigal man profiteth those to whom he giveth, although he hurteth himself: But the Churl and the miser neither profiteth himself, nor any man else. Besides he that is prodigal, will sooner come to be virtuous, and liberal, them the covetous, for two reasons. The one is, that by reason of his great expenses falling in to need and want, he will quickly see what hurt he receiveth by too much spending, and will from that time forward learn to be wiser, and to keep his money the better. The second is, that with the time of his spending, he waxeth aged, and people in their old years be more sparing and thrifty, then in their youth, because the hope of gaming is now taken from them, which in youth doth always encourage them. But, the covetous person cannot be brought to the virtue, by neither of these reasons. For the older he waxeth, the more miser he waxeth, and therefore if we mislike a man, that by reason of his prodigality cometh to be poor, we aught a great deal more to detest a Miser that by covetousness groweth to be rich. For as Sallust saith in his book of Catiline, covetousness hath utterly banished both faith and honesty, and clean destroyed all arts and knowledges. Whereby it hath brought in pride & cruelty, contempt of God, and a general Merchandise of such things as should freely be given. Covetousness is always infinite, and never satisfied with abundance, nor diminished with want. And therefore Though the prodigal be to be misliked in necessity, and want: yet ten times worse, a miser that is covetous and scant.    

66.  
The great Darius easilier was,  
destroyed for all his might,  
And of his valiant adversary  
subdued, and put to flight:  
Then might Fabricius moved be,  
with covetous desire,  
Whose heart with filthy avarice  
could not be set on fire.  

The Paraphrase.  
FRabricius, beside a number of other his noble, virtuous, and worthy acts, excelled in the virtue of liberality, of whom it is reported by Valerius in his ninth book, that when he was presented by the state of Benevento, with a great mass of money, he returned the ambassadors with their treasure home again, as one that contented himself with the benefit of his Temperance, and held himself satisfied with that small wealth which he had, supposing it to be a sufficient riches: For he did always say, that riches consisted not in much having, but in little coveting.    

67  
To help a man in misery,  
our duty us doth bind:  
And not to do it when we may,  
is odious and unkind.  
A noble mind will never stain  
itself with such a blot,  
Nor suffer such a great offence,  
nor such a filthy spot.  

The Paraphrase.  
THE Prophet David saith in his Psalter: Blessed is that man, that hath compassion upon the poor and the needy: For in the time of his necessity, the Lord shall deliver him. And Solomon in his proverbs saith, That who so hath pity upon the poor, and relieveth, them dareth upon usury to GOD, who shall restore him with great gain, that which he hath disbursed. And therefore the Proverb saith, To help a man in misery, our duty us doth bind. Where Duty is taken for a work of Mercy, as Seneca accounteth it in his Book of Duties, and farther it saith, Not to secure when we may, is odious and unkind. For as Solomon in his Proverbs saith, Whosoever stoppeth his ear at the cry of the poor, shall cry for help himself, and not be heard. And therefore it is not to be thought of a noble mind, but if he see a man in misery or distress, he will follow the advise of the Prophet Esaie, who saith: Break thy bread to the hungry, and carry home to thy house the sorrowful and the poor, where thou seest a man bore and naked, clothe him, and despise not thine own flesh, Solomon saith in his proverbs, He that hath pity upon the poor, shallbe happy. And this is the meaning of this Proverb. A noble mind will never stain, etc.     

The seventh Chapter of Truth.  

68  
Truth honour thou, & always love,  
step not from her aside,  
But frame thy friendship after her,  
that ever may abide.  
The Image fair of holy life,  
and daughter true is she,  
As faithful sister unto virtue,  
chief is honesty.  

TRuth is of so great a worthiness and excellency, that God himself, as it appeareth in the Gospel, is called the Truth. This truth hath two extremities. The one, called vain boasting, which is when men brag of themselves, more than they are able to perform: the other is named Ironia, when men publish of themselves, that which is not in them. Men aught to love and honour the truth after one of these two manners, either where it concerneth only them, and therein men aught to beware, that they neither exceed, nor do less than that which is reason. The other is, when it toucheth an other, & in this case, to reverence the truth, is as much to say, as to perform whatsoever is promised, and to be true of our word, as well to our enemies, as to our friends, as we are bound by the Civil law: for there is no greater duty betwixt man and man, then to keep their faith and promise justly one with the other, without the which, all traffic and dealing amongst men must of necessity cease. And therefore the Proverb sayeth, Truth honour thou, and always love, step not from her aside. And farther, that we aught to frame our friendship after truth. Friendship, according to the mind of Aristotle in his Ethics, is in one of these three sorts, either for profit, for pleasure, or for honesty. Friendship for profit, as Seneca sayeth, is Merchants friendship, which never endureth longer than there is hope of gain. Friendship for pleasure, lasteth as long as delight and pleasure lasteth, and as delights do altar with years, and such things as seemed pleasant at some age, are thought displeasant in an other: Therefore this Friendship can never long continued. Friendship for honesty, is that which is grounded upon truth and virtue: and as virtue, truth, & honesty, are things everlasting & unchangeable, so the friendship that is grounded upon them, cannot but continued for ever. This friendship floorisheth in the time of prosperity, and continueth and remaineth in the time of misfortune and adversity, and therefore he saith: That she is the daughter of holiness, & that honesty is the faithful sister unto the most sovereign virtue. Honesty, (as Plato reporteth, & as it is brought in by Tully in the beginning of his offices) is of such an excelling beauty, as if she might be seen with men's eyes, the whole world would be in love with her. Who because she is steadfast, assured, sound, and everlasting, is said to be The faithful sister to sovereign virtue.    

69.  
Attilius knowing well before,  
That he should surely die  
If unto Carthage he returned,,  
Observing faithfully  
His troth and word, deferred no time  
For to return again,  
Where as he suffered torments great  
By death and deadly pain.  

The Paraphrase.  
MArcus Attilius, as S. August. writeth in his 1. book of the City of God, and also Tully in his Book of duties, being prisoner among other Romans, in Carthage, & sent unto Rome, to persuade an exchange of prisoners: when he came to the city, and having declared his message, was demanded to give his opinion what he thought best to be done, after that he had thoroughly considered that the Roman prisoners were old, & impotent men, and that the Carthaginians were all young and lusty fellows: his advise was, that they should in no wise make any exchange, and when his friends, understanding that his counsel was allowed, laboured by all means they could to keep him from going again. He told them that he had given his faith and his word to the Carthaginians, that he would return himself with the answer, and therefore notwithstanding that he knew & was sure that his going thither should be harmful & dangerous, coming into the hands of his cruel & deadly enemies, yet considering that he had promised, he would perform it, and so in deed did, whereas he suffered most cruel death, with great torture and torments.     

The eight Chapter of Continence in coveting.  

70  
Of worldly goods possess no more,  
nor farther seek to have.  
Then may suffice thy need, & clear  
thy conscience after grave.  
All overplus with heed avoid,  
for more than meet is naught,  
And nothing can continued long,  
that on the earth is wrought.  

The Paraphrase.  
SOlomon saith in his Proverbs, that the prayer which every man aught to make unto God, is this Poverty nor riches lord give thou unto me, but only that with is sufficient for my maintenance, lest by having to much, I be tempted to forget God, and to say, Who is the Lord? and having on the other side to little, I be forced by misery and want, to blaspheme the ●ame of my God. And this authority of Solomon is in a manner the full Commentary of this Proverb. Likewise Aristotle in the tenth of his Ethics saith, To seek to possess a mean & moderate wealth, is the perfection that a man attaineth unto. And Seneca in a book that he made of the quietness and satisfing of the mind, moveth this question, What quantity of the goods of fortune a man aught to enjoy to, and what is the mean & temperate state of riches? That a man aught to seek for and possess so much as may keep him from poverty, and yet to be not far from it: And this is it that preserveth a man from falling, as the pillar, which is the conscience, being the greatest rest and quietest that a man can carry with him. The Proverb saith, Nothing can continued long, that on the earth is wrought. The world itself must end, and all thing that therein is created: we see that nothing endureth long, beauty decayeth, favour faileth, strength abateth, and life itself but a small time lasteth. The greatest princes that be, must away, and though the whole world be subject to them, yet are they themselves but subjects to misery, to casualty, to sorrow, to sickness, and to death, and must die as an other man: all our pomp, our vanities and follies must have an end, we have no continual abiding place, as saint Paul saith, but must all away, some to heaven, some to hell, according as they have here behaved themselves: And therefore is it a great madness for any man to set his felicity in so fickle an estate, that he knoweth can not long time endure, & to behave him so fond for the small time that he is here, as to live hereafter in torments, that shall never end.    

71  
The more thou gettest continually,  
the more thou still dost crave,  
Now judge (of twain) which is the best,  
if that thou reason have:  
To be a Lord of riches great,  
with grief and toil and care,  
Or quietly to live content  
with small and decent share?  

The Paraphrase.  
Substance and riches do never satisfy the appetite nor desire, but as Cassiodorus writeth in an Epistle, as in a dropsy, which is a disease that causeth continual thirst, the more a man drinketh the thirstier he remaineth: So if covetousness be not bridled, the more riches we get, the more we desire: and therefore the Proverb here willeth, that a man should way with himself, whether it be better to possess great riches with trouble and torment, or to enjoy a reasonable living with contentation and quietness. For as Seneca in his Epistle to Lucilius saith, There is no man that is loved or favoured of God, but he that contemneth and despiseth riches. The possession whereof, saith Seneca, I do not take from thee, but would that thou shouldest enjoy them without fear, which to attain unto, thou hast no other way, but to live happily & quietly with them, esteeming them as things transitory, that soon may be foregone. And he that possesseth them in such sort possesseth them with quietness and contentation.    

72.  
The riches that we here possess  
With haste away do flee:  
And as the tides with floods and ebbs,  
They move continually.  
Seek thou the treasures of the mind,  
Which stand like brazen walls,  
Both firm and sure, a safe defence  
Whatsoever thee befalls.  

THe riches & wealth of the world, are the things that are most accounted of amongst the goods of fortune, which do sometime increase, & sometime decrease, as Boetius in the person of Fortune speaketh, saying, that the servants (which are these temporal goods) do still attend upon their mistress, which is Fortune, with whom they do always both come and go, and therefore saith Boetius, that Fortune hath the whole world upon her tottering wheel, bringing whom she list aloft, and casting others down, making poor men of such as were rich, and rich men of such as were poor. And therefore the Marquis here warneth us, that we apply all our forces to the obtaining of moral goods, that is to say, Virtues, which are in deed the perfection of the Soul, as Aristotle in his book of the Soul, writeth. And these, saith the Proverb, stand like brazen walls, both firm and sure, a safe defence, whatsoever thee befalls, as much to say, as they never leave nor forsake a man: As Tully declareth in his Paradoxes, where he bringeth in Bias the Philosopher, one of the seven wise men of Athens, who, when the City was taken by a Tyrant, and the people fleeing, had taken with them as much as they could carry, only Bias meddled with nothing, and when one of his neighbours did ask him how chance he took none of his goods with him: he answered him, that all which was his, he carried about him, not counting any thing to be his, but the virtues of the mind, esteeming the goods of the world to belong as well to any others. And this is the meaning of this proverb, Seek thou the treasures of the mind, etc.    

73  
Seek not ambitiously to reign,  
nor rule with tyranny,  
But both her works and ways see that  
thou shun advisedly:  
And choose the mean estate, among  
the which 'tis best to live:  
So shalt thou pass with pleasure all  
the time that God doth give.  

The Paraphrase.  
A Tyrant is he, as Aristotle in the seventh of his Politics saith, that cometh to the Crown by force or by policy, who endureth no longer than he is of force or power, as Medea said unto Creon in the second Tragedy of Seneca, Tyrants and evil governors do not endure for ever, and as Agamemnon saith unto Pyrrus in the speech that they had about the death of Polixena, Their governments that are by force, continued no long time, but the gentle & mild government is that which endureth. And therefore the Proverb saith, Seek not ambitiously to reign, nor rule with tyranny, and that we aught to forsake her paths, and her works, and choose to live among the meanest sort, which is the best and the quietest life. Which is that which is said in the Proverb before, that Seneca wrote in his Epistle to Lucilius, That there is no man esteemed or accounted of GOD, but those that despise & contemn the pomp and wealth of the world.    

74  
For think not that the lofty state,  
nor throne of high degree  
Doth make a man the perfecter,  
or hapier to be.  
It rather doth his cares increase,  
and gives him grief and pain,  
And on his neck, that erst was free,  
doth cast a careful chain.  

The Paraphrase.  
NOworldly wealth, but specially no tyrannical government, can bring a man to perfection, or to live happily, but rather draweth with them fear, danger, vexation, and cares, and as Boetius saith, The Tyrants that are always waited upon with their guard, to terrify and amaze others, are always afraid themselves of those, whom they suppose to fear. And Tully in his book of Friendship saith, that in the life of the Tyrant, there is neither faith, love, nor any long enduring goodwill, of every thing is he jealous, and each thing ministereth unto him cause of care, and disquietness. And further he saith, Who can ever love him, whom he feareth, & of whom he knoweth that he is feared? And this is the meaning of the Proverb, The lofty states, nor throne of high degree, doth make a man. etc. Touching the which, Boetius in his third book of Consolation writeth of Dionysius of Sarogosi, who from a mean man was advanced to the Crown, to whom, when his friend came upon a time to see him, and greatly praised the happiness of his estate, telling him that he aught to accounted himself most happy, that had attained to so high a dignity: Dionysius bidding him to a dinner, caused him to sit down, where over his head was hanging a terrible Sword with the point downward, who with the fear and agony that he was in for falling of the sword, made but an unpleasant dinner, sitting all the time upon thorns: After he was risen, Dionysius asked him, if his dinner were not pleasant unto him: Such a pleasure (quoth the poor fellow) GOD keep me from, that every moment looked to have a Sword upon my pate: and such (quoth Dionysius) is the life of every Tyrant, even as full of pleasure as hath been thy dinner: for the highness of his state increaseth his misery, and chaineth him with the chain of thraldom, touching the which I have spoken at large before in the second Proverb.    

75  
Seek that which thou mayst easily have,  
and care not for no more,  
For thou shalt see from time to time,  
if that thou watch therefore,  
The lofty states and mighty powers,  
come topsy-turvy down:  
And he that late a Miser was,  
with joy to wear the crown,  

The Paraphrase.  
BOetius in his second book of Consolation saith, that nature contenteth herself with a very small thing: and if you shall at any time overcharge her with things that are superfluous, the more you charge her, the more hindrance, hurt, and displeasure you do unto her. And therefore the Proverb saith, that we aught to seek that, which we may honestly and easily attain unto, and no more. For if we will well mark it, as Boetius in his first book of Consolation saith, We shall see a man in one hour hoist up a loft, and in the self same hour cast down again, and an other advanced in his place: for solace and sorrow succeed one the other. And as Seneca in his second Tragedy saith, have their turns. And this is it, that the Proverb saith, That lofty states and mighty powers, come down. etc.    

76  
Trust not unto the state of those,  
that hastily mount a high:  
But look to see them fall as fast  
as ever they did fly.  
For be thou sure the wicked man,  
shall never long endure:  
His happy fortune shall him fail,  
when most he thinks her sure.  

The Paraphrase.  
SOlomon saith in his proverbs, That the goods which are hastily gotten, will as swiftly be gone. So that the sudden rising aloft, hath always his fall and great mischief at hand: For as David saith in his Psalms, Never trouble nor fret thyself at the prosperity of the wicked, nor at the advancement of the unrighteous, for they shall suddenly be plucked up by the roots, and those that faithfully abide in the Lord, shall inherit the land. And again, I have seen the wicked flourishing like the Cedar of Libanus, and within a while after there was no remembrance of his being. And therefore saith the Proverb, Be sure, the wicked man, shall never long endure.    

77  
If that thou wilt abundance have,  
live to thyself content  
With only that which nature finds,  
to be sufficient.  
I have not seen men troubled much  
their living for to get:  
But many for to mount aloft,  
Their hearts asunder fret.  

The Paraphrase.  
SEneca saith, in an Epistle to Lucilius, that he is not poor that hath but a little, but he that desireth much. For great riches is it to nature, to have a little with contentation and joy, for a very small thing doth nature require, and a little sufficeth her: And therefore the Proverb saith, I have not seen men take any great pain or travail to live in the world, but miserably do they moil and toil, and fret their hearts asunder, that seek to climb aloft.    

78  
Then let us well the matter way,  
what if thou dost possess,  
Great store of goods obtained here,  
by fraud and wickedness?  
What great assurance hast thou now,  
that thee may certify  
Thou shalt not come by chance or hap  
to beg before thou die?  

The Paraphrase.  
TVllie saith in his Philippicas, that the goods which are wickedly gotten, will evil favouredly be spent: And therefore there is nothing that can assure a man of the continuance of his state, for a thousand misfortunes may happen that may make a rich man a beggar. And therefore Seneca saith, that we aught to possess those riches we have without care, so as it may never grieve us, though we lose all we have, taking them not for our own, but as strangers and things lent unto us, and for the time that we have enjoyed them, we aught as Boetius saith, to give thanks that we have been benefited by them as by external goods, neither aught we to complain if we lose them. And this is the effect of the Proverb, where it saith, What great assurance hast thou now, that thee may certify? etc.    

79  
How many rich men have we seen,  
in little time decay,  
And from their great & lofty states,  
slipped down and fallen away?  
How many have been laughed to scorn,  
For putting of their trust  
In this fond fickle honour here,  
now tumbled in the dust?  

The Paraphrase.  
WIth great wisdom saith David in his Psalms, If riches happen to abound, set not thy heart upon them, lest if we fortune to forego them, we should sorrow and torment ourselves for them: For whatsoever happen unto us, it is always best to say with job, The Lord hath given, the Lord hath taken away: Blessed be the name of the Lord for ever. And so shall no man be scorned nor derided, for any thing that he hath lost, or may lose.    

80  
And thus if I have told the truth,  
In these precepts of mine:  
Seek not for riches nor desire,  
the thing that is not thine.  
And if thou dost demand of me,  
to whom they do belong:  
To fortune: thus I answer thee,  
that list not to be long.  

The Paraphrase.  
OF goods there are two sorts, outward and inward. The outward goods be such as fortune giveth, and these be none of our own, according to the saying of Bias before alleged: but our own goods are those, that be within us, which are the Moral virtues, which are not subject to any change of fortune: For when all the gifts of Fortune faileth, yet learning and virtue remaineth, which never leave nor forsake a man, but maintain and accompany him all his life time, according to the opinion of Cato in his Philosophy. This being, as it is very true, we aught not so with cark and care, to heap, to regard, and scrape up riches, which belong not unto us, and may many ways be taken from us, do what we can to keep them. And therefore our Saviour hath warned us, that we should lay up our treasures in heaven, where neither rust nor moth can come, and where no thieves can break in, to steal it. This can we not do with our goods of the world, but howsoever we dispose them, they are subject to chance and casualties, that may happen.     

The ninth Chapter. Of Envy.  

81  
Let not the envious man in life,  
a pattern be to thee,  
Nor walk thou in his froward paths,  
nor keep him company.  
It is not for a virtuous mind,  
such error to commit:  
Nor doth a noble heart beseem  
so ill to use his wit.  

The Paraphrase.  
Envy, as Aristotle in the second of his Rhetorics sayeth, is a sullenness and grief of that men have, to see either honour or any good thing to happen to any that is of the same calling that they themselves are, and it is one of the vilest natures that can be in a man: so as many times the envious person, without any just cause at all, becometh a mortal enemy to his neighbour, according to the saying of Saint Gregory in his Pastoral, where he sayeth, That the envious man, being not able to clear his heart from the venom that is there congealed, discovereth himself, and falleth to working of mischiefs openly. Whereupon our Saviour Christ sayeth in his Gospel, That there is no Prophet without honour but in his own Country. For his own kindred and companions, for the great disdain they have of his estimation, do seek by all the means they can to discredit and deface him, which is not for a virtuous mind, nor doth a noble heart beseem. For it is for a noble and gentlemanly heart to behave himself as the good Moses did, who when certain envious persons, to move him to displeasure, came unto him, and told him that two of the common people did prophesy in his tent, Moses very graciously answered them, that he wished to GOD, that every one of the people were able to prophesy, which mild speech proceeded from a noble and a valiant mind.    

82.  
Naught else doth envy bring to pass  
nor other seed doth sow,  
Then murders, mischiefs, cruelties,  
and subtle overthrow.  
As by the Scripture doth appear,  
where cursed Cain did kill  
Poor Abel (that offended not)  
upon malicious william.  

The Paraphrase.  
ABel and Cain were brothers, as Moses in the first of his five books writeth. The cruel murder of Cain done upon Abel, and the cause thereof, is in the same Book at large described. And therefore, to make any, long Paraphrase upon it, were but a thing superfluous. And it is well known, that envy, the root of mischiefs, was the first deviser of that so shameful and horrible a fact.     

The tenth Chapter of Thankfulness.  

83.  
Good turns that have been done to thee,  
have still before thine eye,  
And when to recompense the same  
it in thy power doth lie,  
Require them with a cheerful heart  
And weighing well in mind  
What friendship hath been showed to thee  
be never thou unkind.  

The Paraphrase.  
SEneca in his Epistle to Lucilius writeth, that the unthankful man is he, that returneth a good turn without interest: in whose opinion we are bound not barely to return the benefit which we have received, but to do it with recompense. For as Valerius in his fifth book writeth, He that doth not thankfully recompense a good turn, doth clearly bereave men of the doing and receiving of pleasures, without the which, the life of men is rather a death, than a life. And this is it that the Proverb saith, Good turns that have been done to thee, have still before thine eye. etc.    

84.  
O what a shameful stain it was,  
to Ptolemy the king,  
The noble Pompey traitorously  
unto his death to bring.  
And Ezekias, for his great  
unthankfulness did pay,  
When by the wrath of God he should  
have died before his day.  

The Paraphrase.  
PTolomey was king of Egypt, who as Lucan writeth, was servant to Pompey the Emperor of Rome, at whose hands he received his kingdom. And as the Civil wars began to wax hot betwixt the two mighty Princes, Cesar, and Pompey, (after the battle of Pharsalie) Pompey retired from the fields of Philippos, to a place in Lesbos where he had appointed his wife Cornelia to lie: but perceiving the people of the Country not to be such as he might trust, he went by Sea from thence to Egypt, where he committed himself to the hands of Ptolomey, who conspiring with Photinus, and Achillas, (two mischievous persons) betrayed him, and after they had slain him, presented his head unto Caesar, at the sight whereof, Caesar, as the story telleth, could not refrain from shedding of tears. Whereupon master Frances Petrarch in one of his Sonnets thus writeth.  
Caesare poiche'l traditor d'Egitto,  
Lifece il don de l' honorata testa.  
Celando l'allegrezza manifesta,  
Pianse pe gliocchi fuor, si come è scritto.  
Which in our vulgar speech is thus,  
Caesar, when as the false Egyptian had  
Presented him with worthy Pompey's head,  
Hiding his joy with coloured countenance sad,  
His feigned tears forthwith, they say, he shed.  
Of the reproaches of this Ptolomey, all histories are full. And because as I have said, Lucan setteth out this matter more at large, it is needless to make any long discourse thereof, since this Book requireth no such exquisiteness, nor entreateth of any foreign story. Ezechias being of the tribe of judas, was king of jerusalem, the servant and greatly beloved of God: who, when Senacharib king of the Assyrians had besieged the City, & fent Rabsacah his messenger unto him, and to the rest of the people, willing them to yield themselves, and promising them their lives, threatening them, that if they otherwise did, he would assuredly put them all to the sword, and that neither their God, nor any other God beside, should be able to deliver them, as they might see by the experience of a number of other mighty countries that he had conquered & brought in subjection: Ezechias being afraid of the hugeness of the army, and of the great power of Senacharib, showed unto Rabsacah the temple of jerusalem, with all the vessels and ornaments thereof, and all the jewels of his own house, which had been gotten together, and laid up by his predecessors: but the Lord knowing the weakness and faintness of Ezechias, and foreseeing that he was determined to yield himself into the hands of Senacharib, or at his appointment to Rabsaces, being greatly offended with him, sent unto him the Prophet Esay, to let him understand, that he should presently die: but such and so great was his sorrowful lamentation and mourning, as it pleased the almighty to reverse the sentence.     

The eleventh Chapter of Friendship.  

85.  
The man that council good can give  
and will thee reprehend,  
And warn from every evil act,  
choose thou to be thy friend.  
And think thyself thrice happy, when  
thou such a friend canst have,  
That will thee well instruct, and from  
all ill advises save.  

The Paraphrase.  
FRiendship, as Aristotle in the eight of his ethics, sayeth, and as hath been said afore upon one of the proverbs, is of three sorts, for delight, for profit, and for honesty. Friendship of delight, is the friendship of flatterers, and jesters which endureth but a small while: for when the pleasure ceaseth (as testers are not at all times, nor of all men liked) this friendship strait ways endeth. another friendship there is, grounded upon profit, and is, as Seneca termeth it, merchant friendship, for it endureth no longer then there is hope of profit: And those that use this kind of friendship, do it, as Seneca sayeth, more upon the profit, then in respect of the person. The Fly always attendeth upon the honey, and the Wolf upon the Carrion. Which kind of people are more in love with the pray, and the spoil, then with the man. The third kind of friendship setieth itself only upon honesty, and groundeth herself upon virtue, and this endureth as well in adversity, as in prosperity. This is the alonely true friendship, which the Proverb counseleth us to choose, and this is that which Aristotle sayeth causeth in friends but one heart and one mind: and this friend, whose friendship is grounded upon honesty, is he, that well reprehendeth, and is no flatterer, nor will consent to any wickedness nor evil, but giveth counsel with out affection, justly and uprightly, persuading always to virtue and godliness of life, and all the actions and doings of such friends as are knit in this friendship, do ground themselves as the Proverb saith, upon goodness and honesty of life.    

86.  
And he that is thy friend, I wish  
and warn in any case,  
Thou keep and use him as a friend,  
in every time and place.  
I speak not of the flatterer,  
who under colour sweet:  
Of sugared speech and pleasant shown  
with gift of gall doth greet.  

The Paraphrase.  
IN this Proverb is mention made of the division of friendship, before specified, and it showeth that the friendship that is upon profit, which is the dissembling and flattering friendship, is not in very deed the true friendship. For there is no perfect friendship, but that which is grounded upon virtue and honesty, which friend above all others we aught to esteem: and of such a friend speaketh Aristotle, where he sayeth, What pleasure hath any man in his life, though he have all the felicities in the world, if he want a friend? For, to live happily and quietly, it behoveth a man to have one, to whom he may safely open all his doings, and with whom he may be as bold as with himself. We read in the Chronicle of the Philosophers, that Aristotle being demanded what he accounted a friend to be: made answer, that it was one mind in two bodies. Of this assured and perfect friend doth the Proverb here speak.    

87.  
If thou conceal thy thoughts, and that  
thy mind in secret lies:  
Thou shalt be sure to be esteemed  
and taken to be wise.  
Oft have I found myself by speech  
in thrall and trouble brought:  
But never yet for keeping of  
my tongue, I suffered aught.  

The Paraphrase.  
CAto in his moral Philosophy saith, That the first and principal virtue that a man should have, is to have a sober and a modest tongue, for much is he in favour with God, that is able to hold his tongue, when time and cause requireth. Isocrates in his Oration sayeth, that in two things only, speech is to be preferred before silence: the one is, in speaking that, which is to a public commodity: the other, in uttering that, which necessity forceth. In all other things he sayeth: that silence is far to be preferred before speech: but specially a man aught to keep his own secrets. For as Seneca saith, If thou art not able to keep thine own secrets, how canst thou require an other man to do it? And therefore the Proverb saith, Thou shalt be counted discrete and wise, if thou keepest thy secrets to thyself, and that a man bringeth himself in subjection by speech, but shall never be harmed by silence.    

88  
But yet I would not have thee here,  
to be so straightly tied:  
That from thy dear & special friend  
thou shouldst thy doings hide.  
For why? it were to great offence,  
t'abuse his friendship so:  
And even the readiest way it were,  
to make thy friend thy foe.  

The Paraphrase.  
SEneca in his third epistle setteth down, the way and mean how to get friends, and being gotten, how to keep them, saying to Lucilius, Way with thyself a long time the worthiness of the party whom thou dost choose for thy friend, and when thou hast found him to be meet for thy friendship, commit all thy doings and all thy devices unto him, and be as bold of him as of thyself. With thy friend saith Seneca, impart all thy cares and all thy thoughts, and in so doing thou shalt have him faithful unto thee: but if thou growest once into jealousy, and hidest any thing from him, thou givest him cause to be unfaithful, for divers in fearing to be deceived, have taught others to deceive, and therefore the Marquis saith, The readiest way it were to make thy friend thy foe.    

89.  
See thou thy life be always such,  
in deed and eke in show:  
As thou regardest not a whit,  
though all the world did know.  
Unto thine honour and thy name,  
have always special eye:  
To shun the thing thou oughtest to shun  
and all offence to fly.  

The Paraphrase.  
SEneca in the aforesaid Epistle sayeth, That he which dare not trust his friend as much as himself, he is greatly deceived, as one that knoweth not perfectly the force of friendship, howbeit he sayeth beside, Live thou in such sort, that thou committest nothing, neither in deed nor thought, that thou shouldest be ashamed to show thy friend: meaning, that a man might to have no filthy nor dishonest thoughts in his mind, but such as can minister no cause of offence to any man, not though it were to his very enemy.     

The twelfth Chapter of Duty to Parents.  

90.  
Great reverence to the parents  
evermore we aught to give:  
And with obedience honour them,  
as long as they do live.  
The Lord himself hath promised assuredly that he  
That doth the same, with long & happy life, shall blessed be.  

The Paraphrase.  
SEtting aside the laws both of God and man, we see that even by very nature men are moved to honour, love, & fear their parents, and that we shun to offend them, for the benefit of nature that by them we have received, as we are taught by the Civil law. Besides, our Saviour jesus Christ entreating of the Commandments, hath not promised long life for the fulfilling of any of them, save only for this, where he saith, Honour thy father and thy mother, that thou mayst live long & many days upon the earth: As it is also written in Ecclesiasticus, He that honoureth his father, shall receive joy and comfort of his own children, and shall live a long and an happy life. And again, The blessing of the father maketh steadfast the state of the children, but the curse of the mother bringeth them to destruction, Whereupon saith the Proverb, The Lord himself hath promised, etc.    

91.  
By motherly persuasions  
Veturia did assuage  
(And with her presence pacify)  
the Roman in his rage.  
On th' other side the beastly lust  
of that same monster vile,  
With incest and with murder did,  
his hateful heart defile.  

The Paraphrase.  
VEturia was an honourable Matron of Rome, and mother to Coriolanus, a man of great wisdom and valour, to whom for his great deservings, the common wealth of Rome was not a little beholding, howbeit as it is no new thing amongst men, to have their good deeds requited with unthankfulness, he was most unkindly & unjustly banished by his own Country men: the cause why, I find not apparent, for malice never mindeth reason, neither doth evil will at any time regard justice. But to return to the matter of Coriolanus, being thus banished, goeth straightways to the Volscians, who at that time were in arms against the Romans: and as virtue in all places getteth estimation, so was he received and entertained with great honour amongst them, and for his valour, within a very small time chosen to be their general. Whereby it came to pass (as Valerius writeth) that even him, whose profit and good turns his Citizens could not away with, now were they, the case being altered, driven to dread as their mortal enemy, and besieger of their town: And being thus by the siege sore distressed (which is always more grievous to great and populous Cities, then to small towns) they were constrained to sand unto Coriolanus, most humbly requiring him to leave his siege, and to depart from the City, and whereas their Ambassadors, being the chief and principal men of the City and of the Capitol, with cold entertainment, were neither heard nor answered, they continued their suit, and with humble submission sent out their priests and clergy, being arrayed in their devoutest vestures: but as the other were returned, so were these sent back, with very hard speeches and evil entertainment, whereupon the whole City bewailing their miserable case, and crying out for the cruel answer, that (justly deserved) they had received. Venturia the mother of this Coriolanus staudeth up, and taking with her Volumnia he sons wife, with her and her Children she goeth directly to the Camp of the Volscians, whom when Coriolanus a far of perceiveth, having in his company a gallant company of Gentlemen, he cometh forth to meet her, though not a little disquieted, because his mind gave him that their coming was only to move him for the raising of his siege, and as soon as he came near unto them, alighting from his horse, he came towards his mother to embrace her. But she, putting him a little back from her with her hand, with a heavy countenance said unto him these words, Before thou comest near me, and before I receive thine embracings, let me understand whether I be come unto my son, or to my enemy? or whether I shall enter into thy tent as a mother, or as a sorrowful captive? Alas, to what extremity is my wretched Age come, to see thee first banished and expulsed thy City, and now a cruel enemy and spoiler of thy Country that nourished thee? how couldst thou come into these parts with so deadly and revengeful a mind? how couldst thou enter into these territories, and not let fall thy furious displeasure and threatenings? How happened it, that at the sight of Rome thou saidest not unto thyself, Lo hear within these walls is enclosed my native soil; my patrimony, my mother, my wife, and my children? Unhappy woman that I am, who am well assured, that if I had never borne thee, Rome had never by thee been besieged: And if I had never been delivered of a son, I had happily died both free and at home in mine own country. I speak not these words, because I am not able to suffer any thing that shall be more reproachful to thee, nor for the grief of mine own captivity, whose misery can not be long by reason of my age, but only for these, that be here present, thy miserable wife & poor distressed infants. When Ventruria had thus ended her sorrowful complaint, Coriolanus embracing her with tears in his eyes, said these words: Mine own sweet Mother, my rage and fury is conquered & appeased, and is turned at your request from this mine unnatural & unthankful country: wherewith he presently discamped, & broke up his siege. Whereupon Valerius in the same Chapter sayeth, That the heart, that was full of wrath & revenge, for the injury that he had sustained, and was now in assured hope of present victory, upon the only sight of his mother, and upon his virtuous compassion, changed his intent of bloody wars, into a sweet and healthful peace. Long were it to writ, how greatly virtuous children have always been governed by duty and reverence to their parents. Touching Nero of whom mention is made in this proverb, where he sayeth, The beastly lust of that same monster vile etc. How loathsome and horrible the lecheries of this shameful tyrant was, and what, and how great his disobedience was to his own natural mother, is to be seen in the story of his life, where who so list may read it. And therefore I mean to stand no longer upon this proverb, but to conclude, affirming that reverence aught of bounden duty to be given to the Parents, for which the Lord hath promised in the fourth of his Commandments, a long and blessed life upon the earth. I could here bring in, if I were disposed, a great number of testimonies, as well from the Philosophers, as from the holy patriarchs and Prophets. But because the old saying is, The tedious tale offends the ear, and briefest words we gladiest hear. And therefore let this that I have said, suffice the Reader, which I take to be enough for the understanding of the Proverb.    

92.  
And here we may not overslip  
the wicked Absalon,  
But call to mind his froward heart,  
and fond presumption.  
For never have we seen nor shall,  
that he that is unkind,  
Doth any grace with GOD above,  
or any favour find.  

The Paraphrase.  
ABsalon was the son of David, a man of passing beauty and singular proportion, who found the means by certain of his servants to murder his brother Amon for the deflowering of Thamar his sister, & turning her dishonestly out of his house. For which murder David was greatly offended, howbeit upon fatherly compassion, and at the humble suit and request of joab, who was a special friend to Absalon, he pardoned him. But Absalon, whether it were because he found not the like countenance at his father's hand as he was wont to do, or that he was set on by some wicked servants and lewd counsellors, or whether it was the motion of his own evil disposed mind, he presently withdrew himself (as if he wonted with his father's favour) from Jerusalem, and came to Hebron, and with the sound of the Trumpet, calling together the people of Israel, without any regard of his duty to his father, he made himself King, with presumption to depose him, and to set vy himself, & to that intent he alured unto him a great number of the tribes of Israel, and entered into open arms against his father. But God, who could never away with the disobedience of the child to his father, turned all his devices, force, and power to his own confusion, for at the joining of the battles, the fight being fierce, there was slain to the number of twenty thousand, and Absalon himself galloping up and down, and passing thorough a thick wood, was hanged by the hear of the head upon the bough of an Oak, his Moil running from under him, and being found so hanging, was slain by joab and certain of his servants: whereby the good father obtained the victory of his disobedient son, where it plainly appeared, that God himself, abhorring his rebellious fact, fought against him, as is more largely declared in the second Book of the Kings, which I have here but briefly touched, to show that the disobedience to the father, is greatly displeasing of God.     

The thirteenth Chapter, of Age.  

93.  
Let not old age thee discontent,  
since that it is the race,  
And most approved perfect path,  
of goodness and of grace.  
O mild and honourable Age,  
that dost abate the fire  
Of vicious youth, and dost restrain,  
each lewd and fond desire!  

The Paraphrase.  
THE blessed Apostle telleth us, that as long as we live in this world, we are Pilgrims and strangers to the Lord, meaning that our true and natural country is that, of which David speaketh saying, I trust to see the glory of the almighty in the land of the living. The land of the living is the glory of Paradise, where who soever remaineth do live without any dread or danger of death. And as the Apostle sayeth, all the while that we are absent from that place, we are aptly here called strangers and pilgrims, meaning, that as the pilgrim wandereth here and there forth of his Country. So we are always absent and out of our country, as long as we live in this transitory life. And because that by the means of age we draw near to our own country, when we draw near to death: by which death, as Plato saith in his Phedro, the soul attaineth unto liberty, and breaking out from the jail of the body, being delivered from sorrow and misery, cometh to her own quietness, joy and solace. And therefore we aught not to be displeased at our old age, since that it is the race of goodness, that is to say, the plain path & way, by which we pass from sorrow and trouble to quietness, and to rest. And this is only to be understood of the modest and well governed age, for that is she that abateth the lusts and outrages of youth. For there is an age, as Aristotle sayeth in the first of his ethics, that being destitute of all virtue and good behaviour, is altogether doting and childish: For there is no difference, as Aristotle saith, betwixt him that is young of years, and him that is young in behaviour, so that the age which shall not be displeasant, must be modest and furnished with good behaviour and virtuous exercises, and that is the age, that doth abate the fire of vicious youth, and doth restrain each lewd and fond desire. This age (as Tully in his book de Senectute writeth) doth allay both lust, pride, & presumption, and doth so enfeeble the force of the flesh, as it bringeth a man to be lowly, mild, and modest. Of this kind of age also speaketh the Psalm, where it saith, When the time of meekness & mildness shall come, then shall we be reformed, which time of mildness is from the age of threescore, to threescore and ten, which season suffereth not a man to be proud or disdainful, but lowly, mild, and disposed to virtue. And therefore the Proverb saith, It doth abate the fire of vicious youth, etc.    

94.  
This to the virtuous man alone,  
doth give authority,  
And makes him perfit in the points  
of grace and honesty.  
For who is he that in his youth  
can keep the perfit way?  
Or measure in his life observeth?  
or runneth not astray?  

The Paraphrase.  
IT is commanded in the law of God, that whensoever we see an old ancient man, we should rise and reverence him. And we find in the Civil law, that in the City of Rome in the old time, they used to worship and reverence their aged persons, and the people of those days did yield the same honour to such as were old, as they did to their judges and Magistrates: and this only they did in respect of the honour that their old years doth give them, for no young man, though his wit be never so pregnant or quick, is able to attain to that understanding, that the old man by his experience hath gotten. For as Aristotle in the first and sixteenth of his ethics witnesseth, the number of years is it that giveth knowledge & experience. And therefore he sayeth, that the young man can never give any perfect judgement of any thing, because he never hath had any great experience. And although that in natural Philosophy, and in the liberal arts & learnings, there needeth naught else but a sharp and quick conceit and understanding: yet in moral Philosophy, which is the knowledge, by which we learn to live uprightly and honestly, it is not only enough to have a good wit & capacity to, but also to have the experience and knowledge of time: and such things as are done by men of ripe years, we always presume that they be done upon great advise and deliberation, which is nothing so with young men. And therefore upon great consideration, our Saviour being perfect God and man, although in the very instant that he was conceived, he was perfect in all knowledge & understanding, & did not grow with space of time to more ripe knowledge & skill, would neither preach nor publish his doctrine in his young years, but at such time as he was come to his perfect age, neither doth the Church receive for truth and certainty any other things, than those, which we read to be done at his full age. Whereupon all such Books as are written of such things as he did in his childhood, and youngest years, the Church doth take for apocrypha, and counteth them not in the Canon of holy Scriptures. And it is good reason that the things that are done in unripe years should be of no authority, since our Saviour Christ himself would neither preach, nor publish his doctrine, till such time as he was of ripe and perfect age.    

95.  
This made the Cato's so renowned  
for wisdom great and grave:  
this made the valiant Scipios,  
so great a name to have.  
This only governs in the field,  
and gives the victory,  
And this in peace doth countries keep  
from all hostility.  

The Paraphrase.  
THere is no man, as hath been said before, that attaineth to any perfection in his doings and devices, but only by long experience of many years. And therefore saith Aristotle in the sixth of his ethics, that young men aught always to have about them old and ancient men, whose counsel they may use, and whom they aught in all things to believe, and therefore age is of great account and estimation, for it maketh, as the Proverb here sayeth, men to be wise, meet to judge, and discrete in government. And therefore Trogus Pompeius in his eleventh Book writeth, that Alexander whensoever he happened upon any desperate adventure, or saw himself in great danger in the field, would never have about him any young bloods or hewsters, but old men that were of experience, such as had served his Father, and his Grandfather in their wars, to the end he might have in his company, not only Soldiers, but directors: he sayeth beside that, when his old Soldiers had required of him leave to go home to rest, and refresh their old and wearied bodies, and that they would send in their places their sons that were young and lusty, and better able to do him service: He answered them, that he made a great deal more account of the wise and skilful gravity and authority of such ancient men, than he did of the unexpert activity and strength of those courageous and lusty gallants. For age is only it that maketh a man wise, and worthy of reverence. Neither aught any man to mislike it, since it is the thing that every man desireth. And as Tully in his De Senectute saith, As the fruit is not in season, nor to be eaten, till it be perfectly ripe, no more is man to be accounted in his wisdom and perfection, till such time as he be old, for than is he only come to his ripeness, though as the fruit is, he be nearest his corruption: For then, as the Proverb sayeth, he governeth. etc.     

The fourtienth Chapter, of Death.  

Suppose thou not at any time  
that death is far from thee,  
But always think that he is nigh,  
and straight at hand will be.  
great madness were it for a man,  
to think this foolish life  
Should evermore continued with  
such misery and strife.  

The Paraphrase.  
SEneca, as hath been said before, saith in his second Tragedy, that no man could ever yet have the Gods so favourable, that they might be able to assure themselves, to live till the next day. For although we be most assured, that we shall die, yet is neither the hour nor the time of our death certain, but rather, if we consider the great dangers and casualties that our wretched life is subject unto, we aught every hour, yea every moment to look for it, according to the warning of our Saviour, who willeth us to watch and pray, for we know not the day, nor the hour of our visitation. And therefore as the Proverb sayeth, it is a great folly, to think that Death is not always at hand, & that he shall not, as he came into the world, go out of it. For as the Apostle sayeth, there is a law over all flesh, that they shall once die. Valerius telleth us in his fifth book, that when there was word brought to Anaxagoras, that his son was dead: He answered the messenger, that it was neither news, nor a strange thing, that he told him, but that it was such as he always looked for. For he knew that there was nothing could come from him, that should live for ever, and that it was a general matter, that whatsoever received the spirit of life, must again restore it, and that as no man died, but that first he lived, so no man lived, but at last he died: And therefore well saith here the Proverb, Great madness were it for a man to think this foolish life. etc.    

98.  
If it so were the blessed joys,  
that we do hope to see,  
Should all in vain and to no end,  
of us desired be.  
Ne should the glory great of that  
almighty Lord on high,  
Our Saviour Christ be looked for,  
that lasts continually.  

AFter that our first Father had transgressed the commandment of God, our life become strait to be subject to death, and fulfilled with all kinds of calamity, and misery. For as the Apostle sayeth, Through the offence of our first father Adam, we are all borne the children of wrath. And never shall we be without trouble, grief, and misery, during our mortal life, until such time, that our soul be free and delivered from the dungeon of the body: And this maketh the Apostle to say: I desire to be loosed and to be with jesus Christ. For the Apostle, being vexed with many sorrows, griefs, and miseries, desired to be dissolved, to the end he might rest from all his travails, and Saint john in his revelation, saith, Blessed are all those, that die in the Lord, for they shall rest from their labours. So as by a good and happy death, we are sure to be made partakers of the everlasting glory of our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ.    

99  
Then tell me, wherefore should we fear  
this death, why should it grieve?  
Since that it is so good a lot,  
if that we do believe,  
That after our departure here  
we go to perfect rest,  
Attending for the glorious day,  
wherein we shall be blest.  

The Paraphrase.  
DEath as Aristotle in the third of his Ethics saith, is the last of all horrible & dreadful things: which being, as Tully in his Tusculans sayeth, a thing that naturally happeneth, we aught not to think that it can be evil, since nature hath appointed it. And Seneca in his Epistle to Lucilius sayeth, that life is given unto us, with condition, to look for death. The path is plain and assured that leadeth unto it, and to die well, is to die willingly. And therefore death is never to be feared of those that be good and virtuous: But of the wicked the Psalm sayeth, The death of the ungodly is hurtful and evil, but the death of the godly is life, because they pass from transitory death, to everlasting life. According to the saying of our Saviour unto the thief, This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise: which happened into him, because he believed, according to the Proverb here, That after his departure here, he went to perfect rest, attending for the glorious day Wherein he should be blest.    

100  
And hear to make an end, I say,  
the only remedy  
In all extremes, is for to keep,  
the perfect mean with thee:  
Which if thou takest for thy friend,  
a long and happy life  
Thou shalt be sure to lead, and live  
without offence or strife.  

ARistotle in the second of his Ethics sayeth, that in all sciences, the work is brought to perfection, by having respect unto the mean, neither adding nor taking from it more than is reason: meaning that the overplus and the defect, do mar the whole matter, and that the mean doth only save and preserve it, which such as are skilful masters do chief consider. For seeing that virtue is the most certain and best of all other arts, and that her work and actions differ not from the actions of nature, it were greatly against reason, that she should not (as well as all other arts) search and find out the mean: and further he saith, that the virtue moral consisteth as well in passion as in action, and that in all things that be, there is an extremity of too much, and an extremity of too little, and a mean betwixt both: As for example, in fear, in boldness, in coveting, in cruelty, in pity, and of all things that concern either pleasure or sorrow, the mean, as Aristotle saith, is to be commended, and the extremes do always bring shame and dishonour. And like as it happeneth, that to the perfection of any thing, there are a great number of things required, as likewise to make an imperfection, sufficeth that any one of those things be wanting: even so for a man to attain unto the very mean of virtue, there are a great number of things required, but to the not attaining thereunto, sufficeth the want of any such thing as is needful. And hereof Aristotle putteth a very familiar example of such as be Archers, that to hit the white, is a matter of great cunning and hardness, and none is able to say that he can do it but he that is a perfect Archer: but to miss it, is a very easy matter, and every man that will, can do it. So likewise is it of the virtuous mean, for every man that list, may avoid it. And therefore is the number a great deal more of the wicked, then of those that be good, neither doth it follow, as Aristotle saith, that of every thing the mean is always best. For some things there are, that assoon as they be named, they are mingled and wrapped in mischief. As for example, for a man to rejoice in an other man's harm, not to be ashamed of any evil that he hath committed, to bear a repining spite at an other man's good hap, to commit adultery, to murder, to steal: of these things, and such like, there is no mean that may be called virtuous. For howsoever a man do them, they carry with them mischief and offence, but in all other things that may be well done & evil done, there are both extremes, and a mean. And of such meaneth the Proverb, where it saith, The only remedy, in all extremes is, for to keep the perfect mean with thee, which if thou takest for thy friend, (that is: if so be a man in the order of his life join himself with virtue, which is the mean:) A long & happy life, thou shalt be sure to lead, and live without offence and strife. In what sort we aught to seek out this mean, and how we aught to order ourselves for the obtaining of it, Aristotle at large declareth in the second of his Ethics, whither for avoiding of tediousness, I refer the Reader.   
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❧ Imprinted at London by Richard Watkins. 1579.