ESSAYS.  
By Sir WILLIAM CORNE-WALEYS the younger, Knight.  
Printed for Edmund Mats, at the sign of the Hand and Plough in Fleetstreet. 1600.   

The Heads.  

OF Resolution.  
2. Of advise.  
3. Of Patience.  
4. Of Suspicion.  
5. Of love.  
6. Of Friendship and Factions.  
7. Of Emulation.  
8. Of Praise, and Glory.  
9 Of Entertainment.  
10. Of Ambition.  
11. Of Discourse.  
12. Of Censuring.  
13. Of jests and jesters.  
14. Of Youth.  
15. Of the observation and use of things.  
16. Of Oblivion.  
17. Of Discontentment's.  
18. Of Sleep.  
19 Of Life, and the fashions of life.  
20. Of Imitation.  
21. Of Behaviour.  
22. Of Alehouses  
23. Of Affectation.  
24. Of Fantasticness.  
25. Of Fame.   
FINIS.   

To the Right virtuous, & most Honourable Ladies, the Lady Sara Hastings, the Lady Theodosia Dudley, the Lady Mary Wingfield, and the Lady Mary Dy-er.  
RIght Noble Ladies.  
Although I know that worthy Knight, the Author of thèse Essays, hateth nothing more than coming in public, yet many Copies of them being bestowed, by often transcription (as it many times happeneth) they might have been by a mercenary hand foully corrupted and altered in sense, and both in his absence and mine, delivered to some Printer, who to make present gain, would have published them unpolished, and deformed without any correction: to prevent which, having in my hands a perfect Copy, and being inwardly private with his privatest conceits, I thought it better to divulge them, then to adventure that hazard. To cover this presumption, I have made your ladyships partners in the patronage, because I am sure howsoever he shall dislike the publishing, yet it shall please him that your ladyships names are honoured in the forefront of his writings. I know also, that if himself could have been persuaded to make them thus vulgar, out of his own choice, to your Ladyships they had been directed, of whose virtues I have heard his own tongue utter such worthy praises, that I doubt not but his Heart (which always agreeth with his tongue) and all his other powers, are, and shall ever be consecrated to your ladyships service.  
The work of itself being virtuous, it cannot but be gracious to your Ladyships: for in this backward Age (too much declining from Virtue,) who are more fit to protect and defend her then your Ladyships, who are so nearly allied to Virtue, that she hath chosen you for her Temple, therein enshrined herself, and in you only desireth to be adored. Your Ladyships are nearly conjoined in blood, three of you being Sisters by nature, the fourth by Love: but that conjunction is nothing so noble (although very noble) as that sweet combination of your spirits, which are all so devoted to Good, that though there be a Quaternity of your persons, yet those persons are so guided by those Angellike spirits, that they make up a delightful harmony, a Soul-ravishing Music, and a most pleasing and perfect Sympathy of Affections.  
If then your Ladyships shall patronize these Essays, what venomous tongues shall dare to infect them? If you like, who will dislike them? what you allow, nothing but Envy, Detraction, and Ignorance will disallow, whose infectious ●reaths shall be so purified by the precious Balm of your Virtues, that all shall suddenly dissolve into the sweet Air of Applause. They are now (Honourable Ladies) your own, being freely given to your Ladyships by the true hearted Affection of their Author, and by the hands of  
Your ladyships most humbly devoted Henry Olney.   

Essay. I. OF RESOlution.  
THe World is a book▪ the words and actions of men Commentaries upon that volume: The former like manuscriptes private: the latter common; like things printed. None rightly understand this Author, most go contrary. Some few according to probalitie: but the worst of all is, the unsettled opinion, whose continual alteration makes him unprofitable to himself, and to others. So much have I hated this giddy unconstantnesse, as I have been content to take knowledge of duttie Resolutions, and to prefer them before the other; yea to pity & admire them both together, and to end the viewing that object with allowing the virtue of the jewel, if it had been well set. Truly I need no other example than mine own life, which en●●red continual troubles, while youth and folly governed my bark in the sea of changes. I still contradicted myself, attempted nothing, but a languishing weariness possessed me before the end: but it was no matter, so unworthy were those thoughts and attempts, as they were worthy of an untimely death, & to be interred in the mire of Irresolution. In the end I found myself: and my soul undertook to guide me into a more wholesome air: I dare not say she hath kept promise really, but it was my own fault, yet in part she hath: Her motions, my own memory & books have done something: these last I am much bound too, especially to Seneca and Plato, who have gotten this power over me, (though they seldom make me do well, yet) they oftentimes make me think well: they so wholly possess me, as I then resolve to meditate on nothing under Socrates' Apology. Me thinks I am strong, and able to encounter my affection, but hardly have my thoughts made an end of this gallant discourse, but in comes a wife, or a friend, at whose sight my Armour of defence is broken, and I could weep with them, or be content to laugh at their trivial sports. After which I come again to see my promise broken, that challenge in cold blood makes me desperate, that were i● not for the comfort of my youth, which gently gives me time, I should surely punish my inconstancy with great rigour.  
Thus it is with me yet, and I am afraid of worse, by comparing what power these gentle Disturbances have over me: I am afraid griefs and calamities would overthrow me: nay, I will not be afraid (since it is truth) to confess, that I am more troubled to think Disasters should trouble me, then of themselves: yet I am sometimes persuaded not to mistrust myself, since I have already tasted some store of crosses, but they are nothing, no not preparatives to that I may feel. Not leaving these thoughts thus, I begin to search into the inventory of my things esteemed, & I find no● that I have cause to love any thing so preciously: I have a wife, & a very good one, I love her according to her deserts, but should she fall into any thing except dishonesty (which her virtue I know will defend her from) I would not weep if I could choose, nor do any thing more than stand the surer upon my guard to resist fortune: for wealth, and her Appendices, I know them not, nor did I long for them ever, but to keep me from baseness, and to exercise Charity. For my Parents I own them voluntarily that, which the laws of God, and of Nature, exact of all men, I do it without Hypocrisy, or fear: yet should they lose their wealth, or their lives, I would neither tear my hair, nor melt into womanish exclamations. No I know the revolutions of the world, they are not strange to me: 
Omnia tempus edax depascitur, omnia capit,  
Nil sinit esse di●s.  I think nothing would more trouble me, than that they should lose their reputation, I love that well, and it would grieve me sure to be prevented of that patrimony. For other friends (thanks be to God) I have but few, I would I could affirm the same of my acquaintance. The cause, few have corrupted me; and out of my own choice, there are few that I hold worthy of that nearness. Some I have whom I hold so virtuous, that they would be sorry to see me lament for any of their trials. Thus I have been content to hold you in mine own example the longer, as taking the opportunity of recording these honest thoughts, whose will I hope I shall the better follow, since I have set my hand to their choice: and I see no reason but I should be as careful of not breaking with them, as common men are of a bond, the penalty is as much, the law to punish, & recover lies open, the court of Conscience with whom it is always Term time. To speak now of the contrary, it hath much moved me to see the strange alterations of men upon slight occasions, at the receipt of a letter, yea, before the reading▪ at a message, at news: I have been so charitable as to be sorry for them, for these intolerable bend of theirs. There are others (but it is no matter, for they are commonly hawking, or dogging fellows) that hoping the return of some messenger employed about these worthy occasions, have suffered great extremity between hope & fear in that time: at sight of the messenger, behold the very height of Disquietness, and wherefore? alas for a Dog, or a Hawk: believe me▪ a pitiful disease, which in my opinion ought to be prayed for as earnestly, as one that is upon the point of taking his leave of his body. When Seneca writ the definition of Hope, Spes nomen est boni Incerti, I am sure he meant not that good this way. Banish these gross perturbations all noble spirits, they are dangerous, and the enemies of Resolution. I do not poetically deify Resolve, neither do I set up a mark impossible to hit: no, it is in the power of a low stature to wade here without drowning: I speak of no impossibility, perhaps at the first some little difficulty: there belongs so to the basest trades, and shall thy estimation be so tender hearted, as to refuse it for so mean a price: beware of such covetousness, for it is worse than to love money. Our misfortunes in general, me thinks should not be so near a kin to us, they are no part of us, we may stand without them. God hath given us Bodies, Souls separate from others, and hath tied neither lands nor treasures unto them, they are no part of their buildings, we are worse than women, if we cannot see without these Habiliments and tricks: without question, it is a true sign of a maimed Soul, and a deformed Body, to seek lucre from these outward things. It is more base then to be out of countenance at a feast, if not graced by the Host. I am myself still, though the world were turned with the wrong side outward.  
If I lose ground in virtue, I will repent, not wash Handkercheifes in my tears. Man knows not himself until he hath tasted of both fortunes. Every milksop can endure to swim in hot baths; any man shows gloriously in pomp, and no marvel, for he feeds Flatterers, and they him: but to endure the tempests of winter, to be able with his strength to endure the most violent tides, and still to swim aloft, he is the man. You shall find no man that dares go wetshod, but will protest in his Ambition, how much he loves Honour, what exploits, what famous Acts he would do, if he had been borne mighty: do you hear my friend? you are out of the way, if you think any other estate but your own capable of true Honour: the poorer, the better: the stronger your enemy, the more worthy your conquest: vanquish your own sick wishes, and desires, and the Chariot of triumph belongs more truly to you, then to Caesar. I writ thus, I think thus, and I hope to do thus: but that blessed time is not yet come. Now to particularities.  
In the outward habit, and in some actions, I am not so precise, I like not to be bound to one, it becomes not secular men, it tastes of affectation and Hypocrisy: It is nought, it comes too near singularity, and a desire to be noted: for those things I would conform myself: I am not of their minds that tax Alexander's putting on the habit of the Persians. It was a politic intent, he joined them to him, by that yielding. For some actions, if they be not wholly vicious, humanity and good nature shall make me sociable. I will hawk with a faulkoner, hunt with hunters, talk of Husbandry with the servants of Thrift: be amorous with the Italian, and drink with the Dutch man, Non ad Ebrietatem, sed ad voluptatem: The fruit: you shall thereby win their loves, and you may with that interest make them honest: A course neglected, but wel-becomming a wise honest man. Your determination being not to put on their imperfections, but to make them perfect: So doth the Grafter join good fruit to a Crab stock: and thus humility altars not the good, but makes that which is ill good.  
Some may wonder I have not yet touched Death the chief. If thou thinkest so, thou art a coward, for in my opinion all affections are more strong: and though to some it is the chief instrument of Fear, I think not so, thou mistakest it, it is past fear, for thou art sure of it. Thou art unreasonable, if thou wilt buy a thing and not pay for it: thou boughtest life, and payest for it with death. The lapidary is not sorry when he hath gotten the rind, or bark of a jewel from what is precious. Thy body is no otherwise, thou art never precious before thy separation: thou shinest not, thou hast no virtue in thee, thou art not sound until the cover of thy perfection be withdrawn.  
In truth at this time, though my face would hinder me from being thought of Age, and so by course my lease might be long, yet I am not afraid to be put out of my Farm: It is a dyrtie thing I dwell in, full of misty gross airs, and yet barren; I have been so vainglorious sometimes as to say so, when I have been answered by more years, that I would change that mind, when I grew older. I have searched into that speech, supposing there had been some concealed mystery in it, but I could find none: then I thought they imagined my boldness, the effect of ignorance: if it be so, I shall love knowledge the worse while I live. To cure this disease in a woman, I would apply no other medicine but example: It is every body's case, the fortune of Princes, as well as Beggars, it is the fashion. To conclude, the first causer said it should be so: and if thou art not an Heathen, thou wilt not mistrust his love. His wisdom ordained it, who is the fountain of understanding: Come then, Allons Alegrement. I have loved a creature that hath been the very picture of Ignorance, for following the example of Socrates taking his poison. And Cicero whom I could never love, because he was a coward, won me at his death, with thrusting his neck out of the coach, to meet the sword of the executioner.   

Essay. 2. Of advise.  
IF we could persuade the first Taste to respite the Operation, or the Operation to leave some part of the sweetness to the first taste, our lives should be long, happy, and safe, for we should begin to live, when we begin to breath, whereas we begin not to live, before we are ready to die: still defective, If having strength, wanting judgement; If wise, Decrepit; Fate, Destiny, and Fortune, are the Goddesses of Sloth, Negligence, and Pleasure. These warrant our deafness, and promise a sanctuary to privilege us from Infamy, beggary, and misery, but alas they cannot: wisdom and virtue prevails, and before them these names of shelter are but the surnames to our folly. Our actions are in our own hands, and it were pity else, for virtue & vice should be confounded, were our deeds necessited. The world were no world, if they could not be cut asunder by a distinction: there were no pains, no hire, there were no virtue, no glory, all were one and this one were a Chaos. But there are differences, There are good, and they are to be praised, bad, the example for them yet indifferent, to eschew badness by their punishment, youth ready for impression, Age wherein may be read the journey of youth: Times christened by our use Ages past, to light us the way: others to come, the judges of our deserts. If the end of life be to be good, if the safest purchase of goodness be counsel, if counsel without scars be most profitable, why eschew we the blessing of advise? let us alter this tradition, let us not be so tender; let us make our beauties, our strengths, our abilities complete, with making the proportion of the mind answerable to the beauty of the body, with giving Strength direction, Ability judgement. Wars, and States, and Counsels choose men practised in wars, in states, and in counsels. We are to ask counsel for the passage of our circuit of them that have passed it, of Age, and Books: we ask to know, we cannot know except we believe, we must ask if we will know, we must believe, or else our ask is vain. We give, and rightly give pre-eminence to Age; we have found out a word to beautify the wrinkles, and hoariness thereof, we call it venerable: why? merely in respect of the Appearance? no, but in respect of the annexion; because wisdom commonly accompanies such a presence: for should we see it in any other thing, it would be despised and called riveled, and ill favoured.  
Let them in God's name then show us their inward excellencies, and as our eyes believe them to be old, let our minds believe them to be wise: I see nothing more decay the fairest branches of our Commonwealth, than this neglect; either we will not endure advise, or not believe it until our own perils, and overthrows make us see it, to our shame.  
We are inquisitive of travailers concerning strange Countries; our ears stand wide open for news; and sometimes we swallow matters improbable: but when we are Advised for our own sakes, persuaded by Virtue, told the passages of the world truly, and have all this sealed up with the assurance of a fathers, or a friends love, whom we have no cause to suspect, as speaking either for Ostentation, or Flattery, yet we believe not. Let us supple our affections with reverence, and regard of their words: let us prepare ourselves to receive this inheritance, which feeds the mind, though it doth not dirtily pamper our bodies, it fortifieth all, and costs nothing, with safety it gives you that which another perhaps purchased with danger, in an hour his collection of years. It would doubly bless you with youth, and judgement, which seldom happen in our Age, because our Age is so obstinate as not to be capable of advise.  
Let us ask, and follow: The life of Industries first fruit is somewhat sweaty, and painful, but then pleasant, and ever pleasant. A memory stored with the performance of gallant actions is only rich, it is a sweet meditation, that may be often read over without tediousness. The most leaden spirit that ever was, at the hearing a Relation of an unusual excellency, though he be more beholding to his ears, than his head, yet feels Emulation tickle him, and wishes his brand were set upon those riches. Wish and spare not, but let not Laziness make thy wishes vain.  
First let us proclaim war against delicious niceness, and either turn our affections to a good use, or turn them out of doors, Semen Laboris, Honoris Sedges. It was pity Pyrrhus had no more to give, he knew so well to whom to give, naming him his Heir whose sword was sharpest, the height of whose spirit should carry him to the conversation of actions stuffed with magnanimity, and judgement. Yea, here's the life, whether he win, or lose, he is happy. Hannibal being demanded who were the worthiest Captains that ever were, names Alexander, himself, and some others: Scipio demands where he would have stood, if he had conquered, he answers, first: It was well answered, and he meant well, his attempt shined too gloriously to be dusked by misfortune.  
I would allow a man to keep the house no longer then till he be able to fly, until his mind and body are able to carry themselves without falling, not until he be passed reeling, and staggering, for that ability we never have: but in this time let books, and Advise rectify, and prepare us fit for the entertaining of all fortunes; victories, and overthrows: calamity, and happiness. Let us rob and suck from our Parent's experience, and judgement: let us be acquainted with the successes, and sequences of the world, track their observations, be acquainted with the minds of times past, and let their bodies go: If we love what they did, we have the best part of them, for the work is commonly better than the manual Instruments effecting it, for they are the servants of Direction, the thing performed the issue both of mind & hand. Fie upon these engrossing senses of ours, that make all far the worse for the satisfaction of one, and yet limit their objects, and carry level but certain distances. The mind, the mind is the Magazine of contentment, It is the mind that can distill the whole world, all Ages, all acts, all human knowledges within the little, little compass of a brain, and yet with the force of that little treasure command, dispose, censure, & determine States, Actions, kingdoms, wars, overthrows, and all the Acts, and Actors busied upon our human Theatre. To this mind, to this cistern of preciousness, let us attribute all, & not suffer the weight of our affections to disorder this goodly frame, this clock of Time and Reason: O quam contemptares est Homo, nisi supra humana se erexerit.  
These licourous Humours, and Affections, are the out-offices of our mansion, & the respect ought to be given to the Director whose high erected situation witnesseth his prerogative: from the Rays of this sun proceed all blessings, Advise is the medium transporting them, our brains like a sense able to perform good offices if employed. Let us receive, and utter, be capable, and return increase of this fruit. What a precious sight is it to see a temperate young man, how he shines, Glory, and admiration attends all his actions: It is good in age, because the contrary were abominable, but it is common, & their night being almost come, they cannot but look gravely, and live temperately, as well to preserve them from pain, as to eschew shame, and reproach. I thank not Alexander for conquering the world, but for performing it before thirty year old. Augustus commands admiration of me for nothing so much as his beginning enterprises of high moment very young, and yet with that youth reducing the whole world under his subjection. I often hear old men wish themselves young, which though I allow not, as being wishes of impossibility, yet hoping their intent is to trace their course moderately, & to unite the blessings of youth, and judgement, I think it tolerable: but we that are yet young, need not wish youth, for we possess it, but judgement that may make us worthy to possess it: then begin with Hearing, next with following advise and Counsel: let us begin with ourselves, and marshal, and dispose our own course; let us determine it, & leave nothing to uncertainties, but drawing out our intents regularly, follow that delineated, and weighed manner: Here lives Happiness, for here lives wisdom: this music of two strings is the most delightful harmony, for the world affords not a more admirable excellency than youth, and judgement included in one substance: both parts show their richest Treasure, the Soul judgement, the Body youth: let us then enfranchize advise, and persuade our ears to become good commonwealths men, to respect the general profit: Counsel, and Advise, are the parents of Government: what can I reckon them more worthy, more safe, more excellent in institution, than Counsel, and Advise?   

Essay. 3. Of Patience.  
ABout nothing do I suffer greater conflict in myself, then about enduring wrongs: for other duties (though perhaps I seldom perform them) yet I am resolved they should be done: and it is not the fault of my meditation, but of my negligent flesh: but here is set up Reputation as the Garland appointed, and he that revengeth not, is not capable of this glory.  
Hear hath cruelty borrowed the apparel of wanton vanity, and makes foolish youth her Agent. I know what Divinity, what Philosophy persuades: I know these wrong-doers to be wretched creatures, rather in truth to be pitied, then maliced, and yet for all this I dare not yield: the cause, there is too much safety in following this advise, the body by this prevents an adventure, therefore that respect makes me obstinate. I know again this idle breath should not divert me from Virtue, but having no present occasion wherein I may exercise valour, & manifest my worth, I dare not take day in any thing so nearly concerning me. But all this time I find not myself angry, but in truth somewhat subject to vainglory, which is a worse disease, because less violent, and therefore of more continuance. I have not yet any outward witness of my valour, but this is my determination, not to refuse the first good quarrel, and to perform it as well as I can, after which I will serve Virtue, bear, and forbear: and this I will do in humility to please the world, and to show them I scorn not altogether their customs. Now ariseth another question, (behold how subtle Vice is, she stealeth often to the bed of Virtue, and puts in a changeling, and makes Credulity believe because Virtue is a mother, therefore this is her child:) upon the receipt of a wrong, and an honest determination to forgive, I am whispered in the ear, that this lenity is injustice, that I nourish sin with not cutting it up when I see it grow, that though I effect revenge, and revenge could do no more, yet it is not revenge, it is justice: pitiful abuse, Anger is the ●other of Injustice, and yet justice must lackey on her errands, ●ight battles, and give her the victory: I cannot reconcile these together, but even in the behalf ●f Truth, and mercy, I will combat ●gainst a received tradition. I think nothing but murder should be punished: for these petty matters of theft, and such trespasses, they ●re the effect of need, or wantonness, venial faults; Age common●y reclaimeth the one, and the other is punished by the setter Po●ertie: for any thing less offensive, a cool reproof, no choleric revenge.  
I have seen some fall out upon wrong understanding, presently ●ce hath chafed, sworn, stricken, played the Bedlam, and in the end i● hath been proved no offence: Was not his case lamentable? Yes, he is bound more strictly to Restitution then the son of an Usurer. It is an excellent temperate Virtue this Patience, and punisheth more with no● punishing then the hastiest Executioner. Though Enemy would be loath to be hurt, yet i● hurteth them to meet with a cold adversary; the revenge not performed, they live in fear, the terror of which is without bloody hands, and yet most terrible. If it were possible to play Fury to the life, and yet not have her effects inwardly, I would be content upon some great occasion not to hurt▪ but to scar the injurious, but it is dangerous, and that jesting often will discover the intent, and it is to be feared will weaken the brain, as ill as drunkenness. The greatest use that I see old soldiers make of this conversing with danger, is an ability to suffer, and in truth it is one of the best collections of Experience. Patience is the mother of Opportunity, she prostituteth herself to them that nourish this her child carefully, when before Anger she goeth invisible, and hindereth them from what they most thirst after. When in my reading I meet with a fellow that hath deserved much of his Country, and hath been paid with ungratefulness, and yet endures without alteration, I honour him, and in my estimation, I prefer him before the mightiest Conquerors, or most powerful Princes: o he is wise, he knows the passages of the world well, he served his country for his country's sake, and I think they have rewarded him against their wills better than they could with their wills: for in his other deserts he was but a sharer with others▪ the tractableness of his people might keep them in peace, the valour of his soldiers make him a Conqueror: but in this he fights singly, he governs alone, he overthrows millions of affections, to reward which, no Triumph, no Palm, no Statue, no Edict is sufficient: what then? Memory, and Eternity.   

Essay. 4. Of Suspicion.  
FRom the uttermost bounds of knowledge and ignorance, are derived all our contentments, and discontentments: from the survey of knowledge, proceed all delightful objects, and in the obscure darkness of ignorance, lives Doubt and Suspect, overvaluing causes of Opposition. Incestuous Ignorance begets Fear, and then engenders upon his own daughter Suspicion: this is the original of this monster, which so distracts his possessor, as in the clearest day he goeth without light, and makes his imagination build blocks and thresholds, in the plainest and most beaten way: yet let Wisdom manage this blind Humour, and it seethe: such is the touch of understanding, as it giveth things new natures, and makes clogs wings to raise him to his pitch. From hence may be demonstrated what an excellent counsellor a self observation is, since no words, no works, no passion, no Patience comes from us, that turn not back their heads to look upon this Author, and are either ornaments or disgraces to our life: they all resemble the Father, and cast back upon us the true reflection of ourselves. Midas' fable hath great interest in m● respecting the moral, what he touched was Gold: what Covetousness toucheth, it converts to that use: we are all Bees, or Spiders, converting things indifferent to a particular quality: thus Suspicion which in women, and ignorant people, looks like the mother Fear, and is most deformed, with wisdom is so ordered, as it becomes Forecast, and Providence: thus is the making things good, or ill, equally in our choice, as the being good, or ill. Even as the pestilencies of corrupt humours are fed by ill diet, and slowly go on in their infectious natures, and increase so easily, a● they show not their extremity suddenly: so is the order of our life disordered by giving way to the qualities of our affections: and as we lose ground in the right managing of ourselves, the other gets: giving liberty we lose liberty, and by degrees throwing of the prescribed course of Virtue, we fall into the incertainties of passions, and appetites, and with converting Desire into base uses, we purchase fear, and suspect, & lives, living to no other end, but to hunt out cares, and griefs.  
Vita quid est Hominum, nisi  
spes incerta, metusque?  
Haec inter dubij vivimus, & morimur.  
Me thinks there is great indifferency, who receiveth joy immoderately, should be touched with the contrary equally, otherwise he buys without payment: who suspects aught to be, and is suspected. If we like not this, let us deliver men ware more precious, and we shall not be offered such base stuff in exchange. It is the traffic of Humours that disorders our conversation, and a seeking a present itching contentment, brings repentance on the one side, and derision on the other. Thus are our lives either weeping or laughing: and every one by turns either feels his own pain, and laments, or seeing better a far off then near hand, laughs at his own imperfections in another. Who seethe a Lover, & loves not? forcing his imagination to draw a portraiture of perfection, and then Pigmalion-like enamoured of his own workmanship, and laughs not? Who seethe this creature feed upon the Suspicion of a Rivals entertaining his mistress, his ears not having ability to perform their office, and therefore teaching his eyes a new occupation, measuring the wind that proceeds from her mouth, and spelling words by the observation of her lips, and pities not? when in another vice this pitying laughter may deserve these marks of reproach, and have his judges part taken from him, and condemned by his own sentence.  Te respice, quid, quoties, obijcias casiquam. 
Amendment is more excellent than reproof: for things purchase value with the quickness of their lose, & thus Amendment which is immediately good: Reproof receives the nature of all things performed for another's sake, they being laborious and painful: besides Suspicion cannot detract from acted Advise which is example. What this humour doth undirected, it undoth: what directed sul of preservation. Suspicion will accuse a friend, and fearing enemies, make an enemy: Wisdom knows Trust ought here to be applied, and makes Suspicion jealous of losing him, not losing him by Suspicion: Certainly though it tastes of the grossness of the parents, yet it is refined, being a knowledge forced out of ignorance, and not like the mother distracted, but avoiding danger: more subtle, for fear understands nothing that looks not terribly, and frowns not: Suspicion out of smiles, and courtesies, can pick dangers, and Distrust venom out of sugar: but thus if not governed she will go too far, and starve herself with suspecting all things dangerous: but Wisdom applies itself to the place, and time, and out of them frames the allowance, or disallowance of Suspicion. One thing makes me think it not so naturally ours, seeing it seldom lights upon things not precious in estimation, as among poor men jealousy of their wives: but no where so conversant & powerful, as among Princes, unto whom to say rightly, it rightly belongs: for how soever they are, they have enemies: If good, envious: If evil, some that lay hold upon that occasion: Yea, even their friends are doubtful, not being easily to be discerned whether lovers of them, or of their fortunes. Here it shows itself in divers forms, It made the cruel Tiberius look virtuously, Occultus ac subdolus fingendis virtutibus donec Germanicus, ac Drusus superfuerint. It made Galba Idle, when living under the tyranny of Nero, Nemo rationem otij sui reddere cogeretur.  
Claudius had it in that extremity that it turned into fear, and baseness, Quasdam Insidias temere delatas adeo expavit, ut deponere imperium cogeretur. It is seldom wanton, or pitiful, the next turn among them is into blood, and death, and not without reason: Upon this state depends the common good; the preservation of which, rests much in Suspicion: for before the majesty of a Prince none will come not adorned with an outside looking honesty.  
Of the best deserts there ought to be the greatest care, Niuno piú facilment inganna gli altri, ●he chi é solito, & ha' fama di may non gli ingannare: So is there no way left him to unmask dissembled faces but Suspicion; which though it sometimes err, yet more often it is a true Calendar of the seasons, of the tempests, and dangers.  
Among these States, Suspicion and Dissimulation are to be allowed, as being the Handmaids of Policy, they ought to be conversant among them, not to offend, but to defend: not in respect they are men, but in regard they are princes, whose lives travel among dangers, & therefore ought warily to keep this case of Pistols continually ready charged, and bend? but downwards they are not to be allowed, not dissimulation at all, for in a private Fortune it is a fearful baseness, and a cowardly shift: neither will Suspicion then serve to look upon our own lives, to observe whether we go backward or forward in Virtue: for we have neither poisons, nor any other kind of treasons among us: our enemies are more open, and touch us slightly, and yet so plainly, as without the spectacles of Suspicion we may see them. Thus are things different in name and nature, according to the possessor: and as Princes and private men differ in the outward magnificence, so in their inward minds. To a low fortune belongs simply the use of Virtue, In the other she must be often changed, not into vice, but not to look always like Virtue: their Operation must meet, but their preparing must differ; the one having to deal but with himself, may go on directly; but the other conversant with multitudes, must sometime go about, & seek out by-ways, which action in him may be virtuous, though in the other it would be termed dishonest.   

Essay. 5. Of love.  
IT is a pretty soft thing this same Love, an excellent company keeper, full of gentleness, and affability, makes men fine, and to go cleanly, teacheth them qualities, handsome protestations, and if the ground be not too barren, it bringeth forth Rhymes, and Songs full of passion, enough to procure crossed arms, and the Hat pulled down: yea, it is a very fine thing, the badge of eighteen, and upward, not to be disallowed; better spend time so then at Dice. I am content to call this Love, though I hold Love too worthy a Cement to join earth to earth, the one part must be celestial, or else it is not love.  
I hope I shall not offend Divinity, if I say the conjunction of man and wife, is not Love; It is an allowance of Gods, and so good: and the name of it, I think, two honest Affections united into one.  
If this be so, what becomes of all the rest, which are counterfeits, and yet beg under ●he passport of Love? love thy neighbour as thyself, that which comes nearest to Love is this, man with man agreeing in sex: I cannot think it is so between man and woman, for it gives opportunity to lust, which the pureness of Love will not endure.  
Among all Affections that of Socrates was the best, who sought ●o better the minds of his familiars, and loved a good ●it, and inclinations to good, and sought to confirm them in that.  
I laugh, and wonder, at the strange occasions that men take ●ow a days to say they love:  
If they meet with a fellow ●r a Feast, or in a Pot, If their Delights be any thing ● kin, or their Faces any thing alike; If their Countries be one, or their lands near adjoining; If they be both rich, or both poor, or indeed if their newfangled inventions can find out any occasion, they are sworn brothers, they will live, and die together but they scarce sleep in this mind, the one comes to make use of the other, and that spoils all; he entered this league not to impair, but to profit himself. I can compare prosperity to nothing so rightly, as to the promising plenteous fields of the Egyptians, which were devoured by the numberless troops of Flies: You cannot have the one without the other: Flatterers devour the Inheritance of Fortune, who while she hath no need of them, look like Bees that will not be unprofitable, but be once driven, let Poverty be your Arithmetician, you shall then see they brought nothing to your stock, but fed upon it, and then you shall easily discern them to be Drones. There is no Love upon the earth, God loveth us undeservedly, and some good men love and fear him: It is Love from this last because God is a party, or else it might be affection, not possibly love. Love is divine, and eternal; Affection like our flesh, momentary, and mortal. If I could be sure of them, I would say I loved too, and make men say they are my friends: but it is an uncertain trade this loving, and stands upon such a company of circumstances, as I like it not. I make no difference between common lovers, and common whores, they both flatter, and make the name of Love their Bawds to serve their particular pleasures. For my choice of friends, virtue shallbe the groundwork, and so I may build surely. Let his fortunes be what they will, I care not, yet if I might choose, I would have him poor, for so I might easiest show my affection to him, and profit myself by him with least cost: for I hold observation much more precious than wealth, and I will rather give him my purse then my Time.   

Essay. 6. Of Friendship & Factions.  
SInce the necessity of our infirmities hath added this curse among the rest, that it cannot enjoy a peaceful amity, it is necessary that we provide ourselves of an Antidote against this poison: since our love will not, or cannot be universal, let us make it happy in the particularity, and love well what is well worthy to be beloved. Under this name of Friendship, which name commonly to our understandings, is the messenger of Peace, is included much danger: for to leave a friend, testifies either inconstancy, or treachery: and to be constant is not without peril: In the choice rests some appearance of safety. In this choice there ought to be much vigilancy, for until the marriage of love, hath coupled pairs, wise natures are timorous in dilating themselves: and after that celebration, it is irreligious to divorce a friend though guilty of many deformities. Yet must we not entertain the humour of neutrallitie, for 
La neutralit á non assicura da nimici,  
e questa non conserua gli Amici.   
No, from the utmost happiness of man to his basest contentment, it is not tolerable, neither Religion, nor nature, allows it: we must then choose, we are compelled to choose: but here is diversity, the choice of a great man differs from a private man; the choice of a friend, from that of a faction. It is for a mean fortune to think of such as are able to better his mind, for a greater, of such whose strengths are able to uphold his fortune. In friendship I will regard Virtue, In factions power: under this old sentence, Simile simili gaudet, there was once much certainty, but now policy can put on all shapes, so that the Wolf and the Lamb are hardly to be distinguished, either by their habit, words, or actions. It is less difficult for persons in indifferent estates to make their choice, then for great men, yet only safe to poverty, for there he must be in love with himself, or nothing. Well as I am, let him place by me often, and (as Hunters do) let me see how he behaves himself, hot and cold: let me see his motions in anger, hear his opinion of all things, try him with me, and against me, whether he loves what I love, what he holds indifferently, what vehemently: If he fits you, observe then whether he comes faster to you, than you to him; If he be very forward beware; for either he is a common friend, and so no friend, or else he means to betray you: they are surest that are won with labour, and certainest that are purchased with difficulty: for an open prostitute man, or woman, is loathsome, and flexible. Your friend's estate is to be reckoned among your cares, for if he be too low, he will have occasion to use you too often, and his bareness promiseth little help: If the virtues of his poverty be worthy to be known be his acquaintance, not friend, so doth your liberality come voluntarily from you, and not exacted, and less serves in chari●ie than when it is commanded by friendship. That part of Friendship which commands secrets I would not have delivered too soon, this is the precioussest thing you can give him, for thereby you make yourself his prisoner, until his advise, or assistance requires it, he should not have them, for it may be his honesty would keep them, but his tongue cannot: feat or corruption doth much with men, especially when the discovery endaungers not his own body. Our respect here must be much, for our thoughts in other cases may for our safety lawfully be mingled with the poison of suspicion, but in friendship, nothing but friendship, and openness. It is dangerous if we enjoy a friend much our superior to do him Offices not easily requited, such impossibilities make him desperate, and desirous to cancel that Obligation with some Action, that you shall not afterwards be able to complain of his Ingratitude. To these I would perform duties, rather giving assurance of fidelity, than of themselves Assurance. For Princes, or great fortunes I think it much more unsafe, since they cannot easily determine, whether they love them, or their fortunes, whether this league be entered for a mutual safeguard, or for the ones particular, and it is the more dangerous, since the name of a common good authorizeth this breach.  
Among these; if there be equalness, the more benefits the one part pulls from another, the mo●● safety the receiver is in, for they will be careful of him, because part of themselves is in him, and not deny to do for fear of losing what is done.  
Sertorius the Roman, saved his life with being indebted to his Captains: and many States at this day, hold other their friends not for love, but for fear of loss, i● being an Hostage of most security. Alliance among these doth much, for the mingeling they● blood with others of power, makes them strong, when theirs cannot be shed alone, but others are in the like danger of loss. Thus much for the head: but heads can plot, not execute, and therefore they must have meaner fortune● tied to them. Generally beware of imparting too much to these, for though you were before a lord, you become now a servant, specially if the secrets were of such importance as may promise a more liberal entertainment among your enemies. They are many Instruments that come under the use of Greatness: If himself be wise, he needs not entertain many wise; and those few where they may do good far off: for wit is a searcher, and ransacks every corner, somewhat too much, for it is good, going invisibly sometime. ' The nearest I would have naturally simple, honest men Appendices farther off that attribute so much to my knowledge, as to perform not to examine my commandments: some for their Alliance, others for valour, a few for discretion: some ambitious, for that's quality that great matters may be wrought out of: lastly some honest, some dishonest: Poisons are as necessary as wholesome Simples, if they be in a hand able to prepare them.  
Since Divinations among men are uncertain, if Factions be so equally poised, as it is hard to determine which side will be victorious, to remain wooed by both parts before won by any, is wisdom.  
Shall it be objected to me, that the respect of right ought carry me? I think so too, if my power might give Right the upper hand; but I do wrong to sink with Right, for so Right looseth a Champion: and headlong to run into mischief is not zeal, but desperation.  
Hear must be observed how you stand to both factions, whether allied, or more beholding to one than the other, for if tied by any of these respects to the weakest, the strongest will be jealous, and then of force you must be a cold enemy, for you must not think to be entertained as a friend. Beware of entering into any, where there may be hope of reconciliation, for that is commonly wrought by the deaths of the meaner parties: So was it between Tigranes, and Mithridates, they were both holden innocent, & their servants to make them innocent found guilty. The like in the time of the Triumuiri, where the seal of their concord was the delivering the several upholders of their Factions one to another. To conclude, speaking of this, every way appears danger: but since necessity enforceth, let circumspection arm necessity: the friends of a private fortune are less dangerous: in greater there is more gain, and so more loss: He that stands without stands naked, and subject to every storm, who under-propped, so long safe, but no sooner loosened, but ruined. Too much suspicion begets treachery; an obstinate belief, is dangerous folly. Clarissima sententia, Confidere paucis: the next following is too strict, yet a sentence: Sed clarior est altera, Confidere nulli.   

Essay. 7. Of Emulation.  
I Do not think there are any acquainted with envy, but some old withered foolish creatures, who we say haunt our Beer-fattes, and our cattle, such as we call witches, but with Emulation the refined issue of Envy, every one is acquainted: yea the most noble spirits are most familiar with it, and they do well.  
I love not Socrates, nor Caesar, nor none of these ancient glorious ones so well (in plainness I speak it) but I could be content their good Say, or good Actions were mine. I would have them willingly with the appurtenances, and with the pains, and cost they were purchased with: but since I cannot have them so, I will take pattern by their example: I will live temperately, and love valour to achieve the like Ornaments. Do you not think Emulation doth handsomely here? yes, yes, without question she is the very spirit of whatsoever rastes well. When we begin to live, we are naturally given to follow what we know, and so we live vanquished by pleasure, until Advise or Discourse tells us the way of Virtue, and commends it; and at that time we only apprehend the commendations, and would feign procure the like: thus is Emulation the bait of Virtue, for looking into the sweetness of the reward, we undertake the labour. Behold the power of Virtue, even they that dwell not with her, but speak of her, it makes their speech graceful. I remember the time when I myself was thus caught: I heard the report of the virtuous, and presently I emulated the Discoursers good delivery, and began to get his Tale by heart: but upon the repetition I began to think, if speaking well were so gracious, how excellent would it be to do well? thus the emulation of good words, begot the emulation of good deeds; which one day may come to the ripening & to the effecting of worthy matters. Come then, put away your rusty tradition, all you that think not thus: banish not Emulation, except you determine to have all your young men unthrifts of their time, for thus youth must be entered: marry for age, Time hath brought them nearer their graves, & therefore let them a God's name, love Virtue for her own sake: let them define Virtue, and her reward invisibly: but those that are now in the quickest of her sensibility, must see her in a body sensible, or they will not know her. Parents thus wrap your advices, for I never believed any advise of mine, until the application of their speech came to persons known, and so quickened me up with an honest Emulation.   

Essay. 8. Of Praise and Glory.  
TO the thing so full of perfection as nothing can be added Glory must be attributed, for it is a title only due to the extreme point of all perfection, to things acknowledging an original Praise: Glory goeth upward, and is the Attribute to God; Praise the reward of men reckons downward, challenging nothing respecting his worthiness, but that there are worse, and so much goodness is allowed him, as to overcome ill in comparison: we must give Glory then, not usurp it, but Praise i● allowed us, and we may safely love it for virtues sake, to whom it is so nearly joined; as to contemn it, shows a mind either stupefied, or shameless.  
We that are left beggars by our first Father's unthriftiness, have only a possibility to recover left us: wherefore Virtue comes hardly to us with difficulty & pains; neither will our poverty permit us to be content with reversions, and to possess the reward of our travails after our decease: and therefore God hath given us upon deserts, the livelihood of praise, and after death, the recovery of our first rich inheritance: so that Virtue hath praise here, and Eternity hereafter. This praise must be derived from Virtue, for we must love deserts as well as rewards, or else our minds are mercenary.  
The respect must only be to Virtue, which obtained, the rest are obtained; without which, to snatch at praise is vainglory, at heaven, presumption. Accidents cannot stand without a substance, neither have these separated any Essence, but are rather names than things: Virtue must beget them, for without her they are not. Let us see Virtue them, and afterwards Praise: what comes within the circuit of our thoughts or deeds may be adorned with Virtue: to think well constantly is virtuous, and virtue gives it praise: for deeds are begotten by thoughts, & good deeds without good thoughts are not. In things indifferent a gracious Ornament only is obtained: Thus are our Habits, and part of our Behaviour, which depend upon occasion, and are either graceful, or disgraceful, according to time, and place.  
Courtesy, liberality, gentleness, and such like are outward virtues, and termed the parts of a winning behaviour: good they are, not to be miss, but yet not the end of the desire of Virtue. But showing our chiefest treasure, we must bring forth Temperance, Fortitude, and Patience: so ample is the scope of these perfections, as what else in morality may be named, comes within the compass of their Dominion.  
Temperance is the hardest lesson, so contrary it is to our Appetites, so seldom vanquished: but this difficulty is rewarded with the most resplendent shining of all: for Fortitude carries safety with it, and present commendations: Patience often proceeds not from the rebutting choler, but from a coldness of constitution: but to possess Temperance, there is no Temperature helpeth, for none are so weak, as to want ability to maintain Desires, and Affections: none so defining Fortitude, as the pleasing their sensual appetites, shallbe called cowardice: It is a concealed victory, therefore not so near a neighbour to commendation: no nothing can challenge part of his conquests, for all Tempers, all strengths, all bodies have affections, therefore to this belongs the title of supereminency. Fabritius poverty as he used it, was fuller of Greatness, and Splendour, than Riches, or any purchase of Riches: the Givers liberality was nothing so magnificent as the refusers temperance.  
A follower of Alexander's, denies the wading through a deep carouse, for fear of needing Aesculapius: So is it with all intemperancy, which is most needy, when most full. We love liberty, and yet love Intemperancy, which is a slave ever hungry, and ask assistance. Diogenes at a Fair full of those things which Curiosity, & Householders call necessaries, proclaims his abundance such, as not to have need of any of those things: the riches of his mind was so full, as it could take no addition of contentment from those outward gaudy trash: how rich was this fellow in a Tub, over the most worldly rich, that with riches, are haunted with humorous, and liquorous appetites? Fortitudes circuit is more limited, her strength being destinated to be conversant with dangers; how like this Virtue looks to Temperance, since Fear is naturally the Companion of Danger, but Fortitude abstains, and in this Abstinence resembles Temperance: what armour can promise mortality more safety than this, which beating back Fear, looseth nothing with oversight? and if it must be death, un bell morir tuttala vita honora. I know not how I shall entertain this closing point of our Actions, because all things not passed are among us uncertain, but I hope well of myself, so much I loathe an effeminate bewailing, which hath taken away all pity from me to see men so foolishly compassionate of themselves. Socrates saith Fear would feign seem wise, taking knowledge of what she never knew. Me thinks for anguishes, and pains, Marius should strengthen the back of our resistance, when upon some disease of his legs, without frowning or crying, or being bound to any thing but wisdom, he suffered the Surgeon to search, and cut, and mangle, & cauterize the veins of his leg: he would have served the other leg so, but that he thought the disease not worth the curing: Thus expressed he his pain, and yet seemed not touched with pain: It was a pretty trial, and he that upon the like, cannot persuade Magnanimity to resist weeping, let him obscure himself, and make account to do nothing but prevent pain, and resist infirmities with Physic. When Fortitude feels oppression, and an impossibility of being victorious, to eschew rashness, desperation, and fury, he turneth to Patience, which defends him from being overcome though vanquished. No Fort can compare with the strength of this, which suffering makes affliction angry, rather than himself to be moved. Nothing here is comparable to the unmoved disposition wrought by Reason. The earth stands necessited because it cannot go, things unsensible because unsensible, but to have the feeling of calamities, to be shaken with the winds & tempests of Chance, and mortality, and yet not to be loosened, nor in danger of falling, is the most beautiful, the most happy, and the most renowned happiness of man, so full of perfection, as drawing liking to that extreme pitch, as it ends with Admiration. Who enjoys this Virtue really (for there are counterfeits resembling it) hath the precioussest jewel of the world: the virtue of stones expelling poison, skin's, bewitchings, and thunderclaps, herbs, spells, and Incantations, are not comparable, they are poor in virtues, and perhaps estimation in spite of them gives them qualities: & though they have them, it is commonly but one: but Patience resists poisons, bewitchings, thunderbolts, spells, Incantations, & all calamities whereto our life is subject. Tradition saith some things will foretoken a mishap, and break before the event: but Patience in the midst of Calamities breaks not, no nor cracks.  
The attribute of these outward jewels of estimation, if we receive good by them, must go to them: but all these blessings light upon ourselves: we have not only the happiness of safety, but the sweetness of not receiving it from another. Lastly, no casualty can deprive us of it, for we lose ourselves if it: nor can we be vanquished with missing it, since he parts from himself that wants it. All these blessings are the trapers of the furniture of Patience, which no power, no strength, no authority can make recreant. Then Praise bring the Garland of Victory, the Chariot of Triumph to adorn this Conqueror, and Fame out of the mouth of Envy hale commendations, and praises: who denies the attendance of his tongue upon this Trophy, let him be cursed with being not capable of Virtue.  
Thus Patience, thus Fortitude, thus Temperance, if Temperance, if Fortitude, if Patience be united, one is not enough, nor two, the consorting Harmony is not full enough: besides wanting one, the contrary not wanting, duskes all with countervailing vices: but to be complete, is to have all, from which though we sometimes slide, let not that discourage us, but up again, and happily with being overcome, we may learn to overcome, which yields the contentment of being victorious: Victory brings forth Praise, and Praise ends with Eternity; Eternity to our name, and to our souls. Praise is the breath of Fame, which if overcome by Time, Eternity revengeth, & overcometh Time, and in despite of his worm-eaten consumption lives in our best part, our divinest in that, a life full of joy, and knowing no end of joy, carried to the height of bliss, by the wings of Eternity, and Contentment, whose incomprehensible happiness none can imagine, that are not happy in the enjoying eternal Contentment.   

Essay. 9 Of Entertainment.  
THere are but two causes that pull on Guests, Love, & Business: I must in good nature make much of the former, and the latter, necessity enforceth me to entertain: but I like not to dwell upon these. A short time may satisfy visitation, and business not hindered by complement cannot last long.  
Me thinks I should have done now: It is tedious to meet with a fellow that will stay to day, and tomorrow, and the next day, on purpose to say he loveth. If he fear my memory, that he thus reiterateth Love, let him give me some token of remembrance: this tarrying persuades me rather the contrary, he is my enemy that thus eats up my meat, and Time, without any cause that persuadeth his stay. Truly the name of a good fellow is so dear a title, that I had rather traffic with courser stuff, and be called parsimonious, yea miserable if they will; It smarts not half so ill as the phrase, Every Body's friend but his own. I know some whom modesty restraineth from telling Impudence their faults: Alas good Virtue, that thou art grown a coward, and darest not discover thyself. Well, I have a medicine for these people, I will not be consumed living by these worms: what's your pleasure? this is my answer, farewell. These words have an excellent virtue in them, they deliver you to Solitariness, the mother of Contemplation, they keep your house sweet, and at dinner if you like a dish, it is your own fault if you have it not cold. When my occasions grow so desperately mad, as in despite of me they will hale me abroad into throngs, and great assemblies, he that entertains me, I will him, speak to all, reserve a strange familiarity for the best, and my good word, and courtesy generally. I have known some affecting Courtesy overthrow their labours, with not having choice of Compliments, but confounding a Gentleman, and a Peasant, with the likeness of salutation, and farewell: they were too blame to set up shop so ill furnished. As men differ, so must their usages, and respects, not to all, I am the servant of your servants servant. In truth I am naturally kind, and pitiful, and would gladly give every man a testimony, that I neither hate, nor contemn them. I will speak, and pity, and lament with all, and to some give my time without a fee, but not destroy myself for their sakes: they are no Gods, I need not sacrifice myself, there is cruelty in this courtesy, I must not do thus: marry any kindness that shortens not in the spending, that makes not the purse empty, and the houshold-booke rich in Items, I am ready to be their Host, and to entertain all: but to keep open house until I shall be compelled to shut up my doors, must be pardoned me. I have a purse, and a life, and all that I am for some few; but they are indeed but a few: Non omnibus Dormio.   

Essay. 10. Of Ambition.  
WE are all in darkness, the Sun, and our eyes help us not: for we see by them, trees, and woods, mountains, and men, but the light of reason is clouded: so doth our discerning but beget Opinion, & when we have said we think thus, our knowledge is at the farthest. My steps are the steps of mortality, & I do stumble and stagger for company, and crawl rather than go; yet I desire to get further, and to discover the land of light. To this end I read & write, and by them would feign catch an understanding more than I brought with me, before decrepitenesse and death catch me.  
Cicero exacteth an extraordinary knowledge from his son, because of his hearing, and conversing with Cratippus. Me thinks more should be expected from me, who have had, and carried about with me, the excellent Philosophy of a soul. I am now come from conversing with Princes, great spirits, and high fliers, History hath possessed me last, a knowledge meetest for us, since most of the rest are supernatural, and not of so ready use: our thoughts here run level, and may overtake, for they are earth, & we are earth; the rest have too much law; It is a great start to be as far as heaven before us. What we call liquorousness in children, greediness in Clowns, misery in covetous persons, the same is ambition in a higher fortune: the head of this humour is one, but in the disposing takes several passages. To aspire is Ambition, which is hope attempting, here hope is abused which is given to man not to climb with, but to keep him from fal●ing. It hurts not for all this, if we would allay the vigour, and prepare it, as we do Quick silver, which killing, cures. I would give men leave to look upwards to make themselves apt, and nimbl● to leap: let them a God's name love learning, the experience of youth: let them observe, and be expert in the knowledges of men, and their actions; let them be just, temperate, and virtuous, all thi● time it is not ●ll ●t makes them more industrious, than perhaps Virtue could so speedily: but to look upwards, and sink into the earth, to have a high mind, and then to bestow intolerable worship upon a great man, merely because he is great, I like not. I do not think but Virtue appareled in a true magnanimity, must speed as well as a seeming good in insinuating baseness: and I would rather choose to rise by loving distressed Virtue, then by adorning pomp; it is much more cleanly, though more dangerous. Men mistrust themselves when they trust more to pleasing, & soothing, then to their own inward graces. If I be honest, valiant, and able to manage great matters, do I not abuse them to fly for preferment so flattery, base servitude, and admiration of their actions, who are worthy to be disdained? It is worthiness to pluck Honour from dangers, and hazards, to adventure famishing in a siege, to be the first at a breach, to lay hold at the grappeling of ships, until the loss of both hands, and then to hold by the Teeth: this is the way to Honour directly; for which if there be not recompense, upon their heads let it lie: Comfort cannot be wanting to these men of valour, that they have restored to their Country, the blood, their Country once gave them. Are not these virtues better than to woo preferment as if she were a wench, to send presents, to praise all, because we like some; to dance among the creatures of servitude, three hours before our God doth rise, and then to think well of a nod for recompense? I do not think it pride in my nature to abhor these, but a good safe care to keep herself from bemiring: for we must not counterfeit, If we worship Baal, we are no Christians: and he that declines to their adoration is not honourable.  
I like well of Augustus his choice of Senators: Let him try me thus a God's name, and reject me if he list: I will subscribe to his wised●me, but never be bound to be the register of his Glory, nor to make offerings to him, to pay, to pray, and to serve. Let them that will gild over th●ir fetters with the name of Policy, call him a good Politician that can thus temporize, I think he is a slave born, meeter to fear then love, let him be whipped, not cherished. Thus I think seriously, though I writ it in my talking style, It may be it is the better, for commonly he is not st●●cken again, that laughs when he strikes.   

Essay. 11. Of Discourse.  
IT is a pitiful thing at great assemblies, to see how the rich, and gay will engross the talk, and how basely they use that commodity, not a word able to profit a Hackneyman: they send away Time worse appareled than their Horse-keepers, poor and naked of what is precious, but laden with straw and dirt, good only for Thatchers and daubers. At this time I suffer much, specially if I would choose rather to fill my ears than my belly, I wish for fiddler, to confounded them, or any noise saving their own: I would at this time lose my memory, for she is covetous, and takes all, and with this she will pollute all, make all taste of Barbarism.  
In this time my eye wandering to find a handsome cause of Interruption, meets with a fellow in black, back again they come with their Intelligence and tell me they have found a Scholar. I go to this Vessel, and thirsting after some good liquor, hastily pierce it, when there issueth medicines, or Lawe-tearmes: alas, it is either a Surgeon, or an Attorney, my expectation hath broken her neck. Well these are places to grow fat in, not wise. Let us travail some-whither else, to the University: Their discourse is good, but too finical, you undo them if you suffer them not to go Methodically to work. Nego maiorem, aut minorem, probo, Ipse dixit, etc. I like not this, except his adversary be a Fencer too, there is no understanding one another: It is a general fault among the best professions: For Mercenary, and Mechanic, it skills not, It becomes them well to discover themselves by their speech, but a Gentleman should talk like a Gentleman; which is, like a wise man: his knowledge ought to be general, it becomes him not to talk of one thing too much, or to be weighed down with any particular profession. Herein I admire Plato his Description of Socrates, who though a Soldier, and a Scholar, yet he discoursed still like Wisdom, which commands over all. One knowledge, is but one part of the house, a bay-windowe, or a gable-ende: who builds his house so maimed? much less himself, no be complete. If thy Guests be weary of thy Parlour, carry them into thy Gallery: Be thus, but yet if thou meetest with a fellow, that would feign show thee he is a Mathematicam, or a Navigator, be content to talk with him of Circles, and Quadrangles, of the Poles, and Navigating Stars.  
There is an other Creature that ways every word, and will be sure to turn the verb behind, affects elegancy, and to be thought learned: this fellow is formal, he robs himself of his commendations, with this premeditated course: men look for much, where they discern such a preparation: beside, me thinks he dresses Truth and Wisdom too gaudily. It is the Country fashion to sugar over what is naturally sweet: he profits not his Auditory.  
I knew a Country Church furnished with a Clock, whose hammer was stricken by an Image like a man, upon the wheels stood a Cat, which when the Image struck, made such haste away, as the Parishioners when they should have wept for their sins, and were moved thereunto by the Preacher, laughed at the cats nimbleness: so is it with this man's hearers, they catch at some pretty sounding words, and let the matter slip without any attention. Let Ape-keepers and Players, catch the ears of their Auditory and Spectators with fair bombast words, and set speeches: It shallbe my course when I must discourse (but I had rather hear) not to lose myself in my tale, to speak words that may be understood, and to my power to mean wisely, rather than to speak eloquently.   

Essay. 12. Of Censuring.  
THere belongs a duty to every action, they are our preciousest Issue, being ours alone divinely descended, the children of our souls, we must name them, our Censure is the Gossip, the names good, or bad. There was a time of no distinction, for all were good, and then Praise was superfluous, for they had motions, and instigations more excellent: but now we are so ill, that they deserve thanks that are good, and must be cherished: for vice hath persuaded Custom, that to call nought nought, is uncivil, & dangerous. Things in suspense come only under Supposition, & judgement will not turn herself into Opinion with meddling with uncertainties. What's past is in the power of our Censure, and it were pity it should be prohibited, since experience doubles our natural discretions, and discourse adds to experience, being the Censure thrown up & down in our brains, until the wisest with the strength of Reason, determines it. We are not without scandalising, and reproaching veins, but they are occasioned either through envy or malice, too foul, & misshapen mothers, to bear so fair a child as reformation: yet I have heard some wise men hold that venom of enemies not unprofitable, that discovers our imperfections: what an unhappy and monstrous world is this of ours, where the best Offices are performed by our worst acquaintance? For friends either we choose them il, or corrupt them, or there is no choice, I fear the last, yet I think it possible, if we be good to make them good: but our conversation is to delight, not to better, we have commerce, & traffic with our goods, not our minds: Herein let me register my particular happiness, who have parents more careful of my mind, then of my body, whose advise, or example, if I will follow, I cannot stray.  
But in this paper I was determined to speak more generally; for particularities are offensive: Which tender affection of ours, though I abhor, yet I mean not to hazard myself with Innovation. I will adventure my opinion, but not myself for my opinion. Whether it be solitariness, or my conversing with books, or that my youth hath not been worthy of grave acquaintance, I know not, but the greatest number (me thinks) are out of the way: their project, the end they determine at is low, and base. Since Time hath distilled our bloods, and separated us from the crowd, I hold nobility bond not to commit any action tasting of a degenerate humour. Our souls though they can here take no essential addition, yet in titles they do: for our virtues sure we were first preferred, which is the desert of our soul, our souls then are gentlemen, and we should apparel them▪ but we attribute all to our bodies, we feed them well, and clothe them richly, so that we have gentlemen's bodies, and slavish minde●; nay even our bodies, strip them o● clothes, and worship, suit our mind●, being gross, and thick ribbed, apt for nothing but a chair with a back, and a pair of slippers. Ease, and formality, are the highest we reach at, and like seeming Fencers, we are meeter for a flourish, than defence. It is the comfort of sorrow, to search the cause of our mishaps: for this what shall we say, that Ambition is a fault, and Quietness a blessing? No, but that our educations are rude, and we are blinded with Ignorance. I dissuade every worthy spirit from the enticements of Ambition, & Quietness I hold blest; but I hold not Idleness to be quietness, but that that peace is good, which authorizeth the exercising goodness. Beside the bond we are obliged in to our Country, even for our own satisfaction (me thinks) we should be more industrious. I durst venture my life, there is no pleasure so sweet to age, blind, and decrepit, and by time rob of all Health, and Contentment, as the meditation of good deeds: It is a rich inheritance which the father hath, and the children have, & the whole household is graced with. If we be asked how we have lived, how are we pierced, how cowardly our sloth serves us, leaving us without all defence? Place two men in equal fortunes, the one the servant of Virtue, & of his Country, the other of Idleness, and pleasure, fools may determine him happiest that eats most meat, and keeps most men, but after their deaths, the eyes most bleared with vice, cannot but acknowledge what a huge distance Fame makes between their memories.  
I have known the extremity of this Idle life, and of the other I have had some little taste, and even that taste I so much prefer, as I reckon not my life from the time of my birth, but from this day, how much they differ, what a tranquillity there is in the one, what wretchedness in the other, how pleasing a sight is the inward aspect to the one, how horrible and fearful to the other, that by mine own experience I can affirm, I was afraid to think of myself, and never durst ask account of my own life: their discourse & familiarity how unlike, this life able to better the Auditory, to set forth Virtue in her fairest colours, the others motions like the penny-motions able to stir, and stare, and down again. We patch and lengthen our hopes with such frail and slender stuff, imputing our misfortunes to our Destiny, and to the Tune, like Tiberius, ask a Guard of the Roman Senators, saying his love had purchased the hate of the Commonwealth, when it was his unmeasurable cruelty. Neither in public, nor in private lives, need we be in this adventure, it is no bodies fault but our own: for Fortune hath no power of Wisdom, but of Sensuality, and of lives that swim and navigate without the Loadstone of Discretion, and judgement. I am brought in this Theme, to write with more than an ordinary vehemency, so certainly do I know man's happiness to rest in the managing his own time: Every man may be blest, and rich in perfection, if his own dissoluteness, and unthriftiness, incurs not the contrary. I wish we were all thus careful, and if I can, I will begin, which I should the better perform, if a general consent of amendment were in every body's mind. Let us one help another with laying open our diseases to one another: If our titles in our lands be never so little cracked, or seam-rent, we sweat with our black boxes, we are diligent in searching to recover them, but our minds are seam rend, cracked, and bawdy, but we ask no help, nor endeavour to do any thing but to conceal them. For every headache our urines knock at the Physicians door, and we are inquisive about the state of our bodies, but our conscience may exclaim, and cry out to us, how sick, and famished our soul's state is, and we will not hear her. Time's past were not more careful, but employed their care more worthily: I will be bound in the Roman Commonwealth, in the time of one man's Consulship more excellent deeds were performed, then there is now throughout the world in many years. Who can match me, Scevola burning his hand without motion? Where is there a Rutilius that will prise his Commonwealth so dearly, as to run into the jaws of torment, and death? No, we draw not evenly, but are carried away with particular Humours.  
Laws and enforcements, must keep us from the extremity of ill; what slavish metals are we made of in the mean time, that choose to fear punishment, rather than to love Virtue? I blame nothing for this but Custom: It is in her power if she will, to make shame smart as ill as whipping.  
Laws keep but the dregs of a Commonwealth in obedience, and them only from being too ill, but upwards it provokes them not, nor any thing but Custom, and the estimation of Virtue.  
All this time I have built but the bridge I mean to travail upon, and not that anointed with a finical Exordium. I travail where I list, and when I list, and will not bind myself to more than I list. Let my feet be bound to come into the hall before the great chamber, my head shall see which I list first.  
I hate the dullness of my own feet, and my horses, when I travel, and cherish the nimbleness of my thoughts which can fly over the world in an afternoon.  
I am determined to speak of books next, to whom if you would not say I were too bookish, I should give the first place of all things here. The best wit of man that ever was, not assisted by such helps as may make my comparison blasphemy, never brought so much into the world, as by their assistance he hath had. When I hear a natural man speak in his best, I can say but witty, My commendations are at the farthest; but the tongue steeped in the true understanding incident to learning, hath Wisdom for his reward. Experience doth much, but it is too full of scars and wounds, and is brought with grey hairs, and danger: when the other hath no less that hath travailed but in his study. In a word propound any course saving eating, and sleeping, and wanting this, you are maimed: even in the life of blows, and wars, where strength seems to bear more sway than understanding, yet Armour, Discipline, Marshalling, Advantage of number, and situation of the place, ends with the well tuned Harmony of an Oration, whose force hath often been as much as all the rest, and with the sweetness, added vigour to the harshness of Valour. Of Books, for both Philosophies, I only esteem Plato, who doth so cunningly weave them together, as (me thinks) he saith he is content to give you knowledge, on condition you should be honest. In the person of his Socrates, he setteth down one of the most absolute forms of life, that is possible to be imagined. I doubt whether he were so well as his picture, yet Plato tells it so with the circumstances, as I am afraid sometimes by doubting, to do him wrong: If he wanted not very much he is worthy of admiration, if very much, of applause, being the only man that ever I heard of, most innocent of entertaining a forced grace for some second cause.  
Of History if you will have me show you the best first, I must begin, and end with Tacitus, so grave a style, so judicial a Censure, and so piercing an eye into the designs of Princes, and States, never met in one man: he is so worthy, that I wish he were as rare, for I hold no eye meet to wade in him, that is not at the helm of a State.  
For profitable Recreation, that Noble French Knight, the Lord de Montaigne is most excellent, whom though I have not been so much beholding to the French as to see in his Original, yet divers of his pieces I have seen translated: they that understand both languages say very well done, and I am able to say (if you will take the word of Ignorance) translated into a style, admitting as few Idle words as our language will endure: It is well fitted in this new garment, and Montaigne speaks now good English: It is done by a fellow less beholding to nature for his fortune then wit, yet lesser for his face then fortune; the truth is, he looks more like a goodfellow, than a wiseman, and yet he is wise, beyond either his fortune, or education: but his Author speaks nobly, honestly, and wisely, with little method, but with much judgement: Learned he was, and often shows it, but with such a happiness, as his own following is not disgraced by his own reading: He speaks freely, and yet wisely, Censures, and determines many things judicially, and yet forceth you not to attention with a hem, & a spitting Exordium: In a word he hath made Moral Philosophy speak courageously, and in steed of her gown, given her an Armour; he hath put Pedantical Schollerisme out of countenance, and made manifest, that learning mingled with Nobility, shines most clearly.  
I have done with Books, and now I will sit in judgement upon all those that my memory can readily produce, and it is no presumption, L'euento spesso è giudice non Imperito delie cose: Seeing the beginning, and ending, the circumstances fall easily into every head, especially considering my opinion of these things is no part of my faith, neither do I hold them so obstinately that I will not do Reason reason, and yield if I see cause. I think Courage in the time of Alexander the great, was a great Gamester, Policy at that time was not his craftsmaster; some understanding they had in marshalling an Army, In advauntaging themselves by the ground, but in more hidden points they were not then exercised: thus I think his Conquests the less miraculous: but yet from so young years, from so little experience, the height of his attempt was honourable, and his proceedings admirable: to keep so warlike a people in so good a temper, argued a great strength of understanding, yet do I bless no action of his more than the fair usage or his female prisoners, considering their beauty apt to provoke, his ●emper being fiery, not to endure provocation, one of these resistances shines beautifully, and as Cicero saith of Caesar's clemency, is an action purchasing glory without sharers: His foundation was answerable to so high an enterprise, sharing out his particular revenues among his followers, which won their love: for mean fortunes love wealth, high Fortune's Glory.  
Among these, Perdiccas spoke to my liking, who being offered an ample Patrimony, asked his master what he would leave to himself, Alexander said Hope, he desired to rest there too: excellently well played on both sides: he was a rare young man, whom Fortune followed, & with whom Death played good Fortune, for I think if he had lived, he would have lost by the world, and grown downward: so excellent was his youth, as I am afraid his Age would not have been answerable, and then his Cornet would have fallen out disgracefully, therefore he did well to die.  
If the Senate of Rome had seen Caesar weep that he was not up assoon as Alexander, I think they would have cu●b'd him shorter, but he offended worse in that journey, when he protested among his Companions, that the first place in a little Village, was in his estimation more worthy than the second in Rome: I like not this openness, it was not suitable to Caesar, he played his Game well, but there was no cast like the reconciling of Cassus, and Pompey, it won him the wager: Even this one Action deserves a volume, for there is much in it, but I will think the rest, and give it only a scratch with my pen: his Government generally was like Caesar, only there rests two things that I am determined to touch: the one his erecting again the Statues of Sylla, and Pompey thrown down by their misfortunes, it was too late for their memories to hurt him, yet this clemency to his enemies, made his friends not doubt to speed well under him, and those indifferent to find him a good Lord: this was well done. The other as ill, that having brought a government free to a particular, and forestalled all Dominion, not to be content with the thing, but to thirst after the name of a Monarch, it was unseasonably done, and in my opinion the hastener of his death. This puts me in mind of the contrary course used by the house of the Medici, who did pull the staff of liberty so easily out of the people's hands, that they had it before they were mistrusted: so by degrees did the son get farther than the Father, and the Grandchild farther than the Grandfather, as if their souls before their communicating with their bodies had set in counsel about it.  
Augustus' the heir of Caesar's labours, was borne fit (in my opinion) to settle a new erected Empire Militem Donis. Populum annona, cunctos dulce●ine Otij pellexit: he took the right course, for there is in the multitude a strength more than they know of, and in this new world, severity might have brought them to tricks of Restinesse, able to have endangered their Rider, but he loosened them, and gave them laws, and restrained the excess of the mighty, things acceptable to the people, and with these good Innovations, he turned their eyes from looking into times past, or practising to recover liberty. But of all the Princes that ever my eyes have met with in my reading, or my ears have heard of by others, the only Politian was Tiberius: his beginning was not ill, but full of wisdom, and somewhat virtuous, yet somewhat the better (as it is thought) for fear to be excelled by Germanicus, whose power in soldiers, wisdom to manage great matters, and love to possess himself of great matters, was such, as Tiberius lived jealous as long as Germanicu● lived at all: there was no less honest policy in Germanicus, who saw Tiberius, yet was not able to shun him: After a great Conquest of the Germans, marks of Triumph being set up, Tiberius was mentioned in the Insculpture, and the Conqueror left out, for he knew well the covetousness of Tyranny.  
Tiberius' course with Germanicus was full of safety, I cannot say honesty: first to remove him from the government of France, where he was strong in the love, and multitude of his soldiers, was under the cloak of rewarding his virtues with Triumph: afterwards an Insurrection in the East parts was acceptable unto him, to suppress which, he sent Germanicus, where he might be nearer danger, remote from Love, and conversant with Chance: to effect which, he sent thither Piso, by base flattery to win the Soldiers, and by opposing himself to Germanicus, to keep foreign Princes from uniting themselves to him.  
Germanicus died there (as it is thought) poisoned, which the people desirous to revenge, he suffered to keep himself out of suspicion, and yet with such hope to Piso, as kept him from discovering the secret. His speech (even in light matters) was obscure, and subject to a subtle construction.  
In the government of foreign Provinces, he made choice rather of a slow delicate people, then of spirits of more excellency: as Suetonius saith he did of Vitellius, In inferiorem Germaniam missus est, contemptu magis quam gratia electus. In the end this course made him grow doubtful: for such people being uncaple of those places, endangered the Empire; and such as were worthy, he thought dangerous to his particular person: to avoid which, he chose Governors of ability, which exercised their wits in their places with the bodies of their Lieutenants, and themselves he kept near him in person. I make no Apology for his virtues (for he was unmeasurably vicious) but his policy never failed him but in his affection to Sejanus, who surely had gone beyond him, had he not been hindered by the people's hatred, and the number of his successors, rather than by himself. In the end, let me end with Death, which last part gives either lustre, or blemish to our memories: nothing here can stand, therefore let us make it in our powers to go out handsomely. Fear (me thinks) is destinated to more uncertain events, and therefore should not disturb our conclusion, saying truly, I should forbid it in all things, but Divinity, for it hinders our intentions, and a seeming, makes us do things unbeseeming.  
Quip etenim quam multa  
tibi iam fingere possunt  
Somnia quae vitae rationes  
vertere possunt,  
Fortunasque tuas omnes  
turbare timore?  
Tacitus makes one of the Sempronij not wholly to degenerate from his house only for dying well, Constantia mortis haud Indigna Sempronio nomine. I know not any thing so certainly in our power that carrieth with it more majesty, and begets a more eternal, and continual Honour: nor any thing that we may provide for so certainly, and not be deceived. Let us a God's name Hoc agere, when we live, live, and when we are about death, tend our business.  
Though we have many examples notable in this kind among the Grecians, and that it was so conversant with the Romans, as nothing was more in fashion: yet I will name only two of several Sexes, it may be they may engender among us, and beget Resolution: I like them the better because unexpected, therefore their manner of entertaining it not affected, it was julius Caesar, and Olimpia the mother of Alexander, they died comely, and had even then when they were out of danger of Reproof, a care not to commit any ill beseeming Action.  
There is a last taste of things, that gives them the name of sweet, or sour: from this we have drawn a Metaphor, that nothing goeth with full applause, that holds not his perfection to to the end. Of life, and his appurtenances Death is the last relish, which if it taste fearfully, & look troubled, draws the Censure to determine it liquor full of the lees of Humours, rather than of clearness, and purity.   

Essay. 13. Of jests, and jesters.  
I Think jests, and scabs are much alike, both the abundance of superfluous humours, & this breaking out more wholesome than pleasant▪ It defends the wit and the body from sickness.  
If the most natural ability be thus deformed, what becomes of the affectors of this vain, who enforce it in themselves? Surely if they determine not to beg with it, and so to move commiseration put it on, and nourish it as Beggars do broken shins, I know not their use. It is only tolerable in them whose natures must of force have that vent, which use it as some bodies do breaking of wind. But for them that will choose to lose a friend rather than a jest, and desire to be admired in laughter, and are out of countenance if their jests take not, they be in my opinion strange creatures.  
There is another sort worse than these, that never utter any thing of their own, but get jests by heart, and rob books, and men of pretty tales, and yet hope for this to have a room above the Salt. I am tired with these fellows, my ears suffer at this time, more than at Paris Garden.  
I would have a jest never served above once, when it is cold the vigour, the strength of it is gone. I refuse to wear buff for the lasting, and shall I be content to apparel my brain in durance? by no means. Of things of this kind, I would not desire to be doubly furnished, for by that time one be worn, it is out of fashion.  
There is a kind of harmless witty mirth, at sometimes not ill becoming, but the excess is abominable; especially to set the wit on the tenterhooks for so base a purpose. He that happens on this mediocrity hath no evil chance, but to take pains, and to earn a jest with labour, he is in worse case than a Ballad-singer.   

Essay. 14. Of Youth.  
Me thinks this same Youth is a very sickness, a malady full of distemperatures like an Ague, it wisheth for what would hurt it, is dangerously sick, and yet will take no physic. It is a strange thing that the beginning of life should be death thus full of uncurable diseases.  
I have long laboured in this infirmity, ever since I was borne, I am not yet cured: they say there is nothing good for it but time, which I cannot yet get, and therefore am still sick, though not so ill as I was: for I borrowed a little of Experience, which hath done me only this good to know I am not well, which hath made me sensible: since I came to which my Occupation hath been to observe myself, and others. And if it be not the effect of a cruel nature, it would make a man laugh to see the diversity of their fits, generally all mad, but differing in the manner of their furies. Their brains are all so hot, that they have no use of them, they are all numb, only their senses are lest them, in whose pleasure they live. Some give all to their sight, and love to look upon nothing that looks not fair, & yet they look in the Glass to find themselves, when a more beastly sight they cannot find in the world. Thus do they attribute all to their senses, though they differ in allowing the pre-eminence.  
It is with them as with the Indians for their Gods, some worship the Sun, some the Moon, Beasts, Fishes, and Fowls, or whatsoever else it pleaseth their fancies to prefer. Sometimes they grow inconstant, and vary their delights.  
There is most hope of these, for I hold, that Inconstancy the working of their soul, who loathing this language of earth which she understands not, showeth them betimes the end of their delights to be grief.  
I have noted when these sencepleasers have come from any of their sports, what a naked discourse hath followed: how well jumball gave it in such a dry path, he hath a Nose cries one, like a Beagle, and yet a very deep mouth: if very deep, deeper than his head, for that is too too shallow: In this kind pass they all their time, and some worse: and yet these are the best sort of youth, there is great hope of these: me thinks there should be so of their Dogs too, for they receive all from them.  
In the other sort more riotous, I can commend nothing but their resolution, surely they meditate much on Death, and think not to live till to morrow, for they take care only for to day.  
Thus much I know of Youth, I would I could tell you the disposition of Age too, for I am weary of this life.   

Essay. 15. Of the observation, and use of things.  
I Come now from discoursing with an Husbandman, an excellent stiff slave, without observation, respect, or civility, but not without a great deal of wit, if it were refined, and separated from the dirt that hangs about it. I have sold him an hour of my time, and have ware for it, good sound principles, in truth becoming a better fortune: This time hath not been lost, for his experience, his learning of Tradition, and his natural wit hath informed me of many things, I have picked out of him good Philosophy, and Astronomy, and other observations of Time, and of the world: all which though he employs about dirt, and alotteth to that end, hinder not me from making a more worthy use of them.  
There is not that thing upon the Earth, that well examined, yields not something worthy of knowledge: that divine Artisan that made them, never fashioned any thing unprofitably, nor ever set forth any of his workmanship without some inward virtue. I do first prescribe them that desire to prove excellent in distilling these simples, to lay in good store of the fuel of learning: whatsoever he hath of his own natural wit is not sufficient, it makes not the fire hot enough: for there is a great deal of tough vile stuff to be drawn out, before what is pure can be gotten: but then (I tell Ignorance a miracle now) he shall not see, nor touch that thing, that will not add to his wisdom: for things are a kin to one another, they come all out of one Fountain, and the knowing one, brings you acquainted with an other, and so to others. All kind of books are profitable, except printed Bawdry; they abuse youth: but Pamphlets, and lying Stories, and News, and two penny Poets I would know them, but beware of being familiar with them: my custom is to read these, and presently to make use of them, for they lie in my privy, and when I come thither, and have occasion to employ it, I read them, half a side at once is my ordinary, which when I have read, I use in that kind, that waste paper is most subject too, but to a cleanlier profit: I see in them the difference of wits, and dispositions, the alterations of Arguments pleasing the world, and the change of styles: this I have in despite of him, be he never so ignorant: and if he hath any thing good among such store of ill, why that is mine too. I have not been ashamed to adventure mine ears with a ballad-singer, and they have come home loaden to my liking, doubly satisfied, with profit, & with recreation. The profit, to see earthlings satisfied with such course stuff, to hear vice rebuked, and to see the power of Virtue that pierceth the head of such a base Historian, and vile Auditory.  
The recreation to see how thoroughly the standers by are affected, what strange gestures come from them, what strained stuff from their Poet, what shift they make to stand to hear, what extremities he is driven to for Rhyme, how they adventure their purses, he his wits, how well both their pains are recompensed, they with a filthy noise, he with a base reward. There is not any thing retained in my memory from the fi●st that profits me not: sometimes I renew my nurse's stories, and being now strong, and able to digest them, I find them not without nourishment. My after life (though I lament the bestowing it, because I should have put things more precious in first, yet it) is not without profit. I was bound then to Arthur of Britain, and things of that price, for my knowledge was not able to traffic with any thing more rich, Stows Chronicle was the highest, yet I have found good use of them, they have added to my experience. My exercises, & recreatiō●, or rather (as I than used them) occupations, I find worth somewhat. I would not lose my knowledge of Hawks, and running Horses for any thing, they are not without use, I meet often with people that understand no other language, & then they make me sociable, and not unpleasing to the company. If out of these dregs there be good juice to be got, what is there out of more noble observations? truly an incredible knowledge: he that can make use of them, may leave reading, and profit no less by these. If out of these blotters of paper many things may be extracted not unworthy of note, what may we expect from Homer, Virgil, and such Poets? If in Arthur of Britain, Huon of Bordeaux, and such supposed chivalry, a man may better himself, shall he not become excellent with conversing with Tacitus, Plutarch, Sallust, and fellows of that rank? Here stay thyself, and read with attention: Me thinks plutarchs lives should make every man good that reads them, he may take his choice of such a number of courses, and fit his nature with his temperature: Some only the servants of Virtue, others using her for their own sakes: some swayed with their fortunes, others immovable. Cicero showeth thee how to speak well, and to take a care of thyself. Scipis only looks to the flourishing of his Country. Themistocles burning with Ambition, sleeps not until he hath gotten a life answerable to his nature. Alcibiades an excellent pattern of wisdom to him that will temporize. Alexanander prophesies of himself with weeping at his father's Conquests, a testimony that Virtue will show itself before it hath power to perform any thing. It is older than the body is, ready long before it. Pyrrhus representeth to us the uncertainty of the world, not holding any of his Conquests sure: It may be an advise to some spirits to make them prefer a poor certainty, before these wavering fortunes, to which purpose one saith, Beatior fuit Fabritius animo, quam Pirrhus regno, It is true, the inward Riches are only our own, but to dedicate a life only to their use, is to enjoy an invisible commodity, to bury wealth. Demetrius was a Commixture of virtues, and vices, and (me thinks) his end declares his vices only to be naturally his, for his change of fortune made him give over Virtue; he was content to forget her, on the condition not to remember his fortunes, he betrayed Virtue, and died a drunken dicer. Sallust is excellent in his description of men, If thou likest a severe honest gravity, look upon Cato, this fellow sure was naturally good; but somewhat too well contented to be thought so: If I were not a Christian, I should like well of his death, especially of the manner of it: It is nothing to die, but that night to study earnestly, I do infinitely allow: since I may not admire him, I will pity his death, and withal, the feeling the points of the two swords, that was not suitable, I am afraid he was afraid of pain, I am sorry for this, the rest was very good, his other calmness shall make me pardon this motion.  
From Catiline may be taken many observations, but they are like the man dangerous: then but this. All qualities without the direction of virtue profit not, but overthrow their possessors.  
From Tacitus concise style, there are many Jewels to be gotten, he gins 〈◊〉 the common judgement that follows a cruel luxurious government. All that I can say of Nero, is, I blame him not for being afraid of Death, it was not he, it was the remembrance of an ill life, and riches▪ the betrayers of men to cowardice. Galba teacheth Princes, there is danger in trusting servants too far: he witnesseth the indiscretion of the people wishing for Nero again, because he was young, and handsome, and fair, whereas Galba was riveled, and old; their ears are their judges. I have been content to taste Histories, and their observations, that I might tell them that yet know it not, that there is yet something else to be noted besides the Series of the History. As out of these, so from our living Relations, from men, and from their actions, of all which, I ●●cretion will make as much use, as an observing stomach doth of meats agreeing, or disagreeing with his digestion.   

Essay. 16. Of Opinion.  
IT befalleth me now, to speak of the strangest thing of the world, & yet it is nothing, and for all that, scareth the most mighty; It is a monster, half Truth, and half Falsehood: It receives all forms, sometimes taking resemblances most pleasing, other times most terrible: It cleaves most to great Fortunes, and yet liveth upon the breath of the vulgar; It is desired, and shunned; served, and scorned: Sometimes it maketh her servants Industrious, sometimes treacherous. It is often a cause of things looking like good, & fair, more often of wickedness, and sin: In a word it seems to do much, and doth nothing; And all her followers looking like spirit, and Resolution, are the very essence of baseness, and cowardice: they are worse than blind men that have a dog for their guide, for they dare do nothing of themselves, unless they first ask counsel of Opinion: She is much made love too by base Ambition, by Thirsters after promotion: Some attempt to win her with little ruffs, short hair, and a grave habit, decent looks, few words, and sobriety: These would feign have her say they are grave, wise, sober, temperate men, worthy of promotion, meet to be part of the tackle of a Commonwealth.  
There is an other sort court her with fine speeches, would be thought wise, and learned, but these never utter their ware but in great assemblies, where they may hope certainly of witness. It sometimes makes cowardice to adventure upon danger, but they will seldom make trial of themselves alone, they like not night-seruices, nor secret▪ Stratagems: A pitched field is too little, and the eye of the General must attend them, or else they like it not.  
It is wisdom▪ with them to lose no labour, and prodigality to conceal virtue, it is worse than to wear cloth of gold inwardly, and fustian outwardly, they allow of no secret expense, it is unthriftiness: They often go like Virtue, speak like Virtue, do like Virtue, but that is where Virtue is in fashion, for as it altars, they altar, they love not her, but Opinion.  
Opinion the mother of Hypocrisy, who coins counterfeit money under the stamp of Virtue, which nothing can disprove but the touchstone of both Fortunes: surely these people ought to be pitied, for they take more pains than the virtuous; for these last utter their ware as Occasion gives them leave, and when 'tis done, 'tis done▪ the other are feign to get company together, to make friends, and all the time of their performing any thing, their mind is dictracted: they desire to do it well, and are earnest about that, and as earnestly are their eyes and ears busied at out their allowance, which if they have not, they are thrown lower in their imaginations, than the Centre of the Earth: their pains are thrice more, their reward much less; the allowance of the people, the applause of uncertain Ignorance, which if they do not as much to morrow, is lost: but the virtuous have an inward satisfaction, and a sure expectation of an eternal reward. If at any time the attempts of these Sectaries of Opinion be espied, and that the cause of their seeming good be known, they are then the very pictures of wretchedness, more base than a Spittle-house, they lament, and howl, and chide Fortune bitterly: thus is it with them in their apprehension; of misfortune, they are more subject to take infection then the best complexions, their imaginations multiply griefs, they add more terror than it is possible they should suffer: An ill Dream to them is worse than the sword of an Executioner to Resolution: In a word, they know nothing; neither do they think of any truly, but the excess of delights, or griefs worries them worse than a bear bound to endure ten dogs. He that loathes this life, let him not believe any thing rashly, let him love Virtue, let him aspire to Cato his description, of whom Sallust saith, Esse quam videri bonus malebat. Let him neither be subject to vainglory, nor flatterers, nor respect commendations, nor reproofs, farther than they go with Truth: If otherwise, let him defend his ears from their noise, & let them pass without attention, for they are but as fawning dogs. This course will defend him from being bewitched with words, and beget judgement, the cause of all well performed Actions.   

Essay. 17. Of Discontentment's.  
SHall we rob ourselves of Contentment because our bodies are mortal? or shall we esteem it the best assistance of our friend to weep? I shall doubt of the che choice of my counsellor, if his Proemium be bewailing, and his instructions tears. Our griefs originals are two, both arise from the body, the one the issue of Pleasure, the other of Griefs: the first is the most honest, the ●ast most foolish. When our body hath rebelled, & becometh the slave of lust, it is well done of the soul to lament his obstinate folly, but to sympathize with the bodies griefs, and aches, and pains, to spend exclamations upon a thing necessited, it is most ridiculous.  
We have many fair examples before us, rather to be followed, then admired; for I think it not impossible to put on this Habit of Resolution. It is an armour (me thinks) of excellent proof, to meditate of the Eternity of our worthiest part, and to think this compact of the Elements must suffer a dissolution. Whatsoever God doth by a Medium, must know an end, what immediately belongs to Eternity. Hear doth Philosophy according to Plato, give the Soul again her wings, and helps her to blow the Coal of her first light, and makes her to distinguish between Earth, and her own Essence: and when any of these Tooth-aches of the body come, she teacheth that they are to be entertained, not as strangers, but as Familiars that we have long expected. Who hath been acquainted with this Philosophical life, cannot but end with Plato in his Axiochus, Tantum abest ut timeam mortem, ut nunc etiam teneor Amore. Resolved of this, me thinks Things short of this should lay no hold of us; but alas we are so used to this bewailing, as if we have no cause for what we feel, we will for what we see, for the loss of money, and things of that kind: and if these be not ready, we will weep at a Tale, or at a Puppet play. It skills not, If the body only were at this expense, but our souls will accompany them, and be so foolishly kind, as to lament for that they never knew. Writing of this, Contemplation desires me to protest her the only Curer of these Diseases: and she is so indeed: There is no way to make this separation but by her: she showeth her servants those Terrors unmasked, which are found to be no other than like chimeras, begotten between Fear, and Darkness, which vanish with the Light, and are expelled by the eye-light of Knowledge.  
Dost thou lament for what is to come? Why? because it is not come? No, because it is grievous, and wilt thou double thy griefs with pulling them on before they come? Are they come? why it is too late to weep: If thou wilt do any thing, please thy body with getting Cure: If it be uncurable, Lamentations are vain: There rests nothing then, but to imitate cunning Porters, get somewhat to save thy shoulders, and learn to carry it with the greatest ease. I never yet saw grief of so deep a Dye, that Time hath not changed: were it not better to be ones own Physician? and though we have lost Friends, Reputation, and Riches, the household-stuff of esteem in the world, yet if we hold Patience we are not poor: And among the wise, the estimatimation will rather increase then decrease with these trials. Come then, let us maintain this Fort resolutely, there is no safety but here, Nullus locus est, quo non possit Fortuna prosequi, yes, here she cannot: this place is divine, and immortal, and she commands over nothing that is not sensible: for the other, Vitij affectus proprius est displicere sibi: Behold this workman who hath made us so contrary to vice, as we never taste her, but she riseth in our stomachs, and checks our Intemperancy.  
Here are the best motions that the Soul hath of the Body, she erreth not from her Divinity to be thus charitable for herself, and her Companion: there is no Divinity so easy to be comprehended by our senses, neither is there any that carries more terror with it. When our enticing Fantasy hath dressed a Delight pleasingly, and presents it to the r●st, they all like it, and it is speedily bought: afterward our Conscience shows us our choice, when behold it is most ugly, and deformed: our Senses we cry out, have deceived us, but that will not serve: our once kissing it, makes it follow us perpetually. Here hath she cause to weep, and to pity our torments, enforcing us to remorse, and an after care with impression of her lamentations.   

Essay. 18. Of Sleep.  
MY custom is about this time of day to sleep, to avoid which now, I choose to write: so, if this be a drowsy style, and sleepily done, yet if it be not worse than sleep, I go not backward, for it serves in sleep's room. This Sleep is to me in the nature that Dung is to Ground, it makes the soil of my Apprehension more solid, and tough, it makes it not so light, and pleasant, and I am glad of it, for I find myself too much subject to a verbal quickness: thus I think it good for me that am of a dry barren mould; but for others it may hap to make them too waterish: the cause of this is common as the effect, yet as some bodies are more subject to it than others, so meats of one kind provoke it more than another. This makes me often play the Epicure, making my stomach a coward, to fight with Partridge, Pheasant, and such fowl, whose Airye parts are more fine, and poison not the Brain with thick vapours. These four-footed Beafts are dull and gross, and so is what proceeds from them. Well, for my part I will put away this sleepy Humour, for it is an extreme spender. When I come at the end of a week to reckon how I have bestowed it, in that seven Days I find nothing, but Item in sleep, Item in sleep: And in the end Summa totalis, seven nights, seven Afternoons, beside half hours, and quarters, at unaccustomed times: there is no proportion in this, especially to bestow so much on winking. I cannot blame Alexander though he misliked it, and held that, and Lust, the Arguments of Mortality: If he had used eight of clock-houres, the Persian Empire might yet have stood. Not so much but good Husbands hate it; And Pedants have made it a main supporter of their instructions. I would liken it to Death, but that it is more terrible, for it is Idleness; yet thus it is Death, for it kills Eternity. Fame never yet knew a perpetual Bed-presser. Is it not a pitiful thing to see a fellow bestow half his Patrimony in hobby-horses? then pity all them, who having but a little time, dedicate half that to sleep. But this is the effect of our Bodies, who in despite of our soul's Divinity, will follow their natural Inclinations, to lie along, and be senseless like their Earthly Original.   

Essay. 19 Of Life, and the fashions of Life.  
THere have been great Contentions about my Mind, and my Body, about this Argument of Life; they are both very obstinate in their Desires: I cannot blame them, for which so ever prevails, deprives the other of the greatest Authority. My Soul extols Contemplation, and persuades me that way; my Body understands not that language, but is all for Action. He tells me it is unproper, being of the world, not to live so, and that I am borne to my Country, to whom embracing this contemplative life I am unprofitable: the other wants not reasons forcible, and celestial. It hath been my continual labour to work a reconciliation between them, for I could not perfect any course by reason of this Division. Earth & Heaven cannot be made one, therefore impossible to join them together: only thus much I have done, they are content I shall take my choice. All this time I was not Masterless, nor idle, I put the common phrase out of fashion: he that says of me only, He lives well, speaks too sparingly of me: for I live to better my mind, and to cure my body of his Innate diseases. I must choose the Active course, my birth commands me to that: I am set above many other in the Heralds books, not to sit ●ighest at a Table, nor to be worshipped with caps and knees, but to have a care of my country. The advancer of my House first did certainly see some worth in my predecessors meet to govern, or at least wise to be an example to lower degrees, to that end they were erected higher than ordinary, that every eye might behold them: If their blood were refined by the Prince on that condition, if I pay it not after them, I am worthy to forfeit it. I will then religiously observe the doing my Country service; If she employ me not, I sin not though I betake myself to the secret betterer of minds, Contemplation: Howsoever, I must begin here; for as Nurse's Lectures instruct little Children by several objects, to know sensible things, and by that little give them the knowledge of a Boy: Being past that Age, and come to the new life of a man, Philosophy must then be his Nurse: and as his first institution taught him words, and to distinguish of things by words this teacheth him the meaning of those, and to distinguish things by Reason: he received first single objects by the intelligence of the senses: In that time he learned to speak, the Schoolmaster taught him to put together, and to enlarge his building, he made him capable of universalities, and the highest knowledges.  
No● Radij solis, neque lucida tela D●ei,  
Discutiunt animos.  
It is so, he governs by guess that is not a Philosopher, he is a dangerous statesman: for when uncontrowled Affections meet with a high fortune, they beget Tyranny and Oppression. I have not then altogether lost my time, I have been adorning my house within: It is my Desire not to have it lie slovenly, I make it ready for Guests, that is for Employment; if they come not, it is no matter, it shall be the better for myself to live in. I care not though some nice Brainestaxe me of Immodesty, for protesting myself thus desirous to do my Country service: my Soul can witness for me, it is no particular Love: thanks be to God, I know not much of want, neither desire I Riches: I am borne to sufficient. It is true, I thirst after Honour, and would be glad to leave my House some testimony I have not been unprofitable that way, which may be purchased in an honest quiet life, aswell as in the other. I am afraid of nothing, but that in this contemplative life I should be thought idle, and in eschewing company, to be of Domitians ●ect, a Fly-catcher. We Gentlemen are very subject to this, therefore it is not jealousy but Providence in me to suspect: we are indeed generally slothful, our contention is not which is the most honourable life, but which affords most pleasure. So doth the patrimony of our Ancestors (which rightly understood, will give us advantage over men) destroy us. I cannot blame a Beggar, though he think more of his Dinner, then of the definition of Fortitude, or the purchase of Glory: he is violently haled to the upholding of his body: nor is it an ill commendation for a Ploughman, to be said to be a provident man for the world, and to have a care to keep his family from starving: but to him that already hath enough to defend him from baseness, and mi●ery, shall he only eat, and drink, and make an even reckoning at the years end? Fie, it is base than baseness: No, let him purchase Honour to his house. Me thinks Fathers should give their Sons this Counsel, and it is odds but they do: If not, sure they think it, & would have them find it out. I am afraid our much Eating, and little Exercise, is the cause of this our low flying, and heaviness: our many Crudities send up dull heavy vapours, that makes us like better of a bed, then of a saddle. I would we were Ambitious: I wish for us, as for a slovenly Boy of mine own, whom I persuaded to pride, thereby to escape the contrary; if I could have obtained, I would have thought to have shaven off his pride in a small time, and left him only cleanliness. I know Ambition to be a fault, but they that will not under-go Actions for virtues sake, will for Ambitions. I would propound Fame, Greatness, Honour, Estimation: for wading to find these, we may haply meet with Honesty, Temperance, Fortitude, and Patience: so must ill stomachs have wholesome things covered over: let them be sweet on God's name, so that the pleasantness take not away the good operation.  
The next division after this choice, is to advise and execute: my knowledge of these is by reading, not by experience, yet did I once touch at the bay of Arms, but so short was my stay, that I trust more to my reading then to my Experience. plutarchs Lives are abundantly stored with men of both kinds. I allow well of the Consul Cicero; his wit and fear prevented a dangerous conspiracy: but yet I am much more ravished with the lives of Alexander, Caesar, and fellows of that kind, Me thinks it becomes a Counsellor well to act his Advice, it agreeth with reason, for he understands well what should be done when it comes from himself. There is a brave satisfaction in a mind that converseth with Danger; he doth rightly serve his Country, whose Body executeth what his wisdom plotteth. Sometimes when I have read the life of Cicero, I think him a good Orator, he deserved his fee: but Caesar is so much beholding to me, that I put him on, and all the time I am reading of him, his happiness is mine, his danger is mine: when I am out of my dream with coming to, Et tu Brute, I should be very sorry this imagination could last no longer, but that not being myself, I may without Ostentation commend him, O Caesar worthy of an eternal memory, and of never ending praises. Reading these lives I am inflamed, my thoughts soar high, and I am sorry I cannot carry my Body to that pitch. When I hear of any famous Action of our time, I suffer with Themistocles, it takes away my sleep, not with Envy, but with an honest Emulation. I desire to rob no man of his Glory, but to participate with Experience: well it pleaseth not my Destiny, I hope it will do, that's my Comfort: In the mean time I will see Battles in Imagination, and read them, since I may not be in them.   

Essay. 20. Of Imitation.  
THe first times had a great advantage of us; all came from them we must now say, because they got the start, spoke before us, and lived before us. In truth I think they were more industrious; for out of their natural wits, and observations, they founded Arts, and Sciences, in which they were much more profound than latter times, though we are assisted by their travails, and know whither we should go, and how to go by their methodical courses. We must lay the fault to Covetousness, and Pleasure, with whose enticements we are diverted, so that we choose now rather to be rich men, then wise men: In these trades they have not outrun us, our times may safely brag with them, that we have hunted out more fashions to please the senses, and to get riches: the age after us, that shall see both, must be our judges, who, I am afraid, will determine the times of old, times begetting Philosophers & wi●e men, ours an Age of Cooks and Tailors. I wonder not that Virtue is so out of regard: for we imitate nothing but what we see. Plato his Socrates, and Xenophon his Cyrus, are things to be talked of, not to be worn. I should be sorry for our times, (but that it is out of fashion to be sorrowful for others) to see how willingly we put on all habits saving Virtues: Our hair shall go off, or on, as occasion serves, we will pull our brows, and endure any pain to imitate the fashion, but not entertain the least Virtue, though she offer herself, and would be ours with less pains and expense. All this time we are free from imitation, yea from following the good, but in the apish kind we are exact: for a new Congye, or protestation we swallow presently, and the fashions of our Apparel run among us like a Plague. I observe a people that will tell you where they were last, by their behaviour, and tabletalk, as well as upon the inwardest acquaintance: If he hath but seen Canllis, he cries out of the English Beer, and that with a shrug, and shaking of the head, as if he knew more than he durst utter. A year in Italy makes him forget his English, and speak it broken, and ●●ping: they run away with all villainous customs, and think it fine to talk of Ciulia and Lucretia the famous Courtesans. Me thinks these fellows are like Suc●●-balles, that carry away part of the Dirt they are rolled upon. These are base Imitations begotten between the senses, and the fantasy, bastards unknown to the inward true discerning soul.  
There are another kind that will hold their necks awry with Alexander, these are not wanton but subtle Apes, which seek to creep into Princes, and great men, with putting on their Habits, they are the dangeroussest flatterers. Come, I will make an end with these fantastickes, they go against my stomach, they are worse than Onions, I can commend them for nothing: sometimes perhaps the stuff they wear is good, and the stockings, and the hat, and the rest, all saving the man: they are like Hatters blocks, that wear what is worthier than themselves. But now to a worthier subject, I will not reject Imitation, yet I will hardly imitate any man living, especially in things apparently his, as his Behaviour, & accustomed Phrases: In virtue it is very lawful, for that is neither his, nor mine; it carries no mark of any owner, but of the real possessor of Eternity, whom if we could imitate in the least perfection, we were blessed.  
There are a great sort past, as worthy as any living, among whom I will choose some one, by whom I would be most governed, yet not in all things, for I would not licence myself to put on his imperfections: I have too many of mine own that were borne with me, I have no need of his: but when he speaks well, and virtuously, I would think he speaks to me, and do my endeavour to execute his Advice: the Actions performed by him I hold like the Vaulters Instructions done first to show me how to perform them with greatest facility.  
We are beholding to times past, they have showed us the ends of all Courses, we may know Virtues and Vices, as lively by their Example, as Lycurgus taught it the Lacedæmonians in the persons of their Ephori, and the Hel●●s their slaves. If I find my strength able to follow one of these, and to get honest Virtues by Heart, I will take out a new lesson, and buy some perfections of others, wherein he was wanting. Thus is Imitation ennobled, and well becomes the worthiest: so shall he enjoy abundance, when he hath his own store multiplied with gathering from the stored with Virtue.   

Essay. 21. Of Behaviour.  
PHilosophies strictest Inquisition of the Soul, doth not more lively express her then Behaviour: for hers are Notions dark, and obscure, too heavy for every head to carry away, but this gives our senses a sight of that Divinity, and is the very picture of the inward mind. Here may be read the differences of men, and a short observation shall tell thee as much as a long conference: It can be no other than a shadow of the soul, such a sweetness it carries with it, so much comeliness, so much contentment. The Bodies respect is overthrown by this evidence, let his Beauties be never so excellent, if not assisted by Behaviour, they turn all to Disgraces, & his whiteness doth nothing but make his spots more visible. Contrarily, I have seen deformed Bodies, and ill favoured Countenances, highly in men's estimations, and dearly beloved, being accompanied with a handsome, and discreet government. This cannot be performed exactly, if the Souls power, and Discourse be not regarded, which makes me think the bodies thus happy, substances of Crystal transparent. When I meet with a dull fellow that hath no other testimony of his being awake, but that his eyes are open, I determine him a fellow dro●ned in phlegm, and puddle: for any thing I know he hath no soul, for there appears nothing but a dirty piece of flesh. At me cum legcris etiam formosa videbor Saith the Poet: this is to be complete when the eye shall be satisfied, and the soul not displeased. There is hardly another thing so absolute, as to be able to give them both entertainment together. Of Particularities (me thinks) Courtesy challengeth the chief place, and would be dispatched first: truly among all other virtues, except it be Liberality, I know none rewarded by men but this, and if for nothing else, me thinks it should be esteemed for the present payment: It pays a great sort, and is never the poorer, satisfies every man, and lessens not the stock: It is the true Character of a good natured Discretion, and so powerful, as the shadow of it hath raised many men to great fortunes: but that's the abuse. I would Virtue would put away Patience, and become choleric, and revenge: she never had more cause, being made a Bawd to herself.  
Every man musters himself in the band of Virtue, when there is any pay to be taken, but at the day of battle (except it be some fellow out of a hole) she hath not a follower. I mislike not a common Affability, so it reserve the state of the party, for otherwise it is not humility, it is baseness. I own unto every man a Salutation, and likewise my Cap, but not familiarity, except I be sure his worthiness deserves it I betray myself. There is a certain majesty in Behaviour well-becoming, without pride, or Affectation, for they spoil all, the least dram of them makes all taste of Indiscretion: no, this is the natural Guard of Virtue, the fortification to resist baseness, and to keep out saucy incrochers. We must not be careless of these outward matters, but seek to make them complete, yet there is an inward thing which unless it be added to this, makes all this to be nothing. A Schoolmaster had in his place of Exercise a Glass, wherein he caused his Scholars to behold themselves; If they were fair, & handsome, he would tell them what pity it was, such goodly bodies should be possessed with defective minds: If foul, and ill-favoured, that they might make their bodies fair with dressing their minds handsomely; this was somewhat too good for a Pedant: my Application; If his behaviour be good, the adorning his mind doubles that Excellency: if ill, it will make it good, when your mind performeth what your body promiseth not. It is without exception, when the Actions of the body are lighted by the gifts of the mind. I allow not too lavish a discourse; it is as if one meant to sell himself: he that will still talk, adventureth himself too much; It is not valour but foolhardiness, he depraves himself of observation. It were good in this to imitate cunning shopkeepers, who ●hew their ware in a half light. Upon occasion I would speak, but niggardly, and rather starve then surfeit my Auditory. Avoid Affectation, and love Virtue, and for outward gestures if those naturally yours be not deformed, change them not, for they sit you best. The gifts of the mind are not so easily obtained, these you must purchase with pain, and difficulty; and great reason, for it were pity such preciousness might be had for the taking.   

Essay. 22. Of Alehouses.  
I Writ this in an Alehouse, into which I am driven by night, which would not give me leave to find out an honester harbour. I am without any Company but Ink and Paper, and them I use in stead of talking to myself: my Host hath already given me his knowledge, but I am little bettered, I am now trying whether myself be his better in discretion. The first note here is to see how honestly every place speaks, and how ill every man lives: not a Post, nor a painted cloth in the house, but cries out, Fear God, and yet the Parson of the Town scarce keeps this Instruction. It is a strange thing how men belly themselves: every one speaks well, and means n●ughtily. They cry out if man with man break his word, and yet no Body keeps promise with Virtue. But why should these Inferiors be blamed, since the noblest professions are become base? Their Instructions rest in the Example of higher fortunes, and they are blind, and lead men into sensuality. Me thinks a drunken Cobbler, and a mere hawking Gentleman rank equally, both end their pursuits with pleasing their senses, this the eye, the other the Taste. What differs scraping misery from a false Cheatour? the director of both is Covetousness, and the end gain. Lastly courting of a Mistress, and buying of a Whore are somewhat like, the end of both is Luxury. Perhaps the one speaks more finely, but they both mean plainly. I have been thus seeking differences, and to distinguish of places, I am feign to fly to the sign of an Alehouse, and to the stately coming in of greater houses. For Men, Titles and Clothes, not their lives, and Actions help me: so were they all naked, and banished from the Herald's books, they are without any evidence of pre-eminence, and their souls cannot defend them from Community.   

Essay. 23. Of Affectation.  
AFfectation begets Extremities: Man is allowed only the middle way, he strayeth when he affects, his Error is punished with Deformity, whatsoever he performeth thus, becoming disgraceful and uncomely. There is not any in this kind to be pardoned, even the open affecting of virtue turns into Hypocrisy, and makes him seem rather as if he played Virtue then possessed it. The ordering of the body, if it be subject to this A pish Imitation is wholly disordered: for his inward Director is disobeyed, and forced contrary to it excellent nature to become base, and to borrow. The excellent Artisan that made all, gave all his Children portions of qualities befitting them, as Heat to Fire, Moisture to Water, Trees to be plentiful Mothers, and Herbs to have an healing ability: should these fall to affecting, and to like others Qualities better than their own, what a confusion would it beget? how much wrong to the workman? Thus is it with us: Every Soul casts a colour upon the Body suitable to it own nature, not like our common colours which will endure a second Dye, but which at first is naturally in grain.  
Every one in truth is fitted by nature, whose fashion if he likes not, but will choose rather to wear other men's cast clothes; it is pity the Admiration he affects should not be turned into laughter. I have seen some silly creatures that have had the extremity of this disease in words, but what hath been the end? alas they have delivered Prisoners that have turned Traitors, and instantly betrayed them to Derision.  
For my part I think generally it ought to be shunned, and if ever I were subject to any Affectation, it was not at all to affect, in which I have been so precise, that I have been afraid to wear fashions, until they have been aired by a general use.  
Let no man think this mislike bars my allowance of enriching myself by the example of the Virtuous: no, the best may want, if he be only stored by his own meditation. Books, & men are both good instructors, those we must read and observe: but when that is done, to make our reading, and observation no longer theirs▪ but our own. I have noted a People content inwardly to be so humble as to wear cast Apparel, but for the outward satisfaction they would alter, and trim them to defend them from being known, and so fit them to their bodies, though before they were too wide: Thus must they do that desire to be adorned with knowledge, and judgement, and virtue. Whatsoever I read, I understand it not, if my Digestion makes it not naturally mine: Thus it becometh men, and makes the constitution of the mind strong▪ and fair, and worthy of allowance, if not of Admiration.   

Essay. 24. Of Fantasticness.  
Fantasticness, is the Habiliment of youth, Wisdoms minority, Experiences Introduction, the Child of Inconstancy, the Mother of Attire, of Behaviour, of Speech spoken against the Hair, Customs Enemy, It is Green Thoughts in Green years, or at the farthest, green Thoughts in a sear Substance, this is Fantasticness: Wit (as long as wit) exerciseth herself lightly, and is the Glass wherein the Body looks to set his Attire in fashion: being weak at this time she plays with the Body as Children do with Babies, puts on and off, dresses, and undresses, lays it to sleep, and takes it up again all at an instant, must be doing, though to no end doing: yet for all this I think it a colour of the Soul, for so is wit, and wit is Fantastic, but indeed not so strong as to be laid in Vinegar, and not alter, for it altars with hours, almost with minutes: Notwithstanding wisdom may come, and with her comes Resolution, and Constantness. For Experience comes by Knowledge, Knowledge from Change, Change from Fantasticness, trying many things with allowance of some, and yet cleaving but Inconstantlye to that allowance. It is least dangerous in the Attire, for that may be worn and put off, more in the behaviour, for Time reconciles it to Custom: most in the Conditions, for those spots will never out.  
For Clothes, he that shuns singularity, (for from singularity comes either Disdain, or Envy) let his Attire be conformable to Custom, and change with Company.  
I have once cleared Alexander for his Persian Attire, I think Fantasticness lent wisdom Policy at that time. The Grecians were too strict in this, not permitting a Grecian to differ in the least thing that might be, from a Grecian: whereupon an Ambassador of theirs, sent to the Persians, was called to a strait account, because he kept Cows for their Milk, and learned to lie soft. In many things (as in this) Custom is a thing Indifferent, and things indifferent receiving their life from light Grounds; Every country hath some peculiar to itself, by which when we are there, we ought to be ruled. Demetrius' fantasticness was not so safe, when he made his Mantle, or Cloak, full of Stars with the Sun, and the Moon, rich, and so full of state, that none of his successors durst adventure on the like, being infinitely misliked by his Soldiers. But Anthony never sped better, then when his Attire differed not from the common Soldiers, which might be thought fantasticness, for not going according to his degree.  
Time in itself is always one, but Occasion runs Division upon Time, her note is not always one, which ought to be noted by them which are not negligent of their Time.  
A King of the Parthians (of whom Tacitus makes mention) being deposed, comes after in the sight of his People, poor, and forlorn, and thereby moved pity. But Pompey with a fortun● no less unfortunate, came for secure to the Egyptians, and thereby lost his head.  
Thus different are the dispositions of men; thus contrary fall out courses, though for a great space together they run all one way. I have seen fellows kiss their hand so continually, that their hand in the end hath come to make no difference between a Lady, and her Dairy-maide: 〈◊〉 your service, hath been so co●uersant, as one ask, what's a Clock? first came a kiss on the hand, next, At your service, and lastly the hour: do you not think Nature had done this fellow a good turn, to have made him without hands, or tongue? for so his head might have lived 〈◊〉 condemned.  
There are some that never see great assembly without as certain a bringing home of a new grace, as Clowns of Gingerbread from a Fair, making their limbs Rogues without an abiding place: In the end Fantasticness lies with custom, and gets her with Child of a Thumb under the Girdle, or crossed Arms, or one hand before, and another behind. Bar some fellow from chewing a stick, and he is as utterly unfurnished as a House without stuff; In what case would this fellow be in a Champion country, where wood must not be so wanton bestowed? being without his feaking stick, he is without himself: A dangerous Companion, he will gnare him that stands next him, if he find him not Timber. But if this Fantasticness fall once to grow inwardly, the cooling it with Time, the ministering counsel, the letting blood with Adversity will not serve, but in spite of wisdom, and grey hairs, it will dance at three score years old, and wear Green, and play with a Feather, and then it is monstrous, and ridiculous without Hope, or Pity.  
I can remember no sight more offensive to me then a variable old man, that can speak of nothing but the fashions of his Time, the wench then in price, how many hacks he hath had in his Buckler in a Fleetstreet fray, or the frisks of the Italian Tumblers.  
I begin now to suspect the time in the which he lived, that it was barren of all things worthy of note, hoping in Charity, that if there had been better, he would have made better choice, and not have made his memory worse than a Broker's Shop, full only of the cast skins of Times past. Whether he need it, or no, I would not have Age without a staff in his hand: I like not a long Graye beard, and a sword, me thinks he should trust more to his wisdom then to his hands. In a word, after twice shaving, at the third, Fantasticness is to be abandoned, for it is Time to put the wit to School, and to leave playing with these undigested Apes of the Fancy, to trust to Virtue, not to a French Doublet: If we do thus, it is no harm to have been once otherwise, for so we know what it is to be otherways, and may help those that are yet out of the way. Thus hath my Fancy thought on this Child of Fancy, which the hath uttered, as some an Oration long since gotten by Heart: this she hath known herself, and who believes not, i● he be not past feeling, Time will make him know by himself.   

Essay. 25. Of Fame.  
AS Conceits come into my Head I utter them, for what is naturally mine, carries: with it rather a heavy Substance, than any rich Quality: I have daily to do with more happy brains, whom I hold worthier of a place in my memory.  
I thought last of Fame, and my Thoughts have ridden (as I think) over her whole circuit; what I have seen in my travail, I will trust this piece of paper with, and so rid my brain of that carriage. Humours, and Affections our manu-mised slaves, have a great hand over us, they place and displace at their pleasures; Reason carries but the name of Authority, this makes such strange Occupations in the world, such sweatings, and strive, in the Discovery of things never found before. I hold Covetousness a vice bad enough in Conscience, for the best they can say for themselves, is but that they imitate the Ant, a silly creature, made by Nature without candlelight, imperfect, among those whom the Philosophers call Insecta Animalia: yet they are able to yield a reason for their scraping, they will say they may want. The servants of Pleasure, and the worshippers of their senses, though they live only to power it in, and put it out, and in the end are every way unprofitable, except they were among the Cannibals, who love a well-fed morsel of Man's flesh: yet in the end they are able to say, This is an excellent cup of wine, and these very fat and good Fowl. Nay that Chameleon-like occupation that blows the coal, and feeds upon smoke mingled with a little hope, is in much better case than this humour I speak of, for though he cannot take away that leprosity, and imperfectness that keeps base Metals from being the best: yet commonly his Distillations, and Abstractions, make him a perfect Empiric, and so it leaves him; not without an Occupation, though it drops somewhat short of his purpose.  
But Fame's Affectation is the most unreasonable thing that ever was; when one hath wrought all his life, he knows not where to look for his hire: Every man denies to pay upon compulsion, and saith he may bestow it where he will: Nay, they that take most pains, are kept longest without it. Hath not a cobblers trade odds of this? he numbers the patches, and modesty restraineth him not from ask a penny for every patch, and honesty binds thrift to pay it.  
This invisible thing hath a numberless company of Disciples: All that love not money, for the most part woo Fame, and some this way too: many Dung-●●il Bi●des have maintained in●●●●te labours, assisted only with the fame of making their sons Gentlemen.  
As diverse are their fashions, I have seen so●e go about to catch Fame in a caper, and a well graced Galliard, I remember Suetonius mention of Nero, he took not so much pains for any thing as to be thought a good Singer, and who afforded him not Glory, and Admiration in that kind, he would hardly afford him life. I condemn not his wanton expenses, and inhuman cruelties more than this, that having the power of disposing the most famous, and ample Empire of the world, a stock able to maintain Fame richly, yet to f●ye to so base an eunuchs quality for Fame.  
Where Humours may be covered under the having no Beard, I mislike it not so much, Fame serves to enter the Eyas knowledge of man, who cannot catch Virtue at the first flight: but to converse with Experience, and then to cousin ourselves of the familiarity of Virtue with accompanying Fame, is abominable.  
As my youth hath been spotted generally with entertaining my Affections too nearly, so by this the number hath been increased, and I may safely say, it hath been the last extraordinary illness that I have had to do with. My occupation hath been vehemently bookish; I have been counseled by Plato and Seneca for Philosophy. Writing is the draft of reading, and by this I have disburdened my head, and taken account of my pro●●iting.  
If it had gone no further, it had been well, but I have been content to dilate myself too much: It hath been my Fortune ever yet, to like one year worse than another, and this fault among my worldly faults lies heaviest upon me, and is yet the last.  Vt iam seruares bene corpus adultera mens est. 
Since I have kept my body from madness, my mind hath doted, I think it is with overmuch joy, that it hath gotten employment.  
Among my readings Philosophy hath made me honest for two hours after, and I think I could have held out if I had found any drawing that way, but every man is so busy in the quest of Fame, that they neglect the desert: they ask which way she went, but not how she went.  
History hath added to my natural desire of loving fame: I was there set a fire with conversing with brave spirits: I like deeds well, but they were not within my reach, and so I sought to buy what my stock would reach to: though I cannot climb so well as Caesar, yet I should think myself happy, if I could but get up to his Style: But he was a Roman borne, and borne under a climate of more wit: we are so cold, and so dull, that we think of nothing beyond the compass of our inheritance, just like the Swissers we will lose no ground; leave us in dirt, and find us in dirt.  
The Grecians and the Romans were monarchs of the world, not by sitting still, and keeping themselves warm, but Industry, and Adventure were the wings that made them fly high. We will adventure upon nothing except it be on a surfeit, and six pence at Tables.  
I wonder why we estimate ourselves so preciously, or keep our limbs so carefully, except we have indented with our churchyards, not to cousin them of any part or parcel of the said Trunk. Since we are so stupefied, it is well we lived not in their times, for we had surely gone to the mill: our bodies should have been branded with the marks of a slave, as well as our minds are with the deformity of ignorant Laziness.  
But these are no suitors at the court of Fame? Yes, as earnestly as Deserts: they can find Titles as fast as Herraldes' devise Arms: If for nothing else, put him in for providence, and for leaving as much to his son as his father left him.  
Honour is to be bought cheaper than with blood: It is possible to have Titles not Honour thus, for Honour is universal, and runs through all mouths, and enforceth Envy, and Vice, to do him justice, and to give him his due.  
But where is Caesar, Cato, Epaminondas, Alexander, Eumenes, and the rest? Dead: and with them Deserts; their names are enwrapped in Virtue, ours of this sick Time in Fame: they searched for Substance, we for Shadows, they should be our Cognisances, for we are walking Ghosts.  
I could write more in this kind, Vehemency sharpens my Invention, but I have disclaimed it. I will from henceforth follow Virtue silently in my study, and abandon this Impostor Fame, as a Cheater, and Paymaster of counterfeit Coin.  
FINIS.   

A SECOND part of Essays.  
Written by Sir William Cornwallis the younger, Knight.  
LONDON Printed for Edmond Mats, dwelling at the sign of the Hand and Plough in Fleetstreet. 1601.   

TO THE LADY Hastings, Dudley, and the rest.  
HOnourable friends:  
I Number it amongst your many favours, the protecting mine Idleness, for I cannot confess them labours: he guessed right (that said, I would be glad to do any thing that might be acceptable to you, but not judiciously) to think these a fit present, for they are too light for your gravities, and too mean, for they are but papers: I had as lief leave gratefulness to words spoken, as to written words, and these are no more, when I give, or serve, or perform any of these offices to you, I would be glad, they should be armed with some other deserts, besides the widows mite, or the tale of the King of Persia and the poor bodies gift of water: I am poor enough, but like not to come so near begging, as to confess it, nor to confess it in this common apparel of Epistles, it hath been worn by so many as it may be infected, and then it were ill for you, and it will be ill for me, for I should borrow it, and a poor estate, and a poor mind, and poor every thing, would make me fit for nothing but a Spittle-house. No more worthy Ladies, I will not bind you to the penance of reading further, I doubt not you will receive all, having taken some, and doubt not you, but I will be ever the true obeyer of your commandments.  
W. C.   

To the Reader.  
I Present thee Reader with no excellencies, to do thee no harm is my Commendations, which if thou counst unprofitable, believe, it is against my will thou knowest it, for might I have prevented the coming to thy knowledge, thou shouldst never have known me thus: but since a part of me was out, though I trust not to their strength, yet their strength shall be stronger by the rest, to live together and die together, becoming their nearness, they shall then go together, and be all against my will in the power of your disposing.  
W. C.   

The Essays contained in this Book.  

OF Affection.  
Of Keeping State,  
Of Compliments.  
Of Estimation, and Reputation.  
Of Popularity.  
Of Humility.  
Of Fear.  
Of Silence and Secrecy.  
Of Human Contentmentes.  
Of Traps for Fame.  
Of Knowledge.  
Of judgement.  
Of Nature's Policy.  
Of Conceit.  
Of Counsel.  
Of Sorrow.  
Of Solitariness and Company.  
Of Vanity.  
Of Vainglory.  
Of Essays and Books.  
Of the Instruments of a Statesman.  
Of Words.  
Of justice.  
Of Flattery, Dissimulation, and Lying.    

Essay. 26. Of Affection.  
THose actions that receive not their commandments from a deliberated discourse, the issue of reason, receive it from a sympathizing with things, the issue of affection, whose effects though not unnatural, yet very unreasonable, for so much is given to beasts to maintain like with, but to man is given reason to purchase virtue with, which by the other can no way be compassed, no more than the taste, taste virtue, the smell, smell virtue; for affection brings all things to trial by the senses, reason carrieth them to the inquisition of the soul, who regards not their colours, nor those sensual qualities, but makes them confess how much they have of Temperance, how much of Fortitude, and of those inward qualities of the mind. Doubtless then, this power of affection carrieth no farther grace than the preservation of life, which regarded no farther then right is a care of the last place, for speaking of this life, me thinks there is no other thing presented to our view, than some handsome Table or Picture that looks pertly for a time, but will not last, and should receive of us in exchange a contentment of the present state, and a determination to use it to the best purpose whiles we have it, and when we are to part, a patient farewell without disturbance or fear.  Omnia mers poscit, lex est, non poena perire. 
We are taken out of the universal matter of Nature, and made man, highly already preferred, considering our fi●st state; but this viewed with immortality, is base in comparison, than the first, to the second. This life is but a Prenticehood, the freedom immortality, & me thinks it fits well in respect of the ones shortness, and the others eternity, life being but like a Prentices holiday, but more near when we think of our knowledges which are here impotent and defective, but are there complete and full, all things appearing there unmasked, and the borrowed colours and vain apparitions of Affection being withdrawn, those unlimmtied and rich lights of the mind, behold every thing in the right proportion, all the deformities and misdemeanours of the world are the children of affection, which binds up our sight in darkness, and leads us blindfolded: from hence Opinion, which is the destinated censure of Affection, as judgement is the Souls, from hence proceeds the irresolution of our thoughts and our waverings, and change from one thing to another; for Affection, likes his present satisfaction, and judgeth that best, which if in Opinion bettered, he changeth his sentence, and so not able to penetrate into the depth of things, is every day ready for a new impression. All that I have heard, all that I have read, all that by any means hath come to my knowledge performed well, hath been where Reason hath made Affection his servant: contrariwise, destructions, dishonours, dangers, have been enforced by the tyranny of Pride, Disdain, Hate, Self-love, or some other of those Affections unrestrained: so can I fetch Calamity from none other original but this; not happiness but from the deprivation of this frailty. Even that honest harmless Affection, which possesseth Parents towards their children, me thinks whiles they are yet but lumps of flesh, and things without all merit, should not be so ardent and vehement, pity and commiseration fits them better than Love, of which they are no way worthy; for howsoever we abuse love with casting it away upon trifles, yet it is the preciousness of Love, appointed only to attend deserts, and to join no pieces together that are not of this kind; but it is well that Nature hath cast the extremity of this disease upon mothers, it becomes them not so ill to be fond as men, besides these little ones being their charges, Affection makes them more careful, and so it is for those first years never the worse for the child, whatsoever it is for the mother. justice being for example, and no more destroying a commonwealth then the husbandman the trees with executing the water boughs, which he doth as well in respect of their unprofitableness, as also to show malefactors in a glass their own state while they behold the guilty under-going the severity of the law, but yet the creatures bound to profit others with their own destruction, should be picked out monsters whose natures might be seen incorrigible, and those of whom mercy may conjecture amendment, to be spared: thus in the ambiguity of things which doubt will not have resolved, mercy may have a hand. Thus commiseration and a charitable eye to the distrested, all which though they leave more to affection then to the strictness of justice, yet must we so far tolerate them, for so God looks upon us, and so should we upon our brethren, being all borne lame, which fault of ours if it were punished with death, none should live; yet I go not with Montangnia, who in his Essay of Cruelty, bribe's wit to take part with commiseration so extremely and so womanish as not to endure the death of Birds and Beasts; alas this gentleness of nature is a plain weakness, we may safely see the deaths of these, yea of men without motion, it belongs to us to look into the cause of their deaths, not into the manner only, but fetching it from the desert we shall see plainly, it is not the judge nor the executionner that commits this abhorred spectacle, but themselves, themselves do execution upon themselves; Might there be that unspeakable blessing given to the imprisoned soul, that she might here view things in sincere truth, how would vice and sin fly light, when unmasked light might discover their deformities, how profoundly should we be able to censure things, how would we scorn laws and compulsion, when the most ragged-understanding should fly far above them.  
Lastly, all the enemies of wealth and poverty should be banished, for we should not know want, and so should want them, and the laborious life of Study should end, whose travels aim at no other end, but an ability to know every thing in his proper kind; this is not, because Affection is, who daily overcomes reason, not by strength but flattery, and sometimes makes the weapons of Reason, treacherously turn head upon Reason, with corrupting his taste, and making him fortify pleasure with arguments. I would be glad to look upon my brother with the same eye that I behold a stranger, and may the strangers worth excel his, I would prefer him. He is deceived, that thinks virtue respects blood and alliances: she is not so bodily, having commerce with us whiles we have bodies, not because we having bodies, should love our bodies: but because we should with the ordering and subjecting them, win her. It is Affection that hath skill of colours, and hath set up the estimation of White and Red. I verily believe Virtue was never Painter nor Armorist, all those choices and allowances that come from tall, and fat or slender and well bodied, are all Affections choice, the mind sees the mind, and gives the body leave to look how it will, for she loves the abilities and graces of the mind, whose never fading beauties, makes their embracements blessed. Here is the choice of all things made sure; thus friends are to be entertained, whose perfection may be better discoursed of, than it is possible to find it actually, the reason because Affection bears so great sway, our causes of combination being commonly more beholding to Affection then Reason, which makes us so often complain of the unstableness of friends & friendship's inconstancy. No other are those leagues which look into the fortune rather than virtue of friends, that cunningly make Love the broker to supply their wants; how can these hold, since the hold of their hold blind Dame Fortune is brittle and flitting. But amongst all I find no body hath so just cause to complain of this as justice, which being the very soul and life of government is oft time compelled to help the lightest scoale with her finger, whiles Partialities burden makes the other heavy. I can pity the distress of no virtue so much as this, since no virtue carries with her a greater majesty, and in that majesty knowledge, the life of life, the joy of man, & his surest evidence of participating with the divine nature. Surely were it not for the orderly working of this virtue, we should make the world in a worse state than the Chaos, where was a confusion, but it was innocent though deformed: but now it would be turned into a guilty deformity, the picture of which though not fully, are those sick states that are continually letting blood; where the sweet wisdom of laws, are turned into those doubtful arbitrators blows, and where justice executes not with her sword, but fights for her right, but I have destinated a whole Essay to justice, wherefore I will speak no more of her now.  
Of all our delicacies or imperfectitives of any kind, there is no Author but Affection, whose enticements brings on equally both excess and obstinacy, witness the many idle lines of Lovers, who have made many foul Papers, for the sakes of their fair Mistress, whose luxurious conceits they have made love answer for, & called them love.  Talis amor teneat, nec sit mihi cura mederi. 
I wish them no Physic, but myself the sight, for I like no play like to a passionate Lover, yet have I heard it hath killed some; but I will neither believe it, nor yet be thus in love. In a word, all these rabble of disturbers, that provoakes passion & procures the full possession of men, of what kind soever, are the children of Affection, or if not her children, herself, for Proteus like, occasion altereth her shape, and she sometime looks like Anger, sometimes like Love, other times like some other of those blind choosers, whose effects though so different as called by different names; yet all are Affections, with whom I will have as little to do as I can, and when I do use her, it shall be no more, than so much as shall make my body content to go of my souls errant.   

Essay. 27. Of Keeping State.  
I Mislike nothing more than the purchases that some intent, with prostrating and dejecting themselves, to get the highest price on earth with this base commodity, is base than Vespasians gain of Urine; Virtue goeth more right up, more gallantly, none of her limbs are so crooked and halting, she commands Industry of her servants, not this lazy falling at men's feet, and voluntary professing servitude, when greatness declines to this, either it means not well, or is not able to mean well, for Contempt the most cruel enemy to Greatness, is by this means begotten, (Virtues and Vices procreating not like visible creatures, but contraries beget contraries, and those furthest off, bring in those furthest off on the other side, though other defects may incur dangers of no less moment,) as Cruelty, Extortion, Rebellion, yet contempt comes from no other place, than a careless ignorance of our states, or from Pride, the not valuing and over valuing, giving life to this curse, worse than death. Government the blessing of the world, by the experience and inconvenience of times past, brought into an exact form from the comparison of strength and wisdom, hath made a distinction of states, giving one pre-eminence over an other, thus come Kings, Lords, Gentlemen, Yeomen; which difference were it only in name, without the duties belonging to each of them, words should go without meaning, and meaning separated from words, speech should lose her name, man his society, and all should bellowe and roar like beasts.  
We have then from our Ancestors differences, which tradition is not so tyrannical as not to satisfy us with any other reason but custom, for she tells us, that Obedience makes way for Wisdom, which otherways whatsoever it could do, should do nothing, for the clamour and noise of community, every man would speak, every man's speech likes himself best, Selfe-conceite makes Opinion obstinate; many determinations, no resolutions; clamours, not counsels; confusion, not government; for governments supporters are Command and Obedience, the foundation and chief causes upholding states, our eye gives every thing a colour; the things most precious are counted more precious, if they be fair as well as good: from hence we have enforced the Merchandise of the mind to be good, for somewhat else besides mere goodness; all virtues have agreed to this, Temperance hath Health for her colour; Fortitude, Safety; Patience, tranquillity; thus Wisdom now understood by Nobility; Majesty and State, with ordinance of the divine wisdom, whether it be the knowledge of our weakness, which cannot behold pure truth by itself, or our other weakness, which hath need of enticements for our understanding, to persuade us to virtue, or else the temporal rewards destinated to these divine graces, whether for all, or part, certain it is, it is so, these excellent and supreme things, having inferior graces to be their attendants. It is not then in the power of the most witty envious repining nature, to spurn at the differences amongst men, it is a lawful constitution upholding laws, the life of life, it makes up the sweetest sounding harmony whose speaking in several keys by discord, gives every one a part, every one is fitted and altogether knits diversity in concord. Particularly to speak of the upholding & destroying the state of authority, those that are content to let fall their countenances and to open themselves to the entertaining all with one respect are natures forced beyond their natures, being meeter to serve then govern, or such, whose actions going awry, fearfully to eschew punishment, seek shelter in the abuse of courtesy, of the first, they understand not themselves, or rather understand themselves, but not their places, the other, neither the natures of them nor their places, or else worse, are led by affection, of whom there is no more to be said, but being not fit it is meet to send them to mending, if not capable of that, to be made into some other form. This other hath been accessary to the overthrowing many states, nay hardly there is any destroyed, but this hath been an assistant to it, being a cherishing poison, that maketh inferior conditions resty, and rebellious; the Roman state offereth many examples of their kind where their chieftains unable to purchase respect by the true way, attempted the love of the soldiers by giving them liberty, saluting them by familiarity; thus the most exact military discipline that ever was, was lost and ruined and they that had wont to smell of sweat, the testimony of labour, now smelled of oil the witness of an unmanlike effeminate niceness. It ended not hear for the armies wont to look upon their generals with admiration & reverence brought to a deeper insight through their prostitute fashion, began to compare his power and theirs, to examine the causes of evidence, which being wisdom an evidence past their knowledge, in their knowledge nothing being of force, but force finding him inferior to their multitude, it brought contempt, so came (saith Tacitus) the secrets of the Senate to be known to the soldiers, so came they to know their own strength, though not to know how to use it, an unhappy knowledge, so came the armies to make Emperors, so came the world to be governed by money, for by that corruption the Legions erected Emperors, so came the Masters of the world to be held in the slavish tenure of paying a fine for their admittance, and to hold their states of men, that were wont to acknowledge no body but the Gods: such a baseness and declination is this in vice, and indirect aspiring, that to attain but the names of Lords, they are content in truth to be slaves, to be the miserablest slaves, being only commanders unsatiable and unlimited, for there is such a mystery in Nature, as natures passing beyond their allotted limits, work nothing but confusion, and not even their own intendments can they bring to perfection. Never was there any country possessed of the Empire, that managed it more gallantly than the Romans' whose care of keeping their state in majesty did no less preserve them then their greatest conquests, for those do but enlarge these settled and confirm dominion, for little availeth power without order, and this is the mother of order. I do not think but that there might have been men found, in the time of Oracles, no less sound and more certain in counsel then the Oracles, who preserved themselves with a double construction, but their venerable account brought men to attend their answers so prejudicially, as they were taken not searched into; and men with men, doubtless sometimes servants, happen of sound counsel, but their baseness takes away belief, their fortunes esteem, so fruitless are the endeavours of great men, when they put on the carriages of servile conditions, for with the same neglect are they used, that hold not their parsons with the gravity of their states in veneration. Cassandra's prophetical counsel, surely would not have gone so regardless, had she not been a woman, the parson as well as the advise is reckoned of by the advised, they must go together, though we marvel at strange things, yet wisdom will not follow them, and even they esteem that all women have, is derived from their modesties, and shame fast obscuring themselves for put them in their contrary habit accompanied with man's accustomed boldness, and there followeth a loathing and detestation. Thus hath custom destinated in each sex, and every calling, certain rules and orders of life, which broken, are abolished, as greatness attired in a servile form, or a serulle in greatness, is an innovation no less dangerous particularity, than innovations more general to the body of a state, that once overcome the loving, the worse is no less dangerous than the once forsaking the best, for custom is a metal that stands which way so ever it is bend & is not to be rebent without the danger of breaking, witness Galba; whose words to the soldiers.  I actavit se legere, non e●●ere militem consuesce. 
A speech good and well befitting the mouth of an Emperor, yet received a contrary censure, because not fitting the time: thus dangerous is reformation, thus pernicious to follow a time wherein the devotion of subjects to their prince by the negligence of their progenitors is debased and made contemptible. Now to eschew this evil, and to possess the true esteem incident to honour, the groundwork & foundation must be from their lives, for two causes. The first, it is impossible to possess this procurer of awe and veneration being inwardly visions, for vice is base and makes the behaviour base & fearful, which is contrary to the chief limb of this purpose, which is magnannimity and clear conscience, the mother of resolution, the other that every body will shun his direction, that is not all to direct himself, his commandments shall not get passage through the hearts of men, but be spurned at, and despised. There is nothing that hath need of more respect, than the first acquiring respect, it is with much more ease preserved then obtained, for it preserves itself, but with great difficulty is attained, for coming from no other original but virtue and authority, (both which are strangers to the beginning of men's times) they must be had first; and then this, for men's love and reverence are gained not for the beauty of the persons but for the abilities likely to profit, for whatsoever we pretend they are rare that ground their loves upon the general well-doing, we do but talk of loving our countries best, for we love ourselves first, it is to be wished it were otherwise, but it is to be feared it is so; the reason is, we undertake much more willingly to conquer kingdoms then ourselves, and therefore as nature made us, she may have us again, for we are without any other alteration than is incident to obstinate ignorant, for the other instruments vphoulding a due reverence & respect, I remember some, but fearing they would be catched at, without the condition of retaining virtue first, I hold it best not to adventure them, we are lazy and proud, for he that thirsts for honour with out desert, is lazy and proud, and desert I cannot call those cross and gain copings of virtue, it is a counterfeit fashion to face our foreparts with the rich stuff of worth, and inwardly to be a pieced stuff of divers colours of divers rags; to conclude he is perfect in his best livehood that is perfect in himself; he understands an evidence more profitable than the evidence of his land, to which a confirmed bahaviour is the profit of his knowledge, the preservation of which, is the preservation of his honesty, the use of which is as effectual as his wisdom, for separated he may be heard, but not believed; it is not Pride, but Virtue then, to exact and maintain the reverence fit for his calling, which who doth not, is either vicious, or unprofitable, or both.   

Essay. 28. Of Compliments.  
WE misuse all our actions, we spurgall and tire them, look upon them when they are begotten, & we abhor them, for they are full of deformities, and behold us with wry mouths, as if they mocked their fathers, our Tailors gave us but a little belly to our doublets, & we never left until we made ourselves crops bigger than women with child, Hand-kercheffes and Towels, and half Tablecloths thrust in, they not so rich in linen, but as abundant in folly, hay and Straw, as if there had been no grace but in a gorbelly and the bravest proportion, the largest girdle▪ thus madly ran our pleasures, our profits, our desires, our endeavours, never thinking any thing sufficiently followed, until it turn again and looks either full of horror or derision; we of these latter times, full of a nice curiosity, mislike all the performances of our forefathers, we say they were honest plain men, but they wanted the capering wits of this ripe age; we are not yet so impudent as to say they were fools, but we affirm they were fools, for all they did is undone, & their whole courses altered. They had wont to give their hands & their hearts together, but we think it a finer grace to look a squint, our hand looking one way and our heart another, they gave entertainment to your friends, to strangers, we, accomplishment, and civilizd, or civited (for our actions smells like a profound Courtier) kiss the hand as if we meant to take say of it, embrace curiously, and spend even at his entrance a whole volume of words, which when it meets with a fellow unprovided of that windy commodity, he is driven to take all without exchange, and so is thought either clownish or shallow, or else he is bound to the penance of a million of I thank you with all my heart Sir, I am glad to see you well, tell me how you do Sir, but if they be both cunning, what a deal of Cinnamon and Ginger is sacrificed to dissimulation, O how blessed do I take mine eyes for presenting me with this sight, O Signior, the star that governs my life in contentment, give me leave to inter myself in your arms, not so Sir, it is to unworthy an enclosure to contain such preciousness, but pleaseth it you to honour me so much as to make me the bridge of your passing home, happy shall I be to have had the impression of your footsteps, this and a cup of drink makes the time as fit for a departure as can be, by this time they are both drunk dry & they have no more to say but by way of repetition, which the ear loatheth as much, as the palate meat already chewed, only certain shot are left to bring themselves of, as unhappy occasions. Why do you spur me to departed out of this paradise? no Sir pardon me, It is I that have cause to complain of injurious time, who wanting you, do wish the want of myself, for myself without my second self is alike loathsome; no more sweet friend, let us not think to much of the misfortune of separation, but let me leave you here. O Sir pardon me, mine eyes would take it unkindly at my legs hands, my heart at both their hands, if they should not do their uttermost towards your fruition; no farther than this gate, I protest, a little further I beseech you, be not so injurious to the lengthening of my joys, not a foot, much do I fear you have already hazarded your health with this long journey. Give me leave therefore, for the quiet of mine own mind, to salute you by a messenger in the morning, to know how you digested your great travel; my messenger shall intercept your kind intention, and so more than myself farewell: farewell to you both flattery and folly, or both. I am weary of playing this part any longer, and almost tired with this short thinking of these vain touches of the tongue, like to have made love to a servant that interrupted me; Fie of this abuse of speech, fie of this purblind choice; for my part, I had rather bind my tongue apprentice to an Oyster-wife, then to this language, for I hate nothing more than the accomplishing of things purposelesse, and so is this, if it be not worse: for he is possessed with one of these two devils that speaks thus within him, either Dissimulation, or the proper title of a well-spoaken man, which two are the badges either of a fool or a villain.  
I like well that every thing should do according to their kind: I have heard of division in singing, and of the divisions that neat Scholars use to tie up the breeches of an Argument or Oration with, but when we are to send truth or seriousness of an arrant, to send such a mincing embroidered Ambassador, is not fit: wherefore are these employed, but for their swiftness? because they can get sooner to our friend, than our actions, of whom they are the forerunners to relate their coming, which when they shall do, one after an other, a multitude of messengers before the true expected guest shall come, who can blame the scorning, and not trusting such lying posts, me thinks the tongue reading in the heart what he pronounceth, should read truly, and not abuse both with a corrupt translation; but this is the most poisonous quality in accomplements: the pretiest are those that mean neither well nor ill, but as I said, to be a well spoken man, that like an unthrifts money that burns in his purse, so these, their words in their minds, that can no more keep their words, than the flux his excrements, but when it comes, he cannot carry it to the appointed place, but lets it go upon the next he meets; if he meets none, he lays it in his breeches. Who would be troubled with such a disease as this, basting every one without all choice or respect, not I, for I prefer the freedom of my mind, before any thing of the world, and amongst the things of the world, than this, there is none more slavish and base, comes it either from the best or the worse of these two twins Flattery or Follie.   

Essay. 29. Of Estimation and Reputation.  
THe most dear and most precious commodities of man, are these, they are himself, his life, those which all noble and honest spirits have the care of, they live, carefully cherishing it, and die, embracing it. Even wife, and children compared with this, are counted respects of a second sort, and we provide for this, and then for them, which excellent colour that makes men decernable from one another, though opinion or affection, partially distributeth, and sometime counterfeits, it is no matter, lifes enabled with thoughts of magnanimity must not desist for this, this worth is not blemished by this halting defective imitation, but rather increaseth; for imitation how short soever it comes of the origivall, yet bears the meaning of allowance. It is a sweet thing full of the pleasure incident to the things of our own acquiring, for it is no inheritance, nor is it bound to follow the followers of Fortune, but purely is theirs, whose thoughts have guided their actions to do things of note and worth; it belongs not to sloth nor idleness, be he never so noble, if a Sluggard, she will not serve him, she binds herself to no body that doth not well who embraceth virtue, she comes after and kisseth him, baseness and sensuality, she gives in pray to her opposite the most abhorred thing of nature, oblivion, and is herself associated with none that determine not bravely as well as honestly, being indeed the last and most refined digestion of a fiery and high flying nature. This is Estimation that carries level throughout the world, where eyes by distance are unprofitable, greatness dismembered from fear, which being inhabitants of different regions unregarded, thither, and beyond goeth Estimation, being a coin currant, and received in all countries, with all dispositions, even enmity and malice itself cannot resist acknowledging her; besides the ample territory which it yields in commanding respect every where, being like the Sun dispersing his Rays over the world, making the dwarfish feeble constitution of man, whatsoever the eyes saith, figured by the mind, a most godly and most strong portraiture of Excellency; more than all this, it gives the letters of credence that makes us believed in the commerce of men, without this we labour altogether unprofitably, suspect killing all our intents, before they come to the age of actions, surely they are natures of a dastardly kind, that do not vehemently thirst after this most splendent brightness, they are rusty bodies, that do not continually handle themselves until they shine thus, for leaving that worst part that declines to ostentation, and bragarisme, (though praise and commendations, and so estimation may be loved, & yet live long enough without these extremities, for Virtue is not so tyrannical as to propound labours without recompense: it may be loved for a thousand other respects; even as love itself can sometimes go without lust, for the pursuit of actions for the sake of vainglory, is no nearer a kin to the true grounded estimation, than lust is to love. Estimation being the blossom of the tree of Virtue, which promiseth the husbandman payment of a more tasting commodity, being the forerunner of virtues best payment, we must not contemn, but cherish, the blossoms perishing, the fruit perisheth; praises are not then to be contemned, for they are the blossoms of virtue flourishing, they must be loved and desired, for from them one day comes the fruit of the Tree of Life.  
But now to the undiscreet greediness of many, who desire to be rich in this, as robbers by stealing, who leave industry and thrift (the true means) on the right hand, and impatiently despoil others, to satisfy their appetite: the way by virtue is called large, the goodness of the minds inclination tedious, they apply outward medicines, things of resemblance, matter of form, but for truth and not the resemblance but the thing itself, they never travail about it. These base mercenary imitations take their original from three plots: from the pretence of descent, from the infections that parasites give the world in their behalfs, from a behaviour big and swollen full of promises, eager of performances, & trafficking with occasion of a slight & safe price, I can warrant no man from the infection incident to high fortunes, for I taste in every man lively provocations, to teach their thoughts flattery, and to lay matter of worth to their own charge, my readings jump. Alexander, when he was so full and so mighty, as to be called Conqueror of the world, was then so needy as feign to borrow jupiter Hammon for his father, to be the bawd of his own conception; for it was he only that brought jupiter & Olympia together, such is the blind undiscreet capacity of man, as when he may draw estimation from himself, than not for modesty's sake, but a mad ambition, he gives it to others, making his case weak, with bringing in weaker assistance, rather choosing to be a glimmering reflection, than a true and real light. But the pretence here was the purchase of a more ample regard amongst men, whose states commonly being full of dark ignorance, is muth more ravished with thoughts of superstition, than things apparent, for they can guess so near themselves as to determine things of their own pitch, base & trivial, which brings them to a reckless respect of what they are conversant with, & to lend admiration only to things rare, finding what they know unworthy, they are much more delighted with what they know not. I find not for all this any increase of estimation fetched from these divine titles, for men of judgement whose abilities reach farther than the present fortune of princes behold a weakness in these unreasonable affectations, they see a bowing & wavering in those minds, unable to manage success, over the more inferior subject, it lays mo●e fast hold but unprofitably for means of a more direct ascent shall perform this office, doubt shall hold them as fast by the heel as the name of jupiters' mistaking workmanship, for doubt breeds a fear of so good a temper, as being neither inclining to desperation, nor hate, it begets obedience, with other nations it prevails not at all, for being out of the reach of awe and fear, their sights are more clear, and their inquisition more certain. Amongst all those states that drew estimation from this superstitious belief of their participating with the highest powers, Numa Pompilius played it best with his nymph, he was a prince that bred and nourished devotion in his countrymen, who before bred up in wars (a life apt to corrupt) knew better how to be soldiers then good subjects, he changed their lives, to strengthen with innonation the opinion of the counsel of a more than human understanding was necessary; more modestly though I cannot say more discreetly did the Romans of the ages afore use this Deifying power, they gave it their Emperors dead, but with such partiality as they spared none that left a successor of his own appointment, so much differ the nature of these from their progenitors, so much doth it alter nature to be brought up and nourished in servility, but could they, or durst they have given it only to well deserving princes, their princes unlimited by others respects, would have been the better for this, since it is as natural in men to purchase hope as assurance. The Egyptians have a law that at the funeral of any man, all that could accuse or excuse the dead, came in, where if his defects surpassed his merits, he was denied the rights of their interring, it did much good, though they were not in hope of winning any more, than a mortal reputation, the fear of losing that was much feared & so shunned, an excellent law, no laws being so excellent as those that seem cruel and are not, & being slight, produce the weightiest and best effects. The ages since these, grown more Philosophically wise, to whom it is apparent the immediate act of generation is a mortal thing, and no way answerable to the divine nature, the multiplicity of the many Gods being abolished, not so easy a matter to have the conversation of a God, these being known fables not daring to ground their designs upon impossibilities, to which judgement will never consent, from things of likehood they give their pretenced grace, instead of the counsel of the Gods, the manner of adoring God, instead of their descent from them, from families of long standings, these are the masks and disguises of all those impatient eager disposition, that are not content with there own states, to which at the first approach by the quick and light apprehensions of the multitude, perhaps estimation may be given, but it wears off, and is too lightly woven to endure. It hath not been omitted by many thirsters after estimation, to make mercenary breathes fill the ears of men with their commendations, in undirect course, be they even as worthy as they will, for a true thing out of the gutter of a false throat can hardly escape corrupting: surely so great an enemy is virtue to hypocrisy as she grows and increaseth most where she is most obscured, to give whose effects leave to speak, not to speak of her effects, is the best proceeding for attending her leisure, she will discover herself in a more fair & full growth, than now coming into the world like abortive issue half stopped & deformed. The estimation fetched from a big & bombast behaviour decernes not the confuting, for the best of behaviour, more than that the shadow of the sun is better than a candle, endures comparison with nothing, for it is but the shadow of the mind, but the companion of this a hunting out employment, flight, and safe, though it be as ridiculous, yet looks more gravely; how well doth it praise some men to be sent of a message by a greater man, though of no more worth than would fit the performance of a foot boy, these mistake estimation, and entertain baseness in her stead, like a suitor that presents the obtaining the mistress, & marrieth her kitchen maid. This theft and hope of crossing Estimation by the nearest way, seldom escapes discovering, if it doth, and that they do by an insinuating diligence get some degrees higher, their own course is their own destruction, for those dejected dispositions can do nothing well but flatter, and feeding them with hope, they will live, and living they are of good use, there natures run mad with exaltation, they are nothing so well made to bear good fortune as bad, in which state it seemeth that nature hath conspired with fortune, they shall live and die in.  
Reputation the garland of meaner price for meaner champions, is not yet so low as not worth the stooping for, though with titles and worship and words we distinguish states, yet to all men of all fortunes, the grounds of virtue are one, with whom estimation and reputation is all one, but we whose narrow rooms are not able to traffic with virtue by the wholesale but by retail must take in things by handfuls; there is nothing easier than to confound our natures, to eschew weariness we count our miles, we number things and are afraid of infinity, thus speak our arts being erected with grounde-workes, divisions, rules etc. Thus Arithmetic by 1. and 2. and 3. as the stairs mounteth up to millions, we see not, hear not, touch not, smell not, together, but singly cometh our knowledge; thus is virtue content to suffer herself to be anatomised by words, and by words,, to pull one part from another, thus comes fortitude, temperancy, justice, to be destinated to several functions, and to be known by several names, thus comes estimation and reputation to a distinction, thus by words is man's understanding set a work, and kept from running mad. Though our English courtesy calls the Tenant goodman, and the Landlord master, yet I hope goodness belongeth no less fully to the Lord than Tenant, but that their actions pretend a general good, and these unemployed obscure fortunes, but a particular, we must give a pre-eminence, which our minds can not do without our senses, our ears must have their indifferent sounds, the best is therefore known by the name of estimation to determine honestly, to practise those determinations, to resist fear, and vanquish covetousness, is the direct way to reputation, which who honestly endeavours to follow, shall have his endeavours rewarded with this title. These are not impositions of such import as those belonging to estimation, but yet respecting the diversity of natures as difficult, for every one is fitted with desires & appetites of corruption equally dangerous, the husbandman hath his defects, the mechanic his, the merchant his, all theirs whose resistance is no less troublesome though less worth than princes pretences to crowns, to sow sedition amongst their neighbours, to remove by the shortest cut men misliked, so coming so full of variety, so universal, is the power, instruments & policy of vice. To determine honestly, which is the allowing, and retaining thoughts of such provocation, the resisting thoughts contrary, is the first and most effectual means, surely there is nothing so ordinary as those thoughts: yet served thus, they will be less violent▪ and less in number, it makes the assaulters weak, the assaulted strong, their resistance is reason's office, who with the truth of discourse skirmisheth, and at last overthrows these rebels and outlaws, the mustering the good, the trying them, the teaching them their duties, makes them invincible. Quaecunque salutaria sunt, saepe agitari deben●; saepe versari: ut non tantum nota sint nobis, sed etiam ●arata. The often using these thoughts, ends with the practice to a thing often read, the memory will lead as well as the eyes, we cannot think well often, but we shall do well sometimes, and then virtue is gotten by heart, which before was but counsel. Tolle errores, superuacua praecepta sunt, Good thoughts a●e precepts, good actions abolish errors▪ which thoughts though we must light our actions at, yet must we not live only to increase that fire, and not at all to use it, but practise first with our thoughts and then in good time begin a best with our actions. Fear the ill humour upon which oppression works, must be abandoned by him that gives the badge of honest reputation, for without a hackster's humour (for I call not him fearful that will not adventure the loss of his life, for the loss of the wall) even according to the laws of virtue, he can not be honest that is haunted with the could disease of cowardice, you shall see my reasons, let vice but run with an edge tool, he will disclaim honesty, he will never assist the oppressed, for he loves not the weaker part, he will never instruct the erroneous, for a frowning reply quails him, he will never profit any by his example, for he is still of the same religion the greatest number are of, and they are vicious, thus can he not earn reputation, that is troubled with this falling sickness, perhaps put him in a Castle by cannon proof well guarded and well victualled, then turn him to a parley (always provided there be no Guns without) he shall then say they do not well, and that honesty is a thing more excellent than power, but if these words deserve reputation, every body having their right, it must be parted between the guard walls, and the victuals, and to him must remain the everlasting shame of an unprofitable fellow, that doing nothing takes more pain, than the most industrious valour. Covetousness, that makes men resemble beasts, whose bellies never so hard stuffed, will yet tear a pray, though they cannot eat it, assaults not so vigorously as the spirit of fear, this frowns not but smiles, this takes not men by the throat, but by the hand; it infuseth gently the venom of corruption, which perpetual hunger though it be not more deformed, yet is it much more dangerous than fear, for besides the same effects, (though by a contrary course) this presupposed invincible Castle is won, for a covetous commander, can never be safe guardian.  
I have told the direct way to Reputation, the colour that the substantial body of Virtue carrieth, the seemliest and most blessed title of this world, for all others stand either upon the pleasure of men, or fortune, both which are too inconstant Lords to be Tenants to, but this is a man's own which he challengeth, nor holdeth upon no second state, but the same power that giveth Prince's Sovereignty, gives honest men reputation. Estimation the destinated lustre of greatness hath more to do, he hath the enemies of reputation to resist, as he is a man, and estimations as being a great man, nay he may play the private man's part well, and yet fail of his title, it is not enough for him to think well, to do well, to be no coward, not to be covetous, all these particularly come not so high as the mark, for his thoughts must carry a more ample nature, his thoughts must tend to the universal profit, his actions so, he must not be content with his own valour, but teach others the rules of fortitude, he must not only resist covetousness, but punish the covetous: The nobleness of these actions speak for themselves, they are bound of a rich voyage, from which may they return into the bay without shipwreck, they have done so well as not to be mended, they have no more to do but to die, and leave their example to successors, whose lives if they attain to an exact imitation with themselves, lift up the memory of the estimation of their forerunners, so eternal and everlasting a thing is virtue, adorning great personages: so true, and just, and liberal a rewarder is virtue to well deservers of all kinds.   

Essay. 30. Of Popularity.  
SO is the state of man environed with weakness, so irresolute are his actions, as from success he draws danger, from occasion changes: thus may I say viewing the occurrentes incident to this humour. Surely at the first founded with the consent of commiseration and good name, but the effects following too fast, we rob virtue of her operation and reward, separating her and ourselves, and attributing all to our own merits, as if there were a power in us able to do well, that proceeded not from the motions of Virtue. Certainly before the gain incident to this attempt, when accompanied only with honest provocations, and a sincere mind, it is well intended and without corruption, they put on the state of the oppressed, and pity, they feel the wrongs, that others feel, & redress them; but the strength of virtue enforcing allowance, applause, and following, drawn beyond the compass of ourselves, impatient of virtues long last payment, we snatch at the opinion of the world, and lose her, for she must be loved alone, than these pretences change their end, and what we meant once should purchase virtue, we lay out for vice, who now manageth an usurped authority, and doth some things seeming good, to do ill after with the more safety, and under the covert of Humility, Liberality, and Commiseration, means to enthrone Pride, the engrossing all things, and cruelty; thus fails the foundation of a goodly building, meant to the good inclination of the lovers of their country, but they are put out, and ambition dwells there. It is no wonder then though this common affability hath ill success, for it hath an ill intent. It is no wonder though it be the most cunning seducer, for it is covered with the rob of virtue, nor deserves it marvel, though it conjure hearts to be the means of their own overthrow, since there is no bait swallowed with so much haste, as that of gain & particular contentment; thus is there destinated to this Art much cunning, much danger, much applause. That the state of man is on every side environed with danger needs no proof; read but thyself reader, & without me thou shalt find, vice hath fitted thy state with thoughts apt to deceive and entice, all estates have them, prosperity as many as adversity, ask vain glory else, which as much outruns the mark as miseries repining comes short or despair, all which being unrestrayned by reason, carry man from his destinated mediocrity, & so leaves him to the pleasure of irresolution & uncertainenesse; but nothing so subject is adversity to this staggering as the other, it is prosperity and success that brings forth this monster, who following the actions of men more amply than they have expected, hath wholly corrupted them, making their attempts that were fair at the time of conception, when they have been actions foul and ill favoured: thus have many pretending to be reformers of state, through the favour of thei● pretence grown mighty, been deformers of a state: so hard it is for man to think well altogether, especially when his demeanour carrieth a popular form, bearing the title of the oppressds refuge, and patron of the vulgar, whose wording favour and shouting allowance, hath such an operation with man's frailty▪ as carried from the true regard and knowledge of his duty, he seems like a feather governed by the breath of men. That there is danger, who seethe not? since he is a fit by the pleasure of others, a dangerous estate, for with danger they stand that stand not upon themselves his foundation is the many headed multitude, a foundation both in respect of their number and nature uncertain, and consequently dangerous, for who knows not the divers forms of men's imaginations, as different almost as their faces, which shows them easily separated, & their forces being strong, no longer than whiles together incorporated, being so subject to be severed, nay they going against nature, if holding a continued union, what can issue from this confidence, but danger? their natures, but by the pleasure of nature and their education is left ignorant, which impotency leaves a wavering disposition easily seduced, and as easily reform, apt to believe a fair tale, and as apt to believe weak reasons, strong: spent in contradiction, this makes them inconstant, for their discourse not used to retain things, makes them like any thing, because they are destitute of the use of comparison. It is in every man's nature to allow the state of others the upperhand of his own, even rich men sometimes wish themselves poor, but with much more vehemency the poor themselves rich; thus are the vulgar often catched, poor creatures, they willbe enamoured of gay clothes and rich habiliments, yea even of the persons of men, which they shall never have the least use of, who then obtaining grace from the subjects of fortune and time, who like inconstant builders are still erecting and pulling down, and can think it meet to adventure his state, his fame, his life, his soul, upon such wavering opinions. These are uncertain, how can the erection upon these stand? the one and the other must of necessity fall, for so go all things originally descended from our affections uncommixt with reason. But determine their favour fetched from more reasonable grounds, from the doing them good and easing their yoke of subjection, this shall be found as unstable, for have they no need, or is there need beyond the power of remedy they are lost, for their love comes from necessity, always loving them that they have need of, but never loving the needers of them. In the mean time the prince from whose careful circumspection nothing of this kind can be concealed, finding a subject engrossing subjects, what can it breed but suspicion, what ought to be the issue of that suspicion but death? it being as just and as natural for them to remove fear, as others pain: but were his course bend but to win, not to abuse their loves, that immoderately sought, is an offence, for all the possessions of subjects must be limited, his honour, offices, revenues, power, and so the love of the people, the generality and gross body of which is destinated only to the Prince. Needs must they have cunning that deal with this ticklish commodity of the vulgars' favour, they must carry an even hand of them, neither to let them be empty, nor full gorged, they must neither too often, nor too seldom see him, neither must he be too strange, nor too affable, for opinion is much more nice and curious to please, than judgement, more quick, more light, being soon off, and soon on, of a ready, though not of a wise dispatch. They are won with what they feel, and delighted with what they hear; are the chief tools of this trade, Liberality and Rhetoric, these must serve one another's turn, amplifying, gifts, and the actions performed for their commodities, with Eloquence; other times leaving the persuasion to the benefit, when benefits want, drawing the picture of Liberality in good words; their minds are like queasy stomachs, that will surfeit as well by the use of one meat oft time, as by excess; their satisfaction resting as much in the variety, as in the profit. But no more of this, it is not requisite to follow this point any further, I have often times seen them that meant to destroy vice, sow it▪ then no more but this, the cunning of Popularity, is like that of jugglers, the cunningest of which can cast mists before men's eyes, but here is their nearest resemblance, jugglers tricks go most invisibly by Candle light; men popular, with those heads that come no nearer the strength of understanding, than candle light the light of the sun: the payment of these are praise and applause, a reward fuller of noise than profit, of which they are as prodigal to their sports as favourites, with no less vehemency, with no less number of circumstances, so me thinks it is doubtful which they affect most, for their behaviour without all heraldry gives no mark of destruction. Much harm doth the possessors of these shouts and clamours receive by them, for the knowledge of their actions, which from the account of others comes most impartially, helpeth their proceed, for all they do by a corrupt interpretation is called commendable; make him an Archer, if he shoots not near, he shoots for all that a fair shoot, so corrupt is our estimation of things not looking into the inside, but upon their success and fortune: who can then that determineth, determine popularity commodious, since weighing the discommodities, the dangers, the pains incident to it, and then beholding the profit, we shall find no profit, the deduction hath consumed the sum, this body of breath is too mutual to rest on; if not mutable, dangerous, if not dangerous, dishonest, who then will spend his time in pursuit of a thing so diseased, as to be mutable, dangerous, and dishonest? But the extremities of the other side must with no less care be shunned, there belongs to every man that desires safety to make the things appertaining to him, correspondent with his fortune, otherwise like a bark oversayled, he runs himself under water, and sinks.   

Essay. 31. Of Humility.  
WE have much labour and hold in the obtaining Virtue, when we have fought well all day, we lose it at night, vice dogs us, and never assails but upon advantage; she comes creeping, and by degrees gets into our bosoms, we cannot shut her out, for our gates will not be bard, our senses keep open houses, they are busy faculties, that love not idleness, though they lead to idleness: be blind, and the power of the eyes will run into the touch, and then make that itch for both, take away four and leave the fifth, and that fifth will trouble us as ill as all, take away all, we are senseless; so having senses, we are subject to vice, having none without feeling. The reason of virtues difficulty, is her invisibleness, it must be touched or tasted, or heard that they make much of; and so much of virtue is common, we can call her by her name, and tell of her excellency but to translate her out of words, into deeds and actions is few men's cases, & no marvel for the persuasion of virtue being in a language that man understands not without the senses interpretation, by their interpretation is corrupted, this makes them think those good deeds l●st that have not the eyes of men for witness; the most detestable vices are those that desire to look like virtues, and these come from the corrupt perverting the soul's motions, those merely of the body though they be ill enough, yet are they not so ill, for they are natural. Thus hardly do we earn all virtues, humility excepted, which me thinks is so near a kin to us, so like us, so fit for us, as she needs no long wooing, we have no other refuge but this, it is she only of all other graces that most truly belongs to us, and of whom we may have the greatest part, for the rest send but their shadows amongst us, she comes herself: they are all of an higher nature and more stately, but this virtue is humility, that teacheth the knowledge of knowledge selfe-knowledge, that destroys Fortune, for she is delighted with nothing but excess of passion, but this hath but one countenance, that confoundeth pride & counterfeiting, for she shows her inside, and thinks of mending her imperfections, not of glorying in any, surely, there is no doubt but the quest of the others is an honourable employment, but the pursuit of this exceeds all in profit, for without this the rest are not, all of them being despoiled of their excellent natures, by an overweening opinion, but this true understander of our states, so sweetly commixeth her defects with those thoughts of liking, as taking away presumption, the abuse of our endeavours, & leaving just so much knowledge as desends weariness & loathing, we hap of that true way, that directs the graces of the mind to heaven without danger. But because though we dare not say we mislike; yet we like that best, that is good both for soul & body, and that the body will, like children cry, if it have not part with her fellow: that it is here a beauty, a help, a preservation, is worth the proving, we differ much in natures, and our like like not all one thing, yet was there never nature that liked the taste of pride in another, the sport of it is not pride likes pride, but will spit at one another, and make even their own imperfection, bear witness against the same imperfection in another; thus plain it is, howsoever we hide it, and hiding cherish it in ourselves, that by our opinion of others, the opinion of all others nearest a kin to judgement, we hold pride a vile and loathsome companion. The creatures that give us earthly immortality, whose chosen evidence is beauty, if that not beautified with modesty, humilities other name, it is no less loathed than deformity, it gives a sweetness both to the beauty of behaviour, and the body's beauty, and turns the beholder's thoughts into admiration, that unless thus accompanied, would end with envy, and a repining against nature's partiality. The assistance of this virtue, is as much as her contraries dangers, never was there pride, though encompassed with the strongest guard, safe; For it is a vice contrary to all natures, there is no other but may have aid, aided by the hopes of gain, or satisfying some humour; but Pride deuouting all things to uphold herself, destroys both love and hope, and is left destitute of all manner of defence, it kills succours, and multiplieth enemies, the contrary, purchasing friends, enfeebling enemies, therefore without question, a virtue of great help & profit. But her best virtue is Preservation, for beauty is but a colour, and not reckoned amongst the substantial, help may be helped, and yet have need again, but Preservation looseth no friend, and humility is the author, for sailing by this compass, we know wheresoever we are, what we are, it is impossible for any place or any state to alter us all fortunes are one, things that may stick upon the body, but never upon the mind, thus is she the cause of Preservation, for to preserve is not to lose, she looseth not therefore, she preserveth, making the mind constant and free. To tell how fit it is for man, it were fit first to relate the wretchedness of his state, an argument long and doleful, but that it were a relation that would ask a long time, since it is of his misery, shortly averreth mine opinion, for those debased states unable to stand upon themselves, have no other refuge but humility, a testimony of an obeying mind, & yet far enough from a dejected baseness.   

Essay. 32. Of Fear.  
WE hear from our nurses and old women, tales of Hobgoblins & deluding spirits, that abuse travelers, and carry them out of their way, we hear this when we are children, and laugh at it when we are men, but that we laugh at it when we are men, makes us not men: for I see few men, we delight not perhaps in jigs, but in as ridiculous things we live: nor this disprooues not their relations, for we are misused by these spirits both night and day, some go but a a little out of the way, most go contrary, yea succourless, for the Moonlight of sense is hardly their companion, but the clouds of error wholly encompasseth them, and in their travels, pride catcheth some, luxury some, hate others, covetousness deludeth another, ambition others, and my text millions, whose cases are desperate; For day helps them not, but then instead of thinking of these impostors, they see them and follow them, and love them: of none of these have we so just cause to complain, as of Fear, for most of the others are the diseases of our choice, rather than natures, but this imperfect opinion catcheth hold in our very conceptions, and when we have not wit enough to be cousined with the other crimes, we have then apprehensions of fear and nothing is more conversant with us, than dismaidness and terror. Lycurgus ordained the Laconian women the exercise of their limbs, wrestling, running, and managing weights, and throwing them, it did well doubtless for the preparing their issue strong and sturdy, but had he given mothers the education of bettering their minds, he had done much better; matters of execution are the servants of direction, weakness is not so great a fault as ignorance, and ill strength with a strong mind more invincible, than a strong body and feeble mind, but to my use, we leave our women ignorant, and so leave them fearful, which makes us so weak hearted, the man's part is soon done, he hath much more from his mother, which being thus full of pusillanimity, must needs sustain and make his issue fearful, it will impair a man's courage to converse with a coward but a twelvemonth, to live with them, and be nourished with such faint blood, cannot choose but make them like safety best, and prise a whole skin above honour. I do not think women are much more faulty in Nature's abilities than men, but they fail in education, they are kept ignorant, and so fearful; Instead of these L●curgian courses, I would have them learned & experienced, let them know as much as we know, and then doubtless they would be as fearless as we are, I am much against that Roman law, that prohibiteth commanders wives going to the wars with their husbands, all objections set apart, their commonwealth would have gained by it, for doubtless a wench that hath been in many countries, seen many battles, and is full of experience, is excellent to breed on, and if the Nurse were there to, it were well, for from her teat they suck somewhat of her constitution, in which I doubt whether there be not some fault, for we take the wives of our grooms and tenants, to feed these little ones, and mingle gross & heavy blood, with their gentile and spirited natures. This is that I think, now to that I see: there is no vice that we blame so much to blame as this, no vice so putrefieth man's best part as this, for though voluptuousness and other frailties, will abuse the office of wit, & procure warrants for their purposes, yet in none doth wit strengthen opinion with such strong arguments, as she doth fear, she will here transform bushes into men, bul-rushes into Spears, any thing into any thing, being still desirous of matter and occasion to do herself hurt: man had need beware of these imbecilities, for their neighbourhood to his reason makes them obstinate; hence cometh it, that no creature is so good and so bad as man, for all other creatures are bound by nature, but the universal circuit of man's mind, hath leave to run, into the extreme and furthest part of things, which since it hath, well may we profit by it, as well as receive loss, who hath the history, but of his own time, and so much of years, as may make him hold the relations of the world shall find the worst of calamity to be a thing so ordinary and so incident to the life of man, as not at all to fear their approach but embrace them as the appendices and connections of life. I was and again not to be, must give beings to others, that time shall ruin me and my memory skilleth not, before I was, I was, in the same case, and when I am so again, I shall not be sorry for it, fame and oblivion & such things are coin of our stamping, & only currant with our poverties; those opposites to fear, as to be the favourites of Fortune, to be rich, to be noble, to be any of these outward things, are but apparitions, things without all hold or continuance, time must do his office, populate & depopulate nations, give & take Empires and so downward, from the plough to the spear, and from the spear to the plough. — Fuimus Troes, fuit Ilium & ingens, Gloria Teucroum— How many thousands of states are gone and vanquished, and hardly so much as that they were, is left, how many millions of examples have we of things finished, as full of terror and terribleness as fear can possibly imagine? certainly the pain of things rest not in the execution, but in the conceived opinion, for it is too short to be grievous, we make no account of the cramp, because it stays not, yet for the time questionless it assaulteth the body more sharply than the Ague, death is but a cramp, therefore knowledge an Ague, looking into the state of fear, I find she lives by two means, by ignorance and by knowledge, by ignorance as the fear of children, by knowledge when malice compelles knowledge to go against her knowledge, the first we are borne with, and many mitigate with industry, the second virtue expelles. Of the first I have already spoken something, of which I say again the industrious search of letters uncaceth all these terrible apparitions that seem terrible to the vulgar.  
— Wlgi qu● vox ut venit ad aur●s,  
Obst-puere animi● ge●●dusque per ima cucurrit,  
Ossa trimor.—  
Upon the first buckling of Caesar with the Helvetians, a cowardly commander of his, lost him a fair attempt, through the false persuasion of fear, that the enemy had possessed a hill, that was possessed with his own forces, but himself never sped better, then when he drew his valour to the adventuring his own person, exercising his hands as well as his head. The examples of the ancient honest Philosophers as well as their speeches are full of contempt of fear, they seemed to make wars continually with this opinion, & we are most of them as it is said of Zeno rebutters of that Sympathising delicacy with heat, & cold and sickness and the rest of the vulgar misleaders.  
Hunc non aeris hyems domuit non frigidus imber,  
Non sol●s radii non vis teterri● a morbi:  
Non quicquid vulgo pretiosum invictus at unus  
Instabat gra●●bus studiis noctesque diesque.  
Few men in health and prosperity can promise themselves this constancy, but to do a man's good will is well, to perform which the meditation of fortunes foulest play is good, imagine the worst of misery and go to fence to these old Phisophers to learn the warding blow, me thinks the certain belief of the priceless, value of things in the world, should do much with a man, these things of reckoning with the world are only good in opinion, estimation gives them grace and value, they have nothing in themselves, but men gives them what they are, from whom, if he will respect his own poverty most, and take them away again, he shall leave them beggarly and naked, and then see they are things neither good nor ill, but indifferently made good or ill by our use.  Huc tandem concede, haec Ara tuebitur omnes. 
There is no good to be done upon these things but by contempt and scorn, and withal knowing the things contrary to fear, are no more rich nor solid in contentment, than these are procurers, dangerous and painful, we have no truth that our reaches can stick upon, that we have, we have by faith and belief our reason cannot grasp it, being too little and too short, there is a mortal understanding destinated to our use, and in the use of things is our cunning, and in this running the best lesson is, not to be apprehensive of the storms of the world, he that cries for his losses, must necessarily laugh at his gains, do now not rebuke days and women for this quality, and shall men cry them mercy, and say they mistook my sorrow & calamity? Those things that are necessitated, there's an end of them, they must be done, those things that may be resisted, and resisted gallantly, encounter danger and you shall soon know his pleasure, either he will make an end of you, or become a quiet fellow shortly, run away & he is more than at your heels, for he is in yourself.  
As Li●sius in his Constantia handsomely showeth, the cure of the minds malady is not by the physic of travail, for all griefs must be cured like the wound that was incurable, but by the means of the wounding weapon, by itself, looking into the cause of the grief, and finding sorrow a fellow, that keeps an unprofitable stir, I hope you will hold your peace. Me thinks Virgil makes Aeneas speak too like a nurse or a waiting maid, when commanded the repetition of his fortune, he saith; 
— quil● alt● f●nd●  
Mirmidonum, Delopumue, aut duri mil●● Vlysis temp●ret a lachrymes?—  and after. 
Se● si tontus amor casus cognoscere nostros,  
Et breviter Troia suprem●m ●●d●re laborem.  
Quanquam animu● meminisso horret luctuq●● resugit,  
Incip●●m—   
Well if Aeneas were of this mind, it was not Dame Venus, but Dame Fear, that wished him to fly from Troy and it was not a cloud but cowardice that encompassed him. There is a great deal of weakness and too much moisture in these heads, that cannot stir their memories▪ but strait it will rain. Saint Augustine remembers in his confession, the expense of tears that he was at, when he read Dido's end, verily it became his condition well, for tears are only due when we fall short in our reckonings with God, than tears and repentance is behoveful, but in any other case, it is unnecessary, nay more it is undecent. I have not yet spoken of those far fetched fears that are drawn not from any apparency of danger, that is either felt or seen, but from dreams, encountering with Hares, and the Salt spilling, other that go by the signs, or by Prognostications, prophecies, and auguries; times past were much governed by these. It is said Augustus was very inquisitive about his own dreams and his friends; it was great pity, for he was otherwise a very wise Prince, but he had a great fortune, and a mortal body, which are still at variance, and blind-foldes the true discerning in which time, fear creeps in & overvaluing life, draws preservation from wrong places. For these auguries and fetching things from the entrails of beasts, it was not amiss then, 〈◊〉 no state can be upholden without religion, no people are well governed or successful in their attempts, without the annexion of divine hopes to their earthly strength: but now when that is done by the true means, when men may fetch hope from a clear possibility, these things are to be discarded, & to trust to the soundness of religion. For the signs, I remember a speech of Cassius to a Soothsayer, that wished him not to fight with the Parthians until the Moon had passed Scorpio, he answered, he feared not Scorpio but the Archers; These things are least of all to be feared, they beg fear that pick them out of these occasions, he that will interpret mischances out of these things, may take his leave of tranquillity, for some of them happen every day, which being enforced to these ill presages, makes the vulgar so full of sighs, exclamations, and uncertainties; Scinditur incertum studia in contraria vulgus.  
There are no mischances, there is no fortune, there is no misery in our humane lives, except we look into the feebleness of our merits, & our Creator's bounty, in other things we are deceived by imagination, the circumstances of things are more than themselves: Exovitur clamorque virum, clangorque tubarum.  
It may be so, is it any more than death? tush cruelty can do no more, and for that, put but away opinion, and it is soon gone. In the mean time, see the behaviour of the suppressed Trojans weaklings, & the children of Fortitude, and think who carried themselves to the grave most graciously.  
Apparent Priami, & vet●rum penetralia regum,  
Armitosq●e vident stantes in limine prim●,  
At domus viterior gem tu, miseroque tumultu  
Miscetur, pe●tasque ca●e psangoribus ●der  
Fa●●ers unnest: ferit aurea sidera clamour.  
Tum pa●ida tectis matres ingentibus errant,  
Amplexoeque tenent postos atque oscula figunt.  
Now who would add to the fury of an insulting enemy, prayers and petitions? no let it be death, let it be pain, there is yet left us to conquer the victors patience, there let us end; for those terrors that are exhaled by a guilty conscience, they are more incurable than any other, in spite of vice, our knowledge miscarried, will return and complain of her abuse, and the impression of her fault bring fear, and fear presents thoughts of terror, thus Nero beheld his murdered mother; thus tyrants are no where safe, though in the midst of their strengths. This made Dionysius make an Image that singed off his sons hair, not daring to trust a Barber; this made Alexander Pheraeus use to have his wife searched for fear of murdering him, guiltiness cannot be without fear, neither will justice long delay their execution▪ which in themselves they find, and so fear every thing is a hangman. Many of the Roman Emperors at the hearing of the thunder would creep under their beds and seek shelter of the most unable things to defend them, poor people, it was not the thunder but their consciences put them in mind, like sea sick persons that complain of the sea when it is their troubled stomachs that diseaseth them, but this argument fitteth a more divine hand, to them I leave the examination of this honest remembrancer conscice, and end with the example of Numa Pompilius and Aurelius, who need no guards, for they were honest men, they feared not, for they were virtuous and virtue cannot fear, such is the power of that excellent and true guide of humanity.   

Essay. 33. Of Silence and Secrecy.  
IT is pity this quality must borrow words to express it worth, but it is no more infortunate than all things which to become known, must borrow sound and air, for though we can think, yet think we not that enough without sending our thoughts abroad to the censures of men. I confess speech is to the mind, as convenient havens to towns, by whose currents they grow rich and mighty, but it doth as these places of traffic do, bring in not only commodities profitable and wholesome, but luxuries, corruption, and delicacy, I cannot well tell then which I should prefer of speech and silence, since the one doth to much the other to little, speech inritching and corrupting, silence being poor but honest, but these are extremities which never prosper, until brought into the mean, whose mediocrity keeps each end from falling, withholding and paizing each side with the holdfast of the midst. I am not against speech, but babbling, which consumes time, and profiteth no body, it is one of the blessings of nature, speech; but to ride still upon the top of it, is too vehement; they are at great pains with feeding hungry ●ares, and to speak truly, are the very bellows to kindle laughter, it carrieth not only this fault, for with all, it is unsafe, words discovering the mind, and negligently giving all eyes the sight of the heart. There is a wise Philosopher that calls words the shadows of deeds, Sermo operis umbra, this is his best, which is so slender as the true affectors of things, will give their thoughts bodies and translate them more substantially. There is a more nobleness in deeds, in which may be read the worthiness and unworthiness of men truly, whiles words greatest gains, doth but promise things, performing nothing. I find no men affecting actions more thoroughly than these people of fair words, which makes me fear these engrossers of speech, are constituted of too much wind and air, and want that solidity which is meet in the generation of this dear issue of ours, our actions, which never fail to resemble us more nearly, than the children of our body. Photion was preferred before Demosthenes, because he spoke not much, but filled his speech with stuff, and was sparing of Rhetoric▪ and full of reason. If he tells me their nature a right, I join with his choice; it is with these for bettering the hearers, as it is between a few dishes well dressed and a great feast, the sparing speaker gives you that which is wholesome and overburdens not your memory with superfluity; the wording Orator is like our English feasts, where the stomach must win way to the second course, with bearing the burden of the first, & when he comes to it, hath lost the bettering himself by it, through the heaviness of his first receipt: when I hear one of these common speakers laying up his stomach, I let his words pass without any more attention than I bestow upon a clock, when I care not for the hour, but he that solicits my ears but seldom, I receive his pleasure with pleasure, and willingly grant him a room in my memory.  
It was well advised by Cleanthes to one that entreated him to instruct his son, he said, be silent, for besides the advantage that he hath of a talker, of having all he knows without paying him any thing for it, receiving it scotfree, it is also more becoming & instructing, for his behaviour is not carried out of the way with following his words, and out of that silent behaviour there is more wisdom to be learned then from a multitude of words, and more with entertaining this silence, for he receives from her, her wise and safe daughter Secrecy. Were I sure all men thought just with me, secrecy were not necessary, but since the speaker and expositor utter and receive with different minds, and that speech cannot carry herself to mean just as I would have her, I must defend her equivocal impotency, with bestowing her only where she may be well used; it seems the late professors of secrecy, which were not yet so secret but to confess that if their nearest attire were privy to their determinations, they would burn it, received this Item from Metellus, by which I will show you the example of a double exposition, Montagnia likes not the protesting this, nor I to say, so, for I would not have uttered so much, but for the thing, it is a safe and an honest principle, for I will not conclude, their concealing things proceeds from the faultiness, but since ill hath gotten that power, to convert things well meant, into their own wild natures, it is best to keep them from it; the integrity of the world is past, it is too late now to profess openness be it never so honest, for so neete may many of our actions come to dangerous intents, as they are best, when only in our breasts, for In du bium trahitur relligiosa fides. Secrecy is of two kinds, of our friends, and of our own; that of our friends, religion commands us to keep; that of our own, discretion: for the first, did he not open me by the power of friendship, I would not willingly neither give it nor receive it, for he that means honestly, I think deserves as much thanks for being content to hear, as the other confidence in telling, for we are bound once more than we were, by his disclosing, and perhaps drawn, that we cannot eschew the doing a fault, for if his secret be pernicious, I must betray him, or myself sin, than he must go, and so I forfeit a friend, and break a principle of friendship. I would here upon such a desire, demand if he sought it for counsels sake, if so I would hear him, if otherwise deny him hearing, for howsoever he meaneth, if he relieth upon mine advise, he shall mean, as I would have him. Many States used to punish the laying open of secrets, with the loss of their babbling instruments, which was a very just law and a sure, for no example prevails with a born tatler, but the loss of his picklock; I wonder that the Barbarians generally do not with those slaves they employ near them, deprive them of their tongues, as they do of their stones, for fear of the abusing of their wives and concubines, me thinks they should be as jealous of their secrets, as they are of their lusts. The Turks they have certain Mutes to perform their executions, which since they are in for worse matter, may be put in amongst the rest for venial; But to speak as I think, I hold the people subject to this flux of words very dangerous, for by such, Scylla found where the possession of Athens might easilest be attempted, by Flavius that had this disease. The city of Rome had the plague of a tyrant continued, I never knew tattling a safeguard, but the geese that preserved the Capitol, which the Romans' rewarded with great care, popular states being never ingrateful to geese, these are all to be shunned, for their cowersations are more unsafe than the fellowship of the most malicious, words being more pernicious than blows, for no Fencer can ward them. Of our own secrets the discovery bewrays a great feebleness and impotency, it resembleth a cloud, that by the sun is possessed of hot exhalations, but is so weak as not to keep them, desire draws up thoughts of assistance, but when the desirer hath them, overburdened with their strength, they burst out and dissolve him; thus all his attempts overwaying the mind, are brought to nothing, which weakness of man's were ill, were not man so ill as to have ill affected thoughts, but having such it is well, for thus most conspiracies against Princes are prevented: for an honest man, it is a great blessing, for a dishonest the contrary, an excellent punishment. So must I conclude of secrecy, which if you will call craft or policy, I must answer you with these two verses; 
Tutus uhique manes, f● calliditate valebis.  
Non est simplicit as dign● savour magis.    

Essay. 34. Of Human Contentment.  
BEhold the gods of the world, the soul of action, the motion of the inhabitants of the earth, the point, the conclusion where unto all thoughts are reflected, this is the master of all trades, Arts, sciences, and professions, for this, the husbandman finds a sweetness in labour, the Artisan in following his trade, the Artist in the inquisition of knowledge, soldiers in pursuing danger, politicians in the working of the mind, in plotting and fetching in strange conclusions to uphold practices; this is the garland, that makes every one love victory, this is the reconciling object of the discenting constitution & courses of men, for they all agree, that contentment is the place where they desire to end their journeys. But that the world should have still the right use, and not be desolated with man's neglect of enquiring & uttering her secrets, this contentment is fashioned like our loves, what I call fair, another thinks ill favoured, another out of deformities picks beauties; thus contentment, which according to the minds of men is drawn out of a numberless number of courses, which mystery of natures doth make all agree. That contentment is to be sought, and to dissever them in the manner of their search, joined with the other of making all forms lovely in some eyes, uphouldes the world, for by this last, the world is peopled; by the first her people made industrious, and the great volume of the world in no corner left unnoted, but stirs and flourisherh as the chief and master piece of Nature. Thus do we propound a cause and reason of our life, and make every day beget us occasion, either of following or learning to follow our quest, when we do not go forward ourselves, we behold others, which like a map lays out the course of our travail, but when according to the excellency or grossness of our choice, the determined contentment approacheth, we fly from, not the enjoying, but the opinion we had, another contentment is set up; that obtained another, so doth our humane lives run after contentment, but never overtake her, we cannot, for contentment is divine, our bodies earthly, our minds we feel overtakes her, for the propounded contentment pleaseth her, she embraceth it, and is already in possession, but when it comes, so short doth it fall of her expectation, as she erects another, a plain argument of her divinity, and a true sign, that real contentment is not of this world, nor to be grasped within our earthly arms.   

Essay. 35. Of Traps for Fame.  
I Had not need to teach the world new opinions, for I hold all I know, more by tradition, than reason, I have a brain like a French force, that doth it best first, my encountering an argument is most vigorous at the prime opposition. I after fall and wax lazy, and in truth shallow, I do nothing well, but speak much worse than I writ, and perhaps worse (in something) than I can do, which I must confess the fault of my brain, for I neither lisp, stutt, nor speak in the throat, nature hath made the carriage of my words large, and swift enough, but I want merchandise and stuff, the Italian civility would well fit me, where the overthrow of an Appositor is counted discourtesy, and they call him in disgrace, Vince guerra. The reason of this exordium, is the view of the works of Nature, and our variety upon them, few men receive any thing with the like use, but occasions or things represented, begets in one, fear, in another, fury, in a third, fears harbinger amazement, in a fourth desperation, some of these differ much, yet shall one occasion beget all these at one instant, which makes me think our discourse finds out more uses of things, than our senses qualities, yet am I not of Empericus mind, who holds the qualities of things to be more in number then our senses, and that we reckon our knowledge to see all, as Alexander conquered the world, because in his time there was no more known. I am not of his opinion, for all things being made for man, and his senses being fit for both life & knowledge, his servants sure which are all things sensible, have no more tricks than he knows of. But thus new am I in opinion, that the receptacle of our senses intelligence, with joining, quartering, and mixing things, employ them far from their accustomed properties, which my subject here will plainly exemplify. Man being the most substantial and most canning piece, accompanied with a head that masters and is Lord of all things; How hath he fallen this second time, more vainly deceived, and more miserably punished then in the first? He fell then with a bait pleasing to one sense, and when he fell, fell upon a good substantial body, where there was good footing, and hope to, of rising, but here he is fallen into smoke where he may be choked, but cannot live nor walk, he is fallen into fame; to entertain which I know no sense destinated, upon a thing not to be handled, not to be ridden, not to be seen; children would not have doted thus; not to be eaten, gluttons would not have so miscarried, not to be touched, an amorist would not have been in love with it, not to be heard by himself, a light headed musician would have shunned it, not to be seen, a Falconer would not have lured it; yet all these that are able to make so good an election of their delights, sacrifice to fame, and flattery is their priest. There is certainly but one end, whereto the intendments of man are destinated, which prosecuted rightly, is eternal happiness, this is not fame, for she dieth often in her birth, commonly overcome by time, and sometime men famous have had their memories dispatched, either by oblivion or detraction, before death hath made an end of their lives; all these working where the bodies grows covetous, and would have the gains alone, are vicious, he must not determine any thing particularly, for he is none other than a hired servant, and his wages is life, the profit must be given to the soul, whose predominant power, is also compelled to use the body, for the soul's performances without the body are not understood, contemplation being a good unprofitable naked life. Both working together, and both agreeing in their purpose questionless, they would determine upon some more lasting reward then fame. They would lay for virtue, for eternity, for the fruition of a never dying happiness, but this Essay must speak like itself, not what should be, but what is, them to the baits for fame: The actions of these differ not, from the provocations of virtue, for as much as appears outwardly, for they profess valour, temperance, liberality, and the rest of the limbs of honour and honesty, but in the mind that works these motions, is the disagreement, the one being spurred by virtue, th'other importuned by the tickling of applause. This same those ancient Philosophers that so much enueighed against fame, well knowing the tyranny of such thoughts, which where they get entrance, overthrow all that rest in the place more modestly humoured. Infinite are the baits that are laid to catch this, nothing far surmounting the number which curious Fishers have found out, and yet in one thing they well agree, for they fit the coverer of their deceit to the time; Fishers having flies for the spring, the fall, and the winter, fame catchers, countenance, seem, and aspects, for a state good, or bad, or indifferent, both their baits go down the stream, both purchase not by force but deceit, both look pleasing, but swallowed, are dangerous, and to conclude, both labour for their bodies not their minds. To speak of those petty fishers, that nip their bodies, and cast them into more molds, than their mother's bellies, that never read any thing but how their ruffs stand in a glass, or of those that grow old in the obtaining the name of a good Fencer, dancer, vaulter or wrestler, were to no purpose. These are but trifles, and indeed, though not virtuous yet plain dealers, for a jetting behaviour, or an action with their hands, or the curiosity of their clothes discovers them; no I will speak of those that Paint so in oil, as the examination of a sharp rain will hardly discover them, of those that carry the world about by the nose, of those that keep their minds more hid in, than women their limbs, how many of these masked creatures have mine eyes beheld, laden with the honours of the world, and set in the highest top of estimation, who, were the world inquisitive any further than the outward sight, they should have found, not virtuous, but betrayers of virtue, Rogues with counterfeit passports, and coiners of false money, inwardly though they be idle, yet they bait their hook with a profession, of which they continually talk and act their parts, like Nero his Philosophers, whose wisdom lay in their unkembde hair, and rugged beards, and ill clothing, and counterfeit gravity. Nec de●rant, qui voce vultuque suo tristi inter oblectamenta regia, spectare cuperent. Thus contrary are they to the time, when their singularity may puachase admiration without danger. The valiantest of these will be soldiers, but unwillingly feel either danger or hardness. But no profession nourisheth them worse than this, for at sometimes this gallant active life will bring him upon trial in spirit of his heart, when these gilded spirits will be known for the coverers of rotten bodies; this life of arms hath almost discovered the whole world of famemongers, for it is a received axiom Honour once acquired, is not to be ventured. Montania in his observations upon Caesar deals somewhat to indifferently with his taxers, for this alleging a proverb, that the old soldiers of Italy use to mock their young adventurers with, calling them Bijognio●i●de Honore, in which mock they discover their own actions (let the world think of them what they will:) to be counterfeit stuff. True it is, a quarrel must not be undertaken by a private man without just cause, but having a just cause, how ridiculous it is to deny resistance, because already tried, as if because they having been valiant once or twice, licenseth cowardice for ever after. A general must join to this respect the occasion, if his force be more necessary at any time, than his direction, it is necessary that he useth the fittest instrument for the time, but to hold the gains of this virtue, as gamesters do their get at play, which because they have 〈◊〉 much, will adventure no more, is an impotent shift of a painted mind, we are not so near the riches of the mind, as we can be full, neither is virtue so inconstant, as to let the outward senses obscure her worth, the soul that gins with virtue, whether she wins or loses, is still virtuous, and her disciples rest not, because they have filled the mouths of men with praises, but because occasion offers them not combats of this kind, for so form is the mind of virtue, that hazards look not terribly upon her, coming into battles and skyrmidges, as into the School of her exercise. Surely, there are few humane actions but may be bettered, & if not bettered, yet at least ways equalled, and so the number being increased, they are better, the oftener they are performed, winning i● comparison the less, but so dangerous are our natures, as they surfeit both with good and bad, action's bearing grace, so overpeizing the bodies baseness, as he knoweth not how to use his victories. I have seen few that have been happy in these atchivements, but some trick of pride, disdain, or over-valewing himself, hath made him a loser by his rich commodity. When I read Livy, I found times past were even with us in this imperfection, for Publius Horatius murder of his sister, because she kindly did her kind in bewailing the death of her slain spouse, was the vomit of the undigested honour that he had one. But I think the Romans' were not sorry for it, for such states know better how to revenge then reward. Success and fortune, are like hot Wines that immeasurably taken, help not digestion, but set the strain on fire, for such meditations are as burdensome to the brain, as weight to the shoulders. I confess there is a great satisfaction in the executing of these high attempts, and I hold them not hurtful, but restoratives to the mind, if managed by the skill of reason, and thought of by a knowledge, able to limit the desert. I would choose a young man that loves fame, much sooner than a heavy spirited fellow whose sluggish earthly thoughts cannot mount so high. A young man of this fiery condition, a little allayed, will make a wise man and a virtuous man, but in age it is a disease incurable. I do owe very great respect to those metalled youngsters, that think of honour and of high practices, even that condemned fellow of the world, that sought Fame in the ashes of the Temple of Ephesus, I think he would have equaled Caesar, if he had had education answerable to his spirit. Honour hath but two wings wherewith she mounts above the vulgar, daring, and applying, and this fellow had one of them, he durst, but wanting the other, the poor creature fell, & ruined himself. The next are fellows that (fearing blows) honour peace, and cry out with Tully, Cedant arma togae, concedat laurea linguae: These shoot at Fame, under gravity and justice, ending all their actions with the commendations of peace, excusing the bastardy of their natures with the Grammar rule, Dulce bellum inexpertis, and holding wisdoms best quality, to consist in keeping the body warm and whole. I would have little to do with this people willingly, were they not a member of mine argument, which since they are, I must say of them, their greatest hurt is unprofitableness, they shoot but low and not far, less fame will serve them, than Alexander would have asked for his little finger, in a word, they are good foils ro add to the lustre of a jewel, or like cyfers that make figures precious. There are more witty cowards of a higher reach and more profit, that like Tully will smell danger far off, the vain affectation of these fellows, is a pattern of their general natures, which is full of a blown pride, and a dastardly shining, what wise honest man durst have been so bold as this fellow, to cry out himself? Ego meis maioribus virtute Proeluxi; but they are valiant in things that valour fears, they dare not encounter an enemy, nor behold danger, but they dare do things more terrible, disgrace their ancestors, and commend themselves. This is not they but the false ground they build upon, which is ever shrinking and showing his burden, it is impossible that the motions of a mind led only by fame, should be otherwise, than a trembling unsettled thing, that is virtue only, that repels fear, and fear only that makes life troublesome, without Virtue, justice is not; without justice, no tranquillity, justus a perturbatione remotissimus, in justus perturbatione plenus est. Well may these fellows follow and go with company, but lead, or go alone they cannot, fear and the affection of fame are inseparable and though they set a gallant countenance outward, yet inwardly they look for assistance as well as praises. These false Laizers that counterfeit the fair essentall hue of virtue, untried, may seem the same, but they are too cheaply obtained to hold all wethers, they buy not nor boil not those never staining colours that dies in grain, but cousin the world with trash, that can go no farther than imitation, they are to themselves uncertain, to their friends hollow and weak, inconstant they must be, for they fetch all their determinations from the continuances of other men's and upon them build either by scornful looks, or the basest basest deiecction: oft times have I seen these supposed gravities so pinched up in formality, as without question they have endured more pain for same, than a fellow infamous in the stocks, it is odds but they act their parts first by themselves, & after get them by heart, they spit all one way, and upon no occasion will alter the tune of their hemmes, and coughs, their bodies & their heads go always together, they must not turn the one without the other, never laugh, let the occasion be never so just, their eyes must never make a turn, but gallop right forward, in a word, they are locked up in formality, and barred is the chest, where they enclosed with the eyes of men. Were there a more substancialnesse of fame then there is, this were a dear earning of it, to deny the course of nature in these indifferent things, nay it is more, for it makes nature a superfluous Artisan, for we need no limbs to play this part, no not a soul, for my picture can do this, better than I, Vbi turpis è medicina sanari pig●t. This medicine tastes ill, the cure is earned to dearly to swallow this potion for amendment, I had rather be diseased with some ill gestures, then put on these French bodies of formality. I am rather of Epicurus mind, who would lay in just so much provision of fame, as would defend him from contempt, Gloriae curam habiturum, quoad contemptut non habeatur, to be liquorous of more is plain gluttony, leave the rest to the world to do, what they will withal, for we have more need of other commodities, we are too much behind hand with nature to be importunate for earnings, he is an ill commander of an hold that spendeth all his treasure in painting, and making gay what should be laid out in munition and fortifying his foretresse; pleasures, false desires, fears, perturbations, errors do yet live and leave our enemies, besieging and ingirting us round, and have we leisure to paint and trick up and set up tokens of triumph before the victory. Non vita nostra aut stultitia, aut gloriae vanitate opus babet, sed solum tranquilla et secura a vita; this is not purchased by flattery but by continual correcting and amending of our wandering ill shapen thoughts and actions. Those that bait fame with misery, and with immoderate longing after riches and the basest earthly compositions of all others, thirst whiles it goeth no further, is good for it is the heigh way to temperance; beside I think it a great sin to consume wastefully the inheritance of our ancestors, the Grecians had a law, that denied them there father's sepulchre that consumed their patrimonies wastefully, and great reason I think; for we cannot behold a more lamentable sight, then to see a house that hath long stood in honour and reputation ruined and desolated by prodigality, It maintains abundance, which freeth us from many vain thoughts, that love that most, which they have not, they that have not much, must love frugality or else they will have less, they that have much, by frugality keep it from wasting, they that are left rich it is irreligious not to leave theirs rich; but of these Epicurus speaks in one of his Epistles to more purpose. Frugalitatem magnum existimamus bonum, non ut semper utamur modicis, verum ut nisi multa habeamus, utamur pancis, verissimè credentes illos magnificentia frui suavissimè, qui illa nimiùm indigent. But he that will draw worthiness from wealth how doth he rob heaven, and despoil us of the graces of the mind? questionless the robbing of a Church is not so sacrelegious, need causeth the ones theft, but this theft comes from to much abundance, he leaves us the most miserable and needy creatures of the world, for we have need of more than beasts, yet none catch fame sooner than these, more reverence is thrown upon them then upon the most reverend subject of virtue, but it skills not, wisdom seethe their poverty and pities those, that the world admires: quis illos igitur putet beatos, quos miseri tribuunt honores? The opinions of some to be seldom seen, to appear in the eyes of men far from the fashion of other, to suffer any thing, for a fair out side, are the courses that many take, but all these courses are too strict and unsafe, they promise much more than they are able to perform, and suffer their habits to compel them and lead them a painful and wearisome journey. Our determinations appear better form when performed, then promised, they have then a fair birth & a pleasant, which they have not, that prepare the eyes of men to wonder before any thing cometh, the effect of a promise, is but the payment of a debt. The suddenness and unexpected view of a thing, makes it admirable and beautiful, which made that ancient Philosopher Pittacus, forbidden the talking of what he will do. Quod facere instituis, noli praedicare, nam sifacere nequi veris, rideberis. Now he that in his attire or customs affects a singularity & an oddness, proclaims it with many tongues, for every gesture, every motion, & every thing about him is a tongue. The last means is by the way of letters, which though the instrument of all the excellentest actions of man, being the most near & dear servants of virtues, being her chief factor, her other self, her medicine curing the infirmities of man, expelling the leprosy & dross of nature, yet not able to defend herself from the being abused by counterfeit servants (under her band march many) that never were enrolled nor entertained, but they are easily found, bearing their passports upon their tongues, & in their very behaviour, may be easily seen how they labour for applause. But for the true devoted servants of letters, they are questionless, the happiest and worthiest of all, receiving from the pure springs of knowledge, a water so quickening and cleared the sight, that nothing is impenetrable, be it armed, either with distance, darkness, or with never so many intricate passages: how much do we owe to times past, that left knowledge so discovered and open, as we with much ease in respect of theirs enjoy a rich patrimony thereof? surely we own a reverence to their names, and should never mention them, without acknowledgement of their excellencies, which though they feel not, yet doth it nourish industry in the hearers, and explain us not robbers but debtors of the dead. I happened very lately amongst my books to meet with Diogenes Laertius, where I was much delighted, even more than ever I was with any book, for I do behold their words and writings with nothing so good a stomach as I do their lives, and to know what they did; I found hardly a page, but I wished my memory, to gather some griftes in them, not a line but so full of precious liquor, as the words were too short wasted for the matter, he is in great estimation with me, and shallbe one of my nearest companions, and by plutarch his leave, have the upper hand, for I find few of his captains Philosophers, but amongst Laertius Philosophers, many captains, and instructions for commonwealth causes, not inferior to plutarch. But in the mean time the sight of this abundance brought me to feel more senciblie our dearth, such is the barrenness of our time, as the world in an age hardly brings forth a famous man, which whether it be the fault of our idleness, or that our industries are killed by sensuality, or tenderness or gluttony, I find it is so, the cause were to much curiosity for me to hunt for. But fame may rightly hang over their memories, and rightly, since they all embraced the sweet effects of virtue without caring for the estimation of men though all the greatest Princes of the world continually made love to them and offered them abundance; See the confession of Antigonus to Zeno Citicus. In fortune and glory (I think) I exceed thee, but in the liberal studies and perfect felicities, which thou possessest, I believe, I am by thee far excelled, and toward the end of his Epistle, this period, for he that teacheth and instructeth the king of Macedon in virtue, certainly instructeth also both him and his subjects to fortitude and honesty. How would our glory hunters have accepted of such an embassage from a Prince, certainly it would have burst them, or at the least ways have distilled them into an Epistle most flaunting and adulating, but he far otherwise, coming no nearer commendation, then to encourage him on in the continuance of his good determinations, and sending a scholar of his to him, himself through age, being unfit for travail. Thus happy were many of them to deny the reputation of the world for virtues sake, living lives so temperate as instructions came doubly from them, for they that could not attain virtue through the difficult paths of Philosophy, might read it and understand it in their lives and examples, yet this, abhorring the vulgar licentious way, leads men's eyes to suspicion, whether the intent be fames or virtues; let it, me thinks I here them say it shall not turn us, for virtue were not precious, if not accompanied with danger and detraction. I think they would have said thus, and so charitable am I as the actions of them drawing more near the affectation of fame, I interpret otherwise; even that excellent head of our time, the elder Scaliger, though he wrote many things tending to his own glory, and did himself turn the inside of himself outward, yet I think he wrote it to spur on sluggish spirits to the race of virtue, rather than for his own glory or memory. And even for Montania and myself (who in these matters of excuse I may safely join with me,) though we do sometimes mention ourselves, yet are we not to be suspected of entrapping fame, we allow men in their lives to build their tombs, and we allow charity to set the first letters of their name upon the gowns and coats they give in alms, shall it not be lawful then for us to build our tombs in our papers? and to wear our names in our labours? yes surely, it cannot be denied us they are our children, which if they resemble us, it is not a thing monstruous, but pleasing and natural.   

Essay. 36. Of Knowledge.  
I Praise and reverence the power of these words, Fiat lux, I honour the separation, that made the Chaos a world, I reverence that divine situation of the Elements, that dissenting, consent in their adjoining qualities, but of all, the creature that was made for all, Let us make man; O divinest breath, whose infusion made him breath. Man hath the superiority of all, & is the worthiest of all, for he consisteth of a soul by the father's side, divinely descended, and capable of a divine inheritance, and of a body, the most perfect and full of mysteries, that it is possible for earth to put on, whether can knowledge bend her force, more excellently then, than man to look upon man: this knowledge is profitable, for it is for himself this knowledge is beautiful, others, this omitted, is curiosity, others, without this is ignorance, for it hunts for light without light, in himself he must begin and end, for in himself is the light of reason, that disovereth all things else. He consisteth of a soul & a body, by reason of which souls accompanying with the body, she knows nothing not encompassed with a material form, from these two are descended two children, Reason and Affection; Reason is the souls, and is the mother of Knowledge, Affection the bodies, whose perfection is life, which perfection she maintains, the conduits yielding increase to these two cisterns are the senses, of which, ●ight and hearing are the servants of the soul, taste, touch, & smell, the bodies, when these attend their destinated functions, the commonwealth of man flourisheth when the soul is obeyed, & the body obeyeth, when their servants sent of Embassages, tend their commanded negotiations, but then ruined, when the sights merchandise, becomes peddlers stuff, & the ears bell metal, dross & lead, when the taste becomes unchaste & is licourousnes, the smell so curious, as to think nothing sweet but Musk, & the touch will presume to be a counsellor and to advise. They differ not from the frame of a state, which is in frame so long as knowledge joins with obedience & the lieutenant of God upon earth, nature is obeyed, but when humours usurp reasons name, and shadows are believed substantial, then Ixion embraceth a cloud for juno, so vanisheth pleasure, and after comes the torture of the time breaking wheel, there is pleasures reward.  
Hinc enim libido versat  
avidis corda venenis:  
Hinc flagellat it a mentem  
fluctus turbida tollens.  
Divine knowledge, from whom precedeth all blessings none of these mistake and riots belong to thee, but peace and wisdom, for thou managest all things judicially, that neither chance can overthrow nor rob thee of thy conquests. The world is like a sphere spective piece, knowledge the circle, showing the proportion in this piece truly, nothing but knowledge can perform this office, for she sees them with the eyes of meditation with the soul's sight, here are they unmasked, here the universal matter of things is known, to be one, changing but forms, like players that must be understood other men, because they appear in others beards and cloaks, here can be no mistaking, knowledge disdains the rattles and gibby horses of the world, knowledge fears not but what is to be feared, loves not but what is worthy for to be beloved, knows all things, and to all things renders his due, and with tranquillity lives, and without admiration sees, and without sorrow feels, all the shapes and apparitions of the world. These see man if he seethe himself, being a compendium of the world, and having in himself what is in every other thing, the thing only excepted that is above all things, he hath a being with stones, he hath life with trees, he hath sense with beasts, he hath understanding with Angels, which understanding is the crown whereby his principality over stones, trees, and beasts is known. What should man then look upon but himself, since in himself is all, and more than all other creatures or substances have, to behold which the true glass is natural Philosophy, in which he must dress, moral, and adorn his life, for moral Philosophy is the grace of ilfe, weave this together and it will prove a stuff outlasting time, natural Philosophy showing us what we have, moral, how to use rightly what we have. Reason hath two qualities, knowledge, and direction, whose divine and most powerful faculties we lost in our first father's fall, what was once a flame is now but a spark which by these two doctrines is again made a flame, knowledge by natural Philosophy, by moral direction, without these, ignorance casts darkness over us, but having this direction and knowledge making a commixture of their virtues, knowledge teacheth direction how to command, direction giveth knowledge majesty and power. These order the senses and makes their effects come to the determined period, teaching those belonging to the school, to gather wisdom for the soul, which two destinated servants though they present the mind sometime with allurements, yet the execution of all vice belongs to the other three the assistants of the body. What ariseth from these senses are affections, what affection thinketh but opinion, affection like the parents meddleth with single objects, the mind graspeth universalities the minds employment is about things firm, the affections momentary and fading. Who seethe not then, to be led by our affections, is vaive and bestial, who seeing this will neglect the mind, whose ample territory stretcheth even to the heavens.  Mens cernit et mens audit, caeca caetera, et sur da sunt. 
I account our senses and their affections, like Physic drugs, which are one way poison, another way preservatives, when they work only in the body they preserve the body, but if overcharged with excess the fumes smother the soul, and makes her aguish, distasting what she ought to taste, furring her mouth with superfluities, and making her not know true pleasure and vanity by the taste. What blessings or curses can I think of in the world, but are derived from these two heads, these were the two ways that Hercules was led unto: these are the two ways that leads to knowledge and ignorance, these are the two ways that part light and darkness, in a word, these are the two ways that make man's life either happy or unfortunate.  
Quisquis profunda mente vestigat verum  
Cupit que nullis ille devijs falli,  
In sereuolua● intimi lucem visus,  
Longosque in orbem cogat inflectens motus  
Animuque doceat, quicquid extra molitur,  
Suis retrusum possidere thesauris.  
Thus have I anatomised the parts of life, of which if Physic be so careful as to anatomize bodies for bodily diseases, in these where mind and body are to be both inquired into, care cannot be called curiosity. To meddle with effects without the causes, is to tell him that is sick, he is sick, not to remedy his sickness. I will now speak more feelingly, and speak of events and actions, which in the pedigree of knowledge, is knowledges last descent. Contemplation thinks well, action ought to do well: of contemplation, it is too unsensible to dilate, so contrary to custom and nature, as it would be hard like Poetry, the touch of the fancy. But action is every body's case, he that can but wipe his nose is his acquaintance, of which I will speak my opinion, concluding all in the managing these three, Prosperity, Adversity, and Danger. If I should exempt knowledge from all things, but the happiness of understanding, it were well, but it is not taken thus by the world, no, seldom it meets with the world's definition, whose main is riches, and either pomp or pleasure, luxury or power; of these; what one is there whose gain hath not been knowledge, that the weight of them hath not pressed down, and been like a Millstone tied about the neck of a swimmer? Is it wealth, and is it given thee thinkest thou only to nourish thy sensuality? fool that thou art, which hast thirsted after thy destruction, how much would poverty have become thee better, since wealth proves but an instrument of thy destruction. I account wealth and want the touchstones of dispositions, even in their uttermost extremities, they agree in this, wealth melting substances, not thoroughly substantial, and want undoing their powers with his chillness and storms of immoderate cold and heat, man is impatient, so of prosperity and want, which are not so unlike, as not to fit a resemblance. There is virtue in wealth, as there is in any manual instrument handsome and profitable, if in a skilful hand, that fearful Simile of the sacred books, that sayeth; It shall be as possible for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven, as a Camel to pass through the eye of a Needle, is meant as I hold not by any propriated course incident to wealth, but incident to the disposers of wealth, because commonly disposing it to their own ruins, for charity is a commandment, to whose performance, wealth, is a visible testimony. It is the use that carries the curse, the thing is innocent, it is a neuter, for can we separate it from vain glory and prodigality, it is a step to eternal felicity and hapipinesse. To come to this journeys end, we must pass by two dangers, not bestowing too much upon ourselves, not bestowing, where it may bring forth pride, rather than defend want. I never saw it yet, though I should be happy to see it, a man curbing his own disease of excess, to bestow it upon others needy, we are content to starve ourselves, to want handsomeness, to deprive ourselves even of the necessaries of the world, to feed the unsatisfied appetite of covetousness, in the which we suffer so much, as not to think of our own using this store during our life, we need do no more, to do virtuously, altar but the person, and love not another better than thyself, and thou art in the way of heaven, put in thine own name for thy sons or heirs, and thou hast purchased a divine inheritance, I, for them, giving from them thou augmentest their state, purchasing a blessing upon their house and life. I know not the thoughts of wealth, for I was never wealthy, but as I am, I never see excess, that my memory laments not the want of penury. How unequally, nay how foolishly manage we our states, that neglect heaven and buy damnation with surfeits and excesses. A particular faith serves a secular fortune, in these holy mysteries, my knowledge aspires no higher than the salvation of one soul, in morality common to all men, I may speak as well as any man, because it is mine as well as an others. So strong is my proposition, as I need not the valour of divinity, moral reasons will show how excellently Liberality becomes Plenty, and Plenty without Knowledge is not Liberality, but a chest that unnecessarily maketh much of his store without use, or else prodigality, which in confuming is no less vicious, than covetousness is in sparing: what have we that the use makes not precious, dominion, palaces, riches, what else, if not used, lies without any more contentment than the things take in themselves, which have none other but a senseless being, me thinks contentment can be bestowed upon nothing more rich, then to see creatures by nature neglected, by thy good nature maintained, wherein thou surpassest common nature, for she gave them a life, but thou givest more, a contentment of life, for she gave them life, which ending there would have proved misery and unhappiness, but thou givest him life and from his life removest those torments, which are worse and death. How beautiful do these actions look upon us, so truly are these belonging to the soul as li●e two lutes meeting in pitch and nearnes, the striking of the one makes the other sound, so these thoughts strooken by the memory, maketh the soul rebound a sound of joy, and contentment. Solon to Croesus' telling him the frailty and unstableness of wealth sinks so deep in my thoughts as I wonder it hath not been advise to all such fortunes, those plenties left him in his greatest need; but then Solon's counsel showed him, how like flatterers these outward glitterings are, he then cried out of Solon, and understood his wisdom, which before he could not see through his magnificence and power, which lay between him and wisdom. Who would not then buy liberality with temperance, and sparing from himself that which is to much, to give his brother that hath too little? body and soul are preserved and glorified in this, for the body never sendeth the stomach to tell us, we have eaten too much, but the soul feels it too, when the stomach riseth against the meat, the conscience doth against intemperance, and as one feels the meat, the other doth the sin of the surffetting it is not the destiny of every man to be rich, but every man is destinated to be a man, and if thou remember'st from whence thou camest, he came from the same place, we estimate pictures that can but counterfeit the life, but this hath life, hath flesh, and blood, is thy brother, wilt thou be so partial to thy sight and so unnatural to him to prefer a sense before thyself, the bark of a thing before the thing substantial? this looks but like a man, but this is a man hath reason, hath speech, and all things else with thee, but what thou knowest not how to use.  
Omne hominùm genus in terris  
simili surgit ab orin.  
unus enim rerum Pater est  
unus cuncta ministrat.  
Thus staggereth ignorance in the disposing of wealth, but knowledge makes them steps to ascend the throne of glory, he wavers not, he plays not fortune, dispersing blinde-fould, nor sinks with covetousness, whose nurse is a mind unsatisfied, that doth starve himself, to weaken himself, for his wealth is a bait to the world, and his misery leaves him destitute of defence.  
Nam privata dolore omni private a periclis,  
Ipsa suis pollens opibus.  
No, knowledge sees these things to be fading, his strength is in himself, if he have these, he betters not, impairs himself by them and ends.  inveni portum, spes et fortuna valete. 
I need not say much of prodigality, since it speaks as ill for itself as his uttermost enemy can, only it is worth the noting, how covetousness prays upon unthriftiness, which shows the wisdom of the eternal goodness, who hath given one sin leave to lash another to death. In private fortunes it ends with beggary, in high with infamy, in both with repentance.  
Habit hoc voluptas omnie,  
Stimulis agit fruentes,  
Apium que par volantium,  
Vbigratia mella fudit  
Fugit, & nimis renaci  
Ferit icta corda morsu.  
I never see prodigality but accompanied with troops of vices, and their end is commonly, a young unthrift an old cheater. I will speak no more of these private, of prince's prodigality a little, it is necessary princes reward servants, it is necessary they supply virtues need, but neither, to much, it is good to keep them in appetite, for performance cometh of more roundly, when the soul and body both hope of reward then when the soul alone, for then the body waxeth lazy and becomes sluggish: Much more dangerous, was Demetrius taxation upon the Athenians, which being so much as hardly in their powers to contribute: at the receipt he gave it his concubine to buy soap with this smarted doubly upon the taxed people, for it stroke them with shame and loss, which had they had power, they had revenged, & did with the power of their tongues questionless sting him with infamy. Where public actions enforceth the use of the public purse, princes must show an extraordinary temperancy, & demonstrate those common contributions are spent for the common profit, upon no private. I hold adversity nearer a kin to virtue than prosperity. I have heard great men complain, they have no leisure to perform their best businesses, and this is prosperities & powers fault, so busy are their lives about their come in and layings out, as their lives & knowledges are not far different from a merchants counting house, where the bills are, Iten for the body & about the body, but the soul, hath nothing, no not her windows glazed, that she might look abroad, but stopped they are with rags & dirt, so despised and forlorn, doth fortu●● make this creature borne to eternal light, so ungrateful are we to her that gave us life, not to return her light. Adversity needs not Phillip's boy, to wake him with the clamour of mortality, no, adversity seethe clearly, the mists of adulation are not cast before her sight, she hears with her own ears, with her own eyes she seethe, with her own head she judgeth, Plenty flatters the senses and the affections, but she wanteth this, therefore them, she can tell, that it must be death, without the custom of the Eastern monarchs, who were crowned and modelled their sepulchre in a day, Si vis vacare animo, aut pauper esse o●ortet, aut pauperi similis, poverty is ready for this, not needing the conflicts of reason and affection, and so happy she is, as to make wealth counterfeit her, when she would be let into the house of knowledge, though we be rich, if we will be wise, we must not let riches cleave to our minds nor engross our love. Poverty is the way, Res quibus occultas, penitus convisere possis.  
Against this and all other adversities the way to withstand them is knowledge, love them not and thou shalt not be shipwrecked with their loss, that thou shalt not love them, knowledge will show thee, that they are unworthy to be beloved, since there hangs about them uncertainty, in that certain peril of distraction, they nourish wish and long, before whom goeth doubt and grief, after whom cometh repentance and shame, in our lightest matters who hath consideration, paizeth the commodities or discommodities attending them, and casts them away if belonging to discommodities, in our profoundest matters let us not be more light, but examine them and then doubtless we shall dertermine Adversity the man of glory. Beware of believing the resister of these, for they are affections, whose lightness not able to pierce the profundity of these things, likes better what they know; what should I say more of danger, than that knowledge knows her uttermost, and therefore cannot be dismayed or afraid? that this is true, see children more fearful than old folks, fools than wisemen, ignorance breeds fear, knowledge resolution. Re cognita, statem cessat timer: saith a Philosopher, Fear then is gone if Knowledge comes. If it be still dangerous, by knowledge thou knowest it is dangerous, and knowledge will teach thee to entertain it with resistance or patience, how so ever she giveth thee the victory, for patience is invincible, conquering when resistance is conquered, he is not overcome, whose discourse & resolution can say with Ulysses: Hoc quoque c●r perfer, namque hoc graviora tulist●. As in this, so in all things, knowledge like the sun kills fear and darkness, & makes the foundation where she is the cement, not to be shaken nor stirred by the storms of the world. As his sight is clear, so are his steps right, no apparition nor colour distractes him, neither with joy nor sorrow; that child of the Fancy, appetite, in beasts it is called appetite, but in man it is termed his will, a word of command, which authority is given him for knowledges sake, who knows what to will, for otherwise did he appetite without knowledges counsel, it should be appetite in men as well as in beasts. What should man will then, but knowledge, by this will is made precious, when he goeth from this, he goeth to beasts, it is appetite, from whom pull but the paintings of the world, and it is like a tyrant's pomp. 
Detrahit is qui superbis  
Vani tegmina cultus,  
I am videbit intus arctas  
Dominos ferre catenas.  How admirable is this virtue, which governs here so wisely as no shot nor tempest of the world can batter her, how lasting is this virtue, so embalming our actions, as time cannot ruin them: sloth & sensuality are drowned in a few years, but knowledge & her effects are immortal. In history and other relations, every head can determine of virtue and vice, let our heads make us do this for ourselves, let us impartially see how often times we have stumbled for want of this light, if we come to this sight, we shall come to more, for this examination is the way of light, without this, Homo homini dominus non est, sed mors & vita, voluptas, & dolour, but with this, with Socrates, Me quidem Anitus & Melitus occidere possunt, laedere non possunt. Fortune, the world, or all that is in the world, with this armour is vanquished, for knowledge saith of Fortune, Fortuna vitrea est; quae cum splendet, frangitur, of the world, Homines perturbantur non rebus, sedijs quas de rebus habent opinionibus. It is not opinion that is in knowledge, but judgement, who weigheth every thing with the balance of justice and discretion, what more can be said, but that she is so precious, as having her, thou wantest nothing, in a body thou livest, but in a mind thou ioyest, and death doth no more to thee, but make thy already obtained sight more clear, with separating of mortality from eternity. The world is sweetened by thy example, & fame makes thy memory resound over the whole world, and thy name lives in spite of time or detraction.   

Essay. 37. Of judgement.  
AMongst the rest of the fruitful children of Knowledge, judgement, me thinks is her dearest issue, for they are inseparable, they resemble one another so nearly, as hardly can a distinction get between them, if between them, it is only in their place, for knowledge goeth before judgement. The perfection or blessedness of knowledge, is this her child, it is the reward of her travails, it is the triumph of her victories; she saith: — Et summa sequar fastigia rerum. And judgement answers her, thou shalt determine rightly of every thing. The most resplendent ornament of man, is judgement, here is the perfection of his innate reason; here is the uttermost power of reason joined with knowledge, here is experiences harvest, for the excellent union of reason, of knowledge & experiences, ends his knitting up with the excellentest perfection of man, judgement, what give we, wisdom, what give we, the scars and battles of age, but judgement? what hath the most excellent men to prove their excellency, but the title of judicial? what is wisdoms other name but judgement? for judgement is wisdom: who able with the wings of reason to mount his soul into the pitch of this meditation, and is not covetous of his time, and repines not that nature hath made him so weak, as to satisfy her weakness, he must often be carried from his quest, but who alienates his mind with the holding other things more precious, how doth he drown himself in perils and dangers? If the very name inamours thee not, what wouldst thou have that she yields not? honour, wealth, happiness, dominion? why all these are in her, what can merit honour, but judgement? wealth thou desirest but for need, but having judgement, thou needest not wealth, happiness is judgements, for she never knew misfortune, having her, thou hast dominion over the world, for Kings command but bodies, but the minds of all that are not judicial, shall be thy subjects, and lic prostraite before thee, but these with judgement are but like the puppets of children, or pictures lifeless, for they are broken with the least blast of the world, if not, by time, but no time overthrows judgement, she meditates of eternity, and hath already put her possessor in possession of eternity; Though she meddles with the world, as being of the world, yet so safely, as she cleaves not to it, nor is not astonished to leave it: Good Archimedes, me thinks I see thy calmness and contentment, in the midst of the ruins and blood of Syracuse, so busy about knowledge, as not hearing the clamours, and noises, not labouring for fear, but for knowledge and judgement, and when he was interrupted by his murderers, he asked not life of them, but a little time to finish his intendment; what a tranquillity of mind was here, how gloriously did he look through danger and death? It is not pomp nor shining robes that gives grace to the body, no, it is the mind that is in the body, who holds the preciousness of judgement, and whose preciousness tells him death & tortures, and the enmity of Fortune, are not blemishes but graces to him. Who will have to do with the world, must take as well the storms as sun shines of the world.  Quid tibi formosa, si non nisi casta placeba●? 
She is unchaste and inconstant, and in the end of all thy labours thou shalt be forgotten and despised, it is dangerous to be too skilful in the matters of the world, witness the Athenian Ostrocisme, where to be higher than the rest in virtue, was expulsion, witness all times, all states, where the noblest have begun with praises, and ended which disgrace & banishment, comest thou to the top of promotion, and diest thou there, what is thy gain? the ages after takes no knowledge of thy riches and magnificence, but of thy virtues, not of thy rewards but deserts, Vbi nunc fidelis ossa Eabritii manent? he attained to places hie, his fame was great, yet his temperance in refusing Pyrrhus' gift is his best and most lasting suit, had not Cato died in the defence of his country and common wealth, his fame had died with his body, thus are the actions of the world full of dangers, & without judgement, of destruction. But come to the managing of a state with judgement & thou canst not be thrown, what though thou seest examples of ingratitude, of dangers, of death, these in judgement thou seest rather terrors than dangers thy end is to do good and these letter resisted, innobles thy intendment, my country gave me life, it is my duty to give it her again, but what is life in respect of virtue, alas too mean a purchase. I have a soul whose perfection rests in resisting the childish opinions of the body and that soul knows it is ignominious to deny a public good for a private peril, no virtue comes to us pleasingly, but after, come pleaseth, it is vices bait to seem sweet at the first taste, the continuance is the virtue which shows her the child of eternity, & safeness entertaining pleasure, demonstrates mortality & dust. It is not danger with judgement, what the world calls danger, the loss of virtue not of life is unhappiness, then for our country all our endeavours should bend, not because honour and promotion goeth that way, but because it is one of the lessons of virtue, we must not look after danger and corruption but after the purity of virtue, had Caesar died when his conquests and government of the Gauls, made his Country hold him a true servant, how much more clear and shining had he left his memory than it is now with his perpetual dictatorship, what might have been virtue, is now polluted with ambition, and all those virtues that without this might have been called, fortitude, temperance, liberality, and patience are now not these, but counterfeits of this, he was not, but seemed virtuous, for unspotted virtue calls none virtuous, that have any other end but herself, howsoever the grossness of our sight used rather to colours, than truth, would persuade virtue to put one a more mixed body, yet thus is virtue, and thus she may be brought acquainted with our souls though our vile bodily composition cannot comprehend her, none can tell but they that have felt the many conflicts the soul endures with the body, whose impurity not tasting the purities of virtue, draws the natural well inclined parts of the mind into the unnatural natural affections of the body. In this Caesar questionless▪ were more many graces, had they not been disgraced with converting the sweet abilities of his soul to the bodies gain. B●● thus a young experience may produce many examples where the abundance of virtues reward overwaying men, hath sunk them, for the eyes & tongue of the worst have this enforced instinct though they do not well, yet must they praise well doers, and in the midst of thereill, exalt virtue. I think Caesar meant well to his common wealth so long as his common wealth was his master, but declined when their power declined to his will, thus between too much and too little, wavers the life of man, no reward makes him desperate, too much ambitious, but judgement swims between these, and never touches any of these extremities, she labours for virtue no● power, she runs without the stop● either of fear or covetousness, I wonder at this infection of greatness that it can so blind virtue, thinks no further than death, & the reasons to overthrow t●is theft will show them reasonless that affect it: neither in number proportion nor quality, can one equal thousands, what reason is there then he should be preferred before them, there is justice against it, one cannot withstand thousands, there is safety against it, and could he want danger, yet he that wants not guiltiness is never without the torments of fear and suspicion. Ne vitima quidem sortis homi●um conspiratione periculo caruit, as he is a man he wants them not, but being an ill man, are they not increased? and fame the robe of greatness is it not overthrown by this? Yes who seethe not, that the best private performance answers not a mean public, a great deal of petal and pains of a private soldier ranks not in men's mouths with a generals but coming within shot, the least managed Duello carries not the grace of the having but been at a skirmish of small moment, he that doth but for himself, though he do well, yet it is no wonder, it may be mentioned perhaps in a ballad, never in an history.  
Fame is not so light, as to sail with a small gale, it must be a wind of force that moves her sails, which never is so forcible as when a good action is good for all. But Caesar robbed the world, brought all the profits of his commonwealth to be his only, of which, that it was injustice all sees, that it was dangerous he felt, and for fame the spirit of his actions are commended, the disposing of them, because not hurtful unto us, not exclaymde against, but ask judgement, and surely he will condemn him for kill virtue which ambition if after death we behold them impartially, who would not choose to be Camillus the saver of his country, rather than Caesar, the destroyer of his country, how warm and cherishing to the soul are actions like Camillus is, what a sweetness comes from the air of such a meditation, when the other feels as much cruelty inwardly, as he effects outwardly, and bees a beautiful out side with the tortures of his heart. That corrupt speech of Caesars upon Scylla, Scillam nescivisse literas, qui Dictaturam deposuerit: Haddit Scylla out lived Caesar, how well might he have mocked his greedy body, when in spite of it greatness, it lay entangled and lifeless in the Senate? Scylla saw this, and eschewed it, Caesar marked his judgement, and found to late there was wisdom in moderating power. But all this saves not greatness, all are tempted, many yield, few hold out, we use power commonly as meat, not nourishing ourselves, but surfeiting, to please our taste, we overlay our stomachs, thus we abuse the preciousness of things, that it needs no wonder though there be a frailty and weakness in what we are, and have, for we pull it upon them and us, with abusing all, this is the odds and preciousness of greatness over meaner fortunes, that by their greatness they may do more good, virtue in low states lies buried, in high it stands a lost, poor men may think well, but rich men both think and do well, here is all, greatness hath no other circuit, no other ought be his end, for power is given him by the incomprehensible greatness, compared to whom his is lest then nothing, to no other end, that he hath, then to support the weakness of men's fortunes and understanding head to dispatch it, not that he hath a body to consume is his desert, power is not to do wrong, but to punish dowers of wrong, and wealth I should hold a burdensome companion, were not liberality a vent, for were it not for that, it is good for nothing. But this to the hearers seems rather truth then possible, those thoughts make virtue impossible, vice works all her doceits with sweetness and laziness, and these catch almost all dispositions▪ for where a good disposition resists the former, vice calls difficulty impossible, and so laziness kills those, that pleasures let go: but Virtue saith▪ Caronam, at bletae nisi certant, non accipiunt: think but of the reward of virtue, and the pain is nothing, if thou diest in the attempt, honour attends thee to thy grave, honour attends thee, peace attends thee, fame attends thee; in a word Virtue attends thee, in whom are all the rest, and more than all, for virtue marries thee ●o heaven. Thus comes greatness to an excellent period, without this it comes to destruction; judgement chooseth the way of Virtue, Opinion of vice, which dissolveth into infamy and repentance, greatness without judgement, brings forth tyranny, and all the undirect ascenders to this top, are like Caligula, of whom Suctonius saith: Nec servum ●ellorem ullum▪ nec deteriorem domi●um fuisse; but greatness counseled by judgement, hath Pater Patria, within which is justice, Fortitude, Temperance, and all that makes a state flourish with peace and plenty.   

Essay. 38. Of Nature's policy.  
THe Glass wherein the mind beholds itself, is Nature, there she seethe the beautiful lineaments of her own proportion, and might not mine opinion seem to digress too much from the world, I would swear there is no life, no sweetness, no contentment, that intends not this more than any thing, we know not how much wrong we do our souls with compelling them to be play-fellows to the bodies wantonness; I will adventure it, the worst that opinion can do to me, is but to oppose herself against me, and I fear it not, then thus, they are childish or beastly courses, that are taken for bodies sake, only that excellent and divine faculty excepted, that keeps societies in society, that make many bodies one body, that reconciles the differing and disagreeing understandings of man, and knits them up in an unity, the preservation of whole admirable concord, we call policy. This study becomes the most divine spirits, as long as they are in bodies, 〈◊〉 so much subject is the soul to the body, as in confusions and troubles she is troubled, and therefore Policy producing peace, and peace giving liberty to the soul's workings, government and policy are the destinated and direct objects of the souls that are yet in bodies. But doth not this compel us, from a more divine and more aspiring inquisition? it doth not, for the rules of policy are no where so truly written, as in the works of nature, to the works of nature is the furthest journey, that our soul can carry us, as long as she bears the burden of a body, then under this tutoress, is the best of ●he best knowledges to be learned, being the instructor of the most excellent natural courses, either active or contemplative.  
This Architectres shows the first ground of policy, the society of things agreeing in kind, this, she hath given ●o beasts that have only sense; nay to her Elements who have only qualities, so may it seem not by discourse nor excellent grace, but even by a single infusion the meanest, we naturally thirst after a participating & communicating with things of our own kind, there is even in all these three kinds, a singular contentment in this, for beasts whose only pleasure is feeding and the appetite of generation, hath their stomachs increased by the stomachs of the heard, and hath females upon whom to execute the most forcible commandment of natures and their full pleasure, each Element by the assistance of the same, is more able to resist things Antipathetical in nature their only care, and man whose voice carrieth interpretation, & whose reason fills that voice with meaning, what can he desire more earnestly than his communicating reason, and by the other faculties of his constitution to give his reason the force and strength of many. Were it not thus, it would be a Chaos, for the separation makes a world, which separation stands by the agreeing and disagreeing of natures. Yet hath she tied the understanding of all things but man, within the compass of their own constitution; so seek they no further than a particular preservation, in which both they are contented, and nature served, how admirable is our mother's wisdom, she hath given no creature reason but man, had she to an other, all her travails should have served for the food of civil wars, such being the effect of an equal power bend to the obtaining a great dominion: the next is her skill in preservation, of which, though the most assured gain is hers, yet is it so commixed with a particular satisfaction, as uncompelled they willingly perform her commandments; thus should Lords command that would not have their service slacked, never to employ any instrument of their will without giving them an interest of contentment, yet might it be covertly handled, otherwise it will make them mercenary, the destroyer of love and obedience, and the bringer in of restinesse and rebelliion, it is to be safeliest done, either by teaching them the duty of each state, by making them understand the worthiness of a life that runs directly in his destinated course, or else with showing them the effects of their labours, and with them comparing the unhappiness of the actions of disobedience, but natures know not what they do, and yet do her pleasure, he that can find instruments of the same temper, is likely to make good work: All the rare and variable actions and forms of Nature, are tempered and performed only by her four servants the Elements, she useth no more. A plain demonstration, not the multitude, but the diligence and discipline bringeth things to the wished end; though Caesar could call all his soldiers by their names, yet I doubt whether he were perfect in all their natures, it could not be, and yet might be, in the course of Arms it bred no danger, but when it came to counsel, I believe he would not think their names assurance good enough; but to speak of the counsels of peace, which give all exterior actions their shape, it is not meet they be many, but selected out of many, for the soundest counsels proceed not from largeness of the company, but from largest understandings, for them that use many, as servants, not counsellors, it is not so hurtful, yet have they so many windows for passengers to take it at, and to discover what they do. Nature constitutes but four, under which number she hath reduced all the things of the world, so ought a politician that intends the keeping the body of government in good form, to make every creature of his charge belong to one of the ordained states of his signiory, by which he shall defend his country from idle stragglers, and suppress one of the means of innovation. Out of these four constituted bodies, hath she made all things, there belongs no more to her whole frame, whose situation and whose number is another lesson, they are four, so are the different states of a common wealth in her exactest constitution. The Prince, Nobility, gentry, plebeians natures, agree and disagree in qualities, the one in respect of their situation, the other of generation, things altogether like being, as unprofitable as letters without a vowel, so ought the degrees above mentioned, for were they altogether contrary there could be no combination, if altogether a like no generation, no order, nature of hers hath given fire the pre-eminence, whose neighbour air is, and they agree in heat, water is next the air, and they in moistness, water with the earth in coldness, the prince with the Nobility in mortality, the Nobles with the gentry in their refined blood, the gentry with the Plebeians in subjection, the fire is the most high, the most worthy, the air less worthy but behoveful, the water to be used not using, the earth an immense and monstrous body, whose worthiness consists only in his quantity. Such must be the care of law givers and founders of societies; as their incorporate body hath both there agreeing and disagreeing qualities, by those agreeing, to keep them in amity, which is always the effect of an equal interest, even as Princes by alliance seek to assure themselunes of one another, by this disagreeing, to have all the sundry employments of a seat, fitted with managers meet and skilful. After the creation of these four fellows their employment, the industry of nature, is well seen in her children, to whom she hath expressly forbidden idleness, to keep which precept she hath made need an overseer, and corrector of the disobedient, her elements are continually busied either in composing bodies, or if single in being assistant to bodies, if they be not thus they suffer a mutation, the most abhorred thing to their natures. Trees are continually busied in converting the sweetest of the next adjoining, earth into bows, branches leaves and fruit, if they do not they die, beasts have their food to provide, from which if the disease of laziness or age diverts them they starve, man the noblest creature is not so sharply compelled, but by his gift of reason hath his choice, which if he doth abuse, he becomes unprofitable, a course much more terrible than the rest, of this idleness, comes many mischiefs, as first his unprofitableness, next his ill example, and oft it proves worse, there being none so dangerous thoughts as those that are bread in this languishing sloth. Dracoes' medicine for this was death, I doubt whether I should condemn it for too sharp, for that execution disburdened his Country and was likely to cure the beholders, but a more gentle medicine might have served as well: beware of that, there being nothing more dangerous to a state, then to jest with offenders, if you confess the debt, pay it them, or you leave them worse than you found them, well, if it must be cruelty, yet it is a pitiful cruelty, and Dracoes' laws very good for the beholders whatsoever they were for the undergoers. From whence nature fetcheth the stuff of her workmanship, is only from herself, she hath fetched them from the poverty of nothing, and given them a being, a means to hold them in their duties, for it binds them both by love & fear, beholding the benefit, gratefulness compels them to acknowledgement, if dishonest & ungrateful, they are easiliest suppressed, whose obscure original receives their light not from themselves, but the assistance of others, but this example must be allayed, before it comes to the practice of men, otherwise taken, it will prove poison, somewhat there is in it, not unprofitable, but it must be carefully prepared, for we are not so early as before the beginnings of things, we have the pleasure of the use, not of the making, to attempt which, is not without apparent danger, it is not out of the way, to raise poor fortunes with rich minds, neither will they be unprofitable if regarded lightly, but if suffered to amount, they be most dangerous, for as things naturally cold, through force made hot, burn most ardently, so is there no ambition so violent as the beggar's ambition. There are examples enough of slave and servants, that have stepped between their masters and death, as many that have aspired to their masters ' authority, here was the use and abuse of those inferior instruments.  
Nature coun●elles with no body but herself, an instance not fit for man, because the weakness of his understanding needs the force of assistance, but that they should be few, and selected, is a wise and the nearest imitation that we can attain unto, the reasons are two, those counsels are likely to be kept secret, that are committed to a few, it being an infallible precept to lay a man's estate (if need requires) upon many, his thoughts and weighty intents upon few, the other reason, there are but few to be found so honest, as not to abuse this authority converting their counsels to their particular benefit.  
Dumque suo tentat salientem policy ven●●,  
Ca●dida per causam brachia saepe tenes.  
To counsel is the best office of a friend, but let him be a friend with whom we counsel, Omnia cum amico delibera, sed de ipso prius. Since we must use help, let us be sure he is so, to whom we trust, so the discretion by nothing receives so great a check, the estate so great a loss, the life so great a danger as by the choice of a dissembler a fool or a coward for our friend and counsellor. Tiberius in his whole course never proved himself honest, but never a fool, but in his trusting▪ Neither is this most powerful Empress lavish in her rewards, she ha●h created things one above another and given them degrees of pre-eminence, but she corrupts not natures with a prodigal heaping promotion, upon promotion, for well knoweth she that the enforcing things, beyond the limits of their conceptions and essence, wholly corrupts them, and makes them as unprofitable as age in a strange country. But this denies not rewards, the food of a mortal goodness; which it must have, or else it seldom liveth, but the temper and the right distribution is the thing that nature teacheth us, for in this abundance doth the mind surfeit, as doth the body by abundance of meat. She hath made nothing without an use, an advice, fitting high and low, whose cherishing creatures without use, marks them at the end with an F. or B. to make which imposition to endure easy, she hath more things to set them about, than one, and fitteth dispositions with tasks answerable to their dispositions, of this I have spoken before, yet is it so certain an effectresse of things prosperously, as to remember it again is not superfluous. Having thus constitution her government, she detests nothing more than monsters, be they never so excellent in some things which she hates, either because they are not hers but fortunes, and her wisdom and nature is to high and excellent to mother that peddlers brats, or else they are rebels that in despite of her authority and skill will break out into the world and disgrace her cunning, the same reasons ought to make states no less abhor the monsters of states, practisers of innovation, which whether it comes from the humour of fame or from the more dangerous of surprising his country, is to be with all diligence suppressed, bad, if they be not too bad, customs being more than remedies producing innovations. For in this troubles the honest mind stands amazed, the seditions that have long waited for such an opportunity embrace it, wounding the state in many places, whiles her governors are either feeble through distraction, or their forces bend another way, by the commandment of passion.  
Oft time was the Roman common wealth sick of these diseases, fildom cured of any if salved of one with such a disadvantage, as the curious eye of sedition, found by that how to molest her more dangerously, even as a-troubled title of land, oft times brings forth more with pleading for the right and showing the title. So apprehensive and so piercing is the wit of man, that spurred by his will, there is nothing too difficult that he dares not attempt and perhaps vanquish, such a fury moves his will, with such subtlety his reason, wherefore since the will backs ill causes sometimes, and that the reason is corrupted, by the violence of the will, there is no safety through this intricate many turnings, but the thread of virtue, whose light is the only means to lay open these jugglers and workers by stealth. To follow nature's progressions a little further, by this time having laid the foundation of her goodly building, it is time to illustrate the effects of her excellence, to arrive at some good end of her travails; nay what is there, but is the creature of her hand? An excellent happiness, to equal which, though it were a groundless ambition for us to aspire to, yet as like it as we come, is a worthy desire, we are well pleased in the attempting things, but things of this rank effected, to have preserved our country, to have given her good laws, to have left her good examples, are such things to behold, possesseth us with so ample and eternal joys, as not the imagination, the nearest neighbour to mortality, to immortal state, cannot think of more divine joys, then is here ●elte. I wonder not at Lycurgus wilful exile, respecting the occasion, it was an uncertain and dangerous state, that he left his nephew, compared with the fruition of those thoughts that accompanied his banishment, his constitutions and ordinances of the Laconian kingdom, in my account far overvaluing, the possession. Of the rest of nature's workmanship, though there be none but full of precious liquor, and that there is yet more than a mortal imagination can grasp, with that multitude I am confounded, and dare go no farther than to shut up what hath passed my pen, there rests but of her this then that I dare venture upon; the first how liberally she dealeth with the world in her effect, how sparingly in laying open her causes, well knoweth she the disposition of man, who spurneth and despiseth all those benefits that he understands the reason of, an excellent lesson for sovereignty to learn, whose knowledge fetched from his government rather than person, nourisheth and uphouldes majesty, they being drawn into more beautiful colours, that the eye seeing not, the imagination performeth for her, than those things that are the ordinary objects of the eye and familiar to our senses. The vphoulding this miraculous frame, resteth in the hands of love and need, which do preserve all her creatures, which two, are the main pillars vphoulding her building, by love her stock is renewed.  
Omnibus incu●iens blandum per pectora amorem.  
Efficis, ut cupidè gener●ti.  
By need things disagreeing in nature, are yet kept from proclaiming wars against one another, this need & love though by the effects they may be parted by a distinction, yet is all our love needy and none that is not interested in our particular care, how a state ought to apply this, is evident, by the whole world, it is determined people cannot live without governors, there is their need, from his justice and true execution of his place proceeds their love; thus from love and need, proceeds the preservation of societies. It is all our states to need, and a mutual supplying each others wants, that makes us complete and full, being otherwise lame & defective, this must persuade subjects willingly to contribute to the charge of the Prince, and not look only upon their own charge, but upon his expenses to defend them from innovations and troubles, this doth nature more plainly teach in the suns drawing up moisture from the earth, which it doth not as needing them, but to give it again to the earth more warm and more fat than she received it, in the same nature must we esteem Princes impositions, which return us them with a great increase, and more rich in substance than they received them, thus doth Nature excellently uphold her world, thus excellently shall these states stand that proceed so impartially and wisely as to imitate her, for; Ratio est naturae imiratio.   

Essay. 39 Of Conceit. To the Lady Withipoll.  
EVer your commandments (honourable Lady) are conceited: for by your commandment I have inquired of conceit, which I find so like yourself, as to resemble it to yourself, were a true and quick description: but it is in you mixed with judgement, without which it often goes, though it often go with it. That it go without, it makes it differ from you, for you cannot go without judgement, but I must speak no more of you, I must then speak of perfections whose want in the world makes imperfect judgements determined commendations, and due praises, poetry or Flattery. But either conceit is two sundry things, or conceit is abused; for to tuck, & to be stuffed with apish tricks, to wear green cut upon Yellow and to be a very merriment to the eyes, I have heard termed conceit: when they are no other but Tailour-like frisks of the senses, which they have seen, allowed, without ask eouncell even of the common sense, the warehouse common to beasts, and to men. But the worthies Conceit leaves posts between the senses, and the fancy, which speedily convey inttelligence, & are as speedily answered. It is a fruitful land sowed, & reaped at an instant; it is a quick workman which sendeth & receiveth whatsoever is presented in a time: It is in a word, a fancy well disposed, not only to her own faculty, but to the abilities of both neighbours, the common sense & the memory: Her power is doubly set a work in words, & in deeds. In these she differeth from judgement, not in success, but ready payment, for where the success is ill, I call it not conceit, but rashness. Words uttered, turned upon the utterer, is conceit, when nimbly like a weapons Artisan, he makes his enemy's arms his enemy's destruction. Thus Cicero to the fellow, who to show that his eloquence was mercenary, demanded of him what he should give him: any thing (answered he) but a Tart; for with a Tart it was thought he poisoned his father: this was a pretty Brickwall, & bounded the slander into his own bosom. There is no such stillitory as a quick brain, which refines and makes use of whatsoever comes within the Pan of his receipt. Thus to Hortensius, who told him he understood no riddles, and yet saith he, thou hast a sphinx in thy house: kuowing that Verres, whose cause he defended, had a little before given him an ivory sphinx; his intelligence was good, and his use good: thus doth wit whip oppositions, & outrun his rivals, & manifest the quickness of his dexterity. Demosthenes' conceit was nothing resty, when being mocked by a thief called Calchas for his nightwatching, & studying by Lamp-light; Indeed, said he, I know nothing so contrary to thee, as to see light in men's houses. This talon is commonly given youth to play withal, and it is a pretty gift to begin with. Nature had done well, if therewith she had taught us the use, which is (as I think) for defence only, for offensive, it is to offensive, getting enemies beyond the power of conceit to defend. Besides who knoweth whither not borrowed, which if it be, he becomes disgraceful, and ill becoming. To be without the right use is to be naked, not to have it without study is as unfruitful as a Hargabush making a full point between the firing and the report. I like that fellow well who desired the hangman not to fasten the rope about his neck, protesting the tickling would move him too unmeasurable laughter, I see not how he could have scarved his shame more handsomely: his last refuge than was to mock the hangman, and the rope, and to despise life as a runagate servant, we have another English shot as quick as this▪ one being showed a fair woman, was asked what he would do if she were in his bed, he answered, I would play the watchman of Calais, either serve myself, or hire another in my room. It was quick and ingenious, pleasant, or serious, or between both, do every way handsomely. It reprehendeth vice as effectually as a sour chiding, or downright blows, and yet is wrapped up finely, is gilded, and looks sweet. So Archelaus to a prattling Barber, that asked him how he would be trimmed, he answered, silently: this was for both parts better, then plainly to have bid him hold his peace. The wantonness of abundance mingles sharp things with our meats, and when we have no stomach, makes a counterfeit stomach, giving a sharpness like the humour of appetite: Thus is the abundance of words made not distasting, with giving the apprehensions of the auditories unexpected acuteness, and meeting with the thrust of a jest, thrusts it back upon the jester. In the times of danger, conceit hath a much braver lustre, it manifests a mind not wholly taken up with pain, or with peril. Thus Pompey advised by his Physician to eat Thrushes, and no man having any but Lucullus, what (saith he) cannot Pompey live without Lucullus Thrushes. A slave being racked to accuse Nero's wife of dishonesty, stoutly answered, that her part capable of committing that crime, was much more honest than the mouths of her enemies: there was an honourable mind in the body of that slave: and if ever the Pythagorean Metempsychosis had any colour, the soul of this slave did surely belong to some worthy parsonage, which held it first excellency in despite of Fortune and opinion. Now to the quickness of deeds, which seems to be the Hat suitable to this Nightcap. This never is without virtue; Fortitude must be here aswell as wit, otherwise fear will turn wit into fear. Fron Hannibal may be had more of these patterns, then from any one within the compass of my memory. As his deluding the Roman army with Oxen carrying fire-linckes on their heads, whose strangeness in the night astonished his enemies, & made way for him to escape, being before encompassed in a strait. It was then a stratagem of great wit, and is now for all the age worthy of memory. His attempt to make use of the slain Consuls seal of Arms, was not unworthy though unfruitful. His beginning of his wars in Italy, to remove them out of his own confines was an Act of a judicial Senator: but this I think was put in practice upon great advisement: these other no sooner thought upon, but done, are excellent armours against danger. Fear is content to have his throat cut, so he see it not, and at the approach of his enemy turns his back, because his back hath no eyes to behold danger, he lurks, and covers his bloodless face to keep it warm: but to meet danger half way, and in the mean time to devise to shun, nor to run from it, becomes valour and resolution. You know now (Lady) what I think of Conceit, and I know that you are able to touch it with a sweeter stroke: may heaviness presseth it down with a clacking rather then with a sounding, yet because I am obedient, let me have the censure not utterly void of good.   

Essay. 40. Of Counsel.  
counsels part, is Cassandra's part.  
Vatem voluit frustrae sanè me esse Deus;  
Quando ante claden, sum numerata Insana,  
Calamit eaten accepta, nunc sapiens vocor.  
The trap of our first parents, was licourishnesse: and all our calamities are licourishnesse, not enduring wholesomeness without sweetness. All senses have taste, and senses make all things distasting, that meet not the Taste with a present satisfaction and sweetness. Advice fitteth friend to friend: counsel counsellors to states, the first private, the other public both unhappy since commonly Prophets with our profit. Chance chalegeth unpremeditated actions; what more tyrannous? since it is seldom with safety: if with safety, the cause hers, not ours. Then must we admit counsel, but shall we admit her without hearing? shall we hear, & not believe? or believing, not follow? we had better not have gone thus far, then to have turned again: but reason enforceth our voyage, then let constancy continue it: where reason is at the beginning, and resolution in the midst, praise stands with the crown of victory at the conclusion, counsel then uphouldes states, and to counsel, and be counseled, fits Turrian statesman. Cottages may be built without models, not palaces: the Inhabiters of Cottages need no long revolving their intendmentes▪ but the other that cannot call back the stone cast, aught by praemeditation to divine of the resting place. The first determination of a man meet to be a statesman should be (as I think) not to sue▪ nor to intrude himself in to employment: we should say as M. Cato said for not erecting his statue: Malo, ●●quit, queri cur ●tatus mihi nulla posita si●, quam cur su. To have the ability is sufficient: to thirst after the other cannot be without either an itching of fame, or thirst of covetousness, both turning their inquisitor into vice but both supporters of his state, if seeking him. It is true our country seeks only profit, and gives praise to the cause of her profit, but it is due after the harvest, neither at the sowing, nor reaping. Virtuous experiece can relate, that had is to be returned to our country, obtained reputation giving that strength to the obtainer not for his own particular, but that he may have the more force to attempt, and execute the designs of his country. Reputation, wealth, wisdom▪ strength, must be employed as Geryon did his many limbs, to be at the direction of his mind, so these blessing to serve, and obey the common wealth, but called. As natural Philosophy commands Moral to search all before they come in her sight, and to cleanse them of all the spots, and deformities of licentious affections, left their corruption corrupt the purity, & profoundness of her knowledge: so an admitted common wealths man must turn all his affections to advance the state, he may love a friend, cherish his children, with duty honour his parents, when these appear in his private common wealth: but to assist, or prefer them without the approbation of justice against his country, is intolerable, what doth this particular, but breed a dispense? what is the death of a state, but this dispersion? If you do it, why not he, & so they? who measure equally measures to himself, and others equally: as Gods to Pi●● Vtilissim●● 〈◊〉 brenissimus, b●●ar●m 〈◊〉 l●●umque ●eru● delectus) eogitare gold aut riolueris sub also Principe, ade vol●●●ie, Our country must have all▪ the other private respected must be weighed down by this general. Na●● 〈◊〉 ●eos, sed●ame plus Patriam, saith one. I remember not the colours of a Roman History, but the body of it I hold. It was a son being consul, made his Father (according to the custom) appear before him to declare, that he had not been unprofitable to his country, he came accompanied, all the rest dismounted assoon as they came in the Consul's presence, his Father did not, he forced him, for which his father blessed, and Rissed him he was a Father worthy of such a son, and they both worthy of their country. Pericles' meditation becomes a judicial statesman Aoerce Pericles Am●●●●, Libe●is Imperas●● Graecis imperas▪ Civibus Atheniensibus Imperas●●. Suits from friends should be hard like strangers, if they prejudice the common wealth: Ones gain may be a general loss, which is unequal, and unjust. Epaminondas answer to P●lopidas upon such a suit became Epaminondas, Huius modi beneficia Pelopida Scortis, non Ducibus convenit ut praestentur. As for this, so for the contrary of this. Nullus Civis est numerandies bostis. Hatred in general is to be redeemed as the mad-dog of humanity, It looks as ill favouredly as the rags, and yet his deeds are more furious, and more dangerous. Innumerable are the examples of States, and Cities burnt to Ashes, and oblivion by these particular Chimneys, by Marius and Sylla, the Romans' state lost her sturrops; by Caesar, and Pompey was cast out of the Saddle. Hear factions (the Plaguesores of a common wealth have their original, which if they kill not, yet at the best are so ill, as to make all the fulbourn gathered about this infection to feed the infection, and to run out their force at one head. It was numbered among Scipio's capital crimes his not inviting his College Mum●●us to the feast he made at his dedication of the Temple of Hercules: and rightly, for though our weakness cannot restrain this natural unnatural affection, yet should it be so limmed, as to spend the whole force privately, and in public matters to think only of loving, and labouring for our country.  
The danger of letting in one of these affections (though the disturbance of all often happens by this one) is not all, for that opens the gate of others: affection lets in partiality, Partiality procures hate, Hate murder; the conscience thus stained feels not other spots, and then disdain, and pride, and covetousness are accounted venial, and pettytrespasses.  
This covetousness made Liturgus Iron money of little value, and of great bigness, this covetousness brings a popular famine, and private surfeit, this sponge sucketh dry the commerce of societies, from whence have popular mutinies received either colour or truth, but from the oppression of the mighty? life is given by the giver of life to none so unequally, as it shall be a pain to live: neither riches to any, by them to suppress, and make slaves of their countrymen who seethe unpartially the life of bleare-eyde misery already possessed of more than his life is able to manage, sinking life, a ship over-ballasted in the midst of the Ocean, and yet dry and thirsty, and would not with the Poet over burdened, with a few talented cast away his disquietness, and shame? Themistacles Actions makes a brave distinction between a man ennobled by the employment of a great place and a life dedicated to itself▪ such a one was with him, when passing by the wind fall of a great bickering, he espied a dead body richly adorned he passed by, but called to his companion▪ Tolle haec inquit, non eni● tu, Themistacles: He could not stoop so low, as to gather gold out of blood and dirt: but he stoops lower that plucks it from the living: these carcases had no need, yet Themistacles refrained for his own sake, because he was Themistacles, but from the living, it is a double Theft, robbing himself of honour, the other of the means of life. With covetousness gooth pride, and meltes covetousness, he draws his unmeasurable store, into a meditation of his store and d●inkesl●● which digested; turns all into pride, fully humour which loves admiration and procures laughter, looks in the glass for beauties, and in the mean time is collied on the back with scoffs and reproaches. It is no where safe, for it above decision, it is surprised by secret conspiracies. What danger is there to which this affection is not subject? If he be a Prince, it mine's the love of his people, and their fear only is left, which spurred by pride, turns into desperation, and ends with the life of either Prince or subjects. If he be a Statesman, he draws the power both of Prince and subject upon him, making the Prince jealous, the subjects cruel. If it be a free state, (it resembled) tyranny, and is most hateful, P●rsin Cu●itae●e parentium quam Imperantium● amplior est) he cannot live. Generally for all those things, which looking pleasinglie upon us may procure pride? let us allay it with thinking of 〈◊〉 errors and our infirmities, which 〈◊〉 all mortal men fa●●e surpass the number of his good deeds. If commendations follow us, let us say like Pubon that killed 〈◊〉, D●us hoc, m●●●s●ue m●a per perpetruate. These beaten back, irmite their contraries, and as these overwhelm their possessor with dangers and reproaches: so do these virtues or the contrary crown their intertainer with safety and praise. Who undertakes to steer in the Bark of government, must not end with the theorical part of knowledge, but must continually employ himself in shunning or repairing the ruins or threatenings of rocks and tempests, and showldes.  
Acco re aliri a'lle port, altri all mura.  
Il Re va interno, èl tutto veà, è cura.  
If outward invasions busy not a Statesman, the diseases of peace will employ him: every way must his fight be cast, every way must his thoughts travail in discoveries, and if there be a time of rest, it must not be of idleness, for his precepts to his countrymen must prohibit that, and to incline to actions by himself, thought unlawful, slanders his government with weakness and folly.  
Neque Poeta bonus est, qui prater numeros canit, neque qui, praeter leges indulges, bonus Magisttalus. So must all his actions be governed, that his example may be a lining law, and those dead ones speak no more than he performeth.  
He must moderate all his actions, and draw even his lightest affairs into a lawful circular course. 〈◊〉 non tantum dictorum publicè, & factoris ab iis, qui rem publicam gerunt, reposo●●●tur rationes, verum, etium cana corum, cubal●●, ●●pti●e, ludicra, & s●rig Acts. When happiness and a freedom of mind is it to be able with the Tribune Drusus, whose house partly lay open to the sight of his neighbours, when being offered by a workman for five Talents to have it closed, he offered ten to have it laid open to the view of all eyes, that the world might see his whole life, & that vice might be driven from that flattery to think others do as ill, but not known, because concealed. Thus counsel saith to me, and I believe her, thinking (though with the mist of knowledge unexperienced) that she speaks truly. That I am a man, I am bound to do something; that a Christian, some thing not ill: so I think of this, in respect of my purpose, not in my purposes performance. It is called madness to talk to ones self, and meditation goeth with so faint a press in my brain, that it is soon wiped out. I writ therefore to myself, and myself proffites by my writing: If a strange eye carries it to a stranger's judgement, and he profits not by it, I am not sorry nor displeased, for I meant it only to myself.   

Essay. 41. Of Sorrow.  
THe most acceptable blessing that ever I had, was a Son, in whose time of growing meet to see the world, I examined often how to fit myself for his approach. I durst not but smile, and seem joyful, for fear of a Midwives' censure, with whom Dame Nature being also a Gossip, conspired to make me joyful: I was indeed; but yet reason taught me, that extremities toss the life of man in uncertainties, and joy immoderately swallowed, surfeits, & the surfeit turns into sorrow. Thus have I determined of all things here, being half a ●●rbonia concerning these Terrene business, in my opinion holding opinion the mother of joy and fortune. What is mortal, is mutable, and our joys here, often yield their place to sorrow, and sorrow to joy.  Eor●em hic nunc latam ducit quandogue malign●m. 
Why then do we determine these priceless things, at so inestimate a rate as to disturb the whole life, and crase the body for these mutabilities? how far doth a farmer's policy exceed all other politics? what doth he with a farm that he holds from year to year, but make his use of it, and drive it? what doth he possessing one but for a few years but the same? the feesimple, or many lives; shall persuade him to build, & to handsome it, and husband it, otherwise he converts it to a present profit, and prepares to be gone tomorrow. It is strange to observe the wisdom of man, how much good he knows, and how basely he useth it: there is hardly a creature borne that is sensible, but 〈◊〉 full of principles able to uphold his life in a good & safe estate, did he not 〈◊〉 that naked, and apply them to base uses, as taking care for cuffs, & for going wool-ward. Who loves colours 〈◊〉 buys them, but inquires if they will hold? and that they will he takes for their best quality, but himself never blameth, nor prizeth himself the less, though he changeth & looseth colour and quality in every instant. He that never knew Tailors measure, & carries his body about for a pattern, yet he will not buy until he hath fitted himself, & examined the stuffs continuance yet he will entertain giddy affections, buy them, and wear them, though neither fit, nor lasting. masters cry out on their servants if they be idle, and call them unprofitable: but masters are bound in straighter bands to themselves and to their country, & yet to both they are content to be idle and unprofitable. Thus in all lives, and in all men, may be found precepts able to advise them, but they wilfully, or negligently 〈◊〉 the right applicatiō●● this we ●●ght to sorrow, but we abuse sorrow, and ●●ue her for that is nothing worth. Who knows not our naked beginning voice even of strength and reason to d●●end● na●● 〈…〉 time contend us with reason, and shall we ill the strength of that lunl●●● for mo●●●●●albo●basorts? what is this bar to be more unsensible, then before we had sense? I am sure man would la●●●as an●●e●●●re, that, his companions of the earth should excel him in immortality, his richest blessing are they made fit do accompany his ●●●ns●●ofinesse, & will he yet be sorrowful and angry this passeth the way wardness of children. Trees have then spring, and fall, yet live in both, without the torment of unreasonable joy; or sorrow each elementary substance suffers a dissolution, and willingly obeys nature, she having given them a secret instinct to obey their creator, and even of their own accord they hasten out to let others in, and are careful to uphold the workmanship of her miraculous frame. Why then are we crowned with reason, and are excelled by the reasonless creatures? have we the Armour of hope to defend us from despair, the stillitory of reasonable discourse showing us both the dregs & Quintessence of all things? & in spite of these assistances, & odds, shall we be overcome by beasts and trees, and stones?  
Cossa, ●c respice mala caeterorum,  
Ira fe● es ru● levius.  
If there be no remedy let us thus appease our bewailings, and sorrows, but rather if I could, I would withstand this effemivate opinion, with a shield hammered out of resolution. If it be my only destiny to be poor, and deformed, can I repeal the decree of the fates with tears? No, no more than trees in Autumn recall the spring with shedding their leaves: if it be the work of chance, I will overcome chance with immovable embracing her enmity. Sertorius used Fortune bravely in the loss of his eye: others, saith he, leave their marks & crowns of glory at home for losing, but I have mine still on, I wear it, it withers not, I cannot lose it: who likes not this better than bewailings, and tears, he hath vntuned ears, and blear eyes. I do not think but Fortune wished she had rather tried to melt him with smiles, and dandlings, then to have hardened him with her frowns. Thus may we convert those things which we call mishaps into blessings, pulling the sting out of Fortune's tail, and enforcing her to be our servant. If she power wealth, and honour, let us use them to uphold our honour, and profit our country; but if she kick, nettle her again with despising her power, making the rain of her afflictions wash the secret spots of our soul, and outwardly be a soil to our patience and constancy. Man, if you will end there, excels not other creatures, but man's pre-eminency is granted him for his discretion, which abused & defaced by the use, his evidence gone, his jurisdiction is gone, and his definition must be, a creature with two legs made long-ways. Man knoweth he is mortal, & that what he hath; is transitory: he is unhappy that is not armed against the turnings of the world, with the experience of the turnings of the world.  
Ad cuncta non genuit t● Agamemnois prospera,  
Atreus, dolenàun; & gaudendum invicentibi,  
Es namque mortalis genitus.  
If he know this, and will weep, is he not worthy to have another stand by and laugh at him? whither can knowledge go but hither? where is she profitable but here? He that reads to speak, ends with the commendations of an old wives tale: he that reads to apply his reading to his own life, is wise: he poureth oil into the lamp that will give him light, the other 〈◊〉 it without supplying it, Anoxagoras made good use of his Philosophy, when his sons death assaulted him, Scieba● 〈◊〉 alem me genuissa f●●um. To know himself, and the appurtenances to himself is the use of knowledge, and this knowledge unmaskes his eyes, & shows him wonders in himself, he becomes in this like unto God.  
Est nosce teipsum, non quidem ample ●●ctio,  
Sed tanta res solus quam nonuit jupiter.  
To know himself, is to know before hand what may happen to himself, so shall he in despite of the apparitions of the world, stand unmovable: so shall he not be cozened by expectation: so shall he not be seduced to think her overthrow his, but catch the Poet's description and crown himself with it; 
Virtute praedui, & sapientis est viri,  
Non in rebus òuris in Divos fremere.   
This life is like a continual battle, and yet in battles men are prepared better to endure what may happen: the loss of a friend there, is not his life, but of honour, this is accounted loss, and lamented, not that: He that dies in a rank strikes not his next neighbour with terror, nor doth he think death calls him, though he be at his elbow, an overthrow they seek to recover by overthrowing, not lamenting, and bravely they make resistance and resolution supply the place of all other affections. Thus I think every morning, I see no sooner day, but I think that light will discover some assault, and with the Poet; Mando a cantar la matiulina tromba.   

Essay. 42. Of Solitariness and Company.  
HOw true a principle of virtue is it, that crossing our appetite is the way of virtue? Appetite is the child of the senses, and senseless when he useth but his parent's counsel: how true a testimony is this Axiom of our vile inclinations, when it needs not the exception of good desires, for all our desires ate nought. Thus hath solitariness fallen into knowledge, because speech and reason love traffic and exercise, the former of which is unecchoed without company, the last naked, for reason is made forcible by exercise. Societies sweeten the bitterness of life, for life without society is Vivere, non bene vivere: the objection of calamities attending it as well as happiness, is resisted by the whole understanding of man, fo● what knows he that is not answered with a contrary? that excellent supernatural blessing of man, his Creator, his God, hath a contrary, the curse, the pitch of his extreme danger, & peril: lower, what goodness is without temptations? what happiness not possible to be transformed to her contrary? who then seeks shelter in a cave, outwardly imbalmeth his malady which cures, Physic saith he, doth but leisurely cure, it delays, not ends his wars, for he carries with him a body, which like children's fancies will wheresoever find sports, and delights. The life of contemplation at once bearing the functions, and pleasures of the body, makes the body strive for employment, helps not that it is wholly encompassed, for it makes it the more furious, as when one dissenting element embraceth another, the stricter his kindness, the more violent the others rage. Thus holiness sequestered, sequestering the bodies exercise, makes it fly to the meditation of this life, will be glorious, & admirable in the world. He must think, and those thoughts come through his body, and there are polluted with vainglory, or hypocrisy, or some other such malady incident to this retired course. If from the scorn of the world, or the being scorned by the world, if from the despair of not being greatest, we can feed upon nothing but extremities, and therefore will be least: if from losses, or a fear of losing, we are not eased of the cares and danger of the world▪ but rather engross a map of her miseries, and differ from the other life only in desperation: for we steal the devouring monsters of despair, self-love, disdain, & scorn, into a corner, and there sacrifice ourselves unto their insatiate appetites, past danger, for hope here cannot hope of rescue, unknown diseases being diseases uncurable. For secular fortunes this cloistered life is not tolerable, it resists reason and goodness, which both join in guiding us to society, & the common good, which hath need of the worst of us, even of those whose hands are their best parts: for execution sets more a work then direction. There is a last time of life, when decrepitness kills experience, and when age hath not only set up his marks of triumph, of wrinkles, and grey hairs, but plays the Prologue of death, and draws the Curtain not only before our senses, but even before meditation; It is then time to give that life leave to think only of death, and to prepare for his last journey. Thus have many kings wilfully deposed themselves, for which power, & which performance, I think they were more bound to God, then for making them kings. But a life in the strength of mind and body, commits sacrilege to sequester itself from the world, for he for his country is his mother) In a word he declines to his worst part, for beasts live so, and leaves the imitation of his divinest father, whose greatness is goodness, and whose goodness is excellent, because stretching the arms of his goodness to the embracing of all man kind. Shall Trees become equal to men? becoming thus, they become equal: Trees have for their object, themselves, themselves hath solitariness: can the blessing of human souls look higher and worthier, and shall they crop themselves lower, and match equally those, over whom they have superiority? nobility useth mean fortunes for servants, not companions, if it do, it doth basely: what do these than that deprive themselves of greatness to become bare? our preaciousnes is reason, reason's servant is speech, which is the messenger of reason, and reasons meditation: these are the cement of societies, to bear these with solitariness is to contend with nature for wisdom who hath abilities, and useth them not, as some creatures strength, others horns what reckon we them but brutish, and reasonles? But man hath more excellent ornaments, & the use of them is society, and company, which he must embrace, it being impious to give an example of leaving the word desolate. He must, so must he eat, and f●om eating come surffers as well as health, from company corruption, as well as purity: the neighbourhood of these poisons to these wholesome things I should lament, were not reason given us to cut them a sunder, and to choose wisely: I do not in this choice compel, or wish men to covet throngs or multitudes, to hunt dryfoot after feasts, and assemblies, such are to be eschewed, their very smell & noise without their familiarity, being dangerous, and offensive. I think Senecaes' sentence of his never coming among men, but he went home a worse man than when he came out, leveled at these flocks. But to make his choice of company, to use speech with them able to assure himself, & better them (for as Faces differ, so temperatures, and from their temperatures comes variety of reasons) becomes wisdom. Every head begets thoughts indifferent, even our Mechanic Trades, as well as Arts witness it, for the lights of these came not from one lamp: our proportions, & casts are to little to comprehend the universal knowledge of things: therefore one helps another with the conference of one another: minds traffic like bodies, a Hat for a Ruff, the Shoemaker with the Tailor. To become wife, conference is the means, to become temperate, example: we must call out men expert in these, and accompany them: we are not as the Bee, the sweetness of whose nature makes things of another nature sweet: alas, no: It must be good we receive, and then perhaps we will make it better, but if ill, we make it worse. To be known much, to be saluted much, to be in presses much is not the way of wisdom Clamours, and salutations distract us: our senses receive singly, we hear not two tales at once, at once we see but one thing, the Brain joins, and dilates after. Thus must we use company for conference, and conference to be enriched by seldom happens among multitudes. Except in an Army, and a counsel chamber, I would proportion my number; not above five: in these before recited where there are most, there are blows where fewest, wisdom I am not much blown, nor stirred with the vulgar opinion, and yet I find an aptness in myself, to eschew their opinion. If I were so great as Alexander, to prohibit every man but Lisippus to proportion me, it were well then to go so naked, as to be commonly known and consured: for did none but the skilful determine me, I should be sure their reprehension were truth, and I would amend, or prosecute accordingly ● but when he that stoops worse well tax my leaning forward, and dwarves deride them that are not tall, what's better then to avoid coming within their reach, by privateness? But this leans to affection, so much privateness is good, as betters an ability to become public. I should not know the Sun from a petty star, did he not warm me, and light me, nor finder distinction between worthiness, and baseness, did not worthiness like the Sun direct baseness, and spread itself to comfort, and give life to the darkness of ignorance. Our eye gives the Sun circumference but the circle of a head, and our heads circumference differs not inuch, in their qualities near a kin: for as the one lightens the steps, the other doth the actions. The Sun shows us where to step, the head wherefore: with their littleness they command the most immense, and monstrous things, with their littleness assist the mightiest, & end so excellently as to have a care of the common good: the Sun not carrying his Lantern for himself but for the world, the head not like a limb, or a Sense tending only that, but the whole bodies preservation is his care. How excellent would the Emperor Titus have been, had he been so blessed as to have known divinity, that in his natural inclination, and Moral understanding suffered no● time to slide away without the memory of some good deeds, not a day? how rigorously do these days of his, look upon our days where at the very last day to dispose some things to a good use is wondered at, but company was my Argument, not whether the use of company, and all things else should tend. So well have Tailors handled themselves, as we will draw from them the censure of men, by his clothes we think to make a conjecture come near truth, if not by them by his companions undoubtedly we may, for 
Dulce quidam dulcise adiunxit omeraque amoris.  
Acre pe●inde acri accessit, salsum quoque salso.   
He died not long since, that held it an excellent testimony of wisdom to keep no unprofitable servant, counting them unprofitable that eat without bringing in, it paid his opinion richly, for he died rich, If this prove so well, and proving well, aught to be constantly maintained, how respective ought we to be of our companions? the former were but the ministers of of our bodies, but these converse with our minds, upon whom by the help of custom they cast either gra●es, or deformities. They must be then able to batter us: we make choice of our dwelling places by the sweetness of the Air, which if ill, we suck in diseases: so if our company ill, vices, and imperfections. Those that we continue with, I would have firm, and good, honest, and of understanding, for if their water be a standing pool without a spring, they may be drunk dry▪ and then they are Idle, and unprofitable. But for others, let them bring what they will with them, it is no matter, sometime to see ill, is not without use (for ill is goodness folly:) I know behaviour by seeing clowns mock behaviour: I know folly by wisdom, and wisdom by folly, as small drink, by strong, strong by small. Among these, use the seaman's plummet, sound them, see where their best lies, and follow that argument: it is good for both parts, for every man loves to talk in his own element and his talking there yields most profit to the hearer. I would hear speak no more than would bring on speech, for silence among strangers is safe beside. Observation loves not to speak, but to hear, and from observation, comes experience, and wisdom. To the company and time we must lend respect, for high fortunes love not to be asked questions by inferiors, but to hear: If content, it is where the interrogatories may pull out threads of their own praises. Age loves it well, disburdening the memory of times past: 
O Nestor Neleiade, tu dicito verum,  
A rides ubi mortuus armipotens Agamemnon,  
Et Menelaus ubi fuit, Argis anin Achivis.   
Where wisdom holds out with age, and memory hath not unthriftily spent her come in upon time, the conversation of age is the wisest book: of these I have never in my life seen any comparable to one, for commonly they are obstinate and morose, and their discourse is mingled with as much bad, as good; but contrary is this, having the experience & the wisdom of 80. years and upward, and yet a body more healthful than many of half his years, so wise, and so temperate; so able, and so willing to instruct his friends, that I never am with him, but I come from him stronger in understanding, then when I went, so doth his advise moderate my youth, his knowledge melt my ignorance, ending shortly, of him I may truly say; 
Huc omnes pariter venite capti,  
Quos fallax ligat improbis Cate●is  
Terrenas habitans Libido mentes.  
High eri● nobis requies Laborum,  
Hic portus placida manens quiet,  
Hoc patens unum miseris Asylum.   
To profit by company must come from ourselves: our questions is the fire which draws out either the quintessence, or the dregs of things. Who with a travailer asks what sport is most used in foreign countries, whether Hawking, or Hunting, Balloon, or Tennis, pull but more corruption upon himself.  
— magisque caecas  
In suos condunt animos tenebras.  
Who with an Ambassador, talketh rather of their women, & their attire, them of their natures, force, revenues, merchandise, & such like, what is his gain but the mark of an idiot? what his knowledge, but Tailour-like, & light? Alexander in his childhood, entertaining the Persian Ambassadors, may instruct the ripest years, at that time his questions tended to the invading, and conquering the world: for he asked of their havens, their passages, and distances between place, and place, of the power of their king, of his conversation with his friends, and his enemies: out of this more certainly, then for the managing of Bucephalus might his father have prophesied, that the confines of macedon were to narrow for him. Me thinks this childhood of Alexander's withstandeth the right of fortune to any of his enterprises: for he began with wisdom, and was worthy to end with honour. She hath to do rather with people that have success in their actions, without being able to produce causes deserving it, like start up gentlemen, gentlemen without a pedigree: but for his conquests, his infancy showed, he would deceive them, beginning to speak, and to speak wisely almost at an instant. The use of things makes things worth the use, and company by the use is an excellent instructor, and solitariness moderately taken, makes us fit for company; our whole life is a warfare, for all things have contraries, though in appearance they often look alike. Goodness, and good uses come to us hardly, for vice challengeth us as anciently hers, and resistes virtue with persuasions, and pleasures, to whom if thou yieldest; 
jaecebis extincta, et non ulla memori●  
Erit tui.   
But resisting, and resisting vanquishing, what honour, or reward is there, that is not ours? If I should speak only of wisdom, were it not well? but it shall have more, the addition of divine wisdom; of a wisdom able to gather the best fruits of the world, without being corrupted by the world: of a wisdom defending the conscience from wounds and spots: of a wisdom before whom vanity shall vanish, and the apparitions of Pomp, and glittering Pride, shall be seen in their right natures ridiculous, and abominable: of a wisdom that being a River belonging to the Ocean of wisdom, to that Ocean shall again yield her streams: she shall yield with joy, not with fear, but a loving fear, and having performed the circle of nature, shall rest in the Centre of eternal perfection.   

Essay. 43. Of Vanity.  
IT troubles me not to see the light professions of Dancers and Tumblers cast their behaviours & bodies into unused forms, nor to hear tooth-drawers, or Rat-catcher's, swear themselves the best in the world in their professions: I knew this before, upon the sight of his Banner I knew him guilty, and it is not amiss: when nature made minds conformable to their fortunes, she was about none of the least, nor worst of her mysteries. But nobility, and professors of noble actions, how crooked and deformed make they their minds, with rancking with these bond men of their senses? I know we are the sons of a fallen father, but mercy hath helped us up again, and though we be originally sinful, we may be eternally happy: we need not still buy Apples, we paid too dearly already for that purchase. But as a drunken night makes a misty morning; so are our knowledges still taking one thing for another, and enquiring what will look fair, not what will last. Can we see, and yet do we not see, that vanity is nothing but like a single guilt, which a shower transformeth to dirt or rust? making shift●like dancers, that devise changes in their dances, calling them by another name, because the singles or the doubles differ. Vanity in factions in the very Index of vanity, for all that she doth, is but with her rotten body to put on a new form. I account them more dangerously ill that are drunk with vanity, than those with wine: for a morning makes one himself, but the other is hardly ransomed with years, but is ever staggering, and falling, either in his words, clothes, or actions. Hear am I fallen into a bottomless pit, indeed past either the nature of an Essay, or my writing, which agree in a short touching of things, rather than in an histories constancy, I bait rather than dwell in them; but this anatomised will make Folio volumes look less than Primmers. Pull man from vanity, and he is like Birds that are nothing but Feathers. The incomprehensible soul of Heaven, of whom we are but drops, yet that we came from him, we hold that preciousness, that suddenly our minds can draw the picture of the bodies passages, and so fruitfully as to run division upon it: then is it possible to overtake vanity spurred by the mind, since horse and rider run so fast, so quick, and so far? A little though I will follow it to the descrying these three, words, clothes, and actions, the depth of which I would be loath to be able to reach, for I should then be accessary to too much vanity. Some I have, which being a kin to more, brings me acquainted with more. I have tasted of more than I have digested: for at twenty years old, I vomited a great deal that I drunk at 19 and some new I have, of which this Essay is part.  
Of words first: for it is one of the first things we do, they are but the Lackeys of reason of which, to send more than will perform the business is superfluous, me thinks, an esse videatur at the close of a period, is as nice as a Tumbler ending his tricks with a caper: and Tully's Venit, imo in senatum venit, moves me no more against Catiline then the first Venit. Me thinks, this same rhetoric the child of words, is but as a pickled Herring to bring on drink, for his divisions and repetitions are for nothing but to bring his memory acquainted with his tongue, and to make three works of one. How shall a man hope to come to an end of their works, when he cannot with two breaths sail through a Period, and is sometimes graveled in a Parenthesis? I wonder how Cicero got the people of Rome tied so fast to his tongue, for which his matter, no better than his style, he should not persuade me to look upon him? I make as great difference between Tacitus, Senecaes' style, and his, as musicians between Trenchmore, and and Lachrymae. Me thinks the brain should dance a jig at the hearing a Tullian sound, and sit in counsel when it hears the other.  
But his matter is substantial, and honest, and though he be betrayed among Pedauntes, and Boys (which he may thank his Style for) yet he is meeter for greater persons, and sounder judgements. But eloquence (as we take eloquence) it is of no use, but among such ears as call a Bagpipe music, it fits them, and among them must be used; but among wisemen, it is to distrust their understandings, losing time in repetitions, and Tautologies. The virtue of things is not in their bigness, but quality, and so of reason which wrapped in a few words hath the best tang. Those which are subject to this prodigality, they should help themselves, as stutterers, by learning to sing, so these by making verses, whose number ties up words and gives reason liberty, carrying reason level to the soul, and giving a report out of the mouth, as Gunpowder from Ordinance. This disease of words let in by Cicero, was not long after let out: for Augustus following almost in the fury of the shower, was feign to arm himself with writing all he meant to speak, seriously, even his speeches to his wife, which was painful and dangerous: for if the women had been led by his example, the world sure at this day had been inhabited by nothing but papers: yet he durst not do otherwise, lest Plus, minusue loqueretur ex tempore, which cannot choose but happen to a tongue that runs proud after words. But they are worse that send messengers without an errand, that speak, and yet geld their speech of meaning, like a folded sheet of paper without any infoulding. Thus I have heard speech cast out of a mouth worse than riddles, which neither speaker nor hearer could interpret. In the same file are Proverb-mongers, whose throats are worn like roade-wayes, with little said is soon amended: It is no halting before a Cripple, and such like: when I hear one of these I look for his dry nurse, for from her arms he plucked this language. I have liked my patience as much for inducing these trials, as for any of her sufferings: for what can be more contrary to tunable ears, then to hear this most excellent instrument abused, and to hear ignorance clap the air with his breath? his lips opening like a purse without money, and his tongue like a Fencer before a pageant stirring, not striking: of whom when all is finished may be said.  N●mo tibi dicit dictis quis denique Finis? 
The tongue is the key of the mind, the mind the casket, holding all our riches to discover which ordinarily, is to make another key besides his own to command your own, which makes yours▪ another's. To discover bright things so often, as may be called wearing them, soils them: but to discover all you have, and that all shall prove nothing, is the most miserable: so doth the mediocritye between too much speech, and silence fit both wisemen, and fools, for the ones ware is to good, the others to bad.  
Me thinks, this same vanity of clothes hath done virtue wrong, for we descry great men as much by their clothes, as actions, which is very improper: for we allow not houses by their plastering, and gayness, but by their rooms, and conveniency. Hath it not also weakened our best force, and made us call in outward helps? for not of our heads, but of our Tailors we ask aid, where power languisheth with entertaining these bawds of pleasure, sedition comes in, for when poverty finds her endless labours end with pouring her gains into excess, mutiny counsels want against this too much plenty: Thus to these miserable ones speaks a seditious fellow in the Florentine state, strip us all naked (saith he) and you shall perceive no difference, clothe us with their garments, & then with ours, & doubtless we shall look like noblemen, they look like vassals, for it is only poverty, and riches that makes the disparity beweene us. It is the lustre of greatness, & yet the most dangerous: dangerous, for it feeds envy, dangerous, for it makes us unapt for any other estate, to which mortality being over subject should never be unfit to entertain it. Cleopatrats misery looked much more deformed, because men's memories could join her present state, to the state she put upon her when she would resemble the Goddess Isis: it is like a face used to look through a ruff, when put in a falling band looks as if looking through a halter. But this is a common curse upon greatness, that it can nothing so well defend itself from misfortune, as misfortune from fortunate: to become great of little endures much better, then to become little of great. I cannot think it a lawful excuse, to say, the mind still aims upward: no, the mind of virtue is still itself, and is itself, let fortunes Arithmetic be either adding, or substracting: she can join no more earth to her then the body, and rather would she be rid of that, then receive more. It is disputable, whether these robes of greatness should at all be allowed, but to be in them always, without question is disallowed. There are some that can see, and not judge, know these, it is necessary for greatness to show them somewhat which they may understand. Now for the light changes of attire, me thinks they go like a singing catch, some are beginning when others are ending, others in the midst when another gins again. Let another be absent from this mint, and without the discipline of a Tailor but a few months, and at his next appearance his friends shall not know whether he be a man, or a Ghost of times past, or a spirit moving a Westminster Statue. The money-maisters have not engrossed all vanity, though they have money, for these people have a change where to be out of fashion is to be bankrupt, and as the one's bills are protested, so the others discretion. This is not to have a head, but a hat buttoned up on the side: It is no matter what soul, so a body in fashion, of which though I do despise it enough, yet I wish it no other mischief than the Painter's Shop, where a picture of seven years since, looks more like an Antic Dancer, than a man. But thus shall I be, if I speak more of them, for I draw them, and Time draws them out of fashion, and they if I lay any more hold on them, draw me.  
But now the motions of man, by reason of his reason called Actions, what an Eclipse do they suffer with vanities dark body getting between them, and the clearness of reason? what see we almost performed? How nearly soever resembling virtue, which more deeply examined would not prove vanity? even Divinity is not free, for Hypocrisy kills many actions, which without hypocrisy would be virtues; but I will leave this office to Divines, whose sights can better discover the invisible walkings of professors of good-dooing ill. In secular professions, I hardly see even the gravest go without touching vanity, performing as much for ostentations sake, as for virtues, the observation of which hath made me so incredulous, as I believe light actions, no more than I do words: he that protests he loves his country, & in some adventure of his purse and pains, shows it, I am never the more moved to extol him: but when in a breach he defends his country, when he calleth the forces of his scattered countrymen shattered by Fortune, and so out of hope, as his action may be called the dying with his Country; I will begin then to trust him: or if like the keeper of a Fort in the old Florentine dissensions, who being besieged, and his Castle fired, threw his own children into the flame, willing them to take those gifts of Fortune, but for his honour, he held that in his breast, which no shock of fortune should overthrow, nor fire melt, Were there not such men to enrich Histories, how idle a thing were a History? for who is not moved to follow this honourable pattern? his children were not more inflamed with the fire, than the virtuous reader, me thinks, should be with his throwing them in the fire: now may we swear he loved his country, and honour, and from him may distinguish between the lovers of Fame and Virtue: for Fame's servants love commendations, but with all they love to hear it themselves: the other thinks of virtue not of Life. It needs no wonder though their valours differ, that employ them for fame, from those for virtue. Were I the servant of Fame, it should be my case, for her rewards are faint and lean: the fire nourishing valour, comes from no outward thing, but from the sweetness of the meditation of virtue: but Fame thinks not on that, but looks who seethe her, and doth worse than lovers, that draw their vigour from their Mistress eyes.  
Virtue hath Fame, though virtue works not for fame, which me thinks is an excellent testimony of the divine goodness, when not only his, and humane laws teach it, but even from the example of our familiars may be read good and bad. Thus prevailed Benedetto Alberti banished by the Florentines, for after his death they confessed their error, and fetched home his bones, buying them with solemn pomp, and honour, whom being alive they had persecuted with slander and reproach. In matters of policy, vanity bears no less sway, when from the force of rules and institutions, they think to maintain states. Policy conducted by virtue, I think the life of Government, without which a commonwealth can no more live, than a body without a soul: but policy (as it is commonly taken and used) is no more certain nor profitable, than a Farmer's drawing all his Council from a Calendar.  
It rains, of which Philosophy will say, the suns drawing up of moisture from the earth is the cause: alas▪ this is the last cause, but the cause of causes we understand not. track by Philosophy the most impotent natural thing, for some discentes you may go with it, but the end is, you must leave it, attributing it to the intelligences, and to the first cause past the ability of our meditations strength; for we are yet humane, they merely divine.  
As this, so this policy is conjectural, and uncertain, full of peril, never safe. Of men of this kind, Caesar Borgia is a fit example, in whom was as much wicked wisdom, as I think ever in any, with which he fared like a Cockboat in a storm, now aloft, now sunk, and still in his designs, rather increased in his sins, then in his power: at last when he meant one that should not have assisted his rising, he killed the supporter of his height.  
He that will with natural accidents seek to diminish the divine hand in this work, doth impiously, and is in the way of Atheism: for it is manifest, God meant to punish, and to teach in this example, that he did it rather by his ministers, then immediately, explaining his divine wisdom, which enforced them to run into their own plots laid for others. Not only doth heaven detest this course, but even among men it is vain: though the strength of a state may be known, their use lies hidden. Every day doth the wit of industry enlarge itself, and devise uses of things, which without the spirit of Prophecy, or chance, may be without his rules, and then who seethe him not apt to fall into the worst errors? Thus hath Artillery put the ancient Roman and Grecian Histories out of fashion in many things: thus hath the experience of their times, and the wit of these, changed almost the whole body of government. Who heareth of Lycurgus' commonwealth not skilled in Antiquities, and believes it not rather a thing thought, then done? Doubtless the wit of man is too excellent a thing to be catched in a snare which he seethe lie before him, he goeth not always one way: though laws can fathom the drifts of vice, yet those of wisdom, this policy cannot, for it is upward, even to heaven is her flight; the other earthly and visible. But I may in this offend, like some confutours that have ended their pains with making their cause worse. This paper is yet in my hands, but in whose it may be; I know not: and howsoe●●● I mean, others not meaning well, may make help their ill. It must be God, that in these and all other things must help us, we are no other than his instruments: when we undertake to be hands, we sin in presumption: under his conduct things come to a conclusion. Those that prosper for a while without his counsel, and direction, they are but the Instruments of his scourge, and prosper no longer than while they are in their executioners office, we go blind fold without the Sun, can we then go without his licence that made the Sun? We are to impotent to stand without a supporter, our actions rest in doubt, and our discourse cannot resolve them, but ever we shall think La tardita noi toglie L'occasione, la celerita ●e for●e. I account in this list all that account their country ungrateful, or that repine at her commandments: she cannot be, for thou art for her use, and if thou be'st unprofitable, with justice she may put thee away. We must not think she can do unjustly, it is Arrogancy, and partiality, to compare thy knowledge with hers: our souls are for heaven, our bodies for our Country, and that excellent Issue of heaven, is destinated to no work upon the earth, but to uphold this our common mother.  
How may we blush that are overcome by heathens and yet have the odds of divinity? by them, that knew virtues preciousness only in fame, when we know she is current in the world of worlds? this hath come from an opinion that their ignorance produced valour, but this opinion is as full of sin as folly. Is valour prohibited because murder; and self murder is prohibited? the building cannot stand where the foundation is false● they fail in the definition of fortitude, which is (as all other single virtues are) but the colour of the substantial body of virtue, which when castupon another substance is not virtue, though like virtue. These hold that fortitude hath run her perfectest course when she hath passed the gates of death, no: fortitude endures stronger assaults than death. But were it so: Is he that comes near death valiant? why then, hang Trophies over the gallows; the cause, the cause must in all things tell whose child the effect is. He that fights with fury is not valiant, but he that lends justice force. Cato died in as fit a time to make his death look nobly as could be, and at the fittest course of natural reason, it will seem good reason, not to out live his country's liberty: but had it not been more compassionately done of him, to have accompanied his country in misery? had it not been more wisely done to have reprieved hope, and to have watched time, when happily by opportunity he might have ransomed his country? I account not his valour, no more than he that winks at the blow of death, the one hiding his eyes because he would not see death, the other seeking death because he would not feel misery. Cato is not held by me a pattern of fortitude, he helped not his country by his death: if to dare die you think so excellent, the women among the Romans could do it aswell as he: because it is prohibited, we like it, because contrary to our self-loving minds we admire it, & in that respect, (were it not against divinity) I should allow of it; for he comes nearest virtue that throws against the bias of his affections Camillus (whom I once mentioned) was a pattern of fortitude: so was among the Grecians Pelopidas and his companions, who plotted, and effected the overthrow of tyranny with the adventure of their lives, yet killed not themselves because their country was oppressed by a tyrant. Fortitude, (take her in her uttermost bounds) incircleth the overcoming Passions the bearing the assaults of the world, she goeth even into the confines of temperance, for to curb appetite, me thinks, is fortitude: but bind her now to her managing peril, and to the serving her common wealth, to make her herself, there must be in her pretence, reason, profit, and justice. Reason in the plotting, profit in the obtaining, justice in the use: for without these, it is a bestial daring, not fortitude.  
Now to my comparison of the valour of those times with this of Christianity: can his reason be so exact, that knows not from whence his reason comes (for their wisest did but guess at the immortality of the soul) as his that doth continually converse with his soul? for so ought Christians. Or shall his profit, that looks no farther than the body, be compared to him that profits both soul, and body? Bud for justice, what underderstanding will prefer human laws (whose end is but profit) to divine justice, whose end is virtue? who seethe not now (that will see) times past had not the way of fortitude? for their best were but shadows: neither had they that cause, for fortitude at that time was not known. They durst die, but we know how to use death: they durst adventure but we know how to profit by adventuring: then it is Idleness, that hath founded this opinion, for if we will do well, none ever knew better how, never had any better cause, for we are certain of our reward. Of the repine, & upbraid of a man rejected by his country, I should speak a little more: how contrary it is to right, and virtue, for thy body is thy countries, and thy soul ought to follow virtue: doth thy soul consent to thy bodies rebellious thoughts? both body and soul forsake right, and virtue, for thy soul maintains wrong, & so looseth virtue, thy body doth wrong, and so looseth right. In this, both the Grecian, and Roman common wealths brought forth many more faithful, the repetition of whom, those eyes that have seen history, can as readily produce as I, whom I will therefore omit, and save that labour. Only thus: to upbraid our country with our good deserts, is to ask reward at the worlds hands, not at virtues: out all, is not all: we are bound to do for it: but our best shall be called well, because our uttermost. Not to profess much, but to use it well is the way of felicity, and then doth our body not hurt our soul, when it is content to employ his force to blow the fire, while she is extracting the quintessence of things. For the lighter performance of men, how drunkenly, doth vanity make every thing that comes from them, look? one gilds himself with having much, looks big, doubts not of himself, speaks peremptorily, when asked for his warrant, he throws out the big-swollen words, of a 1000 pound a year: not from his wit, but revenue draws he the strength of his ability, it is seen, & allowed by custom (to the terror of wisdom) that from that 1000 pound a year are fetched all virtues, he shall be honest, temperate, wise, valiant; learned, for he hath a thousand pound a year: who seethe not here a conspiracy between ignorance, and adulation to confound knowledge, and virtue? for never was there yet so unchaste and poor a virtue, as to be corrupted by earth? Did they know rather how much virtue hates the borrowing the gay clothes of riches, and withal how feeble, and worthless creatures they are, that paint themselves with these outward things, certainly they would change their vanity into desperation.  
These have a soul in which rests so many graces as passeth the deciphering of man, yet these not knowing their soul, live, fetching contentment from the gross poverty of earth: how is he feign to borrow company? to tune that company to his ignorance? to warn them from speaking wisely? for his mother tongue he understands not, if employed in any grave subject.  
In the midst of these, what doth he but feed upon himself? for he loves life, and yet wears out Time, the stuff that life is made of. But wants he Company? or doth it rain? or are not sports ready? he gapes, he rumbles, he cries out of solitariness, he sympathizeth with the rain, & loatheth his life. Who not guilty, and at this ●ight doth not laugh to go with the weather? surely had the Romans had any of this kind, they would have cooped them up among their Birds used for Augury. There are in man yet many things that might be made virtues, for his glimmering is a kin to the sight of our first father before his fall: The breath that was once breathed into him (though corrupted) yet is not wholly taken away: except vanity still makes us fall, we may yet rise to divine height: to defend which poison, contemplation and study are excellent Antidotes: for I think with Plato, that learning is to the soul but Recordutio: for by learning we may recover part of the knowledge, which our first father lost, though no more near that perfection, than our virtue is noare his first goodness.  
I have done writing of vanity, I would I could have done with her in all kind of things ● but wishes are the shafts of Vanity. Reader, if thou thinkest I have been too long, for all that, be not angry, for perhaps thou art partly the cause.   

Essay. 45. Of Vainglory.  
zeal, and Contemplation, have likened the earth to a Theatre, humane natures to Actors, whose parts delivered, they deliver their stage to the next, witnessing by this, the shortness of mortality. Let me lengthen this suit made for the world, and resemble our knowledges to a common Players; who gets his part by heart without the knowledge of his heart, speaking not understanding. Who believes me not, let him behold my subject, whose sight bleared with folly, never saw, nor ever shall see the light of knowledge. Alas man's glory is vainglory: what more ugly, and absurd portraiture can the thoughts & tongue (which are the colours and pencil of man) decipher? for this flatters poverty, and calls it rich: wrinkles, and deformities, beautiful, and well form: ignorance knowledge: Black, white: the names of all, these good, she attributeth to himself, when if drawn to the life, she is poor, wrinkled, deformed, ignorant, and black. O double unhappiness: not to be able to help it with knowing it: o unrecoverable disease, that is without feeling the disease. The best doth best, when he accuseth his own unworthiness, like Caesar's soldier, whose valour being such as to be commended by Caesar, yet asked pardon, & wept for the loss of some one soldierly habilement: he saw himself truly, and took knowledge of his fault without partiality. Even the best part of man receives life from the affections of man, which like affections do not always see directly but came often with an undirected vehemency. Man's valour is first a daring, afterwards experience, and reason refines it, and makes it valour. It is not valour at the first; for we have no virtue originally pure, and uncorrupt. Reason at the first is but sense, and sense afterwards makes reason: for our knowledge here is earthly, what above earth, we comprehend by faith, or supposition. How then do we run by error to knowledge? so that our Audit unpartially reckoned, he that doth best did ill before he did better, and hath the History of the life stuffed with as many imputations as actions well ended, who now deliberating will either obscurely force commendations from his companions, or more impudently made will crown himself with, deserts, since reckoning with himself, except pa●ed by flattery he shall find himself indebted to his country, and to nature? I need not mention the Author of his country, and nature, since these more feeble and moral considerations will overthrow him. Yet nothing is more common, and in fashion with the world, then either to draw modesty to betray, herself to flattery, or if not understood, to make themselves music with being the trumpet of their own commendations. How have my ears persecuted my whole body with dispersing the tedious relations of these creatures? How have I heard some braggarts not soldiers, discoursing their perils, engross the actions of whole armies all to themselves? None have been mentioned but themselves they were general & soldiers plotter and executor, it hath ended with their wounds, their victories. What could chance to discreet a●● more oftensive? not Ribaldry to I ● Virgin. Thus in all lives, and in the best most common: thus Statesmen, employment, Lawyers, Clients, Scholars invincible in arguing, profound in knowledge: how have mechanic trades robbed these noble professions? they say, judge of me by my work, so should these say by their actions: True worthiness having heard these fellows with the large particulars, would end with the Athenian Architect, I can do what these have said: thus doth true Virtue, acting matters for Chronicles, not recording her own Actions.  
Let us think then of vaine-glorye as it deserveth, and not of the name but nature, not with a disallowance in general, but particularly applying it, disallow so much of ourself as is infected with it. I will begin, whose name being lately divulged may be suspected of the sickness: I disavow it, and that I am so, I protest by the Genius of Contemplation, was contrary to my intendiment: but I durst not then suppress it, Nam spreta exolescunt, nor now say more, for fear my use of modesty, may be thought the abuse: yet thus much more, to whose hands so ever these come, let them charitably believe, I desire more to do my country good, then to be paid for it, for I have my hire from another place. I mean well, and speak honestly, and I will be as careful to live well, for; Dicentis Inducunt mores non dicta.  
But to leave this by errand: necessity may enforce us to speak like vainglory, but that it is necessity clears us. Suspicion of a crime allows us to show our innocency, when wronged by our Ingrateful Country, it is lawful to go with Themistocles, Quid o beati tumultu●mini? saepe numero ab risdem beneficia accipientes, et tempestate quadem pressi, sub eorundem tutelam tamquam sub arborem fugi is, facta autem serenitate, sub ducitis vos illosque vellitis. I think he did not this more for his own sake then for theirs, he made them a glass to behold their inconstant follies in: It was well done, softness in these cases nourisheth vices, and gives the giddy multitude wings instead of legs to fly to mutinies and dissensions.  
When a place of authority gives us authority, and truth allows us to speak well of ourselves, it is lawful to make the subjects of our government confident of our virtue like Nestor.  
Quip viris ego cum longè melioribus olim.  
Versatus sum, quam vos estis: nee tamen illi.  
Concilium sprevere meum.  
It is common in the whetstone of the soldiers sword, the oration of a general before a battle to rack their memory, and to make her confess all the exploits which at any time they have done: It is common to tell them; how often have you been victorious over these people your enemies? though a simple Arithmetician might bring them within number.  
plutarch avows it to be the manner of Cyrus in wars, though in peace there was no man more modest.  
The custom of our Attires in those times seems to allow it, we wear glorious colours, and our heads, and Horses feathers, beautifying this bloody occupation, and giving the eye leave to judge of a jollye magnificence, and courage. I like Ansigonus well, who in a sea battle being advertised that his adversaries exceeded him in number of Galleys, he asked the reporter, against how many he reckoned him: It was bravely said, and illustrated a bold spirit, it was no matter though it wanted modesty, she fits more civil, and and more silent actions. Thus did Ulysses in courage the fainting spirits of his companions.  
O socii, Iguari certe baud sumus ante malorum.  
Porro malum hoc maius non est, quam quod Poliphemus.  
Nos inspelunca cepit violenter opaca.  
Consilio inde meo tamen, et vertute animoque.  
Elapsisumus.  
Gonsaluo the brave purchaser of the kingdom of Naples to the crown of Arragon spoke bravely in a time of danger. Desider ava piu tosto d'hauere ●d pirsente la sua sepoltura un p●lmo diterreno piu avanti, ehe co'l ritirarsi indietropoche braccia, allungare la vita cento anni. He did well at that time to clear himself from the suspicion of fear which commonly attends danger, and to his soldiers he gave new life, for their heads being unable to judge, they are directed by their eyes whom they send to discover the behaviour of their commander, which from thence come, fraught either with hope, or despair. I think it was neither envy, nor vain glory, that made Agesilaus examine whether the title of Great, belonged more to the king of Persia, then to himself, Non ille me maior est, nisi et 〈◊〉: He was a Philosopher as well as a king, acquainted with his own soul as well as with greatness which dilated to him, that outward greatness differed not from gay clothes which are worn out by time, and in that time subject to casualty, but virtue he saw to be the foundation, and the true judge of greatness. At death it is tolerable, for then the best we can do, is but to be an example to the living; and to show our best points to the world, and our worst to God wrapped in repentance is honest, and religious: that done, to show a gladness of our new guest, like Photion to a fellow that wept at his death. Heus tu, inquit, quid●dicis? non amas mori cum Phocione? or like the Milanois conspirator. Mors acerba, fama perpetua, stabit vetus memoria facti.  
It is a cold thing this same Death, and must have some such warm meditation to comfort the stomach of the mind, or else it will confound, and distemper the soul for the body's sake. But in an high state, and a state of tranquillity, neither Moral virtue, nor discreet policy allows it: not virtue, which will tell us, we come short of the hire of commendations: not Policy, for it lays us open to Envy, and demostrates a mind overburdened with his Fortune.  
Not our actions performed with wisdom and success, may we challenge at this time, for their glory upbraids the state, as if unrecompensed, and overdrepes our countrymen, both adversaries to potent to be despised, both losses beyond the gain of commendations. God is the giver of victory, the performer of all well succeeding enterprises, give it to him, to whom given, it produceth safety, and accordeth with truth: from thence let us share it, attributing part to the direction of the state, part to the valour of our Soldiers, or others nearest to the employment: to ourself, allaying praise with fortune or destiny: thus it is safe, and good, and not without Fame, which grows by being suppressed.   

Of Essays, & Books  
I Hold neither plutarchs, nor none of these ancient short manner of writings, nor Montaignes, nor such of this latter time to be rightly termed Essays, for though they be short, yet they are strong, and able to endure the sharpest trial: but mine are Essays, who am but newly bound Apprentice to the inquisition of knowledge, and use these papers as a Painter's boy a board, that is trying to bring his hand and his fancy acquainted. It is a manner of writing well befitting undigested motions, or a head not knowing his strength like a circumspect runner trying for astart, or providence that tastes before she buys: for it is easier to think well then to do well, and no trial to have handsome dapper conceits run invisibly in a brain, but to put them out, and then look upon them: If they prove nothing but words, yet they break not promise with the world, for they say but an Essay, like a Scrivenour trying his Pen before he engrosseth his work, nor to speak plainly, are they more to blame then many other that promise more, for the most that I have yet touched, have millions of words to the bringing forth one reason, and when a reason is gotten, there is such borrowing it one of another, that in a multitude of Books, still that conceit, or some issued out of that appears so be laboured, and worn, as in the end it is good for nothing but for a Proverb. When I think of the abilities of man, I promise myself much out of my reading, but it proves not so, Time goeth, and I turn leaves▪ yet still find myself in the state of ignorance, wherefore I have thought better of honesty, then of knowledge, what I may know I will convert to that use, and what I writ, I mean so, for I will choose rather to be an honest man then a good Logician. There was never art yet that laid so fast hold on me, that she might justly call me her servant. I never knew them but superficially, nor indeed will not though I might, for they swallow their subject, and make him as Ovid said of himself.  Quicquid c●nabar dicere versus erat. 
I would earn none of these so dearly, as to tie up the mind to think only of one thing, her best power by this means is taken from her, for so her circuit is limited to a distance, which should walk universally. Moreover there grows pride, and a self opinion out of this, which devours wisdom.  
Mark but a Grammarian, whose occupation well examined is but a singlesoled trade, for his subject is but words, and yet his construction is of great matters resting in himself. Socrates was the wisest man of his time, and his ground for that, was his turning all his acquired knowledge into morality: of whom one said, he fetched Philosophy from heaven, & placed her in Cities. Plato laughs at those commonwealths men, that intent only the enlarging, and enriching of their countries, and in the mean time they suffer the injoyers of their labours to be vicious, and dishonest: even so of these thirsters after knowledge, for hath he all that men possibly may have, and then enclose it in the chest of a dishonest breast, it but corrupteth him, and makes the poison of his viciousness more forcible.  Non mihires, sed mi rebus submittere conor. 
I live not to illustrate the excellency of any art, but to use arts as Bridles, to rear up the headstrong wilfulness of my natural corruption. Thus I see all things, and take example as well by a vicious prodigal fellow, as by one upon the gallows, and desire his part no more that is able, and doth nourish excess, than I do the others, and if I would believe Plato, he holds this state the better, for the one is now surfeiting, the other taking Physic. I have heard of the effects of great reading, joined to an understanding able to digest, and carry it, of high acting spirits, whose ambitions have been fed by Fortune and power: these make a great noise in the ears of men, and like a swaggerer seem to drown more humble spirits: but equally examined, the gifts of morality are more excellent, and virtuous. When Alexander thirsting threw the water offered him upon the ground, and would not add to the thirst of his companions with his own private affections, he did much more nobly then in winning all his victories: for those rightly determined take away marvel, and admiration, for they were for his own sake: but here, compassion, regard of others, and temperance, plead for an eternal applause; this was morality, and the inward discourse of an honest mind, this was no bloodshed, nor blows, but the preservation of his friends: here blood spotted not his name, but purity so embellished it, that no eye loving virtue can see this piece without due praising it. Non of these searchers into the drifts of na●●e can I think so well, as of a mind observing his affections, moderating or spurring his will, as it flieth, or straiteth from the right way of virtue. Thus do I think of Seneca, and Aristotle, the first's morality it's easily to be understood, and easily digested to the nourishment of virtue; the others more high, and to the readers more questionable, whether it will make him curious, or honest.  
Xenophon though his Cyrus be so good, as plainly showeth it a life, rather imagined, then acted, yet he so plainly discovereth the way of virtue, as the easiest understanding ●●nnot go astray, nor the worst abuse him with interpretation I hold these much more safe, than those works which stand upon Allegories, for every head hath not fire enough to distill them, nor every understanding patience enough to find out the good meaning: and many are so ill, as when they have found out an interpretation meet to nourish their sensuality, they stay there, and are the worse for their reading.  
Thus offend, most Poets, who landing their writings with fictions, feed the ignorant and vicious with as much poison as preservative. This one of them confesseth speaking to his Muse.  

— e 'tis pardo●a  
S'intessofregi a'l ver, s'adorno in part,  
D'a●●i diletticbe de tuoile caerte.  
And he adds this reason.   

Sai la corre il mondo, oue piu versi  
Disue dolcezze il lusinghier Pernaso,  
Et chil vero condito in molli versi,  
I pin schivi allectando ha persuaso.   
Though rightly he toucheth the tenderness of humane conceits, which willingly admit nothing that represents not pleasure, and flatters not sensuality, yet should it be far from the gravity of a writer, ●o run with the streams of unbridled affections. He should rank with the Constitutours of commonwealths: Lawe-makers, and wise Authors, aught to intend both one thing, they no way differ, but that only these last compel not, but entreat their Countrymen to be virtuous. But should a Lawemaker instead of punishing malefactors widen his laws, & make them soft upon the complains of men, no state could stand for the cause of commonwealths mankind would destroy themselves, and this world by laws made beautiful, by being without would become a spectacle of ruin, and desolation. Though in this kind, Poetry hath most offended, yet intending well, it 〈◊〉 to be rejected. It is a short, and swe●●e ●ur'd eloquence, it stirreth up noble desires, and good intentions, 〈◊〉 according to Plato, it performeth it off●●, which is Divinos hymnos canene, 〈…〉 magnariumque gesta 〈…〉 recensert. Thus it is not basely employed, nor were it reason, for it is a divine issue of understandings, and dresseth the subjects of her peniful of witty delight & is the wings of the some with which she seems to fly to the highest part of imagination. Among Poet's S●neta●s Tragedies fit well the hands of a statesman, for upon that supposed stage are brought many actions, and fitting the stage of life, as when he saith.  
Arsprima regni est posse to invidium pa●●. History would have carried you through many regions, into many battles and many changes, and you should have little more for your ●aines▪ as in the life of Sylla, and many others of all times. A truly disposed mind must meditate of this even at his entering into this life, so shall it be no stranger to him, nor drown this well perso●nied actions with ●●rds, and exclamations. In another place he draweth the excellency of virtue, and that her strength passeth all strengths. Vertutis est 〈…〉  
For so doth virtue prepares her subject, that nothing but herself oft en●● of them with love, and affection, all other things being by her caught to be transitory, and mortal, even pa●● of himself, knowing which he neither fears, nor longs for the time of hi● dissolution. So is Virgil's Aeneiads a book meet for a Prince, and his nearest instruments: for it being agreed by the most judicial censures, that in matters of state many things fall out both beyond expectation and natural reason, which we therefore call the Acts of Fortune: he saith, — Superanda omnis Fortuna ferendo est.  
For Patience keepeth the reputation unspotted; though outward forces be destroyed, this makes the mind invincible, which not only gives graces' and preservation ro the best par●●● of man, but enforceth more commiseration from the victor, than baseness, entreaty, and supplications, which AE●●bus the utter ruin of the Macedo● glory explained, when P●rseus the last of their kings being vanquished, prostrated himself at his feet, from which sight he turned his eyes, and called him the robber of his glory, for his power, and name, made his victory glorious, which the vileness of his person brought back to contempt, as if he had overcome a boy, or a woman, the poorness of whose strength makes tears and supplications readier than resistance. At what time England remained unpolished and unmanured by the sweetness of letters, there was sound one Car●cta●us, whose name Tacitus celebrates with as great praises, as if a Roman, and a conqueror, which last I name as the spur of commendations, for more faintly do all men, as well as Historiographers mention the vanquished their Conqueror: for many ac●ions are brought forth by the haste of occasion, to whom a long discourse is not Midwife, yet done, the world maketh some one access●rie of many plots, which he never thought of, and another guilty of imputations, because overcome. But Caractatus betrayed, and brought in triumph to Rome, was neither dejected with thinking of his captivity, nor amazed at the Romans splendour, but then taught Claudius how it became him to use his fortune, and in spite of fortune with the magnanimity of his own mind made the action of those times confess, that C●sar dum suum decus extollit addidit gloriam victo. How slowly and unwillingly praises are bestowed upon the vanquished, Tacitus Relates speaking of a king of Suevia, Digressus C●stellis Varnius funditur praelio, quan qu●● rebus adversis laudatus, quod et pugnam 〈◊〉 capescit, et corpore adverse vielnera excipit. He fought valiantly, and received wounds, but was not valiant because fortune gave him not the victory. In another Virgil teacheth that no noble minds are fearful, Degeneres Animos Timor arguit—  
Who ought better to think of this then a statesman, the height of whose actions brings him to handle things to an unprepared mind dangerous, & fearful, to eschew which he binds him in a strong band, he fortels his honour, which is the most precious jewel of greatness, without which he becomes as unprofitable as a Bee without a sting, for whatsoever he is, be he never so great, or good, yet, magis fama, quam vi starent res suae, the reputation of a statesman, the credit of a merchant, and the modesty of a woman, prevailing more, than their powers, riches, or beauty. In another place, Mens immota manet. Lachrimae voluntur inanes.  
How feeble the succours of the body are, every understanding observing those creatures that either have no soul, or having, use it not, may easily know: for the grossness of the body's nature prevailing but by strength, when that is vanquished Lachrimae voluntur Inanes: but a mind made strong by use, & exercise Immota manet; it looks not upon fortune with a dejected spirit, but not puffed up with the vain allurements of the body, is then plotting how to recover, not how to desire pardon: he looks upon his prefent state, not with tears, but upon it, because upon that groundwork he must build the course of his freedom as he saith afterward. 
Tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito  
Quamtuà te Fortuna sinet—  Howsoever that Scythian fellow esteemed music basely by preferring the neighing of horses before it, yet no question both music, and letters, & especially verses, which participate both with music & letters, is a brave raiser of the spirits: & I think arms disable not themselves with taking assistance from Poesy, for doubtless it makes valour beautiful, & well becoming, for taking away part of his fiearcenesse, and adding instead thereof reason, makes it true fortitude. Of Poets for this purpose some learned, talk much of Homer, but though they are learned, yet I dare not speak of him, because as near as I can, I will not build upon others. Of those whom I understand, Lucan, & Tasso, the one of which is ancient, & the other as worthy if seasoned by so much time, but I will not chide the world for that, for the reverencing of age, & times passed moderately is a good fault of a good nature. But this life of arms which custom hath taught to put on a gallant iollines in his outward behaviour, thereby to show danger & distress, cannot in their course mourn, or be fearful, giving leave to the mind in these outward semblances to play the braggart, & lay open what she thinks of her own resolution, which fashion of a soldier binds him to entertain all fortunes alike. For the high words & big looks that use hath made tolerable in this life, would add deformity to his yielding tears or complaints, but especially here.  — Crescit on adversis Virtue— 
There's the alteration which the frowns of fortune should breed in him, being rather an Alarm for the summoning of his spirits, than a terror driving them away, which power, Nature hath given to the Elements by instinct, but a more excellent power hath she given to man, namely reason, with which if he doth not more than those more meanly endowed, it is his fault, not Natures, for in reason and discourse, the abilities of man, there is more than an Antipaerist aticall virtue.  
— sua quisque pericula nescit  
Attonitus maiore metu—  
So fear aught every way to be remote from the life of a Soldier, for neither is it handsome, nor safe, so stupefying his understanding, that neither the danger, his honour, his country, or his life is in, are either defended or regarded. But this banished makes not valour but fury, for justice must be matched with daring, or else it is not Fortitude; the cause must reconcile the effect to upright truth, or else; Heu quantum ●aenae miseris, mens conscia donat?  
Were guiltiness removed from punishment, yet to wrest the understanding against justice, is full of terror, the conscience being an inseparable companion, which neither corruption nor fear can make silent. In no course is it more behoveful then in the life of a soldier, for arms taketh upon it to correct the disorder of peace; It is the Physician of a state, the justicer of a state, the Divine of a state, for his enforcement is the Physic, the execution, the counsel administered to those obstinacies untractable, but by computation. Tasso doth also yield many plentiful rules leading to the preservation of life, and after that of honour. 
E paer lieto morir, poscia che'lerudo,  
Totila è vinto, o saluo il caroscudo.  Cowards feel not death, but the meditation of death, for that concluder of mortality is no more cruel to the coward, then to the valiant, the difference rests only in their opinions, as it is in many other things of this world. What by some imaginations are called jewels, are by others determined trifles: as these outward things, so the choosers of these the affections, are according to their possessor: for a coward's fear, is in a wise man providence; lavish joy, solid contentment: appetite made choice, wishes intentes, making hope fruition. Thus certain doth wisdoms resolution perform his journey without halting, tiring, or straying. E par lieto morir. No doubt but to a mind that can inwardly relate a well-runne course, it cannot but be joy to be taken up, for with glory he ends, and remaining longer he could not end better, therefore longer life could have been but superfluous, perhaps dangerous: for many years well followed have doted before their ends, and so corrupted their work fairly begun. E saluo il caroscudo. In this shield I hold the preservation of honour, care of his country, an honest life, for detraction cannot be kept out without such a triple-leaved shield: but this shield embraced, envy itself cannot wound, but death appears like a grateful master releasing his servant from travel.  
E tempo è been che qualche noble opra,  
De la nostra virtude homai si scopra.  
So lazy, and fluggish are our natural inclinations, that I wish these verses the perpetual object of my eyes, & if I should wish all men the same medicine being sick of the same disease, I should do them no harm. Who thinks of the infinite capacity of man, of his admirable invention, of his immortalizing the whole volume of abstract, & most forms: of the fertileness of his brain, where things are continually in conceiving, and bringing forth new, and they new, I cannot think of any thing which he hath done that might not be excelled, considering his abilities, his works are mean and slight, and their perfections so imperfect, as they are not worthy to be called the children of his loins.  E tempo been— 
It is time, so soon as our breathing hath set a scotch upon Time: what can I speak of this time, but as of the light given us to live by, which who spendeth idly, or (as ill) luxuriouslic, is worthy to go to bed darkling, which is, to die without being able to produce any matter worthy of his life, which vacuity of virtue at that time will breed more terror to him, than darkness to children. It is time to do that we came for; for those employed to be vigilant, to the flourishing of their country: to those private to be an example to others, and safety▪ to themselves, in taking the direct way of right — i qualche noble opra. I am not so precise to call no Actions noble, that carry not with them a rumour, or a glittering: to my meaning nobility and honesty mean all one, & thus may a painful Artisan be noble, if he follow his vocation painfully and constantly, he is honest, and so noble, being a jimmer of a state, though no main Organ, and his being in right temper, so far as his strength goeth, a preservative to the whole. To know this he ought to temper the hotness of ambition, for it is not the greatness, but the goodness of an action that makes it worthy, which who so knoweth, and yet prosecuteth the violence of that humour, aught to be cut off, for nothing is more fatal to a state than innovation, neither is there any thing so fast drawing to innovation as ambitions, it being innovations minority, like a pumple the child's age of a sore.  De la nostra virtude homai si scopra. 
Here is the whole power of man taught the right use, which we have a common speech no less illustrates when we call the quality of things their virtue, by which we enforce the strength of each thing to work by the line of virtue: to this centre should all the diametrical parts of man tend, for they are but like the rays of the sun, which borrow their beauty from the sun: for without virtue all the abilities of man are in darkness, performing all things doubtfully, and perniciously: si scopra.  
I do not think there can be concealed virtues, for though I hate ostentation, yet virtue aiming at nothing but the transforming herself into goodness, and the excellency of goodness resting in her communicating power, virtue is not come to her perfection, until come to the perfection of goodness 
Deuce sei tu, non simplice Guerriero,  
Publico fora, e non privato il lullo.  Here doth he show the office of a general, whose judgement, not body, aught to be employed: Nature hath taught this to every man, for she hath made his arms to give blows, & defend, his head to teach his arms, and to be sure we should not use it out of the right kind, she hath given it neither nimbleness, nor strength, but direction to teach the other parts that use. More need not be said of this, for common experience makes it every man's. I will speak now of no more Poets, though there be more of use: only thus much of the ancient Satirists, I hold them not meet for every man's reading, for they chide vice, & show it both together, besides their darkness, & personal meanings, take up more time, than known, they are worth: of other books though I have already commended Plato, yet speaking of books, I must again mention him for his commentors' sake, who doth excellently illustrate him, which he performs with as little delay, and as few idle speeches, as the understanding receives knowledge from the sight of things which deliver themselves truly and simply unto her. I know not whither I should speak of Philosophical books more, since if the reader be not a Physician, or an Herbarist, they breed in him curiosity rather than vse●, for I account these words of Plato, Peritia efficit ut vita nostra per Artem incedat, imperitia vero ut per fortunam temere circumuagetur, to tend rather to the knowledges pertinent to an intended life, then to her universal body: for should a judge talk of the observations of an urine, when he is about matters of life and death, who would not determine his skill unnecessary and ridiculous, since his Art cures the mind, Physic the body? nam medici curant corpora, Paenae Animam. What Books, or art meddles, with a doctrine remote from the use of life is a busy idleness, & a cover of an unprofitable mind, like fiddlers undertaking the use of an Instrument to keep them from a more laborious trade. Less Astronomy than will make a Calendar, will serve my turn: only so much is sufficient in a gentleman as seeing the revolutions of the heavens, he may see them without disinaidnesse, and use his knowledge to the comfort of his ignorant charge: As Dion going against Dyonisius the tyrant, an Eclipse happened, which astonished the multitude, but he converted it to the Eclipse of their enemy's height, which fortified, and persuaded the fear, and blindness of his soldiers: the Eclipse (I think) would have fallen out, though Dion had been at home quietly in his chamber, and I doubt not but this friend of Plato thought so to, but yet the minds not able to judge of truths, must be held with the exposition of these celestial apparences, and be persuaded that the heaveus work thus, only to encourage, and hearten them on. For that coupler, and combiner of words Grammar, to be much longer than it is in the arms of our nurse, is nought. I account it a pitiful sight to see a fellow at sixty year old, learning to speak: to know the names of things without the things is unprofitable, as a power to repeat the alphabet by a fellow altogether illiterate. I like well to speak, rather than to make signs, and to be careful of joining the nomminative case to the verb, as my servants or friends may understand what I would, but to be Apprentice to Tonus and Sonus for a life time, is a needless as to make new clothes when one lies a dying, for words are but clothes, matters substance. Rethorickes' Cookery, is the vomit of a pedant, which to make saleable he imitated the Dyer, whose fat working ill, he makes a mends by giving those ill colours new names: so this venting his infinity of words with calling it eloquence, and fortifying eloquence with methodical divisions. Rhetorica suadet, non docet: Is she could persuade what were worthy to be taught, and bring that worthy with her, it were better: but the slippery glibnes of the tongue giveth such a facility, to speak, as commonly it runs without reason, & so is as fruitless as a messenger without an errand. I might say of those remaining, that they hold more conclusions than are needful for every man, but I will go no farther than this taste. Again of books, morality hath very ill luck now a days, for many have meddled with her with ill success: I will name thenfor they are unhapy enough to be destinated to waste Paper. Those of cōmōwealthes, came as much short but it is no marvel, for commonly they are scholars that never knew more of government, than it pleased Aristotle's politics, or some such, rich only in the names of Oeconomicus, Despoticus, and Politicus, & then to define the three several governements, but they were to blame, for the Theoric, & Practic of no art nor subject differ so much, as that of commonwealths, and state business. Seneca of morality is the best, Petrarch de remediis utriusque fortunae doth well, but he was a sharper Poet, than a Philosopher, there being a more excellent quickness in his Sonnets then Dialogues. There is now left History, which resembles, counsellors that advise nothing but what they themselves have done, which study is not without danger, for it is so bound to truth, that it must relate falsehood, & continue rather in relation then in advise: of these, the truest reflecting glasses are those that present particular men's lives. Among those I have seen none are worthy but Plutarch, & Diogenes Laertius, which two being diligently read, and rightly used, cannot but recompense the reader's pains, for the temperance of these Philosophers mingled with the valour of Plutarkes Captains cannot choose but make an exact man. Tacitus already hath received his sentence from me, but I must again say, he is more wise, then safe, but that is not his fault: for the Painter is not to be blamed though his picture be ill favoured if his pattern were so, nor Tacitus thought ill, because Tiberius was a tyrant, Claudius a fool, Nero vicious. But never was there so wise an author so ill handled by commentors, for where as I am sure he meant still wisely, some of them have so powdered him with morality, that they convert his juice into as little variety, or good use, as Beware by me good people; or if more gently, like Aesop's talking creatures, that have morals tied to their tails. The rest have left him as they found him, without making him confess any thing; so that all of them have done no more, than to try who loves gold so well as to pull it out of the dirt, for he that fetches his sentences out of their pages, adventures a bemiring. Comines is a good Historiographer, he knew much of the practic part of state learning, but I hold Guieciardine a better scholar, & more sententious, as when he saith, Intuttele attioni humane, et nella guerra massonament bisogna spesso accommodare il consiglio alla necessita. For the marshaling advise more cannot be said, for it teacheth an adviser to take his mark so sure as he cannot miss: for respects appearing weighty in the time of the health of a state, must not be redeemed in her sickness, for preservation is to be preferred before comeliness. There are many books by me omitted precious enough, if Time will give us leave to digest these: for I am of Senecaes' mind concerning this variety of Books, who compares an unsettled reader, to a travailer, that hath many Hosts, and few friends. There are more, but mine is but an Essay, not a Catalogue. I think well of these Books named, and the better because they teach me how to manage myself: where any of them grow subtle, or intent heigh matters, I give my memory leave to lose them. There are none that I scratch with my pen that do not fatherly counsel me to the way of virtue. I like much better to do well, then to talk well, choosing to be beloved rather then admired, aspiring to no more height than the comfort of a good conscience, and doing good to some, harm to none. If my Essays speak thus, they speak as I would have them, for I think not of making morality full of imbrodery, cutworkes, but to cloth her in truth, and plainness: nor if they stray do I seek to amend them for I profess not method, neither will I chain myself to the head of my chapter. If there be any yet so ignorant as may profit by them, I am content: if understandings of a higher reach despise them, not discontent, for I moderate things pleasing upon that condition, not to be touched with things displeasing, who accounts them dark and obscure let them not blame me, for perhaps they go about to read them in darkensse without a light, and then the fault is not mine, but the dimness of their own understanding: If there be any such, let them snuff their light, & look where the fault of their failing rests.   

Essay. 47. The Instruments of a Statesman.  Nunc Animis opus Aenea, nunc pectore firmo. 
Against no life doth the force of vice oppose herself; & make so strong a preparation, as against the life of a statesman: for in a private course she prepares herself but upon some few places left unfortified by nature, and transforms herself into some unconquered affections, but here she assaults with the weapons of Power, Self-love, Ambition, Corruption, Revenge, and Fear: all which though in all states, yet no where so forcible; as where greatness observes reason with flattery, and happiness determines success fetched out of his own merits. In his private course, every man may allot himself his company, his employments, his success, which hardly can fall out so contrary to his expectation, that either his own negligence, or necessity shall not mitigate his passion: but here multitudes of purposes, of employments, of company, of occasions, so roll & tumble one: upon another, as like a Swimmer in the boisterous Ocean, doth he never so strongly part one billow, another overwhelmeth him, & his whole life is as troublesome & painful, as a body sweltered in a crowd: But howsoever troublesome with being a main pillar of a state, howsoever dangerous with being outwardly subject to state and envy, and inwardly perplexed with his natural ill affections made obstinate by fortune: yet these vanquished, or at least wise honestly resisted, he becomes of all living men the happiest, and the most innocent of misspending the benefit of life. It is with man, as with the purest thing in estimation, which whilst itself, receives respect from the sight & imagination, in recompense of the pleasures & contentment that the sight and imagination receive from the object: but if spotted or deformed, all the other beauties turn into blemishes, & are witnesses of the disgrace, from which fight the senses turn away, as knowing this intelligence would beunwelcome to the mind, as the most abhorred thing of nature.  
Man must then keep his mind, (the infused preciousness that makes him man) as cleanliness keeps white, or rather as virginity, virginity: for estimation is the sharpest enemy, if lost, and separated from our friendship. To all men belongs virtue, for he cannot deal justly with himself without virtue, for affection choosing grossly and partially, will statue the mind to feed the senses, and perhaps some of them to surfeit others. He than that must distribute rightly to others without virtue, he shall be unsensible, because affection knoweth only what she feeleth: to be just then, he must be virtuous, to be wise he must be virtuous, for wisdom is but truth, and virtue is truth: to be good he must be virtuous, to be honest he must be virtuous, for virtue is honesty: in a word to be, he must be virtuous, for her contrary is but corruption, which kills and deforms, but is not to be seen separated from her conquest. Virtue is the rock whereupon the expert Architect of life must build, if he mean to reconcile those heavenly adorners of things, beauty, and lasting. It is the foundation or stem, that all particular graces are rooted in, for this plant so observed, as but once living in the soil of man, the labour is over, and the hands that laboured at the setting, shall be now recompensed with the gathering of all the sorts of wholesome fruits. Honesty, goodness, truth, and wisdom, being all the individual parts of virtue, and virtue all them. To the obtaining virtue, which we have naturally rather in possibility, than possession: there is no course, but as Socrates saith; Bona malaque distinguere. In the knowledge and choice of these, rests the uttermost happiness of man, for Summum bonum est, quod honestum est, & quod magis admireris, unum bonum est, quod honestum est ceura falsa, & adulterina bona sunt. To see how to make this separation, let us take the two bodies including all the courses of man, which are profit and pleasure: this first, the seducer of mankind, what is it but the adulterate issue of the senses? whose opinion, or persuasion do we use in the receiving these but our senses? whose earthly capacity is too base a counsellor to direct him, for whom the earth was made, neither can they determine of the substantial parts of things, their powers reaching but to the accidents of substances, as what is white & what sweet, but how to use them they know not, De bonis, & malis sensus non iudica●; quid utile sit, quid inutile, ignorat. The pleasures of these things are touched, and dead at an instant, the estimation of which, hath made me repugn that ordinary speech, and opinion of the worlds. He is a glad man, he hath a son: or his son is come home: or he hath an unexpected inheritance befallen him, truly I will not deny but these occurrentes will breed a tickling kind of pleasure, but of joy they cannot, for it is a more solid thing, and ariseth from an understanding that is able to judge, such contentmentes eternal, which the circuit of a narrow imagination can by no means grant to these. Of feasts, assemblies, and delights purchased by the wantonness of to much store, which are not only named pleasures, and delights, but are even confessed by the gossips of sensuality to be those blessings that make life pleasant, & to which they apply life: Who out of the experience of almost the circuit of the Sun, seethe not these pleasures either vomited out by the body, or the conscience, and those licorus intertainers plagued with as much thirst, or unsavoury tastes as erst with the famine of desires. Were that true excellency in them, that opinion hath seduced Imagination to believe, who would think that power that gives us both them, & ourselves, would be so hard as to exempt himself from so material, & excellent a blessing? But I take myself here in a fault of to much earnestness, making the clearness of light questionable, with bringing in proofs; no question, but joy, & pleasure differ much, pleasure being so fading, as if not preserved by the menory it would hardly last so long as her picture were a drawing: but joy being the reward of virtue hath all one nature with virtue, which is eternity. Husbandry defines profit well, for he accounts that profitable that is lasting, but my profit outlives his, for it is eternal, and excelleth him once more, for this profit is both excellent & lasting, where as his things lasting, crave help of a gross, & thick substantialnes. This profit virtue, which we mistake, when we accounted a dry morose life, that is so trust up in form, & that it is void of all contentment; & no, we look upon the least part of virtue when we look but upon her countenance, & upon the worst to, I may safely say, for though she shows not her teeth in a laughter, yet I will be bound, her possessor is more laden with contentment, and her conversation more sweet, and pleasing, than the merriest lightheaded conceit, or he whose constancy, to company hath purchased the name of a good fellow. To obtain which rich adorner of life, there are especially two means; A self observation, which (me thinks) a Garden form▪ but not planted▪ to plant it, example is the speediest means, for the way of precept is more long, and laborious, then that of example, observation two ways purchaseth her perfection, by that of a man's self, and others: so example two ways, by the good, & the bad, which last means though the Lacedæmonians did unjustly use with losing one for another, as some Alchimistes purchase their Elixir with as much charge as gain, surffeting their slaves to make their freemen temperate, yet that means omitted, voluntarily there will be enough found to make this medicine, for the world will never be so barren, that good men shall not find more ill, than they can make use of. To him that will profit by the observation of himself, must be set up a mark, reckoning from which, he may know his own profession; as an eye on the sea reaching to the land by some steeple, or tree of stature, guesseth of his journey. Propound virtue the end of your course, reckon those innate affections most predominant, and dangerous the miles, which you must overcome before the dispatch of your journey, and from one of these to another shall you rightly measure your proceedings I accept of no other intentes but the obtaining of virtue: for to intend the raising of the body, & to put the mind to drudgery for his sake, is full of peril and folly, as we say in English, It is to set the Cart before the horse. They are the disease of the body these thoughts, and no more to be believed or followed, than the thoughts of a man in a burning fever. There must be a course propounded, for a mind full of thinks and holes, powers out itself unprofitably, and spends faster than he gets: his determinations for want of resolution are all monsters, some headless, some leglesse, some blind, some dease, none with their right shape, or christendom; for it is not enough for the Painter to have colours, hath he not a solid Idea in his fancy? his colours may show colours, but never agree so well, as to beget proportion. Every man hath not all affections, the journey were then longer than we should have light to perform it, but commonly they go in couples, and though they all wish themselves most power, yet their natures being a kin, they agree better, and divide the spoil: so pride, and covetousness: pride is content to give covetousness leave to work the Usurer, and in the mean time she goeth to the prodigal, and prepares him fit to feed the usurer, and when she, hath burnt him to Ashes, and dirt, then goeth she to usury, and divides him with covetousness: in the mean time pride is a lazy effeminate imperfection, covetousness a miserable industrious vice.  
He that is touched with any of these, or others of like natures, let him strictly examine their gains and their losses, if he finds them transitory, unsafe outwardly, inwardly torments, full of vexation, and disquietness, what an undiscreet choice doth he make of his companions? To perform this surely, let him observe others, and especially those whose dearness of fashion, and life ●●eme to confess a likeness: here he seethe truly, (if ever he will do justice it is here) how he falls, how he riseth, what is becoming, what disgraceful, to the least spot, mole, or wrinkle, shall he be able to discern in this Glass, whose reflection deciphers more clearly, than his own feeling, for there parciallity will corrupt wit, and make her an advocate of an ill title. Thus much for observation, whose circuit wholly to encompass, would make this writing fault of mine unpardonable, for it is a body of a great bigness, and rich in solid wisdom, but deciphered by my pen, it would be thought a Ghost, for my stock set on the tainterhookes, can give it but shape, not substance. It is the most precious liquor in the world the most working, and powerful, all others are not comparable: for herbs, and metals, and minerals, and the rest of the Chemic rank, are fetched from some 1.2. or 3. simples, and are good for one, or two things, if they speak of more they are suspected for impostors: but the liquor of observation is the whole world distilled, which is good for the whole world, for all things troubling either mind, or body. Omnia rerum omnium si obseruentur, judicia sunt, et Argumentum morum ex minimis quoque licet capere. I know none better at this, than the author of this sentence Seneca, who in his Epistles (the work, of all he wrought in most estimation with me) makes light observations continually beget serious discourse: as when he fetcheth from his blind fool (who was persuaded he could see) the blindness of all men in the seeing their imperfections. Me thinks the right understander of example useth the world like a stage, men like comedians, for though he makes least account of a stolen marriage, of an ammorous young man, of a father as much in love with his money, as his son with a wench: of a huffing braggart, and a gouty Leno; yet even from these he fetcheth some implements of his building, but more from the Tragical matters of Princes, where the, play is more deep, and more earnest, where men being come to the ripenning, and harvest, give the beholders a more lively representation of virtue, & vice, than the coldness of precept, which is rather a muster, than a skirmish. Who will believe me so well that Aches, and sickness thrive best when resisted? as if Plutarch tells them, Caesar with a falling sickness was no longer idle than senseless: instruct sureliest that are both represented, and rewarded in the beholder's sight. I do not think there is so leaden, and counterfeit a spirit living that would not give his hand for Scaevolas action, who punished himself (saith an Author) more severely for not killing Prosenna, than Prosenna him for attempting to kill him. There is this force in precept, but how would a scholar fly from his master that should go about to persuade him to burn of his hand? yet performed it looks not madly, but beautifully, and surely, I think this gallant fellow did it more by the help of his discourse, than his body's willingness, for I verily believe his body loved his hand better than his counerey, and it is not to be blamed for it, it was nearer a kin to him, and his natural occupation to think none so precious as the parts of himself. Now let me see Gluttony, Luxury, and wanton Dissoluteness be content to be thrown out of their Kingdom with Nero, to be despised of the whole world, to cover his face from the eyes of men, not to dare to live, and yet afraid to die, to beg death at the hands of his seruannts, to cry out in the end, Nec amicu●, nec inimicum habeo▪ I do not think, but the most hardened piece of vice, though contented to have gone with him a great while together, would leave him now, and serve him as flatterers do poverty. But who knows not, that hath not all his understanding molten by vice, that deserts and rewards, are appendices one upon another, and as inseparable as heat and fire. We hear this without example, as we see the pieces of things rend from the body, without any note, or observation: but if this goeth so to, there is left only the medicine of experience which (as Physicians say) in states desperate, either kills, or cures. Questionless from the lives of men there are great matters to be fetched: It is a living Book, by which Princes & great men may with least difficulty gather instructions for the managing their lives, but it is to be done carefully in matters particular, for those performed long since, unaltered, can hardly fit our time, where not only states, but even the very constitution of men, and their reaches are changed. I have been content thus far to talk stoically, a profession I confess, contrary to my nature, who a●● easily bend, and wrested: It is a profession rejected by the world, and reason, for some part of their doctrine strayeth from Christiantie: but where it may be tolerated a nature able to maintain the civil wars of his own resistance, and that finds a possibility of being at last victorious, shall do well to persever: for there can be no life safe, which if not wholly the enemy of hope, and fear, yet that borrows not some rules from their precepted, Talis est sapiens animus, qualis mundi status super Lunam, semper illi● serenus est. Who would not buy this happiness with thinking of every thing truly as it is? no other way doth he obtain it, for be doth but buy things as they are worth, & part with them as he bought them: virtue being his mark, other things pass like bette●, but the main is virtue, which both in the seeking, and obtaining, strengthens her pursuer with such honest, and understanding thoughts, as from nothing here, can he receive either a gain, or loss. Here then must be the foundation of a statesman, who must learn this lesson if he mean to do well, for being a great Gamester in the world, always in those either gains, or losses, should he think them so, and be either thrown down; or lifted up upon the success, his life would be distracted, and be able to do nothing for his country, for laughing, or chase. But when truth, and virtue have rooted themselves in him; when his discerning shall be come to that perfection that he seethe the map of nature to the life as it is: when his discourse shall be come to that strength, that it seethe the inward graces of the mind are so full, and complete, that they can take no addition from the world: and that again they are so solid, and firm, as by no time, nor occasion they can be diminished, (for Vertus non potest Maior, aut minor fieri) then let him in God's name yield his country his strength, & his time,, for then neither victories can puff him up, nor overthrows deject him: he lends himself, and other, not pity but assistance, and weeps not for his own losses felt, no more then for Hecuba's, seen in a picture, he hath met with an excellent workman and his squared falling (howsoever cast) right, and fumely. Thus is virtue, whom though I never saw so fastened to any man, as (lending not a little partiality to truth) I might call him a virtuous man: yet we have divers that have done well, and though we had not, yet in our imaginations where things live in their greatest purity, and flourishing) we can see nothing but man, that is capable of virtue: for we pay all other things (doing any thing extraordinarily) with the name of instinct, a word given us to (I think) by the name of instinct: for it is like a wrestlers saving a fall with a foiling: for we taking upon us to be wrestlers with the mysteries of nature, save ourselves, with the name of instinct, a degree of Ignorance more guilty than plain ignorance, for here it is impudent, and saves itself with a word, not reason. I have yet spoken of virtue in gross it is now time to speak of her particular workings, how she mannageth the several occasions that do befall her: and first to the means of rising. It is not now the world, where the saving a Roman Citizen shall be rewarded with a crown of honour, and still bear a token of his desert about him, and by the help of t●at imprint his action more deeply in the memories of m●n: nor is there such an equalness in states that all men's actions are seen with a like judgement. It were pity it were so now, for Pride would ruin all in a moment: the humour of preferring our country before any thing else is spent, the world affords not a Curtius: we hold most of their vices, but what supressed their vices, and kept them in awe, we have not. Shame, honour, and a nobleness in all their customs, wherewith the Grecian & Roman commonwealths wrought their greatest wonders, are now like a morning missed overcome by the rays of wit. Our time is the noon time of the world, theirs break of day, or the grey morning as we call it. You shall hardly find a father now a days, that will care rather how his son is dead, than dead, that prizeth his valour dearer than his life, yet in times past, mothers had that hardiness that they hated more that he should be wounded in the back, then dead. It is not so now, no● I think it not necessary, for the spirit of these times joined with their deserts would beget to good a particular opinion, which would distemper government, whose flourishing, stands upon the motion, of the inferior orbs in their right place, obedience not examination being their destined functions. It stands now with the justice of a state, to draw the reward of virtue from his country, it being not so pertinent that the desert of one be honoured, as the examination what the subject is upon whom this is laid: for may this reward increase his estimation beyond the power of suppressing, whatsoever he doth, that he may do much, is dangerous: his nature, his power, his birth are circumstances to be weighed with no less care, than the not suffering his valour, or wisdom to go away empty fisted. This hath made me wonder at the impudent folly of such, as I have often heard to extol their own deserts, as to call their country, ingrateful▪ alas no the power of one man is to feeble ever to make his country his debtor they are traitors to their country that dare protest this, and minds too mercenary to be of worth. Rather we are obliged to our country, that under the Ensign of her authority we may exercise our virtue▪ for only in her behoof, or quarrel, it is lawful for us to spend our time, and adventure our lives: for in another state he is an hireling, and his endeavours belong to covetousness, or vainglory. Two German princes, the one of them a servant of the Roman state the other their enemy, meeting upon an interview, of the Roman parts being demanded by the other how he lost his eye, answered, in the quarrel of the Romans'▪ being asked how recompensed, he told of Garlands of victory, and other liberties 〈◊〉 him; the other laughed at the baseness of his brother that sold his blood for such trifles. Had he lost it in the 〈◊〉 of his country, this mouth of reproach had been stopped, it being an action so just, and so worthy, as far over valueth either an eye or a life. A virtuous maid needs no persuasion to this, it being the first lesson of virtue to her disciples, to fly a mercenary gaping after reward, so indifferent she stands for the applause or honour of the world, receiving outward testimonies of gratuity▪ rather to satisfy the giver, & not to seem a despiser of his favour, then needing gifts, honour, or riches: so for her employment labouring truly where she is set, not appointing the world, which room is meetelt for her. I confess a strangeness in this position, & that from some minds I take hereby even the very spirit of their endeavours: but such minds know how wavering and perplexed they live, so crushed and battered with giving liberty to hope and fear, as their life is no life but the harborer of living griefs, or a ship of glass navigating in the sea of errors, as the Poet saith; 
O vita, vitae non, ma vive Affo●ne,  
Nave di vitro ni mar di cieco errore,  
Sotto pioggia di Piaxto, et di dolore,  
Che sempre cresce con-vergogna, et danno.   
There needs no great examination of this: for even their very behaviour gives purblind sights knowledge of their continual suffering, which, who can get virtue to remedy, and to be his champion, against these hateful bereavers of contentment, he will shortly cry out.  
O felice quel di che ' l grave giogo,  
Sento far lie●e.  
I wish to a mind that desires to carry his life every way graciously, not under the colour of recreation, to give any sports leave to possess him too much. I remember Terence makes a Father commend his son, that all those things were esteemed of him equally, and not too much, which he rejoiced in, and he had good cause, for they are things of too light a colour to be worn by gravity, they spend much time, a thing not of the least consequence, for either himself, or his country still needs it, it lightens the mind, & fills it with thoughts of pleasure and gaming: it is the entrance of corruption, for who resists riches, is often taken by a meaner thing fitting his pleasure.  
If I should tell you, that the fight game of Quails was Anthony's overthrow, it would be thought fetched a great way about: but it is truth that Augustus overcoming him in those wagers, gave an entrance to the persuasion of his flatterers, that his spirit was obscured by Caesar's, and that he should speed better when more remote: so that he left Rome, and went into Egypt, left temperance, & fell to sensuality, which if you will not grant this the cause of: yet can it not be denied for a motive more attractive than the occasion was worthy of. The body must have recreation, but it is to have it in my opinion, but as Physic for necessities sake. But we must go no farther in this then the avoiding, which without a great power in himself none can do, it being naturally in men, violently to run from one extreme to another. Let not this shunning pleasure destroy affability gravity is not boud to frown and bite his lip: this becomes singularity the destroyer of the love of others: neither so strictly is the life to be ordered, as shall make men fly your imitation. Good is to be done in a common wealth, not only by justice, but by persuasion: to meet the humours of men sometimes, gains men: and the putting of authority, & using familiarity, prevails as much, as the bloodiest sentence of justice, whose severity often makes offenders obstinate, which though it ends with the smart of the accused, yet doth it discredit government as much to have many put to death, as it doth a Physician to have many patients perish under his cure. Of flattery the bane of virtue, and the destinated disease killing greatness, every one can speak, though few avoid, The good Augustus that managed principality as fairly as it was possible for a man unasisted by divinity, was taken here, but the safest that might be, I cannot find that suffered it to lay hold of his wisdom, or government, but it catched him by the eyes, for he loved well that other eyes should confess a weakness to his, & not be able to behold them long Gaudebat si quis sibi acrius contuenti quasi ad sulgorem solis vultum submistures. The extremity of this seldom comes but from mean estates, whom if they bar from such altberty of speaking as may give opportunity to adulation, they may prevent this danger: If it come from such as we hold friends, their life and honesty examined, will tell what they mean. Anthony whom I late mentioned, was deceived by such as would tell him of his faults, but so little of them mixed with so many praises, as their reproofs seemed but like sharp fauce to make him devour their commendations more hungerly. But this was a cunning trick, and those less cunning are hardly avoided, since they meet so right with the general inclination of man, self-love, as commonly they speak no more than we think. The last and best remedy that I know, is that which was given me by the worthiest friend I have, by way of advise: when commended, examine unpartially your own deserts, where if you find not what is laid to your charge, note that tongue for the instrument of flattery. I cannot think of a better remedy, only I must say, it is not to be done without virtue, for all the examinations of vice are partial & corrupt. For friends there is no safety but in honest men, for others will betray us, if not by ourselves, yet with himself, for becoming once his friend, wisdom, nor forecast, nor the descrying danger ought keep us from perishing with him. I hold it no less unsafe to choose one only for greatness, for we make choice of them but for our own sakes, which they are apt enough to find, & as apt to make use of us to their own profit: we may fall with these, but our rising is in their power: thus the friends of Sejanus when Tiberius had descried him, paid dearly for their dearness. Here a power to descry into the natures of men, is of great importance, but it is a power as difficult, few being worthy of knowledge, that withal have not an ability to obscure their defects: whereupon one saith; 
Giove tu aesti par chiari segnali,  
On●e l'argento, et l or sisevopre,  
Ma nessun Segno in human corpo appare,  
Ond' ill buon huom' 〈◊〉 firiconosce.   
To find out the secret passages of a man's nature, I devise not to talk so much with him as with his man: his chamber actions discover more than his appearance in assemblies. I like nothing better in Montaigne, than his desire of knowing Brutus' private actions, wishing more to know what he did in Tent, then in battle, for there being himself, not overawed by respect and company, he spreads himself open, and in this corner gives a discerning eye a more liberal view, then when he stands upon the allowance of the general sight of men. Of serunats now I hold it necessary to speak; an assistance well used assisting, but to be handled carefully; & to be chosen with as great regard: for the employing, these shows then many things, which were it possible to bring to effect without their knowledge, were the better. I have elsewhere mentioned their use: now I will speak of three things concerning them. The first, the disposing them according to their natures.  
Tranoin● nasce buom, ch'ogni cosa sappia,  
Questo è bueno ad un mostier, quello, ad un altro.  
Tu saila spada oprar, quello il configlio.  
Of this with nothing so excellent an happiness am I able to speak, as doth that Masterpiece of English, which in a light History means the most grave matter, I mean the Arcadia, where the besieged Amphialus teacheth the use of servants & inferiors most exactly there shall you find constitutions fitted with charges and employments according to their nature, & the disability of one man for all places. The second care must be, that their employments be not matters of the greatest consequence, reserve these for yourselves: for not to be able to manage matters of weight breeds pride in the employed, and to the lookers on, derogates from your authority. The last, & not lest of importance is the carriage of your rewards and punishments: this is the thing that giveth lords good servants or bad: I like well to let them see all their faults, hardly let all be impardonable though not punished with austerity. In capital offences chide not, but let them feel sharply what it is to be disobedient or rebellious. Talk not with them but upon occasion: let them at no time have idle talk: be a good Master, not a familiar: and let them have all their due largely, but pa●ed with the hand of severity. For rewards it is the life of their action, and they must be taught to do well thus, but let them nor know how much they have done, but extenuate the service as much as safely you may, & reward them not presently, but rather when it shall look altogether like your bounty. Of old servants make great account, & give their bruised bones means to live their after life in rest: I do religiously hold this, for we own him much that gives us his youth: and surely there is no greater inhumanity, then to make use of the fresh time of a man, and turn him out in the cold, and winter of his age. This I find generally to be the force of virtue, that all her proceed fall out most safely: for ingratitude a limb of her contrary, leaves destitute them that are known so barren: if the earth should be so to the pains of the husbandman, we should starve: If rivers, so to their father the ocean, his liberality to the thirsty earth would make her poor: but nature hath made her creatures more loving, and assisting to one another, therefore is the ungrateful man to be termed a monster. Pity and humanity, where benefits bind not, must bind: thus come all the under states of a statesman to challenge his aid, the plenty of understanding, and riches, wherein he surmounts these, is given him, because he knows how to employ them best, they are put in his hands not to keep from them, but to keep them from excess, that ignorance would fall into, if at his own direction. These need only justice, & to be kept from want, which is the charge of high fortunes: but then it must be done merely for their benefit, not to purchase popularity, which is an humour full of danger, & no profit, a breeder of vainglory in himself, and suspicion in others. The private communication of great men with their Prince is the last for outward matters: the last, because I will speak of no more: for otherways the turnings and occasions of this life are so infinite, that if every man that hath written of the matter, were a million of Authors, and all so employed, more could not be spoken. Howsoever his masters familiarity may promise a liberty of behaviour, yet never to approach him without due reverence: what ever he is, yet being a Prince he is to be reverenced, and not be practised against, as a wise Author saith, Good Princes are to be desired, but howsoever they are, to be obeyed. It is the duty of a faithful servant to tell his master of his faults, I mean of such servants, as a Prince thinks meet for their wisdom, to be assisters of his government, but he must watch fit opportunity.  
— Ascolla, ● taci,  
Poi movi a tempo le parole audaci.  
Plato holds him a worthy counsellor, that is adorned with these three qualities, honesty, wisdom, & boldness▪ that his advice be safe, he must have honesty; that sound, wisdom; that gracious, boldness. Never is advise to be ministered in the time of the fruition of what you mean to inveigh against, but then when the smart of the error joineth with you in persuasion. This fault was Clitus in, when he openly inveighed against drunkenness, in the midst of Alexander's quaffings, he died for it, which though Alexander lamented in his sobriety; yet could not that revive him again, but is an example, how circumspectly a servant must deal with his Prince. Now to the inward mind, by the which as by the fertileness, and heat of the soil, the children of her womb flourish: All vain hopes are to be abandoned, as the persuaders unto all uncertainty and peril. I am not moved against Nero for any thing more (excepting his Choristers occupation) then at his credence given to a fellow, that told him of great treasures that lay hidden in Africa, upon hope of which he dissolutely consumed those he possessed. certainly these hopes can never enter but into a vicious breast, which often resistes reason when she would look into it, with these vain hopes. Ambition also builds upon such grounds, and thinks not upon any thing that it would, but it believes it shall, whose reasons were they laid open, would appear such feeble impotent things, as the meanest reach would rather laugh at, than fear. 
Denique Auarities, et honorum caeca Cupido,  
Quae mis●ros homines cogunt transcendere fines,  
juris, et inter dumsocios scelerum, atque ministros.  
Noctes aetque Dics niti praest anti labour,  
Adsummas emergere opes: haec vulnera vitae,  
Non minimam partem mortis forneldine aeluntur.  Besides the rest of the miseries of man that comes from thence, Fear the most terrible and abhorred thing of Nature hath here her original, which with his inward trembling, and distracted motions, hinders also all proceed and intents: for fear makes every thing look like himself, to avoid which, he heaps mischief upon mischief, blood upon blood.  
unde homines dum se falso terrore co●cti,  
Refugisse volunt long, longeque recess,  
Sanguine civili rem constant: divitiasque  
Conduplicant avidi, caeden caedi accumulantes.  
Thus intermixed, and entangled with all horrors, are those lives, that are content to entertain the desires of undirect aspiring: these hopes never go without fears, and they never without ill effects: thus doth he outwardly heap upon himself the detestation of the world, and his own thoughts make him detest himself.  
Le dubbie spenix, il pianto, e'l van dolore,  
I pensier folli, et le delire imprese,  
Et le querele in darno a'l vento speses,  
M'hanno a me tolio, et posto in lungo errore.  
To avoid this, I know no way but virtue, which so fills, as where she is, nothing else is sought: take from, or add to her, she is still herself, like a circle whose bigness or lightness altars not his form, but his space. Besides, where as the defects of men in times past to uphold their reputations, were feign to persuade the world falsely of their communication with the Gods, and to belie their mothers with the adultery of jupiter, her estimation shall not need these deceits, for the life of her Possessor will show he is divinely descended, and her counsels shall be held so sincere, as they shall be accepted without the subornation of the nymph Egeria,   

Esay. 48. Of Words.  
I Like no Relation so well, as what mine eye telleth me: for there is in speech, as in sumptuous building, many entries, landing places, and Lucomes' commanded more for formalities sake, then for conveniency: so and's, and ifs, and many sounding words stuff up empty periods with wind. Naturally we carry matter better than words, in which nature tells us, she useth words but for an interpreter, because our ignorance understands not her Language, which puts us to a great deal of pain, and makes us go a great way about in our inquisition of knowledge: for there is less dross in the letters of nature, then in words, the substance of Books: for the apparition of natural objects carries not such a company of circumstances: for the ear is more deceived with sounds, than the eye with colours. That same Euphoniae gratia the maintainer of prattling, what is it but to feed the auditory, with Dishes dressed by the painter, not the cook? for they may say they are satisfied, when examined what they had, it proves a painted shoulder of mutton; sulciae solve, multum mali sub illis latet. It may prove ill, but if not so, Anatomize the words of these adorers of words, and they prove nothing, which is the next degree to ill. Seneca commends his friend that he hears nothing of him, Quod plerique ex his quos interrogo, nesciunt quid agas: To my friend, I would say, that they know not what thou thinkest, because seldom speaking: for my thoughts are dearer to me then any actions; performing any thing, it is the giving thoughts bodies, and sending them into the world. There was a knight of Rome put to death for translating a dream of his into words, had he not better have suppressed his dangerous imagination, and taught another thought to have killed this, then to have thrown it out of his breast by the violence of his tongue? I dare be bound his mother if she were alive at that day, wished he could never have spoke, for mothers like nothing in their children so well as life: but his punishment was to severe, his tongue had been loss enough, for that had been the capital Traitor. Is not this a dangerous judgement that betrays the whole life for the trespass of one limb? had it not been better for him to have used the tongue for a taster, than a distributour? yes, questionless. For speech less dangerous than this, is good for nothing but to pull speech from others: for willingly (were the company fit) most of my words should be interrogation, but when I were at this charge I would be glad to meet with those whose expense of matter should equal their number of words. Truth hath fallen upon it so often, & so commonly, that it is a received precept, not to trust a great talker with your secrets, for they have such a disease of words, that like fire they will feed upon themselves if they want sustenance: so that you must feed him continually like a Wolf, or else he devours you, and after himself, for he loves nothing so well as words. If he had performed it without divulging, I should have liked the custom of Pallas, the manumized slave of Claudius, who protested Nihil unquam se domi nisi nutu, aut manu significasse: It was a good course: for words to inferiors, and servants, draw on familiarity, and familiarity robs masters, and Lords of their dominion, & rule. If we were now, as we were once, though speech should be superfluous (for all should have been good, and I think then, all knowledges should have seen truth in a like quantity) yet it had not been so dangerous: for our vices are the Ocean, our words the Barks transporting, and trafficking sin with him, and imperfection with imperfection: so that multitudes, and Assemblies (where talk turns the mind outward) are as perilous to an honest mind, as to receive education in a Bordello. Heardly shall a man meet with a tongue in these places speaking either honestly or temperately, for either speaking ill, or too well, takes up all men, flattery or slander engrossing the whole body of speech: & either he is a worthy fellow, for I am much beholding to him; or very unworthy, because I am not beholding to him what an impudence of the world, is this, where men dare protest the sum of virtues, or vices, rests in men's conforming themselves to their humours? what is this but the confounding of all goodness, & benefit of societies with including in themselves the estimation of all, and allowing nothing that works not for their private satisfaction? me thinks other creatures wanting this are as happy as a licentious disposition wanting wealth: for by this means they know but their own infirmities, and go no farther, than nature's infusion gives them leave; but men by the help of speech draw the corruption o● others into themselves, & add to their natural infirmities millions of imperfections. I hear men speak daily, but not a day in a month find myself bettered by their speech, but contrarily have every day such a company of rags thrown into my brain, that I wish myself deaf all the week long but on Sundays: for then devotion, and the Book in a divines hand, and his being a divine, draw me to work somewhat out of my hearing, be he never so lame in his function. How often have I seen occasion offer company a use of their tongue that might have bettered their minds, but as often almost respected, and enforced understandings able to have mounted higher to go with them in the dirt, and made the weather, the season, or some chance consume the preciousness of time, and so broken up with overladen stomachs and empty heads to the shame of reason, and her servant speech? where the souls of men are more strong, and skilful, there hath vainity so plied them, as many there are of pretty abilities, that trust as much to the sounding of their words, as some women do to white and red, for the painting of their faces, and end no petition, without a compelling the company to applaud it, with turning their eyes to the looks of their auditory.  
Was it not this that made Demosthenes put stones in his mouth to amend some jarring noise of his voice, and to talk to himself in vaults? What a folly was this of a wise man? or if not folly, wickedness, for either he meant to seduce the people with the melody of his tongue, or if not, he thought smooth speaking of more price than it is: for sure among wisemen where speech is to most purpose, the liquor is not refused because in earth or wood, for reason is reason, as well squeaked as sung. I do not think, but Demosthenes when his voice was most cracked, spoke as sweetly as Balaames' Ass, yet he being given speech by the giver of all things, and reason by the giver of all reason, his speech was to purpose; and so no question, might Demosthenes untunable voice have been without ballasting his mouth. But this is not against speech, but speakers: for speech may bring home good Merchandise, if in a wise Merchants bestowing, and is without question a Touchstone, discovering aswell wisemen as fools: marry I think fools speak more than wisemen: to shun which name I will do my best, and therefore will say no more.   

Esay. 49. Of justice.  
IN all, I in them whom honour and good opinion have left without note, there is a natural touch of justice, they cannot determine safety to themselves without it. The plant of a particular preservation set by nature, becomes after the tree of justice in the soil of policy: the first regard gives it life, the last growth and flourishing; self-love inviting him to love, reason making his love general. When the world in his greenest time lay in the arms of ignorance, thus much was known; they then measured things by the touch, and sacrificed themselves to experience, they had no precedents before them, whose diligent observation hath given power to these last begotten ages, to prophecy of events, and to see them long before they feel them. It was then but rough hewn, it is now polished, it was not then, because regard took charge but of one, it is now, because their loves are commixed, and every one ventures in the bark of the common good: Thus far, of justice natural parentage. Her other side is divine, even so far fitting the constitution of men; as he of a soul and a body, so she of profit and honesty.  
The other that would behold nothing with that care that himself, by this is taught to regard a more noble profit, that is honesty, to give every man his due, being full of the divinity of the heavenly nature. Profit is divided into the obtaining peace, and plenty. Peace (the nourishing warmth,) by whose rays, states stretch out their arms, and enjoy a perpetual Summer) lives not without the nourishment of justice, and by justice lives without the dropsy of excess; for arms are taken, when equity is resisted, and excess purged by discipline▪  
Different are the courses of justice, between the offences foreign and domestic: on these without she must smile, upon those at home look plainly. Standing on the rank of companions, they must be persuaded; for where strengths are equal▪ it is safer to adventure the wi●, than those forces that once overthrown are not easily repaired.  
Plenty is to be wished and sought ●fter, to defend foreign invasions, and to eschew home discontentments; for the name of power is the best orator to persuade peace, and plenty takes away the vennom incident to men in need, for there is no poison so strong and fatal to a state, as to have many poor. To the supreme and highest part of justice, there belongs a power to discorne truth, to be able to penetrate into the secret and covered actions of men, after to go according to that knowledge free from partiality. The first must be joined to an honest inclination, or else he hath but one eye, and being so defective, is meeter to obey then govern, he may do well, but it shall be well by chance: a compass too uncertain for justice so sail by.  
This knowledge hath two limbs; the knowledge of the laws, the knowledge to moderate law. For those written opinions of justice, are often so enfeebled by time, or construction, as for all their fair precence, they kill instead of curing. But an ability to behold things ambiguous with the true fight, gives the time, the persons, and other circumstances, leave to expound themselves; and reconciles the exposition of the law and question, by boiling them together in the fire of a wise understanding. Partiality may come from fear, love, or gain; but since they meet in the disease, and bring forth all one sickness, it shall be my furthest to say, it confounds all the beauty and happiness of societies, being the dissoluer of those bands and fastenings, that gave safety to the passengers of the world, which by this is rend in pieces, and the whole number of her inhabitants are drowned in the gulf of calamity.   

Essay. 50. Of Flattery, Dissimulation, and Lying.  
THere is hardly a fellow, though he can minister no further than the toothache, but will give Antidotes against the plague. I would they could find outsome drug, or drudge's fellow that a man might handle vice without infection. I desire it, for fear the drawing this picture be not of the nature of ill eyes, that make sound, ill; and devil wise labour for nothing but to make all souls level with them. I must confess I am the veriest bungler at this flattery that ever wielded tongue; and not having nature's goodwill to set up, I have shunned to be prentice to it, because I regard nothing (that exacts not regard) with that fervency, that I do liberty. But since I am fallen into an Inckpot, and that these papers I use only to make me clean, I will speak of flattery as a thing that I have hard spoken of, but was never acquainted with. The heart is the tongues master, in her travails she used this instrument for interpreter, by the help of this she traffickes with the world, and travails thorough the sundry regions of dispositions. All this time it is well, but now when the thoughts go east, and tongue west, there's the disease. This is plainly sprung from a faint hearted cowardice, that is the head of this puddle, and from that head come these three, Flattery, dissimulation, and lying. Plutarch saith that the flattered have the disease of overliking or else they could never be surprised; & I think so to, for an exact, and strict judge of himself smells the strait. It is the false reflection of our one thoughts that abuseth us. What need then have they (that desire not to mend, but paint over their constitutions) to hire any other workman save their own sweet imaginations certainly they need not, except they desire witnesses of their folly, and so call in those breath-sellers, and perfumers. A people certainly that earned their favourers dearly, being the basest, and most groveling minds that it is possible for the honest imagination to descend to, that suffer gain to transform them into all shapes, look how you will, if you will, he will look like you; do what you will, and warrant him that he shall not be called to an account before the general account, he will do it, shall I make an end of this pcture quickly? They are creatures that will not spend a drop of love upon any but themselves, they are creatures that have no other god but pleasure, & have sold their souls for clothes, & meat, and countenance, not natures children, but dame Needs and base desires. The subject of this venom, that hath eyes, and yet seethe not, is in a worse state, for besides that he is a loser by time, by whom discretion in spite of his heart is a gainer; (for wisdom is more precious than youth) he looseth the use of himself, for he can not go without his trumpeter, a counterfeit fame.  
He groweth dull if he be not hourly new whetted by his flatterrer, out of countenance if he borrows not the tongue of men to go a journey of his praise; in a word, a substance that fetcheth his merit● from the shadow of vain glory; and a lazy work man that calls for his hire, before he hath begun his work. But to make this monster more portable, it is best to cut him into several pieces.  
There is a self flatterrer, a flatterrer of others in hope of gain, flatterrers by exchange; then, flattery for Princes, for the vulgar, for rich men. The most subject to self flattery, are scholars before they arfledge; for there is no such cherisher of the imagination as are letters, this proceeds from a little wit and no judgement. They are like beggars that a small sum makes in opinion infinitely rich; but time recovers them from the most part, for either they are not worthy to bear that little, or else they betray not their riper years to this enemy of reformation. Sometimes meaner professions get it, but it is seldom, except they be rich, and the rich commonly keep servants, which besides their other offices, may now and than scratch their masters itching minds, and not leave the burden only to himself.  
Nil habet in faelix paupertas durims in se  
Quam quod ridiculos homines facit.  
These give their vices names not odious, and then look upon them for the essential parts of virtue; th'easiest reasons that can be are by them received, not looking into the reason, but whether their reason be content to allow of their courses. The next that are not borne fit for the entertainment of this ambition of the half blood, work journey work, and give an other the ware, and trust themselves only to their ●ite; they extol, and commend all, their shall not be so wild a weed belonging to Macenas that he gives not excellent qualities to, and gilds not over as trim as a Bride's rosemary.  
Si beneructabit, si rectum minxit am●●us.  
Si trulla inverso crepirū dabit aurea fund.  
But who would be content to draw such vile forms? had I not made a match with the world that I would not spare any part of her cracked inhabitants I would even here begin to repent with ending, but I have promised and will through; And because I love to suffer as well as execute, I have written; let them take my papers, and do with them what they will. Sufferances of some kind are holesomer than revenge. Now the last are like horses that rub one another by consent, not so able as willing to maintain a flatterer; they admire one another and dame up their wants with a mutual service; he calls him wise, the other him valiant, he swears, the other swears, and so overcome with the opinion of their plot, they pass assemblies, increasing the number of their follies, not praises. Easily cannot sovereignty distinguish between humility, and flattery; for subjects that ought to prostrate themselves in the lowest kind to make their speeches follow full of reverence and respect, have under this a fit opportunity to cover flattery, but the paying their duties is not. When one comes more particularly & personally on, is the danger of which Princes must be so careful, as of procuring an enemy that can strike him and go invisible. The vulgar that build upon the breathes of one another, and know no more how to examine, then to love constantly, are like an after game at Irish, that is won and lost divers times in an instant, they are unmethodical, hardly to be caught by one form, any in truth will do it. Speak them fair, and begin, courteous reader, if you speak brethren & companions of my fortune, if you will say, gentlemen, it may do well, for a peasant reading it will think you meant him. Amiable looks and fair words will go far inveigh, flattery of the coarsest kind will serve them, being won commonly more by luck then cunning. Dissimulation is more tolerable; in some courses necessary, as if a man be fallen upon a wife that he cannot love, yet he must use her well, and if he cannot perform the express commandment, yet at least to come as near as he can. Other times it may come very near honesty to dissemble a man's intentions, as in cases of revenge, where it gives a pause, and that pause makes room for consideration, that in the heat of blood is ever denied audience; and if it never come to that perfection, yet it makes opportunity of his counsel, who fashions a revenge that he may be a saver by. This dissimulation is a very pretty workman, and not so base minded as flattery, he calls not night, day: nor bad, good: but is a skilful manager of time and bears himself as cunningly, and as warmly as the sun when he overcame the wind in master Esop's moral. Lying (the refuge of runagates) and the engrossers of vices of the meanest price, are so hardened by the continual hammering of some beastly humour, as they look not so much as upon a probability, but beat away repentance, and remorse, with palpable untruths. There is another kind of people, that build a certain reputation with being the Chroniclers of uncredible relations, marvels impossible to swallow without faith. The vanity of these is impardonable, giving precious truth, for base leasings. One more there that tell untruths, and yet are preserved from lying, by the aedequation between their tongue and heart, these are only hurtful to 〈…〉 suffering in themselves 〈…〉 the imputation of rash ignorance. For all my disallowance 〈…〉, I am not so nice, that (if I had anything about me worth the praising) I would not be content to have it allowed, I to my face allowed. I would be content, even myself I think might speak it without ostentation, for truth is truth, in spite of custom's heart. But I am not furnished with a strength able to overcome this received opinion, and for mine own part I like it well, and so do more; for our weakness is concealed, because the disco●erie of a man's own virtue is called arrogancy.  
FINIS.