Inimicus Amicus: AN Excellent Treatise, showing, how a man may reap profit by his Enemy.  SUCH AS I MAKE SUCH WILL I TAKE  printer's or publisher's device 
Printed at London by V.S. for Thomas Bushel. 1601.   

To the right Honourable, William Rider, Lord Mayor of the City of London. T. B. wisheth all health and happiness.  
RIght Honourable, having happened (of late) upon this Discourse, no less pleasant to be read, then profitable to be practised; and considering how unworthy a part it were, to send so worthy a work, unto the view of the world, both nameless, and friendless; I bethought myself of some Maecenas, that should undertake the defence of it against the raging storms of carping Momistes: At last, I resolved upon your Honour, whom piety and justice hath made famous and renowned amongst all men. Wherefore I now humbly present the same unto your good Lo. to be entertained, as you shall find it worthy. In the mean time, commending both it and myself unto your honourable protection, I commit t● your honour to the tuition of the Almighty.  
Unto your Honour most humbly devoted, T. B.   

Inimicus Amicus. An excellent Treatise, showing, how a man may reap profit by his Enemies.  
I Can not but perceive how that thou (my dearest Cornelius Pulcher) haste made choice of the most pleasing course of life that may be; wherein thou dost afford no less profit to the Commonwealth, wherein thou livest, than courtesy to thy particular friends, with whom thou conversest. But forsomuch as a Land may be found void of all venomous creatures, as men report of the Island of Crete, but hitherto there was never any Commonwealth heard of, which was clean destitute of envy, emulation, and contention, three fruit full nursing mothers of enmity: for, if there were no other cause, yet even friendship itself will soon entangle us with many enmities: which Chilo the wise man considering, demanded of one who vaunted, that he had never an enemy, whether withal, he had any one friend. Whereupon it seemeth to me, that a State's man amongst other things which he should know concerning his enemies, ought not carelessly to give ear to the saying of Zenophon, that it belongeth to a wise man even to reap profit by his enemies. Therefore having comprised together in a little Treatise, that which not long before I had discoursed of, I have sent it thee, almost word for word as it was uttered, omitting all precepts of Political government written by me, as knowing that book of mine to be seldom out of your hands.  
Former Ages thought it sufficient to keep themselves untouched from the rage of all strange and wild beasts, and this only was the end of all their combat with them: But in these our days men having at length learned how to make use of them, now they do even reap manifold commodities by them, as being nourished by their bodies, clothed by their wool, medicined by their gall, and other entrails; and lastly, armed with their skins, so that now we may justly fear, lest that through want of wild beasts, man's life do wax altogether brutish, defective, and savage: sith than it sufficeth some, not to be injured of their enemies: but yet others, of the wiser sort, it becometh even to reap profit by them, as Zenophon giveth counsel, we must not therefore be incredulous, but rather, search out the Method and the Art how to be able to attain to that perfection, very needful for such who can not live without some enemies. The husbandman can not frame every tree according to his mind, nor the hunter tame every wild beast, yet both have found means ●owe, the one, by barren trees, the other, by wild beasts, might receive much profit: Sea water is no less unsavoury than unwholesome, and yet it nourisheth fish, and affords convenient passage to transport whatsoever profitable were. The Satire, at the first sight of fire, would needs have kissed and embraced it: but Prometheus in the Poet checked him with this verse: 
Thou hairy goat,  
from touch of fire abstain,  
Lest that thy beardless chin  
too late complain.   
And yet it giveth light, and yieldeth heat; yea it is a most needful help to the skilful use, in what Art soever. Let us likewise consider our enemy (though otherwise he be altogether hurtful and untractable) whether perchance one may touch him gently, use him wisely, and reap good by him profitably. There be many things which are grievous, burdensome, and contrary to the nature of those on whom they light, and yet you see how that even sickness itself giveth some good occasion to live at ease, and how that much turmoil befalling to others, hath been both a strengthening, and a practice of their patience: yea more, even the loss of goods and banishment hath occasioned some, as, Diogenes and Crates, to betake themselves to the study of of Philosophy.  
As for Zeno, when he heard news of his shipwreck, presumed to say, I thank thee good Fortune, that thou hast droven me to a poor Studients gown. For even as the beasts of the best constitution, and of good digestion, devour and concoct Serpents and Scorpions, yea, some are so nourished, through the extreme heat of their stomachs, and good temperature of their Spirits, with stones and shellfishe, whereas weak and queasy stomachs are ready to vomit, with tasting either bread or wine: even so do the unwise spoil friendship itself, whereas men of understanding can make no small use, even by their enemies.  
Therefore first it seemeth to me, that that very thing which is most hurtful in enmity, may become most profitable to men of discretions but by what means shall that come to pass you will say? For thine enemy carefully watching, doth narrowly observe all thy actions, and on every side doth curiously pry into thy life, gaping after every occasion of harming, and doth, not only as the beast Lynx by his sight, pierce through trees, stocks, and stones, but doth search out thine actions, and undermine thine enterprises, and that even by thy servants, friends, kinsfolks, and familiar acquaintance: for oftentimes our friends, through our negligence and delay, are sick, and even dead before we are aware of it, whereas through our overmuch curiosity, we can hardly forbear from hearkening even after the very dreams of our enemies. But as for thy sickness, debts, or domestical ●arres with thy wife, they will be sooner concealed from thyself, then from thine enemy, yea above all, he will pursue thy faults, and trace after them most dangerously. And even as vultures do follow the smell of dead carcases, as not able for to take the sent of pure and wholesome bodies, in like manner, the wounds and distempered affections incident in our life, do waken our enemies. And to these come rushing our ill-willers, and violently take hold of them, and rip them up.  
Therefore it is most expedient for thee to live very circumspectly, to take heed to thyself, and neither say, nor do, any thing rashly, or unadvisedly: but rather, to lead thy life, as it were keeping an exact diet, without blame, or reprehension whatsoever: for this heedfulness so repressing the passion of our minds, and keeping Reason within her bounds of duty, doth frame a careful desire, and settled purpose, to live uprightly and blamelessly: for even as Cities well taught and tempered with the continual wars of their next neighbours, do learn good discipline, and embrace a good and well ordered government of their commonweal: even so those, which through others enmities are constrained to have aneve to their life, to abstain from carelessness and negligence, and to do all things with a kind of careful dexterity, being led with custom, themselves scarce perceiving it, they do incline to a course of life void of error, and do settle their behaviour, and adorn their manners, with very little help of learning: for they who have at hand that verse of Homer, 
How then (alas)  
would Priamking of (Troy,  
And Priam's sons  
be filled with scorning joy.   
Are thereby withdrawn and dehorted from all things which might minister to their enemies any occasion of rejoicing or laughter: we see oftentimes how that players and musicians in the theatres, if they be alone by themselves, do play their parts carelessly, and without alacrity, but being once in strife and emulation, with any others, they do not only endeavour themselves to excel, but take care to have their Instruments in exceeding good order, to tune them choicely, and to frame their consort most 〈◊〉 ●nd absolute: even so he t●●t knoweth that his enemy is a jealous enuier both of h●● life and ●●●●●●tion, will presently look more narrowly to himself 〈◊〉 examine his actions more exactly, and frame his ●●fe more orderly, 〈◊〉 i● the properate of vice, that when w● offend, we stand in awe more of our enemies then of our friends: whereupon Nasica, whenas many supposed and affirmed, that the Roman comonweale, was now placed in a secure estate, whenas both the Carthaginians were utterly destroyed, and the Achaians brought under the yoke of bondage, nay rather (quoth he) we are in most dangerat this very time, having none left us, whom we might, either fear for danger, or who should keep us in awe. And hereunto the saying of Diogenes no less agreeing to Policy, than Philosophy, who being asked of one, how he might be avenged of his enemies: why (quoth he) in being a virtuous and honest man; if men see their enemy's horses or dogs much esteemed and set by, it will molest their minds, and if they chance to see their enemy's field well tilled, or their garden well prospering, it causeth them to fetch many a deep sigh: what then would they do trowest thou, if thou showest thyself to be a just, prudent, and honest man, in thy words well advised, in thy actions unspotted, and in thy diet most temperate.  
Having deep furrows  
graven in thy mind,  
From whence each counsel grave  
doth spring by kind  
The Poet Pindarus saith, that men vanquished have their tongues so bound, that they dare not offer to hiss, but yet not simply: neither all are so, but they chief that perceive themselves to be overcome by their enemies, in industry, in goodness, in magnanimity, in humanity, in many benefits: these be the things (saith Demosthenes) which restrain the tongue, which seal up the mouth, which stop the breath, and cause silence.  
All wicked men in virtue to excel,  
It doth befit a wise man very well.  
If thou wilt greatly grieve thine enemy, do not accuse him of his wanton behaviour, of his effeminate mind, of intemperance, of his scurrility, of his covetousness but in the mean while, be thou thyself a man of courage, chaste, loyal, courteous, and just, amongst those with whom thou livest: but if thou chance to go so far as to speak ill of him, see that those things which to him thou objectest, be far from thine own self; sift and examine thine own soul, search out every corner thereof, wherein thou art faulty, least even thine own guiltiness gall thee, with that verse of the tragical Poet.  
(To heal all others (fool)  
thou dost not stick,  
Whenas thy crazy corpse  
is weak and sick.  
If thy enemy term thee unlearned, strive to show thy uttermost endeavours and diligence; if fearful, stir up thy valour and courage, if lascivious, wipe clean out of thy mind, that little remaining impression of wantonness secretly lurking therein: for there is nothing more shameful, nothing more odious, than a slander retorted upon the author thereof; but even as the refracted light doth more hurt the weak eyesight, even so reprehensions justly redounding back, do most of all grieve the evil speaker: for as the wind called Caecias draweth unto it clouds, so a vicious life breedeth all reports: therefore Plato, as oft as he kept company with any, who unseemly behaved themselves, withdrawing himself in private, was wont to say to himself: what, am I such a one? so he which hath slandered an other man's life, if by and by he do examine and well order his own, thereby forming and framing it to a contrary mould, he shall reap some commodity by his slander, which otherwise both seemeth, and is altogether vain and unprofitable. It seemeth to most men most ridiculous, if a crooke-backe or baldpate do reproach or upbraid another with the same imperfections; but it deserveth more than ordinary laughter, if a man do mock and reproach another with that wherewith he himself may justly be mocked and reproached, like unto that which Leo Emperor of Byzantium answered unto a certain crooke-backe, which jested at his blear eyes, saying, thou reprochest me with defect of nature, and thou carriest Nemesis upon thy back, therefore do not thou object adultery to an other, thyself madding after the love of boys; nor yet prodigality, they self being a niggard. Alemaeon in the Poet checked Adrastus in this sort.  
Thy cruel sister  
Did her husband slay.  
What then did Adrastus? he would not cast in his teeth an other body's fault, but even his own, thus:  
But thine own hand  
Thy mother made away.  
So also Domitius reproaching Craessus, said, didst not thou weep for the death of thy Lamprey which thou norishedst in thy pond? whereupon Craessus replied, didst not thou bury three wives without one tear? wherefore he that reproacheth, must not be witty in his own conceit, loud in his voice, and lewd in his talk, but rather blameless and faultless in his life: for it seemeth that even God himself hath to no one so much enjoined this golden precept (Know thy self) as unto him, who is about to reproach another; lest speaking what he would, he hear that which he would not, for such a one (as Sophocles the tragic Poet tells us.)  
Whose willing tongue  
hath filled each iching ear,  
Unwillingly  
like slanders needs must hear.  
Behold now what profit there is in reproaching our enemies, and yet there is no less commodity received by being reproached of our enemies. Wherefore Antisthenes said not amiss, that those that would live free from vice, have need either of most unfeigned friends, or of most bitter enemies, because those by their admonitions, and those by their reproaches, do withdraw him from vice, and because that now a days friendship is become feeble in reprehending freely, talkative in flattering, and mute in admonishing, we must learn the truth, even of our enemies. For even as Telephus, when among his own friends, he found-none to cure his wound, permitted his enemy to do it: so must he that hath not a friend to correct him, suffer the reprehension of his enemy, having regard rather to the deed itself, then to the mind of the reprehender: and even as he who purposed to kill Prometheus the Thessalian, opened his impostume with his sword, and by that means both saved his life, and cured him of his disease: even so very often a taunt, which either anger or enmity hath cast upon us, doth salve some wound of our soul, either unknown through ignorance, or unregarded through negligence: but the most part of men consider not the truth of the reproach objected, but endeavour rather to find some fault in the person reproaching, and so, much like wrestlers, they do not wipe from themselves the dust of reproaches, but rather besprinkle others with the same; and so go grappling with them, themselves overthrowing one another: yea rather he that is noted for some crime by his enemies, if it be true, by and by he ought with far more diligence to purge it away, than a man would wipe out of his garment any apparent spot or blemish: but if false, than we ought to inquire out the cause, which was the cause of the fault finding, & withal, he must fear, and take good heed, lest he committed any thing at unaways, any way like, or near to that for which he was reproached; as for example: Lacides King of Argos was accounted somewhat lascivious, only for his sleek looks and mincing gate: so Pompey, albeit, a man far from all lust and effeminaties, because he used to scratch his head with one finger: was noted with the same crime: so Cr●ssus was thought to have abused one of the vestal virgins, by reason of a farm which he greatly desired to buy of her, and for that cause, to obtain his content, he very often conversed with her apart: so Posthumia, because she was so given to laughter, and somewhat forward in talking with men, was suspected of her honesty, and that so far forth, that she was accused thereof openly in the court, but in the end, being found guiltless, and acquitted by Spurius Minutius, being then high priest, she had this caveate of him, that hereafter she should not use words unsuitable to her life: so Themistocles, by Pausanius, although most clear in himself, was suspected of treason, as using him friendly, and writing & sending oft to him. Therefore when a false thing is objected, it must not be neglected and contemned as being a lie, but rather we must search out, if either we, or any of our friends, have spoken, or done, or attempted any such things, which might carry some likelihood of that slander, and so warily to avoid it: for if others, by falling into unexpected miseries, do learn their own good, as Merope in the Poet speaketh: 
Whiles Fortune blind  
deprives my hapless eyes  
Of dearest joys,  
at length she makes me wise.   
What doth hinder us that we should not accept of a master that taketh no wages, but instructeth gratis, to wit even an enemy, to be profited by him, and learn something which before we knew not: for an enemy doth perceive many things far better than a friend, because a lover (as saith Plato) is even blinded with the affection of the person beloved, whereas hatred, besides curiosity, hath for his companion, an affected desire of prattling, whenas one of the enemies of Hiero reproached him with his stinking breath: he going home to his wife, questioned with her sharply, saying, What meaneth this, that thou never toldst me of this before? She no less chaste than harmless, answered, she thought all men had the same savour: So that those things, which either pertain to the body, or belong to any sense, or else be apparent in all men's sights, are sooner known by a man's enemies, than by his friends or familiars. Besides, it is not possible so to bridle the tongue (which is not the least part of Virtue) as, to frame it to be always obedient, and controlled by Reason, unless a man by much practice, by great care, and by all earnest endeavours, do strive for to subdue those rebellious passions of the mind, amongst which Anger beareth not the least sway: for a word which unwittingly doth break out of the mouth, as it is in the Poet: 
My dearest child,  
what speech strange and uncouth,  
Hath burst from out  
the fenced walls of thy mouth?   
When such words (I say) fly carelessly out of themselves, they do as it were, slide and slip away most commonly from unexercised, and unsettled minds: which, when it happeneth, it argueth great weakness of mind, much distemperature of judgement, with no less savage strangeness of behaviour, in as much as for a man's speech, a thing, of itself, of least account (as we read in divine Plato) both by the gods, and by men, a most grievous punishment is allotted, whereas silence is always without danger: neither only (as Hipocrates sayeth) doth it prevent thirst, but above all, being wisely used, when we are reproached, it preserveth a kind of gravity altogether Socratical, call, or rather Herculean, for Hercules, as it is in the Poet: 
— Card not a fly  
for all backbiting terms.   
Neither surely is it more laudable or godly to be quiet at the rebuke of our enemies, and to sail carelessly by it, as by a dangerous rock, but practise of our patience is far more to be affected: For, if thou art once enured to bear patiently a contumelious enemy, thou wilt easily suffer the rage of thy railing wife, thou wilt less be troubled with the bitter check of thy brother or friend: yea more, thou wilt sustain even the scourge of thy parents, without any commotion of thy mind: for Socrates did forbear Xantippe his wife, being a very froward and wayward woman, because he thought he might better converse with others, if he were accustomed to forbear with her: but it is much more excellent to be able to tolerate calamity, as being fore-prepared by long exercise the opprobrious taunts and revilings of our enemies Py this means we make show of our mild disposition, & unmoved patience, even towards our enemies: for here is a more use of simplicity, of an high erected spirit, and of gentleness, then even in friendship itself. For it is not so commendable, to do well to a man's friend, as it is shameful, not to do it in time of his need: so that, to let slip the occasion of revenging our enemy, being offered, argueth much humanity. But he that hath a fellow-feeling compassion of his afflicted enemy, who helps his necessities who showeth mercy to his distressed children, and underproppeth his decaying family, whosoever doth not both love him for his courtesy, and praise him for his goodness, that man (as the Poetsaieth) 
Sure hath abreast  
hewn out of Adamant,  
A man may take profit  
And heart ●●●amde  
of peerless Diamant.   
When Caesar commanded the overthrown monuments of Pompey, to be again set up, Cicero told him, that in erecting the Trophies of Pompey, he had established his own. Therefore a man must not spare to praise his very enemy, and to honour him too, if he do deserve it: for the commender is thereby more praisewoorthy, and better to be believed whensoever he reprehendeth, as not hating the man, but reproving the matter: but that which is yet most profitable and excellent, is, that he, who doth once accustom himself to praise even his enemy, and never grieves, nor envies his prosperous success, that man must needs be far estranged from grudging and envying at the prosperity of his friends and familiars, and (I pray you) what exercise can possible work so much good for our souls, or frame our disposition better, than that which clean taketh away that too much affected humour of envy and emulation.  
For even as in a City there be many things necessary, though otherwise not so good, which being once allowed by custom, and confirmed by force of law, cannot be easily abolished, how pernicious soever they be; even so, enmity acompanies, with hatred, with envy, with a delight in other men's harms, and with the memory of received injuries, and yet leaves them all in the mind: besides all these, enters in fraudulent dealing, deep deceits▪ and perfidious treacheries, as presupposing these things may lawfully be used towards our enemies: & then being engraffed, they can by no means be rooted out with headstrong affections, if we do not curb them, in conversing with our enemies, it is to be feared, lest being overcome by custom, we use them even with our friends: if then Pythagoras did very well, in accustoming his Disciples, even in unreasonable creatures, to abstain from cruelty and injuries, so that he would entreat both fowlers and fishers, to let go the one his birds, the other his fish, being taken; or at the least redeemed them with money and so let them loose; yea & forbade the slaughter of any tame hest whatsoever: much more glorious questionless were it, if that even being enemies, in contentions and jars between man and man, we would show ourselves to be noble minded, upright, and true hearted, by controlling, and repressing all vile degenerate, and hurtful passions of our minder; to the intent, that in conversing with our friends, our patience may be unmovable and ourselves abstaining from all manner of wickedness. Scaur●● was Domit●●● private enemy, and public accuser, yet when as before the judgement day a certain servant of Domitius came to Scaurus, as being about to tell him somewhat against his master, he would not suffer him to speak, but apprehending him, sent him back to his master: so likewise Cato accusing Murena of bribery, in suing for offices, and gathering together proofs to confirm his accusation, in the mean season there followed him at his heels (according to the fashion of those times) certain men who spied out all his proceed and asked him now and then, whether he purposed to do any thing touching the accusation that day or no, if he had said no, they presently believed it, and went their way: and this surely was a strong argument of that great estimation which they had of Ca●o; and yet it is far more laudable, if being envied, to deal justly even with our utter enemies, we never either unjustly defraud, or craftily cirumvent our friends and acquaintance. But sith that every lark hath his crest (according to the saying of Simovides) so every man's nature is bend to contention, emulation, and envy, the unseparable follower of vayne-minded men (as Pindarus speaketh) it were no small profit if a man would pour out such like affections upon his enemies, as it were by certain channels, to drive them far from our neighbours and companions: which thing Onomademus an excellent Statsman seemed to have thoroughly considered, who in a great tumult which arose in the Island of Chios, being one of the superior faction, counseled his fellows, that they should not expel all their adversaries, but still leave some in the City (lest said he) otherwise being void of all our enemies, we should begin to quarrel with our friends: beside, these humours being spent upon our enemies, they will less grieve our friends; for the potter needs not envy the potter: (as the Poet Hosi●●●● saith,) nor the physician the physician, nor the neighbour be jealous of his neighbour, or kinsman, or brother now beginning to prosper. But if no way may be found, whereby thou mayst be free from strife, envy, and contentions, at least frame thyself, to grieve at the happy success of thine enemies, and stir up that contentious edge, by sharpening and whetting it on thy enemies, for even as handsome Gardeners, imagine that roots and violets will prosper the better, being set by garlic and onions, because all that whatsoever is filthy and unsavoury in the nourishment of the earth, is derived into th●●, even so our enemy, drawing to him, self, and receiving all our rancour and malice, will make us more tractable and loving to our friends in their prospentie. Therefore we must contend with our enemies for glory for power, or any lawful increase of our wealth, and not only abstain from repining, if they go beyond us in any thing, but rather observe the means whereby they have excelled us, and endeavour to surpass them in industry, in constancy of labours, and in temperance: yea let us be our enemies jealous observers, in that sort as Themistocles was wont to say, that Milti●●●● victory in Marathon bereaved him of his sleep: for those which think that their enemies do overpass them, either in public charge, or in pleading, or in governing the commonwealth, or else in the favour of princes, or multitude of friends; those men if they convert a glorious kind or practical emulation into a certain dejected and baseminded repining, they are vexed with an idle and fruitless envy, but he that is not blinded with the hatred of his enemy, but as an uncorrupt and unpartial spectator, doth behold his manners, his sayings, his doings, he shall perceive that the most part of those things which he envy in him, were gotten by his diligent providence, and good carriage; and thereby aiming at the end, he will increase his good desire of honesty and glory, and cutting off each vain and slothful affection. But if our enemies, by flattering, by subtle dealing, by suits in law, by taking of bribes, do get any credit or rep●●●tion, either in court, or common-woule, that shall not only give us any occasion of grief, but even gift us very much, by opposing against them the liberty of our mind, and the pur●●es of our life, free from all reproach whatsoever: for (if we may believe Plato) what mass of gold soever, is either over, or under the corth, deserves not to be compared with virtue, beside, that saying of Solo● ought still to be in our mouths.  
We scorn to change  
For store of worldly wealth,  
Rich virtues meed,  
Our souls eternal health.  
Much less should we prefer the trencher-hired applause of spectators in a Theatre, or the honours and first places amongst the eunuchs, Concubines, and great men belonging to princes, before our virtue: for nothing deserves, either admiration, or emulation, whose being is sharnefull; But that the lover is ever blinded with affection towards his beloved, (as Plato tells us) and we do with more ease perceive a shameful action, when it is committed by our enemies; howsoever neither the joy which we have by their misdeeds, nor the grief which we conceive of their good deeds, aught to be idle and unprofitable unto us, but rather we ought so to frame the matter of both sides, that both in shunning their vices, we wax more absolute, and in imitating their virtues, we become more excellent than they themselves.  
FINIS.   

Imprinted at London by Vat. S. for Thomas Bushel, and are to be sold the great North door of Paul's.  
SUCH AS I MAKE SUCH WILL I TAKE  printer's or publisher's device