The mirror of friendship: both how to know a Perfect friend, and how to choose him.  
With a brief treatise, or caveat, not to trust in worldly prosperity.  
Translated out of Italian into English by Thomas Breme Gentleman.  
Imprinted at London by Abel Jesse's, dwelling in Sermon lane, near Paul's chain. 1584.   blazon or coat of arms of Thomas Kirton of Thorpe Mandeville  

To the worshipful Master Thomas Kyrton esquire, chief common Sergeant of the city of London, A I. wisheth increase of worldly prosperity, and after this life, that he may enjoy the heavenly felicity.  
GReat is the force of Virtue, (worshipful) which causeth those that therewith are beautified, oft times to be praised, loved, and wondered at: even of such as never saw them. Among which golden number (for there be not many such now living in this our iron age) I cannot but deservedly accounted your worship: having heard you so notably commended and well spoken of, not so much for your very good natural inclination, as for your other extraordinary dispositions of virtue: and namely for your liberaltie, courtesy, and affableness towards all sorts and degrees of people. These with other your honest and rare qualities: as your upright dealing and just demeanour in civil affairs, are means that never fail to purchase favour among the well inclinans: and therefore being in you both so manifest and manifold, they cannot but give grace among the well disposed. In consideration whereof, I among the rest (as one of the most that may do least) have reverenced your name, and often have wished some just occasion to befall me whereby I might find the means to testify that good will in open action towards your worship, which along time in secret cogitation and thought I have borne to so good a Gentleman. And now (in a happy time be it spoken) I have taken opportunity, as conveniently it fell out, in signification of my foresaid goodwill which is far inferior unto my slender and weak ability, to undertake the presenting of your worship with this small discourse, being a mirror, or looking glass, wherein all are advertised and taught, not only what duties of humanity the most excellent name of friendship doth mutually require; and would continually to be practised among men: but also what course a man is to keep and take in the election and choice of a friend: Wherein such as be wise will (no doubt) be circumspect: knowing that a faithful and inward friend is to be reckoned one of the most precious ornaments and necessary instruments belonging to this our variable life, and that without it (no more than the body of man without sinews and joints the society of men cannot consist. Thus much in brevity, touching the argument of this book, by way of induction to the treatise itself: which because it will sufficiently commend itself to those that be of judgement able to discern, I will conceal whatsoever I might most justly record in praise thereof. Beseeching your worship, whom (among all other) the reasons afore said have moved me to choose for the countenancing of the same, being (I must needs confess) in respect of the valour unworthy, but in consideration of the use most worthy to be dedicated unto your worship: persuading myself, that you are none of those that esteem the price of things by their outward bark, but by the inward pith: for the eye may fail in judging, but the mind (if it be not distempered) doth seldom miss. Receive this little treatise therefore (I beseech you) with favour answerable to my good will, and as your leisure shall serve, bestow now and then an hour or twain in the reading thereof: which if it please you to do, I doubt not but you will like well of the labour: and besides the honest recreation which it affordeth, apply what your judgement maketh choice of, unto your private use, And thus wishing prosperity to your worship, acceptation to this my gift, and a good opinion of the giver. I conclude: hoping that mine honest wish shall not be void of an happy issue and success.  
Your worships, most humble to command, Abel leffes.   

A Preface to the gentle Reader.  
GOod Reader, considering that in these days there is such unsteady friendship amongst many, that it is hard to find a perfect and true friend: for now friendly words are common, but when friendship cometh to the touch or proof, the alteration is marvelous: yea and sometimes so dangerous that of friends in words they will become enemies in deeds: for many that will be accounted as friends, if a storm of adverfitie or a tempest of troubles fall out to those they have professed friendship unto, they utterly withdraw their good wills, and become so cold, that no regard is had at all of their former professed good wills. I have therefore in brief: discourse showed thee the true duty of one friend to a nother: and partly how to know, and chose a good & perfect friend, and also not to trust in the prosperities of this world: which I desire may be unfeignedly practised, and followed by those that seek to prefer virtuous, honest, and lawful amity. Thus I commit you to the discourse, entreating thereof as followeth.  
 printer's device of Abel Jeffe, incorporating the arms of the City of London and of the Worshipful Company of Stationers 
A I  PRAISE THE LORD WITH HARP AND SONG   

A most excellent description what one true and perfect friend ought to do for another. Also how to choose such a friend, with most perfect councils how to govern thyself in security: both pleasant to read, and profitable to follow.  
THe famous philosopher Plato, being asked by his scholars, why he went so often from Athens into Sicilia, the way being long, and the sea very tempestuous, and perilous to traverse and pass: he answered them: the occasion that moves me to go and come so often from Athens into Sicilia is for no other cause, but only to see my friend Photion, a man very excellent in his works and learning: wise in his sayings, and just and true in his words: and also for that he is my great friend, and enemy to vice, and a lover and follower of virtue, I go willingly to aid him to my power, and to consult with him of all things that I know. And further he said: you ought to know, my good scholars, that a good Philosopher, or wise man, to visit and secure his friends, to practise and confer with him, aught to esteem the voyage little, and the 〈…〉: yea though he should sail over the sea, or should journey over all the land. 
Apollonius Tianeus a notable philosopher.  Appollonius Tianeus parted from 〈◊〉, passed through all Asia, did sail over the great flood Nilus, 
Nilus' a famous River in Egypt.  endured the colds of the mount Caucasus, 
The mountain Caucasus, a famous mountain extreme cold.  & suffered the great hoards of the Ryphean mountains, 
The Riphean mountain extreme hot.  passed the lands of the Massagets, entered into the great India, making this long peregrination & travel for no other respect, but to visit and confer with Hyarchos the Philosophor, this great friend Agesilaus, sometime a famous Captain among the Greeks, having knowledge that the king Hytarius did hold prisoner another Captain his very friend, leaving and setting apart all his affairs and travels through infinite countries, till he came to the king, and after most humble and reverent salutation said these words: I beseech thee most renowned king, that it may please thee to pardon Mynotus, my singular friend, and thy humble subject: and all that it shall please thee in favour to do for him, I shall and will account it done to myself. And I assure thee, O king, thou canst not chastise, or punish his person, but that thou shalt give unto me feeling of the like torment, that thou givest or causest to be done to him. The king Herode, after that Marcus Antonius was vanquished by the Emperor Augustus, 
Marcus Antonius a noble Roman and of great authority.  he came to Rome, and set his crown at the feet of Augustus;, and with a bold heart spoke unto him these words: thou shalt now know, O Augustus, if thou dost not already know it, that if Marcus Antonius had rather believed me then his friend Cleopatra, 
Cleopatra Queen of Egypt after the death of Marcus Antonius, enclosed herself in a tomb full of live serpents, & so ended her life, for the great love she bore unto Marcus Antonius her lover.  thou shouldest have proved how great an enemy he had been to thee. And thou shouldest likewise have known, how great a friend I had been to him, as yet I am: but he as a man that would rather govern himself by the will of a woman, then be led by reason and wisdom, he took of me money, and of Cleopatra council: and see here my Realm, my person and my Crown here at thy feet, which I offer willingly to thee to dispose at thy will and pleasure: but with this consideration, O invincible Augustus, that no punishment or hurt be done, upon my Lord and friend Marcus Antonius. For a true friend will not forsake his friend, not for the peril of death, nor after his death, be forgetful or unmindful of him, although his person be absent. By these examples and many other, that I could bring, it maybe considered, what faith and fidelity one true friend oweth to an other, and what perils one of them ought to adventure for an other: for it is not sufficient, that one friend be sorry for an other, for their mishaps or evil fortunes, but to put themselves even to the danger of death, rather than to fail his friend in his extreme need.  
He then of good right aught to be called a friend, and esteemed as true and perfect, that doth willingly offer, 
¶ Note how to know a perfect friend.  depart, and give to his friend those things that he lacketh, before he asketh his aid: and that speedily cometh to succour & help his friend, being in peril, without calling, or sending for. And therefore there is not, nor can not be in this world, better friendship, than this that I have spoken of, which is that cometh with a free heart of himself to aid his friend in necessity, and to succour him when he is in grief or sorrow: further we ought to know, that to continue and make perfect friendship, thou oughtest not to enter into friendship with many: following the counsel that Seneca the Philosopher gave to his friend Lucillus, willing him to be the only friend to one, and enemy to none: for the number of friends causeth great importunity, the which causeth perfect amity to diminish for considering well the liberty of our heart, it is impossible, that one man should, or can conform or dispose his nature and condition to the will and liking of many: nor that many should conform themselves to the desire and liking of one. Tully and Sallust were two Orators in Room, very renowned amongst the Romans: which two Orators were mortal enemies: and during their enmities, Tully had for his friends all the Senators in Room, and Sallust had no other friend in Room but Marcus Antonius: and one day these two Orators, being in contention in words together, Tully with great disdain did reproach Sallust, saying unto him: what canst thou do, or enterprise in Room against me? for well thou knowest, that in all Room thou hast to thy friend but only Marcus Antonius, and that I have in Room no enemy but him. Sallust, made him a ready answer: thou makest great brags, O Tully, for that thou hast but one enemy, mocking me, that I have but one friend: but I hope in the immortal gods, that all thy friends shall not be able to defend thee from destruction, and that this one friend of mine if all be of power sufficient to keep me from danger against thee and all thy adherents: and so it came to pass within few days after, that Marcus Antonius caused Tully to be slain, and did advance Sallust to great authority and honour. A friend may part to another body with all that he hath, as bread, wine, gold, silver, and all other his temporal goods, but not the heart: for that can not be parted nor given to more than one: for this is true and certain: many hold it for great glory to have many friends, but if they consider to what purpose: such a number of friends serve for no other cause, but to eat, drink, walk, and talk together: not to succour them in their necessities, with their goods, favour and credits, nor brotherly to reprove them of their vices and faults, where in truth, where is a perfect amity, neither my friend to me, nor I to my friend ought never to dissemble but one to tell another their vices and faults: 
A perfect friend a great measure.  for in this world is not find so great a treasure that may be compared to a true and perfect friend, considering that to a true and assured friend, a man may discover the secrets of his heart, and recount to him all his griefs, trust him with things touching his honour, and deliver him to keep his goods and treasures, which will succour us, in our pains and travels, council us in all perils and dangers, rejoice with us in our prosperities, and will be sorrowful with us in our adversities, and disgraces of fortune. Finally, I conclude, that a faithful friend doth never fail to aid us during his life, nor to complain & mourn for us after our death. I agree that gold and silver is good, and parents and kindred, but far better is true friends, without comparison: for that all other things cannot help us in our necessity, if by fortune it happen that we be plunged in troubles, but riches many times doth danger us, yea & doth further increase our peril, and deceiveth us, making us to enterprise unprofitable attempts, leading us to the tops of craggy mountains, from which, we fall in great peril, and perpetual ruin: but a true friend seeing or hearing his friend in danger or heaviness doth minister to him of his goods, travel and danger his person, takes long and painful voyages, enters into debates and speeches, and doth hazard his person, only to help and release his friend out of peril, with such a pure affection & amity, that he would yet do more for him if it were in his power: having then presupposed that it is necessary to choose a friend, & only to use him alone, great consideration is to be had in the choice and election of such a one, lest thou find thyself deceived in thy trust, in uttering thy secrets to him: 
How to choose a perfect friend.  have regard that he be not covetous, unpatient, or angry: a great talker, seditious, or a mover of strife, neither presumptuous: for if he be infected with these vices, thou wert better to have him thine enemy, then to choose him for thy friend: but thy perfect friend ought to be of good conditions, and honest customs: that is to be gentle of nature, wise in his purposes, and painful in travels, patiented in injuries, sober in eating and drinking good in council giving: and above all faithful and constant in amity, and keeping thy secrets: and such a one thou mayst surely choose for thy friend. And where want and defaylance shallbe of these conditions, to fly his friendship as a dangerous pestilence. Hold this for a certain thing, that much worse is the amity of a feigned friend and fantastical, than the malice of an open enemy. We see none will buy a horse, till first he hath seen him go, and well viewed him: silk nor cloth without seeing and feeling it: wine without tasting it: flesh without cheapening it: nor house without viewing it within: nor instruments without hearing them sounded, and played upon: by a more great reason thou oughtest in choosing thy friend, to know his behaviour and wisdom and virtues, long before thou admittest him as thy secret friend. 
Note the Emperor Augustus' order in friendship.  The Emperor Augustus was wary & difficil in admitting a special friend, but after he had received him into his friendship, he would never leave him, nor reject him for any cause or displeasure. Friendship ought to be exercised with good men, & in virtuous actions: for although a man make his friend Lord of his secrets, and liberty, yet always reason ought to reserve virtue free. Plutarch saith in his Politics, that we were much better, to sell dearly to our friends our good turns, 
Note plutarch's opinion.  and friendships, either in prosperity or adversity, then to féeds them with fair & dissembling words, & vain promises, not meaning to perform any of our friendships offered. I wish these my travels might be agreeable to them, that shall peruse that I have written of Amity, and choice of a friend, having writ freely, without flattery. Saluite in his book of the jugurthine wars, shows that it is no less commendation for a writer to write truly the valiant acts of the worthy, then to the conqueror to have executed his charge with valour and worthiness of arms: for often it happeneth, the captain to be slain in gaining the battle and victory, yet faileth he not to be revived by good reputation, 
Good fame remaineth after death,  that he gained before his death, being set down in true history by the writer. Good counsel is of great efficacy in a friend: 
Marcus Aurelius a famous empeour of Rome.  as said Marcus Aurelius to his secretary Panucius, saying that a man with money may satisfy and recompense many pleasures and good turns done him, but to reward good counsel all the goods had need to satisfy and recompense. If we will believe ancient histories, we shall find it true, that the virtuous Emperors, fortunate Kings, and hardy Captains, going to the wars, to conquer their enemies, have always been desirous to have in their company some discreet and learned philosopher, as well to counsel with, as also to record in writing their adventures and noble faets. Great Alexander had Aristotle: King Gyrus, Chilon: King Ptholome, Pithimon: King Pyrrhus Zaturu: 
The notable emperors and kings have esteemed learned men greatly.  the emperor August Simonides Scipio, Sophocles: the emperor trajan, Plutarch: the emperor Antonius p●●● Georgias. The company of all these philosophers and excellent men of the world served only for good counsel, wherein their services deserved praise: as did the valiant Captains, by their hardiness & manhood. The emperor Nero asked Seneca the philosopher, what he thought of Scipio the African and ●a to the Censor: he answered the emperor that it was: 
As Arms is necessary so is learning also.  as necessary that Cato should be borne into the world, for the common wealth, as Scipio to, for the wars: for as much, as the good Cato, by his counsel did: chase the vices out of the common wealth: and Scipio by his activity and valiantness in arms, did chastise the enemy of the common wealth. And surely who shall follow the counsel here written, shall find them necessary and profitable: and shall help him to assure his estate. For all the troop of philosophers do affirm, that the felicity doth not consist in great puissance, nor in having worldly riches, 
To deserve well is the property of good men.  but in deserving well. For the honour, favour, and greatness of this mortal life is of more practice in them that deserve it then to them that possess it without desert, by hap or fortune: for if the earthquakes do most hurt where be the most costly buildings, and the tempest and lightning is most extreme upon the high mountains, more than in the valleys, and low planes: and that in the greatest and most proud and most peopled cities, the pestilence doth most rage, more than in other places of small inhabitation: and the birds be entrapped in the nets unknown to them: and the calmness of the Sea is token of some great tempest to come: and that after long health sickness is most dangerous: so do I infer hereby, that it is necessary for all men to beware of feigned friends and beware of falling into ruin and danger of evil fortune, & entrapping of dissembled friends. The emperor Augustus asked Virgil how he might long maintain himself in his empire, & be liked of the common weal: he answered, often to examine thyself, O Emperor, and to know that as thou excellest all in estate and degree, and authority, so oughtest thou to surpass all other in vertus and nobleness: which was a most excellent and wise answer. The ancient and wise Historiographers did praise greatly the greatness of Alexander, the learning of Ptholome, the justice of Numa Pompilius, the clemency of julius Caesar, the patience of Augustus, the veritis of trajan, the pity of Antonius, the temperance of Constantius, the continency of Scipio, and the humanity of Theodosius: so that these great princes got their great reputation more by their virtues, than valiancy and great deeds of arms, victories, & triumphs. One thing is most certain, that how vicious, dissolute or dissembling a man be, when he considereth, and remembreth his wicked doings, and thinks what he hath been, what he he is, 
It is a wicked thing to dissemble.  and what may happen to him, for dissembling with his friends, and other his evil doings, that if any spark of grace, or any goodness remain in him, he will repent him of his former evil, & it bringeth heaviness to him, when he hath done wickedly: for so say truly, we never receive so much pleasure and contentment in doing evil, as we shall find displeasure, grief, vengeance and punishment, after evil doing. Certain counsels and good advertisements I will give all men, 
Note these counsels.  never discover nor declare to any person all that thou thinkest, neither make any privy how much treasure, or valour in goods thou haste: for if thou canst not have all thou desirest, do not say all thou knowest, neither do hurt, to any that thou mayest, and is in thy power to do: for commonly great hurt doth a man procure to himself in following his own will, without resting upon the rock of good consideration and reason. The second is to be wary, & careful, never to put to the hazard of variant fortune those things that concern thy person, thy estate and goods: for the wise will never repose or put themselves in peril upon hope, where danger and peril is likely to ensue: neither think, that all services and proffers that shallbe made them in words and friendly protestations shall be performed for commonly those: that most liberally offer their friendships, are slack in performing, ye a sometime readiest, if they see a man hath need of him, or that fortune frown upon him to whom he professeth great good will, none shall be found a greater enemy than he: never be thou a meddler in other men's business, or matters that touch thee not, neither be slack in following thine own: for a time lost in doing thy business, the like opportunity thou shalt never find, or recover again: if thou stand in danger, and that there be hope of help, 
the duties of a perfect friend.  speedily prevent thy mishap, lest by detracting the time all hope of help may fail thee: choose them for thy friends assured and faithful, that will have care of thee, & hold thee up from falling, & not them, 
do not oppress or hurt the poor.  that after thou art fallen will proffer thee their hand to help thee up again: hurt not those that thou hast power to hurt: for the cries and curses of the poor, and sometimes of other, being wronged cometh before the presence of God, demanding justice and vengeance: in that thou art of ability to do good, help thy friends: parents and kindred, and also the poor. In counsel that that thou shalt give, be not affectionate: be not presumptuous, or severe against them you may command: neither do any thing without good consideration: keep company with them that will speak the truth, and flee from them that be liars, flatterers, and dissemblers: for more account is to be made of them, that will forewarn thee of evil that may follow to thee, then to those that will give counsel after thou hast received the hurt: For a wise man is to think that although evils commonly happen not to the provident man, yet to think possible they may come, is wisdom: for it happeneth, the ship suddenly by tempest to wrack, when the Sea is a little before very calm & quiet, 
A wise consideration.  and the more favourable thou findest fortune, so much the more have thou fear that she will be cruel, and despiteful against the: make no small account of this little work, and brief advertisement, for experience teacheth us, that a little diamond is of more estimation than a great ballays. Consider also, how the time flieth away, and all things come to an end: 
A notable council.  and that thou must departed from thy riches, be forsaken of friends, and thy person to die, and those that should succeed and follow thee shall utterly forget thee: and thou shalt not know, to whom thy goods and succession, shall come, and less how thy children and heirs shall govern themselves, nor whether they should prove good and virtuous, or not. Chilon the philosopher, being asked what thing he did find in this world upon which fortune had no power, he answered: there be two things only in this world, which time cannot consume, 
Fame and verity will never be covered.  nor fortune destroy, that is fame and good reputation of a man, that is written in books, and verity hid, for that verity and truth may be hid and clouded for a time, but in the end it will manifest itself: if thou wilt sometime, for the recreation and contentment of thy spirits. To peruse these counsels, here set down, thou shalt have cause to think it a good travail, and work and time bestowed well. As Suetonius Tranquillus doth write of julius Caesar, 
Time spent virtuously.  that among all the wars and continual following them, he did not cease to read and write some thing, yea being in the camp, and in his tent, commonly in one hand he held his spear, and in the other his pen, to write his commentaries. Man is to make great account of the time lost, more than to have care to keep his treasures and riches: for the time being well employed shall bring him to salvation, and treasures evil gotten shall be the cause of eternal damnation, over and beside a great travail and weariness to the body of man, and greater peril to his soul, when he occupies all his days and all his life in the affairs, of this world, and cannot separate his mind from these worldly affairs, till he be called to the place, where he must make account of all his wretched doings, and leave his body in the earth, a food for worms. And finally, I assure you all that shall read this short advertisement and council; that of all the treasures, riches, prosperities, services, authorities and powers that you have, and possess in this your mortal life, you shall carry nothing with you, but only the time that you have well employed and spent virtuously, during the course, and time of this your mortal life.  
FINIS.   

An excellent advertisement and council to be by the readers well remembered: not to trust prosperous fortune, neither the felicities of this worldly life. With divers histories, and antiquities approving the same by examples.  
Collected out of sundry tongues by. I. B.  
AT LONDON Printed for Abel jeffes, dwelling in Sermon lane near Paul's chain.   

A godly advertisement to the Reader.  
Among all the Romans, the great Cato the Censor was had in singular reputation, which in all the progress of his life was so honest, and in government of the common wealth was so rightwise a justiciar, that by good right there was written upon the Gate of of his house these Epitaphs: O most fortunate Cato, the reputation of whom is such toward the common wealth, that there cannot be found a man that is able to justify that ever he saw thee do evil, or that any ever durst pray thee of any favour or grace in any cause that was not just and honest. 
Cato would have no statue or Image of himself set up as the notable Romans used.  And by good reason such honour was done him: for among all the noble and famous Romans, it was he alone that would not suffer that any Image of himself should be erected or set up in the capitol of Rome, as the other famous Romans did use for their honour and remembrance to continue. Many having great marvel why this worthy Cato refused the honour, where upon were great discourses and speeches in Rome: Cato upon a day being in the Senate house, said openly unto them: the cause that I will not consnent to erect my Image in the capitol, is for that I desire that after death my good works should rather be followed, 
A man's good works rather to be followed then his image to be looked upon.  then to go after, & behold my Image, and inquire what house or parents I came of, and what evil I have done in my life time: and so my evil deserts might cause my statue or Image to be thrown down, to my infamy and dishonour after my death: for it happeneth often that those which by variant fortune, from base estate be mounted to great honour, come afterwards by the same occasion to be plunged and over thrown into utter ruin and defamy: for many be reverenced and honoured for their great riches, while they possess them, which after are mocked when fortune hath abased them, and deprived them of their riches. Lucian doth recite that Pompey the great was wont to say: 
Note Pompeius words of the variety of Fortune.  my friends we have little cause to trust the flatterings of fortune: as for my part, I have proved by experience, that obtained the rule of the Roman empire before I did once pretend it, or had any hope to do it, & you know how suddenly again it was taken from me, when I nothing suspected any such hap to come. Lucius Seneca being banished from Rome, wrote a letter to his mother Albine, in which, in comforting her he said these words: know this for certain, good mother Albine, that in my life I never gave credit to, or trusted fortune, 
The wise will not presume upon good hap.  although there were between me and her many shows of friendliness: but what so ever she as a traitress consented to, whereby I found myself in rest and tranquillity: it was not done by fortune, by will to cease to hurt me, but only to give me the more great fall, and dissimuled assurance of her furious revenge towards me: yea even with the furies, that one camp of them come after another armed against me to give battle: for all that she gives me, either in riches or honour by her liberality, I accept it but lent, & not to continue, but small time: the promises that fortune offers me, the honours she doth me, and the riches she gives me, I lay it by account in my house by itself, that always I look to lose it every hour of the day and night: even when it pleaseth her to take all again, without any thing troubling my mind or spirits, or making dolorous or heavy my heart any thing at all, and further know, that although I have been beholding to fortune, yet I have always determined never to put trust in any thing she gives me, nor hope in my heart safely to keep it, otherwise then for the time to take pleasure in it, but no assurance. I love to have fortune my friend, rather than mine enemy, but notwithstanding, if I lose all that she gives me, it shall grieve me nothing: therefore I conclude finally that when fortune causeth or suffereth my house to be rob and assailed by the greatest extremity she can: yet shall it not cause me to give one sigh from my heart. We read that King Philip the father of great King Alexander, 
A wise king that doubted prosperous fortune.  when he had received news of three victories that his Captains and men of war had gotten in divers places, he immediately kneeled down, joining his hands together, lifting up his eyes to the heavens, & spoke these words: O cruel fortune: Oh most pitiful gods: after my prosperous success, I most humbly pray you that after such great glory as you have given me at this present, you will moderate the chastisement, I fear will follow: 
How fearful the king Philip was.  and that it may be with such pity, that it be not the cause of my extreme ruin and destruction: for I am certain that after great felicity and prosperity of this life there followeth great misfortunes and disgraces. All these examples afore recited be worthy to be noted and often called to our remembrance, that by thinking on them we may know how little we have to trust in fortune, and how much we have to fear the flattering fawning and felicities of this life. True it is that we be very frail by nature, & therefore fall into many fragilities daily. This world as a traitor doth use always to give us troubles and sorrows, as a recharge after our good haps. So that we may by good right call our felicities cawteries or burning diseases in the flesh almost incurable to heal: for that the world is subtle to find every fraud and mischief, without giving us warning to foresee the sequel that follows. As is manifestly seen: for we fall into a number of mishaps before we can beware. 
After pleasure pain followeth.  Yea if it fortune that sometimes we happen upon pleasures, or contentments of mind, by good fortune, as we term it, there follows a dangerous gulf of troubles, and a sea of dolorous thoughts: so that we hoping, as right worldlings, to hold in certainty our good haps, riches & treasures of this world, are suddenly entrapped and toiled in the nets of misfortune, hidden under a vain hope of our good fortunes continuing with us. As though we had good fortune taken in our nets, and so forced to abide with us: as had one notable Captain Timotheus (as poets fain) for that he was happy in all his enterprises, wherefore, 
Timotheus a fortunate Captain.  how high, great, rich, or how wise so ever we account ourselves: of this we may be sure and certain, that all men that be in the world, shall find themselves deceived in following the world, and the practices used in the same. And such is our folly that after a little good fortune our wits be captivated and drowned in our own conceit, that we offer ourselves as a prayer to evil haps and froward fortune most commonly irrecuperable. O traitorous world, which for a short time dost flatter us, and suddenly with the twinkling of an eye dost hunt us from thee: suddenly thou givest us occasion to be merry, 
traitorous world.  and by and by makest us heavy and sad: now thou dost advance us, and shortly after abase us, & enchant us: under the guise of troubles doth so travel and weary us, and makest us so fast in thy toils & troublous labyrinths, that we can not escape thy engines, for the world, the more knowing a man haughty and glorius, the more doth provide for him honours and riches, dainty fare, beautiful women & other worldly pleasures and rests, which is to no other end, but after all these wished pleasures and deintines ministered unto us, even as a bait is to the fishes we are suddenly & more easily taken in the nets & snares of our own wickedness: but as for our first temptations that by the world be presented unto us, we think it unpossible that we should be so often assailed with adverse fortune, and our power that is small to resist, is cause to us of great hardiness: but I would have one that is most affectionate to the world, or loveth it most, should tell me, what hope or recompense he or they can recover after they be deceived of the world and their trust they have of the continuance of their brittle pleasures: by trusting whereof they after endure so many encumbrances of fortune. If we should ever hope they would continue with us, that were a great folly and mockery, 
Death more near when life is most desire  considering that the time when our life is most sweet and agreeable to us, then is death most near us, even most suddenly to entrap us: for when we think to have peace and truce with fortune, at the same instant she raises a camp, and stirs up a new war against us. And I certainly believe that which I have written and said shallbe red of many, and remembered and believed of few: that is, that I have known great dolours and lamentations to have been in the houses of many, where before hath been great joy, laughing and rejoicing in this world, which is a giver of evil, 
●he world described.  a ruin of good things, a heap of wickedness, a tyrant of virtue, an enemy of peace, a friend of wars, a maintainer of errors, a river of vices, a persecutor of virtues, an inventor of novelties, a grave of ignorance, a forest of mischief, a burning desire of the fleshly delights & insatiable delicacy, in feeding & gourmandise, and finally, a Charybdis or most dangerous gulf, in which doth perish many noble hearts, and a very Scylla, where also doth perish all our desires & good thoughts for the people do not account them happy that deserve well, 
●he People's account.  but those that possess the riches and treasures, which upon the sudden some times they see fortune utterly despoil them of that then possess: but of that mind were not the Philosophers & Sages, neither at this day those that be wise and virtuous, we see some lose their riches and some their lives and treasures together that have been long in gathering & getting: for where is great riches envy followeth, as the shadow the body. Ewsenides was in great favour with King Ptholome of Egypt, & thereby very rich: 
Note this.  rejoicing in this prosperity of fortune, said to another his great familiar: the king can give me no more than the rule of all that he hath: his friend answered him: yet adverse fortune may take it all from thee, & then it will be a grievous day to thee, to descend the degrees of good hap, 
The cruelty of a king in respect of this liver.  shortly after it followed that king Ptholome found Ewsenides talking secretly with a woman that king Ptholome loved greatly, wherefore the king taking high displeasure against them both, commanded the woman to drink poison, and caused the man to be hanged before his gate. Plaucian was so greatly esteemed of the Emperor Severus, that all that Plaucian preferred, the Emperor thought well of, 
Plaucian slain by the emperors son.  & willingly accomplished his requests: yet was he suddenly slain in the king's chamber by the hands of Basian the emperors eldest son. the Emperor Commodus, son of the good Emperor Marcus Aurelius, loved one servant that he had, called Cleander, 
The end of extreme covetousness.  a man very wise & old, but yet covetous: which man being asked pay by the soldiers of Rome, showing the emperors warrant under his hand, 
Prince's commandments are dangerous to be broken.  yet would not Cleander make pay wherefore the Emperor seeing his disobedience, & the small respect he had to do the emperors commandment, commanded immediately that Cleander should be put to a shameful death, and all his goods confiscate, Alcimenides, a famous king in Gréece, had one that served him, named Pannonian, one that the king held in singular favour and account, in so much that the king played at tennis with this his servant: in playing, a contention grew between them, where the chase was marked, 
It is danger to contend with princes.  the king said in one place, Pannonion in another, the king being in a great fury, commanded his guard to take him, & in the same place that Pannonian affirmed the chase to be the king caused Panonians head to be cut of, the Emperor Constance favoured greatly one Hortensius, in so much that all matters in the common wealth, the wars, and household affairs were done by Hortensius his direction: the emperor having cause to sign letters very hastily, & Hortenslus brought the Emperor a pen that was evil made, or else some fault in the ink, that the Emperor could not readily write with it, the Emperor being very angry caused Hortensius' head to be cut of with out any stay. 
A cruel punishment for a light fault.  Many other examples might here be brought in. How great Alexander slew in his anger Craterus. King Pyrrhus caused his scretary Alphabot to be slain. The emperor Bittalio, Cincinatus his dear friend. Domician, his chamberlain Rufus, by which examples may be seen the suddenness of the alteration of prospetity and riches, & for light occasions also death. King Demetrius asked the Philosopher Euripides, what he thought of the weakness of man & of the uncertainty of this life, he answered: O king, there is nothing certain in this life, but that sudden eclipses and encumbrances chanceth. King Demetrius answered: you might well say they change daily, and almost from hour to hour. So that there may be inferred by the words of this good king, that changes of peril & danger come in the twinkling of an eye, but to say the truth, the man that would live content, 
Many mishaps might be prevented by wisdom.  and foresee these evil haps, might well avoid most mischances: but abundance & prosperity of fortime doth so blind us, that coveting still to enrich ourselves, and to command, brings us in the end to infelicity and torments of the mind. Finally I conclude, that all men ought to live sagely and wisely, to foresee the directions of their lives and daily affairs. For most true it is that none live in any prosperous estate that hath no enemies, noting their doings: wherefore let all men direct a virtuous course in their living in this world, by means whereof their own quietness may follow in their life time, and be a good example for their posterity to follow, after their deaths.  
FINIS.   

Imprinted at London by Abel jeffes and William Dickenson.