THE GOLDEN Mean. Lately written, as occasion served, to a great LORD. Discoursing The Nobleness of perfect Virtue in extremes.  
LONDON: Printed for jeffery Chorlton.  
1613.   

TO THE BEST WORthy Reader.  
SYR:  
(as for any other Nobler titles they are but separable Accidents) if Virtue be not too partially overswayed by Fortune, I have here cast into a small Volume a large sum of love. Such a love as is rather warranted by a dutiful observance than any shadow of Complement. I may once open myself when either Opinion is without ears, or Suggestion without eyes. here you may view and read Virtue personated in moderation: here you may know and prove Moderation to be the life of Virtue. Be a precedent to yourself what you should be; as you are a precedent to others of what you are. It sufficeth me that I mask in the true simpleness of a loyal honesty, and there shall no time steal from my remembrance, wherein I will fail to witness the payment of a due debt of thankfulness to one principally great in being Nobly styled in his own worthiness.   

THE Golden Mean.  
MEN, as they are all the sons of their Mothers, are all the subjects of misery; borne to live few days in many dangers whose glory (if they were monarchs of their own desires) may be well compared to their shadows in the Sun; For, as the body's shadow is at Morning before us, at Noon beside us, and at Night behind us; so is earthly glory, at Morning or in the prime before us, in a goodly lustre; at Noon or in the full, besides us, in a violent heat; at Night or in the wane, behind us, in a neglected pity. The difference is amongst some, that at Noon, or in the Meridian of their greatness, in stead of having their glory beside them, they are beside their glory. But such undoubtedly, are rather strangers to the blood of Virtue, than any way endued with the spirit of perfect Nobleness. But so unsettled are the grounds of frailties courses, as here is yet not the total sum of being miserable. If men could as well frame their minds to their change of fortunes, as their change of misfortunes doth corrupt their minds, greatness would as truly welcome calamity, as the base do rejoice in being great. Hereunto not the outward actions of the body, but the inward remper of the mind must be framed, since the first are but handmaides to the latter. Even as one lying in the bed of visitation & death, doth not therefore die because he is sick, but because he lives (for the deprivation of life is death, not sickness) so the mind of man divided by the consumption and disease of humour, being touched with affliction, is not therefore miserable because it suffers misery, but because it hath once tasted (and been lifted up to) happiness.  
The Golden Mean, so anciently commended, is only there perfectly observed, where true Wisdom and true Nobility are the special ornaments of a prepared mind: In which, if those two meet, is figuratively included an allusion to the Sea: which, though clouds rain down into it waters from above, and waters send floods here beneath, yet doth it retain all, either without josse of saltness, or any show of overflowing: The mind of a Wise and Noble man is such, that what or how many gusts and tides of adversity assault him, they may at all times rather arm, then at any time oppress him, since his resolution cannot overflow with the rudeness of passion; for that his excellent and refined temperature will ever retain the salt of judgement and moderation; the one proving a Wise, the other a Noble man.  
In sorrows or adversities nothing is so fearful as fear itself; which passion of weakness is so below the heart of virtue, that a mind trained up in the exercises of honour, cannot as much as let fall one look to behold it. If it be inquired what it is, or to what useful end, either of ease or policy, it may be employed? in the first will be found little less than a desperate baseness; in the latter nothing more than an ungrounded desperateness. A man in the float of prosperity to fear that he may fall, argues both the distrust of his own merit, or the danger of his disposition. A man in the ebb of his plenty, to fear a worse mischief then that of being poor or despised, argues both his unworthiness in procuring, & his impatiency in bearing his fortune.  
Fear with hope, is the ready witness of baseness: Fear without hope, the proclaimer of folly. And if there can be any misery superlative, or if it were possible that there could be an extreme in measure, it is in the fear of those twain; yet doubtless the heaviest of the two torments is to fear without hope. Either of which, to a mind Noble & virtuous, are so much a stranger, as there cannot be found an interpreter, who to an honourable resolution can enforce either the construction or understanding thereof For it is as merely impossible for a great and excellent spirit to conceive thoughts tending to baseness, as for the base to apprehend the singular designs belonging to the Noble minded. Soon than it is to be observed; that the distinction between a worthy and a servile person, must be rather sound out in the quality of their minds, than the command of authority and complement. In which it is also further to be observed, that in the composition of their minds, there is as great and exquisite choice to be made, aswell how as wherein the excellency of such a composition must be remarked. The servile weakness of such, whose education, nature, experience, and wisdom cannot claim any priority in desert, is so great, as it only shows that it distasteth not calamity, so long as it is full fed with the happiness of plenty and ease. In the worthy and desertful it is nothing s●…: for they truly considering the custom and necessity (as they are men) of feeling change of states, do ever arm their resolution before it come for calamity, as when it comes, in it, against calamity; wherein if the great and virtuous accidentally (not to speak of divine providence) fall, they therein chiefly show the virtue of their greatness, and the greatness of their virtue, in that they know they then feel no more than at all times they were ordained to bear. Such refer all accidents of infelicity, to the incidence of their frailty; measuring that being Men, they are but the miseries of men that befall them. It was (not to be tedious in examples) a wonderful nobleness and constancy in ●…socacius, a chief man of Antioch, who standing at the Bar of judgement, was spoken too by Posaeus the Sovereign, who said; Seest thou not Isocacius in what plight thou art? ISOCACIUS answered him, I see it (qd. he) and marvel not; for since I am myself human, I am come into an human misery.  
Rare and wonderfullwas the courage and temperance of this unimited Nobleman: and surely, where the mind is conformable to remember it is carried in a body of Flesh, Discretion is the plotter, and moderation the actor of a notable work. This work, as it is to be continued with singular fortitude, so must there a foundation be laid of an especial wisdom; for he who will climb to the full height of deserved glory, must ascend by the degrees of deserving forecast: which forecast, is even the groundwork or basis of perfect Virtue in extremity. It behoveth then a Noble and wiseman so to order the frame of his mind, that in what Sunshine of greatnessoever he be, he may ever expect a storm to onercloude his eminence. And this is to be done by judicially examining, what the greatest temporal blessings a pproved by the vulgar opinion, in their own properties are, and how subject to monthly, daily, hourly alteration: As what riches are they (as wealth is understood) whom poverty and famine may not suddenly follow? what honour is that (as politic dignity is understood) whose power, whose largeness, whose dependences may not be followed by blemish, by envy, or by extreme contempt? what Kingdom is that (as command and worldly government is understood) to which may not ruin be ordained, depopulation, and mischief?  
Prosperity and adversity are not by long times often sundered; for sometimes is scant an hours difference between a Ihrone and a Cottage: whereby all men may know that the condition of every man is changeable; and the wise may know that whatsocuer may happen to another, may happen to himself.  
In ancient Records Pompey for wealth, Sejanus for honour, Ptolemy for Kingdoms, are memorable: yet was Pompey for all his wealth poor, & begged. Sejanus for all his honour disgraced and executed: Ptolemy for all his Kingdoms forgotten & extinguished. If we would inquire into our own modern Chronicles; we may read of Woolsey the Cardinal, abounding in riches and abounding in misery: ROBERT, Earl of ESSEX, propped up in honours, and cast down by envy. Many of the Henry's, Kings of much power and small fortune: other our Histories mention, who might as fitly be here induced, but that those being freshest in memory, and all within the compass of one age, will sooner stir up our hearts, and work an impression in our beliefs, then others who are with us of less credit, because of more antiquity.  
Another effectual consideration to the building of this excellent work of a resolved and prepared mind, is even in the foundation to be thought on. For if there be no certainty in Wealth, in Honour, in Sovereignty (in the fruition of whom, chiefly, if not only, resteth the Paradise of an earthly Heaven) much less assurance may be dreamt of in any inferior pleasures: for which a wiseman (who is the true Nobleman) ought thus to resolve, that he is not lord of his own mind who is undaunted, as long as his fortunes are ministers to his will: but when he is cast down, or rather cast away in his hopes, undone in his expectation, set below his own heart, unfriended, and the subject of uncomforting pity: He than who now witnesseth by his moderation in those sadnesses, the courage of his Nobleness, by the Nobleness of his Wisdom, is both perfectly wise in being so courageous, and as perfectly courageous in being so noble. It was well said of one, that A calm Sea and a fair Wind proves not a sailors skill. A sure Pilot is proved in a doubtful storm, and a wise noble mind is truly tried in the storm of adversity, not in the calm of felicity. Fortune envies nothing more than a settled and well governed resolution; and such a Mariner deserves remembrance to posterity, who in Shipwreck dies, embracing the Mast, rather than he who faintly for fear of drowning leaps into the Sea.  
Lastly, if neither the respect of the instability of human endowments, neither the regard of honour, being prone to fall, nor the unstaidnesse of Kingdoms (the Sceptre being the highest flight of Ambition) cannot imprint in the mind an abandoning of itself, by reputing earthly delights and acquisitions to be in their own nature, as in their own nature they are, passable and uncertain; yet may the sureness of paying a debt (which cannot be excused) to death, be a main and singular motive to a noble and wise man, for sufferance of all changes of conditions and estates, with the sweetely-united blessings, judgement and content. He that remembers that he lives a life, cannot but forethink that he must die a death: If he look into what life itself is, he shall find (by experience of the past, and proof of the present age) that it is none other but a journey to death. If a man examine the scope of his own desires, they will fall out to be a desiring to hasten to his grave Death and the grave (two tortures to the memory of worldly foolish men) are the only principa●…l ends to which the vanity of pleasures run at: For men in wealth, in honour, in government, desire the time to come; the one in hope of increase of his gain, the other of his greatness, the third●… of Empire. So what else do they but covet by growing elder in days, to fly to the full race of their living, which is death? Of this a 〈◊〉 Nobleman shouldnot; and a true wise man cannot fear. It was an answer (worthy the fpeker,) of the Philosopher, who hearing of his sons death said: When I had begotten him I well knew he should die: and who would be so ignorant as not to confess that whosoever is brought out of the womb is destined also to the sepulchre of the earth? To a man prepared by the light of the minds virtue, this is ever seeming necessary, as well willingly to restore that when it is required of him, though it were by death, as to enjoy that which is given him if it were his life, since one being borne into the one, cannot escape the other. The Mind should ever keep measure, what of necessity it must suffer let it not fear: what is doubtful that it may suffer, let it always look for: So shall it not be afflicted before afflictions do come; nor unprovided when they are come.  
All men, yea all things, must be freed by an end, though the end be not a like to all, neither in manner or time; some forego their lives in the middle of their time, some in the dawning of their life, some live till they are even weary of living, some dying naturally, some violently, others enforcedly, many (in respect of men) casually, but all at some time dying. In this kind than it is questionable, whether it be more foolish not to know, or more shameful not to embrace nature: He that lives well needeth not to fear the ugliness of death appearing in any form, or in any disguise; if he first resolve, that whensoever or howsoever he comes, yet it is but death, and it must come.  
Some one that is to travail of necessity upon the hazard of his life, unto Constantinople by land, being unexperienced in the dangers, and the many miseries of his ioumey, for his better instructions, seeks comfort in the council of another, who hath bought knowledge of the way with the price of many weary and distressed paces, and being come, learns this for an app●…ued certainty, that first the journey itself is long and tedious, the way troublesome and uneven, the change of airs infectious and unhealthy, the deserts waste and uncomfortable, directions chargeable and uncertain, here thieves prepared to spoil, there beasts set all on ravin, surety nowhere, danger on all hands, and what is the worst of these adventures; if he obtain the scope of his desires, and arrive even to the furthest of his journey, yet shall he there find a Turk that is Emperor, cruel in nature, boundless in command, faithless of truth, treacherous and full of the blood of Christians: what comfort resteth to be hoped for from this afflicted travailler, or what should he do? To go is the hazard of life, to stay the certainty of death: now the Nobleness of Wisdom must direct, & the Virtue of Nobleness encourage his resolution, to resolve a steaddines of mind to countermand the heaviness of both fortunes: And it behoves such a man, so travailing, to be prepared, aswell to bear danger when he mee●…es with it, as to be instructed before, that there is danger to be met with. In like manner is every man borne to greatness, so likewise borne to journey to death. To which ere he come, (death being the furthest home of all our travails) we must know that we are to pass through the miseries of mortality, and particularly inform ourselves that life itself (how short soever) in respect of its frailty, is long and tedious, the manner of living troublesome and uneven, the change of estates infectious to the mind, unhealthy to the soul, the wilderness of opinion and judgement wasted by the cause, and comfortless in the effects of folly: directions to reformation chargeable, if we respect our ignorance, uncertain if we remember our wilfulness: Here on the one side are thieves, even our affections to spoil us of virtue; there on the other side Beasts, which are defects of reason, set on to devour us; even our manner of living is a bait to allure us from the surety of life, and when we are come to the deadly sickness that must finish our course, the worst of evil is, that having past all the quicksands and perils of life, we have within us death itself in our own consciences to bring us to death.  
Nothing is left therefore to a man borne to live, but a stayed and a sure resolution to be armed to die. In which he is to care, not where he shall die, or in what manner, or in what estate, but that he must die, and in what mind, and in what memorable virtues.  
here, the foundation to the erecting the Masterpiece of the Golden Mean being laid now upon these or some other considerations, not much differing from these; a Noble wise man is then to know his own worth, whereby calamity may not cast him so down, as that he cannot call to mind that he hath been once happy; as greatness might not so lift him up as that he should be secure that he could never be unhappy.  
It is much needful that worthy personages having merit to commend their blood, and birth to make goodly their merit, should in such sort be both knowers and directors of their own virtues, as neither honourable estimation should so purchase the opinion of vanity, to be blown up with the simplicity of pride; neither a too low descent to the weakness of servility, that they are become the miracles of pity. He that knows himself, not that he is so much a great man as a good man; knows likewise it is a labour of as rare desert to preserve Goodness, as to find it; as on the other part, the merely ambitious rather study to find greatness, then being found and enjoyed to preserve it. Such principles in general, being by a discerning judgement cont●…iued, the contriver cannot be far from the parts that lead to this Golden Mean.  
It is many times seen that those who lead their lives according to the measure of their will and power, do not measure their will and power according to the frailty of their lives; yet certainly they lead an evil life who are still beginning to live, for that life is ever unperfect which hath learned but the first only rule to goodness: certain other, then chiefly begin to live when they are certain to end the race of so living by death; and some also there are, who end their lives before they can well be said to have begun to live.  
Most men subject to those unhappinesses, like things floating on the water, do not go, but are carried; not the counsel of providence directs their steps to go by the staff of discretion, but they are wholly rather carried by the violent stream of opinion and conceit, precisely termed Humour. To unmask the vizor that hides the deformity of this customary vileness, much guilt is to be laid on the change of the times, or indeed on the change of men in the times. For, whiles the World was yet in her infancy, neither was such plenty of temptation to invite, neither was vanity so plentiful to tempt the happiness of that age to the miseries of this: But as days grow more numberless in number, so men in those days waxed more irregular in manners: which irregularity of manners, increased by the depravation of reason in men of all conditions; in fools ever, in the wise often; for even the wise do themselves, not seldom suffer an eclipse of reason.  
The difference that is, is for that such a defect proceeds rather out of the firmity of Nature, than out of any subjection of the mind: for, where the mind is subjecteth to the grossness of error, there doth the man so for the time (so subjecteth) forsake the course of Wisdom, which like a fixed Star should (how soever the heavens move) be unmovable, and unmoved in the Centre of his place; and such as so is, is truly said to be true Nobleness, true Virtue, true Wisdom.  
Even as one that is to frame a goodly building on a delightful plot of ground, doth first providently forecast aswell of the hazards and hindrances that may come, as the charge which daily must come. Amongst which must principally be considered, the title of the right, and what claim may belayed thereto, and what means may be used to remove that claim. Then the necessity of provision, the casual change of weather, the weariness of working; for all which, if interaccidents of extremity should happen remedies for the same must be thought on. So a man in his mind wisely resolved to the building of this excellent frame of the Golden Mean, on the plot of a prepared resolution, must endeavour to provide cures against the fates of extremity. A few of which extremities that do many times assault the temper of a Noble virtue, it shall not much differ from the purpose and present to point at.  
With men of Honour and Nobility, the chief misfortunes that can, or do usually, happen, are either Disfavour, Neglect, 
Six Miseries that may befall a Noble man.  forfeit of Estate, Banishment, Imprisonment, or Death. The remedies against all which, shall easily in particular be subserted.  
Disfavour, often times 
1 Disfavor.  comes either through Privy malice, selfe-unworthynesse, Envy, or sometimes through the variableness of an unguided Prince inclination: To each 〈◊〉 those, a wise man may, and a good man will soon apply a medicine, and in tha●… a recovery. To deser●… the grace of a Prince is an●… honourable happiness; yo●… is not the loss of it (being once deserved) a misery; especially to wise men, since wise men may be made subject, but never subjects to misery: calamity may exercise, but not oversway their virtues: misfortune may be an usurping tyrant to pain them, but never a received sovereign to command them: If the Prince his gracious favour be lost through the privy malice 
Privy Malice 1. cause of Disfavour.  of some, who fill the ears of Majesty with the dis●…ord of slander and untruth, grounded upon the sandy foundation of uncertain discontent, or dishonourable revenge, then hath a wise Noble man, out of those very wrongs, strong arguments to persuade his reason, that there is much reason why he should be persuaded to moderation: for being innocent of any voluntary action or intent that might make his faith questionable, or his serui●… dangerous, or his merit 〈◊〉 less value than a voy●… of general commenda●…, hath formerly 〈◊〉, his own cleerenes●… may ever rest upon the unmoved pillars of his own●… Noble integrity.  
Where a man in grace 
Selfe-unworthynes, 2. cause of Disfavour.  with his Sovereign falls from it by a selfe-unworthynesse, it is far otherwise: & undoubtedly, whosoever is so empoisoned with the diseases of his mind, or the infirmity of his body hath great & principal causes to move him to seek for remedy against the dispertion of the one, & the asper●…ion of the latter. To this ●…elfe-unworthynes, either in ●…inde or body, may be re●…erred Ambition, the Mo●…her of disloyal plots & practices: Discontent, the Nurse 〈◊〉 conspiracies; Couetous●…es, that kindling fires with the fuel of Monopolies, is enforced to quench them with the tears of disgrace, and that which soon follows thereon, Contempt. ●…aine-glory, or Pride, which whiles with Pompey's mind it cannot brook the title of a superior, is with Pompey's fortunes cast down beneath the pity of their equals. Faction, which like foolish fly in the cand●… labours her own dea●… with other diseases, 〈◊〉 many to be tediously rected: or to this self- 〈◊〉, through the infi●…mitie of the body, which more especially consists in action, may be referred Riot, in all men a madness, in Noble men a blemish, and to good Princes most displeasant; or quarreling, which ever brings danger, with too late repentance; or Wantonness, the overthrow of many goodly kindreds and families; or Scurrility, with other such like. Since when mention was made of the unworthi●…esse of body, it is not any defect in Nature, or natural proportion, but in manners outwardly acted: For many times it is commonly seen, that where Nature hath failed in some parts of the outward man, she hath oftentimes supplied those wants with a pregnancy of mind.  
A precedent whereof is (not to borrow of ancient Histories,) even in the CHRONICLES of our present memories, in the person of ROBERT, the late Earl of SALISBURY, a man whose unevenes 〈◊〉 shape was perfected with the perfect furniture of 〈◊〉 reaching and industrio●… wit. So was the crookedness of Aesape made strait in the sweetness 〈◊〉 his invention. And Scorates, that odd man of Athens, is said to have said of himself, that education & Art in him, had changed the course of Nature's unfurnished workmanship.  
Of these, and such imperfections of body, 〈◊〉 is not here intended, but of such as by their own selfe-unworthines in body in mind, & often in both, do lose the interest, their Blood, Birth, and Nobleness (being noble indeed by those both) hath in their Prince's opinion.  
A remedy against self-unworthinesse; must be found out in a selfe-reformation; which being sincerely performed, the follies of the past times belong not to the reformed.  
If one should call such a one (as hath been known for a notorious robber.) Thief, being certainly sorrowful, penitent, and accountable for all his errors in that kind, doubtless it were much indiscretion in the Agent to speak so to him, & more in the Patient to esteem it as spoken of him, since wise and good men as they do not repute those things theirs which they have not done, so must they neither acknowledge for theirs which they now presently do not. Non vocamus ●…nostra quae non ipsi fecimus, at quae non ipsi facimus, as the right sense of the old Verse containeth.  
So then: Hath a great PEER fit his Prince's favour, because he deserved to lose it? let not this deject or caft him down in mind, since as by a change from good to worse he forewent his Prince's love, or rather his Princes lovehim; So yet by a change from bad to better, he still is worthy of a repossession of that love, though he repossess it not: And what worth cannot be seen by the public little eye of the great world, by reason of his being clouded from the Sun of his life and glory, his Prince; let it be so much the more seen by the private great eye of his own little world (even himself and his own comforts) and teach him to know the difference between a great and a good man, the one preferring virtue only for greatness, the other preferring greatness for the greatness of virtue only.  
Another cause, which 
Envy the 3. cause of Disfavour.  not seldom procureth disfavour from the Prince, is that old enemy to desert Envy, who is so ancient a Courtier, and so tried in the passages of all ages, that such a man as is in favour with his Sovereign, deserving so to be, and imagining himself to be without the compass of Envy, is too securely, & in that security, too simply armed against his own ruin.  
here now is a broad path, leading, or more truly teaching the ready course to the excellent mean of Temperance and Moderation. Every man ought to rejoice and solace himself in his own perfections: for it is as beastlike not to know his proper value at all, as it is devilish to know it too much. Humble-Pride is a proud humility, and such as exercise it with innocence rather than curiosity, do but show the difference between a nobly and generous, and a basely fantastical Nature. Whereby then should a man be persuaded that he is an embracer of virtue, more than in that he is prosecuted by the restless venom of the envious.  
Hath this secret mischief displaced any desertful favourite of the benefit of the favour royal? assuredly he hath little cause to distaste it any thing, or to be moved from the commendation of a resolved mind, that as he shall by tempering his disgrace with sufferance, increase the honour of his merit, so shall he give matter still of more envy to the envious, who are oftentimes as much afflicted with the patience, as they are with the prosperity of the party envied.  
It is better to be envied then pitied: pity proceeding out of a cold charity towards the miserable: envy out of a corruption of quality against the virtuous: If it be objected that the loss of a Prince's favour, through the instigation of some envious opposite, hath most cause to afflict a noble mind, in that his enemy hath prevailed against him; the same reason may be answered with the same reason. That such an enemy cannot be said to prevail, who fights with the weapons of a dishonourable treachery; and what greater triumph or conquest can a Wise or a Noble man wish to enjoy, then to torment his adversary with the perfections of his virtue? But in the mean time envy overrules? True, and here is an inducement to a steady moderation, in that it is but envy. But the Prince's favour is by this means lost? So is a Noble man's self-worthiness by the same means found: and it is a greater blemish to the judgement of a Prince so traduced, not to examine the particulars why he doth reject a worthy subject, then to the subjects worthiness, without particular examinations from his Prince to be rejected. So, neither then should envy remove, but for that it is envy, confirm and strengthen a noble resolution.  
Sometimes the variableness 
The Prince's inconstancy, the last cause of Disfavour.  of the Prince's inclination, his addiction to change from royal Virtues to horrible Vices, is the reason of his disfavour with those who are of the best desert: Such and of such conditions were ill England, RICHARD the second, in Rome, NERO, in Sicily, DIONYSIUS, and such are for the most part all Tyrants, who if they exercise not their 〈◊〉 over the lives, yet certainly exercise it over the hearts of their faithfullest subjects. Such Princes are rather wanton in their favours then judicious, and the weakness of virtue is the cause of that deprivation of judgement. How happy is that man who hath lost that grace (with a Prince of that condition) which he may rest confident he never surely had?  
And above many other motives, this is most general and most effectual to rectify a wise man's mind, for such a one as lays the foundations of his hopes on the movable sands of his Prince's favour, is like a foolish Merchant that adventures all his substance in a broken vessel: and he that relies on the unhappinesses of such favour, must of necessity banish all Noble resolutions from his designs, for it is a headlong folly, and a wilful detraction that such a one seeks, if he do not aswell resolve to endeavour to preserve and continue his Prince's grace, as to find and enjoy it.  
Now this is a direct, or indeed indirect running away from the main work of goodness: for to as many vices as the Nature & life of a wicked man may be inclined, to 〈◊〉 many must he address ●…imselfe to be a bawd, if not an actor in them; and of all unhappiness this is the first. Certainly good Clerks have said, and experience doth witness, that an exact Courtier is ●…eldome a good man; for not to speak of general enormities in particular; Courtiers are most times given over to those two wonderful madnesses Pride and Riot, Pride countenancing their Riot, and RIOT making glorious their Pride. What a blessing (for it is more than a happiness) the 〈◊〉 of those common errors 〈◊〉 the wiseman will acknowledge, and the fortunate Noble may prove.  
Prince's sometimes an●… 
Quinquennium Neronis.  unguided in their dispositions, and then he●… who is nearest in fauo●… is in greatest danger of his place, which happening many times, puts him in many fears, in so much as even the ground work that bears up his ambition is shaken with every breath of an unpleasant word: And what misery then can that be, to be out of this misery; especially when the Prince is of a changeable and divided mind? So that he that will ingeniously look into the worst of a Prince's dis●…auour (himself not detected of unworthiness) may likewise ingeniously confess that there is much gain in such a loss.  
Of other miseries (which 
Of Neglect.  are so reputed amongst men) that may happen to 〈◊〉 Noble 〈◊〉, Neglect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another, that 〈◊〉, when his service for his 〈◊〉, or advise for the 〈◊〉, or endeavours to 〈◊〉 his Sovereign, are 〈◊〉 not commended, or 〈◊〉 least not rewarded; here is required indeed much virtue to conquer that part of man which is merely man, and to stand resolute upon the guard of his own worthiness. This Neglect in a Prince, comes from an insensible ingratitude, or want of 〈◊〉 quickness in the faculties of his soul. If from ingratitude, (a sin 〈◊〉 full in all men, but in Kings, estates, or 〈◊〉 nours horrible) than 〈◊〉 fortune, or (if you so 〈◊〉 to term it) misery of 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 for by how much a 〈◊〉 is unt hankfull in rewarding the service of his subject, by so much the more is he engaged to all memories of being a dishonourable debtor.  
And though a man is bound to pay the best of his service either to his KING or COUNTRY, in the safety of the one, and preservation of the other, and duty to both, yet so are both his KING and Country interchangeably bound to favour, cherish, and respect worth in a worthy deserver. But if Neglect proceed out of a want of judgement, or a decerning Virtue, then hath the neglected much mo●… cause to bear that iniu●… A man is not to expect thanks from a Ox, or Horse, for feeding, 〈◊〉 ring, dressing and smoothing of him, because it is an Ox or a Horse 〈◊〉 whom he doth it. Truel●… a governor of people that can eat, cloth an●… feed another man's labours, and cannot give acknowledgement at least to him who by the working of his brains, expense of his blood, and consumption of his estate, or such like services, doth in peace feed and cloth his King and Country, such a ruler ●…ffers, in this, little from a ●…east, that hath not rea●…on, or at least the use of ●…eason.  
But if Neglect come ●…om the unsteddinesse of ●…he common people, than 〈◊〉 is nothing strange: for 〈◊〉 they are won in an ●…oure, so are they lost in a minunte; & whosoever co●…etech popular applause, ●…or depends upon the 〈◊〉 of the vulgar, doth with the dog in Esope, 〈◊〉 carnes, captare umbres; ●…imbrace clouds, and beget Centaurs; and doth justly deserve no commendations at all for so seeking to be commended.  
If yet it be fit to inqui●… further into the main construction, what, or of what value and, moment this Neglect is, experience 〈◊〉 others will learn us to be Schoolmasters to ourselves; for let a man be n●…uer so imminent in authority under his PRINCE, let him have what greatness he can imagine, and what adoration and reueren●… the humility of the public wonder can given Let his words be observed as Oracles, his commands as Laws, his displeasure ●…s death, yet with the flight of a thought if upon some dislike grounded or ungrounded, the King at any time shorten his Royal fa●…our, or the Law in any point take hold on him, ●…hereby he appears to ●…he judgement of the world, to be entering into ●…he way of misery, how ●…ensibly and how soon 〈◊〉 all hefeele an alteration of those large flatteries which the servility of the ●…ncertaine people promi●…ed?  
A witness hereof in his time was, and in this time may be, john, that great and last Duke of No 〈◊〉 THUMBERLAN 〈◊〉 whose pride and 〈◊〉 were at once hastened by the too much confident he had in the hearts of the Commonalty; with what speed was he disgran●… of his Sovereign, 〈◊〉 of the Lords, and 〈◊〉 of the multitude 〈◊〉 who is only covetous of any 〈◊〉, though 〈◊〉 be change from the good to the worst? A just man therefore (whose soundness of mind like 〈◊〉 Centre of the earth 〈◊〉 ever unmoved) by the light of those few 〈◊〉 dent reasons may understand how easy it is for the popular judgement as ●…ell in distinctions of mi●…eries as of happiness to ●…rre: for as they account ●…states and conditions miserable, which are not 〈◊〉 with the vanity of outward glory, or fullness of substance; so do they likewise reckon that felicity the truest happiness, whose dignity and migh●…inesse is like the blazing Star, for the present, as strange as fearful: and for a wise, a good ●…noble spirit to be 〈◊〉 with the neglect of 〈◊〉 in such creatures, would be strong proof that he never 〈◊〉 the perfect relish eythe●… of perfect wisdom, perfect goodness, or perfect Nobility.  
Like as hath before 
Forfeiture of Estate.  been said of Neglect, 〈◊〉 much or more may be inferred of that misery called the forfeiture 〈◊〉 Estate, that is, of all 〈◊〉 plenty or fullness of temporal substance, as with worldly men the name and possession of riches doth include. Of all 〈◊〉 their miseries this in th●… judgement of such as 〈◊〉 not truly directed by true●… judgement of such as are not truly directed by truest judgement, is reputed the most miserable: Insomuch as most men think, and so thinking, so resolve, that Death, in any form, is much more tolerable than beggary (for so they term poverty) by any casualty.  
One example or precedent to both Noble and understanding men, of what commendation the abandoning of rich fortunes, being reported by Quintus Curtius, may be remembered with immortal glory, of Abdo-hominas, a poor man; rich in all plenty, except plenty of riches, to whom Alexander of MACEDON, profferring the Kingdom of Sidon to him, who was before but a Gardener, was by him refused, who replied that he would take no care to lose that which he never cared to enjoy. The History is worthy, & the answer full of observation, and will be ever memorable.  
Of all other things, free spirits & wise men should least respect the loss of temporal wealth, which is no part of a man.  
Riches were fitly by the Philosophers called bona Fortunae, uncertain endowments; to figure unto us, that as fortune is ever variable, so should her benefits be reputed but unconstant friends: in regard whereof they were excluded from the gifts as well of the body as of the mind, that is, neither Health, Beautic or virtues of any sort, did need the ornament of those gifts of Fortune.  
A good man, if of his own industry and merit, he hath purchased unto himself wealth, hath little reason to grieve at the loss of them, since he remains still as perfect in the cunning of gaining as when he first began: but another of more abundance, whose possessions come to him by inheritance, without any care of his own, he hath no reason at all to distaste the seizure of his estate, since he doth forego but that which he never laboured for. Truly in respect of this it behoveth every resolved mind to bear the courage of the wise man of GREECE, that said, he at all times carried all what was his with him wheresoever he went.  
Wisdom, Temperance, Valour, justice, are the substance and hereditary possessions of a perfectly happy man, and these riches cannot be forfeited, except by a decay of Virtue, they cannot be seized except the owner cast them off, they cannot suffer contempt so long as they be nourished in a noble mind. Indeed riches are to a good man like a light silken Cloak upon his back, who is else provided against the extremity of cold with warm furs: So he that hath his own goodness and resolution to warm him in all winters of adversity, needs wealth but as a thin silken Cloak upon a furred Gown, rather to show the vanity of his disposition, than any useful employment to the sustenance of life.  
If nature be provided for against hunger with meat; against frosts with apparel; against contempt with comeliness, the desire of money or large Lordships, argues but the base filthiness of an unsatisfied covetousness.  
There may be objected, that o my estate being forfeited, mine Heirs are beggared, and the antiquity of my ancestors house made the spectacle of ruin.  
This being admitted, it is soon answered, that the houses of most continuance, and personages of Noblest births account that antiquity of best estimation which is derived from the longest descent, in which they shall find, that the first of their honours were gotten by him, who was in as low an ebb of fullness, as he is now at the present: for all greatness had a beginning, and the beginning of that greatness is desert. Am I Noble, let me know that this nobleness is the least part of mine; for my fathers won it by their virtue, they had the glory, but I enjoy the Titles. Have I robbed mine Heirs of those Titles, Honours, or Possessions? let them strive to have more honour in deserving more, that their Successors may as much remember their virtues, as I have remembered the virtues of my Ancestors. Questionless howsoever the reputation of a continued Family in ancient Honours, be preferred above any men of latter greatness, of some whose worth hath raised his house to a noble style, yet is it in the laws of reason most reasonable; that he should deserve more respect, that by his own achievements hath purchased dignity, than others that only have it by the privilege of blood, since the one wears but the shadows of his Predecessors triumphs, the other the substance of his own  
Poverty is no burden to them as can sustain it, is no enemy to such as will embrace it: He is only miserable that knows not to be content with his Fortune, especially if his fall be procured by his own errors. Then the surest, the Noblest, the only means to redeem public calamity, is by a public (and yet inward profession of sufferance; for in all persons and personages, reformation of folly is a work of more praise than the working of folly is a cause of disgrace.  
What misery can it then be to be eased of that care, which only brings care in the possession. Of all mischiefs, the greatest mischief is to be a rich man, with a rich man's mind. There is no more reason why a merely covetous man should love Gold, but for that it is yellow or fair; Pastures, because they are green; and so hath the envious much more reason to Co●…uer abundance of wealth, because other men should want it. A covetous miser, is rightly a malicious consumer, for in heaping for himself, he consumes the maintenance of the needy: yet it is to be noted, that plenty is not always to be dispraised, if the having of it do no●… procure a scarcity. But what loss is so great in a worldly estate (considering how weak it is more than in opinion) which a wise man should not bear with moderation?  
It is a misery to want, but a greater misery to have too much: but for a good man to hug the love of abundance, that he should imagine the loss of it, should make him miserable, I must conclude this point that he hath neither goodness nor resolution: if goodness, his content should be his best estate; if resolution, his want cannot be esteemed the worst poverty, since extremity is a singular teacher to learn us that we are men, and that there is both a divine power and a providence above us; the one consisting in being a God, the other in having a Godhead.  
The difference between 
Of Banishment.  a wise man, reform by counsel and instruction, and an ignorant man, informed in will and folly, is, that the wife will make good use of all adversity, when the ignorant thinks all adversity intolerable. This is proved in the greatness of a Noble courage, when it is enforced to forsake (either upon public disgrace, or some private causes) the comforts of his friends and Country, which men of low hearts) do account a misery of mischiefs, and reckon that banishment is a bad kind of torture.  
It may not be denied but that such may be the unworthiness of the action for which a man is banished, that his own conscience will in all places be a tormentor to his memory, and then the wound which he bears with him can never by change of place or time be wholly cured. Such a one, another of this latter times, well compared to the wounded do in Virgil, 
Lipsius.  who (as the Poet says) fled over Hills and Mountains to escape death, but all in vain; for still in her sides the Bowman's kill Arrow sticks. So, those men who have the arrow of some mischievous art, piercing their afflicted hearts, although they be banished from the place where they have committed villainy, yet they do but go from it, they cannot forget it. They fly the detraction of their sin, but cannot shun it; or if they could shun the deed (as they cannot) what can that avail when the doer is the man himself?  
In good men, who through divers misfortunes are sequestered from their native Countries upon wrongful or slight occasions it is nothing so: for to them if they rightly (as being good they will) instruct themselves in the first rules of wisdom, all Countries are a home. A noble and free resolution is a stranger no where; in which respect men perfectly wise, are said to be perfectly valiant, since as true wisdom is perfect valour, so is true valour perfect moderation.  
Many men have abandoned their Countries, & made themselves voluntary exiles upon a desire and greedy hope of gain, or better prosperity: such have been the Romans, Romulus and Aeneas; of the Patavynes, Antenor; of the Britaines (if the history be of credit) even our own Brute; yet truly the end of those men was no●… way glorious; for they may more rightly be called fugitives and 〈◊〉, than exiles or travailers.  
He deserved well of the Commonwealth of Athens, who having instituted excellent laws for th●… state public, took Oat●… of the Magistrates tha●… his laws should be day●… and duly practised, 〈◊〉 his return from a iourne●… which he was to undertake: the oath being received, the good man freely lived banished from his Country, never returning, that for the safety of his Country, his laws might ●…ee kept inviolable: Yet ●…as this wise man so far in this banishment from reproof, that his action and memory in his action, will never be forgotten.  
Of all accidents that can happen to a prepared mind, this of banishment hath little cause to trouble the quiet calm of a steady resolution. It is often seen that sundry persons for rarities sake, for moral instruction in complement or in behaviour, willingly some times travail into foreign lands, and there spend their time for three, six, ten years or more with great delight, taking pleasure and content in so growing old: Even so 〈◊〉 like manner let a good man resolve himself tha●… this hard word of banishment is but a journey of pleasure into some outlanding country, not proposing or limiting to the mind a time of coming back, but always minding some fit employment why he should go: as if ●…ee were but Ambassador from his own to some unknown Prince: and with what dishonour can an Ambassador be blemished, who in the service of his Sovereign leaves his life as a pledge of his duty? It may be in the bonds of Nature, some man will esteem it an heavy misfortune to forsake, or (as in the worst sense they term it) to be thrust from the fruition of the comfort of his Friends, Children, Allies, and Kinsfolks: such a thought can no more move the temper of a resolved mind; the●… it should do if he were to leave the world, since in dying, and in being banished, here is the difference, that the one necessity is commanded by an unchangeable decree from Heaven, the other by a severe imposition of man; both being a severation of old friends.  
What a madness were it in any to repute death (being thereto naturally called) a misery? Even so let him think of banishment, and withal, compare the great fortunes that some have attained unto in that estate of 〈◊〉, with the possibility of his own.  
THOMAS MOV●…RAY, Duke of Norfolk, in the Reign of RICHARD the second, being by the said King, by reason of the King's youth and indiscretion; and in regard of some other differences between Mowbray and other Princes of the blood, upon an appeal of Treason, banished; was so far from being herewith dejected, that adding practice to the nobleness of his courage, he undertook a glorious war in the land of Palestine, against the common enemy of God and Truth, the Turk, and willingly made his blood a sacrifice to the redemption of his Fame. Happy man, that sought out death with victory, before that death could make him unhappy by finding him out with overthrow: Happy banishment, which hath been the means of such a memory, and happy cause of banishment that was the first occasion to such means of being memorable.  
In like manner, Hem●… of Richmond, being for his interest in the Crown by that monster of men and Kings, RICHARD the third, found (by his even carriage and well tempered moderation) such favour and love in the Courts and hearts of foreign Princes, as that being strengthened with their strengths, and encouraged by his own right and virtue, he not only returned to challenge but to recover his own, and to purge the Land of so intolerable mischief as the government of that cruel usurper and bloody King had made it sigh under. Happy banishment, in so glorifying that Prince: Happy Prince, in so disposing that banishment: for it is certainly true, that not any accident of misfortune (as the world accounts) but the mind of the patient in suffering, or not suffering, makes it a misery.  
If examples be of any force (as they must be) by the precedent of former times to instruct the present, then may Pompey for greatness, Affricanus for Counsel, Hanyball for courage, and Ovid for wit, tell us that banishment doth not always happen to miserable men, except their own impatiency work their own calamity.  
In short, a Wise and Noble man, by what hath been said, may consider what might more have been said, to the building in this life this structure of the Golden Mean against the storms and infelicity of being a banished man, since a wise man resolved in all trials, is never confined within the limits of place, but upon all necessary occurrents doth repute himself even in his birth to be the world's Citizen.  
here yet follows Imprisonment; which often happening to men of great place and quality, is not thought the least kind of misery, which men of such minds do with their body's restraint lock up and imprison all the best faculties of their reason, forcing Reason to be a slave to Fortune, and rewarding the excellent dignity of the soul, with the corruption of judgement and Nature.  
Such a man as is kept within the enforcement of restraint, must imitate that Daedalus whom the ancient Poets fain to have wings, with which he fled from that inaccessible Castle where he was detained with his son Icarus a prisoner.  
The Moral cannot but give matter of note and application: lcarus the son betokens or may betoken the incapacity of men's bodies, and Daedalus the quickness of mind: both which, being the one with the other imprisoned; the one, which is the body, personated in Icarus, for want of moderation falls into the attempt of escape: the other, which is the mind, patterned in Dedalus, conquers adversity by flying from it in bearing it: The GOLDEN MEAN supper at ferendo; triumphs on the rigour of imprisonment by the freedom of a noble mind.  
To a man armed in his extremities, often trials are but as many often praises, and every trial gives a several crown of commendation in bearing many troubles with one and the self-same resolution.  
If the use of imprisonment be but only a little made use of, it will be found that there is no means under the ordinances of Heaven so available for a man to consider the misery of greatness, as the feeling the misery (so mistermed) of imprisonment.  
Men, accompanied with the employment of worthy thoughts, are never less idle than when they are alone, never more seriously busied then when they are only busied (and have time so to be busied) with remembering that they are men: not that such a remembrance should cast them lower than the consideration of frailty, but raise them higher than the acting of folly; not to depress the motions persuading temperance, but to rectify the persuasions moving to virtue: He is stronger that conquers his own passions, than he that after winning many Countries, becomes a passionate conqueror.  
The life of instruction is reading, and leisure the life of reading, and a retired restraint the life of leisure: which restraint is only terrible in being called imprisonment. One that for a great some of money would pledge himself to live in a chamber a ye●…re or two, or seven, will not think such an endurance a misery, because the hope of gain doth lessen or rather annihilate the severity of that injunction.  
Miserable men, and Miserable mankind that will undertake such an affliction for bettering of their temporal estates, which being imposed for the bettering of the estate of their reason and judgement, they account insufferable. Baseness of Nature that suffers that for greediness, which being had, is not certain one hour to be possessed, and yet will in the same kind forego that which being once possessed is never lost; O the furniture of the mind, which being indeed the true lasting and only best Riches! variety of books are sweet companions, and plenty of noble thoughts happy recreations: If I be a prisoner I will either talk with my Library, or sport with my thoughts, since one being learned, will prove sure instructors, the latter being Noble, worthy delights.  
A man that is restrained from liberty, hath the liberty of retaining his own worthiness, as worthily may be seen in Massinissa who being made captive to Scipio, told him, thou must SCIPIO (qd. he) enjoy the benefit of thy fortune, by taking from me my life, or of thy mercy by lo●…sing my bonds: Take my life thou freest me from bonds, free me from bonds, thou bindest me in bonds of love; but if thou lettest me live a captive, know Scipio I have a heart that did never, nor ever can seel servile capti●…ty.  
It is certain that such as see their friends in bondage and in durance, who have Noble minds, see them, and see them not: they see them as men, but not as they are more than men.  
Imprisonment is an excellent preparation to goodness, since ever after, in all fortunes, a man that hath been a prisoner may know by himself how subject a human estate is to the brittleness of alteration; and he that doth not much amend his errors by this kind of trial, is neither destined to be an attemptor of any notable virtue, or a desire of any virtuous note. It is a mild Tutor, to teach as well how to govern as how to serve; for he who can serve adversity with meekness, can guide prosperity with discretion.  
He who is a prisoner, hath herein great cause to find his friend, for such as are engaged in a promise of love, that loves not the person for his fortune, will show likewise that they fear not his misfortune, because they love his person. The saying is old, and verified in this age of the World, that a man may have many friends and yet little friendship: but here a man shall soon be taught to distinguish the difference between friendship and friends, although it is not to be urged that therefore it is fit that every one who would know truly his friends, should make himself, or be made a prisoner; but that every one being a prisoner should then have fit time to know how he is esteemed.  
Imprisonment is not of such virtue in itself that men should seek to be prisoners, thereby to be happy, but being by casualty enforced upon any, the use thereof may be so happy, that he who is imprisoned may not think himself miserable.  
Even as he who being followed by the memory of some evil act, though he have his body at liberty, yet is still imprisoned in the guilt of his 〈◊〉 So he that reformeth the crookedness of his condition, by the imitation of goodness, though his body be imprisoned, hath by the self-same reason the freedom of the mind.  
Imprisonment is a gentle sickness, not to kill, but to chasten the patient: and as men naturally proud may be humbled, but will never be humble, so men of a meek condition may be lanced for the recovery of health, but not wounded to the hastening of death: which a Wise and Noble man, well forecasting, may arm himself against reputed miseries, and amongst them all, against this one of imprisonment, that whensoever it should come to him, it should come to him rather to exercise then to overthrow him.  
Finally, amongst such 
Of Death.  men, whose reason is overswayed by nature, Death is reckoned for a misery, and is to them a misery indeed, but to others guided by the refined light of judgement: it is esteemed (as it is) the only remedy and securest ease against misery.  
Death to a wiseman cannot come unlooked for, nor to a good man unwisht for: since the wise, knowing that they must die, know likewise that resolution is the best comfort to welcome death, and the good being confident of their own innocencies, desire the change of a better life.  
He that will overcome affliction by sufferance, bear calamity with courage, weary out fear with hope, let him be resolute, that the worst of trials is death; and for that be armed whensoever it shall come, and be ready to embrace it.  
If a Noble or a Wise man after disfavour of his Prince, neglect of his Country, forfeiture of his Estate, banishment from his Friends, imprisonment of his Person, or any other esteemed extremes be threatened, with the loss of his head, or execution in any manner, certainly he hath great cause to rejoice; for he is not worthy to see any end of his sorrows, who is not prepared to meet it with a merry heart.  
The end of all sorrows is Death, if the party to die be truly reconciled to his God and to his conscience.  
The old Poets did fitly feign Death to be the child of the Night, and Sleep to be the Sister of Death; wisely including, that as Night and Sleep wrap up all in stillness, so should Death more perfectly finish the course of evils, by burying them in a grave, never to arise.  
And no doubt, but herein Death and Night have much affinity, that as the Night is fearful, because dark; but sweet, because giving rest: So is Death in his shadow (which is the night of opinion) before it, comes full of horror, but in substance (which is the quickening to a better life) when it comes, full of joys.  
It may be here objected, that to die for some supposed offence by an enforced death, is scandalous, and therefore miserable.  
But it may be answered, that such an objection betokens but the fear of frailty. For if it be examined, we must confess that the hour of death ●…uen to them that most ●…oke for and desire it, is ●…ncertaine, and they cannot be so provided at an ●…stant as others that ●…now the instant when they are to suffer.  
Herein men destined 〈◊〉 death for some offence, ●…re (as it may seem) ●…ore happy in their end, ●…hen they are unhappy in their disorder of living ●…hat hath brought them 〈◊〉 that end.  
Men, appointed to die, knowing the time certain, have reason, and no doubt, do accordingly fit themselves to forsake and cast off all those parts and thoughts that might make them mortal, then others who only dream of a dying time, but not resolving that they draw nearer to the time, are many times suddenly taken in the fullness of their filthiness, and in the high tide of acting unlawful pleasures or abuses: and here surely between the manner of dying, the last is most fearful, since the former, knowing the minute in which they are to depart from the World, do by the stroke of justice enjoy that benefit which wise and good men do in mercy sigh and hope for.  
Death is a happy Haven, and men shipwrecked in the Sea of this earth cannot but covet it: It is a safe Inn, and men posting in the journeys of weariness, cannot but seek it: It is a path to blessedness, and such as are good will find it: It is a banquet of all goodness, and such as be blessed have found it.  
He is unworthy to live that is not worthy enough to die, and he is not unworthy to die that hath lived worthily. The woman that demanded of jupiter that he would give to her two sons the greatest happiness that could be bestowed from heaven on men, had the same night her sons both dead, as if the greatest human felicity were to be freed from being human.  
To conclude (for something hath been said of this before) he which will wisely and nobly practise the observation of the Golden Mean, and show the greatness of Virtue in extremes, must keep truce with his passions, & prepare his courage with this resolution, that Misery is no Misery; for that is only a misery which is lasting, and thought so: and reputed misery is not lasting, because death out wears it; is not thought so because death will finish it: in the resolving on the one Wisdom will prove a Noble mind, in the other Nobleness will pattern out a wiseman: for moderation in extremes make perfect both.  
In the view of what hath been said, under the titles of a wise and a Noble man, are comprehended all men, of all degrees and fortunes, whose Virtues do make them wise; as their wisdom doth make them Noble. For wisdom consisteth not only in grey heads, but in a steady providence how to do, and Nobleness consisteth not only in an Honourable race; but in a prudent resolution what to do. Wisdom informs the mind, and NOBLENESS commends the actions; in somuch as every one who can act wisely, and deliberate Nobly, squaring his resolution to resolve steaddinesse in both fortunes, may of merit be enrolled amongst the memorable: and be remembered by the desertful to be truly wise because Noble: to be perfectly Noble because wise.  
FINIS.