DISCOURSES upon Seneca the Tragedian. By Sir William Cornwalleys, Knight.  
Imprinted at London for Edmund Mats, at the hand and plough in Fleetstreet. 1601.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR john Popham Knight, Lord chief justice of England, and one of her majesties most honourable privy Counsel.  
Honourable Sir, since I can truly, let me confidently affirm, this boldness proceeds only from the sight of your virtues; I honour you, and reverence the executions of your place; I behold not your fortune, but yourself: and since it is so, be content to accept these and me, both which offer themselves to you, not for any thing they can, but willingly would do you service.  
From the honourer of your virtues, W. Cornwalleys.   

A Table of the Heads.  
a. showeth the first side of the leaf: b. showeth the other side.  
Oedipus. Act. 3. Creon Oedipus insanus. 
A. 1. a. 1. Odia qui nimium timet, Regnare nescit; Regna custodit metus.  Agamemnon. chorus. 1. 
A. 5. b. 2. O Regnorum magnis▪ fallax fortuna bonis, in praecipiti dubioque nimis excelsa locas.  Hercules furens. Act. 2. Sc. 1. Megaera. 
B. 2. a. 3. Prosperum, ac foelix scelus virtus vocatur; sontibus parent boni.  Troas. Act. 2. Sc. 2. 
B. 7. a. 4. 
Noscere hoc primum decet:  
Quid facere victor debeat, victus pati.  
Violenta nemo Imperia continuit diu:  
Moderata durant.   Hercules furens. Actus. 2. Sc. 3. Megaera. 
C. 6. a. 5. Non est ad astra mollis e terris via.  Hippoliti. Act. 3. chorus. 
D. 8. a. 6. 
Res humanas ordine null●  
Fortuna regit, spargitque manu  
Munera caeca, peiora fovens.   Troas. Act. 1. Sc. 1. Hecuba. 
E. 5. a. 7. 
Quicunque regno fidit, & magna potens  
Dominatur aula, nec leues metuit Deos,  
Animumque rebus credulum laetis dedit,  
Me videat, & te Troia, non unquam tulit  
Documenta sors maiora, quam fragili loco Starent superbi.   Octavia. Act. 2. Sc. 2. Nero. Sen. 
F. 8. a. 8. Inertis est nescire quid liceat sibi.  Troas. Act. 3. Ulysses. 
G. 6. a. 9 
Magis haec timet, quam moeret, ingenio est opus:  
Alios parentes alloqui luctu decet.   Thebais. Act. 4. jocasta. 
H. 1. a. 10. 
Gladius & spes & metus,  
Sors caeca versat: praemium incertum petit  
Certum scelus.   Troas. Act. 4. chorus. 
H. 3. b. 11. Ferre quam sortem patiuntur omnes, nemo recusat.    

Faults escaped in the transscript of the copy.  

B. Leaf 2. b. 3. this, read there.  
B. leaf 8. b. 1. mule, read mute.  
C. leaf 2. a. 19 direction, read dejection.  
C. leaf 5. a. 22. angry, read anger.  
C. leaf 7. b. 9 prove, read promise.  
C. leaf 8. b. 11. wine, read vine.  
D. leaf 2. b. 21. & 22. his abstinence, read her abstinence.  
D. leaf 3. a. 2. he, read she.  
E. leaf 2. a. 7. superfluously, read superficially.  
E. leaf 3. b. 8. name, read room.  
E. leaf 8. a. 9 Pilate, read Pilot.  
F. leaf 2. a. 21. his, read this.  
F. leaf 5. b. 11. affection, read infection.  
G. leaf 5. b. 10. and comings in: read, to our comings in.    

DISCOURSES Upon Seneca the Tragedian.  
— Odia qui nimium timet,  
Regnare nescit: Regna custodit metus.  
THough common Experience doth manifest, and natural reason justify, that States in an equality of degree, upheld by persons knowing no pre-eminence, cannot stand, nor promise continuance: yet cannot the aspiring constitution of man, with patience behold higher erected fortunes, how justly soever obtained: so if he cannot reach them with equality, he will with envy, whose effects would be dangerous, did not fear bridle them. Then must Sovereignty nourish fear in subjection; for out of subjects fear groweth Prince's safety.  
But how this awe is to be obtained, rests the Art; for fear hath two additions, that make it good or bad; from some fear comes hatred, from such fear ruin: from fear love; from this preservation, sovereignty; with this is Government, with the other Tyranny. The power of a Prince breeds fear; his actions hatred or love: from his actions then must he draw his flourishing, which illustrates the nobleness of the mind; for the commands over fortune, whose power stretcheth no further, then to lay open virtue; mean states being therefore miserable, because wanting stuff to show their workmanship; for liberality consisting only in meditation, is invisible: Temperance with poverty hath not much to do, and so of the rest.  
— Odia qui nimium timet,  
Regnare nescit.—  
There is no affection so unnatural to Princes, as fear; the limits of their proceedings, must be bounded by other respects: For rightly hath this Author determined; Who fears hatred too much, knows not how to reign. It is impossible for one person to harbour Majesty and fear; for they are opposite, differing as much, as to command and obey. Fear begets obedience, Majesty doth what he doth uncompelled: for compulsion and enforcement kills authority: but that he is unrestrained by fear, gives him not a lawless liberty; though he wants enforcement, he doth not persuasion; which in all noble natures, prevails more than compulsion: he is not urged by fear, but in fears stead hath justice, hath the sight of his own place, hath the knowledge, that upon his shoulders rests the whole body of the foundation; which respects curb Princes, unrestrayned by fear. More particularly to the Tragedians meaning,— Odia qui nimium timet; It belongs to a Prince to shun the deserving hate; not to fear hatred: fear, as it is said, belongs not to them; and if in them, bastardizeth their natures, and corrupts them. The unjust partiality of some natures, abused by self love, will hate the execution of justice, and not understanding the intent of laws, think injuriously of their executors. This must not be regarded by Princes, nor stop their well intended courses. The satisfaction of his conscience is Mitridiate expelling the poison of ill tongues, and himself finding he hath performed his office with judgement, shall be strong enough to resist vulgar thoughts, which live in opinion. The hate of these is feeble, and howsoever common it is to the worst meanings, to give them handsome colours, yet cannot these present their griefs to judicial men, so shadowed, as not to be discerned faulty: so cannot the way of truth beget hate, able to do harm; malice and spleen from some particular it may, but they are too weak ever to do hurt. But were there peril in the performance of the true office of a Prince, yet must it not dissuade him; for shuns he the execution of his duty for fear of hate, he explaineth his regality to be an office undertaken, to please himself, not to profit his country, than which mind▪ there is not any more monstruous and detestable. The judgement of all causes, the deciding all controversies, the censure of all men, the sentence determining all actions, are his, & in these performances rests the very soul of the state, & the life of a states flourishing, in which shall fear of hate make him serve, he ruinates and depopulates his kingdom: for this pusillanimity will bring confusion, when the virtuous and vicious, well deservers, and ill, the accuser and the accused, shall go indifferently reckoned of.  — Regna custodit metus.— 
It is the destinated affection to servile natures, fear: and it is well, for they are not so straightly bound to be good, as are higher fortunes. Two are the bands, whereby the divine wisdom preserveth the world: Love of virtue, and fear of punishment: and thus are some (I am afraid most) kept from the extremity of ill; Therefore in the preservation of Kingdoms, fear hath, and aught to have a great hand. It is not the often using tortures, and executions, that purchaseth this; though offenders suffering, and according to the fact rigorous execution, is wholesome to the body of a state: and that I verily believe, the hanging of one man, to work better effects amongst men, than twenty made into mummy; yet that fear amongst Subjects, that preserveth the kingdom, hath his original, not from this, but from the prince's life: for those states only are enriched with the blessedness of virtue, and tranquillity, where the Prince useth his authority to chastise offences, not to authorize his own offences; for though he hath the odds of being above the law, yet if he give his Subjects evil example, they will follow him; albeit he seek to quench the fire of their viciousness, with never so much of their blood. It was a common trick among the heathen Princes, to fetch their petygree from the Gods; I do not think their fortunes had so besotted them, as to think so themselves, but only nourished the opinion to draw the more awe & obedience from their Subjects. They should have imitated the divine powers in the purity of their lives, and so have been nearer the gods, and more feared of men: for nothing produceth true fear from Subjects to their Prince, but the worthiness of his own person. His power, his splendour, his fortune, his guards, and other circumstances, (without virtue) do rather stir up disdain against him and his fortune, then awful regard: the use of all these things will be converted into detestable names; his power, tyranny, his splendour, prodigality, his fortune cursed, his guard termed the instruments of oppression, his other signols of authority, the deckings of a corrupt mind: under which name, when the people shall behold them, they bring his authority to contempt; and being once brought to that declining, they never leave rouling, until they come to the bottom of unhappiness. Regna custodit metus.— But that fear must come from the virtue of the Prince, not from his power, or else it holds not: for without virtue, it hath no virtue.  

Upon these verses.  O Regnorum magnis, fallax fortuna bonis, in praecipiti dubioque nimis excelsa locas. 
WHo beholds or undertakes a diadem, merely respecting the magnificence of the place, chooseth so undiscreetly, as leaving the contentment of the mind, for colours to paint the body. All the States, and Estates of the world, being founded and originally descended from man, must necessarily accompany his transitoriness, the which though we know, & see daily chances of mutability acted before us, yet when any thing is embraced by us, rather for our own use, than the right use; neither can reason, experience, nor the every days happening of such things, persuade us to part with it as we ought. Thus of that highest degree amongst men, were it managed by a hand justly administering to all, and as he is a head, so content to take the least pleasure, and yet to take care for all, neither would they complain of fortune, nor hold this great good deceivable. It is the erroneous opinion of the world, that deceives the world: it is not pleasure to do what we list, but never to stray from what we should; for I think all good tastes will judge it more sweet, to do well, than to be able to do ill without controlment. This done, principality excelleth all states in happiness; for it resembleth the divine state, whose communicating power of doing good to all, is numbered amongst his blessed perfections: this is in the office of a Prince, which makes it without exception the most excellent estate amongst men, nor is it subject to fortune; for nothing can perish, that hath truth and justice for the foundation.  Dubioque nimis excelsalocas. 
That it is situated by, and subject to the most headlong downefal, me thinks tells them the nature of their place, which is advice, keeping them from danger: it is meet they should stand thus ticklely, for the mind of man is not to be trusted with a life of that power and pre-eminence, separated from care and doubt: for were he, his once falling would make him fall once more. Doubt belongs to Princes, but not by the name of doubt, but providence; this iogs him, if vain pleasures lul him in sensuality; this whispers in his ears, Beware, and sharpeneth his sight to look into the courses of his own life, & to amend his errors; this guardeth him from outward and inward invasions: both which strengthening & quickening his understanding, to penetrate into the most secret drifts of his adversaries, to conclude this providence or doubt, is the mother of counsel, industry, and doing well▪— Dubioque nimis. But too much doubt argueth too much guiltiness, which this too much suspicion confesseth: vice uncommitted may make us believe she is pleasant, but once tasted, so powerful a virtue is justice, as, though she doth not publicly chastise offences, yet never doth she omit, inwardly to prove they are offenders, & after proof not to punish: so much of justice hath every particular body in itself: who therefore will not doubt too much, must not do ill too much; for they are inseparable.   

Upon this verse.  Miserrimum est timere, cum speres nihil. 
IT is an observation worthy of regard, to contemplate how the body of man is equally poised with affections; he hath hope and fear, love and hate, and so the rest, every contrary hath his contrary, but in such an equality, as he goeth right up in these extremities; and the mind doth well amongst these, as the body's constitution consisting of dissenting elements, so long hath health, as these parts of his are without an extraordinary pre-eminence: but when any affection in the mind, or any humour in the body, usurps an overswaying authority, the body languisheth, and the mind thinks itself miserable; for ●iserrimū est timere: cum speres nihil.  Miserrimum est timere▪— 
I have often spoken of this fear, and yet necessarily must here speak of it again. There is no affection, that afflicteth the mind upon the first apprehension, but fear. Yet so strangely powerful are all affections, as they make the possessed body delight in his torment, & prosecute those infected thoughts, though with the loss of his whole contentment and quiet; yet is it most miserable to fear: for that is miserablest, that is most remote from contentment. Infinite are the occasions of vexation that encounter us without seeking them, but fear adds both the number and force of griefs, and believes them both more and more terrible than they are: therefore did the Tragedian end with miserrimum est timere, he should end with truth; for I hold fear the most afflicting punishment, that accompanied the fall of man. — Cum speres nihil.—  
Whether it be, that this life, being but a counterfeit of life, displeaseth the soul, (to mitigate which anguish, she administereth hope to herself for a cordial,) or whether the possession of things comes short of the intended satisfaction; certain it is, that the most pleasing and most conversant thoughts of the best contented minds, are descended from hope, which hope doubtless is the unspotted issue of the soul, being little a kin to the body, though behoveful to the body; for the acts of the body are more gross and bevy, which every man may easily discern, if he observes his intendments, before execution. For whiles only in the brain they carry a much more delightful representation, than after, when they come under the censure of the eye, our life is nothing but a life of hope, which, if we cannot have with a possibility▪ we will without; for we cannot live without it, what shift soever we make. The most plenteous possessed creature of contentment that ever was, annexeth hope to his ample fruition, and is content with that he hath, because he hath hope. It never leaves us, no, not when we lie a dying: men unassisted by Christianity, at this time, even by nature are taught, to hope of another life, from which, neither ignorance nor impiousnes can drive them: but when they cannot build hope upon their own deserts and knowledges, they will ground it upon mercy and hope, and so die embracing it, and never leave hoping, till they have left breathing.  Miserimum est timere, cum speres nihil. 
It is most miserable to fear when we cannot hope, it is, for fear unballansed by hope, is desperation, than which both by divine and human understandings, there cannot be a greater curse: into such extremities run the affections of man, when not kerbed by reason, or counterpoised by a contrary affection: for the body and mind agree in receiving safety from a mediocrity, which is easily discerned, since no part of man holds out in extremes, but thereby is driven into the greatest dangers, being violently carried into diseases and death.   

Upon these verses.  — Prosperum, ac foelix scelus virtus vocatur; sontibus parent boni. 
HOw much outward prosperity prevails over judgement, how willingly we suffer the glittering of fortune to dazzle our understandings, how we cousin ourselves of the discerning truth, with looking upon every thing through the false glasses of wealth or want, by him that is yet sober, and not drunk with these partial affections, cannot choose but move him to much commiseration, & to pity, and shun the society of the world. Taking the last of things, and being led by events, we know nothing originally, nor do we in our lives any thing, but lift up them, already up; and throw lower the already overthrown. How often have I heard the weakest bend bows of reason, shoot at the highest actions? No, this is nothing so common, as the vulgar censure upon the matters of most importance, in which they will as boldly undertake to commend and dispraise, as if they had been conversant in the seriousest counsels: but thus goeth their attributing praise or dispraise; he hath praise that wins; who loseth, loseth not only his designs, but withal loseth the opinion of having either wisdom or virtue. To whom should I lay this fault, but to our own follies, who lay the chief estimation, not upon virtue, but fortune, and perhaps, our folly is permitted by the divine hand, to abate the pride of higher persons, that cannot with all their greatness, defend themselves from the blows of ignorance and indiscretion. So are the sins both of high and low punished; the low, enamoured of wealth, are deprived of wisdom; the high, subject to these unjudicial censures, have their high attempts soiled and made contemptible, with being pulled thorough these common gutters of mire and pollution.  
— Prosperum, ac foelix scelus,  
virtus vocatur.—  
Prosperous and happy wickedness is called virtue: wickedness can neither be prosperous nor happy. Prosperity is a word destinated to the world, and by that word we understand wealth, honour, estimation and such; but all these being but the adherents of a transitory life, and that life depending upon another of much more excellency: who obtains this prosperity with wickedness, loseth that; who loseth the best for the worst, prospereth not; who prospers not, is not in prosperity: neither can I call it prosperity, to be accounted so by the world; and in the mean time to have that most unquiet companion, an exclaiming conscience, which as certainly follows dishonest attempts obtained, as desire provokes before obtaining: between which two, the unsatiable mind is perpetually tormented.  — Foelix scelus. 
The contrariety of these two words, illustrates how much our servile natures are content to debase themselves, to lose truth, the highest part of reason, I, sense the lowest part of man, happy wickedness, an epithet due, not to the best of our actions, yet are we content to bestow it on the worst of our actions of wickedness. Can any thing subject to the frailty of time be happy? no, not possible: happiness is not of this world: we may be in the way of happiness, when by a good life we are in the way to heaven, but cannot here be happy; for nothing that is transitory is happy, happiness being due to express only the joys of eternity; for no pleasures can reach happiness, that stoop so low as time. Then can it not be due to wickedness, whose groveling earthly mind never looks so high, but sticks fast in the imagination of the vile pleasures of the world, and hath his best contentments of no more continuance, than the senses pleasure, which taste and swallow, in an instant.  Virtus vocatur.— 
It seems virtue once had the Empire of the world, for antiquity shows many coins of her stamp, and even this age so fears her power, as every one will wear her livery, though few do her service. The worst, though they love vice, yet adorn their ill with the counterfeit colour of virtue: so strong is she yet, and so feeble is vice: seem are now sought, beings thought superfluous; the labour of most men now adays is not to obtain truths, but opinions warrant: so are most of the actions of these last ages; but painted with sergeant colours, which last no longer than themselves live, so long perhaps fear or flattery makes them hold; but they taken away by time, they are either devoured by oblivion, or discovered to be without all worth, or truth. Yet can I not but commend their policies, that entitle virtue to their particular actions; for nothing else goeth with so general an applause: fails he here, he shall be supplied by them, that no other respect hath laid hold of; wants he that? he hath yet pity, well wishers, and good opinion: so hath it been already observed by the world, since no great action hath passed without the name of suppressing Tyranny; chastising the irreligious, or the common good. This is policy; but that I speak of now, baseness: so miserable are the minds as well as fortunes of the vulgar, that no action of greatness passeth without commendation: doth he mean to catch the people in his cap, and makes courtesy entrap their simple understandings, they avow him to be humility itself. Doth pride and a self-opinion make him look big? he carrieth himself like a Prince, to whose place it belongeth not to lose of his height, by declining to familiarity: doth he spend? he reckons not his own estate, so he may supply the wants of others: doth he save? 'tis nobly done, not to undo his posterity: loves he wars? magnanimity and fortitude shines in him; is it peace? no commonwealths men are so worthy as the preservers of peace: In a word, doth he what he will, he doth virtuously; let him get prosperity, and get it how he can, he shall not want virtue, for— prosperum ac foelix scelus Virtus vocatur.—  — Sontibus parent boni. 
There is not a greater plague to be inflicted upon mortality, than this; for the subjects of wicked governors cannot prosper: inferiors participate with the natures of their betters, as birds with the weather, they move as they move: Imitation being the destiny of those, that are not by the Destinies allowed their own choice; who subscribes not to their licentiousness, with putting on the fashion of their life, perisheth by the hand of tyranny; who doth, by the hand of the divine justice: So is there no safety under such Magistrates, since refusing or obeying, ruins one of the two best parts of man. The good obey the ill; it is worth the observation, how the eternal wisdom applies and suffers: ill is here made the touchstone of good, and good obeys ill, to try goodness constancy: could the ill soften or give the least alteration to the good, it were not good, nor were good then worthy of the pre-eminence. Thus doth he make goodness combat with his contrary, which contention ends with the excellency of his justice and wisdom; his wisdom, in descrying by this means hypocrisy; his justice, that at the end of these wars, both parties are made ready for his sentence, when no excuse or colour can mitigate or darken his reward to the victor, and punishment to the vanquished. In the time of life, against this oppression there is hardly any counsel to be given, since if he cometh to authority by succession or just election, it is not lawful to practise against him; but if otherwise, it is otherwise: and a life is well sold, that loseth it in conspiring their overthrow: but attaining it by any of the two other means, howsoever it prove▪ he must be suffered: for so God hath appointed of the Anointed; and perhaps he useth them, for a scourge to the wicked, which happens often, & then it is meet: ●or it seems his pleasure is, that — sontibus parent boni.   

Upon these Verses.  
— Noscere hoc primum decet:  
Quid facere Victor debeat, victus pati.  
Violenta ●emo Imperia continuit diu,  
Moderata durant.—  
Unto every life, unto every fortune, a peculiar fashion belongeth, which whether it comes from the all one working of fortune with all, and so the continuance and generality hath made it customs, or whether the alteration brings with it an alteration of behaviour, carrying in itself the aspect fitting itself; certain it is, the world hath been long governed with certain set forms, which have gone from the father to the son; as the vanquished to lose their minds with their fortunes, the Victors to proclaim, Quodcunque libuit, facere victor licet.  
But how doth wisdoms moderation repine at this downhill headlong course? to what end exclaims she? Hath nature given man reason, time experience, since he entertains the changes of the world, so ignorantly, as if they were strangers to him? he falls not too low, nor mounts not too dangerously high, whose reason & experience married together, hath between them brought forth their destinated issue, Moderation. This is the stay of the reeling steps of humanity; this the vanquisher of fortune, & the true counsellor in the managing all estates.— Noscere hoc primum decet.  
If manual trades ask time and experience, to be expert in their faculties, needs must those minds that profess the serving of their countries with their minds, have a time of prenticehood and learning: for the minds executions are more difficult and of more importance: if a trade-mans' work pleaseth not the chapman, haply it may be mended, or at the worst, there is but so much lost: the effects of the mind can hardly be recalled, & if miscarried, dangerous. Every man by the state he is born in, may guess in what manner he is to do his Country service: so ought he to prepare himself, especially those nobly descended, which as they have a greater portion of their Country then ordinary men, so are they bound extraordinarily to care for her preservation; they are chief Actors upon this stage, whose action if it doth not fit their part, whose part if forgotten or not learned, the whole matter is disgraced, and themselves more taxed than a Messenger or a mule, upon whom the eyes of men have set no note. It is then the office of a true discerner into things, not to undertake any place or office, in the managing which, he is yet ignorant, but to prepare himself for that is likely to follow; for the first lesson of wisdom is,  
— Noscere hoc primum decet,  
Quid facere victor debeat, victus pati.  
In general, mercy belongeth to the Conqueror; for if the fault be but slight, the conquered hath punishment enough, to hold his life, of any lord but God: beside, his own destiny is unknown, which may come to the same point and then his clemency may procure him clemency: more it often happeneth, commiseration of the estate of enemies hath converted them, and made them perfect friends: here then to be rigorous, were his own loss; for there is no possession comparable to that of friends. But particularly, the cause of quarrel, the nature of the people, their force, their distance must produce the Victor's use of his Conquest. If they take up arms being Subjects, and now become rebels, example must teach them to know their errors; if a neighbour or confederate, that hath committed treacherous actions, or proceeded contrary to the law of nations; rigour again. If naturally the people be contentious, it is necessary to suppress their natures, with cutting off their strength; if their forces be apt to entice them to arms, to abate their force, the cause of their enticement; if far off, and yet meet to be held in subjection, to remove the naturals likely to practise, and to plant Governors of the Victor's appointment, and to mingle the blood of the Conquerors with the conquered. In this first, the punishment must not exceed the offence, for than it is cruelty: for the other, they must be accomplished without much blood, for the shedding of blood without a very just cause, is inhuman. To threaten people must be carefully shunned, for he that giveth his enemy desperation, giveth him a weapon more dangerous than valour. From both rigour and mercy, proceed great benefits to a State, but they must be used according to a Princes own state; for if he be yet to conquer them, his estimation of clemency softeneth their spirits, and is the only means to make them cowards: if already in subjection, their opinion of their Prince's rigour keepeth them in awe.  
But justice must reconcile this question, of which, is most necessary; for by his warrant, to save or kill is lawful.  — Victus pati. 
Adversity hath no more to do but this, a short lesson though hard, hard through the custom of sympathising with our fortunes, a misfortune far more lamentable than the first; for bewailing them, draws the mind to an extreme baseness, to an extreme folly: for if our harms be not past recovery, yet was there never any helped by this direction, many have been despised by this; for from others there is no assistance drawn, except in the way of charity, which every worthy nature abhorreth; but from the strength of our own either inward or outward graces: the outward is already lost, the inward lost, if we bewail the outwards loss, which in the Victor stirreth up either contempt or pity, the best of which in a noble mind is more abhorred, than the worst part of fortune. In the vanquished, debarred from all assistance of outward things, is there an opportunity to show their own worth, more than in any other time; for he is then separated from those things, that are wont to make disfigured monsters to look handsomely: though there be a trial in the moderation of high fortunes, yet is it a thing much more easy, it cometh not so near the quick: for he that endureth famishing without alteration, hath a greater part of virtue, than he that cometh from a feast without a surfeit, patience being a more substantial part of Virtue, than temperance: this is left him, which should procure both patience and comfort, the exercise of the mind being to be preferred much above the ease of the body. This meditation, with a mind judicially determining what ought to be done, not what is most ordinarily done, cannot choose but learn him in calamity, to wear that part with as much ease as he did the other: the strength of the mind is able to do more than this, whose power, whose worth, whose abilities, we are ignorant and so destitute of, with following the beaten way of the idle vulgar.  
Violenta nemo Imperia continuit diu,  
Moderata durant.—  
No extreme continueth; an ordinance of natures, to suppress conspiracies, for might the force of violence continue, her fair work would soon be confounded: she hath given limits to all things, and to all things courses fitting their natures, which gone beyond, and able to run on, would beget a new Chaos, turning all things from their own natures; there would be nothing, for combating against one another, & setting their forces one against another; the Victor would convert all things to his own nature, and that would destroy nature, whose glory is the multiplicity of her instruments, and the working them with one another. Much more dangerous is it in men, whose reason is able to resist violence, and more strongly, whose reason teacheth them to abhor violence. The state of a Prince is upheld by his subjects opinion, his Majesty begetteth reverence, so long as his power fitteth itself to justice; his Royalty maintained, so long as they find his wisdom and virtue governs him, and he them in peace: nothing assisteth another, that is not again by that assisted. The violence amongst men is tyranny, an humour begotten between self-love & ignorance; it resembleth self-love, in prising his own safety above the lives or loves of his subjects; like ignorance, in fetching the means of his safety from false grounds, an humour of all humours the most unsafe and most displeasing: for he is not safe, when he is safe, his mind thinketh then of danger and treason, and for the body's safety without the minds, it little helpeth, for the mind giveth quiet to the body, not the body to the mind; most displeasing it is, for it displeaseth the whole world, and with the world himself, for he raiseth no contentment out of his course, and that displeaseth, that goeth without contentment.  
No State of this nature continueth: if the Turkish Government be enforced against this Axiom, it may be answered, It is a tyranny, that goeth masked under religion: for were it so naked, as the people might behold they suffer by the bloody hand of cruelty, without the allowance of God, and that his actions were altogether unlawful, soon would that State be brought within the compass of this Axiom, No violence continueth.  — Moderata durant. 
The whole world is upheld by moderation, from the highest to the lowest, especially man is beholding to her; for without her help, of all other, he is the most detestable creature: without moderation, affection conquers reason; without moderation, the wit of man will serve a wrong master; without moderation, the body will rebel against the soul; without moderation, the soul yields to the body; in a word unmoderated, both soul and body perisheth. This is she, that makes the distinction betwixt virtue and vice; this is she, that makes courage valour, that without moderation would be angry, and then fury; this is she, that separateth justice, and cruelty; providence, from fear; power, from tyranny; majesty, from pride: this is she that keepeth temperance from starving herself, thrift from covetousness, humility from baseness; this is she that tempereth, and keepeth in frame the whole frame of the world, without whom violence & extremes her contraries, would overthrow & ruin all. Thus much owe we to moderation, to whom after our service to God, if we would sacrifice a serious meditation to her excellency, our actions would thrive the better: for no man is wise, nor virtuous, nor any thing worth, without moderation; thus age hath pre-eminence over youth: for their affections by time grown weak, & by time their experience being grown strong, they have a more ample portion of moderation than youth, whose affections strong, & experience weak, moderation is resisted, & so folly governs him.  Non est ad astra mollis e terris via. 
SO subject is the constitution of man to follow the perverse counsel of his body, as the object of his soul: virtue is called hard, the bodies corrupt satisfaction, pleasure; weighed down with the grossness of which, his ascension to the stars, to worthiness, to heaven, is difficulty: so over balanced are the excellent designs of the soul, with the body and his affections; but accounting of this difficulty, as it rightly aught, and as we are content in other things, which have esteem for their rareness, scarcity, & hard obtaining, & more for this, than for themselves bearing price, it should not make the Port of virtue unfreqented, it should not wither our endeavours, but rather hearten our soils and make us shoot up, with the meditation of this incomparable blessing, and be spurs to hasten us on to this excellent career. Virtue is she that maketh us apt for this ●light, vice is the burden of impediment; virtue is, and is the way to heaven; vice, the earth and a heaviness, sinking & still falling downward: from virtue we receive two wings to mount with, pleasures, resistance; virtue applied from vice, two clogs, sloth, and appetite; here rests the happiness and unhappiness of man, here rests the difficulty of our exaltation, for non est ad astra mollis e terris via.  
This body of virtue, which is the harvest of a well-ended life, is no otherwise obtained, but by obeying the soul's counsel, whose divine essence beholdeth no other thing with contentment, but virtue: for never was there soul so corrupted by communicating with the body, as not to offer men good instructions, the fault hath been in the body's disobedience: for otherwise virtue would be as fast fixed to man, as life. The strength of the best and largest understanding, is too weak and too short to encompass the full & exact lineaments of virtue: we know her, rather by her contrary, then by herself: we never saw the picture of fortitude to the life; we never saw temperance well placed, but cowardice and excess have made imagination guess at virtue, with thinking her altogether unlike vice. Well may I then not doubt of pardon, if I miss in the desciphering this sanctified piece, who am a man, and young; by both states full enough of errors and misprision, especially, the last, the strength of whose affections, if they carry him violently out of the way, is by custom made venial. Then am I not compelled to work above my strength, who already have confessed my weakness: my poverty can not tell you of acts, but of thoughts; these papers are no chronicles that prove certainty, but like Calendars that go by guess: I have thought of virtue, & this verse hath revived that meditation, of which in general I will say something. This only substantial piece of all things possible to be comprehended & possessed by man, was once goodness, when goodness was unlaboured excellency; but when the heavenly fire infused, was quenched by earthly concupiscence, it became then laborious and painful; with the change of our state the ancre-hold of man was translated out of goodness into virtue, a word expressing a possibility rather than a possession of grace. Virtue is not then like the fortune of elder brothers, whose patrimony falleth to them by succession without further care, but like younger brothers states, the must fetch their advancements out of their own industries: to go just with the body's pleasure, to observe his satisfaction above any thing, is not the way; this is every day to fall: but he that aspireth to this flight to the stars, must make his body humbly desire his soul to purify and make apt his gross enclosure of earth. Non est ad astra mollis e terris via. In times past, when the goodness of virtue was not fully discovered, but their elections drew their force rather from a gallant industrious inclination, then from gratefulness of honouring the worlds Creator, or the hope of eternity; yet even then they magnified nor deified none, but men famous for atchivements, or profitable inventions. Thus came the multiplicity of the heathen gods, most of whom were so excellent, either in chivalry, or in managing the state of peace, as drove their country men between the effects of admiration, and gratefulness to proclaim them gods. Thus jupiter, who doubtless was an excellent soldier; thus Bacchus, for finding out the use of the wine; whose means though we have spotted with many imputations, no doubt they were extraordinary men of quality, whom the people of those times made gods, though the Poets of after ages made one a lecher, the other a drunkard: but that was not their fault, but a fault of the idleness of poetical fancies. From these may be seen, that moral virtues are not to be obtained, without the employment of the mind and body, laysinesse the younger brother of idleness, is one of the burdens of impediment, the soul is of too fine and quick a metal, to love doing nothing; she must have employment, otherwise she will grow dull and heavy, and like prisoners that are debarred exercise, fat and unweildsome: in many things doth the soul follow the body's inclination, even as the eye seeth by the assistance of a spectacle, whose glass, if false, the eye cannot see truly; if thick, my stily: the body by cherishing groweth not able, but like a pampered horse, short wound, pursy, and unserviceable, whose organs by this means grow unapt to perform their functions, and the soul deprived of showing her dexterity, like a house unhabited, groweth desolate and ruinous.  
Contrarily, the soul cherished and observed, recompenseth her observer, with a more large increase, than harvest doth the husbandman.  
So for the first journey to virtue, there cannot be a truer way appointed, than the subjecting the body, and giving the soul's motions liberty: for the soul by cherishing flourisheth; the body cherished, decayeth.  
Now of the wings enabling our flight, the first is pleasure's resistance, not the true pleasure, but a wrong conceived: for the hope of the true, is the life of all good actions, and all men live by the meditation of the obtaining this sum of happiness.  
But we miscall and mistake virtue, reading whose front, and conceiving there is nothing in her, but a stern deprivation of liberty, so leave her.  
But how doth our imagination err, since virtue undertaketh to lead men into the mansion of a never dying pleasure?  
And the main difference of virtue and vice, that maketh the one worthy of embracement, the other of refusal, is virtues continuance in pleasure; vices sudden conversion into dolour and calamity.  
I cannot deny, but the false solicitors for vice our senses, bring a kind of pleasure with their satisfaction; but so short it is, as every man knoweth ●ow subject to end this surfeiting pleasure with griefs and vexations. It is the permanency of pleasure then, that makes it worthy, which though it cometh unto us not by any immediate means, we must not therefore refuse, for so cometh all things to man, which is the cause that the life of man must be laborious and painful: for so are all things, that must use second and third means, for obtaining the first and chief. We reckon of Physicians, because the end of them is health: of Lawyers, for they say they produce quiet: of Soldiers, for they purchase peace. Let us think thus of virtue, and we shall be virtuous; temperance first aspect is not to be valued, nor his abstinence; but that the end of his abstinence giveth pleasure a longer continuance than appetites satisfaction: to this end fortitude embraceth peril & pains, that he may receive a contentment, more full and continual than a dastardly idleness: this is the reason of virtues prohibition, because she would give us pleasure and happiness more lasting and solid: who then will not restrain the humorous wishes of vice, since by that means he shall obtain virtue, and with her eternal contentment.  
But yet hath man gotten but one wing, with which though he can flicker, and hop, yet can he not fly: for himself, he hath enough to serve his turn, but he is borne to society, and to help others: to perform which, his other wing is appointed, virtues application; this is the wing of splendour, the other is profitable, so are the designs for a man's self; but this leaneth to the good of others, and is therefore commendable.  
Who applieth himself to his country, with a mind applying all things to virtue, he is so worthy, as nothing originally of the world more worthy: First, he beholdeth the state of the distressed, he redeemeth that, for commiserations sake: Next, he vieweth the lives of his Countrymen, whose swerving crookedness he amendeth, both by counsel and example: Lastly, he beholdeth foreign States, with the eye of prevention, that no invasions, incroching, or conspiracies, disturb the safety of his Commonwealth. I call this last, because I will under these three heads, mention what I think, not doubting of many more respects that belong to this life, nor enforcing any man to believe, that these three comprehend the sum of their duties; but thus shall my sleight touch of these pass his journey.  
To commiserate the distressed I estate of others, needs no great persuasion, for all good natures bring it with them from their cradles; but I know not how, great fortunes, and high estates, so alter the dispositions of men, as it deserveth a remembrance; for nothing is more common, than the prosperous to despise the distressed. This commiseration hath two means of performing his function, to help the oppressed by violence of men; and the oppressed by the malignity of fortune: the former is justice, the last charity. In this first aught there to be a freedom given to Suitors, to enter both into your gates and presence; me thinks there cannot be a more unjust course, then to profess justice, and to deny suitors their presence. How can he know the griefs of men without hearing their complaints? Who deserves his place, unless ready to hear the distresseds petitions? But these do evil. Who will do well, let him give ready audience, and as ready dispatch, without any other reward, than the remembrance of his good deed; with this he must be careful of his servants, lest his authority and their covetousness despoil not the poor, and make them buy justice at a dear rate.  
For Charity, it befitteth well the life of abundance to have recourse hither, but how to dispose gifts, that they may rightly deserve the name of Charity, is the difficulty. It is no charity to give so violently as may waste the main of an estate; but what may be spared, by cutting off superfluous delicates & outward pomp, to convert this to the poor distressed outcasts of fortune, is true charity. I like not of feasting those that are able to feast me again, nor to keep a table for all comers: it is better to give one his dinner that knows not elsewhere to have it, than twenty able to answer feast with feast. I have often inveighed against our English second courses, which kill many with surfeits, whiles as many starve at their gates with famine: I cannot think of an Honourabler estate, then to have much, and yet to live temperately, depriving themselves of excess to supply the wants of others, which course whosoever shall entertain, shall increase his virtue, keep his body from diseases, and his fortune from envy.  
To make his country men worthy of enjoying their country, and meet to preserve it, there are two means, rewards and punishment. I spoke lately of charity, which is to give them altogether in want; I speak now of liberality, which is to give to them rich in virtues, but poor in wealth: but to give gifts as we use nowadays in hope of a greater, belongeth neither to liberality nor charity.  
Me thinks it becometh Magistrates to have an eye aswell to those of deserts and to cherish them, as to be inquisitive about offenders and their punishment. It is not thus, and that it is not, I think hath been the greatest cause of the decay of virtue: for by this neglect, virtue hath lost one of her means of persuasion, and many worthy spirits have run out their lives unprofitably.  
I possess as little of virtue, as the most beggarly in that commodity; yet did I never see any limb of her body, but I was enamoured of it. How much it would raise the spirits of worthy fellows, and lift up declining virtue, to have great men lend them good looks, and withal to displace Buffoons, flatterers, and unprofitable pleasures of great charge, and to convert that to their use, the proof will be better believed than I; yet in my opinion, this man should be as profitable to his country, as the most vigilant, turning his eyes to some other care.  
For punishment, the physic of a State, it ought with as much regard to be looked into, as this former, they are indeed to go arm in arm: of this part of justice since the direct mean is hardly to be obtained, I hold him the best Statesman, that leaneth rather to severity, then to much lenity; for example, the use of justice doth nothing so much harm with some strict executions, as with letting offenders escape without punishment: law is the Loadstone, whereby justice saileth, and must be kept in a venerable account: if the crimes procuring them be but light, and not likely to impair the Common wealth much, it is better not to see them, then seeing them, to let them escape: for there is not a more dangerous and disgraceful thing to a Common wealth, then to make laws, and then suffer them to lie unprofitable without execution. For foreign estates, their force, the natures of the manages of those forces, giveth the eye of prevention the surest judgement; if their forces be of too great strength, and to their strength added a wise governor, there is most danger: if these meet not, no great peril when they do: the breeding the same jealousy in other bordering Countries that yourself conceives, is a means likely to make your strength able to encounter him, but before this time it had been meet to have foreseen this danger, there being no surer means to prevent foreign invasions, then to keep any one from being too powerful; which is easily done, by succouring the weaker parts, but these are secrets of which my writing is mere presumption: for I hardly ever carry any of my thoughts so high as this meditation, more low flieth my conceit, and to the form of my life more profitably, in which it may be, my sight can carry level as far as need requireth; but in these things I am altogether purblind.  Non est ad astra mollis e terris via. 
It is not by the way of a downe-bed, soft clothing, and delicacy; much more on the right hand lieth the way to heaven: which though those tender travaillers, that shape their course through sensuality, call hard, is not therefore to be shunned: for the obtaining set apart, which we allow painful in the attaining, the slightest mystery, it is not hard, but easy and pleasant, joined with such a contentment and satisfaction, as is past the power of any pens expressing, for it can be known neither by words nor any resemblance, but only itself is able to express itself.   

Upon these verses.  
Res humanas ordine nullo  
Fortuna regit, spargitque manu  
Munera caeca, peiora fovens.  
THe giddy lightness, the unresolved motions, the unsteady frail buildings of human actions: so fly, so stagger, so erect, as no marvel, if the work which always resembles the craft's man's skill, be full of uncertainties and waverings: for how can weakness manage matters of strength? or why should strength be blamed, if he produceth not wisdom, since nature, to prevent monsters, hath appointed every thing, to beget things of his own likeness? I can not call the actions of men monsters, though monstrous: for they resemble their mothers, which is this body, it being a fit resemblance me thinks, since all thoughts are bred between the agitation of the soul and body, to call bodies females, the soul the male, how so ever the Grammarians have agreed upon haec anima, since he is full of a more true and Masculine force then the body.  Res humanas.— 
Though we consist of a soul as well as body, though his part be so great in us, as by it only we move, live, and understand, though he be full of divinity, and loaden with the riches of the place from whence he came; yet so much doth the issue of these two resemble the body, as all our actions are called human; a word expressing frailty and death. That they are thus called, and called so by their own deserts, proceedeth not from necessity, nor can I say in all through the malice of choice, but through the want of examining and weighing our intendments, the lightest of which are of so much weight, if they were duly reckoned of, the gravest, and lightest, so near of our kindred, and all so ready to lay open themselves, if questioned with by a considerate judgement; as letting them pass thus carelessly, shows us to be both unnatural and unwise: for might the soul be made acquainted with their sending forth, she would give them so fair and lasting a constitution, as they should be no longer called human, but divine actions.  
— Ordine nullo  
Fortuna regit.—  
That our actions are called, and rightly called human, here is the reason; fortune governs them: which word, though the fancy of Poets hath given a body to, and made her blind, and a goddess, yet is she neither a goddess, nor a separated essence: for there are millions of fortunes, yea as many as there are men, every man his own fortune; but the word expresseth chance, and by chance we are governed, for so must they needs be that allow not their designs premeditation without order: it is a shift to set up fortune, and the imputation of fortunes preposterous and disorderly working, it is our own fault; since nothing cometh from us marshaled with judgement, but as our senses catch up every object destinated to their functions, without all choice or regard: so suffer we ourselves to engross the commandments of lust and appetite, to embrace every thing that they see, and to devour poison, so it promiseth but sweetness.  
I can not say we go without meanings, but without the true meaning I may: for superfluously taking the survey of things, not penetrating the depth, we never taste of any thing but the scum and top of things. Hence come the exclamations of the world, the shipwreck of all estates, and to comprehend in a word that might fill pages, all that we call calamity, & think worthy of the bewailing.  
— Spargitque manu  
Munera caeca.—  
How my Tragedian means here, I know not; but how I understand him, is thus equivocal: he may call these gifts blind, by the means of the obtaining, which is by adventure or may mean them blind, in respect of their impotent insufficiencies; for so examined straightly, must I confess these jewels of the world to be, since they bring but themselves, not their use, in which consists the true spirit of the worthiness of things. Alas poor man, how art thou deceived, that sends thy mind to attend these things, that aught to be the attendants of thy mind? for what is thy use of these things, without a mind? and that thou hast not, for already it is converted into this dross; the sickness of which surfeit, is the shipwreck of the mind, upon these rocks of earth, they dissolving the substantial body of humanity, into licentiousness, the pride raised from the opinion of wealth, prodigalities, looseness, covetousness, extortion. It is meet here also to tell those weak estimations, that glory in those blind gifts that childishly they account of feathers and wind, and suffer themselves to be transported out of the Bay of judgement, into the uncertain sea of opinion, by their blind and doting election.  — Peiora fovens. 
It is no marvel, since every thing hasteneth to the connexion of his own kind, and thus earth to earthly minds; but that spirits of a more true stamp, envy and mislike, that the world is engrossed by these, both, I mislike and lament: for not out of a mind that contemns because he cannot obtain, but even so near truth as to speak what I think, I hold human prosperity, the coin currant with our mortal states, no nearer goodness, or happiness, then lifeless things, whose motions belong to our pleasure; or otherwise so near a kin, as a Stage to the Commedians, which though it gives them a fair and fit name, making them apt for the eyes of men, yet is no way guilty of their good or evil action.  
All things hold esteem for their use, and this persuasion defendeth the thirsters after excesses: but if my use be sufficiently supplied, by a far less number of ceremonies, then serves the nice and curious, me thinks my state is the better: for I mislike nothing so much in ships and women, as their many tackle: to have use of so many things, brings them to have need of many things. Then doubtless their states are the miserablest, and those most happy, that are not impatient, with the service of a less number of their implements.  
Then are not the wicked and worse sort cherished, but punished, in their abundance, since like the throats of drunkards, the more is powered in, the more they thirst.  
There be many vices that we bring with us into the world, and questionless we had enough to do, to maintain wars with them, procured we no more: but as many more are sprung up, out of this root of abundance; for from thence springeth the particular malice of men, contentions, slanders, unlawful wishes; after those put in practice, in a word, abusing themselves both in the obtaining and having: so can I think it nothing but a means of temptation to our best part, and to the body a procurer of envy and danger.  
Res humanas ordine nullo  
Fortuna reget, spargitque manu  
Munera caeca, peiora fovens.  
That this confusion is incident to our lives, is our own fault, since the disorder of a State belongeth to none, but to the governors of a State; so this to man who is Vicegerent of the earth, the remedy may be imagined, but (I doubt) not accomplished: the disease by continuance being past the power of curing, the best physic is contempt, taken by a mind content upon contempts purge, to rectify the weak stomach with the sucking in a love of a more noble nature, whose counsel will expel confusion, and take away the strength of this just invective, or rather true pattern of our unhappy condition.  
Quicunque regno fidit, & magna potens  
Dominatur aula, nec leues metuit Deos,  
Animumque rebus credulum laetis dedit,  
Me videat, & te Troia, non unquam tulit  
Documenta for'rs maiora, quam fragili loco  
Starent superbi:—  
Whatsoever hold the world takes of the glittering barks of men; what honour soever the base inferiors cast upon greatness, with what pace soever he treadeth, or with what pomp soever he goeth, yet is he mortal, subject to time, subject to desire, subject to errors, subject to all the incidents, incident to his subject; and no more doth death or destiny, or any of those period-makers, spare him, than the most abject creature in his dominion: but rather more conversant are dangers with them, than any: for greatness is subject to envy, and envy often the author of destruction.  
Are kingdoms then such holds, as their possession shall make us proclaim wars against God and man? or is power so confidently to be trusted, as leaning upon that pillar, the wars of the world cannot stir us? Who believeth so, let him behold Troy, let him behold Priam, let him behold Hector, Cities too weak to resist ruin; Principality, not able to shun the miserable part of calamity; Valour made the footstool of the Conqueror. Which examples if either by age thought weak, or by passing through the hands of a Poet, a fiction: let it serve to stir up our memories, which can produce examples of these kinds more fresh, and to our knowledge more sure.  
All the things of this world, being but the servants of the body, and the body of the soul, how base are they, that fly their own authority, and become servants to their servants servant? and how foolish are they that will make these things destinated to this life, longer-lived than man's life, to account the needful helps of a mortal body, immortal? yet doth the erroneous choice of the world set up these things above all respects; prefer degrees of the world, above the preferment of their soul, setting up power against truth; greatness of fortune, above the purity of a good conscience; wealth against honesty; gilded honour, above real; the applause of men, before the allowance of virtue; the body, above the soul; villainy, above goodness; confusion, above tranquillity.  
Quicunque regno fidit & magna potens  
Dominatur aula.—  
Whose thoughts soever shoots so low, as to trust to any state of the world, whose ignoble mind doth so degenerate, as to fetch the price of his estimation, from Heraldry, or the reverence of baseness, can neither find safety in his estate, truth in his subjects, nor quiet in his mind: how can he, safety, since he fetcheth his contentment from the subjection of inferiors? and they finding they are used but for the foils of his magnificence, soon will they spurn at such authority: for peace and the combination of societies, hath his original from no other ground, but the hope of a mutual supplying each others defects: how can he, truth in his servants, since himself is the example of the contrary? and no rigour can forbid those mean states the following the courses of their Governor; admonition and punishment never prevailing over example. Lastly, the quiet of the mind is not within the compass of the body's authority, and he that knoweth nor trusteth to any thing, but the servants of the body, how can he procure the quiet of the mind? nothing can do this but virtue, who sendeth the sweet vapours of quiet to the mind, and giveth it peace and rest; as the stomach doth to the head, to procure sleep the restorer of the body: from nothing else is it to be had; for it is a forced contentment to the mind, that is procured from the fullness of the body's possession, not nourishing, but dangerous; even as the rest of the body obtained by taking Oppium— & magna potens dominatur aula.—  
The possessions of a private fortune, be they never so great, and never so ill used by the possessor, is but a particular harm; the possession of authority in the court of Princes, swerveth it never so little from the true bounds, endangereth the whole state: it little skilleth, whether a common sailor be endued with any thing, but strength; but if the Master or Pilate be not expert in his science, rocks and tempests threaten continually their destruction; who is exalted to this state, by any other but his own deserts, Phaeton-like, maketh his ambition purchase his own downfall, and the firing of the world. Were there in this life no more to be done, but the resisting the allurements that the world casteth upon the height of his fortune, doubtless he had much to do; his judgement, his modesty, his virtue, should be all employed; but with this particular care, the general care cometh accompanied, so is he doubly set a work, and more than doubly besieged by false and deceivable enticements. Under these two heads marcheth the glory and danger of the favourites of Princes, his fortune not to corrupt himself, himself not to corrupt the state: and first, to the first, there is nothing that is fed with it own humour, but increaseth and groweth mighty, and at last dangerous; thus things combustible, heaped upon fire, make it grow furious and devouring; thus waters assembled together beyond the bounds appointed by nature, conspire to overrun the earth. The eyes of the people continually observe upon whom the Prince looks favourably: upon whom he, they, like eyes unable to behold the Sun, yet loving light, bend themselves to behold the suns reflection; meeteth this with an ambitious humour, it swelleth him, and at last bursts him: but meeting with a discreet modesty, he knoweth from whence it cometh, and returneth it thither again. The love of the people deserved, and in their hearts rather than caps showing it, is a happy thing: but when he thus favoured, cannot show himself any cause of their love, but his showing them greatness, it is dangerous. Princes hate competitors, and popularity in subjects seems to bandy with the Prince in power, of which if Princes be suspicious, and carefully remove the cause of their suspicion, they are not to be blamed: for as Caesar said of the putting away his wife, he did it, because he would not have Caesar's wife somuch as suspected; well may they divorce from them such servants, for the suspicion is more dangerous. The upright Statesman, observing how subject the people are, to take over-kindly, upon the actions performed for their good, by great men; truly loving his Country, and respecting his own health, to all these performances, he should entitle his Prince, and by all means draw the people to acknowledge, from him only cometh all their good and preservation: thus shall the love between the Prince and the people grow firm, from which issueth the flourishing of a State; of which he hath not only part, but withal receiveth the commendations due to a special limb of so fair a body.  
No less must these beware of letting their preferments outrun their deserts; Princes will grow weary of giving, to them that are still begging, and whatsoever their bounties be, yet I think as Physicians of blood-letting, which they say takes with that, that is superfluous, some of the vital parts; so with their gifts, goeth some of their love, and the more that is taken, the more of their love is abated: with this, degrees of honour must be moderated; whatsoever you may have, must not be reckoned, but what is fit: if sprung from a progeny lately base and obscure, high humours must by all means be shunned, howsoever borne; the safe rising, is leisurely and by degrees, so as a high fortune may not seem strange, and be wondered at by the world.  
When you make any suits, to consider, whether it may not be offensive to many, for in such suits there is great loss and danger; a moderation in pomp, courtesy, rather for courtesies sake them your own, and still ending all actions with your face turned to your Prince, doing good to the common wealth, but desiring reputation from nobody but your Sovereign: howsoever common men that know nothing before effected, are governed by the event of things, yet must a judicial Statesman not build his counsels upon these conditions: that dangerous resolutions prospered once, do not serve the second time; from probability must he produce his advice, and sitting upon his foundation, howsoever it falleth our, he is free of a deserved imputation: for man cannot divine what end followeth beginning, the nearest is a likelihood, which may fail without his fault; for to propound, not to conclude, is the destiny of man. To beware of counseling any thing tending to innovation, if the profit over-valueth not the danger, the thoughts of the vulgar, that goeth no further commonly than what they feel and see, the narrowness of whose discourse, brings them not acquainted with any thing that they are not daily conversant with, utterly mislike changes of importance, they that do not, it makes them delight in them too much, and so is altogether unsafe to most of their dispositions.  
Nor in the particular customs of men of these places, doth it become gravity to love change, especially the fashions of other countries are most dangerous, by which some will conjecture either gain, or lightness, or to those foreigners an extraordinary affection.  
All affection must be abandoned, not looking upon any thing with so true a desire of well wishing, as upon our country and Prince.  
Thus shortly in general, of particulars to mention all, would be too tedious; to mention some without the whole, would be the portraiture of a dismembered and torn body; and to speak truly, to mention all, is impossible: for occasion begets them of infinite forms, which when they happen, are to be considerately carried, without all affection, and with all our judgements.  — Nec leues metuit Deus. 
How lightly are the imaginations of man drawn to betray his Master? more lightly, than feathers and dust fly by the wind: they fly and change their place, when the air grows rough and tempestuous.  
But caulmes as well as tempests, carry men up and down in uncertainties.  
Caulmes, resembling prosperity, puff him up with pride, and make him think better of his own state, then of all others; losing all respect of God and man.  
The more tempestuous estate of adversity, begets despair, so do our frail thoughts fit every state with corrupt imaginations: from no fortune is the tranquillity of the mind produced; the mind manageth, obeyeth not the states of the world: wherefore that common opinion that accompanieth fond desires of determining, if the imagined good were obtained, we should be happy and at peace, is so far from truth, as with nothing so much satisfaction, we behold things in our power, as they far off, which we cannot reach with our hand, but thought.  
Religion, the lymiter of man's progressions, the anchour-hold of our souls, and preservation of our bodies, by the immeasureable fawn of fortune, is often to embrace her gifts let go, but how foolish is this choice, since without Religion, even those esteemed gifts are not to be enjoyed? for wrongs and oppression would soon confound meum & tuum: For no Laws of man, not esteemed depending upon the Law of GOD, can be kept unviolable: it is not true that the rays of this light are only reflected upon our souls: no sure, God made both body and soul, and hath a care of both: for such are all the commandments given to man, as the best Politician for the upholding Commonwealths, can not imagine rules more profitable and safe. There is no fortune that can stand without religion, and without a veneration and fear of the divine powers; the societies of men will perish, yea, even every man: for were his thoughts able to fly no further than this life, the stop would confound his understanding, which now though but in hope, yet that hope brought to an assured confidence, is the best contentment: for what mortal thoughts may equal the thoughts of Eternity?  
Animumque rebus credulum laetis dedit,  
Me videat, & te Troia.—  
What persuasion can convert infectious minds possessed of things apt to feed the affection? Nothing can withstand their obstinacies; for the corrupt humour reigns, & reason is despised: the neglect of whom, and the belief of the other is credulity, a light trust, unacquainted with judgement. Thus the trust given to the world and fortune, whose transitorines, though all the counsellors and rulers of our mortal understandings testify, and explain, yet can we find contentment and pleasure in their possession, though Divinity saith, both we and they are but dust, it helpeth not; Philosophy showeth his original and downfall so certainly, as if never none had died, we could not hope to live ever, yet prevaileth it not: though History presents the ruin of Empires, Cities, and men of the highest erected States have died, and some of them most miserably, it avails not: Lastly, though our own experience seeth death & destruction ruinating all things, & all men, yet will we not believe but there is pleasure and contentment in the gifts of fortune, credulously giving credit to the base persuasion of our affections.  Animumque rebus credulum laetis dedit. 
Mirth, pleasure and joy, differ much in nature; from the credulity the these things are precious and of worth, mirth may be fetched, from their use pleasure; so may mirth and pleasure serve honest masters, for they are ruled by their governors; but joy will not be abused, nor ever attend any thing not truly and indeed precious: then can not the lightness of these beget joy, who, as one saith, is a grave thing, but mirth & pleasure they may: but they are priceless things, accompanied with as much mutability and transitoriness as their procurer.  Me videat, & te Troia.— 
Behold two mothers, rich in these possessions, in the small space of ten years made the most miserable: behold Hecuba, a princess, in her youth made happy, with having magnificence and principality, accompanied with her youth: in her age possessed of mortal immortality, of all the graces that reign in man, in a small space, in less than a moment respecting Eternity, thrown from this esteemed height, and made neither princess nor mother; thus Troy, the famousest city of the world most abounding, defaced and ruinated and left desolate of all but blood and ashes: this the ungoverned flattery of greatness procured: here is powers common generation, begetting sensualities and unbridled appetite, from whose transitoriness and cause of dissolution, be it a fiction, yet may we gather here.  
— Non unquam tulit  
Documenta for'rs maiora, quam fragili loco  
Starent superbi.—  
Since the mutability of the world is such, & that the world could not be a world, nor stand, were she not supplied by the transitoriness of things, resolving one thing into another: how can our opinions be so forcible, as to hold any of this rank dear or precious? nay, how so monstrous, as to persuade us to pride; a vice full of the most dangerous effects? for to greatness it procureth hatred; to mean estates derision; to none safety: a lazy affection, that taketh no pleasure, but within doors: a priceless affection, for it is currant with none but ourselves: an effeminate affection, for it is still looking in the glass of self-love: in a word; an affection, making us unsociable, and our conversations loathsome.  
Standing in this uncertain state, who would not govern and prepare himself fit for another? This cannot pride; for his loftei behaviour and stiff rebellious thoughts cannot nimbly shift the fall of fortune: it is therefore a vice of all others to be shunned. For besides it is a sin, and so contrary to goodness; and being contrary, must needs be offensive, in this world it is also dangerous, seldom going without punishment and destruction.  Inertis est nescire quid liceat sibi. 
NO knowledge is unfruitful, so liberally hath nature dealt with all things: but the life of man being appointed but a short course, and the course of a general knowledge being too long, the knowledges most pertinent to himself, are to be chosen, which hardly shall he end before his course be ended: so much is there to be read in himself, & about himself. far otherwise hath it happened with some minds, who thirsty enough of knowledge, have fixed their indirected steps upon arts unprofitable, considering the shortness of our lives, whose swiftness gives us warning to entertain the most profitable and soonest digested knowledges, both which are things belonging to life: otherwise we may fall into their errors, that die good Astronomers, and evil men. Three are the knowledges destinated to our use; the knowledge of ourselves, the knowledge of our fortune, the knowledge of our country, when by the smart of experience, for by counsel or good inclination few attain to it, neither is it so much worth, for that of counsel hath too light an impression, good inclinations naturally are given none, but to such as are of a dull heavy disposition: but when experience hath made us feel, how subject our courses are to errors, the best means is unpartially to make our heads take account of our days progressions: this every day, so shall not the number of our vices confound our memories, and make the account difficult, nor shall this age make them strong & hard to vanquish, the beginning of things being within the compass of curing, their continuance incurable. At no time is this Audit to be better cast up, then when the days circuit is finished: for in the suns presence, the conscience dealeth not so forcibly with our offences, but night worketh upon guiltiness, and in darkness the terror of an evil life is best seen; then also is the pleasure of the sin commonly most remote, a time yielding the right opportunity for amendment; for in the absence of the pleasure, and presence of the smart incident to that pleasure, is the true time of conversion.  
In this search and examination of ourselves, we must beware of mistaking things: a thing carefully to be regarded, since loving ourselves, and rich in the commodities of names, we seek not to shelter cruelty in justice, covetousness in thrift, cowardice in providence: this flattery of ourselves is like the medicines of wandering Empirics, which cure not, but respite pain, which time expired, the pain & danger is doubled, neither must we let the success blindfold us; it is an ignorant account that is taken at the end ofthings: with the beginnings let them begin, that are so valiant as to defy fortune, for meaning well, the event can not be evil: he that arms his intent with virtue, is invincible: the travels guided by any other star, how successful soever for a time, yet end miserably. Having found our defects, the gallantest course is resistance; the safest, shunning, but because we are not privy to all the occurrents of the world, we must fetch this safety from resistance, and yet when we can, to shun causes of provocation.  
In the search of ourselves, when we have found some, we must not leave, for we have many: nor when we have found many: look no further; for years and the change of fortune, bring with them new dangers, which is daily seen: many licentious youths, ending with ambitious ages; many humble poor men having proved tyrannical and proud in riches.  
The last of our inward inquisition, is, after the true sight of ourselves, to propound no course beyond the power of our managing: if nature hath laid greater strength upon my arms, than head, I will confess it, and frame myself to be profitable that way: if in my head, that way; if I can not spin, I will reel and bunch hemp: thus is the fault, if there be a fault, natures and not mine, if ambition carrieth me beyond the compass of understanding.  
For our states, if there were no body wiser than I, the Law of a Commonwealth that bound every man to follow the fortune of his father, should be well thought of, so should the Commonwealth know to whom to trust, and her constitution be more settled, than the giving every man his choice, by which riches make some lazy; poverty some industrious; wealth giveth estimation; estimation is sought to for their Counsel, and their wisdoms lie only in their Inuentoryes. All this time virtue is not thought of, nor their advices are of moment: for they are drowned in parsimony.  
I like well of thrift, and that we should know the secrets of our fortune, how much we are able to spend, and how we ought to spend, in which I allow not the living at the uttermost: it is a dangerous custom, that because a Gentleman or Noble, and of this living, we must go brave and entertain all, and save nothing. I do hate being at the appointment of others, especially to be bound to follow evil counsel: there is liberality and charity to perform, which every man is bound to, and to perform which, other superfluous costs must be omitted: it is better to keep poverty from starving, than to feast knaves: which if it be misliked for the virtue, shall fit some for the thrift: forty shillings goeth further amongst the poor, then doubled spent in feasting the rich.  
More of this I will not treat of, but only to restrain our minds from looking licorishly upon any other estate, then that our Ancestors lived in: for besides that the shortness of our life gives us not leisure, having business of more importance to dispatch first, it being better to be an honest man then a great man, it is too dearly bought: for as fast as they pursue promotion, danger, envy, and death pursue them, and not one amongst numbers but is overtaken.  
I do not so often pray for rain and fair weather, as I do that my country men should deserve it: for we are fallen into the jaws of the Proverb, Better fed, then taught: an error that will fall foul upon the higher degrees: for speaking generally of the multitude; they are a people tractable, and ready enough to be better than they are, if taught, which they can not receive by their education, because their poverty empoyl●s them about other business: they that may, should give them the short and sure precepts of good example, and so the ones education shall show itself answerable to his birth, the other be recompensed for their obedience, by being instructed in the rules of life.  
Many times I have thought of these degrees of state; of them we call noble and ignoble: and though my opinion jump with the allowance of degrees and titles, yet am I sorry that the rewards of the promoted should be an inheritance, and the deserts separated: but in such a state is this earth, that the favour of time and continuance is abused, and the smiles of fortune nourisheth the worst counsel.  
The knowledge of our Country, a book worthy to be read with attention, consisteth in these diversities; her Commodities, her Situation, her people: though I doubt not but nature provided every Country of sufficient provision for her own burden, yet hath the delicacy of man striven with nature, that he might want: so are our minds like empty casks; as they full of wind, so we full of windy wishes: and all like women with child, like nothing, but what is hard to come by. Of the commodities, the best is bullion and munition, the worst clothes and victual: so may I say for our kingdom, the worst commodities that enter it being the food of wantonness, not of necessity, and clothes: the other borrowed superfluity, we have little need of, our own country yielding attire both cool and warm: for these, we part with merchandise of no less importance, and some of more; but this is now to be talked of only: for time hath made it unalterable, only the excess is to be prevented, and those things able to be dangerous, carefully to be preserved, lest we make our Country so unhappy, as to bear children that will ruin her. The Situation known, recompenseth the knowledge, with being able to provide against all inconveniences: as to fit our diets to the Climate, our forces to the strength, our spend and comings in: Thus shortly and generally for the particularity, it must come from the nominating the place. The knowledge of the people's natures, is of much importance, both in the using them upon occasion, and applying laws to them: both which cannot be rightly executed, without first their natures be known & measured. Thus important is the knowledge of ourselves, and those things belonging to ourselves, which who neglecteth, deserveth the Tragedians title, being a creature altogether unprofitable and unworthy.  
Magis haec timet, quam moeret, ingenio est opus:  
Alios parentes alloqui luctu decet.  
So are we governed by our affections, as our intents speak in face: so ungoverned are our affections, as what they would shun, they run into; they see but themselves, and beholding nor knowing nothing else, do like themselves, easily discovering what they wish most secret. It is the discourse of the mind only, that is able to see and shun danger at once, the others see it not with discretion, but fear, whose nature wisheth a dispatch without regard, whether it be with a cut throat or safety; fears furthest with being but to be out of his pain. Since these affections are so fixed to men, as there is no man without them; since the suppressing of them is so rare, as hardly it belongeth to any man, there is no action almost, that can escape a wise observation; for he is led to them, by them that seek most to keep them in covert: like unto the care that other creatures have of their young ones, which care carrieth their pursuer to their nest or cave. For be it an attempt, wherein the attempter believeth great matters of profit will follow; hope outruns itself, overweigheth him, and being unaccustomed to carry so high sails, showeth he hath determined some strange things: thus fear, thus love, thus hatred, thus all make the faces of men, in spite of their hearts, go to confession.  Magis haec timet, quam moeret.— 
There is no human action, that is delivered to the world, without many circumstances: there is no circumstance, but is a step, mounting the understanding to the truth. Wherefore, the true Inquisitor ought not to think any thing impertinent, that is any way pertinent: for how he spoke, how he looked, how he companied, and even lighter than these may carry a reach, able to weigh these things into the most secret part of the secret: for these are threads, leading into the labyrynth, which who omitteth, and catcheth at the body of an action, without joining and laying together the other circumstances, shall as often miss as hit, & oftener err, then come to his wished purpose.  Ingenio est opus. 
There needs no more affection, then will give us taste of our purposes; affections use, is like the use of a wherstone for a knife, only to give it an edge, and then lay it by, for use it continually or oft times, it maketh the metal thin and weak; and thus affection doth to men: what can we do, whereof done, we are not ashamed? except managed by wisdom, even from the most trivial to the most serious perfourmances. Ingenio est opus. Which excellent guide of our actions, who desireth to obtain, must not suffer the allurements of his affections to lay hold on him, for than they shall accompany this unhappy weak woman:  Magis haec timet, quam moeret.— 
Affectionate passion is both deformed and unsafe.  Alios parentes alloqui luctu decet. 
No where hath affection that power, nor any where do they display themselves so openly, as the affection of parents to their children; they were begotten by affection, and by affection they are maintained: for let them be how they will, though deformed both in mind and body, yet will they find a loveliness in their out-blemishes, and tolerate their inward; which if nature hath not appointed to keep the increase of the world from miscarrying, certainly it is a fault: for sincere truth alloweth nothing that cannot produce the graces of the mind for evidence. It becometh parent's mourning, to speak in no other fashion: it becometh parents that will be parents and wise, not to mourn at all; for there is no more allowed to parents or children, in the exact rules of wisdom, then there is to causes farther off but speaking of the exact commandments of wisdom, causes stand all in a distance, there is none nearer or more remote: so should every one, that will do well, lament his neighbour's child as much as his own; but neither should we for theirs nor ours: for that is a weakness, and the defective part of our natures, we must seek to recover them, which we say are in calamity: but the pity of tears is too waterish to do good; bewailing being an unnecessary slothful affection.  
— Gladius & spes & metus,  
Sors caeca versat: praemium incertum petit  
Certum scelus.—  
HOw can it otherwise be, when reason yields the priority to strength, an unreasonable & blind judge, but that chance should have a hand in the event? and where chance hath any thing to do, who seeth not, that the uncertainty of the conclusion must needs beget hope and fear? for such thoughts always follow attempts, where the judgements of men are barred of a certain censure.  
War is the remedy for a State surfeited with peace, it is a medicine for commonwealths sick of too much ease and tranquillity, but that it carrieth a reforming nature, and is a part of justice; yet is it better known then used, better to keep in awe then to punish; for it can hardly be taken up or pacified, since it begets in Generals the two dangerous humours of revenge and ambition; in the limbs obeying this head, dissoluteness and riot: between which, and the heat of contention, the innocent perish aswell as the guilty, and in stead of reforming nations, they depopulate them; yet these inconveniences make me not wholly deny wars profitable: for they were most profitable, if the distressed had but the opinion, that the recourse to wars would avail them: for without this, licentiousness and tyranny would devour all, and without this, desperation would seize upon all in calamity: for despair possesseth none that can have recourse to any remedy, but only those that are without all refuge. But wars best use, is the same that Nurses make of Robin Goodfellow, to terrify, and the example much more safe and wholesome that is taken from the sight of our neighbours, then from our own experience.  
— Praemium incertum petit  
Certum scelus.—  
Did not this take away admiration with being ordinary, it were a wonder, an uncertain gain purchased with a certain evil: there is nothing shows me the viciousness of man, so plainly as this, undertaking courses so desperately and vainly, as if his intent were nothing else, but to increase his sins. I see offenders daily, and they see the shame and bitterness of punishment, yet can not this persuade them; so that I cannot say, looking into their intentions, without all respect but of their gain and loss, that ever I saw any, whose profit could recompense their loss.  
Omitting petty matters, in that execrable wickedness of conspiring against Princes, I wonder not that such intendments find Heads; for the profit of the gain may corrupt men: but how the other limbs are drawn in, I marvel, for they adventure as much as the principal, and let his design come to pass, are uncertain of their reward, yea, of their life: for such benefits that are not easily to be recompensed, are as dangerous as injuries. It is a wonder then, and either these men flatter themselves with vain hopes, strengthening which with their will, they resist the more reasonable discourse, or else heat with the allurement of some affection, run into them without all examination; both of which are so dangerous, as the day of undertaking such attempts, they may, without being deceived in their computation, reckon the day of their ruin: for it is hard to judge of which side he is in most danger, but of one undoubtedly he shall perish.  
In this and in all other the gain is uncertain, the evil certain, which (me thinks) should alone persuade us, and make all wickedness despised: were the condition, For the loss of the one, here is the other, we were nearer temptation: but the eternal goodness hath removed it further off, I doubt not, to no other end, but to withdraw all occasions meet to nourish the corrupt humours of our natures, by which if we will not yet take warning, but hunt out vice hidden from us, we are unworthy of pity, yea, of the common pity, that followeth the already overthrown.  Far, quam sortem patiuntur omnes, nemo recusat.— 
We have nothing form in the true mould, we carry sometimes actions bearing a handsome gloss, but they are no nearer truth, than a picture the life: what we should fetch from the understanding the mutability of things, we draw from the marrow-fretting sore of envy; so what might be a virtue by the suffering, is a vice: for not suffering for the true cause, and the strength enduring adversity, is not patience, since patience is founded in the true discourse of the mind, this fetched from the sight of others miseries. Every particular body feels his own affliction: the affliction of others is no medicine curing his; yet from the adverse fortune of others can we draw comfort: what helps it us to be richly endowed with reason, since we use nothing but fancy? for this is fancy, and this is so in most things, being carried up and down with her lightness, without all rest and permanency.  Far, quam sortem patiuntur omnes, nemo recusat.— 
What all suffers, no body refuseth to suffer: no more should we what we allow; there is this only good to be had in adversity; the observation how it befell: if by our own negligence, it begets experience; if past our knowledge, so much resistance as leads to patience, is allowed; but repining and sorrow, unprofitable vexations, rather stirring the divine powers to a more sharp punishment, than mitigating the calamity. There is nothing in this world erected so high as man; so nothing more subject to fall: there is nothing so ill as man; therefore more due to him, then to any: nothing so sensible; therefore nothing more apt to feel affliction: and as for Chance and Fortune, they are words founded upon two reasons, sometimes in excuse, when we lay our deserved afflictions upon fortune: sometimes when the divine executions are above man's, which though we call chance, yet doubtless is founded upon grounds of more excellent reason, than we can apprehend: so is chance the issue of folly or ignorance.  
FINIS.