Of the byrthe and lynage of Marke Aurelie Anthony emperour. Cap. i. What maysters Marke Aurelie had in his youthe. Cap. ii. What sciencis Marcus the emperour lerned, And of a merueylous letter that he sente to Polion. Cap. iii. Howe for the wysedome of Marcus many wyse men floryshyd in his tyme. Capitu. iiii. Of the emperour Marcus sonne named Uerissimus. Cap. v. What wise aunciente men Marcus chose to instructe his sonne. Cap. vi. Howe it chaunced to fyue wise menne, wherfore they were put out of the emperours house. capi. vii. Howe the emperour reasoned with the maysters that shulde lerne his sonne. cap. viii. Howe the maysters of princis oughte to kepe theym from vices. cap. ix. Howe themperour Marcus nouryshed the princessis his doughters. cap. x. HoweMarcus the emperour dyd chose and proued his sonnes in lawe. cap. xi. What themperoure Marcus sayde to the father of a yonge man, that wolde mary one of his doughters. Capi. xii. How a sonne in lawe oughte to be well examined er he be accepted to his purpose.Ca. xiii. Howe marc the emperour fauoured al noble exercyses and hated trewandes and fooles. ca. xiiii. Of the good conuersation of this emperourMarcus Aurelius. ca. xv. Of the feaste that the Romaynes kepte to the god Jano in Rome, and what chaunced to the sayd emperour there. cap. xvi. Howe Marcus the emperour aunswered a senatour in the senate. Cap. xvii.

Howe the emperour Marcus deuyded the houres of the day for the businesses of thempyre. cap. xviii. The aunswere ofMarke themperour, whan Faustine his wyfe demaunded the keye of his study. cap. xix. The emperour reherseth the perylles of them that haunte women excessyuelye. ca. xx. The emperours answere to Faustine for that she sayd, she was with chylde. cap. xxi. How tidynges was brought to themperour, that the Mauritaynes wolde conquere greate Brytayne. ca. xxii. what the emperour sayd to them of his courte in eschewing ydelnes. cap. xxiii. Of the peryllous lyuynge of them that haunte the courte contynually. ca. xxiiii. Howe the emperour wold haue them of his courte to liue. capit.xxv. Of a meruaylous and fearefulle monster that was seene in Scicile, and of his wrytynges. ca. xxvi. What befelle to a citesen of Rome in the tyme of this emperour Marcus. ca. xxvii. Of a great pestilence that was in Italy in this emperours tyme. ca. xxviii. Howe Marcus answered his phisitions that wolde haue hym leaue his study. ca. xxix. How science ought to be in pryncis. cap. xxx. What a villayne sayde to the senatours of Rome in the presence of the emperour. ca. xxxi. Of dyuers other thynges that the villayne said before the senate. ca. xxxii. Howe the emperour desyred the welth of his people, and the people his welth. capi. xxxiii. Howe the emperour gaue Lucilla his doughter licence to sporte her at his palays. Ca. xxxiiii. What Marcus the emperour sayde to a senatour as touchynge triumphes. cap. xxxv. Of the great reproche that the emperour gaue to his wife faustine and her doughter. Cap. xxxvi.

Howe the emperour counsayled Faustine to eschewe ylle occasions fro her doughter. ca. xxxvii. what thoughte Marcus the emperour toke for the mariage of his doughters. ca. xxxviii. Of a syknes, wherof the emperour dyed, of his aege, and where he dyed. ca. xxxix. The wordes of Panutius, secretary to themperour, at the houre of his deathe. ca. xl. Howe the emperour demaunded to haue in wrytynge all that the secretary had sayde. cap. xli. The answere of themperur to Panutius. cap. xlii. what the emperour sayd to the maysters of his son and to the rulers of thempyre. ca. xliii. Howe the emperoure at the houre of his deathe, sente for his sonne, and declared to him, who shuld gouerne the empire. cap. xliiii. what the emperour sayde to his sonne at the houre of his deathe. ca. xlv. Of other more perticuler councels given by the emperour to his sonne. ca. xlvi. Of dyuers and pertycular recommendations, whiche the emperour commaunded his sonne. Capitulo. xlvii. Of the last wordes that the emperour spake to his sonne, and of a table that he gaue hym. ca. xlviii. A letter sent by Marcus Aurelius to Pyramon his speciall frende. The fyrste letter. A letter sent by Marcus the emperour to Cornelius of the trauayle of warre, and vanite of triumphe. The ii. letter. To Torcatus beinge at Gayette in consolation of his banyshemente. The thyrde letter. A letter of Domitius of Capue to comfort hym in his banyshemente. The fourth letter. A letter sent fro themperour to Claudius and Claudine his wife, bicause they beinge olde liued as yonge personne. The v. letter. A letter sent fro Marcus themperour to Labinia a Romaine widow for to comfort her for the deathe of her housebande. The vi. letter.

A letter sent by Marke the emperour to Cyncinatus his frend, bycause he beyng a gentilman became a marchant. The seuenth letter. A letter sente from Marc the emperour to Catulus censorius, that was sorowfull for the deathe of his sonne Uerissimus. The viii. letter. A letter sente by Marc the emperour to Marcurino, beynge at Sanny nowe called Benauente. The nynth letter. A letter sent by Marke themperour, to Antigonus, comfortynge hym in a sorowfulle case. The tenth letter. A nother letter sente by Marc the Emperour to the same Antigonus ageynste cruell iudges. The leuenth letter. A letter sent by Marcus to Lambert gouernour of the yle of Helespont, whan he dyd banyshe the vacaboundes fro Rome. The .xii. letter. A letter sente by Marc themperour to Catulus his speciall frende of the nouelties of Rome. The .xiii. letter. A letter sent by Marc themperour to the amorouse ladyes of Rome, bycause they made a play of him. The .xiiii. letter. A letter sent by Marc themperour to Boemia a louer of his that wold haue gone with hym to the warres. The .xv. letter. The aunswere to the emperours letter sente by Boemia. The syxtenth letter. A leter sent by Marc themperour to Matrine a yonge maiden of Rome, of whom he was enamoured, seenge her at a windowe. The seuententh letter. A nother letter sent by Marc themperour to the sayd gentyl woman Matrine. The eyghtenth letter. A letter sente by Marc the emperour to Libia a fayre lady Romayne. the .xix. letter.

As the time is an inuentour of nouelties, and a register certayne of thynges auncient, and at the ende tyme gyueth ende to that suffreth ende: The trouthe all onely amonge al thinges is priuileged, in suche wyse, that whan the tyme semeth to haue broken her wynges, than as immortall she taketh her force. There is nothynge so entier, but it diminisheth, nor nothyng so hole, but that is wery, nor nothynge so stronge, but that breaketh, nor nothyng so well kepte, but that corrupteth. So all these thynges tyme acheueth and burieth, but onely trouth, the whiche (of the tyme and of all thynge that is in the tyme) triumpheth, Neyther to be fauoured of the good, nor to be persecuted of the ylle, may be, that somtyme trouthe may be stopped and hydde, but whan it is displeased, and wyl displease, than at the laste she cometh to a good porte, and taketh londe. The fruites in the spryngynge tyme haue not the vertue to gyue sustynaunce nor perfite swetenes to satisfie the taste of them that eateth therof: but than passeth the season of sommer, and haruest cometh, whiche tyme dothe better rype them, and than that that we do eate dothe profyte vs, the profe therof is ryght sauerynesse, and gyueth the more force and vertue, and the greatter is the taste. I wyll in these firste wordes saye, that in the fyrste aeges men were more estemed by theyr meke customes and delicatenes, than they were after reproued by their grosse and rude vnderstondynges. Certaynely some of the auncient philosophers, I speake of the mooste auncient, as welle Caldees as Grekes, who fyrste lyfted them selues to regarde the sterres of the heuen, and surmounted the hyghe mounte of Olympius, there to contemplate and regarde the influences of the

planettes in the heuen: I dare well saye, that they haue rather meryted pardon by their ignoraunces, than praysynge or grace by their wysedome. These were the fyrste that wolde serche the trouthe of the elementes of the heuen, and yet they were the firste that dyd sowe errours in thynges natural of the erthe. Homere in his Illiade said these wordes in speakyng of philosophers: I prayse nothyng the knowlege of myn auncesters, but I can them great thanke and prayse, in that they desyred knowlege. This was wel sayd of Homere. For if among the auncient men had not raygned suche ignorance, there had not ben so many sectis of parcialities in euerye scole. He that hath redde the auncient antiquities of the philosophers, shall not denaye me, the presumption of the knowledge and ignorance of that they desired to knowe, the whiche is chiefe cause, that science is not all one: There is great nombre of parcialities, Cynitiens, Catoniens, Peripaticiens, Academyens, and Epicuriens, who were contrary in their opinions, as dyuers in their naturalities. I wylle not that my penne be so dismeasured to reproue so moche the auncient men, that the glorie all onely shoulde abyde with them that be present. Truely if he merite guardon and prayse, that sheweth me the way, wherby I thynke to passe: yet no lesse meryteth he that sheweth and aduiseth me of the way, wherby I may fayle. The ignoraunce of the auncient men hath ben but as a guyde to aduyse and aduertise all other, and bycause they erred, we haue founde sythe the way, to their great prayse, and to our great shame. I say that yf we that be nowe present had bene than, we had knowen lesse than they dydde. And yf they that were than were nowe at this houre, they shulde surmount vs in knowlege. And that this is trewe, it appereth wel. For the ancient sages, with their diligence to know the trouth,

by their close and ferme made the wayes: But we by our slouthe folowe not the open wayes. Than to the purpose that I wyll say, we that be nowe present, we can not complayne of them that haue bene, but that the trouthe (the whiche accordynge to Aul. Gel. is doughter of the time) In this tyme of the worlde declareth to vs the errours that we ought to flee, and the trouth of the doctrine that we ought to folowe. But as nowe the humayne malyce is so experte, and the vnderstondynge of mortall men is so dulle, that in tyme of nede, in goodnes the wytte faylleth, and in all yll we knowe more than we ought to knowe. In suche wise, that some with one parte of the more, and some with lesse, al presume to wyn the game. And though this be true, yet it is but a smalle thynge to that we abyde fore: There is so moche that we oughte to knowe. For the moste that we knowe, is the leaste parte of that we be ignorant of, as in thynges naturall, accordyng to the varietie of the tyme, lyke maner doth the operations of the elementes. In semblable wyse in thynges mortall, as the ages hath succeded, so are discouered the sciences. For certayne all the fruites cometh not togyder. Whan one fayleth an other begynneth to entre in season. I wylle saye, that neyther all doctours amonge chrysten men, nor all the philosophers amonge the gentylles were concurrant in one tyme, but after the deathe of one good an nother came better. The hygh and supreme wysedome, the whiche all meane thynges gouerneth by Justice, and departeth it accordynge to his bountie, wyll not that at oone tyme the worlde shulde want or be destitute of sage men, nor at an other tyme want of symple persones: some desyringe the fruite, and some the leaues. In such sort that they shuld haue enuy of that other were impeched. This auncient world that ranne in Saturnus dayes, the whiche

otherwyse was called the golden worlde, the whiche was so estemed of them that sawe it, and so moche praysed of theym that herde the writynge therof, and so moche desired of them that felt no part therof, was not gold by the sages that dyd gylte it, but bycause that there was none yll that did vngylt it. This our age nowe is of iron: yet it is not called of iron, for faut of sages, but bycause the malycious people surmount. I confesse one thynge, and I thynke I shall haue many wyll fauour me in the same, that there was neuer in the worlde so moche people teachynge vertue, and so fewe folowynge the same. Aul Gele sayth in his boke, that the ancient sages were holden in reputation, bycause there were fewe teachers and many lerners: and at this houre it is contrary, there be but fewe lerners and many teachers. The smal esteme that the sages beinge [sic] at this tyme may be sene by great veneration, that the philosophers were holden in as than, the whiche thynge was true: Homer amonge the grekes, Salomon amonge the Hebrewes, Lygurge amonge the Lacedemonyens, Lyuie amonge the Romayns, Cicero amonge the Latines, Apolonius Thianeus amonge al the barbarike nations. I desyre to haue ben in all these ages, whan the worlde was so ryche of sage persons, and so pore of simple persons whan they assembled out of ferre countreis, and of dyuers realmes and strange nations: not al onely to haue hard their doctrines, but also to haue sene their persones. I thynke I am not begyled in the histories, for whan Rome in his moste prosperitie was hyghest in triumphe, Titus Liuius doth write it in his historyes, and the glorious saynt Ierome affyrmeth it in the prologe of the byble, that mo people came to Rome to se the eloquentes of the bokes, more than to joy any Romayn triumph. Whan Olympias was delyuered of her childe the greate

Alexander, Philip her husbande and father to the yonge chylde wrote a letter to Aristotle, wherin he sayd: I gyue great graces to the goddis, not all onely that they haue gyuen vnto me a sonne, but bicause they haue gyuen him to me in the tyme that thou mayst be his mayster, and he thy disciple. Marc Aurele the emperour, of whom this present boke intreateth, he speakynge of hym selfe wrote to Polion these wordes: Frende I wyl thou knowe, that I am not made emperour by reason of the blode of my predecessours, nor yet for the fauour of my linage nowe present, but it was bycause I haue ben always a frende, and louer of the sage people, and enmy to them that haue no good knowlege. Ryght happy was Rome to chose so valiant an emperour, and ryght fortunate was that emperour to come to suche an empire, not by patrymonie but by sagenes. And if that aege was glourious in ioyinge of his persone, no lesse it is to vs to ioye of his doctrines. I wyll intitle this boke the golden boke. It maye be called golden, by cause in so high estimation it holdeth the vertuous discoueringe in their tymes this boke with the sentences, as these princes holdeth their mynes of golde in their Indes. But I say that at this houre there be moo hartes banyshed into the Indes of golde, than to employ them to rede the werkes of this boke. Salust sayth, that there ought great glory be gyuen to them that haue done these hygh and great actes: And that there ought no les fame and renowme be gyuen to them that in a good stile haue writen them. In this case I confesse to deserue no merites for my traduction or any fame, but I demaunde pardon of all them that be sage, for the fawtes that they shall fynde therin. For excepte the diuine letters, there is nothynge so well written, but that there maye be founde necessitie of correction, lyne, and censure. Semed this

to be trewe, by that Socrates was reproued of Plato, and Plato of Aristotle, Aristotle of Abenruyz, Scilio of Sulpice, Lelie of Uarro, Marinus of Tomee, Enio of Horace, Senec of Aule Gele, Estratocles of Strabo, Tesato of Galene, Hermagore of Cicero, Origen of saint Jerom, saynt Jerome of Ruffyn, and Ruffyn of Donate: Sythe that in them and in their werkes there hath bene correction, who were men of hyghe knowlege, it is no reason that I shulde be in their fraternitie, seinge that I knowe so lytel as I do, to the examynation of wise and vertuous men. To them I submyt this present warke, and to them that haue ben suche, I them require to be content to be the reders, and not iuges therof. It were no pacience to suffre, nor lawe to permytte, that a thynge that a sage persone with great maturitie and deliberation hath written, to be dispraysed by a symple persone. For ones redyng, oftentymes the auctours and wryters are dyspraysed, not of them that can traduce and compose werkes: but of them that can not vnderstande them, and yet lesse rede them. I say further of aduantage, that dyuers haue written of the tyme of the sayd Marke Aureleo emperour, as Herodian wrote lyttel, Eutropio lesse, Lampridio yet lesse, Julius Capytolyn somwhat more. The writinges of them and of other semeth rather epytomes thanne hystories. There is dyfference betwene this writinge, and that they wrote by herynge say: but they by whom I haue composed this present warke, they were wytnesse by syght, and not by hering of other but they wrote what they saw them self: That is to say amonge the maysters, who lerned the said emperour their sciences, there were thre, that is to say, Junio Rastico, Cina Catule, and Sexto Cheronense, neuewe to the greatte Plutarke. These bene they that haue written this present historie, Sexto Cheronense in greke,

and the other two in latyne. I thynke of this historye is but small notyce, bycause vnto this houre it hathe not be sene imprinted. Whan I departed from the college of my study, and went to preache in the palays, where I sawe so many newe nouelties in the courtes, I delybered my selfe with greate desyre to knowe thynges, and gaue my selfe to serche and knowe thynges auncient. And the case fortuned on a daye, redynge an historie, I founde therin matter to be noted in a pistle, and it semed to me so good, that I put all myn humayne forces to serche farther. And after in reuoluynge dyuers bokes, serchyng in dyuers libraries, and also speakynge with diuers sages of dyuers realmes, fynally I founde this tretise in Florence, amonge the bokes left there by Cosme de Medicis, a man of good memorie. I haue vsed in this writyng, the whiche is humayne, the whiche dyuers tymes hath ben vsed in diuinitie, that is to reduce, not worde for worde, but sentence for sentence: We other interpretours are not bounde to gyue for the meane the wordes, it suffiseth to gyue for the weyght the sentence: As the historiographes, of whome there were dyuers, and the historye that they made was all but one thynge: I will not deny, but I haue lefte out some wordes, which were not mete, nor wel syttyng, rude, and left of valure, and I haue medled it with other more swete and profitable. I thynke that euery wyse man, after he hath redde this boke, wyll not saye that I am the principal auctour of this warke, nor yet to iuge me so ignorant to exclude me cleane from it, for so hygh sentences are not founde at this present tyme, nor to so hygh a style they of tyme past neuer atteyned vnto. Here endeth the prologue.

Here begynneth the boke of the lyfe of the noble and eloquent Marke Aurele emperour, Of the byrthe and lygnage of Marke aurele Anthony emperour. cap. primo. In the yere of the foundation of Rome. vi. C. Lxxxxv. in the Olimpiade a. C. lxiii. Anthony the meke, beinge deed, than consulles Fuluie Caton, and Gnee Patrocle in the high capitol, the iiii. daye of Octobre, at the demaunde of al the people Romayn, and consent of the sacred Senate, was declared for emperour vniuersall of all the monarche of Rome, Marc Aurelee Anthony. This excellent baron was naturally of Rome borne in the mounte Celie. And accordyng as Julius Capitolyne sayth, he was born the .vi. kalendes of May, the whyche accordynge to the accompt of the latyns, was the .xxvi. daye of the moneth of Apryl passed. His father was named Anio Uero. For the occasyon wherof the hystories dyuers tymes calle hym Marc Anthony Uero. True it is, that Adriane the emperour called hym Uerissimus, bycause in hym was neuer founde no lyes, nor neuer fayled the trouthe. These Anius Ueres was a lygnage, that auaunced them to be descended of Numa Pompilio, and of Quintus Curtius the famous Romayn: whiche for to delyuer the towne of Rome from perylle, and to gyue his persone perpetualle memorye, of his owne good free wylle he yelded hym selfe to the same vorage, that as than was sene in Rome. The mother of this emperour was called Domiciade, as Cyne historien recounteth in the bokes of the lygnages of Rome. The Camilles were persones in that tyme greatly estemed, by cause they were accompted to be descended of Camille the

famous and auncient capitayne Romayne, whiche delyuered Rome from the Gaulles that had wonne hit. The men that descended of that lygnage were called Camilli, for the remembraunce of Camille, and the womenne were also calledde Camilles, in the remembraunce of a doughter of the sayde Camille, that was called Camilla. There was an auncient lawe, that all Romayns shuld haue a particuler priuilege in the same place where their predecessours had done to the Romayne people any great seruice. For this auncient custome they had priuylege, so that all they of the lynage of Camylle were kept and mayntayned in the high capitoll. And in case the variete of the tyme, the multitude of tyrantes, the ebulition and mouynge of ciuill warres were cause of the dymynysshynge of the auncient Policye of Rome, and introduced in maner a lyfe not verye good, yet for all that we rede not, that the preemynence of the Romaynes were broken, but if it were in the tyme of Sylla, whan he made the vniuersall prescription agaynst the Marians. After the dethe of this cruell Sylla, in exaltynge of hym selfe, Julius Cesar the pitiefull, made dictatour of Rome, and chiefe of the Marians, adnulled and vndyd all that Silla had made, and brought agayn into the auncient estate the common welthe. What hath ben the condicions, the state, pouertie, rychesse, fauour, or disfauour of the auncestours of this Marc Aurelee Emperour, we fynde not in the auncient histories, and yet it hath ben diligently serched. The ancient Romayne hystoriens were not accustomed to write the lyues of the emperours fathers, namely whan they be made monarches, but the merytes and graces that their children had, as for the auctoritie that they had inheritynge their fathers. Trouthe it is, as saythe Julius

Capitolyn, the father of Marc Aurelee themperour had ben pretour in exercises, and capitayne in the Frontiers, in the tyme of Traian the good, & Adrian the wyse, & Anthony the meke, emperours. This is confirmed by that the same Marc Aurelee wrote (being at Rodes) to a frend of his called Polion, that was at Rome, sayinge thus: Many thinges haue I felte and knowen frende Polion, by the absence of Rome, namely of that I se my selfe here alone in this yle: but as vertue maketh a straunger naturall, and vice tourneth naturalle to a straunger: And as I haue ben .X. yeres here at Rodes to rede philosophy, I therby repute my selfe as naturall of this lande, and that hath caused me to forgette the pleasures of Rome, and it hath lerned me the maners of the yle. And here I haue founde many of my fathers frendes. Here was capitayn agaynst the Barbariens, to my lorde Adrian, Anthonye my father in lawe, the space of XV. yeres. I lette the to wyte, that the Rodyan people are curteis, and ful of good graces. I wolde haue redde philosophy as longe as my father had ben at Rodes in warre, but I may not: for Adrian my lorde commandeth me to go and kepe residence at Rome, howe be it euery man reioyseth to see his naturall countrey. So by the wordes of this letter it is to be beleued, that Anio Uero, father to this emperour Marc, had applyed the mooste parte of his lyfe in warre. It was not the custome lyghtly to truste a person to haue the office of a gouernour on the Frontiers, without he had ben well exercysed in the feates of warre. And as all the glorye of the Romaynes was to leaue after theym good renowme, the sayd Marc certaynly was taken for the moste vertuous, and had greattest frendes in the Senate, wherby he trusted on the conquest of the most cruell enmyes: according

as the sayd Sextus Cheronense historien sayth. The Romayns all though they had in their handes moste peryllous warres, yet they had in foure partes of the empire stronge and entier garnisons. That is to say in Byzance, the whiche is nowe Constantinoble, by reason of theym of the Oriente: And Engades, the whiche nowe is calledde Calyx, a citie of Spayne, for loue of theym of the west: In the ryuer of Rhodano, which is nowe the ryuer of Ryne, for the Germaynes: And in Collosse, whiche now is called the Rhodes, bycause of the Barbariens. In the kalendes of Januarie, whan the senate deuyded the offyces, beinge pourueyed of a dictatour, and of two consulles yerely, Incontinent in the thirde place they prouided for foure moste excellent barons to defende the sayde foure Frontiers: The whiche semeth to be trewe, for the moste famous and renowmed barons in their yong dais were capitaynes in the saide Frontiers. The great Pompeius was sente to the Byzaunces Constantinoble: The worthy Scipio was Sent to the Collessences and Rodyans: And the couragious Julius Cesar was sente with the Gadytaines of Calyx of Spayne: And the stronge estemed Marcus [sic] was sent to them of the ryuer of Ryne. This we say bycause that Anio Uero father to Marc Aurele emperour had ben prouost and pretour in the offices, and one of the capitaynes of the Frontiers, which ought to be in Rome one of the persones moste estemed. What maysters Marke Aurelee hadde + in his youth. Cap. xii. Vue haue not by any autentike histories, fro whens, whan, or how, in what maner, or in what exercyses or with what persones, or in what londes was spent & consumed

the most parte of the lyfe of this good emperour. But to be shorte, Julius Capitolyn saith, that he had ben xxiii. yere vnder the commaundement of Adrian the emperour. Howe be it contrarie wise is founde by other hystoriens, accordynge as saithe Sexto Cheronense in his historie. It was not the custome of the Romayns croniclers to write the thynges doone by these princes, before they were princes, but onely of yonge people, beinge in their yonge age, hauynge greate and hye magnificence, and doing gret enterprises. This semeth to be of trouth: for Sueton Tranquill recounteth largely the fearefulle dedes and enterprises doone by Caius Jule, done in his yonge age, to shewe to princes to comme, howe it was a great ambition, tha they had to atteyn to the monarchy, and but of small wytte and maturitie to kepe theym selfe therin. It is no newe thynge for men that gape for hye and frayle thinges. For the more higher the magnificence is, the more lower they fele fortune. And when they were diligent to accomplyshe their desire, as moche thoughte had they to conserue their quietnes and rest. In case than that Anio Uero father to Marke the emperour, folowed the exercise of warres: yet he put his sonne in the way to lerne science. For there was a lawe sore vsed and accustomed, and well kepte in the Romayne policie, that euerye citesen, that enioyed the lybertie of Rome, and had accomplyshed .x. yeres: their sonnes shulde not be suffred to go by the stretes as vacabondes, nor it shulde not be suffred by the Censure, who gouerned Rome, & dayly toke hede to the forfaytes done therin, to suffre a chylde no lenger than .x. yeres of his age to play the childe. But fro thens forthe the father of the childe shulde be bounde to norishe hym out of the circuite of Rome, or to laye a pledge that his sonne shulde do no folyes. Whan Rome trimphed,

and by their policie gouerned all the worlde, it was certaynly a meruaylous and monstruous thyng to se it then, and no lesse fearefull vnto vs nowe to here therof. There was at that tyme in Rome .iiii. hundred M. inhabitantes amonge whom there was .ii. hundred. M. yonge people, that were refreyned and brydled fro their yonge pleasures. The sonne of Cato was chastysed, bycause he was wylfull and presumptuous. And also the brother of good Cyna was banyshed, bycause he went ydelly as a vacabunde. Without that Cicero begyleth vs in his bokes of the Romayne lawes, no Romayne ought to stray abrode in the stretes of Rome, but if he bare in his hand the signe or token of the offyce, wherby he lyued. To thentent that euery man shuld knowe, that he lyued by his trauayle, & not by the sweate of other men. This lawe was kepte of euery person. The emperour hadde borne before hym a brennynge brande: The consulle an axe of armes: the priestes a hat in maner of coyfe: the senatours a tonge in maner of a crusyble on their armes, the censure a lyttelle table: the tribunes a mace: the centurions a sygne or baner, the oratours a boke, the gladiatours a swerde, the tayllours sheares, the smythes a hammer, and in like wyse of all the other offices and craftes. We maye knowe than by this that is said, that after that Marc Aurelee was borne at Rome, his father in his youthe had taught hym good norture. And though it so were, that the begynnyng of his yonge aege shulde be hydde from vs: at the leaste waye we are certayne, that the myddell aege and ende of hym was ryghte glorious. His father Anio Uero wolde that his sonne Marcus Aurelius shulde leaue feates of armes, and folowe study. And surely it is to be thought, that it was done more by the valyauntnes of the father, than the cowardenes of the sonne, excepte the deedes of

them that be deed begyle vs that ben alyue, and the cause iudged by clere vnderstandynge, and that we fynde moo sentences of dyuers sadde persones, that there hath ben but fewe that ben loste by writinges and lernynge, ye and a great meynie fewer that haue had auantage by armes. Reuolue all bokes, and serche through all realmes, and finally they shew vs, that very few in their realmes haue ben happy in armes, but there haue ben many famous & renowmed by scripture and lernynge. Take here example and se if it be true or not that I say. Had the Assiriens mo than one kynge, that was Ninus, one Ligurge amonge the Lacedemonians, the Egyptiens one Ptholome, the Hebrewes one Machabee, the Grekes one Hercules, the Macedoniens one alexander: the Epirotiens one Pyrrhe, one Hanyball the Carthageniens, and one Julius Cesar amonge the Romayns? It is not thus of lerned men: for yf the grekes had one Homer, no lesse the Grekes vaunteth them of the .vii. sages, of whom we beleue more in their philosophy, than Homer in the warres of Troy. For as difficile it is to fynde a trouthe in Homere, as a lye in these sages. Semblably the Romaynes hadde not onely Cycero as ryght eloquent, but also they had Salust, Lucan, Titus Liuius, with a great company of noble men, and well approued, who haue left right great credence in their scriptures in the sayinge of trouth. What lost Cicero in the senate for vsing of inuectiues: And as we say of so small nombre of Grekes and latynes, we may saye of the Assiriens, Persians, Medes, Argiues, Acayens, Peniens, Frenchemen, Britons, Englyshemen, and Spanyardes. All the whiche nations withoute comparison haue of them selfe lefte more memorie, and haue honoured theyr londes and countreyes more by writinge, than they that hath lefte signes by armes. Than let vs leaue

these straunge histories, and retourne to the pithe of our emperour Marcus Aurelius, as Eutrope recountethe. According as this excellent baron lerned diuers sciences, so he had dyuers maysters to teache hym. He studied grammer with a mayster named Euphormion, musyke with an other named Senio Comode, eloquence with Alexander a greke, In naturall philosophy he had to his maysters Comode Calcedonien an auncient baron, whiche expounded to hym Homer, and Sexto Cheronense neuew to the great Plutarche. Also he studied in the lawes, and Volusio Meciano was his mayster. This emperour estemed to haue the knowlege of payntyng, and to graue in wood and metall, in erthe, and other sculptures,in whiche art his maister was Diogenito, in his tyme a famous and renowmed paynter. He trauayled also to knowe and serche what extended to the art of Nygromancye. By occasion wherof he went openly to here Apolonio. And to thentent that there shulde be nothyng vnlerned of hym, he aboue all sciences sette his mynde to Cosmography, in the whiche for his maysters, he toke Junio Rastico, that sythe wrote his lyfe, and Cina Catule, the whiche wrote of his dethe, and the lyfe of Comode his sonne. Of these noble and excellent barons, that flourysshed in those dayes, he was taughte in vertues and sciences. Cicero lamentethe the auncient policie of Rome, bycause that he sawe great losse in the common welthe than present, sayinge in his Retorike, that the auncient Romayns had alway regard to that parte, where as they thought moste domage and peryll shulde growe. There were .v. thynges amonge all other in Rome, whervnto they hadde euer a vigilent respecte, the whiche the senate neded not to care for, nor no lawe dispensed for them: and these ben they, the priestes were honest, and the virgines vestales right chaste: the

penalties right iust, the capitaynes full valyant: They that taught yonge chyldren were vertuous. It was not permytted in Rome, that he that was a mayster in scyences, shulde be disciple of vices. what sciences Marcus the emperour lerned. + And of a meruayllous letter that he + sent to Polyon. Cap. iii. Philostrate sayth, that it was demaunded of Polion, who was the richeste man of the worlde. He answered, It was he that had moste wysedome. He was demanded agayne, who was mooste poore. He aunswered, he that had left wytte. Of trouth it was a worthy sentence of suche a persone. The effecte therof we se dayly by experience, the wyse slydyng in diuers chances of fortune, releueth hym selfe: The vnwitty persone, in very small thynges touchynge his lyuyng not greately decayed falleth downe. There is nothynge that is lost, but that there is hope of recouering, if it be in the handes of a wise man. And contrarie wise there is no thynge so assured, but the recouerance therof ought to be feared, if a fole haue the guidinge therof. It was axed of Xenophon the philosopher, whether he had rather to be foolyshe and greate lorde, or to be wyse and poore. He aunswered and sayde, I haue pitie of a ryche foole, and I haue enuye of a wyse man waxen poore. For if a wyse man haue but one fote, yet wyll he ryse and kepe hym self from fallynge. And if ye gyue an abbay to a foole, yf by fortune he fall, he wyll neuer releue agayn. ye may think that the father that dieth and leaueth his sonne pore and wyse, that he leaueth to hym moche. And he that leaueth

his sonne riche and foolysshe, I thinke he hath lefte hym nothynge. These thynges considered, Anio Uero father of the emperour, as a father that loued his sonne hartily, was not contente to delyuer one mayster to his sonne to make hym vertuous, and to lerne one science, wherwith he myghte occupie his vnderstondynge, but he gaue hym many maysters, that refreyned hym from vices, and commaunded that he shulde lerne many sciences, to thentent that he shulde be the more besily exercised. Whan & howe moche he trauayled to lerne, and what sciences, and with whom, and with what wyll he lerned, and what he knew, he wrote hym selfe, beinge at Agrippine, nowe called Coleyne, to a frende of his named Polyon, as it foloweth. Frende Polion thou meruaylest why that I leaue not to lerne newe thynges at the ende of my dayes. He that hath but one meate to eate, and can not eate therof, he leueth it, and peraduenture it was holsom for hym, and eateth other thinges that he seeth, whiche may be hurtefull to hym. It is a great magnificence to hym that seeth that he hath dyuers sortes of meates, so that if he haue no lust to one that is good for hym, he may take of an other, that is better. He that is wyse may vnderstonde me withoute any more declarynge. As in all artes a man is contente at the last, so at the laste be they neuer so swete, they torne to a werynesse. He that knoweth but one science, though he be wyse, yet he renneth in great daungier. For beinge annoyed therwith, he wyll occupie his lyfe in other hurtfull thynges. The noble and worthy persones, that caste slouth fro them, haue lefte of them eternall memorie, not wyllynge to lerne all onely one science to attempre their vnderstondynge with, but also trauaylle to lerne dyuers other, wherwith they sharp their wittes, to thentent that they be not dulled and made blont. In all naturall thynges,

nature is with right lyttell content, but the spirite & vnderstandyng is not satisfied with many thinges. And sithe the vnderstandynge is of suche condicion, that it is loste by libertie, and is lyghtly encombred, with subtilite it perceth, with quicknes it knoweth, & with ignorance it wasteth: it is necessarie bytime to remount to very hie thinges, lest it bow vnto lowe and yl thynges. All corporalle domages that chaunce to mortall men, are by medicines healed, or by reson remedied, or by length of tyme cured, or els by dethe ended. The onely vnderstondynge, which is dusked in errours, and depraued in malyces, can not be healed by medicines, nor redressed by reason, nor holpe by counsell. The auncient philosophers in the sayd happye golden worlde and golden age, dyd not all only lerne one thynge, wherby to susteyne their lyfe, and to encrease good fame: But they trauaylled, to knowe all that was to be knowen, and yet euer soughte to knowe more. In the .lxxv. of the Olympiade, as dyuers persones were assembled in the hygh mountayne Olympius to celebrat the playes, by fortune thyder came a philosopher of Thebes, whiche had made all that euer he brought with him. He made his showes, his cote, and sewed his sherte, and had written his bokes, and so of all other thinges. They that were there assembled, were abashed and meruaylled greatly that one man coude do it. He was dyuers tymes asked where he lerned so many thynges. And he aunswered and sayde, the slouthe of man is the cause, that one arte is deuided into dyuers artes. For he that knoweth al artes togyther, must nedes knowe one alone. This philosopher answered highly. And surely they that herd him, ought to haue ben as greatly ashamed of his wordes, as this philosopher was of the vainglory of his apparel. Let euery man remembre hym selfe, and let no man blame the

shortnes of the time, nor wekenes of our nature. For ther is nothyng so harde, but it is made soft: nor so high, but it may be raught: nor kept so close, but it may be sene: nor so subtyle, but it may be felt: nor so dark, but it may be lyghted: nor so proufounde, but it may be discouered: nor so disceuered, but it may be gathred to gyther: nor so lost, but it may be found: nor so impossible, but it may be conserued, if with al our hartes we occupie our powers in good exercises, and applye our vnderstandynge in highe thynges. I deny not, but our nature is lyttell worth: But I knowlege that lesse worth is our slouthfulnes. I wold demande of euyll men, the whiche praye vs to be good, and axeth counselle of vs for their sensualitie, sayenge, that they be weake and frayle, al though they haue vnderstondynge to inuent euyls, and haue strengthe inough to put them in effecte, and to perceuer therin, they neuer lacke constaunce. The cause is we calle it naturall for to doo and commytte vices and miseries. And slouth in vertue we calle straunge and weake bycause of the werkes. Lette no man infame our nature for beynge weake and faynt: nor laye not to the goddes, that they be cruell: for we haue no lesse ablenes to do well than redynesse to do yll. Let none say, I wyll, and I can not withdrawe me from vice. It is better sayd I maye, but I wyll not folowe vertue. I wyll not defame strange realmes, but I wyll speake of vs that be latynes, and by them shall be sene howe they haue bene full of malyce, and that they myght haue done well. I wolde wyte of the dedes, that Marcus Anthonius dyd with Cleopatra. The proscription that Scilla made of the nobles of Rome. The coniuration that Catilina inuented agaynste his countreye, The bloudde that was shedde for the cause of Pompeye in the campe of Pharsale, and the great thefte that Julius

Cesar made of the treasour, the cruelties that Nero dyd to his mother, the shames that Caligula commytted with his sisters, the treson that Brutus dyd to his father Gaius, the shrewdenes and cruelties that Domician dyd to the virgins vestales, the treasons that Julius Patroclus vsed with the Sylitiens and Syculians, the frays & murders that Ulpio the maryner made in the temples and churches of Champayne. I wolde knowe of such as I haue rehersed, and dyuers other that I haue left, that applyed them to so many shrewde turnes, who letted then (if they had wolde) to haue applied them in doinge other good dedes? All this I haue sayde my frende Polyon, to aunswere to that ye haue demaunded of me. That is, in what sciences I haue wasted and consumed my tyme. Wherfore it pleaseth me to telle it to the. Anio Uero my father suffred me but .viii. yeres in my chyldhode: than tyl I was .x. yere of age I went to schole for to wryte and rede: and than fro .x. to .xiii. I went to study with Euformion, and lerned grammer: fro .xiii. to .xvii. I lerned eloquence with Alexander the greke, a famous oratour: than after that tyme to .xxii. I was with Sexto Calcedon lernynge naturall philosophy. Those yeres passed, I was at Rhodes and studied humanitie tyll I was .xxxii. yere of age. And than I went to Naples, whereas I was thre yere with Fonton a greke, lernynge greke letters. And I put my good wylle soo moche thereto, that ^i spake and wrote greke more easily than latin. Than I retorned to Rome, where the warre of Dace arose, to the whiche Adrian my lorde sent me in persone: And bycause that in armes and tyme of warre I coude carye no bokes of science, I determyned me to lerne the science of musike with Hieronime Comode, to thentent that I myght with swetenes of Instrumentes restreyne my body fro certayne vices whiche as than in

my house began to take force. All the reest of my lyfe thou knowest it hath ben in berynge of offyces in Rome, vnto the tyme that the weyghte of the monarchy was brought into my handes. Hytherto the emperour spake. Than by this letter that he wrote to his frend, it semeth wel, that without sleuth he passed his tyme. It is reason to beleue it holly, in that he hath sayd. For so excellent workes that he made, & so high sentences as he wrote myght not procede but of a prudent man, and a very wyse spirite. Howe for the wysedome of Marcus many wise + men flouryshed in his tyme. Cap. iiii. As the lyfe of the prince is but as a whyte for al other to shote at, and as a glasse wherin al the worlde dothe beholde, we se by experience that wherevnto a prince is inclyned, the people trauayllynge to folowe the same, haue no vulgare discretion to eschewe the euyll and folowe the good. Certaynly they muse no lesse vpon a counterfayte foule, made of fethers, than though it were of fleshe, and yet atte the fyrste flyghte hit leeseth the lybertye, and yet his hunger is not therby quenched. Whereby all the wynges of lybertie are tourned to peyne of seruage. It is a great Offence, and an immortall infamye to a prince, that in the stede to gyue his hande of good lyuynge to releue other, casteth backewarde his fote of euyll example, wherby al other ouerthroweth. Than without conparison greatter is the wyckednesse of the people, than the negligence of the prince. For if one lyueth yl, and an other foloweth hym, it is no meruaylle: and yet thoughe there be but fewe that folowe hym, hit is no newe thynge. Nor in case, that many folowe hym, is no fearefull thyng: but al

the hole to folowe him is a great sclander. If the people were suche as they ought to be, one shulde rather tourne from yll to good for many, than many for one shuld torne from good to yll. Certaynly euery man knoweth, that yf we be bounde to honest commaundementes of our princes: yet we be not bounde to folowe theyr ylle lyuynge. What shall we saye nowe than, seynge that nowe adayes the delytes of men are of so greate price, and the rygour of their empire in so pore estimation, that without shame some disprayse their iust commaundementes, and folowe their euyll werkes. O if the princes had suche nombre of good folke, that wolde fulfyll theyr commaundement, as they haue grette nombre of suche wretches, that folowe their doinges, I swere that there shulde be no nede of any prison for the mysdoers, or carcans [sic] for blasphemers, chaines for sclaues, or heddynge blockes for traytours, nor knyues for aduoutrers, nor galowes for theues. I wyll gyue you example of all this, wherby ye shall se, that it is trewe that I say. If the kynge be inclyned to hunt, all wyll be hunters: yf he be a player, all wyll playe: yf he vse armes, all wyll tourney: if he be an aduoutrer, other wyl vse the same: yf he be, other wyl be fyers: yf he be vertuous, all wyll be vertuous and valyant, if he be temperate and moderate, all wyll absteyne, if he be hardye, all wyll be bolde, yf he be pitiefull, all wyll haue pitie, if he be wise, all wyll lerne. And to thentent that we blame not allonely the princis of our days, lette vs call to memory the princis of tymes past. Who that hath redde Sextus Cheronense in his boke called the dyuers inclynations that princis haue had, shall fynde that Romulus foundatour of Rome, honoured greatly grauers in stone. Numa Pompilius his successour honoured pristes, Paulus Emilius mariners: Caius Cesar goldsmythes: Scipio,

the capitaynes: Augustus Octauius tennys players: Calligula ruffyens: Tyberius baudes; cruell Neron swerd players: Claudius wryters: Scilla armorers, Marius his compaygnion grauers of images: Uaspasian good paynters: Titus his eldest sonne mynstrelles: Domician his myghty brother crossebowe makers. And aboue all other our Marcus Aurelius emperour wyse men. The dyuers inclynations that princis had in dyuers thynges hath made to varie the fauour & disfavour of many princis with their people. And as the common people regardeth more fauour than Justice, suche officers are mooste fauoured, to whom princes doth mooste inclyne.All this we say to shewe howe that in the tyme of this good emperour wise men were fauoured. If the historians doo not lye, sythe the tyme of Mecena the Romayne, whiche was the mooste happiest to haue wyse menne to his frendes, than to inuente newe maner of meates and bankettes, Unto this Marcus Aurelius haue passed .xvii. emperors, whiche were Julius, octauus, Tyberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Galba,Othus, Uitellus, Vaspasianus, Titus, Domitianus, Nerua, Traianus, Adrianus, Anthonius, and Aurelius. And of all these we can fynde al only but two, that fauoured wyse men, that is to say, Nerua and Traian. All the other emperours were not onely disciples of lyers, but also were persecutours of the trouth. This semeth to be true, for Julius persecuted Cicero: Octauius banished Ouide: Tyberius enpoysoned Caluitio, Caligula caused to cutte the throtes of .iiii. oratours to gyther: Nero slewe his mayster Senec: Claudius set his vncle Lucan in prison: Othus hanged vp Patroclus: Domitian banyshed all the oratours of Rome: And the more to shew his cursednes, whan the wyse men that were banyshed went out at one gate, there entred at an other gate

al vnthristes, the whiche by Titus his brother, had ben banysshed and expelled. And as I saye of these fewe in nombre, I myght say of many other. For certaynely the wyse men were not thus intreted in the tyme of this good emperour Marcus: and that this is true it semeth by diuers excellent barons, well lerned in diuers sciences, that flourished in his time: Julius Capitolin recounteth of them as foloweth. Alexander a greke, Trasion, Polion, Euticius, Anius Macrion, Caninius, Crodiaticus, Fornius, Cornelius, Apolonius, Nius, Sextus cheronense, Junius Rasticus, Claudius Maximus, Cina Catulus, Claudius Seuerus, and the renowmed Diogenitus paynter, & the wel lerned lawyer Uolusius Mecianus. Al these were in this emperours palays, and resident in his presence: And yet for all that he had dyuers other wise persons in Rome, & abrode in Italy. It was no meruayle to se in those dais, the multitude of menne that flouryshed in wysedome. There was no father, but yf he had two sonnes, he wold sette one of them to studye, and the other accordynge to the Romayne lawe, shulde be sette to the warres. And yf this emperour wyste of any wyse yonge man, aboue all other he wolde fauour hym. Of the emperour Marcus sonne named Uerissimus. capit. v. This emperour Marcus Aurelius had onely two sonnes, as Herodian sayth. The greattest and eldest was called Comode, and the yongest was named Uerissimus. He was a fayre chylde of persone, and right vertuous of lyuynge. With his beautie he drewe to hym the eies of many, and with his good inclinations he robbed the hartes of all

men. He was the hope of the people, and the glorie of his fathers age. And though the eldest was prince, yet themperour determyned, that he[sic] laste borne, for his vertues Shulde enherite as the eldest: And he that was fyrst borne for his demerites shulde be disherited. And as good desyres in the best tyme fayle often by vnhappy chance, this emperour being of .lii. yeres of age, and the sonne of .xvi. the glorie of Rome, and hope of the father, the lyfe of the sonne toke an ende. And as moche was the dethe bewayled, as the lyfe desyred. It was great pitie, for the senate by reason therof sawe not themperour, nor the olde emperour for sorowe sawe not the senate of a long space. Rome was ryght heuy, and the senate withdrewe them to the height of the capitoll dyuers dayes. And as the mystes and wyndes cause the leaues to fall that were grene in sommer, and the dedes of honour constreyne vs to forget the myshappes of fortune, as a man of high lygnage and of stronge courage, though that sorowe remayne in their hartes, and abyde locked therin, determynethe to clense the braunches of sorowes that is outwarde, faynynge ioy and myrth outwardly kepyng the sorow within. Thus Marcus the emperour, as a man whose vyne freseth and dyeth, wherin he had all his hope, contented hym with that was lefte behynde. Whan his dere sonne Uerissimus was deed, he sent for the prince Comode his onely enheritour, whiche syth the chylde his brother was deed, entred not into the Palays. And the emperour seing the proude and outragious porte of his sonne Comode, bedewed his eien with salt water, remembring the shame of the one, and the dethe of the other. The whiche perceyued by Faustyne his mother, whiche loued hym most entierly, commaunded to haue her sonne awaye fro the presence of his father.

What wyse auncient men Marcus chose to instructe his sonne. Capit. vi. Though that the harte of this emperour was occupied with the dethe of his chylde, yet for all that he reysed his vnderstondyng, to haue the prince his heire right well brought vppe. For certaynely princis bene suche, whan they come to mans estate, as they be broughte vp in their tender youth. The father than knowynge the frayle inclinations of his chylde, not correspondent to the good gouernaunce of the empire, as a good emperour sente ouer all Italy for the most wysest persones in lernynge, the most famous of renowme, and the mooste vertuous in dedes. And as in dyuers thynges the infamy is greatter in the yll doinge by malyce, than the faute of the trespassour by weakenes: so in dyuers other thynges, the common voyce is more than the secrete vertue. For the whiche occasion after the assemblynge of these wyse men, the emperour commaunded to examyne them, and to be informed of the bloudde of their predecessours, of the appoyntment in al their thinges, and of the treatie of their busines, and of the credence amonge their neighbours, and of the purenes of their lyues, and grauitee of their persons, and finally of their sciences, what they coude doo, and this to be done in an order. The astrologiens in astronomie, the musitiens in musike, the oratours in their art of retorike: and some in other sciences. And this not in one day, but in many, and not onely by information of other, but he wolde knowe hit by his owne propre experience. Thus they were all examyned, so that there was none lefte behynde. And as for perfyte knowlege of thynges, wherin we haue great affection, it behoueth to haue strange aduyse,

clere vnderstandynge, and propre experience: so the emperour commaunded to chose out of dyuers a fewe, and out of the fewe the wysest, and of the wysest the most expert, moste worthy, and moste auncient. And accordyng to the .vii. artes lyberal there was assigned to euery science two maysters: so that the prince was one, and the maysters .xiiii. This renowme that the Emperour sente ouer all to haue maysters for his sonne the prince, caused to come to hym mo wyse men from straunge countreys, than of the marches and neybours of Rome. The good emperour consideringe that it was no reason that suche as came to his seruice shulde returne myscontented, some with ioyful wordes, some vpon certayn hope, and some with giftes and presentes were dispatched, so that they were all pleased. And if this doinge was renowmed by the report of the wise men, it was no lesse vertuous by the wysdom and worthynes of the emperour to sende them home soo well content. For he sent them away as wel satisfied that were ouercom, as they were contented that ouercam them. And certaynly they had all reason, for some bare the swete wordes and satisfienge of the father: and some aboode there charged with the enterprise of the sonne. Yet the good emperour not beinge contented with this, commanded that these maysters shulde be lodged in his palays, and to eate in his presence, and to accompany his persone, to se if theyr lyfe were conformable to their science, and yf their plesant and well couched wordes agreed in effect with their warkes. It was a meruaylous thynge to se the studye and thought that the emperour had to regarde them, as well in goynge as fedynge.

Howe it chaunced to fyue wyse men, wherfore they were put out of the emperours house. Cap. vii. In the month of Septembre, the .xi. day therof, in halowyng the feaste of the Emperours natiuitie, in the same house where as he was borne, in the place of mounte Cellio, As a trewande and fole doth lyke hym selfe, and semblably as he is accustomed to do: Then lyke as one dothe the semblable thynges and customes, that he is wonte to do: soo the emperour set more his intention on wyse men, than his eies on soles. He sawe .v. of them satte betynge the pauement with their feete, and arose from their places, clappinge their hondes, speakynge lowde, and laughyng excedyngely, the whiche was no lesse marked of the emperour than beholden. whan the feaste was done, he called them asyde, and sayde: Frendes, lette abyde with me the pitiefull goddes, and lette the good dedes goo with you. I haue chosen you to thentent that foles shuld be conuerted to wyse men, but I se wyse men become foles. Do ye not knowe that with the fyre of myxture golde is drawen, and by the lyghtnes of foles wyse men are proued? Certaynly the fyne golde defendeth his qualites in the quyck fournayes: and lykewise the wyse man sheweth his vertues amonge fooles. wote ye not that a foole can not be knowen amonge fooles, nor a wyse manne amonge sage folke? Amonge wyse men, the fole is made bright, and amonge foles wyse men do shyne. Do ye not knowe, what shame it is to make disciples of foles, maysters of princes? Know ye not that of the couragious vnderstanding procedeth the composition of the bodye, the reste of the person to be the temperance of the tonge? What profyteth

it you to haue an experte tonge, a quicke memorie, a clere vnderstondynge, great science, profounde eloquence, or a swete style, yf with al these graces ye haue a wycked wil? Wherfore wyl wyse men haue their wordes so distincte & moderate, if their workes be lyght? And to thentent that it shoulde not seme to you that I speake of pleasure, I wyll brynge to you an antike lawe of Rome. In the .vii. table of the lawes of our fathers was written these wordes: We commaunde that a more greuous chastysement be gyuen to the wyse man for a lyghte dede done openly, than to a secrete murderer. O iust lawe and iust men that ordeyned it. For the symple labourer sleeth but one with his knyfe in his angre, but he that is wyse sleeth many with the euyll example of his lyuynge. Curiously I haue regarded, that Rome begynneth to declyne, whan our senate faylleth of meke and wyse senatours, and multyplyeth with wise serpentines. The holy senate was adorned with olde prudent persons: And not without teares, I saye at this houre it is full of ianglers and lyers. Aunciently in the scoles of Grece was taught only wordes, leauynge the werkes: and than in Rome was taught to do werkes and leaue wordes. But nowe it is contrarye, for nowe in grece the lyers and ianglers are banyshed, and hath sent them to Rome: and Rome hathe banyshed and sente the good wyse men in to Grece: and in this maner I desyre rather to be banyshed into Grece with wyse men, than to abyde in Rome with fooles. To the prayse of a good man (I sweare to you my frendes) that whyles I was yonge, I sawe in the senate the philosopher Crisippus (brought vp with good Traian) speake oftentymes: and he was so swete in his wordes, that many tymes he was harde more than .iii. houres togyther: And he neuer spake word but it was of eternall memorie. And whan so euer he went

out of the senate,I neuer saw hym do dede wherby he deserued to haue greuous peyn. Certainly it was a meruailous thinge to se and here the estimation of his eloquence, and the infamie of his person. All Rome was abashed of his high eloquence: and al Rome and Italy were sclandered with his wycked werkes. The prosperite of Rome dured CCC. yere. And so longe Rome was Rome as it had simplicite in wordes, and grauitie in workes. One thynge I shal shew you, which is great confusion to them alyue, and great admyration to them that be deed, that of al the ancient men I neuer redde a lyght word that they spake, nor an yuell dede that they dyd. What thynge was sene than in that glorious world, but to reioyce in so glorious wyse men? And now at this daye the worlde is so corrupted, bycause there is so many yong corrupt, surely I haue greatter enuie of their dedes than of our writynges. Their fewe wordes and good werkes haue lefte vs example of great admyration. And the wyse men of this tyme teache vs openly, and write vs secretely doctrines of pardicion. Than by this that I haue sayde, and by other examples that I shall say, ye maye knowe, what I meane. Whan the realme of Acaye submytted his peryllous hornes and his proude heed to the swete obeysance of the empire, they drewe theym to the condicion that they wolde haue bene the hoostes of the garnysons of all Asye, and not disciples of the oratours of Rome. At a season there was in Rome a great lorde ambassadour of Acaye, temperate in wordes, and honeste of lyuynge, with a whyte heed: He was enquired of the senate, why he was so cruel to leade into his countrey for men of warre poore and couetous squires, and leaue wyse men of great harte. He aunswered with such loue as he had to his countrey, and with suche grauitie as longed to suche a person, and also

with suche hardynesse as his office required. O fathers conscriptes, O happy people, It is .ii. dayes syth I eate any thynge, and .ii. dayes sythe I slept, cursynge the fatall destenies of fortune, that hath brought me into Italy, and syghynge vnto the goddis that kepeth me in this lyfe, bycause my spirite is betwene the harde anuelde and the importunate hammer, where as I se all is harde as the anuelde, wheron the hammer often strykethe. The thynge moste peryllous amonge all perylles is to make election; ye constrayne me to chose, and myne vnderstondynge can not attayne therto: and the goddes doo not shewe me what I haue to chuse. If I leade garysons of menne of armes, it shall be very noyfulle to the families: yf I brynge aduocates, it shall be peryllous for the common welth. Sorowfull that I am, what shall I do? and heuy and vnhappye realme, that abydeth for theym, and ye cruell that commaundeth them. Than sythe it is thus, I determyne me to leade them that shall waste our goodes, and spende them, rather than they that shoulde corrupte and breake our customes. For a legion and an army by necessitie may put to affliction and sorowe only a people: But an oratour or an aduocate by his malyce may corrupt a hole realme. Than sayd the emperour to these wyse men: Frendes howe greatte is the credence of ignorant people and losse of lerned men? Wherfore shuld they of Acaye rather gyue meate to poore sowdiars men of armes, than to haue for their neyghbours oratours and wyse speakyng aduocates? So whan this communication of the emperour was ended, the .v. greatte maysters went away with greatte shame, and the .ix. other taryed with great feare. In al this whyle it passed not two monethes after, that the prince Comode was come from his norces, where as he had lerned the doctrine of suckynge

of brestes. Also he was but of tender age, and not of gret delicate vnderstonding. This prince Comode was borne in Rome on the mount Cellio, and nourished at the gate of Hostie. He was more welbeloued of Faustina his mother, then hated of Marcus Aurelius his father. And to speake with all due honour amonge theym, the mother helde her for certayne to be the chyldes mother: and the chylde accordynge to his customes was moche lyke his mother: and the father was in doubte, whether he were his sonne, bycause he resembled but lyttell in vertues to the father. Howe the emperour reasoned with the maysters that shulde lerne his sonne. Ca. viii. Al these matters beinge paste, the good emperour for to esteme the thynge that he had done, and to puruey for that he had to do, he called asyde the nyne wyse men and sayde to them. There is great fame in Rome of that I haue done in thempire to do suche dilygence as to discouer all the wyse men, and of the curiositie that I haue shewed as in retaynynge of the beste. If of trouth ye be wyse, ye can not be sclaundered of any thynge. The annoyance of yll thynges cometh of wysedome and vertue, but the admyration of good thynges procedeth of small vnderstondyng or lesse experience. The wyse person wyll suffre none admyration. To shewe at the fyrste bront mocion in euery thynge, sheweth to be constant in nothyng. I haue made strayt examination among you, for so ought suche to passe as shulde be admytted to strayte amities. New amities is wery in thre dayes, and euer haue I sene it, and proued it by experience, that frendes lyghtly taken,

are lyghtly lefte agayne. I chuanced in cumpanye of an auncient Romayne, whiche was all whyte for aege: and bycause he merited it, I called hym father, and he for loue and nurture called me sonne: the whiche in case of aduenture enquered many thynges of me, but I wolde make hym none answere. Than he sayde those wordes to me: Son beholde, In the lawe of frendshyp it is written, that the frend in all thynges trusteth to his frende, first regardyng who is his frende. Surely this councel was good. The curious man of armes (if he wyl bye a horse) fyrst he wyll se hym renne and assayed, or he speake of the sale of hym: if he please hym not thoughe he myght haue hym for lesse price, he wyll not haue hym: if he please hym, what so euer the price is set, he wyll not leaue hym. Than it is a lefull thynge, that the beaste be examyned and felte er he be had into the stable. In lyke wise a man shulde be examyned, er he be receyued in to the house. And yf the horse that eateth but hey, strawe and otes, be lefte for one yll tache, moche more the frende, whiche is the intestyne of the harte, and oughte to kepe our secretes and affections, for dyuers fautes ought not to be receyued in to the same. There was a philosopher named Arispo, the firste that was in the tyme of Silla and Marius, who sayde, that frendes ought to be lyke good horses: That is to say that they ought to haue a lyttell heed by humble conuersation: quicke of herynge, to the entent that they be redy whan they are called: a softe mouth, to thende that their tongue be temperate: The houe of the fote harde, to suffre trauayl: and theyr handes open to doo good dedes: their fete sure to perceuer in amitie: a baye colour for his good renoume: And finally the hors retourneth, that is the manuall frende: And thereto is ioyned these wordes: That is, that he be without curbes or byttes: and that he

maye go where as any fatall destenyes tourneth the bridell and reyne of fortune. The goddes vnderstande me, though that men can not atteyne therto or comprise it. Retournynge than to the purpose, I wyll ye knowe, bicause I haue taken you for frendes, not to putte you awaye at length, and though that cherytrees produceth their floures in Februarie, we abyde not to haue the cheryes but in Maye. Frendes ought to be as molberies, that in suche tyme produceth their beryes, whiche is their fruyte, that they feare not the frostes of Maye, as the vynes doo, nor the mystes of Octobre, as the peches and quinces do. I wyl say that they com whan the prosperite is good, and go away whan the fortune is nought. Of trouth it is not so of true frendes, As the lyes of wynes causeth dronkardes to vomyt in the tauernes, lyke wise aduersitie driueth away faynt frendes out of the house, bycause the seruice is not acceptable without the wyll be knowen of him that dothe it. Than holde you sure of my contentation, syth that I haue it of your warkes. I come nowe to the effecte of our pourpose. I haue taken you for to be maysters of this chylde: and regarde that I haue taken you fewe amonge many, to thende that my sonne shuld be noted amonge fewe. His nurses at the gate of Hostie haue gyuen hym two yeres sucke of their mylke, and his mother Faustyne hath gyuen hym other two yeres to sporte hym in the Palays. And I lyke a good father wyll gyue hym .xx. yeres of chastisement. It sore displeaseth Faustyne his mother to leaue hym so sone, and I am sory that I toke hym so late. It is no meruayle, for these womenne with their lyghtnes, and these chyldern with theyr smalle knowlege occupie them selfe in thinges present. But worthy wyse men ought to thynke on that is passed, and also to ordeyne for that that is present, and with great study to

prouyde for the tyme to come. I thinke on euery daye in the yere, and of the daye, that the goddis haue gyuen me, and of the day that I gyue unto you. The goddes to me and I to you doo gyue hym mortalle to be as a man, and than you to me and I to god do render hym immortall to be wyse. What wylle ye that I saye more? Certaynly god hath made hym man amonge men by the soule: and I haue engendred hym a beaste amonge beastes by the fleshe, ye shall make hym a god among goddis by shape. I demaunde of you a thynge, whyche is, I haue not gyuen to my childe but mortalle fleshe, wherwith he shall take an ende of his lyfe, but ye shall gyue hym doctrine, werwith his memorie shall neuer perishe. If his youthe knew the weke and faynt fleshe that I haue gyuen hym, and that his dulle vnderstandynge maye reache to the wisedome that ye may gyue hym, he wolde calle you fathers, and me an yl stepfather. And though he say not so, yet I confesse it, that is, that the naturall fathers of the fleshe are stepfathers of noblenes, sythe that we gyue the naturalitie of them subiecte to so many mutabilities, and bonde and capitue to so many miseries. For certayne ye shall be iuste fathers to hym, yf as nowe ye can enhable his fleshe in good custommes, and to brynge his vnderstandynge to be occupied with high sciences. And syrs, repute it not smalle, that I commytte to your charge and arbytrement, that thynge whiche princis ought moste to regarde, that is, to se to whom they commytte the nourishynge of their chylderne. To be maysters of princis in erthe is to haue the offyce of goddis that bene in heuen. For they gouern him that hath cure to gouerne vs: They endoctryne hym that shoulde teache vs, they shewe vnto hym that ought, to shewe vs: Chastise hym that oughte to chastise vs: and fynally they commaunde one, the whiche

afterwarde alone maye commaunde all the worlde. What wyll ye that I shall say more? For certayn he that hathe the charge of a prince, is the gouernall of the shyp, The standerde of an army, the gouernance of people, the guyde of wayes, the shelde of Kynges, the treasour of al, bycause they haue amonge theyr handes hym that afterwarde ought to gouerne all the worlde. And furthermore to the entent that ye haue hym in more estimation, I wyl tell you, that in gyuynge my sonne vnto you, I do gyue you more than if I had gyuen you a realme. The pure and clene lyuyng of the sonne aliue, is the glorious fame of his father that is deade. For of hym, that the sonne trustethe in his lyfe, dependethe the renowme of the father that is deade. Thus haue ye hadde the goddis atte wylle, and the bryttell destenies of fortune happy to you, as vnto this houre ye haue not watched with chyldren of straungers. Fro hensforth wake ye with the prince, whiche is the profite of al other. And take good hede, my frendes, that there is greatter difference in bringynge vp of princis chyldren, than to teache yonge boyes of the common people. The moste parte of them, that come to scoles come for to lerne to speake: but I delyuer not my son Comode to you to lerne hym to speke many wordes, but for to sette him in the waye to do good dedes. The glorie of folyshe fathers is to se their chyldren vainquishe other in disputyng: but my glorie and ioy is to se my sonne surmount other in vertue: bycause the glorie of the Grekes was to speake moche and to do lyttell, And the glorie of the Romaynes was to do moche and to speake but lytell. Howe the maysters of princis oughte + to kepe them from vices. + Capitulo. ix.

Marcus Aurelius folowynge his pourpose, ioyned to his foresayde wordes, and sayde: Regarde well my frendes, and forgette not, that I truste you in myne honour, who am my sonnes father, and of the study of Comode my sonne, and of the glorie of Rome my naturall countreye, And of the solace and reste of Rome, whiche is my subiect: Of the gouernance of Italy, whiche is your countreye: and aboue al thynges of the peace and tranquillitie of our common welth. Than he that is put in truste with suche administration of other, hath no cause to slepe. Nowe lette vs come to more particular thynges. Regarde as nowe, what thynge is mooste conuenable for my sonne, whiche as a yonge colte wolde goo play in the grene medowes, and noysome shall be the keper to hym, & a thynge paynfull to kepe hym therfro. The first thynge, wherof I pray you, is to gyue hym a stronge bridel, and a sharpe bytte, to thentent that he be well mouthed, so that none take hym with lyes. The greattest faut that can be in men of honestie is to spare the trouthe, and not to be veritable: And the greatteste vilanye in a villayne is to be gyuen in largesse of lyes. Sette good order vppon hym. Take hede to his handes, to the entente that he accustome hym not to demaunde to play at the tables and dyce with suche as be loste and noughte. The greattest token that a prince woll lose and distroye the empire, is whan in his yonge age he is knowen to be vicious in play. The playe is suche a vice, that who soo euer it byteth, it is like the bytynge of a madde dogge, the whiche rage endureth vnto dethe. I recommende to you my chyld, though he be yonge make hym sad and moderate. Certaynly it is not so great a glorye vnto a prince to haue the crowne on his heed, nor a chayn of gold about

his shulders, nor the scepter in his hande, nor the greate company and garde that he hath about hym, as to shewe sadnesse from his youthe. The open honestie supplieth many fautes and debilities. Spare not to caste on hym a stronge chayne, and to tye hym faste, that he go not to delytes and vanyties. For an effeminate person neuer hath spirite to any hye or noble dedes. I am greately satisfied with that the techer of Nero sayd to his disciple: Though I wyst that god wolde pardone me, and that men knewe no mysse of me, for the vilanye of the fleshe, I wolde not synne in the fleshe. Surely they were good wordes, and yll borne a way of Nero. Let not yet go the reyne. For if he se the yonge mares, he wyl neygh or bray yf he se tyme. The vyce of the flesshe in all tymes, in all ages, and in al estates holdeth his season or course, if it passe not in the grene age of chyldehoode, castynge out the reyne of reason, & stryken with the spurres of the fleshe, and blowing with the trompe of sensualitie: Takyng the bridell in the tethe with a furious will, rennynge through mountayns and woddes after the mare: In leauynge her goinge but softely, and in the ouertakynge moche lesse. And than afterward being therin delyberat, the body remayneth impotent, the vnderstandynge acloyed and blynded, the reason troubled, the good name lost, and yet neuertheles at the laste the fleshe remayneth fleshe. What remedy for this? I fynde none other but that a great quycke fyre couered and laden with erth dieth. And whan the vicious man is layde in his graue, he maketh an ende and may neuer correcte hym selfe. Wherfore I aduyse you to gyue no place to this yonge chylde to be vicious. And in the chastisinge of hym, gyue no respyte, thoughe he be yonge, and my child, and well loued and cheryshed with his mother, and though he be the only heire of thempire. With chyldren of

a stranger crueltie is tiranny, but with a mans own child pite is the occasion of his losse in time to come. It is shewed vs by trees, how we ought to norishe our children. Of trouth the chestain trees brynge forth the soft swete chestnutte out of the sharpe pricking & hard huske. And on the nut trees amonge the swete softe leafes, is nourished the harde nutte. Applieng this to our purpose, we haue sene a pyteful father, bringe forthe a cruell son, and a cruel father a piteful sonne. He that was lerned amonge al other lerned, and renoumed among al other renoumed, Lygurgus king of the Lacedemoniens, in giuing his lawes in his realme, I remembre to haue red therin these wordes: We commande as kynges, & pray as men, that al thinge be forgiuen to them that be olde and broken: and to them that be yong and lusty, to dissimule for a tyme: and nothyng to be forgiuen to very yonge chyldren. In good soth these were good wordes spoken of suche a persone, and semeth reasone. For it is reason that the hors that hathe rounne and passed his course of cariage, shoulde reste hym. And who that hath passed rightousely, it is Justice that he be suffered in reste. And the chylde that wyll passe reason, ought to be reformed. Cause hym to be always occupied in vertuous actes. For if the vnderstondynge be dulled, and the bodye slouthefull in suche aege, with great difficultie wylle they drawe to thynges that be straunge to their delectations, bycause that the lyghtenesse is in the heed, and reason vnder the eyes. His youthe wylle demaunde you some recreation, whiche ye shall consyder, so it be not often nor to seldome. Fyrste that it be by reason: Secondely that they be taken in noble exercyses. Take hede, for I gyue not my sonne vnto you, that ye shulde gyue hym recreation, but onely for to teache hym.

The henne hauynge her egges vnder her wynges, in that season goth not abrode in the yardes, and though the egges be not her owne, yet she hatcheth theym, as yf they were her owne. For this cause at this tyme in Rome of a C. disciples, .lxxxx. cometh forthe without doctryne, for yf their maysters wast two houres of doctrine with them, they lese with them .xx. houres in mockery. And therof it is, that of the smal grauitie of the mayster, springeth great boldnes and lyttell shame in the disciple. Beleue me frendes, that the teachers to princes, and maysters to disciples, profite more in one daye with good examples, than in a yere with many lessons. My sonne seinge you drawe to vertues, wyll drawe to the same, if he se you studie, he wylle study, if he se you peasible, he wyll be styll: he seinge you temperate in fedinge, wyll eate but lytel: seing you shamfaste, he wyll feare you, seinge you restefull, he wyll reste, and yf ye do contrarie, he wyll do contrarye. This surely is true, for the auncient men onely with the euill that they se, eyther do they corrupte their bodies, or sclaunder their owne iugementes, as chyldren do, that can say nothynge but that they here, nor do nothyng but that they se. I wyl also that the prince my sonne lerne the .vii. artes lyberall. For I haue taken many of you, to thentent that ye shulde teache hym moche. And yf at the last we shulde be sorowfull, bycause he hath not lerned all, we shall not be sorie, if he knowe moche, nor thynke his tyme yll spent, nor be begyled, in saying, that he knoweth inough, of that so yonge a chylde shulde haue to gouerne and rule thempire. A very philosopher after the lawe of lygnage oughte to haue speche at place and tyme conuenient, to fyght in the felde, and to speake in the senate. If my owne remembrance begyle me not, amonge myn antiquities I haue brought a stone out of Grece, the which Pythagoras the philosopher

helde at the gates of his schole, wherin was written with his owne handes these wordes: He that knoweth not that he ought to know, is a brute beast amonge men: He that knoweth no more than he hath nede of, is a man amonge brute beastes: He that knoweth all that may be knowen, is a god amonge men. O moste high wordes, Glorious is the hande that wrote them, the which not at the gates, as they were than, ought to be written, but within mens brestis they ought to be paynted and grauen. Our forefathers toke the laste sentence of this philosopher, and the firste rebuke abydeth to vs their last chyldren. For certayne amonge the Grekes and Lacedomoniens was attayned as moche fame by their philosophers and conquestes, as by their writinges, which they haue lefte vs. And our former emperours gatte no lesse loue in their empire by their profounde eloquence, then they feared all the worlde by their noble triumphes. For a profe wherof beholde Julius Cesar, whiche beinge in the myddell of his campe, with his lyfte hande wolde holde his speare, and his penne in his ryght hande. Ne he neuer lefte of his armour, but forthewith he toke his bokes. We must not lay excuses, sayinge with them that be ignorante, that the lyberall artes are to hye, and the tyme that we haue verye shorte. For certayne the diligence of men in tymes paste, reproueth our slouth at this day. One thyng I do se, that in a shorte whyle we lerne all yll, but in a longe season we can not lerne goonesse. Wyll ye se, what is our fortunes and destenies, and in what thought the goddes doo kepe vs, that for to do one good dede we lacke tyme, and for to do many shrewde tournes we haue to moche tyme. I wyll say no more, but that I wolde my chylde shulde be nourished in suche wise, that he shoulde lerne the feare of god, the science of philosophers, the vertues of auncient Romayns,

the quietnes of you his maysters, and the goodnesse of all them that be good, as he hath taken of me to be the heire of the empire. I protest to the immortal goddis, to whom I trust for to go: and protest to the high capitoll, where my bones shall be brent, that neyther Rome now in my lyfe, nor the heuens in tyme to com shal curse me after my dethe, yf by yll lyuynge my sonne shuld lese hte [sic] common welth, if by your small chastisement ye shal be cause of the losse of the empire. Howe themperour Marcus nourished the princesses + his doughters. Cap. x. Marcus Aurelius emperour hadde but two sonnes, that is to wytte, the prince Comode and Verissime He hadde foure doughters by Faustyne his wyfe legittimate, and heires of thempire. This emperour was excedynge diligent for to nouryshe his doughters: As soone as any of them were borne, forthwith they were putte to nurse into some ferme withoute Rome: He wolde neuer suffre any of his children, sonnes nor doughters, to be norysshed within the walles of Rome: Nor consente, that they shulde sucke the brestes of delycate women. He hated delicate and gay nurses: and they that were laborous homely and holsome he loued, and to them and none other he betoke his children to nourishe, and he wolde neuer agree, that they shoulde be brought home to his house. He was wont to saye in his sportynge: I haue more adoo to content these nourisses, than to mary my doughters. Homer sheweth, that in Grece there died Arthemio, that was kynge of Argiue, withoute any sonne to inherite: and the nurse that hadde nourisshed hym, with all

her myght demaunded the realme for a son of hers, whiche hadde sucked of the same mylke that the sayde kynge had done, allegynge, that syth they were both nourished togyder, & sucked one mylke, that they both shulde enherite one realme. Thus said Homer, to reproue the nouryces of Grece, whiche toke more presumption for nourysshinge of princis, than quenes dyd in bearynge of them. Therfore this noble Marcus Aurelius emperour wolde not that his doughters alonely shoulde sucke grosse and rude mylke, but he wolde not agree, that any reuerence honour or seruice shulde be done vnto them, as it belongeth to the chyldren of so high princis to be done, and as the custome is to be doone. On a day as the sayde emperour was at supper a fole named Galyndo, at whose wordes the emperour often toke pleasure, sayd: Syr yesterdaye I came fro Salon and fro the gate of Hostie, and there I sawe the emperours chyldren go lyke labourers, and I se here in thy hous labourers chyldren go lyke emperours: Telle me, why do ye dissimule as a wyse man, for I that am but a foole vnderstondeth hit not. The emperour aunswered: O Galyndo, bycause that yet at this tyme Rome is not Rome, all thoughe thoroughe all the worlde hit be renowmed Rome. In my selfe I fynde farre more assuraunce, that my children begyn lyke poore labourers, and ende as ryche emperours, thanne to begynne as ryche emperours, and ende as poore squiers. Doest thou not know why Italy is nowe lost? They wolde haue their children to be wantonly and delicately nourysshed, and suffre theym not to lyue in trauaylle, and to leaue their heires poore and nedye, and them selfe to ende in greatte peryll. This answere was so excellent in fame, that it was euer taken for a prouerbe in Rome. Whan this emperours doughters were twoo yere olde,

incontinent he prouided women and maystresses for to teche theym. Sextus Cheronense saithe, that he serched amonge the ancient matrones of Rome, whiche were cleanest of lyfe, mooste estemed of good fame, of noblesse of bloudde, of sadde witte, and that had ben mooste vsed in bringyng vp of princis chyldren. This emperour was so thoughtfull in the orderynge and teachynge of his children, that he wolde haue no woman, but yf she were of .l. yeres of age at the leaste, and .x. yere a wydowe, and that she had nourished a .C. chyldren doughters of senatours: Imagining that she that had medled in so many thyngis of other mens, shulde not be ignorant in her owne. After that he hadde prouyded these maystresses, he caused his doughters to be brought to their howses, and there gaue them their charge. And from the byrth of any of his doughters he wold neuer consent, that they shuld come in to his palays, tyll they shuld haue husbandes. It chanced that Faustine the empresse chylded a doughter, and she beinge certified, that it was like her and very faire, moued with a softe herte of womanheed, and with a motherly herte, prayed themperour, that the sayd chylde myght be nourished in her presence, sith euery man sayde the chylde was so fayre and so lyke vnto them. The emperour answered and sayd: Faustyne for those thynges that all other haue sayde to you, dothe it beseme you to demande this of me? But I that haue red in this case, and in other cases haue sene, in no maner ought to condiscende therto. Do you not knowe, that the tyme that the doughter is nouryshed in the house, the father is charged with thought, the mother with wanton flatterynges, enuy in the brethern, boldnes in the doughter, and foly in the nouryce. I wold wite of you, if she were nourisshed in the house, what profytteth it if her maystres teache her saddenesse and honestie

with her wordes, and we entice her to lewdnes with our workes or dedes? what profyteth it, if the doughter deserue chastisement, that the mother flatter and make her wanton? More reason it were, that your doughter shuld folowe the good doinges of you that are her mother, than the wordes of the straunge wydowe that is her maystres. Marke well Faustyne, if ye oughte to reioyce at her chyldishe toys. Remembre that the plesure of yong chyldren, is but chyldyshe and tryfles. But if you nouryshe them not well, as the pleasures were ioyful whan they were yonge, so whan they be olde to refreyne them shal be greatter displeasure. Therfore if you be vertuous, withdrawe their iapynge trifles as nowe, for them that shal be vertuous. I wyll tell you one thynge. I wold rather my doughters in myn absence shulde be disciples to vertues, than to be maystresses in lewdenesse. And sythe it is so, I do desyre you, require it not of me. And I desire you that it be not so. I am importune on you, that ye be not importunate on me. I pray you that you pray not me. Or elles I commaunde you that you demaunde it no more of me. This harde aunswere of the father ceassed the importunitie and pitiefulle requeste of the mother. Thus Faustine all fearefull, seinge the father within the walles of Rome, durste not go se her doughter without, but as priuely as she myght. Howe Marcus themperour dyd chose and proued + his sonnes in lawe. Cap. .xi. Like wise as Marcus Aur. the emperour surmounted in vertues al mortal men that died, for certayne in marienge of his doughters he semed to be kin to the goddis, that euer lyue: and by

the grace and gyfte of god, or by his fortune, he was as happy in vertuous sonnes in lawe, as greately fortunate of dyshoneste doughters. After the dethe of the good olde man, with the smalle thoughte of the prince his sonne in his gouernance, and vngoodly fame of his doughters in their lyuing, it semed to haue made an ende of the glorious memorie of the father, but if it were by the souerayne goodnes of his sonnes in lawe, that he had chose by his lyfe tyme. It is dayly sene, that the losse of the father by euyll childerne, is wonne by vertuous sonnes in lawe. Than Marcus Aurelius consideryng husbandes for his doughters, toke not of dyuers that the vanitie of the worlde offered hym: but of a fewe that of many folkes were estemed to be of good behauour, and that to his semynge were suche in dede: and as in mariages all the errour is to couete goodes that be in the purse, and not to examyne the persone that is brought to the house: He regardynge this, maried not his doughters to strange kinges, but to naturall borne senatours: and not to such as discended fro hygh lygnage, as were the Scipions, Fabricions, and Torquates: but to such that with their vertues reysed newely good lygnages: Nor he maried them not to suche as were presumptuous of the prowes and dedes of their predecessours: but to them that resplendyshed by the dedes of their owne persons. Nor of trouthe he chose none that were very ryche, but suche as were vertuous: nor suche as were soone moued, but such as were quiete: not to the high mynded, but to the moderate, that were no bosters, but shamefast, no bablers, but smal spekers: no quarellers, but suffrers: not to presumptuous, but to them that were meke: not to hasty men, but the them that were pacient: not to them that were estemed among the commons, but vnto them that deserued laude among

wyse men. In this maner he trusted no person, for he maried not his doughter to suche as were praysed a farre of: but to them that of long tyme had ben proued nerehand. In good faythe herein his reason was good. For in the thynge that toucheth a mannes honour, he that is wyse ought not to trust in the onely information of strangers: Nor he is not wyse, that is so hardy to do all thynges by his owne semynge and opinion. And he is but a symple persone, that wyll do all thyng after the opinion of strangers. And in these poyntes the emperour Marcus had a good respecte to kepe them: In walkynge good rest: In speakinge great eloquence: in eatyng good temperance: In aunswerynge greate subtiltie: In his sentences and determinations great grauitie. And therfore in this case of mariage he was ful of grauite tyl he was therin determined. And this only came not of hym, but of other, whan they came to pray hym. It befell that in a feast of the god Janus the emperour goynge to the campe of Mars vppon a lusty horse fyers and flyngynge, he mette so rudely with a trumpettour, that coursed as a knyght vpon a hors, that with the stroke of metyng the trumpetour was ouer throwen with his horse, so that he was slayne, and themperours hors legge broken, and his owne fote hurte, and his arme out of ioynt. So greately encreased his hurte, that he was in perylle, Italye in heuynes, and all Rome was in doubte of his lyfe. And bycause a fewe days afore that he had communication of a mariage for his thyrde doughter, named Matrina for the determination that he shulde haue made the same day, greate suite was made to hym. But he for the great peyn of his arme, and blud that was congeled in his bodye, and the anguysshe that was at his harte, as for the demaunde that was offered hym, he defferred the aunswere tyll an nother daye. The

whiche daye commen, in open presence he sayde in this manier. What the emperour Marcus sayde to the father + of a yonge man that wolde marye + one of his doughters. Cap. .xii. Oftentimes I haue sene in other, and haue proued by experience, that the smalle consideration passed, and the gret acceleration in busynesses nowe present, maketh great inconueniences in tyme to come, onles that at that point the thynge be commytted to the vertue of some wyse persone, rather than to his owne sole opinion. Neuer the les in the case of mariage though the father be wise, yet without the opinion of an other, he ought not to determyn him lyghtly, for enuious fortune, though she shewe her selfe somwhat frowarde in all thinges, yet in this case of mariage, she ouerthroweth more than in al the other. He that wyll speake of mariage, ought to entre into his owne secretenes, and to thinke profoundly theron, as of a thinge that all his welth lyeth in, his credence, his lyfe, his honour, his good fame, the reste of his owne persone, and his fleshe, whiche is his chylde. I am of opinion, that if all wyse men were molten in a fournayes, they coude not gyue one good counsell to make a mariage. And wolde ye that I, whiche am simple, shulde do it lightly by my self? Truely therin behoueth rype and sad counsell. For ones fallen in to the perill therof, none may haue remedy without greatter perylle. The renowmed Marcus Portius, whose lyuynge was a myrrour in his days, and his wordes and councels remayne for a remembrance, sayd openly in the senate: O noble fathers and happy people, by the

decrees openly proclaimed in places accustomed, I know that in a counsel and senate ye ordeyned thre thinges, that is, ye vndertoke to make a newe warre againste the Parthes, to continue the enmitie against the Peniens, and to marie .v. hundred matrones of Rome, to .v. C. knyghtes of Mauritanie. And certaynly I am abashed, that amonge wyse men so high affaires shulde be so soone and sodainly concluded and determyned. ^to satisfie myn vnderstandynge, and for the good wylle that I owe to the countrey, I shall say one worde, that is, To begyn warre and to pursue hatred and yll wyll, and to conclude mariages, In these causes a man ought to aske counsell of all the men of the worlde, and al the goddis ought to correct and amende it. And .x. M. counsaylynges wolde be holden vpon eche of these thynges. These wordes were worthy of great recommendation. For one thynge by dyuers opinions ought to be determyned: But many thinges by one opinion oughte not to be determyned. And if this be for al thinges, it serueth than most specially in mariages. My frendes, ye say that he that offreth hym to be my sonne in lawe, is greatly desired loued and wel named amonge the common people. To sell suche marchandyse, set it not in so yll a shewe. The credence of an honest manne lyeth not amonge the common voyce of the people, but among philosophers: not amonge many, but amonge fewe: not amonge howe many, but what they be. ye know your self that at this houre all that the commons thynke is but a vayne thynge: that they prayse is false: that they condempne is good: that they approue, is nought: that they alowe is shamefull: and finally al that they lawde, is but folye. Their praisinge begynneth with lyghtnes, their folowinge without order, and it endeth with furie. O how many haue I sene in Italy lyke the lyes of wyne cast out

of the senate, and after put as fyre brondes of tauernes in Rome, by whose opinions the common welth is gouerned, and with great lyghtnes men put downe, and with no les lyghtnes exalted agayne. Beholde here, that the werkes of the people are holden in mockage with wise men: and that that is agreed amonge theym, is estemed but for vanities with wise men: For that that is meale with philosophers, is eaten but for branne and chaffe with symple folk: and contrary wise the meale of the symple, is but branne and chaffe among wyse men: Of all that our predecessours haue syfted, in these dayes the children of vanitie worke therafter, for they wylle be desyred, and hate to be hated. All suche holdeth a generall rule, that euery man that desireth to be beloued of euery man openly, can not escape fro dyuers secrete fautes. Shall I tell you who is best beloued nowe adayes? Than harken to me, and I wyll tell you, as moch as it toucheth, to whom it may touche, hurt who [sic] it may hurte, fele it who that may fele it. The people loueth hym, that can dissimule with them, that be nought and enuious of them that be good, and suche as fauour lyers, and setteth trouthe aside, and suche as accompanieth with mankyllers and murtherers, and to be serued of theues, and fauoureth quarellers, and pursueth such as be peasible: delyuereth offenders and sleeth innocentes, renoumeth them that be shameful, and shameth them that be of good fame: Finally he is most set by, that putteth them that be good fro hym, and is the most vayne among them that be vayne. Certainly there is great suspection to sette hym amonge wise men, that is allowed of all foles. And the reason therof is, that the commons lyghtly loue none but men that with malice refreyneth them that be vertuous, and letteth the reyne slyppe to them that be vicious. Truely wyse men haue hym as suspect that the commons

desyre, whiche wyll not be displeased with his yl doinges. O howe often tymes doth the goddis permytte the ambicious man in honours, that procureth to do yl many dais without Justice, and dothe not be holde [sic] the sodayne hole losse therof with shame? Than take this word of me, that in the multitude of men there are fewe to be praysed, and many to be repreued. Howe a sonne in lawe ought to be wel examined + er he be accepted to his purpose. Cap. xiii. Nowe to come to our particular purpose, ye amonge you do prayse this yonge man, and yf his werkes be as your wordes, he shulde not onely say, that he hath merited to be my sonne in lawe, but rathe meriteth to be onely enheritour of the hole empire. And therfore I wolde witte of you, wherof you can prayse this your kynseman, that ther be no contrarietie betwene his werkes and your wordes. If he be rusticall, it abateth hym sore: if he be of hyghe blode, he wyll be presumptuous: if he be ryche, he wylle giue him to viciousnes: if he be pore, he wyl be couetous: if he be valyant, he wyll be ouerbolde: yf he be coward he is defamed: if he be a great speaker, he shall by a lyer: if he be to lyttell a speaker, he shall be noted as vnwise: yf he be faire, he wyll be coueted: if he be fowle, he wyll be ielous. Than if he be quite of all these, I swere to you that I wyll gyue hym my doughter Matrine with al my hart. I do not say this vnto you, bicause I suppose any yl in your kynsman: but to thentent that ye shulde thynke, that I say it accordynge to my naturalitie. And than sith I say it not agaynst your credence, for the knowlege that ye haue of him, mystake not my suspection, sith that I am

hole ignorant of this yonge mans lyuynge. And I wyll not, that ye shulde thynke, that the chylde my doughter, that hath ben brought vp in so great vertu in my palays, shulde be maried to this yong man for the only fame that he hath amonge the people. O howe often haue I sene in our tyme nowe, and haue redde of the worlde passed, the whiche as nowe by commandement of the goddis, at an other tyme by their yll workes hath deserued hit, at an other tyme by their sorowfull destenies haue permitted it, wenynge for to brynge sonnes in lawe in to their howse, haue brought in a hell: In stede of wyse and faire doughters, haue recouered adders: In sekynge sonnes, haue founde basilicke serpentes: In byenge of bloudde, poyson delyuered: In sekyng frendes, they haue founde ennemies: In demaundyng honour, shame hath be giuen: and finally in marienge their children, wenynge to haue lyued merily, the sorowfull fathers haue had an euyl life and a wors dethe. And in case that such ought to be moned more of them that be ioyous, than they that ben sorye of them that ben ioyous: as well oughte we to approue the iuste chastisement of the iuste goddes, by the vniuste workes done to iust men. For he deserueth great chastisement, that with ferefull hardynes as a foole determineth hym selfe in high and difficult thinges with sodayn counsell. And therfore my frendes, if ye be vertuous, be not abashed of that that I saye, nor take the examination that I make in a sclaunder: If I take this yonge man to be my sonne, to be sonne in lawe to Faustyne my wyfe, husbande to my doughter Matrine, broder [sic] to Comodus the prince, felawe to them of the senate, kinsman to my kinsfolke, and lorde of my seruantes: It is reason, that such a robe ought well to be regarded, sythe that so many persones must weare the lyueray therof. The garment that

so many persones must weare, must be wisely cut, to content them all. We se naturally many thynges noyfull to vs, if it be nere vs, and yet not domageable to vs ferre of. The sonne with his shynynge beams dothe parche the flesshe of the people of Ethiope, bycause it is nere vnto theym: and contrarye wise it dothe no grefe to their persons that inhabite in the ende of Europe: for bycause it toucheth theym a ferre of. There haue bene dyuers sonnes of Rome, whiche beinge in straunge countreys, haue done great profite to the common welth, and no lesse famed throughout the worlde, which after they were returned to their owne houses, haue spilte more bloudde of innocentes, than they had done before of the Barbariens. And that it is sothe demaunde of Julius Cesar, of Pompeius, of Sylla, of Marius, of Casius, of Catilina, and of Lipulus, of Octauius, and Marcus Anthonius, of Caligula and of Nero, of Othus and Domitianus. And as I say of so small a noumbre of bastarde chyldren that helde Rome, I maye saye of dyuers other tyrauntes broughte vppe in Italye. Beleue me in one thynge, All that is agreable to vs abroode, agreeth not to vs yf we bringe them into the howse. For there goth many thinges betwene the entreatinge of a man in wordes, and to be longe conuersant with hym in workes. Lyttell nedeth humayne ignorance for to begyle an other, and yet lesse to be begyled of many an other. With a meke visage, swete wordes in the tongue, good delyberation in the persone, temperance in the worde, euery one may begyle an other nowe adayes: and by shrewdenes and malyce, is begiled hym selfe. I say to you, I beinge a yonge man knew the famous oratour Tauryn propose dyuers tymes in the senate: And on a day he spake for a Romayn matron, which shulde haue maried an honest doughter of hers to a mayster

of horses, by semynge a Romayne, and not very well appoynted: And amonge other wordes he sayde: O noble fathers, O happy people, Commande not that thinge that afterwarde ye wolde were not commaunded: An yll mariage is lyke as he that shoteth a pellet of dust, it hurteth hym that it toucheth, and blyndeth them that stande nexte. Sothely these were hie wordes, and the comparyson well vnderstonden, conteyneth in it sentences of grauitie. It is manifest to all men, that an ylle sonne in lawe is the deathe of the wyfe that hath hym, shame to the frendes that procured it, and at the laste an yll ende for hym selfe, and for his father that offered it. Than by all these thynges that I haue sayde, ye may vnderstande what I thynke in this mariage. His sayinges thus ended, the Senate was greately edified therwith, and the knyghtes, kynsfolke to this yonge man, greatly abashed: and Faustin the empresse sore confused: for by her introduction, the matter was moued: and how this mariage fayled, the historiens write not, whom we haue folowed in this werke. Howe Marke the emperour fauoured all noble exercyses, + and hated trewandes and fooles. Cap. xiiii. The vertues of this good emperour, and the knowlege of sciences, the worthines in armes, and the purenes of his lyuynge, caused hym to be named among the famous men of Rome: The gentyll conuersation that he had with euerye man, made hym to be renowmed amonge the worthyest of all the worlde, the thynge moste agreable without reprehencion of the greattest, meane, and leaste is, that a lorde and prince of many to be communicable and conuersant with many. All the good werkes of good men may be condemned

with the yll intentions of theym that be ylle: But the good condicions haue such a privilege, that of yl the good is praysed, and the god approueth the yll. In a mans lyuynge there is none so great a vice, but by good conuersation it is couered and hyd: And contrary wise no crime is so secrete, but with yl conuersation, at the tyme that it hurteth it is more openly knowen. Of two extremities it is not so greuous to the common welthe, a man to be weke and faynt in secretenes, and of gentyl conuersation abrode, as it is of hym that is secrete, and is rude and of yll conuersation openly. Dyuers not being of good order and polycie, we haue sene conuersant of gret whyle in Rome, only for beinge wel condicioned. And many mo we haue sene, that in a short while after they were put in office haue bene so proude and hasty in their condicions, that they haue bene depriued from their offices. And this we say bycause this good emperour was so ioyous of vysage, soo amyable in his customes, so louynge in his conuersacion, that lyghtly he wolde caste his armes aboute the necke and on the shulders of them, and take them by the handes, that had any thynge to do with hym. The porters shulde not lette them that wolde accompany hym in the palays: Nor his garde was not so hardy to put abacke such as wold speke with hym in the feldes. In all his aeges he applyed to that that euery age gaue hym by nature: He was a childe amonge chyldren: yonge amonge yong folkes: worldly with them that were worldly: good felawe with good felawes: A baron among barons: Hardy with hardy men: and fynally olde with olde menne. He was wont to saye, whan any in his presence that were yonge and not welle taught in their language, gested at the debilytie of age, or olde men at the foly of youth: Leaue them sith they leue you. Many tymes of wyse yonge men cometh olde foles:

And of yonge fooles customably cometh wyse olde men. Naturalitie at the last maketh al thynge in kynde. As of greatte debilitie we can drawe but smalle strengthe, by our naturalitie we may for a tyme resiste it, but not vtterly maister it. I am sore abashed that some that wyll be soo lordely and valiant in vertues and so high mynded, that they wyll make vs beleue, that they lyuinge in the fleshe, and being of fleshe, only fele not the fleshe. I can not tell, yf nature hath made other of an other nature than I am of, or me of an other nature thanne other be, for I beinge neuer so faste inclosed in the swete conuersation of philosophye, ye in the beste tyme, this false flesshe wolde calle atte the gate with his noughtye flesshe. The more that we reyse and exalte vs with science and gette lyberties, the more lower we do putte the flesshe with her myseries. Beleue me one thynge, that if a tree beareth not in Prymetyme his floures, we hope not to haue the fruite in harueste ripe: and a yonge man that hathe not passed his youthe with yonge people, we haue no hope that he shulde passe his age with olde men. And as we may resist our naturalitie and not cleane to fordoo it, those fathers erre, that are so extremely affectioned, to haue their children to begynne as olde men, whervpon it foloweth, that they ende as yonge. This emperour was so wyse in all thynges, that amonge theym that were mery, he was of great myrthe: And in verities he was very veritable: In his pastimes he was greattely temperate, and a louer of musike, specially in good voyce and instrumentes, and soore displeased, yf he harde any discorde therin. He passed most of his youthe in lernynge of sciences. Whan he came to mans state, he exercised feates of knyghthode: he loued discipline and not of adulation. He was apt and happye in armes, but yet in rydinge of horses he hadde

ofte tymes yll happe. In his yonge age he delyted to play at the tennys, and at the chesse in his aege. He loued not these counterfaityng players of farces and mummeries, and yet lesse trewandes that ben naturall fooles, iuglers and gesters for pleasure. The players and gesters suffred great varietie in the empire, accordynge to the diuersitie of emperours. Julius Cesar susteyned them, Octauian his neuewe droue them awaye, Caligula called theym agayne, Cruell Nero banyshed them, Nerua made theym come agayne, Good Traian banyshed them out of all Italy, Anthony pius brought them in ageyne: And by the handes of this good emperour Marcus Aurelius, they ended. And the occasion was, the Romayns dyd celebrate with great ioye the .iiii. daye of Maye the great feaste of the mother Berecynte, mother of all the goddis. The sacred priestes flamines diales, wold haue brought thither these minstrelles iuglers and iesters for to reioyce the feast, and contrary wise the holy nunnes vestales, wolde haue done the same, so that variance felle betwene them, some with force, and some with resistence, and many ranne thider in fauouringe of both parties, and not a fewer to departe them. The cruell and greatte noyse of slaughter amonge them was suche, that it tourned the feaste to wepynges, the pleasures into sorowes, and their songes into wayllynges. This good emperour laboured to pease this furie of the people, and to sette peace among the neybours of Rome. Whan al was done he made curious diligence to serche out all the players, iuglers, and iestours of Rome, and in al the circuite of Italy, that they might be chastised, and Rome delyuered of them. And for example of all the worlde he sente theym to the gate of Hostie, and commaunded to set theym in Galies, and to baysshe them for euer into the yles of Hillespont: whiche was accomplyshed

as the emperour commaunded. And fro that daye was neuer sene at Rome iugler nor gester, as longe as themperour lyued. But hit passed not two yeres after his deathe, but they retourned, whan his sonne had the rule. And excepte the bokes doo lye, there was in Rome greatter nombre of fooles than of wyse men. Of the good conuersation of this emperour + Marcus Aurelius. Cap. xv. We haue sayd of the hatred that this emperour had to trewandes, reuelers, getters, iuglers, gesters, and suche other: Now will we speke of his laudable exercises of them that came to hym. To be welle condicioned the malyce of mankynde is so great, that as good men are bounde to regarde the yll, so do they that be yl regard to distroye the good. The trace of vertu is as good in good thingis with them that be good, as the vice and dishonestie of euyl folkes is in euyl thynges. What greatter corruption in this worlde may be, than a vertuous persone for one worke of vertue can not fynde one to helpe hym to worke it, and whan he alone hathe wroughte it, there cometh tenne thowsande to gaynesaye hym? The greattest goodnesse of all goodnesses is whan tyrannies ar put vnder by vertues acquyred: or to fynde remedy agaynste accustomed vices with good inclynations. And the greattest euyll of all euylles is whan a persone forgetteth that he is a man, puttynge reson vnder fote, straining his hand ageinste vertue, and letteth vice rule the bridle. This emperour M. Aurel. susteyned in his lyfe great glorie in the eschewinge the villany of vyllaynes: no les merited he immortall memory in sufferynge dyuers dishonestyes in the execution of his

vertues. An vnfallible reule it is amonge the chylderne of vanitie, to chylde the vices of theym that be vicious. And the vertues welle incorporate nourysshe many enuyous. They that be ylle, bene alwayes double ylle, bycause they beare armour defensiue to defende their owne yuelles: and armes offensyue to assaylle the good maners of other. The trowthe is, yf good menne be dilygente to seeke other that be good, no lesse oughte they for to hyde theym from theym that be ylle: for a good manne with one fynger hathe power ouer all theym that be vertuous, but for to withstonde one ylle personne, he hathe nede of handes feete and frendes. And thoughe fortune be ylle to good menne, their owne propre fame shall be spente as of straungiers. This good emperoure was stronge in vertue, meeke in wordes, attemperate in his exercyses, homely with euerye man, sadde amonge sadde men, hasty amonge hasty men, Mery with mery men, and wise amonge wise men, as it is conuenable for a curious prince to be. And whan these are approued in the lawe of good men by clere vnderstandynge, as well shall they be condempned by theym that haue ylle intencions. Than as the cooles can not be in the embres without sparkis, nor corruption of caryon withoute stenche: no more can he that hath a hole and clere herte be, without inforcynge hym to vtter louynge wordes: And he that hath an ylle harte, alwayes ouercommeth other with wordes of malyce. For it is certayne, for a smalle season the louer may absteyne his loue, and yet lesse tyme the payne of hym, that is payned with loue hydde. The sorowfulle syghes shewe the hurte of the herte, and the malicious wordes discouer the yll of the harte. We haue sayd all this bycause that the bountie of this good Emperour Marcus Aurelius set all his ioy and gladnes in them that were good,

and bewayled them that were ylle. And as in semblable thynges the worthy men shewe their worthynes, and wise men their wisedome, beinge vertuous in workynge and wise in knowlegyng, were very wise in dissimulyng. One of the vertues that a wise man ought to haue (wherin he shall be knowen as wyse) is that he can suffre welle. For a man that can suffre wel, was neuer but wise and wel manerd, and therwith to suffre the vertue of yll busines is a thyng reasonable of all reasonables bestes [sic], and of them that be good very good. And by contrary wise the man that can not well suffre, though it be n very iuste thinges, hopeth not to be well treated. And lykewyse as this emperour Marcus in all vertues hath ben egall with all the emperours of Rome that haue bene, In this vertue of sufferaunce he hath surmounted all them of the world. He was wont to say many tymes: I haue not attayned to the empire by the sciences that I haue lernid of the philosophers, but by the pacience that I haue had with them that were frowarde and not lerned. And this semeth to be true: for oftentymes this emperour beynge with the Senate at Collisee, or the Senate with hym in the hyghe Capitoll, he seynge in his presence dyuers that praysed hym, and other that in his absence amonge the people blamed hym and rebuked hym, his attemperaunce yet was so greatte, and shewed hym selfe so iust with one and other, that neyther his frendes that agreed with hym were sorowfulle, nor his ennemies for any disfauour went away complaynynge and angrye. Of the feaste that the Romaynes kept to the god + Jano in Rome, and what chaunced to the + sayde emperour there. Cap. xvi.

Amonge the solempne feastes, that the aunciente Romaynes hadde inuented, was one of the god Janus, kepte the firste daye of the yere, whiche as nowe is the fyrste day of Janyer: He was paynted with two faces, to shewe that it was the laste day of the yere passed, and the begynnynge of the newe yere. To this god was dedicate a sumptuous temple in Rome, whiche Temple Numa Pompilius called the temple of peace. And except the temple of Jupiter, it was holden in moste reuerence of all other. Whanne the Romayne emperours went or came to Rome to visite the high capitoll, and the vestall virgins, forthwith they went to pray, worshyp, and to offre at the temple of Janus. The day of celebration of the sayd feast all Rome reioyced, and put on them the beste clothes that they had, brennynge greatte lyghtes in euery hous, and made many plays of interludes, of gestes and iuglyng, and watched al nyght in the temples, and delyuered al the prisoners that were in prison for debt, and the debtes paide with the common treasour. They had tables with meate before their doores in suche habundance, that more was lefte than eaten, wherwith all the poore folkes in Rome were releued. The Romayns thought, that what so euer they spent that day, that the god Jano (whiche was god of tymes) wolde rewarde them double. The Romaynes saide, that this god Janus was not vnkynde and a nygarde, for if they spent a lyttell, he wolde recompence theym with a great deale. At this feaste was made great processions, euery sorte of people by them selfe, the senate went a part, the priestes aparte, The Censores a parte, the plebeyens a parte, The matrones and yonge maydens by them self, and the ambassadours went in procession with al the captiues and prisoners. Thus they went euer two and two:

the ende of one company was the beginnyng of an other. And thus out of the temple of Janus, they went aboute all the temples of Rome, and so out of porte latine into the feldes, and rounde aboute the walles of Rome. And bycause the circuite of Rome was greate, the processions went but from one gate to an other, so that towarde night all the processions of Rome had gone euerychone in their company aboute: And that done they retourned all into the temple that they came out of, and there offred echeone as they myght. And in the sayde processions it was of custome, that the emperours went accompanied with the senatours: but this good emperour was so familiar, that he wolde honour and accompany euery man. It was accustomed in Rome, that the sayde day themperour shulde weare on his robe, and mantell imperiall. And all prisoners and captiues that myght touch hym with their hand, were delyuerd, and al trespassours were pardoned, and banished folke were forgiuen, and callyd agayn. And this emperour to vse his clemency, and to leaue after hym perpetuall memorie, lefte the procession of senatours, and without any gard went the procession with prisoners and captiues. The whiche doinge was occasion to leaue behynde hym perpetuall memorie of him selfe, and great example of clemencie and lowlynes to princes for to come. Howe be it there is nothynge so well done of them that be good, but forthwith it shalbe contraried of them that be yl: And therfore this example was as moche dispraised of theym that were yll, as praysed and allowed of them that were good. And in likewise as among them that be good there is one noted to be pure good, so amonge them that be ylle, there is one noted to be right ylle. And that worse is, that the vertuous persone estemeth not the glorie of his vertu so gret, as the malicious person by his malyce is shamid.

This is sayde bycause there was a senatour in the senate named Fuluius, whiche was as blacke by his malyce, as white by his heares. He laboured sore in the dayes of Adrian to haue ben emperour, and had Marcus alwayes as competitour. And as it is a natural thyng to them that haue yll hartes to shewe theyr malice in small thynges, so this emperour dyd neuer good thynge openly, but this Fuluius wolde grudge therat secretely. And though this emperour was greatly praysed for the delyueringe of prisoners, yet the sayd senatour coude not haue the prudence for to suffre it, and so parte in mockerie, and parte in ernest he sayde these wordes to the emperour in the senate: Why gyuest thou thy selfe to all men? Howe Marcus the emperour aunswered a senatour + in the senate. Cap. xvi. [sic]. The emperour Marcus Aur. heringe what the senator had sayd to hym in the presence of the senatours, that is to witte, Wherfore he gaue hym to all men, He answered: Frende I giue me to all men, bycause all men gyue them to me, and are glad of me. Beleue me, that ouer great rigour in a prince causeth hatred of the people, the goddis will not, nor the lawes permit not, nor the agrement of the common welthe wyl not suffre, that princes be lordis ouer many, and to accompany but with a fewe. I haue redde in bokes, and haue proued it by my selfe, that the loue of subiectes, the suretie of the prince, the dignite of thempire, and the honour of the Senate, do conserue the prince, not with rigour, but with gentyl conuersation. The fysher goth not to take dyuers fyshes of the riuer with one baite, nor the mariner with one nette entreth in to the see. I promyse you the depenes of

good wylles oughte to be wonne with the depenes of the harte, some with giftes, some with wordes, some with promyses, and some with fauours. The insaciate couetous men are neuer content, nor wyll open their affections, but locke vp their treasours. And suche as serueth for loue, ar lesse content with openyng of their treasure, than locking vp their wylles. It is an olde prouerbe of Pythagoras: Loue is payd with other loue. O how yl fortune it is to a prince, and how vnhappy it is to a common welth, whan the peple serue not their lordes but for rewardes, and the lordes to kepe and mainteyne them, but for their seruice. With diuers stones and one cyment buylding is reysed, and of dyuers men and one lorde is composed a common welthe. And if geometrie begyle me not, the morter that ioyneth one stone with an other, ought to be medled with sande and slecked lyme by reson. Separate the stones, and the wall openeth, and let the cyment fayle, and the edifice falleth. He that is wise, may well vnderstonde me. Loue betwene neybours suffereth to be mytigate with water: but it is requisyte, that the loue of the prince and his people be pure. Dyuers trowbles, and at dyuers tymes I haue seene amonge the common people of Rome in one day moued and appeased: but one discorde reysed betwene the lorde and the common welthe, vnto the dethe is neuer accorded. It is a difficile thynge to make appoyntment of many with many, and more difficile to accorde one with an nother. But without comparison more harder it is to appoynt diuers with one, than one with dyuers. And in this case I wyl not saue the prince nor leue the people vncondempned. Fro whens (as ye think) cometh it now a days, that lordis with annoyance commaunde vniust thynges, and in iuste thynges the subiectes are vnobedient? Nowe here me and I shall tell you. The prince doinge a thinge in dede, and

not of righte, will confounde the wille of euery man, and beleue his owne vnderstandynge, and drawe of hym selfe and all other his only wyll. Contrary wise, the multitude of the people dispraysinge their lordis vnderstondynge, do as they wyll: not as all wylle, but as euery man desyreth hym selfe. Of trouth it is a greuous thing (although it be greately accustomed) to wyll that all gownes shulde be mete for one man, and that one mans harnes shulde be mete to arme all men. Than what shall we do, that our fathers haue left thus in the worlde, and also we hold that we be their children, and that wors is, we leaue the same to our heires? O howe many princes of my predecessours, that I haue redde of, haue bene loste, in shewynge theym selfe ouer straunge, and beloued of none? I wyll tel you of some of them for examples, that I haue redde in my bokes, to thintent that princes may see what they wynne by amiable conuersation, and what they lose by ouermoch straungenes. In the realme of Assiens gretter in armes than the Caldeens, and lesse in aduantage and antiquite than the Assiriens: One maner forme of kyngis endured amonge them .CC. and .xx. yeres, by reason they were of lowable conuersation. And an nother fourme and maner (as Homer saith) lasted but .xl. yeres bycause their kyngis were of an yll condicion. And the .ix. Epiphanes of the Egiptiens was vnnombred and put down, bycause there was a lawe that echone shulde be bare legged in the temples vpon the holy days. And this kynge on a day riding came before the god Apis, god of the Egiptiens, the whiche thinge was not suffred, for beside that he was put out of his realme, he was chastised. Also the .vi. Arfacidauell the inuincible kynge of Parthes, not only was depriued, but also banyshed out of his realme, bycause he dyned at a knyghtes bridale, and wolde not eate at the bridale of a

communer. yet also though the realme of Italy was scant, their hartis were greatte: for bycause one of their Marranes, for so were their kynges called, had shette his gates by nyght for to slepe the surelyer, he was depriued of his realme: bycause a lawe was made, that no prince shulde shette his gates nyght nor day: for they sayd, they hadde made hym kyng for to driue away their ennemies, and not to be daintily nourished. Tarquine the laste king of the Romayns was vnkinde to his father in lawe, diffamed his blode and kynrede, was traytour to his countrey, cruell of his persone, and aduoutrer with Lucrece: but for all that he was not called vngentyll, nor infamed, nor traytre, nor cruell, nor aduoutrer, but he was named Tarquine the proude, bycause he was of ylle condicions and complexions. And yet by the lawe of good men, I swere to you, that yf the sayde vnhappy Tarquine hadde had good wyll in Rome, for the aduoutrie of Lucrece he had not be put oute of his realme, In as moche as other greatter and more greuous harmes hadde bene done before his tyme, and also moche wors sithen by aged emperours in the empire, the whiche crimes by them committed, were suche, that the offence of this fraile yonge man, was but smal in estimation. For thing certayne these princes holde, that if they gyue dyuers occasions for their yll wyll, yet a lyttell thing suffiseth yf he shewe that the hate that he hath is for none yl wyll: but the hate that the subiecte hath to the lorde, is bycause he hath no power. Julius Cesar, the laste dictatour and firste emperour, bycause he forgate to be a man among men, but thinking to be a god amonge goddis, beinge a laudable custome, that the senate shulde salute the emperour on their knees, and the emperour to ryse courteysly ageynste them: bycause of a presumptuous mynd, he wolde not kepe the ceremonie,

he merited to lese his lyfe with .xxiii. strokes of pen kniues. And as I say of these so fewe a nombre, I maye say of many other. The phisitiens with a lytell Rubarbe purge many humours of the body, and the emperor with a lyttell beneuolence take many greues fro the stomakes of his subiectis. The people owe obedience to the prince, and to do his persone great reuerence, and fulfyll his commaundementis, and the prince oweth egall iustice to euery man, and meke conuersation to all men. Marcus Portius saide dyuers tymes in Rome: That the publycke welthe is there perpetuall and without any sodayne falle, where the prynce fyndeth obedience, and all the people fyndethe loue with the prince. For of the loue of the lorde bredeth the good obedience of the subiecte. And of the obedience of the subiect bredeth the good loue of the lorde. The emperour in Rome is lyke to a spider that is in the myddes of her webbe. For if the sayde coppe webbe be touched with the poynt of a nedell, forthwith the spider feleth it. I meane that all the werkes of the Emperour in Rome bene streyghte waye knowen in all the erthe. I beleue that this daye I haue ben iudged of humayne malyce, for accompanyenge the processyon of the captiues, and that I suffredde theym to towche me, that they myghte enioye the priuilege of lybertie. I yelde and gyue great graces to my goddis of my good happe, bycause they haue made me pytefull for to delyuer prisoners, and not cruell as a tyraunt for to make theym bonde that be free. The prouerbe sayth: One snare maye take two byrdes: So it hath ben this daye: for the benefyte redounded onely to the myserable prisoners, but the fauour to all their nations. And doo ye not knowe, that by takynge awaye their yrons I haue drawen to me the hartes of all their realmes and countreyes? Finally

it is more sure to a prince to be serued with free hartes and loue of them that be at libertie, than of subiectes constreyned with feare. Howe themperour Marcus diuided the houres of the + day for the busynesses of thempire. Capi. xviii. Here before we haue shewid how this good emperour had great hatred of men that were of yll lyuynge, and that passed their tyme in ylle exercise, It suffiseth not the philosopher to repreue the vyce of other by wordes, but it is necessari that he do the werkes that he requirith other to do: It is reason nowe to shewe, howe this emperour by his great prudence compassed and dispatched the great and huge businesses of the empire, the particularities of his householde, the recreation of his persone, thexercise of his studies, the infinite reasonynge with one and other, with suche peyne takynge, and in so shorte tyme. He was so apte and wel aduysed, that by him there was no tyme yl spent. Nor neuer faylled to dispatche the besynes of the empire. And bycause the time is glorious of him that gloriously spendeth it, and the time is accursed that to our domage, and without profyte to other passeth, leauing vs ignorant as brute beastis: He departed the tyme by times, the ordre wherof was thus. Seuen houres he slepte in the nyght, and rested one houre on the day: At dyner and supper he wasted but onely two howres: he deputed two houres for the matters of Asie: Other two howres for the businesse of Europe and Affrike: and in conuersation of his hous and with his wife and chyldren seruantes and frendes that came to se hym, he spente other two houres: And for the outwarde besynesses, as to here the complayntes of them

that were greued, The suites of poore men wanting Iustice, the widowes, the robberies of pyckers, of mychers, and vacabundes he deputed an other houre. All the reste of the day and night in redyng of bokes, to write workis, to make metres, to studye antiquityes, to practyse with wise men, to dispute among philosophers, he passed thus ordinarely in wynter: And in sommer if cruel warres letted hym not, or that he were troubled with great and hainous matters, he went euer to bed at .ix. of the clocke, and awoke at .iiii. It was of custome that emperours hadde euer lyghtes brennynge in their chaumbre. And therfore whan he awoke, bycause he wold not be ydle, he had euer a boke at his beddis heed. And thus in redynge he spente the rest of the nyght, tyll it was day. He rose at .vi. of the clocke, and made hym redy openly, not angrely, but merily: he wold demande of theym that were present, howe they had spent all the nyght tyme. And there he wolde reherse, what he hadde redde that nyght. Whan he was redye, he wolde washe his handes with very well smellyng waters: for he was a greate louer of al swete odours. He had a good and quicke smellyng. Than in the morning before euery man, he wolde take .iii. or .iiii. morcelles of electuarie of sticados, and two draughters [sic] of Aqua vite. After that in sommer he wolde go forthwith a fote to the riuer side, and there passe the tyme the space of two houres. And as sone as the heate came, he wolde go to the hie capitoll to the senate. That done he wente to the college, where as all the procurours and ambassadours of all prouinces were, and there be wolde be a greatte parte of the day, and there here euery nacyon by it selfe, accordynge to the tyme that was deputed by order. And towarde theeuenynge, he wolde go to the temple of the virgins vestales. He eate but ones a daye, and that was somwhat late,

and than he wolde make a good meale, and but of fewe meates. He had a custome euery weke in Rome, or other cities, where as he was, that two dayes late in the euennynge he wolde walke in the stretes without his garde or knyghtis, onely with .x. or .xii. pages, to se yf any person wolde speke with hym, or complayne of any officer of his courte and howse, and this he caused to be demaunded of other men. This good emperour wolde oftentymes say: A good prince that wyll rule and gouerne well, and not to to [sic] be a tyrant, ought to doo thus: That is, that he be not couetous of tributes, nor proude in his commaundementes, nor vnkynde to seruices, nor bolde in the temples, nor defe to here complayntes. In fulfyllynge hereof he shall haue the goddis in his handes, and the hartis of menne shalbe [sic] his. All the whyle that this Marke was emperour he had neuer porter at his chaumbre doore, but if it were the two houres that he was with Faustin his wyfe. This good emperour had in his howse a secrete closette locked with key that he bare hym selfe. And neuer trusted none other therwith to the houre of his deathe. And than he commaunded to delyuer it to pompeyano, a prudent ancient baron that was maried to his doughter: In the which closet he had dyuers bokes writen in al langages, as Greke, hebrewe, latyne, and Caldee, and other antike histories. The answere of M. themperour, whan Faustine his + wife demaunded the key of his study. Cap. xix. As it is natural to women to dispise that thing that is giuen them vnasked, so it is deathe to them to be denayed [sic] of that they do demande. This emperour had the study or closet of his howse in the mooste secrete place of his palays, wherin he

neyther suffred his wife, seruant, nor frende to entre. On a day it chanced, that Faustin the empresse desired importunatly to se that study, sayinge these wordes: My lorde, let me se your secrete chaumbre, beholde, I am greatte with chylde, and shall dye if I see it not. And ye knowe welle, that the lawe of the Romaynes is, that nothynge shall be denied to womenne with chylde of that they desyre. And yf ye doo otherwise, ye doo it in dede, but not of ryghte. For I shall dye with the chylde in my body. And more ouer I thynke in my mynde, that ye haue some other louer within your study. Therfore to put away the peryl of my trauaylynge, and to assure my harte fro Jelousie, hit is no greatte thynge to lette me entre into your studye. The emperour seinge that Faustines wordis were of trouthe bycause he sawe her wordes washed with weping, answered her on this wise: It is a thynge certayne, whan one is contented, he sayth more with his tongue, than he thynketh with his hart. And contrary wyse whan one is heuy, the eien wepe not so moche, nor the tongue can not declare that is locked in the harte. Uayne men with vayne wordes shewe and declare their vayne plesures: And the wise men with prudente wordes, dissemble their cruelle passions. Among wise men he is wysest that knoweth moch, and sheweth to knowe but lyttelle: And amonge the symple he is mooste symple, that knoweth but lyttel, and sheweth hym selfe to knowe moche. They that ar prudent, though they are demaunded, saye nothyng: but symple folke wyll speake inough without askynge of any question. This I say Faustyne, bycause thy wepynge hathe so hurte me, and thy vayne speche so turmented me, that I can not declare that I fele, nor thou canst not fele that that I say. Dyuers aduertisementes haue they writen, that haue wryten of mariage, yet haue they not writen, how many trauailes

that one womanne causeth her husbande to suffre in one daye. Of a suretie, it is a ioyfull thynge to reioyce in the chyldhode of chyldren, but it is a ryght cruel thing to suffre the importunities of their mothers. The chyldren do now and than a thynge that tourneth vs to pleasvre: but ye women do nothynge but gyue vs displeasure. I shall agree with all maried men to pardon theyr chyldrens plesures, for the annoyance that the mother gyue to them. One thynge I haue sene, the whiche neuer begyled me, that the iust goddes do gyue to the vniuste menne, that all the euylles that they doo in this worlde, shall be remytted to the furies of the other worlde. But yf they doo commytte any synne for the pleasure of any woman, the goddis commaunde, that by the handes of the same womanne, we shall receyue peyne in this worlde, and not in the other. There is not so fyers or peryllous an ennemy to a man, as is his wyfe. And thoughe a manne can not lyue with her as a man, I neuer sawe none so lyghte, beinge with a vicious woman, in doinge vice, but that by the same woman at the laste he receyued shame and chastisement. Of one thynge I am sure, and I saye it not bicause I haue seene it, but experimented in my selfe, that though the husbande do all that his wyfe wylle, yet wyll she do nothynge that her husband wold haue done. Great crueltie is amonge the barbariens to holde their wyues as sclaues: And no lesse madnes is it of Romaynes, to kepe them as ladies. Flesshe ought not to be so leane, that hit abhorre: nor so fatte that it cloye the stomacke: but mene and enterlarded, to the ende that hit be fauourye. I saye that a wyse manne canne not gyue so stronge a brydell to his wyfe, that she wylle obeye as a handemayden, nor gyue her so lyttell of the brydell, but she wylle exalte her selfe as maystresse and reuler. Beholde Faustyne howe

ye womenne are so extreme in all heedlonge extremities, that with a lyttell fauour ye wylle exalte, augment, and growe in to great pride: and with a lyttell disfauour, ye recouer great hatred. There is no parfite loue, where is no egalitie betwene the louers. And as ye and other are vnperfite, so is your loue vnperfite. I wote well ye vnderstonde me not. Therfore vnderstonde Faustine that I say more than ye wene. There is no woman, that with her wille wolde suffre any greatter than her selfe: nor to be content to haue an other egall with her. For thoughe she haue a. M. li. rent, yeth she hath .x. M. folyes in her heed. And that worse is, though it chaunce her husbande to dye, and she lese all her rent, yet endeth not her folyshenes. Herken to me, and I shall tell you more. All women wolde speake, and haue all other to be stylle: they wolde gouerne and be gouerned of none other. One thyng they desire, that is to see, and to be sene. And such as be lyght in folowynge their lyghtnes, they holde as their subiectes and sclaues: and suche as be wyse, and reproue their appetites, they pursue as enmies. In the annales Pompeyens I haue founde a thyng worthy for to be knowen, and that is: Whan gnee Pompeie passed into the Orient on the mountaynes Rifees he founde a maner of people called Masagetes, whiche had a lawe, that euery inhabitaunt or dweller shuld haue two tonnes or fattes, bicause there was lacke of howses in the saide mountaynes: In one was the husbande, the sonnes and men seruauntes: and in the other the wyfe the doughters and maydens. On the holy dayes they dyd eate to gyther, and ones in the weke they lay togyther. Whan great Pompeye had questioned the cause of their lyuynge in that maner, for that he neuer sawe nor knewe a more extreme thynge in all the worlde. one of them answered: Pompey behold,

the goddis haue gyuen vs but a short lyfe, for none of vs may lyue aboue .lx. yere at the moste, and those yeres we trauayle to lyue in peace. And in hauyng our wyues with vs styll in companye, we shulde lyue euer dyenge: for we shulde passe the nyghtes in herynge their complayntes: and the dayes in suffryng their brawlynges and chydinges. In kepynge them this wise from vs apart, they nourishe theyr chyldren more peasibly, eschewynge the noyses that sleeth the fathers. I tell the Faustine, that though we cal the Masagetes barbariens, in this case they be wiser than the Romayns. One thinge I wyll tell you Faustin, and I pray you marke it wel. If the beastly mouyng of the flesshe enforced not the wyll of man to do his luste, and that he wolde not desire women, I doubte whether women wolde suffre it or loue it the lesse. Of trouth yf the goddis hadde made this loue voluntarie, as it is naturall that is as we wolde we myght, and not as we wold and may not, with great payn a man myght be satisfied, though he shulde lose him selfe for any woman. It is a great secrete of the goddis, and a great myserie to man, that the faynt and weke fleshe doth force the herte whiche shulde be free, to loue that it abhorreth, and to alowe that that domageth. This is a greatte secrete, that men can fele it euery houre as men: and yet by discretion may not remedy it. I enuie not the lyuinge goddes, nor the men that be deed, but for two thynges, and they ben these: The goddis lyue without feare of them that be malicious, and they that be deed are in peace with out nede of women. The ayre is so corrupt, that it corrupteth euery man with two pestilent plages so deadely that the fleshe and the herte endeth. O Faustine, is the loue of the fleshe so natural that whan the fleshe fleeth scornfully, that we shulde leue the true hart as captiue? And the reson

as reason put her to flyght, the flesshe as fleshe forthwith yeldeth her to you as ouercome. The emperour reherseth the perilles of them that + haunt women excessiuely. Cap. xx. Themperour folowinge his purpose declareth the vniuersall domages, that come to man by ouermoche conuersation and hauntinge of women. And after he had tolde some particular cases that he had suffred with Faustin his wyfe, he sayd: I am wel remembred, that in my yonge age I folowed the fleshe to moch, with purpose neuer to return: And therfore I confesse, that if I had good desires in one day, in stede therof a. M. days I wrought yll. It is reason that ye women fle from them that flee from you, to hyde you from them that hyde them fro you: to leue them that leue you: to seperate [sic] you fro them, that separate them fro you: to forgette them that forget you. For some scape fro your handes yl famed and effeminate: And other are hurt with your tonges, many ben persecuted with your werkes, and the better to scape free, they come away abhorred of your hartes and bounde to your lyghtnesses. Than who that feleth this, what getteth he by the atteynynge therof? O to howe many perylles offereth he hym selfe, that with women is greatly conuersant? If a man loue theym not, they count hym as a villeyne: yf he loue them, they think hym lyghte: if he leaue theym, they repute hym for a cowarde: if he folowe them, he is lost: yf he serue them, he is not regarded: yf he serue theym not, he is hated of theym: yf he wylle haue theym, they wyll nat haue him: yf he desyre theym not, they wylle seeke on hym: yf he haunt theym, he is ylle named: yf he haunt theym not,

they recken hym no man. What shall the vnhappy man do? Let men take this for certayne, that though the husbande do for his wyfe al that he can do as a man, and that he ought to do as a husbande, and with his weakenes do the best that he can, for to fynd remedy agaynst pouertie with his trauayle, and putte hym selfe in daunger for her euery houre, all this shal not plese his wyfe, nor make her the better: but she wyll say, that the traytre loueth other: and that all that he dothe, is onely to accomplysshe his pleasure on them. Many dayes ago Faustin I haue wylled to tell the this, but I haue differred it tyll now, ho pynge that thou woldest gyue me occasion to telle it the: the whiche longe ago thou haste caused me to feele. It is no poynt of wyse men, that for euerye tyme they are annoyed with their wyues, forthewith to hurte theym with wordes. For amonge wise men the saide wordes are most estemed when they are well appropried and sayd to good purpose. I do bethynke me, that it is .vi. yere sith Anthony pie thy father did chuse me to be his sonne in lawe, and thou me to be thy husbande, and I the for my wyfe: this my fatall destenie dyd permytte, at the commaundement of Adrian my lorde. My father in law gaue the his faire doughter to me for wyfe, and the very sadde and ponderous empire in maryage. I trowe we were all begyled: He to take me for his sonne, and I to chuse the for my wife. He named Anthonie Pius, bycause he was pitiefull in al thynges, saue vnto me, to whom he was cruell, for in a lyttell flesshe he gaue me many bones: and, to say the trouthe, I haue no tethe to gnawe it, nor no heate in my stomacke to digeste hit: and many tymes I haue thought my selfe loste with it. For thy beautie thou were desyred of many, but for thyne yll conditions thou were abhorred of al. O howe vnhappy ben thy destenies Faustyne,

and howe yl haue the goddis prouided for the. They haue gyuen the beautie, and rychesse for to vndo the: And they haue denied and refused to the the beste, that is good condicions, qualitie, and wysedome to maynteyne them. I say to the agayne, that the goddis haue ben very cruell to the, syth they adressed the to the whirlepole, where as all yll folke peryshe, and haue taken from the, the sayles and oores, wherby all good folke escape. The .xxxviii. yeres, that I was without wyfe, semed not to me .xxxviii. dayes: and the .vi. yeres that I haue bene maried, seme to me .vi. hundred yeres. I wyl assure the one thyng, that if I had knowen before, that I knowe now, and had felt than that I fele at this houre, I wold say an other thing: and though the goddis wolde commande me, and Adrian my mayster wolde commaunde me, I wolde not chaunge my pouertie and quietnes, for the mariage of the and thempire. But I haue desired the in thy good fortune, and my selfe to myn yll fortune. I haue sayde but a lyttelle, and haue suffred a greate deale, I haue fayned a great while, but I can fayne no longer. No man suffreth his wyfe so moche, but he is bounde to suffre more. Let a man, that is a man consider, and lyke wise a woman that is a woman consyder, what boldenes she is of that quarelleth with her husbande, and that he is a foole that brawleth openly with his wife. For if she be good, he oughte to fauour her that she may be the better: yf she be a shrewe, he must suffre her, that she waxe not wors. Euery man knoweth, that all thyngis suffereth chastisement saue a woman, whiche (as a woman) wyl be desired and prayed. Faustine beleue me, yf feare of the goddis, the shame of her persone, and speche of the people withdrawe not a woman from euyll, all the chastisement of the worlde wyll not ouercome her. The harte of man is very noble, and the harte of a woman

man is deyntie, and wyll haue great hyre for a lyttel good nes, and for moche euyll no chastisement. a wise man wil knowe what he hath to do or he marie. than if he deter- myne hym to take the company of a wife, he ought to en- large his harte to receyue all that may come with her. it is but a small wytte in a man to sette by the smalle fanta- sies of his wyfe, or for to chastise openly that may be righ- ted betwene them secretely. he that is wise and wyll lyue quietly with his wife, ought to kepe this rule: admonishe her often, and reproue her but seldom, and lay no handis on her. for by other meanes he getteth no fidelitie in her, nor good entreatynge of her, nor good bryngynge vp of their chyldren, nor seruice to the goddis, nor any hope of proufite of her. and thus faustine i wyll say no more to the, but that thou consider, that i do consider, and know that i do se, and that my suffrance vnknowen to the, may suffyse to amende thy lyfe. the emperours answere to faustine for that she sayde, she was with chylde. cap. xxi. nowe that i haue openid and put out the olde venym, i wyll answere to thy present questio or demaunde. to thentent that medicins may profite them that be syke, it is necessarie to di- spoyle the opilations 7 lettes of the stomake: lyke wyse none can counsayle his frende conuenientely, but if he shewe first his grefe. thou demaundest of me the key of my study, and thou thretenest me, that yf i giue it the not, thou shalte be loste, and hurte with thy fruyte. ye women with chylde haue a good hostage or pledge, for vnder colour of trauaylynge before your tyme, ye wolde haue vs fulfylle all your fonde appetytes. whanne the

holy senate in that happy tyme made a lawe in fauour of romayne matrones, they were not so desirous. nowe i wote not howe it is, but ye all are anoyed and wery of all goodnes. and all ye in all yll are desyrous and couetous. as farre as i can remembre, whanne camylle made his vowe to cybille the mother of goddis, to send hym victo- rie in a battayle, whan he had wonne the victorie, rome was so poore that it hadde neyther golde nor syluer for to make the statue of promesse, the matrones than being, se- ing that theyr husbandes dyd offre their lyues in the said warre, they granted to present their iewels to the holy se- nate. it was a meruayllous thynge to see, that withoute any speakynge to them, or without any mans entysement they determyned all to gither to go to the hye capitol, and there in the presence of euery man presented their owches hanginge at their eares, the ringes of their fingers, the bracelettes of their armes, the perles fro their attires of their heades, the collers from their neckes, the broches of their brestes, the girdelles aboute their middels, and borders of their gownes. and though that their gift was estemed to a great value, yet their good wylles was este- med a great deale more. the rychesses that they offered there was so greatte, that not allonely there was inough to perfourme the vowe of the statue, but to pursewe the warre. and as than the custome of rome was, y none dyd them any plesure, but he was shortly recopenced: the same day that the matrons dyd offre their ryche and fayre ie- welles in the capitolle, there was graunted unto thym fyue maner of thynges in the senate: the fyrste, that at their deathes the oratours shulde preche, publyshe and shewe their good liuinge: the seconde that they shulde sit in the temple, where as before they were wont to stand: the thirde, that they shuld were furred 7 lyned gownes,

where as before they ware none but syngle: The .iiii. that in their diseses they myght drinke wyne, where as before on their lyues they durst drinke none, but water: The .v. that the matrones of Rome great with chylde, shulde not be refused of any thynge that they desyred. These fyue thynges for certayne were iustly and wyllyngely graunted by the senate: And why this lawe that commaundeth to denaye nothynge to a woman with chylde was made, I wyl tell the the occasion that moued the senate so to do. Fuluius Torquate beinge consull in the warre againste the Uolseos [sic], the knyghtes of Mauritayne broughte to Rome a wylde man, that had but one eye, that they hadde taken in huntynge in the desertes of Egypt. And the matrones of Rome were at that tyme as sad and honeste, as they be nowe bolde and lyght: so was the wyfe of the said Torquate, that was nygh the tyme of her delyueraunce great with chylde, of trouth a woman so honeste, that for the sobre solytarynes that she kepte in Rome, she hadde no lesse glorye than hadde her husbande in the warres for his worthynes, the whiche was welle proued. For in the .xiiii. yere that Torquate her husbande was in Asye a warre fare, the fyrste tyme that he went thyder, she was neuer sene at the wyndowe lokynge out, and she was not all onely regarded for that, but in all the sayde .xiiii. yeres neuer manchylde nor man aboue the age of .viii. yeres came within her gates. And not content with this, that she dyd to gyue example to all Rome, and to attayne perpetuall memorie, where as she had lefte with her thre sonnes, the eldest of whom was but thre yeres of age: and as soone as they came to .viii. yere, she sente them out of her house to their grauntefathers. And thus dydde this excellent Romayne lady, to the entent that vnder colour of her owne chyldren there shulde none other yonge chyldren

entre into her howse. Those yeres passed, after that the good olde man Torquate was retourned fro the warres of the Uolseos, the sayde wylde man with one eye wente by the doore of the saide Torquate, and one of her maydens tolde her, that it was a meruaylous thyng to se: and the good lady hadde great desyre to see hym, and bycause there was none to bringe hym to her, that she myghte see hym, she dyed for sorowe. And for certayne thoughe he came often inough by her doore, yet she wolde neuer goo nor loke out at her wyndowe to se hym. Her deathe was gretly bewayled in Rome, for she was in Rome most derely beloued, and good reason: for many dayes afore was no suche woman brought vp in rome. And by the commaundement of the senate, the tenour of this writing in verses were set vpon her sepulchre, Here lyeth the glorious matron wife of Torquate, that wolde aduenture her lyfe to assure her good fame. Beholde Faustine, this lawe was not made to remedy the dethe of this matrone, but to the ende that to such as ye be, and to all the worlde it shulde be a perpetual example of her lyfe and memorie of her deathe. It was welle done to ordeine that law for an honest woman being with chylde, that it shuld be kepte to all vertuous women. And vnto women that wold, that the law of them that be with chylde shulde be kept, by the same lawe i is requisite to require that they be honest. In the .vii. table of our lawe it is sayde: we commaunde, that where there is coruption of customes, there lyberties shal not be kepte. Howe tydynges was brought to the emperour, that the Mauritaynes wolde conquere greatte Britayne. Cap. xxii.

in the .liii. yere of marcus the emperours aege, and the tenthe yere of his election to thempire, in the month of july as he was in the citie of naples, and not in verye per- fite helthe, for he was soore payned withe the gowte in his foote: there came a centurion in maner of a messager with great hast saying, that in great britayn was sodaynly arryued a great nauie of warre, to the no- bre of .c. 7 .xxx. shyps of the realme of mauritain, and the quantitie of .xx. m. men on foote, and .ii. m. men of ar- mes: and that the kyng of mauritayns brother was their capitayne, named asclipio, the whiche had taken lande at a hauen of the yle called arpine, and that, to resyste so great a power, there were but a fewe people in the sayde yle. the good emperour herynge these tidynges, though he felte it inwardely as man, yet he feyned it outwardly as a dyscrete man with a sadde countenaunce and made fewe wordes. than seinge that busines myght not be de- layed, he sayde these wordes: i wyll go with a fewe peo- ple, and do what i can. for better it were with a fewe to go betymes, than to tary for many and goo to late. and forthwith the good emperour pourueyed that all they of his palays shulde departe to go to brytayne, and none to tarie behynde to do hym seruyce. the custome was that the emperours shulde haue alwaye in theyr houses suche men as were mete to be sent forthe in any besynesses that shulde happen for warre. and after that they were shyp- ped, there ariued one of britayne, that shewed, howe the mauritayns were retourned, so that none of them was lefte in the ile. than this emperour kepte his house in a good poynt. lyttell occasion suffiseth to them that be na- turally of yll inclinations, to departe and sprede through countreys to do harme: therfore he sent them of his hous

the entent, that by occasyon of the warre, they shulde not leade an yll lyfe. than the emperour fearing the dissolu- tion of his courte, and boldenes of his officers, to the in- tent they shulde not leaue vertue and growe in vice, he de termyned on a day to call them to hym secretly, and to say these wordes to them. "what themperour sayd to them of his courte in eschewynge ydelnesse. cap. xxiii. the greattest sygne in a veruous man is to do vertuous werkes, and vertuously to sped and occupie his tyme: and the greattest signe of a loste man is to lese his tyme in naughty warkes. the greattest happe of all, and the greattest desire of men is to lyue longe. for diuers chan- ces that falle in short tyme may be suffered and remedied by longe space. plato sayd: a man that passeth his lyfe without profite, as one vnworthy to liue, oughte to haue the reste of his lyfe taken fro hym. the fylthe of secrete chambres, the stynche of the pompe in shyppes, nor the or dures of cities do not corrupt the ayre so moche, as ydell folke do the people. and as there is in a man, that occupi- eth his time well, no vertue but it encreaseth, so in hym, that occupieth his tyme ylle, there is no vilanie but it is suspecte in hym. a manne that is alwaye well occupied, ought euer to be reputed as good: and the ydel man with out further enquerie, ought to be codempned as nought. shewe me nowe, i desyre you, what nourysshethe the corrupte and fowle wiedes, the nettelles that stynge, and the bryers that prycke, but the erthe that is vntilled, and waxen wylde, and the feldes fulle of thystelles, why- che is not wyeded, and visyted with the plowghe?

O Rome without Rome, that nowe as vnhappy hast but onely the name of Rome, bycause thou art so dere in vertues, and makest vices good cheape. yea yea, and I shall tell the, knowest thou wherfore thou art so? bycause thou haste vnpeopled the lanes and stretes of werkemen and offycers, and haste peopled it all aboute with infinite vacabundes. I knowe for trouthe, that the Samytes, Uosigoths, Astrogoths, and Peniens spredde in your terrytories, do you not so moche domage as do these ydell and loste people stuffed in euery shoppe. All writers can not denie me, that all nations wyllynge to conquere Rome, can not take away one loope of the walles of it: and these ydell people haue troden and pulled vnder their fete the good renowme of it. An infallible rule it is: a man given to exercyses is vertuous, and one gyuen to lewtrynges is a vicious person. What a diuine thyng was it to se the diuine worldes of our predecessours, the whiche syth Tullius Hostillius vnto Quintus Cincinatus dictatour, and sith Cincinatus vnto Cyncinos, whiche were of the Syllans and Marians, there was neuer consulle at Rome, but he coude do some maner of office or occupation, wher with they were occupied whan theyr office in the Senate was ended. Some coude paynte pictures or other flatte workes: Other coude graue images and portry in wood or erthe, or other thynges, or coulde worke in syluer, and other metalles: and other redde in scholes: In such wise that the holy senate myght chuse none, but yf he were first knowen in some maner handy craft. I do fynde in the annales all that is aboue sayde: and if I lye I do gyue me to the flames of Uulcan. And there was an ancient lawe that a myller, a smyth, a baker, or a poynt maker, myght not be a Senatour, bycause men of the sayd occupations were commonly taken with deceytes and gyles. Than regarde

the maner and chaunge of tyme, and the corruption of customes, how that in .CCC. yeres euery man trauayled for the renowme of Rome. Other thynges I fynde in the sayde annales worthye of eterne memorie: yet of the moste auncientes can not be red, the people of Rome hauynge .iiii. perillous warres to gyther, yonge Scipio ageynst the Peniens, Mucio agaynst the Cayens, Metellus ageynste Alexander of Macedonie, and an other Metellus his brother ageynst the Celtiberes of Spayne: the lawe beinge so sore kepte, that none shulde be taken from the mysterie and office that he occupied, and the senatours hauynge extreme necessitie of messangers to sende to the warres, whan the senatours had gone thre dayes aboute with the censures of Rome, that they coude fynde one ydell man to be sente forthe with their letters. I wepe for ioye, that I Haue of this antyke felicitie, and I mourne for compassion of the myserie nowe beinge. It is a confusion to say, but I wyll say it. Twenty yeres I had offyce in the senate, and it is .x. yeres syth I haue ruled the empire, whiche is .xxx. in all, In the whiche season I swere by the goddis immortall, I haue caused to whyppe, caste in welles, to bury quicke, to hange, to pricke, and to banyshe mo than .xxx. M. vacabundes, and .x. M. ydel women. Than what difference is ther betwene that lyfe and this deathe, that glory and this peyne, of that golde and this ordure, of that antike Roman werke to our presente inuentife ydelnes of Rome. In the lawes of the Lacedemoniens this was writen in the table of the ydell people: We commaunde as kynges, we praye as seruantes, we teache as philosophers, and admonyshe as fathers, that the fathers shal first teche their chyldren to labour the feldes, wherwith by trauayle they may lyue, and not in places, where as by ydelnesse

they may be lost. And that law sayth ferthermore: If that yonge people obey not as yonge, we wylle that the aged people do correcte and punyshe them as aged. And in case that the fathers be neglygent to commande them, or that they be disobedient: we commaunde the prince than to be diligent to chastise them. Certainly these wordes are worthy to be noted: wherby Lygurge the kynge deserued eternall memorie for his persone, and the sayde realme perpetuall pease in the common welthe. O Rome, what doste thou? Why regardest thou not these lawes of the Lacedemoniens, whiche with their frendely customes, dothe mocke thy brutall vyces? Slepest or wakest? O Rome thou wakest all the worlde to leaue swete trauayles, and slepest in vniust ydelnesses. Thou arte sure of ennemies, and thou careles art drowned in slouth and ydelnes. Than syth that they that bene ferre of, do waken the, thou oughtest to awaken them that thou kepest with the. I wolde speake to all them to gyder of my palays, and longe agon I wylled so to do, but the multitude of straunge besynesses somtyme causeth a man rub to forgette his owne. Of the peryllous lyuynge of them that haunt + the courte continually. Cap. xxiiii. Than the emperour ioined these wordis to that he had sayde. Many thynges I haue sene, and of credible persones I haue harde, which me semed to be yll, and none of them good. Specially one, whiche offendeth the goddis, sclandreth the world, peruerteth the common welth, and endomageth the person selfe: whiche is this cursed slouth and ydelnes that distroyeth them that be good, and vtterly bringeth

to naught them that be yll. Somtime secretely, and halfe as in sporte openly I haue admonysshed and rebuked some of you, but I se it proufite none of you. On one side the pricke of reson constrayneth me to chastise you: ageyn consideringe the malice of mankynde, all though that it be prompte to yll, sometyme I am determyned to suffre you. Many tymes I wold with furie chastise you as children, but I do refreyne it, consideringe that ye are yonge, and as yet knowe not the wiles of the world: for they holde so styffely together the yll with the yll, and amonge them make so great a leage of vices with the vices, that there be many that do by gyle suffre theym to be begyled, that whan we escape fro a lyttel wyle, and knowe the begyler, we thynke that we are begyled all redy with other great wyles. I haue meruaylous great compassion of you my seruauntes, speakynge to you as a lorde: and to you my chyldren spekynge as a father, for to se you al the day and nyght wandrynge through Rome as loste persones: and that worste of all is, I perceyue that ye do not perceyue your owne perdition. What greatter beastlynes can there be, than to se you wander lyke foles from howse to house, fro tauerne to tauerne, from one gasinge to an other, fro strete to strete, fro place to place, fro play to play, fro reuellers to reuellers? And that more is, that ye know not, what ye desire, nor what ye wold, where ye go, nor whens ye comme, what pleaseth you, or what displeaseth you: What is proufytable or losse vnto you. Nor ye remembre not, that ye were borne reasonable menne, and that ye lyue as wylde folke amonge menne, and after shall dye as brute beastes. Fro whens wene ye that this cometh? The cause is the desyre of beastely mouinges, not resistinge the desyres of the luste of youthe, and aboue all not applienge your mindes and willes to be wel ocupied.

as he that gyueth a blowe to an other, the hyer that he lifteth his hande, the greatter is the stroke on the cheke. By semblable wise the mo yeres that they forbere our synnis, the more afterwarde do they hurt vs with peynes. Truely I haue seene the goddis dyuers tymes to dyuers persones forbeare diuers synnes a greatte whyle: but at the laste I haue sene theym all vnwares chastysed with one chastisement. Howe the emperour wolde haue them of his + courte to lyue. Capit. xxv. Sithe that the goddis haue ordeyned, and my fatall destenies haue permytted, that I shuld be chosen emperour (not to slouthfull) I haue laboured all that I myghte, to visite the empire, ye lyttell yonge folkes that are here, were gyuen to me of your fathers, for to nourysshe you in my palayes. And for you that ar bygger I was desyred to receyue you, in hope to haue giftes and rewardes: and other I dydde chuse to do me seruice. The intencion of the fathers, whan they bringe their chyldren to the court of princis, is to put them from dalyance of their frendes, and banisshe them from the wantonnes of their mothers. And me semeth it is well done, for the chyldren fro their youthe oughte to gyue them selfe to trauayle, wherby they oughte to lyue, and resiste the disfauour and falles of fortune. Ye are not come fro your countreies to lerne the vices of Rome, but to lerne many good maners that are in Rome, and leaue the yll maners of your landes. All that doo not this, and forsake trauayle, gyue them selfe to do very idelnes. The miserable Rome hathe more nede of labourers for to labour, than of lordes and habytauntes Patriciens, that

wyll but passe the tyme in rest and pleasures. I sweare to you, that not for werieng the armes with the craft of weuing, and the fyngers with spinnyng, the bordel howses nowe adays are fuller of ydell women, than the churches of good priestes. And I swere againe, that easilyer maye be found .x. M. yll women in Rome to serue in pleasure of vices, than .x. M. good men to serue in the churches. I pray you who sleeth the marchantes in hye ways? Who dispoyleth wayfaringe men and pilgrimes on the mountaynes? Who piketh the lockes and breketh honest mens dores and wyndowes? Who robbe by strengthe the churches? but these lewtrynge theues, whiche wyl not labour by day, but dispose them to rob by nyght. O Rome, what harmes come to the for one onely euyll? Who hath fylled Italy so full of loste people, the palays so full of vnable persones, the mountayns so full of theues, the tauernes so full of yll women, and euery place so ful of vacabundes? but one, the canker of ydelnes and slouth, whiche destroyeth the good customes more than the wyndes and waters thyn olde worne walles. Beleue me one thyng, for I wote that I say truthe therin, that the crafte of weauing, wherin al the naughty vilanies are wouen and wrought, and the sede of all vnhappye vyces, the slydynge of all goodnesse, the fallynge of all theym that be ylle, and the awakynge and prouokynge of all these, is but this fowle vice of slouthe and ydelnesse. And more ouer I saye, that there is no vyce amonge all vices, that bredeth so greatte a fyre, and causeth so continualle a sickenes of slepe amonge aged folke, and that putteth good falke [sic] in soo greatt perylle, and dothe so moche domage to theym that be ylle, as dothe ydelnesse. Who is it that causeth sedytion amonge the people, and sclander in realmes, but they that reste and do nothynge: bycause they wolde eate the

foode gotten by sweat of them that labour? who is it that fyndeth newe inuentions of tributes and forayne exactions, but ydell men, the which bycause they wyll not work with their handes, finde profite with infinite exactions? who maketh discention betwene neighbours but idel folk? they diuide their ylle amonge their neighbours, bicause they occupie not their forces in good werkes, nor refreine their tongues to clatter of other mens liues. who imagineth in these dais so many malices in Rome, the whiche was neuer harde of our fathers, nor redde in our bokes: but vacabundes that neyther applie nor sette their wittes about nothinge els, but thinke howe to endomage other? The emperour that coude banishe al these idell persones out of his empire, might wel auant him selfe to haue oppressed al the vices of the worlde. I wolde it pleased the immortal goddis, that of so many triumphis that I haue hadde of straungers occupied in good exercyses, that I hadde sene one of the vacabundes of Rome driuen out of all houses. There was an auncient lawe, none myght be taken and receiued for a citisen in Rome, but he were first examined by the Censure. In the time of Cato Censorius whan any wolde be a citesen of Rome, this examination was made of him: He was not demaunded of whens he was, nor what he was, nor whens he came, nor wherfore he came, nor of what kinne or auncient stocke he cam, but onely they toke his handes betwene theirs, and if they felt them softe and smothe, forthwith as an idell vacabunde man they dispatched and sent him away: and if they found his handes harde, and ful of hard knottis, by and by they admitted him citezen and dweller of Rome. Also whan any officers toke any yll doer, and put them in prison that was called Marmotine, in stede of information, the first thynge that they toke hede of was their handes, whiche

if they had ben as a labourers hande and a worke man, though his crime were greuous, yet his chastisement was mitigate, and more easye: and if the vnhappye prisoner chanced to haue idel handes, for a litell faut he shuld haue sharpe punyshement. It hath ben an old saying: He that hathe good handes, muste nedes haue good customes. I say, I chastised neuer labouringe man, but I was sorie for it: nor I neuer caused to whyppe a vacabunde but I was gladde of it. I wyl tel you more of this Catho Censorius, whiche was greatly feared. For euen as chyldren in the scholes, heringe their maister commynge in, renne to their bokes, So whan Cato went through the stretes of Rome euery body went to their werke. O right happy baron, before whom the people feared more to be ydel, than to do yl before many other. Than behold ye at this houre, what force vertue hath, and howe valiaunt a vertuous man is, seinge that all the worlde feared Rome onely for her worthynes in armes: and all Rome feared Cato onely for his vertues. The aduentures of men are so dyuers, and the suspect fortune gyueth so many ouerthwarte turnes, that after that a great space she hathe gyuen greatte pleasures, incontinent we are cyted to her subtyll trauailes of repentaunce. O happy Cato Censorine, who with suche as hath folowed his wayes are nowe sure fro the abatementis of fortune. Than he that wyl haue glorie in this lyfe, and attayne glorie after deth, and to be beloued of many, and feared of all: Let hym be vertuous in doinge of good workes, and deceyue not with vayne wordes. I do sweare vnto you by the lawe of man of worshyppe, that yf the goddis wolde accomlishe my desyre, I had rather to be Cato with the vertuous policies that he vsed in Rome, than to be Scipio with the habundance of blode, that he shedde in Afrike. All we know wel, that

Scipio hadde a greate fame in beatinge downe of cities, and cuttynge innocentes throtes, and Catho hath attayned eternal memory in reforminge the people, pardoning trespassours, and teachynge ignorante folke. Than ye may all se, if I haue not good reason, more to desire to be Cato to the profit of many, than to be Scipio to the preiudyce of so many. Lo my frendes these wordes I haue said by cause ye may see, that our predecessours, some in their owne landes, other in strange londes, some being yonge and some olde in their tymes had glorie in their persones for them selfe: and for the world to come haue left no lesse memorie for their successours and ofspringe. And we doo all the contrarie, I beinge emperour am lothe for to commande any yll, and our officers for their interest do wors. And where as we are sette in diuers plesures by our vice, we fal hourely into diuers miseries, and are noted to our great infamie. By the whiche occasion the iust goddis for our vniuste workis, giuinge iuste sentence, commaunde that we lyue with suspection, dye with shame, and to be buried with forgettefulnes, neuer to be had in memorie. Than all you of my courte take good hede, and print wel my wordes in your myndes: for who so euer I se or fynde ydell from hensforth, I discharge hym out of my seruice. ye that be lerned may write and rede: ye that be men of armes and knyghtes, exercyse you in fetes of warre: ye that be officers, occupie you in your offices. And take this for certayne, that yf ye take not this for a warnyng and monition, that I haue gyuen you betwene you and me, the punyshementes that I shall gyue vnto you shall be openly. And to the entent that ye haue it better in your memorie, and to be a doctryne to pryncis hereafter to comme, this present practise and remonstrance I haue written in all tounges, and set it in the hyghe Capitolle with manye

other of my wrytinges. The goddis be kepers of you, and also they defende and kepe me from yll fortunes and mysauentures. Of a meruaylous and fearefulle monster that + was seene in Scicile, and of his wrytynges. + Capit. xxvi. In the yere of the foundation of Rome vii. C. xx. and .xlii. of the age of Marcus the emperour, and .ii. yeres before he toke possession of thempire, the .xx. day of the month Sextilis, which now is called August, about the tyme of the sonne setting, In the realme of Sycil, than called Trinacrie, in a citie called Bellyne on the see now named Palerme, a port of the se, there chanced a thing right perillous to them that sawe it, and no lesse fearefull to them that shall here it nowe. As they of Bellyne or Palerme were than celebratyng a feaste with great ioy: for the gladnes that their Pirates had ouercome the army of the Numidiens, and had taken .x. of their ships, and cast xxxii. persons into the see, bycause at that time they were ennemies eche to other, and for the euyl workes they dyd, were shewed the great passions that passed among them. And as hit is the customme the thinge that these Pirates get on the see, they depart it amonge them all, whan they come home. And whan they comme to lande, they spende that merily, that they gatte with greatte trauaylle. It is a thynge well to be noted, howe all good and ylle hartes are applyed: The good men haue greatte desyre to their tryumphes, and couetous men to their lucre and winninge.

Thus men ought to be beloued, though shortly after they oughte to be abhorred. And also they oughte to be abhorred, as though shortely after they oughte to be loued. Thus than the gouernours of the sayde citie commaunded all the saide shyppes to be sequestred in to theyr owne handes, to the intente that they shoulde not be solde, nor the coueytous people to haue the vantage in the byenge of them. The cause was, for the custome of the men of the yles was, that all thynges shulde be kepte to gether, vnto the ende of the warre, or at leaste tyll they had peace. This was a iuste lawe: For many tymes is made stedfaste appoyntementes bytwene greate enmyes, and not all onely for the aunciente hatred, but also for lacke of rychesse to satisfie the presente domages. Than as all the people were withdrawen in to theyr houses about supper tyme, for it was somer, sodenly there cam a monster in to the myddes of the citie after this shape: He semed to be of two cubites of heyght, and he had but one eye, his heed was all pylled so that his scull myght be sene: He had none eares, but that a lyttell of his necke was open, wherby it semed that he herd: He had two croked hornes as a gote: His ryght arme was longer than the left, his handes were lyke horse fete: he had no throte: his necke was egall with his heed: his sholders shone as pytche, his breste and stomake was all roughe of heare, his face was lyke a man, saufe it had but one eye in the myddes of his forheed, and had but one nosethryll: from the waste downewarde he was not sene, for it was couered: he sate on a chariot with .iiii. wheles, wherat was two lyons fastened togyder before, and two beares behinde: and it coude not be determyned, wherof the chariotte was made, but there was no difference in facion therof and other that were vsed commonly: In the myddis of the sayde chariotte was a caudron lyke a table

with two eares, wherin the sayd monster was: and therfore it was sene but fro the gyrdelstede vpwarde. He went about in the citie fro gate to gate a long space castyng out spercles of fyre. The feare was so great, that dyuers women with chylde were delyuered with great peryll, and other that were weake harted fell in a swoune: And all the people great and smalle, lesse and more ranne to the temples of Jupiter, Mars, and Phebus, makinge importunate cries and clamours. And the same season al the said Pyrates were lodged in the gouernours palays named Solyn. He was of the nation of Capue, and there was all the richesse kepte: and whan this monster had ben ouer all the citie with his chariot, than the lyons and beares brought hym to the palays, where the Pyrates were, and beinge very nygh to the gates that were faste closed, the monster cut an eare of one of the lyons, and with the bloode therof he wrote these letters. R. A. S. P. I. P. These letters were a profe to all thyem [sic] of high spiryte to giue declaration of them: and there was mo declarations than there were letters. But finally a woman diuineresse, or contrary, a sothsayer [sic], that was had in great reputation for her craftes, made the very declaration of the sayd letters, saying thus. R, reddite. A, aliena. S. si vultis. P, propria. I, in pace. P, possidere. Whiche all to gether is to saye, Render that perteyneth to other, yf ye wylle in peace possesse your owne. Surely the Pyrates were sore affrayed of that dredefull commaundement: and the woman was greatly praised for her high declaration. Than fortwith the same nyghte the monster went into a highe mountayne called as than Janitia, and there by the space of thre days was in the syght of all the citie: and in that season the lyons made great roringe and howlynge, and the beares and monster keste out great fearefull flames.

And all that seson there neyther appered byrde in the aire, nor beaste in the feldes, and all the men offred great sacrifices to the goddis, in suche wise that they brake the veynes of their handes and fete, and offered the blode, to se if they might appease their goddis. After the thre days passed, sodeinly appered a clowde blacke and derke vpon the erthe, and it began to thunder and lyghten, with a greate erthe quake, so that many howses fell in the cite, and many of the dwellers and citesins died. And than sodeinely there came a flame of fyre from the monster, and brent all the palays, where the sayd Pyrates were, and the rychesses that were in it, so that all was consumed in it, yea the very stones: and the domage wes [sic] so great, that there fell mo than .ii. M. houses, And there dyed as good as .x, M. persons. And in the same place on the toppe of the mountayne, where as the monster was, themperour commanded to edifie a temple to the god Jupiter, in memory of the same. Of the whiche temple themperour Alexander, hauynge warre with them of the realme, made a stronge castell. What befell to a citesen of Rome in the tyme of this emperour Marcus. Cap. xxvii. The same tyme that this aduenture chaunced in the yle, there was dwellynge in the same citie a Romayne named Antygone, a lorde of noble bloudde, and somewhat entred in age: and about two yere before, he, his wyfe, and a doughter of his were banyshed Rome, and not his sonnes. The occasion was, There was an auncient laudable custome, syth Quintus Cincinatus dictatour, that two of the auncient senatours togyther shulde go with the censure newly created, and the olde, in month of Decembre

for to visite all Rome: and they to call euery Romayne aparte alone, shewyng hym the .xii. tables of their lawes, and particular decrees of the senate, demandyng of them if they knewe any neyghbour in their quarter, that had broken these lawes. And if they dyd, it shuld be informid to the senate. And there all to gyther to ordeyne punyshement accordynge to the diuersitie of the fautes that they hadde commytted: But the fautes commytted that present yere, they myght not chastyse, but to aduertise them to amende afterwarde. And all suche as were ones warned, and in the next visitation founde stylle vnamended, to be greuously punyshed, and somtime banyshed. These were the wordes of the lawe in the .v. table and third chapiter: It is ordeined by the holy senate, by consent of blysfull men, receyuing the auncient colonies, that if men beinge men in one yere do trespas, the men as menne for the saide yere shal dissimule and forbere: but if they that be yl as yll, do not amend, they that be be good, as good, shal chastise them. Also the sayd law saith: the first fautes are suffred. bicause they are committed with weke ignorance: but if they continue them, that they be chastised, bicause their yl cometh of slouth and malice. This inquisition was euer made in the moneth of Decembre, bicause that soone after in the month of Janiuer the offices in Rome were diuided. And it was reson, that they shuld knowe to whom they shulde giue or denie their dignities: to thenent that good shulde not be chosen in stede of yl, nor the yl in stede of good. The particular cause why they banyshed the man and his wife with their doughter was this: The second emperour of Rome August [sic] ordeined, that none shuld be so hardy to pis at any dores of the temples: and Caligula the .iiii. emperour commanded, that no woman shulde gyue any cedules to hange about the peoples neckes, to heale the feuer quartayne.

And Cato Censoryne made a lawe, that no manne nor yonge mayden shulde speake togyther at the conduites or welles, where they fetched water, nor at the ryuer where they washed their clothes, nor at the ouens where they baked breade, bycause all the yonge people of Rome that were wylde and wanton ranne euer thyder. So it befelle, that as the censures and consules visited the quarter called mount Celio, there was a dweller named Antigonus accused, that he was sene pissyng against the temple wall of Mars: and his wyfe was accused, that she had solde cedules for feuer quartaynes: and lykewise his doughter was accused that she was sene at the conduites, ryuers, and ouens, spekyng and laughing with yonge men of Rome: The whiche was a great shame to the maydens of Rome. Than the censures seinge the yll order, that they had found in the house of the said Anthigone by the registers, by due examination, beinge warned, [sic] afore they were banyshed in to the yles of Cycill, for as longe as it shuld please the senate. And lyke as in edifices sumptuous and of greatte estimation one stone is not decayde or wrythed out without shakynge or mouynge of an nother: euen lyke wyse is it in the chaunces of men. For commonly one vnhappynes chaunceth not, but an other foloweth. And i saye this bycause Anthigone lost not allonely his honour and welthe, but also he was banyshed, and besyde that by the tremblynge of the erthe his house fell downe, and slewe a welbeloued doughter of his. And all the whyle that this was done at Rome, and that befell of the monster in Cycill, Marke the emperour was in the warres against the Aragons, and there he receyued a letter from Antygone, wherin was rehersed his banyshynge, wherof the emperour hadde greatte compassion, and to comfort hym, sent hym an other letter.

Of a great pestilence that was in Italy in this emperours tyme. Ca. xxviii. Five yere after the dethe of Anthony the meke, father in law to Marcus Aurelius, and father to Faustine, there fell a pestilence in Italye. And it was one of the .v. great pestilences amonge the Romayne people. This mortalitie dured the space of two yeres, and it was vniuersall thorough out all Italy, to the great domage and feare of all the Romains, for they thought that the goddis wold haue distroyed them, for some displeasure that they had done againste them. There dyed so many, as wel of great estate, as ryche and poore, great and small, yonge and olde, that the writers had lesse trauayle to write the small nombre of them that were lefte alyue, than to wryte of the multitude of them that were deed. Lyke as whan a great buyldynge wyll falle, firste there falleth some stone: In lyke wise the Romayns neuer had no great pestilence in their tyme, but first they were thretned with some token, signe, or prodige fro heuen. Two yere before that Haniball entred into Italy in an euenynge, whan the wether was clere and faire, sodeynely it rayned bloudde and mylke in Rome. And it was declared by a woman, that the blode betokened cruel warre, and the mylke a mortall pestilence. Whan Scilla retourned from Champayne, to put Marius his ennemie out of Rome, his men of warre and knyghtes sawe in a nyght a fountayne that ranne bloudde, and who so euer was bathed therin, semed to be poysoned with venyme. Of the whiche prodigie folowed, that of .ii. C. and .l. M. dwellers in Rome, what with theym that dyed with the swerde, and other consumed by pestilence, were consumid with Scilla, and of them that fledde with Marius, of the

said great multitude of Romayns, there abode alyue no mo but .xl. M. persons. Certaynly Rome neuer receyued so great domage in .vi. C. yeres before, as they dydde by their owne propre people. All the tyrauntes were neuer so cruel ageinst strange landes, as the Romayns were than ageinst their owne propre landes. And this semeth to be true, bycause the same day that Sylla passed through Rome with his blody swerde, a capitayn of his sayd to hym: Sir Scylla if we slee them that beare armour in the feldes, and them that bere no armour in their houses, with whom shal we lyue? i coniure the by the hie goddis, syth we be born of women , let vs not slee the women: and syth we be men, let vs not slee the men. Thou thinkest that in sleinge all the Romaynes to make a comon welthe of beastis of the mountayne. Thou entrest with a crie to defende the common welthe, and to put out the tyrantes that distroye the common welthe, and we do remayne tyrauntis our selfes. to myn vnderstandinge that capitayne merited as great glorie for the good wordes that he spake, as Scilla dydde merite chastisement for the crueltie that he dyd. This we haue sayd, bycause that er suche damages dyd fall, there proceded before certayne prodigies and tokens. No lesse token was shewid before the mortalite that fel in the time of this good emperour, the whiche was a feareful thing. The case was so: On a day as themperour was at the temple of the virgins Uestales, sodeynly there entred in two hogges, and ranne about his fete, and there felle downe deed: and on an other day as he came from the hyghe capytoll, for to haue gone out at the gate Salaire, he sawe two kytes ioyninge to gyther with their talantes: and so fell down deed at the emperours fete. And within a shorte whyle or season after, as the sayd emperour came fro huntynge his houndes rennynge at a wylde beast, as he gaue

two greyhoundes that he loued well, water to drinke with his owne handis, sodeinly they fel downe deed at his fete. Than he remembryng the swyne, the kytes, and the greyhoundes deed so sodeynly, he was greatly dismayed, and assembled all his priestes, magitiens, and diuines, demandynge what they sayd to the prodigies, and they by those thinges passed iudged the dede present, and determyned that within two yeres the goddis wold sende great and greuous punyshementes to Rome. Than within short while after, there began a warre agaynst the Parthes, wherby there fel the yere after great famyn and pestilence amonge the Romayns. This pestilence came with sores vnder the arme pittes, so that al the senate fledde away, and the emperour alone abode styll in the capitoll. Than the ayre began to be so corrupte, that though he scaped the pestilence yet he was vexed with hote feuers. Wherfore he was fayn to leaue Rome, and went into Champayn: and fynally in the citie of Naples he made his abode duringe the tyme that the pestilence was in Rome. Howe Mar. answered his phisitiens that wold haue him leaue his studie. Cap. xxix. The emperour beynge in the sayde cytie of Naples, where as other soughte pastyme to conserue their lyues, this emperour occupied him selfe in his bokes to augment science. A man coude do hym no better seruice, than to seke to gette hym a newe boke: not suche as was written in his tyme, but such as were forgotten for age. This emperour was not onely a louer of olde and antyke bokes, but also of auncient stories, and sette very great store by them: And he thus beinge in this cytie sycke and very yl at ease,

there was brought to hym out of a citie of Asia called Helia, by certayne Hebrewes, a boke written in Hebrew: and he toke suche pleasure in that boke, that oft tymes he wolde leaue his meate and go to study: and for all that he was in his hote feuer, he wolde not leaue to rede for all that his phisitiens warned hym, and his frendes prayed hym: and they that were aboute hym, counsayled hym, and demaunded hym, why he left to procure the helth of his person in so moche redynge. He aunswered: By the goddis that we honour i coniure you, and for the frendshyp that is betwene vs, i praye you lette me alone. ye knowe well, that suche as are of a delycate bloode, haue not so mouche solicitude as the rusticall people, that haue harde sinewes and be of a more harder complexion. Lyke maner they of clere vnderstandynge haue nede of other medicines, and to be heled with other syropes than they of groffe vnderstandyng. This is the difference that i haue of eyther of them: The ydeot kepeth diete frome bokes, and restethe on his meate, and the wise man abhorreth meate, and drawethe hym to his bokes. If they knewe, that knowe not, what thynge knowlege is, i sweare to you, they shulde se what auayleth more the lytell knowlege that a wyse man hath, than the greatte ryches of the riche man. For the myserable ryche persone, the more that he encreaseth in rychesse, the more he dimynyssheth in frendes and groweth in ennemies to his domage. And he that is wyttie, the wyser that he is, the better he is beloued of them that be good and feared of them that be yll for his profite. One of the thinges, wherin i holde my selfe moste bounde to the goddis is this, that they haue caused me to compas the tyme as i haue done, the whiche is no lyttel gyft for a man to liue in this worlde. I say it is, bycause i haue had great compassion of the poore, that be very poore, of wydowes, of

them that be sorowfull and vnhappy, and of Orphelins. But without comparyson i haue had greattest compassion of them that lack knowlege. For the goddis making men ignorant by naturalitie, they myghte haue ben made goddis by counnynge and knowlege: and as the slouthfull men are tamed and made lesse than men by their negligence, certaynly blessed is that man that is not content to be a man, but iff he procure more than a man by his ver tue. And cursed is that man that knoweth not to be a man, but maketh him selfe lesse than a man by his vice. By the iugement of all philosophers, there is but one, that is the first cause, whiche is one god immortalle: and if there be dyuers goddis in the heuens, it is bicause there are diuers vertues in the erthe. And in the worldes that is past whan the simple men were seruauntes and bonde men, and the good men rulers and gouernours, they were then so estemed, bycause they were knowen and renowmed in good werkes whanne they lyued. So that they were holden and reputed as goddis after their deathe. This is the ryghte rewarde that commeth of vertue. It is a thynge consonant to reasone, they that be good amonge so many yll in this lyfe, that they shulde be greattely honoured amonge the goddis after their deathe. Ye are not wel content with me, bycause i am alway redynge: but i am worst content with you, bycause i neuer se one boke in your handes: ye thinke it gret trauayle to a sycke man to rede, and i repute it a very perillous thinge for a hole man to reste and be idell. Ye say my redynge is cause of my feuer quartayne in my flesshe: and i saye that ydelnes engendreth greate pestilence. Syth i may profite by my bokes, let no man haue compassion of my trauayle. For i desire rather to dye as a wise persone amonge wyse men, than to lyue ig norantly amonge men. I demaunde one thynge of you:

A man presuminge to be a man and not lerned, what difference is betwene hym and other beastes? Certaynly the beastes are more profitable to labour the erthe, than symple persons be to serue the common welth. A pore oxe giueth his skynne to make shone, his fleshe to be eaten, and his strength to labour: and a poore symple shepe doth profyte, his flece and woll to make cloth, and mylke to make chese. But what profiteth a folyshe ideot man? Nothing but offendeth the goddis, sclaundereth innocentis, eateth the breade of other, and is chiefe heed of vacabundes. Of trouth if it lay in my handes, i had rather gyue lyfe to a symple oxe, than to a malycious ideot. For the beast liueth for the vtilitie of dyuers without doinge domage to any other: and the simple ideot man lyueth to the domage of all other, and without proufite to any persone. Therfore thinke well why i am not pleased with them that be ignorant, and loue them that be lerned. Harke syrs, and i shall shew you: That man semeth good, whan he is meke and gentyll of condition, softe in wordes, and restfull in his persone, and gracious in conuersation: and contrary wise, that persone soore displeaseth me, that is sharpe of wordes, soore moued in his werkes, riottous in his condition, and double of his promys, and harde harted. Also i say, that if any thinge fayleth a wise man by nature, he supplyeth it by science: and he that is ignorant and folyshe, if he faileth discretion, he supplyeth therto his malice. And trust ye surely, that a worthy vertuous man therby becometh wise, and he is to be trusted: and he that is of an other maner, beware of hym, for he gothe about to sell his malice. He that wly begile an other, the first thing that he dothe is, he putteth him selfe to be simple and ignoraunt. For a man benige [sic] in credence may soone spreade abrode his malyce. These mothes and softe wormes frete

freate the clothe: and the canker worme perceth the bone, and flateringe men begyle all the worlde. Howe science ought to be in princes. Ca. xxx. The said emperour folowing his purpose, said: Frendes beholde, howe great domage ignorance dothe to all men. And though it be domageable to euery man, yet it is moste hurtefull to a prince, whiche ought not onely to be content to knowe as moche as any other wise person knoweth, but to knowe that euery man knoweth. sithe he is lorde of all other. To my iugement these princis are not chosen, that they shulde eate more mete than all other, nor to be appareyled rychelier than all other, nor to renne faster than all other: But with presupposition that they ought to knowe more than other. Whan a prince wylle refrayne his sensualitie, than he ought to regarde that his person be right honest, and remembre this worde that is: The greatter that a prince is of power aboue other, the greatter oughte his vertue to be aboue all other. For certaynly the greattest infamie is, to se a man most mightye aboue all other, and most ryche of all other, and than to be knowen an ideot and lesse of knowlege than other. Al defautes in a gouernour may be borne saufe ignoraunce, for ignorance in a prince is a stroke of pestilence: and it sleeth diuers, and infecteth al persons, and vnpeopleth the realme, chaseth away frendes, and giueth hart to enmies of strange nations, that were in drede, and finally domageth his person, and sclandreth euery one. Whan camill triumphed ouer the frenchmen, the day of his triumph he wrote these wordes in the capitol: O Rome, thou hast ben moder of al wise men and stepdame to al foles. These were worthi wordis of such a lord.

and but if my remembrance begyle me, certaynely Rome was more renowmed for wyse persones that came thyder, than for the featis of warre that were sente frome thense. Our auncient Romaynes were more feared for their wisedome and knowlege than for their conquestes. Al the erth feared them more that tourned leaues of bokes in Rome, than they that were armed with armour. For that cause Rome was neuer vanquyshed: and though their armies were deuyded and broken, yet they neuer lacked wyse men. i can not say it without teares, Rome is fallen from the most hight of her estate: not for faut of money and armes for to fight withall, but for lacke of wise men, and vertuous for to gouerne. Our forefathers wanne lyke men, and we lese lyke simple children: al thinges that are desired of men, they attayne by trauayle, susteyne with thought, and departe fro with great annoyance. And the reason is this: There is nothynge so good nor so well be loued, but the cours of tyme causeth vs to leaue it, and to disprayse and abhorre it, or be wery therof. This is the vayne vanitie of the worlde, and lost tyme lost: for with their yong desires they do refrayne their desires. They wold oftentymes attayne a thinge, and after they studie howe to go therfro agayne. And yet to shewe further their lyghtnes, that that cost mouche, they gyue for a lyttell price. That they loue at one tyme, they hate at an other: and that that they with great study and labour haue attayned, with greate furye they forgo. And me thinketh this is the ordinaunce of the goddis, that he that loueth shall haue an ende, and that is beloued shall take an ende: and the tyme that we are in shall ende. Than it is reason, that the loue, wherwith we do loue, shall ende in lykewise. Than our appetite is so dishonest, that in seing we desire it, and in desiringe we procure it: and in procuringe we attayn it: and in the attaynynge

we abhorre it: and in abhorrynge, we leaue it: and than forthewith agayne we procure an other thynge, and that newe procuringe we abhorre ageyne: In suche wise, that whan we begyn to loue a thynge, than we falle ageyne to hate it, and in the fallynge to hate it, we begyn ageine to loue an other thinge. So thus finally our lyfe doth ende, er our couetyse dothe leaue vs. It is not thus of wisedome and knowlege, the which if it ones entre into a mans hart, it causeth hym to forget the trauayle that he had taken in the attaynyng therof. For he taketh the time past as good, and enioyeth with rightful ioy the time presente, and hathe ydelnes in hate. Nor is not content with that he knoweth, but enforceth his appetite to know more louynge that other leaueth: and leauynge that other loueth. Fynally he that is perfitly wise, sporteth in this worlde with trauayle, and in trauayling in bokes is his rest. We haue not to say of all thinges, but of that we fele of them. For it is an other maner to speake by similitude of a stranger and of our owne experience. And in this case i saye, that though we hope of no rewarde of the goddis, nor honour amonge men, nor memorie of the world to come, yet am i ryght gladde to be al onely a philosopher, to se how gloriously the philosophers haue passed their tyme. I demaunde one thynge, whan myn vnderstondyng is obfusked in that i haue to do, and whan my memorie is troubled in that i haue to determyne, and whan my bodye is compassed with dolours, and whan my harte is charged with thoughtis, and whan i am without knowlege, and whan i am set about with peryls: where can i be better accompanied than with wise men, or els redynge amonge bokes? in bokes i fynd wysedom, wherby i may lerne: also there i fynde worthynes, which i may folow: i find there prudence to councell me, i fynde suche as be sorowfull

with whom i may wepe: i finde there them that be mery, with whome i may laughe: i fynde there symple folke, at whom i may sporte: i fynde that is noughte, whiche i maye leaue: And finally in writynge i fynde, howe in prosperitie i ought to behaue me: and howe in aduersitie i oughte to guyde me. O howe happy is that man, that hath wel redde: And yet more happy is he, that though he knoweth moche, yet stayeth vpon counsel. And if this be true generally, than moche more is it necessarie he [!] to kepe the true way, which gouerneth al other. It is a rule infallible, that a prince being wyse, can neuer be simply good, but very good: and the prince that is ignorant can not be simply yll, but very yl. A prince that is not wel fortunate, his wysedome may greatly excuse hym to his people of his mysfortunes giuen to him by fortune. whan a prince is greatly beloued of his commonitie, and is vertuous of his persone, than euery man sayth, if he haue not good fortune: Al though our prince want good fortune, yet his worthy vertues fayle not: and though he be not happy in his ententis, yet at the least he sheweth his wysedom in the meane season: And thoughe fortune denye hym at one howre, yet at an other tyme she agreeth by his wysedome. And contrary wise an vnwyse prince, and hated of his people, by sinistre fortune renneth into great perylle. For if yll succede to him in weighty matters, than incontinent it shalbe sayd, it is by reason of the ignorance of him selfe, or by yll councel of such as be about hym: and if goodnes succede to him, it shall not be attributed by reason of his good gouernance, but that fortune hathe suffered it, and not by the circumspect wysedome that he hath hadde in the meane season, but that it was of the pitie that the goddis had of hym. Than sithe it is thus, a vertuous and worthy prince in his ydell tymes oughte secretely to rede

in bokes, and openly to common and councell with wyse men. And in case yll fortune wyll not permyt hym to take their councelles, yet at the leaste he shall recouer credence amonge his subiectes. I wyll saye no more to you, but i esteme the knowlege of a wise persone, so that if i knewe that there were shops of sciences, as there is of other marchandise, i wold giue al that i haue onely to lerne that a wyse manne lerneth in one daye. Fynally i saye, that i wyll not gyue that lytell that i haue lerned in one houre, for all the golde in the worlde: and more glorye haue i of the bokes that i haue redde, and of suche workes as i composed, than of all the victories that i haue had, or of the realmes that i haue wonne. What a vilayne saide to the senatours of Rome in the presence of the emperour. Cap. .xxxi. This emperour being sicke, as it is aforesaid on a day as there were with him diuers phisitiens and oratours, there was a purpose moued among them, how gretly Rome was changed not al only in edifices but also in customes, and was ful of flaterers, and unpepled of men that durst say the trouth. Than the emperour sayd: In the fyrst yere that i was consull, there cam a pore vilayn from riuer of Danubie to aske iustice of the senate ayenst a censure, who did diuers extorcions to the people: and he had a small face and great lippes, and holow eied, his heer curled, and bare heeded, his shoes of a porkepes skyn, his cote of gotis heer, his girdel of boll rushes, and a wild eglantine in his hande, it was a strange thing to se him so monstruous, and meruaylle to here his purpose. Certainly whan i saw him com into the senate, i wend it had ben som beest in the figure of a man.

And after i had herde hym, i iuged hym one of the goddis, if there be goddis amonge men. And as the custome in the senate was, that the complayntes of poore persons were hard before the requestis of the ryche: this villayne had lycence to speake, and so beganne his purpose, wherin he shewed hym selfe as bolde, as extreme and base in his aray, and sayd: O ye ancient fathers and happy people, i Myles dwellynge on the ryuers and cityes of the fludde of Danubie do salute you senatours that are here assembled in the sacred senate. The dedes permytteth, and the goddis suffreth, that the captayns of Rome with their great pride haue reduced vnder subiection the vnhappye people of Germany. Great is the glorie of you Romayns for your battayles that ye haue wonne throughout all the world. But if the wryters say tru, more greter shalbe your infamy in tyme to com, for the cruelties that ye haue done to the innocentes. My predecessours had people nygh to the flode of Danubie, and bycause they dyd ylle, the erthe waxed drie, and they drewe to the fresshe water: than the water was noyfull to them, and they returned to the ferm land. What shall i say than? your couetyse is so great to haue straungers goodes, and your pride so renowmed, to commaunde all strange landes, that the see may not profite vs in the depenes therof, nor the erthe to assure vs in the caues therof. Therfore i hope in the iust goddis, that as ye without reason haue caste vs out of our howses and possessions: that other shall come, that by reason shall cast you out of Italy and Rome. And an infallible rule it is, that he that taketh an other mans good, shal lese the right of his owne. Regard ye Romains, though i be vilayne, yet i know who is iuste and rightwyse in holdynge his owne: and who a tyrant, in possessinge other. There is a rule, that what so euer they that be yll haue gathered in

many dayes, the goddis taketh fro them in one day: and contrarie wise all that euer the good haue loste in many days, the goddis restoreth to them agayn in one day. Beleue me in one thyng, and doute not therin, that of the vnlaufull winning of the fathers, there foloweth there after the iuste losse to their children. And if the goddis toke frome them that be yll euery thynge that they haue wonne, as soone as it is wonne, it were but reasone, but in lettynge them alone, therby they assemble by lytel and lytel dyuers thinges. And than whan they thinke leaste theron is taken from them all at ones. This is a iust iugement of the goddis: that syth they haue done yll to diuers, that some shulde do yll to them. Certaynly it is nat possible to any vertuous man, if he be vertuous, that he take any tast in an other mans good. And i am sore abashed, how a man kepinge an other mans good, can lyue one houre. Syth he seeth that he hath done iniurie to the goddis, sclandred his neybours, plesed his enmies, lost his frendes greued them that he hath robbed, and aboue al hath put his owne person in peryll. This is a shamefull thynge amonge men, and culpable before the goddis, the man that hath the desyre of his harte, and the bridelle of his warkes at suche lybertie, that the lyttell that he taketh and robbeth fro the poore, semeth moche to hym: but a great dele of his owne semeth to him but lyttel. O what an vnhappy man is he, whether he be greke or latyn, that without consideration wyl change his good fame in to shame, iustice into wrong, right in to tyranny, or trouth into lesinge, the certayn into vncertayne, hauynge annoyance of his owne goodes, and dye for other mens? He that hath his principall intention to gather goodes for his chyldren, and seke not for a good name amonge them that be good: It is a iust cause that he lese all his goodes, and so without good name to

to be shamefull amonge them that be yl. Let all couetous and auaricious people knowe, that neuer amonge noble men was gotten good renoume with spredyng abrode of yll was gotten goodes. It can nat endure many days, nor yet be hydden vnder couert many yeres: a man to be holden ryche amonge them that be ryche, and an honorable man amonge them that be honorable: for he shalbe infamed of that he hath gathered his ryches with great couetyse, or kepeth it with extreme auaryce. O if these couetous people were as couetous of their owne honour, as they be of other mens goodes: i swere to you, that the lyttel worm or mothe that eateth the gownes or clothes of suche couetous people, shulde not eate the rest of their lyfe, nor the cankre of infamie distroye their goode name and fame at their deathes. Harke ye Romaynes, harke what i wyl say, i wolde to the goddes that ye coude taste it. i se that all the worlde hateth pride, and yet is there none that foloweth mekenes and humilitie: Euery man condemneth aduoutrie, and yet i see none that lyueth chaste: Euerye man curseth excesse, and i se none lyue temperately: euery man prayseth pacience, and i se none that wyll suffre: euery man blameth slouth, and i se none but they be idel: euery one blameth auaryce, and yet euery body robbeth. One thinge i say, and not without wepinge: i say euery man with his tongue onely prayseth vertues, and yet they them selfes with all their lymmes are seruantes vnto vices. I say not this onely for the Romaynes, whiche bene in Illirie: but i say it by the senatours that i se in the senate. All ye Romaynes in your deuises about your armes beare these wordes: Romanorum est debellare superbos, et parcere subiectis, That is, it pertaineth to Romaynes to subdewe theym that be proude, and to forgyue subiectes. But certaynely ye maye better say: hit pertayneth to Romaynes

to expelle innocentes, and to trowble and vexe wrongefully peasible people: For ye Romaynes are but destroyers of peasible people, and theues to robbe frome other, that they sweate for. <3198> Of dyuers other thinges that the vilayne sayd before the senate. Cap. xxxii. O ye Romayns (said this villayne) what action haue ye, that are brought vp nygh to the ryuer of Thyber, agaynste vs that are nygh to the ryuer of Danubie: Haue ye sene vs frendes to your ennemies? or haue we declared vs your ennemies? or haue ye herde, that we haue lefte our own lande, and inhabited any straunge landis? or haue ye herde, that we haue rebelled ageynst our lordes, or haue troubled any strange realmes? or haue ye sent vs any ambassadours, to desire vs to be your frendes? or hath any hoste of ours come to Rome to distroye you, as our enmies? or hath any king died in our realme, or what antike lawe haue ye founde, wherby we ought to be your subiectis? Of trouthe in Almayne hereby they haue felte your tirannie, as wel as we haue herde of your renoume. And more ouer i say, that the names of the Romayns, and the cruelties of tyrantis aryued to gither in one day vpon our people. I wote not what ye wyll say, that the goddis care not of the hardines of men: for i se that he that hath moche, yet doth he tiranny to him that hath but litell. And he that hath but lytel, though it be to his infamy, yet he wyl serue him that hath moch. So that disordred men appoint then with secrete malice, and the secrete malice giueth place to open theft and to the open robbery no man resisteth. And therfore it cometh, that the couetise of an yll man necessarily is hadde

to be complete to the preiudice of many good men. One thynge i wyl say, that eyther the goddis ought to thinke howe these men shall haue an ende, or elles that the world must ende: or els the world to be no worlde: Or fortune must holde sure with you, if all that ye haue won in .viii. C. yeres ye lese not in .viii. dayes. And where as ye are become lordes ouer many, ye shall become slaues to all the worlde. Certainely the goddis shall be vniuste, without that thinge come that must fall in the worlde hereafter. For that man that maketh him selfe a tyrant parforce, It is right that he retourne to be a sclaue by Iustice. And it is reason, that sith ye haue taken our myserable lande, that ye kepe vs in Iustice. I haue meruaylle of you Romayns, to sende so simple persons to be our iuges. For i swere to the goddis, they can not declare your lawes, nor vnderstande ours. I wote not whether ye sent them thyder or no, but i shall shewe you, what they do there. They take openly what so euer is delyuered to them: and they doo their proufite with that they desyre in secrete. They chastise the poore persone greuousely, and they forbeare for money them that be riche: They consent to many wronges, to bringe them after to the lawes, without goodes it boteth not to demande Iustice: and finally vnder colour that they be iuges vnder the senate of Rome, they say they may robbe all the londe. What is this ye Romayns? shall your pride neuer haue an ende in commandyng, nor your couetise in robbynge? Saye what ye wyll. If ye do it for our chyldren, charge theym with irons, and make theym sclaues: If ye do it for our goodes, go thyther and take them: If our seruice doth not content you, stryke of our heedes. Why is not the knyfe so cruell in our throtes as your tyrannies is in your hartes? Doo ye knowe what ye haue done ye Romaynes? ye haue caused vs, to swere neuer to retourne to our wyues: but to slee our chyldren rather than to leaue them in the handes of so cruel tirantes. We had leauer suffre the bestly motions of the fleshe for .xx. or .xxx. yeres, than to dye without wounde leuyng our children sclaues, ye ought not to do thus ye Romains. A londe taken par force ought the better to be ruled, to thentent that the myserable captiues, seinge Iustice duely ministred to them, shuld therby forgette the tyranny passed, and to set their hartis to perpetuall seruitude. And sythe we are come to complayne of the grefes that your Censures do vpon the fludde of Danubie, peraduenture you of the senate wyll here vs. Wote ye what ye doo? Harke and i shall shewe you. if there come a righte poore man to demande Iustice, hauyng no money to gyue, nor wine to present, nor oyle to promyse, they fede hym with wordis sayinge howe he shall haue Justice: but they make hym to waste the lyttell that he hath, and gyue hym nothynge, though he demande moche. And so the myserable persone that came to complayn, retourneth complaynyng on you all, cursinge his cruell destenies, and maketh exclamation vppon the rightwise goddis. i lyue with acornes in winter, and cut downe the grene corne in sommer, and sometyme i go a fyshynge for pastyme, so that the moste parte of my liuynge is fedynge in the feldes: and ye wote not why: here me, and i shal shewe you. I se suche tyrannies in your censures, and suche robberies amonge the poore people, and i se suche warres in that realme, and hope of so small remedy in your senate, that i am determined as most vnhappy, to banishe my selfe out of myn own hous, and honest company, to thentent that my harte shuld not fele so great a hurt. It is a great peyne to suffre the ouerthrowe of fortune: but it is a greatter yl, whan one feleth it and can not remedy it: and yet without comparison my

greattest grefe is, whan my losse may be remedied, and he that may wyll not, and he that wyll can not remedy it. O ye cruell Romayns: if the sorowes all onely shulde be reduced to memorie that we suffre, my tonge shuld be wery, and all my membres faynte, and myn eyes shulde wepe bluddy teares and my fleshe consumed. This in my londe may be sene with eyes, herde with eares, and felte in propre persone. Cretaynly my herte departeth, and my soule is troubled, and myn entrayles breake. And i beleue yet the goddis wyl haue compassion. I wil desire you not to take my wordes for sclaundre. For ye Romayns, if ye be Romayns, ye shall well se, that the trouble that we haue, cometh by men, and among men, and with men, and by the handes of men. Than it is no meruayle though men fele it as men. One thinge comforteth me, and dyuers tymes amonge other that be yll fortunate, it cometh to such purpose, the whiche is: I thinke the goddis be so rightwise, that their fierce and cruel chastisementes come not but by our owne cruel shrewdnes: and our secrete sinnes awaketh vs so, that we haue open Iustice. But of one thing i am sore troubled, bicause the goddis can not be contented. For a good persone for a lytell faut is greatly chastised, and he that is yl, for many fautes is not punished at al. So thus the goddis forbeareth some and some haue no mercy. Thus it semeth that the goddis wyl turment vs by the handes of suche men as greue vs extremely. So that if there were any iustice in the worlde, whan they chastise vs with their handes, we shulde not merite to haue our heedes on the shulders. Therfore i say to you, ye Romayns, and swere by the immortal goddis, that in .xv. dayes that i haue ben in Rome, i haue sene such dedes done in your senate, that if the lest dede of them had ben done at Danubie, the galowes and gibettes had ben hanged thicker of theues, than

the vineyard with grapes and reisons. And sith that my desire hath sene that it desyreth, my harte is at reste: in spredyng abrode the poyson that was in it. If my tonge hath offended you in any thinge, i am here redy to make recompence with my throte. For in good sothe, i had rather to wynne honour, offerynge my selfe to the deathe, than ye shuld haue it in taking my lyfe fro me. Thus this vilain ended his purpose. Than the emperour sayd: How think ye my frendes, what kernel of a nut? What golde of filth? what grayne of strawe? what rose of thornes? What marowe of bones dyd he vncouer? what reasons so hie? what wordis so wel sette, what trouth so true, and what malice opened he so? He discouered the duetie of a good manne. And i swere to you, as i may be deliuered from this euil feuer that i haue: that i saw this vilayn standing a hole houre on erth boldly, and we holding downe our heedes abashed, and coude not answere him a word. The next day it was accorded in the senat, to send new iuges to Danubie. And we commanded the vilain, to deliuer vs in writing, all that he had sayd, that it might be registred in the boke of good sayinges of strangers. And the said vilayne for his wise wordes was made patricien, and so taried styl at Rome, and for euer was susteyned of the common treasure. < l3345> howe themperour desired the welth of his people, and the people his welthe. Cap. xxxiii. In the second yere that Mar. [sic] was chosen emperour, the .xlv. yere of his age, as he retourned fro the warres that he had in conquering the Germayns and the Aragons, wherby he got glory and riches for the Romaynes empire, he lay at Salon to reste hym, and to appoynt his armie,

and to thentent that the Romaynes shulde apparelle his triumph in Rome right glorious and rychly: There was one thyng done, that was neuer sene before in Rome. For the day of his triumph by al the people and consent of the senate the prince Comodus, sonne to Marcus Au. was chosen after the dethe of his father to be emperour uniuersal of thempire. He was not chosen by the petition of his father, for he was agaynste it with all his power, sayinge, that the empire oughte not to be gyuen for the lawde of them that be deed, but he shoulde be chosen for his owne good werkes. Often tymes this emperour wolde saye: Rome shall be loste whan the election shall be taken froo the senate, and the Emperour to enheryte the empyre by Patrymonie. Nowe to retourne where as we lefte. This emperour beinge at Salon studied sore to entre into Rome in good order, and Rome studied soore howe to receyue hym as it appertayned triumphantly for such a warre. He was sore desyred of thempire: and euer he imagined how to do plesure to the people, and the people were redy to dye in his seruice. Dyuers tymes was moued a pleasant purpose in the senate, which of these thynges was moste to be loued: The emperour to loue the people of the empire, or the people of thempire themperour. On a daye it was determyned to sette iuges in that case: There were chosen the ambassadours of the Parthes and Rodes: and vppon that effecte they hadde writynge. It was layde for the emperour, the good dedes that he had done in his absence, and the tokens of loue that they had alwayes shewed in his presence. And on an other day the emperour moued an other question before the senate, sayeng that it was a gretter glorie to haue suche subiectes, than the glorie of the senate to haue suche an emperour. Than the senate sayde

nay: Affirmyng that it was a greatter glory that they had of hym, than he coude haue of them. And in this maner the emperour gaue the glorie to the people, and the people to the emperour. Thus in sporte and play they toke iudges agayn. It was a merueylous thing to se the ioy that they all had to proue their intentes. And the good emperour for a memorie gaue the laude to the peple, bicause of their great obedience and seruice, and extreme loue that he had founde in them. And the happy people recounted the great clemency and mercy that was in themperour, and his vertue and worthines in gouerninge, his honestie of lyuyng, and his force and valyantnes in conquering. It was a great thing to see the honour that the people gaue to the emperour, and the good renowme that the emperour gaue to the peoole [sic]. The writinges were gyuen to the strange ambassadours, to thentent that the people might lerne to obey their princis: and princis to loue their people. To the ende that by suche examples (as it was reason) the good people shulde enforce them selfe, and the ill to withdrawe. Thus this emperour adressed his entre with his capitaines and captiues. And Rome appareyled them with al their senatours and people to receyue hym. It was a huge thinge to see what people was at Rome to go forthe to mete hym, and what people were with the emperour to entre. They that were at Salon had their eyes and also their hartes at Rome: and they that were at Rome had their hartes at Salon. In suche wyse that theyr eies daseled with that they sawe, and their hartis aked for that they hoped to se. There is no greatter peyn, than whan the harte is deferred fro that it longeth sore to haue. How themperour gaue Lucylla his doughter lycence to sport her at his palays. Cap. xxxiiii.

It is to be knowen, that the Romaynes had a custome, that in the moneth of Janiuer they shulde make triumphes to their emperours: and in the same seson that the triumphes were appareiled, Faustin thempresse caused dyuers high persons to praye the emperour to gyue lycence to a doughter of his, to com from there as she was kept to the palays, and sporte her at the feastes. This mayden was named Lucie or Lucyll: She was hygher than the prince Commodus her brother: she was of a goodly gesture and well proporcioned of her bodye, and well be loued of her mother. And she resembled her not all onely in her beautie, but also in her lyuynge. And though the request was pitefull, and they that made it familier, and he to whom it was made was the father, and the demaunder was the mother, and she for whom it was made, was the doughter: the emperour graunted it, but not without great displeasure. Neuertheles Faustine was full glad, and as sone as she had obteined lycence, She brought her doughter to the palais. And so whan the day of the great feaste and triumph was comme, the damoysell Lucylle beinge out of gouernance, and seinge her selfe at large, trusting than vppon her owne innocencye, toke no hede of any strange malyce, laughed with them that laughed, talked with them that talked, and behelde them that beheld her, and without care she thought that none thought ylle of her, bycause she thought yll of none: yet in those days a mayden to laugh amonge men was reputed as moch as a woman to haue done aduoutrie with the prestes of Grece: so great was the honestie of Romayn women estemed. And lightnes of maydens was a great infamie: for they were wors punished for one open lightnes, than for two secrete fautes. Amonge all other seuen thinges the women dyd

obserue surely, that is to wite: not to speke moche at feastes, not to eate moche at bankettis, to drinke no wyne in their helthe, nor to speke alone with men, nor to lyfte vp their eies in the temples, nor to stande longe lokynge out at wyndowes, nor to go out of their houses without their husbandes. The woman taken with any of these dishonest thynges, was always after reputed infamed. Many thynges were suffred in personnes of smalle reputation, that were not suffred in persons of honour. For the noble women coude not conserue the reputation of their estate, but by reson of kepyng their person in gret fere and good order. Al thinges done vnkindly is syn, and may be amended: but the dishonest woman is alwaye shamed. the noble ladies, if they wyl be taken as ladies, whan they excede other in riches, the lesse licence ought they to haue to go wandryng about. Certainly the plentie of goodes, and the libertie of persons, shuld not be a spur to pricke them forward, but rather a brydell to kepe them in their closettes. And this is sayd, for bycause that durynge the sayd feastes, the damoysell Lucille, as yonge mayden, and Faustyne her louynge mother not being olde, sommetyme a foote, and somme tyme rydynge on horsebacke, sometyme openly, and somtyme meruaylous secretely, sommetymes with company and sommetymes without company, sommetyme on the day, and nowe and than by nyghte, they wolde walke abrode in the stretes of Rome to se the feldes of Uulcan, in gardeyns Saturnynes, and drinke at the conduites of Neros water, and sommetyme passe the tyme by the fayre ryuer of Thybre, and in all suche other pleasant sportes as appertayned to their age. And though the fore ryped primetyme prouoked them therto, yet the grauitie of suche ladyes shulde not haue suffred it. i wyl say one thing to thentent noble women shuld take aduertisement therby,

and that is this: i knowe not whiche was the greattest dissolution, either the walkynge abrode of Faustine and Lucille through the stretes and other places, or elles the boldnes of yll speakers, speakynge ageinst their persons and good names. The withdrawinge and kepyng of women close is a bridell to the tongues of all men: and the woman that dothe otherwise, otherwise putteth her good name in daunger. Of trouth it were better for a woman neuer to be borne, than to be defamed. Amonge the Romayns the lygnage of the Cornelies were had in great estimation. For of theym all neuer none was founde a cowarde, nor a woman defamed. The histories shewe, that ones a lady of that lygnage, beinge onely defamed, was hanged on the galowes by the handis of her owne kinsfolke. Surely it was well done of the Romaynes, to the entent that the wyckednes of one woman shuld not suffre yll fame to renne vpon the hole lygnage: where is there noblenes withoute shame? The thinges that touche honour, ought not to be hyd but amended by Justice, and to put them to deathe, that lose their good fame. It is not sufficient for a person to be good: but it is necessary that he put fro hym all occasions that are reputed to be yll. All the losses that a man may haue of any temporall goodes, can not countrepeyse the leste losse of good fame. A man that layeth his good name for a ferthing at a butte of this worlde, at a hundred shottes scantely shall he shote one aryght. And contrary wise the man that fereth not shame, nor wyll not haue his personne in reputation, there is no hope of goodnes in him. Than this emperour (as a shypmayster saylynge in mooste faire and calme wether, forecasteth, and is in greatte thought and feare to tempestes and stormes to comme) in the feastes of his greate glorie was in doubte of these two ladies, leste sodenly any mysfame

shuld folowe. And certaynly he had great cause. For it is an infallible rule of enuious fortune, that this present felicitie is giuen with a pricke of a sodayne falle of myschaunce. In thinges naturall, we se somtyme the see caulme, and yet forthwith foloweth a peryllous storme, and consequently the great heate of the daye is signe of thonder at nyght. i say fortune comynge with some present delyte or pleasure, is a token that by flatterynge vs, she hath made redy her snares to catche vs. Whan the miller is sure, he dresseth his water gate, and the labourer whan it reyneth not, couereth his house, thinkinge that an other tyme the wethers or raynes wyll fall theron and trouble hym: In lykewyse a wyse and vertuous manne ought to thinke (as longe as he lyueth in this worlde) he holdeth his felicitie but at aduenture: and his aduersitie for his naturall patrimonie. Amonge all them that coude reioyce in prosperitie, and helpe theym selfe in aduersitie, this emperour Marcus Aurelius was one: whiche for any flatterynges that Fortune coude shewe hym, he neuer trusted in them: nor for myshappe that he had in this life he neuer dispaired. What Marcus themperour said to a Senatour as touchinge tryumphes. Cap. xxxv. Whanne these feastes were passed, as Sextus Cheronense saith, a senatour named Aluinus sayd to themperour, the same nyght that the triumph ceassed: Syr reioyce you, sithe that this day ye haue gyuen so great ryches to the common treasure of Rome: and i haue sene your person in the triumph of glorie: and to the world to come of you and your house you haue lefte perpetuall memorie. The

emperour heringe these wordes, sayd in this maner: Frend it is good reason we beleue the hunter knoweth the fiersnes of bestis, the phisition the propretie of herbes, the maryner the perils of rockes, the capitayns the chaunces of warre, and the emperour that triumpheth the ioys that he hath of triumphes. As god helpe me, and and [sic] as euer i haue part with my predecessours, and as euer i haue good fortune, the thoughtes that i haue had for these festes, haue ben farre greatter than the feares that i haue had in all the iournays and battayles afore. And the reason therof is very euident, to them that haue clere vnderstandynge: For always in cruel batayles i was euer in hope to haue glory, and feared not the ouerthrow of fortune. What coude i lose in battayle? Nothinge but the lyfe, that is the leest thinge that men haue, and always in these triumphes i feare to lose renowme, whiche is the greattest gyfte that the goddis haue gyuen me. O howe happy is that man, that loseth his lyfe, and leueth behynde hym perpetualle memorie? Lette euery man vnderstande this that wylle, and saye what they lyste: that amonge noble and valyaunt barons, he dyeth not, that leseth his lyfe, and leaueth good renoume after hym: and moche lesse tyme lyueth he that hath an yll name, thoug he lyued many yeres. The auncient philosophers rekened not the lyfe of a man, though he lyued many yeres, but they rekened the good werkes that he hadde doone. The senate was importune vppon me, that i shulde take this triumphe, as ye knowe well: and i can not tell whiche was greattest, their desire, or my resistaunce. you knowe not the trouth why i say thus. I dyd it not bycause of ambition and for couetousnes of glorie, but it was bicause i fere the humain malice. At the day of the triumph there was not so great ioy shewed by the simple persons, but the hyd enuye was

greatter amonge the gretest persons. This glory passeth in one day, but enuy abydeth a hole yere. The plentyfulle realme of Egipt (so happy in the blodshed of their enmies as in the waters of Nyle) had a lawe immouable. They neuer denyed their mercy to the captiues ouercome: nor they gaue no triumph to their capitayns ouercomers. The Caldees mocke at the Romayns triumphes, affirmyng how there is not giuen so great chastisement to the capitayne of Egipte ouercome: as the empire Romayne giue to the ouercomer whan triumphe is gyuen to hym. And surely the reason is good: for the thoughteful capytayne, whan he hathe chased his ennemyes, that Rome hathe in straunge landes, with his owne proper speare, in paymente for his trauayle they gyue hym enmyes in his owne proper lande. I swere to you, that all the Romaine capitaines haue not left so many enmyes deed by swerde, as they haue recouered yll wyllars the daye of theyr tryumphes. Let vs leaue the Caldees and speke we of oure auncyent Romaynes, which if they myghte retorne nowe agayne in to the worlde, they wolde rather be teyed faste to the chariottes as captiues, than to syt in them as vyctours. And the cause is, theyr neighbours seinge them goinge as captiues, wolde moue theyr hertes to set them at libertie, so that the glorie of their triumphes is a meane to cause them to be persecuted and poursued. I haue red in writinge, and herd of my predecessours, and haue seen of my neighboures, that the haboundaunce of felicitie hath caused cruel enuie to be in many. O in what peril are they that with particular honor wold be exalted among other? In the mooste highest trees the force of wyndes is mooste aduaunced. And in moste sumtuous buildynges lighteninge and thonder do the mooste hurte, and in greatte thycke and drye busshes the fyres kendle mooste easelye:

i say that in them that fortune hath reysed moste highly, ageynst them spredeth the greattest poyson of enuye. All such as be vertuous say: The mo ennemies they subdue to the common welthe: the moo enuious they recouer of their renoume. One ought to haue great compassion of a vertuous man: bycause where he trauayleth to be good, there abydeth one thynge in hym, of the whiche all onely at the deth he seeth the ende. And that is, the more a man recouereth here renowme amonge strangers, the more he is persecuted with enuy amonge his owne nations. Homer sheweth in his Illiades, that Caluitio kynge of the Argiues was experte in clergie, valiant in armes, and indued with dyuers graces, beloued of his people, aboue all other he was a great louer of his goddis and worshypper of them. This good kinge had a custome, that in all thynges that he had to do, he wolde fyrste aske counsell in the temples of the goddis: he wolde begyn no warre ageynst other, nor ordeyne no newe lawe nor custome in his realme: nor gyue aunswere to thambassadours, nor put no trespasours to dethe: nor set no tribute on his people: but first he wolde go to the temple, and make diuers sacrifices, to knowe the wyll of the goddis. And bycause he went so often to the oracles, he was demaunded what answere the goddis made to him in secrete, seinge he was so importunate. than he answered and sayd: I demand of the goddis that they shulde not giue me so lyttell, that euery man myght abate and ouercome me: Nor also that they shulde gyue me so moche, that euery manne shoulde hate me: but my desire is to haue a meane estate, wherwith euery manne myght loue me. For i hadde leauer be felawe with many in loue, than to be kynge of all with hatred and enuy.

Of the greate reproche that themperour gaue to his wyfe Faustine and her doughter. Cap. xxxvi. After the feastes of the tryumphe afore sayde, this good emperour wyllynge to satysfye his hart, and to aduertise Faustine his wyfe, and to teche his innocente doughter, withoute knowledge of any other, he sente for theym and sayde: I am not contente Faustine with that youre doughter dooth, and yet lesse with that you doo, whiche ar her mother. These maydens for to be good maydens ought well to knowe, howe to obey theyr mothers: And the mothers to be good mothers, oughte to knowe howe to brynge vppe theyr chyldren. The father is excused in gyuynge counsayle, if the mother be vertuous, and the doughter shamefaste. It is a greate shame to the father being a noble man, that his wyfe beynge a woman shuld chastyse his sonne: And a great inconuenience of the mother, beynge a mother that her doughter shulde be chastised by the handes of her father. There was a lawe ordeyned by the Rodyens, that the father with the daughter, if she had a mother, nor the mother with the sonne, if he were a man, shulde not entermedle eche with other, but alonely men with men, and women with women oughte to be brought vp. And thextremyte of the law was suche, that amonge theym that dwelled in one house semed the fathers hadde no daughters, nor the mother no sonnes. O Rome, i wepe not to se thy stretes vnpaued, nor that there is so many gutters in thy houses, nor that the batilmentes fall downe, nor thy tymber hewed downe, nor for the mynyshinge of thinhabitantes [sic], for all this the time bringethe, and the time bereth away: but i wepe for the and wepe for the agayne, to se the vnpeopled of good fathers,

and vnprouided in the nourishing of their sonnes. Our countreye began to faile vtterly, whan the doctrine of sonnes and doughters was enlarged, and their bridell lette go at libertie. For there is nowe such boldnesse in men children, and so lyttell shamefastnes in women children, with the dishonestie of the mothers, that where as one father suffised for .xx. sonnes, and one mother for .xxx. doughters, nowe .xx. fathers scantly dare vndertake to bringe vp well one sonne, and .xxx. mothers one doughter. I say to you thus Faustine, you remembre not how you are a mother, you gyue more libertie to your doughter than ought to be suffred. And you Lucille remembre not, how you ar a daughter. For you shewe to haue more lybertie than requireth for a yonge mayden. The greattest gyfte that the goddis haue gyuen to the matrons of Rome is, bycause they are women, they kepe them self close and secrete: and bycause they be Romayns, they are shamefaste. The day whan the women want the feare of the goddis secretely, and shame of menne openly, beleue me, eyther they shall faile the worlde, or the worlde them. The common welth requireth so greatte necessitie, than the women that dwel therin shuld be as honest, as the capitayns to be valiant. For the capitaynes going to warre defende them, and the women that abyde at home conserue them. As a .iiii. yere passed ye sawe the great pestilence, and i demanded then to haue accompt of the people, and i founde that of a. C. xl. M. women well lyuynge .lxxx. M. dyed: And of the M. ylle women in maner they scaped all. i can not telle for whiche i shulde wepe, eyther for the lacke that we haue of the good and vertuous women in our common welth, or elles for the greuous hurte and domage that these ylle and wicked women do to the youthe of Rome. The fyre that brenneth in mounte Ethna dothe not so greatte domage

to them that dwelle in Sycille, as one ylle woman doth in the circuit of Rome. A fierse beast and a peryllous ennemie to the common welth is an yl woman: for she is of power to do moche harme, and is not apte to folowe any goodnesse. O how many realmes and kynges rede we of, to be loste by the yll gouernance of women, and to resiste agaynste them hath ben nede of wysedom, peryls, money, force, and worthines of many men. The vices in a woman is as a grene rede, that boweth euery way: but the libertie and dishonestie is as a drie kix that breaketh: in such wise that the more yll they vtter the more vnlykely is the redresse therof agein. Behold Faustin there is no creature that more desireth honour, and wors kepeth it than a woman. And that this is true, se by Iustice, by orations, by writynge, and other trauayles manne getteth renowme: but (without it be by flatteryng and fayre speakynge) vnto this houre, by antike writing we can rede of fewe women or none, that eyther by writinge, redynge, workinge with nedell, spynnynge, or by weuynge hath gotten them any great renowme. But as i say of one, i say of an other. Certaynly of dyuers we rede, by kepyng them close in their houses, well occupied in their besynesses, temperate in their wordes, faythful to their husbandes, wel ordered in their persones, peasible with their neyghbours, and finally beinge honeste amonge their owne famylye, and shamefaste amonge straungers, suche haue attayned great renowme in their lyfe, and lefte eternal memorie of them after their deth. I woll tel you an antike historie as profitable to restreyne our vices, as it did than augment vertues, and it is this: The realme of Lacedemoniens (as Plato sheweth) was at a season more dissolute by the vnthriftines of women than infamed by the crueltie of men: so that of al maner nations they were called Barbariens.

What tyme Grece as a mother called philosophie of philosophers, Lygurge a wise philosopher in knowlege, and a righte iuste kyng to gouerne, partely with his doctryne righte profitable, and partly with his pure lyfe made lawes in the sayd realme, wherby he extirped all vices, and planted all vertues. I can not telle whiche of these two were moste happy, The kynge hauynge so obedient people, or els the realme to haue so rightfull a kynge. Amonge all other lawes for women he made one greatly to be commended: He commanded, that the father that dyed, shuld gyue nothing to his doughter. And an other, that neyther lyuinge nor dienge he shuld gyue any money to mary her with: to the entent that none shulde marye her for her ryches, but al onely for her goodnes: and not for her beautie, but for her vertues. And where as nowe some be vnmaried bycause they are poore, so then they abode vnmaried bycause they were shamefull and vicious. O tyme, worthy to be desired, whan maydens hoped nothynge to be maried with their fathers goodes, but by the vertuous werkes of their owne persons. This was the tyme callid the golden worlde: whan neyther the doughter feared to be disherited by the father in his lyfe, nor the father to die sorye for leauynge her without remedy as his deathe. O Rome cursed be he that firste brought gold into thy hous: and cursed be he that firste beganne to hurde vp treasure. Who hath made Rome to be so ryche of treasure, and so pore of vertues? who hath made menne wedde vilaynes doughters, and leaue the doughters of senatours vnmaryed? what hath made that the ryche mans doughter is demanded vnwyllyng, and the doughter of a pore man none wylle desire? what hath caused that one maryeth a foole with fyue .C. marke, rather than a wyse woman with .x. M. vertues? Than i saye that in this poynte the fleshe

vanquysheth the fleshe, and er euer the vanytie of the malice therof is vanquyshed. How cometh it that a couetous persone wyll sooner nowe adays haue a wyfe that is ryche and foule, than one that is poore and fayre? O unhappy women that brynge forthe chyldren, and more vnhappy the doughters that are borne, which to haue them maried no store is set by the bloode of their predecessours, nor the fauour of their frendes, nor the value of their warkes, nor the beautie of their persons, nor the cleannes of their life. O cursed worlde, where the doughter of a good man without money shall haue no mariage. But it was not wonte to be so. For in the aunciente tyme, whan they treated of maryages, fyrste they spake of the persones, and after of the goodes: not as they do at this houre, in this vnhappy tyme: for nowe they speke firste of goodes, and laste of all of the persone. In the sayd golden worlde fyrste they speake of the vertues of the person was endowed with, and whan they were maryed, in sportynge they wolde speake of the goodes. Whan Camilla [sic] triumphed vpon the Gaules or frenchemen, he had then but one sonne, and he was suche one, that his person merited greate lawdes. And for the renome of his father, dyuers kynges desyred to haue him to their sonne: and dyuers senatours desyred to haue hym to their sonne in lawe. This yonge manne beinge of the age of .xxx. yeres, and the father at .lx. he was importunately styred by his naturalle frendes, and desyred of strange kynges for to mary hym: but alway the olde Camyll repugned the counsel of his frendes, and the importunitie of to strangers. Than it was demaunded, why he determyned not vpon some mariage for his sonne, sythe therby shulde folowe the restefull lyfe of the yonge man, and the quietnes of hym selfe in his age. He aunswered: i wyll not mary my sonne, bycause somme offer me ryche

doughters, some noble of lygnage, some yonge, and some fayre: but there is none hath sayde to me, i gyue you my vertuous doughter. Certaynly Camylle meryted to haue triumph for that he dyd. And he deserued eternall memorie for that he sayd. I say to you Faustine al these wordis, bycause i se you lede your doughter to the Theatres and playes, and do bringe her in to the Capitoll. you put her to the kepinge of the swerde players: you suffre her to se the toumblers, and yet you do not remembre, that she is yonge, and you not aged: ye go into the stretes withoute lycence, and play by the ryuers. I fynde no vilany therin nor thynke that your doughter is yl: but i say it bycause you gyue occasion, that she shulde not be good. Beleue it Faustine: neuer trust in the case of the fleshe of yong people. Nor haue no confidence in olde folkes. For there is no better way than to flee the occasion of all thinges. For this entent the virgins vestales are closed vp betwene the walles, to eschewe the occasions of open places, not to be more lyght and foolyshe, but to be more sadde and vertuous, fleing occasions. The yong shal not say: i am yonge and vertuous, nor the olde shall not say: i am olde and broken. For of necessitie the drie flaxe will brenne in the fire: and the grene flagge smoke in the flamme. i saye that a man beinge a diamonde enchaced amonge men, yet of necessitie he ought to be quicke and merye amonge women. And as waxe melteth in the heate, we can not denye, that thoughe the wodde be taken fro the fyre, and the ymbres quenched, yet neuer the les the stones oftentime remayne hote and brennyng. In lyke wise the flesshe though it be chastised with hote and drie maladies, or consumed by many yeres with trauayle, yet concupiscence abideth styl in the bones. What nede is it to blasen the vertues, and deny our naturalities? Certainly there is not so croked a hors, but

if he se a mare he wyll bray ones or twise. There is no man so yonge nor old, but let him se yong damoysels, eyther he wyl giue a sigh or a wishe. In al voluntary thinges i denie not, but that one may be vertuous: but in natural thinges i confesse euery man to be weake. Whan ye take the wood fro the fire, it leueth brennyng: Whan somer cometh the colde wynter cesseth: whan the see is caulme the wawes leaue their vehemente mouynge: whan the sonne is sette, it beshyneth not the worlde. I wyl say that than, and not before the fleshe wyl cease to peyn vs, whan it is laide in the graue. Of the fleshe we are borne, and in the fleshe we lyue, and in the fleshe we shall dye. And therby it foloweth, that our good lyfe shall sooner ende than our fleshe. Oftentymes some holsome fleshe for meate corrupteth in an vnholsome potte: and good wyne somtyme sauoureth of the foiste. I say though that the werkes of our lyfe be vertuous: yet shall we fele the stenche of the weake fleshe. I say this Faustine sith age can not resiste the hote enterprise, howe can the tender membres of youth resist it? you being the moder, without you go the right way, she being your doughter can not go the same way. The Romayne matrons, if they wyl nourishe their doughters wel, ought to kepe these rules. Whan they see, that they wolde goo abrode, than breke their legges, and if they wold be gasing, than put out their eies, and if they wyl harken, stop their eares, if they wyl giue or take, cut of their handes: if they dare speke, sowe vp their mouthes: and if they wyl entend any lyghtnes, bury them quicke. For deth ought to be giuen to an yll doughter: and in stede of presentes and giftis at her wedding, gyue her wormes: and for her hous a graue. Take hede Faustine if you wyl haue great ioye of your doughter, take fro her the occasions, wherby she shall be ylle. To vndersette a hous behoueth dyuers proppes:

And yf the principalles be take awaye, hit wylle falle downe. I telle you, womenne are so fraylle, that with kepers with great peyne they can kepe them selfe: and for a small occasion they will lose all to gyther. O howe many yll hath there ben, not bycause they wolde be so, but by cause they folowed such occasions, the whiche they ought to haue eschewed? It is for me to entre into this battayle, but yet it is not in me to attayne the vyctorie. It is for me to entre into the see, yet it lyeth not in my handis to escape the perylle. It is in the handes of a woman to entre into the occasion, and after that she is therin, hit is not in her handes to delyuer her from faute. Howe themperour counsayled Faustine to eschue yll occasions fro her doughter. Cap. xxxvii. Paraduenture Faustyne ye wyll say to me, that none may speke to your doughter Lucylle, but yf you here it: nor se her but in your syghte, nor hide her, but you knowe where: nor make none appoyntment with out your knowlege. And atte this howre you knowe not, that they that do hate her, and wolde her yl, what dishonour theyr tongues doo speake of her. Newe loue in yonge bloudde in the springinge tyme and flourishyng in youth, is a poyson that forthewith spredeth into euery vayne: It is an herbe that by and by entreth the entrayles a swownyng that incontinently mortifieth al the membres: a pestilence that sleeth the hartes: and fynally it maketh an ende of all vertues. I wote not what i say yet, al though i knowe what i wyll say: For i wold neuer blasen loue with my tonge, without i were fore hurte in myn vnderstondynge. Ouyde sayth in his boke of the

arte of loue: Loue is i wotte not what: that cometh i wote not whens, who sent it i wote not: it engendreth i wote not how: it is contented i wote not wherwith: it is felte i wote not howe ofte, nor i wote not wherfore. And fynally loue taketh rote without breakynge of the fleshe outwarde, or percinge the entrayles inwarde. I wote not what Ouide meaneth hereby: but i trowe whan he sayd these wordes, he was as farre banysshed from hym selfe, as i am at this tyme from my selfe. O Faustin they that loue togither, shewe the signes of their hartis by dyuers ways, and in slepynge they reason and speke: and by signes they vnderstande eche other. The greatte voyce outwarde is sygne of lyttell loue inwarde: and the great inwarde loue kepeth silence outwarde. The entrayles within imbraced in loue, cause the tonge outward to be muet. He that passeth his lyfe in loue, ought to haue his mouth close. And to the entente that ye shall nat thynke that i speake fables, i wyll proue this by ancient histories. We fynde aunciently, that in the yere ii. .C. and .lx. after the foundation of Rome, Estrasco a yonge Romayn, that was dombe, and Ueronne a fayre lady of the Latins that was dombe also, These two sawe eche other on the mount Celyoit at a feast, and there fel in loue eche with other. And their hertes were as soore fixed in loue as their tonges were tied fro wordes: It was a meruaylous thing to se them, and feareful to note here. The yonge lady cam fro Salon to Rome: and he went fro Rome to Salon, by the space of .xxx. yeres togither, without the witing of any persone, nor they two spake not. Than at the last died the husbande of the lady Uerone, and the wyfe of Estrasco, and than they discouered their loue, and treted a mariage betwene them, of whom descended the noble lygnage of our Scipions: whiche were more lyberalle in the feates

of armes, than their father and mother were in their tongues. Then Faustyne marke this thynge: Lyttell aduantage it had ben to haue cut out the tonges of the two dombe folkes, to haue remedied their loue, and not to haue cut out their hartis. Also i shall tell you of Masinissa a worthy knyght of Numedie, and Sopharise a famous lady of Carthage, all only by one sight, as they sawe eche other on a ladder, he declared his desire vnto her: and she knowing his lust breakynge the oores of feare, and liftynge vp the ankers of shame, incontinent raysed the sayles of their hartes, and with the shippes of their persons they ioyned eche to other. Here may we gather howe the first sight of their eies, and knowlege of their persons, and the leage of their hartis, and the mariage of their bodies, and the pardicion of their estates, and the infamie of their name, in one daye, in one houre, in one moment, and in one steppe of a ladder were agreed. What wyll ye that i say more to this pourpose? Do ye not know, that Helayne the Greke, and Parys the Troyan, of two strange nations, and of ferre countreis, with one onely sight in a temple, their wylles were so knit togyther, that he toke her as his captyue, and she abode his prisoner. In Paris appered but smal force, and in her but lytell resistence. So that in maner these two yong persones the one procuring to vanquishe, and the other sufferinge to he [sic] vanquished, Paris was cause of his fathers deathe: and Helayne of the infamie of her husbande, and they bothe of their owne deathes, losse to their realmes, and sclaundre to all the worlde. All this loue caused, one onely syght. Whan great kyng Alexander wold haue giuen battayle to the amazons, the quene capitayn of them, no lesse faire than stronge and vertuous, came to a riuer side, and the

space of an houre eche of them behelde other with theyr eyes, without speakinge of any word: and whan they returned to their tentes, the fiersnes was turned into swete wanton amorous wordes. Whan Pyrrhe the faithfull defender of the Tarentynes, and renowmed kynge of Epirotes was in Italye, he camme to Naples, and he had not bene there but one day, the same season there was a lady in the same citie named Gamalicice, of a high lygnage, and greatly estemed in beautie: The very same day she was goten with childe and shamed through out all Italy, and was thrist out of the citie. And after she was delyuered of chylde, she was slayne by one of her owne bretherne. Also Cleopatra in the prouynce of Bythynye, in the wod of Sehyn, made a goodly banket or solempne feast to Marcus Anthonius her louer. And though she was not very honest, yet had she with her ryght chast women: and thus the banket enduringe a great part of the nyght, and the wod beyng thycke, the yong damsels were not so wily to hyde them, but the yonge men Romayns found them: so that of .lx. doughters of senatours .lv. were gotten with chyld among the thycke bushes: which thyng made a gret sclandre in the people, and augmentyd the infamy of Cleopatre, and minished the honestie of Marc Anthony. Thus as i haue shewed of a smalle nombre, i coude say of many other. All men are not men, nor all women be not women. I say it bicause i wolde it shulde be said: lette it touche them that it towche, and lette theym that can, vnderstand me. There be some shyps, that are so lyght, that they will saylle with a lyttell winde: and there be some mylles that wyl grinde with a lytel water. I say there be som women so bryttell, that as a glasse, with a fylloppe wyll breke, and wyl slyp with a lytel myre. Shew me Faustin,

haue you suffred your doughter to speke but with her vncles, and kept company but with her cosins? i say in this case, as moche wilenesse hath the mother as the doughter to renne in peryll. Do you not knowe, that the quicke fire doth not forbere the wod be it wete or dry, but in likewyse it consumeth the harde stones? Do you not knowe, that the hongre excessiue causeth beastes to deuour with their tethe the thynge that was bredde in their entrayles? Do you not knowe that the goddis made a lawe ouer al thingis except on louers, bycause they may not abyde it? And doubtlesse it is rightwisely done, that Rome condemneth not these folyshe innocentes, bycause they haue none vnderstandyng. The goddis giue no peyn to amorous people, bycause they are depriued fro reason. Ye knowe whan i was censure there was a yong woman that had a child by her owne father? and an other that had a chylde by her sonne, and a niece by her propre vncle, and there was sentence gyuen on them, that the fathers shulde be cast to the lyons, and the chyldren buried quicke, and the mothers were brente in the campe of Mars. The mattier was so horrible to here, that i myght not endure to se the cursed men. And i commanded by my decrees, that none shulde be so bolde to speake in suche a case any more. And if this case were fearefull to men, rhan certaynly the Romayne matrones ought to lyue chastely. Than if the fire of the father doo chaufe the doughter, enflame the kynsfolke, and burne them selfe: Then take hede, if he fynde after, eyther cousyn or faire sister, the flames of his concupiscence wyll not leaue to take holde on her for any parentage. If this riotous fleshe wyll obey reason, than it may be, that your doughter may speake liberally with her cousins: but sith that passion repugneth so moche at reason, i councel you, trust not to moche in her bretherne. you se by experience

that the worme that is bredde in the tymbre, eateth the same tymbre: and the moothes that are bredde in the clothe, eateth the same clothe. I say that sommetyme a man bringeth vp in his howse some persone, that after taketh his lyfe fro hym. Faustyne take this that i haue sayd for a warnyng, and these last wordis i gyue you for counsel. If you wil kepe your selfe fro thought, and your doughter fro peryll, alway let your doughter be occupied with som good werkes. Whan the handes are occupied with any good exercise, than the harte is voyde fro many ydell and vayn thoughtes. Euery lightnes done in youth breaketh downe a loope of the defence of our lyfe: but ydelnesse, wherby our enuye entreth, is it, whiche openeth the gate to all vyces. Faustine wyll you wite: I se dayly the pardition of the yonge Romayne doughters: For as soone as they be borne, they presume to be amorous: they as vnthoughtfull, with the rechelesnes of the father, and wantonnes of the mother, leue the iust trauayle, and take vniust idelnes. Of ydel motions and outragious thoughtis the eies take lycence without leaue, the mynd altereth, and the will is hurte: and finally thinkynge to be the whyte, that amorous men shote at, they remayne as a butte fulle of all vyces. And in conclusion there is nothyng that rechaceth the balle of the thought (in this play) than is the hande set a worke therwith. What thought Marcus the emperour toke for the mariage of his doughters. Cap. xxxviii. Than the good emperour Marc hauynge a clere vnderstandynge and a quiete wytte, toke right great hede of thinges that were paste, prudently waying thinges present, and thynges to come.

Seinge that the pardicion of princis, lay all in wyll, totally giuinge them selfe eyther to strange thinges, forgettinge their owne, or els to entende to their owne, nothing regardinge strange thinges. His hert was so agreable to him, that neyther the high busynesses of them: nor for all the affaires of his house, he wolde not leaue one of thempire vnsped. I say this, bycause this emperour Marcus had foure doughters, whose names were Lucille, Porsena, Matrina, and Domitia. Al resembled their mother in excellent beautie, but they resembled not their father in honestie and vertuousnes. And though they were in gouernance vnder their maystresses out of his presence, yet he had them always in memorie: and the elder they were, the more study and thought he toke for them: and whan they cam to complete age, he studied to finde prouision for them. It was a laudable custome, that the doughters of the officers of the Senate, shulde not marye without lycence, nor the emperours doughters without the aduysement of the senate. Than it was so, that one of the said princesses his doughters beinge of age, and of wylle to be maried, her father seinge her importunitie, to accomplyshe her desire, bycause he was sycke, he sente for Faustyne, that she shulde goo and commune in the senate. The whiche with all her power she withstode, bycause that secretely she had treated for an other mariage for her doughter. And openly she excused her selfe sayinge that her doughter was to yonge and tender of aege: and as the goddis had gyuen age sufficient to the father, so had the doughter of yeres. Whan the emperour vnderstode this, he called Faustyne to his bedde side, where as he lay and said: Diuers thinges are dissimuled in paticular persons, the leste of them is not to be suffred in them that shuld ensigne al other. The prince is neuer well obeyed but if he haue good credence among his people. I say this Faustin, bicause you do one thinge in secrete, and say an other openly. Herin fayleth the credence of so high a lady, and putteth inconuenience in the auctoritie of so great an empire. If ye suppose my good desires be sinister in your hert for the welth of your owne chyldren: howe shuld we hope than in any of your good workes for the children of strangers? It semith to you better to giue your doughter to them that demande her of the mother, and to refuse them that the father doth chuse. Certainly bicause ye be a woman, you deserue pardon: but in that you are a mother, you augment your faut. Do you not know that maryages are guided, sommetyme by fortune, and some by vertues and wisedome. Suche as demande the doughters of the fathers, beleue me, their eies ben more vpon their owne propre vtilitie, than vpon the welth of an other. I knowe well, you brynge forthe the chyldren, but the goddis will marie them, sith they haue endewed them with so meruaylous beautie. Do you not knowe, that the beautie of women setteth straungers on desire, and putteth neyghbours in suspection, to gret men it gyueth force, to meane men enuie, to the parentis infamie, and peryll to the person selfe? with great peyne it is kepte that is desired of many. Of trouth i say the beautie of women is nothynge but a signe for ydell folke: And an erly wakynge for them that be lyght: where as of the strange desires lyeth the renome of them self. And i deny not, but that a light person serchith soner a woman with a faire face, than one of honest lyuing. But i say, that a woman, that is maried only for her beaute, maye hope in her aege to haue a sorie lyfe. It is an infallible reule, that she that was maried for her fairenesse, is hated for her fowlenes. O what trauaile he offreth him selfe vnto, that marieth a faire woman? It behoueth hym to suffre her pryde,

for beautie and foly alway gothe to gyther: also he muste suffre her expences. For foly in the heed, and beautie in the face bene two wormes that frete the lyfe and wasteth the goodes: also he must suffre her riottes. For a faire woman wyll that none but she haue her commandementes in the house: also he must suffre her nice mynionnesse: for euery faire woman wyll passe her lyfe in pleasure: also he muste suffre her presumption: For euery fayre woman wyl haue preeminence before all other. Fynallye he that maryeth with a faire woman, appareyleth hym to a right great aduenture: and shall telle you wherfore. Surely Carthage was neuer so enuironned with Scipions, as the house of a fayre woman is with lyghte persons. O vnhappy husband whan his spirit is at rest, and the body sleping, than these lyght persons wyl come about his house, drieng his body with ielousy, castyng their eies to the wyndowes, scaling the walles with ladders or climming ouer, synging swete songes, playeng on dyuers instrumentes, watchyng at the gatis, treating with bandes, vncouerynge the house, and waitinge at euery corner therof. All these thinges, in case they shote at the pricke of the womans beautie, they leue not to shote at the butte of the sorowfull husbandes good name. And whether this be true or not, report me to my self, that maried me with your beautie: and let them wyte of my renoume that go so about the citie. I say moche, but truely i fele more. No man complayneth of the goddes for gyuynge hym a foule wyfe, amonge his destenyes. Whyte syluer is not wroughte but in blacke pytche: and the tender tre is not conserued but by the harde rynde. I say the man that marieth a foule wyfe, leadeth a sure lyfe: let euery man chuse as he lysteth: and i say a man that marieth a faire wife, casteth his good fame at hasard, and putteth his lyfe in peril. Al the infamie of our predecessours stode

in none exercysinge of dedes of armes: and nowe all the pastime of the Romayne youth is to serue ladies. Whan a woman is famed to be fayre, than euery man gothe thyther, and taketh great peyne to serue her, and the women woll be sene. I saye Faustine, you neuer sawe a yonge damoysel Romayne, greatly renoumed in beautie, but either in dede or in suspection there folowed som yl name of her. In that lyttell that i haue redde, i haue harde of dyuers fayre women, bothe of grece, Italy, Parthe, and Rome: and they be not put in remembraunce, bycause they were fayre, but for the greatte perylles and heuy chaunces that by theyr beauties felle in the worlde. For in maner by reason of their excellente beauties they were vysited in theyr owne landes: and by their infamye shamed throughe all the worlde. Whan the realme of Carthage was flourysshynge in ryches and happy in armes, they ruled the common welth by wyse philosophers, and susteyned it by dyscrete armies on the see. Arminius the philosopher was as greatly estemed amonge them, as homer amonge the grekes, or Cicero amonge the Romaynes: he lyued in this worlde syxe score yeres and .ii. Of the whiche happy age .lxxx. yeres he ruled quietly as a baron moste peasible of mynd: and was as straunge to women, as familiar with his bokes. Than the senate seinge he was so broken with the common welthe, and withdrawen from all naturalle recreations, they desired hym with great instaunce to be maried, bycause that memory myght be had of so perfytte a wyse man in tyme to come: and the more importunate they were, the more he resisted, and sayd, i wyll not be maried: for if she be foule, i shall abhorre her: yf she be ryche, i muste suffre her: yf she be poore, i must maynteyn her: if she be faire, i must take hede to her: if she be a shrewe, i canne not suffre her:

and the leaste pestylence of all these, is suffycient to slee a M. men. With suche wordes this wyse man excused hym selfe: and he in his aege, by reason of his great study, lost his sight. And the solytarines of his swete lyberties constrayned hym to take company of a woman, and she had by him a doughter, of whom descended the noble Amilcares of Carthage, competitours of the Scipions of Rome, the whiche shewed no lesse worthynesse in defence of Carthage, than ours were fortunate to augment Rome. Tell me Faustine, may not suche suspection fall vppon your doughters, though their vertue succour in the peryl, and their honestie assure their persons? I wyll discouer a secrete thynge to you. There is nothynge, that can be soo quyckely commytted, yf a womanne be enuyronned with chast kepers and feminine shamefastnes. Stedfastly they desire, and with great leysure they procure these thynges, that lyghtly may be atteyned. There is nothynge soo certayne, but that the welth of an other is matter for the own euyll. And faustine ye knowe, that the moost honest womenne, by our malyce are most desyred. Certaynely theyr shamefastnes and kepynge close, ben arowes in defence of our honestie. We rede not that bludde, ryches, nor beautie of the vnhappy matrone Lucrece was the cause, that she was desired: But the clerenes of her visage, the grauitie of her person, the purenesse of her lyfe, the kepyng of hyr selfe close in her howse, the exercytie of her tyme, the credence amonge her neyghbours, and the great renoume that she hadde amonge straungers, waked the foolyshe Tarquine to commytte with her aduoultrye by force. What thynke you? Wherof came this? I shall shewe you. We that be yll, are so yll, that as yll we vse the goodnes of them that be good. This is no faute to the ladyes of Rome, but rather in the immortall goddis. Their cleane honestie accuseth

our cruel malyce. Faustin, you say your doughter is to yonge to be maried: Do you not knowe, that the good farther ought to endoctrine his sonnes fro their yong age? and to prouide for his doughters whiles they be yonge. Of trouthe if the fathers be fathers, and the mothers moders, as soone as goddis haue gyuen them a doughter, forthwith they oughte to fyxe in their hartis a newe remembrance: and not forget it, tyll they haue prouyded their doughter an husband. The fathers ought not to tary for ryches, nor the mothers for high lygnage the better to marie them: So what with the one and the other, the tyme passeth, and the doughters waxe aeged: and than after this maner they be to olde to be maried: and to abyde alone, they be maydens: and to serue they be women, they lyue in peyne, the fathers in thought, the parentes in suspection, that they shuld be lost. O what gret ladies haue i knowen doughters of gret senatours, and not for faut of ryches, nor of vertues in their persons, but all only for slacke of tyme, and driuinge of one houre to an other, so that at laste sodeyn dethe came to the fathers, and no prouidence made for the doughters: So that in maner some were couered vnder the erthe after their deathe, and some buried with forgetfulnes. Eyther i lye, or i haue redde in the lawe of the Rodiens, where as it is written: we commande the father in marienge .x. sonnes to trauaylle but one day: but to marie one vertuous doughter lette hym trauayle. .x. yeres, ye and suffre the water come to the mouth, sweate droppes of blood, trauayle the stomake, disherite all his sonnes, lose his goodes, and aduenture his person. These wordis in this law were piteful for the doughters, and not lesse greuons [sic] to the sonnes. For .x. sonnes by the lawe of men ar bound to discouer, and to go ouer al the world: but the doughter, by the good law ought not to go out of the hous.

I say more ouer, that as thinges vnstable threte fallyng, so lykewise it chaunceth to yonge damselles, whiche thinketh all their time lost and superfluous vnto the daye of their mariage. Homere saith, it was the custome of ladies of grece to count the yeres of their lyfe, not fro the tyme of their byrthe, but fro the tyme of their mariage. As if one demaunded of a Grecian her age, she wolde answere .xx. yeres, if it were .xx. yere sith she was maried: though it were .xl. yeres sith she was borne: Affirming after they had a house to gouerne and to commaunde, that daye she begynneth to lyue. The Melon after it is rype, and abydeth styll in the gardeyn, can not scape, but eyther rotteth, or elles must be gathered. I saye the mayden that tarieth longe, tyll she be maried, can not escape, eyther to be taken or infamed. I will saye no more. As soone as the grapes be ripe, it behoueth that they be gathered: so it is necessarie, that the woman that is come to perfite age be maried and kepte. And the father, that dothe this, casteth perylle out of his house, and bringeth him selfe out of thoughte, and contenteth well his doughter. Of a syckenes, wherof themperour died, of his age, and where he died. Cap. xxxix. Marcus the Emperour beinge olde, not onely by age, but by trauaile and great peines that he had taken and suffred in warres: In the xviii. yere of his empire, and .lxii. yere of his age, and of the foundation of Rome .vi. C. and .xl. as he was in Panony nowe called Hongarie, with his hoste and Commode his sonne. at a citie called Uendebone, situate vpon a riuer, that had .iiii.M. fire [=fair] houses: and beinge in wynter, and the waters great, and very weate

wether, he beinge in the feldes about the .xxx. day of December: Sodainly vpon a nyght as he went with lanternes about his campe, there toke hym a syckenes or palsey in one of his armes, so that he coude not welde his speare nor yet drawe his swerde, nor put on his owne clothes. Than this good emperour charged with yeres, and with no lesse thoughtes, and wynter increasynge with manye great snowes, and fresynge of the erthe, there fell on him an other malady called Lytarge, the whiche put the Barbariens in great hardynes, and his hoste in great heuynes, his person in peryl, and his frendes in great suspect of his helthe. There was done to hym all the experience that coude be founde by medicines, as vnto great princis and lordes is accustomed. And all dyd him no profite: by reason the maladye was greuous, and themperour charged with yeres, and the ayre of the lande was contrarye to hym, and the tyme helped him nothinge: and also he was not well intended. And as men of worshyppe do setteth more by their honour than by their lyues, and had rather dye with honour, than lyue dyshonoured, to assure theyr honour, they aduenture euery houre their lyues, and had leauer haue one houre of honour, than a .C. yeres of life: So thus this sicke emperour caused him selfe to be borne all about his campe, and went to see the scarmishes, and wold slepe in the feldes: the which was not without gret peryll of his lyfe, nor without great trauayle of his persone. Thus on a day the emperour being in a great feuer and letten bloudde, herde a great clamour or noyse in the feld: made by his men that had brought home great quantitie of fourage, and their ennemies sette on them to rescue it, there was medlynge on bothe parties, the one to beare away, and the other to defende: The Romayns for hungre, dyd what they coulde to beare it awaye: And the

Hungariens fro whense it came, made resystence: They medled so one with an other, and their debate was so cruell, that there was slayne .v. capitayns of the Romayns, the worst of them was more worth than all their fourage that they had won. And of the Hungariens were so many slayne, that al the fourrage that they had loft, was not so moche worth. Certainly considering the crueltie that was there done, the profite that came therby was very smalle to the Romaynes, so that there went but a few away with the fourage, and of the Hungariens fewer was left to make resystence. The emperour seinge the yl order, and that by the reason of his bloudde lettynge and feuer, he was not present at that acte, he toke suche a heuynes at his harte, wherby he fell into suche a traunce, that it was thoughte he had ben deade: and so he lay .iii. nyghtis and two days that he coude se no lyght of the skye, nor speke to any persone. The heate of his sickenes was greate, and his peynes greatter, he dranke moche and eate lytelle, he coude not slepe, his face was yelowe, and his mouthe blacke. Somtime he lifted vp his eies, and oftentymes ioyned his handes to gether: He spake nothinge, and sighed many tymes. His throte was so drie, that he coude not spytte: his eyes were very soore with sobbynge and wepynge. It was greatte compassyon to see his dethe: and a great plage of confusyon to his howse, and also the very great losse of his warre. There durste no manne loke vppon hym, and fewer speake to hym. Panutius his Secretarie, sorowynge at his harte, to see his mayster so nere his dethe, on a nyght in the presence of dyuers other that were there he sayd to him. The wordes of Panutius secretarie to themperour at the houre of his death. Cap. xl.

O Marcus my lorde, there is no tongue that can be styll, nor any hert suffre, nor eies dissimule, nor wytte that can permytte it: My bloudde congeleth, and my sinewes drie, the stones openethe and my sowle wolde passe forth: the ioyntes vnioyne a sonder, and my spiritis are troubled, bycause you take not the wise and sage counsaile, the whiche ye gaue to other that were symple. I see you my lorde die, and I ought to be soore displeased therwith. The sorowe that I fele at my hert is, how you haue lyued lyke a wise persone, and at this houre you do lyke a simple man. Tenne yere a knight giueth mete to his hors, to thentent that he shoulde kepe him fro peryll: and all that the wyse man studieth for a longe season,oughte to be to passe his lyfe with honour, and to take the deth with great vertue. Right dere lorde I demande of you: what proufite is it to the maryner to knowe the carde of the see, and after to peryshe in a tourment or tempeste? what prouffyte is hit to a capitayne to speake moche of warre, and after know not howe to gyue battaylle? whatte proufyteth hit to a knyght to haue a good hors, and to falle in the strete? what profiteth it to teche an other the plain way, and him selfe to wander aside? I say what profyted hit the force of your lyfe, that you estemed so lyttell your lyfe, many tymes sekynge your deathe? And at this howre that you haue founde deathe, you wepe bycause it wyll take away your lyfe? Whatte thnges [sic] haue i wrytten with myne hande beinge your Secretarie, dyuised by your hyghe and profounde vnderstandynge, towchynge the stroke of deathe? what thynge was it to see the letter, that you sent Claudine vpon the dethe of her husbande? what wrote you to Anthygone, whan your sonne Uerissimus dyed? wherin your vertue dydde consolate his heuynesse.

hygh thinges dyd I write in the boke that you sent to the senate in the yere of the great peftilence: comfortynge them after the great mortalitie passed: wherin you dydde shewe them howe lyttell men shulde set by deathe, and what profite foloweth therby. And I haue sene and herde you blason dethe in your lyfe, and nowe you wepe, as though you shuld lyue here styll. Syth that the goddis commande it, and your age requireth it, and your sickeness is the cause, and nature permitteth it, and fortune consenteth to it, and is the fatall destenie of vs all, than you must nedes dye. The trauayles that come of necessitie, ought with a good courage to be abyden. For the couragious feeleth not so sore the harde strokes, as the weake that falleth or he be foughten with. you are but one man, and nat two: and ye ought to haue one deathe and not two. Therfore why wolde ye for one lyfe haue two dethes, enterrynge the body and sleinge the spirite with sighes? After so many perilles of longe lyfe to take a sure porte, wyl ye lyfte vp the sayles, and entre ageyne into the swalowe of the see, for to engloutte you? In the see you haue chaced the bulle and scaped his woodnes, and nowe ye refuse to entre into the parke, where you may surely flee him. You make assaute with victorie of your lyfe, and wyl die atteyning the deth. you haue fought .lxii. yeres in the campe of miserie, and nowe you feare to entre into your sepulchre: you haue got out of the busshes and thornes, wherin you were closed: and nowe at this howre you stomble in the faire way: you haue had in certayne the domage of your lyfe, and nowe ye put in doubte the proufite of your deathe: you are entred into the campe of defienge of the worlde: and nowe you wolde turne your backe, whan it is tyme to put your handes to armes. Lxii. yere you haue fought agaynste fortune: and nowe you close your eyes, bycause fortune

wyl strike you. I say it bycause that wyllingly you refuse this present that dethe, the whiche wyll cause vs to haue your lyfe passed suspect. What do you hye and myghty prince? Why wepe you lyke a childe? and why sygh you as one in dispaire? if you wepe bicause ye shal die. why did you laugh so moche in your lyfe tyme? For of moche laughynge in the lyfe tyme cometh moche wepinge at the deth. Wyl you do that you can not do? and not be content with that you may do: the grounde and pasture that is common, you wolde ioyne to your owne, the renowme of the common welthe you applyed to your owne heritage. Of a subsidy or lone wolde make your perpetuall righte. I wylle shewe you who be deed. All be deed and shall dye. And amonge all other you wolde all onely lyve. Wyll ye haue that of the goddis that they be goddis for? That is bycause you are mortall, that they make you immortal. And that you haue for priuilege, whiche they haue by nature? I that am but simple, demaunde one thynge of you my lorde, that are auncient and wyse: whiche is the greatest or least welthe, to dye well or lyue yll? To lyue welle no man can attayne certaynly, for hungre, thirst, solitarines, persecution, yl fortune, sycknesses, and disfauours. This can be called no lyfe, but rather deth. If an ancient man wolde make a shewe and booste of his lyfe, fro the tyme of his birthe to the layinge in his graue, and the body to shew all that it hath suffred by dolours, and the harte to discouer all the strokes of fortune: I imagin that the goddis wolde haue meruaylle therof, and men wolde be abashed therof, that the body coude suffre so moche, and the herte beare it. I hold the grekes wisest, for they wepe whan their childerne are borne, and they synge whan an olde man dyeth: but the Romayns synge at the byrthe of their chyldren, and wepe whan they dye olde.Certaynly

to laugh at the deth of them that die olde, sith they dye to laugh: and to wepe at the birth of children, sith they are borne to wepe, and that lyfe abydeth the sentence of ylle: than it approueth that the dethe is good. Wyll you that I saye one veritie to you, I haue alwayes sene, that the counsel in the wysest man sonest faileth him. Such as wold gouerne al thinges by their opinions, of necessitie in some or in the moste parte they do erre and fayle. O Marc my deere lorde, wene you, that haue caused to burye so many that some shulde not burye you in lyke wyse?. As you haue sene the ende of their dayes, other shal se the ende of your yeres. Therfore me semeth it were better for you to dye, and to go your way to attayne so moche welth, than to scape and to lyue in so moche myserie. If you fele deth, I haue no meruayle syth you are a man. But I meruayle that you do not dissimule hit, sith you are discrete. They that haue clere understandyng fele many thinges at their herte, that putteth them to peyne, whiche they shewe not outwarde, for the presumption of honour. If al the poyson that is in a heuy harte were sprede abrode in the weke fleshe by smalle greynes, no walles shulde suffyse vs to rubbe, nor our nayles to scratche. For certaynly the dethe is but a play, wherin the player, if he be apt, aduentureth but lyttell to wynne moche, and they that play may se wel that this is a wily play, and not of strength. And that also as well they lese that haue but a smalle carde, not fearynge deathe, as they that with a great carde loueth long lyfe? [sic] What thinge is dethe but a trappe dore, wherin the tent is closed, in the whiche is solde al the miseries of our lyfe? Thus the goddis do change vs from an olde fylthy house into a newe. And what other thing is the sepulchre, but a castelle, wherin we be closed against the assautes of the lyfe.Of trouth you ought more to couete to take that finde at your deth, than the hurt of that you shall leaue in your lyfe I demand of you, what is it that doth you most peyne in lesynge of the life? if you peine your selfe for Helie Fabrice your wife, bycause you leaue her yonge. werye not your selfe, for she is wel thought on in Rome, for any peryll of your lyfe. And as sone as she knoweth it, I am in certayne she wyll not wepe moche, though you go your way. Than you ought not to wepe, fpr leuing of her. These yonge damoysels maried to old men, haue euer their eies fixed in the deth of their husbandis. And holly fasten their hartes on him that they thinke to mary with agein. They wepe with their eies, and be glad in their hartes. And truste not though she be an empresse, and can not fynde an other emperour to be her husbande, yet she wil finde som other. For if they be so determined, they wyll change their robes of satyn for a gowne of cloth. For I dare welle saye, they more desire a yonge sheparde, than an olde emperour. And you care for your children, whom ye must leaue behynd you: I can not tel why you shulde do so. For if your deth be displeasant to them, moch more displeaseth them that you lyue so long. It is great peyn to a child, without he desire the dethe of his father, if he be pore than it is for fere how they shuld be maynteyned: if he be ryche, than bicause he shall be his heire. They singe and you wepe: you fere the deth and wepe bicause you leue your life. Do you not know that after the nyght cometh the dewy morning: and after that comith the bright son: and after the son cometh a derk cloude and after again cometh faire wether, and after that cometh lightninge and thonder: and then agein clere aire? Also I say, that after infancy cometh childhode, than cometh youthe, and age after that, and so at last cometh dethe, and after dethe fearefull hope of a sure lyfe. Sir beleue me in one thinge: The beginning, the meane, and the ende euery man hath.

Certainly if you had ben taken as the floure fro the herbe: if you had ben cut grene fro the tree, if you had ben graffed in primetime: if you had ben eaten in the sowrenes of the vyne: I meane if in the firste youthe, whan lyfe was at the swetest, if dethe had come and knocked at the gate, ye shulde haue had cause to be sorie: but as now the walles are weake, and redy to fall, and the flowre wythered, and the berie putrified, the speare fulle of mosse, and can not drwae the knife out of the shethe: Herin you haue desired the worlde, as if you had neuer knowen the worlde. Lxii. yere you haue ben prisoner in the dongeon of the body: and nowe the shakils or giues shulde be taken frome you, you complayne: you lorde wold make newe of other newes. He that thinketh it not sufficiente to lyue .Lxii. yeres in this dethe, or to dye in this lyfe, he wyll not be content with thre score thousande. Auguste the emperour sayde, that after that men had lyued .L. yeres, they ought to die, or elles cause them to be slayne, bycause that unto that tyme is the felicitie of man. All that euer one lyueth beyonde that tyme, the pore old man passeth his tyme in heuines, in greuous aches, deth of his children, and losse of his goodes, in importunities of his childerne in lawe, burienge of his frendes, susteyning processe, payinge of dettis, and other infinite trauailes: So that it were better with his eies closed to abyde theym in his graue, than with his eien open to abyde theym in his lyfe dayes.Certaynly it is a fortune of all fortunes, and he is right priuie with the goddis, that at .L. yere leaueth his lyfe. For al the time that he liueth after is in decaying and neuer vpryght, but rollynge, relyng, and redy to fall. O Marc my dere lorde do you not know, that by the same way that lyfe gothe, cometh dethe? It is .Lxii. yere that ye haue soughte the one from the other. and whan ye wente

fro Rome, where as you left your house, and went to Illirike, where you lefte a greate pestilence: and nowe you are retourned into Hungarie. Do you not knowe, that as soone as you were borne to gouerne the erthe, incontinent dethe issued out of his sepulchre to fynde your lyfe? And if you haue honoured ambassadours of the strange kinges, moche more ye ought to honour deathe, that cometh fro the goddis: what lordeship can be lost in this lyfe, but you shall finde greatter in the death? Are you not remembred whan Uulcan my sonne in lawe poysoned me, bicause he desired my goodes more than my life. Thanne you my lorde for loue that you had to me, gaue me comforte and councell, for the deth of my sorowful youth: and you said to me, the goddis were cruell in killynge of them that be yonge: and pitiefull, whan they burie them that be olde. And also you sayde to me: Comforte thy selfe Panutius: For if thou dydst lyue to dye, now than thou diest to lyue. Therfore right high and myghty prince, I say to you, as you sayde to me: and I councell you as you counsaylled me: and that you gaue me, I gyue you agayne. Finally of this repinge take the best in worth, and let the rest abide. Howe the emperour demanded to haue in writinge all that the Secretarie had sayde. Cap. .xli. And as of the contentynge of the wylle oftentymes procedeth helthe and ease of the bodye, the emperour was wel satisfied withe the wordes of Panutius, whiche he eloquently vttered, and with profounde counsell, hardily and familiarly, and in due tyme, as a good frende. Great compassion it is to them that wold die, whan it is shewed them what they ought to do. For of them that be about the bed,

somme robbe him of his money, somme serve him well, some holde the place to be his heire, somme gapyinge for giftes, somme wepe for losse of him, somme also laugh for the gaynes by his death, and so in this maner the poore pacient hauynge many loking for thier profyute, hath no body to counsell him. we se daily that servantes whan they se the going out of the candel of lyfe, care not for the clensing of their lordes vices. And therof cometh, that as sone as he is deed, streight way beginneth to stinke. And so I say that the end of his lyfe is the beginninge of his infamy. All they that were there, as well the olde seruantes as the newe, belonginge to themperour, capitayns of warre and other, were not a lyttell abashed of the sayenge of Panutius, and they all allowed his sayenge, and saide he was worthy to haue the gouernaunce of thempire. The good emperour all the season that Panutius spake, wept with depe sighes fro his herte. And bycause he was so sore greued, he coude not forthwith giue him an answere: At the last he commanded Panutius to gyue him in writinge all that he had sayde, to thentent that he myght study theron. For he said, it was no reson, to forget thinges so well said. Sw al the rest of the nyght the Secretarie occupied him selfe to put in writing the same saying: and the next day he delyuered it to themperour, whiche toke it and loked theron all the day: and kept it styl in his handis, and often times redde theron, And the next nyght themperour sente for the Secretarie, and in open audience he said as foloweth. The answere of themperour to Panutius. Ca. xlii. Happy was the mylke that thou suckedft in Dacie, and the bread that dyddest eate at Rome, and the lernyng that thou haddest in Athenes, and thy bringyng vp in my

Hous. For in my life thou haste wel serued me, and at my dethe thou haste well counsayled me. I commande Commodus my sonne to rewarde the for thy good seruice. And i pray the goddis to recompence the for thy councel. The reward for diuers seruices a man may make: but that rewarde for good counsel al the goddis had nede to do. The gretist reward that one frende may do to an other, is in a great and weightie matter to succour him with good counsell. Al the trauailes of the worlde are weightie, but the trauayle of dethe is the weightiest: all be perillous, but that is moste perillous: all ben great,but this is the gretest: al thingis hath an ende at last by deth, saufe only deth, whose ende is vnknowen. He that is hurt with deth, is as he that is sicke of the sleping euill, hauing a quicke understonding. and yet he knoweth no man, and many thinges beinge offered to him, he can determine upon none. Yet againe I say, he is a true and faithfull frende, that in suche time wil giue good counsell to his frende. Al they that here this that I say, wil say that it is true. But i sweare that no man can knowe hit perfitely, but he that is in case that i am in, redy to dye. Lxii. yere hath ben the cours of my lyfe, and nowe deathe commaundeth me to close myn eies, and to folowe the cours of deth. Moreouer as thou knowest not the infirmitie, so thou approchest not to the cure and helthe. The dolour is not there as thou hast made defensiues, it is not the fistula where against thou hast giuen cautere, it is not ageinst opilations that thou hast giuen siropes, it is not in the veynes that thou hast giuen me incision: Thou hast not wel he led the wounde that thou hast stiched me. I say that thou must entre further in me to knowe perfitely myne accesse. The sighes that procede fro the botom of my hert can not be vnderstanden with heringe of them: the goddis alonly know the thoughtis of the hart. Also diuers thingis are in me

(f 76) that I knowe not of my selfe, no more than that is with out me. O Panutius thou accusest me that I feare dethe. To feare it greatly, I deny it: but I confesse to feare it as a man. Certaynly to denie that I feare nat dethe, than I muste denye that i am not made of fleshe. We se that the Olyphant feareth the lyon, and the beare feareth the olyphant, and the wolfe feareth the beare, and the shepe fearethe the wolfe, and the ratte the catte the, and the dogge the man, and all onely their feare is, that they drede to be slayne. Than if these brute bestis refuse dethe, not fearing the fyghtyng with furious spirites, nor the enioyenge with the goddis: howe moche rather than ought we to feare the dethe. For we are in doute to be torne in pieces with the furies in their peynes, or to be receyued in pleasure with the goddis. therfore I say, that of naturall feare of deathe, I haue ouercome with the bridell and lyberties of reason. thinkest thou Panutius, that I se not my grasse wasted, and my grapes gathered that my house breaketh, and that I haue nothing lefte but the stocke of the grapes, the skinne of the fleshe, and but one onely blaste of all my lyfe. Thou seest welle that by the tokens the exercise is sene. And nettes be caste in the riuers, and in the parkes bulles ben chased. I do say that the rumour of deth holdith in sauetie the lyfe that is in me, at this houre redy armed ageinst dethe. I make battayle with deathe, at this houre baraine and naked of lyfe: and so redy to entre into the sepulchre: at this houre I shall entre into the campe, where as I shall not be gored with bulles, but shall be eaten with wormes: and fynally . I shall go fro whens I can not flee Thus I hope abydinge dethe. And this I say bycause you shall knowe that I knowe it, and that thou shalt fele that I fele. And to the entent thou lyue vnbegiled I will tell the a secrete.

The nouelties that thou hast sene in me, as in abhorringe of meate, bereuynge of slepe, leuynge alone, werynes of company, drownynge in sighes, and pastyme in wepynge: Thou mayst well thinke, what turment ought to be in the see of my harte, whan suche tremblynges and motions of erthe and reynes are set in the erthe of my body Shall I shew the, wherfore my body is in this thought, and my herte in suche trouble? The cause why I suffre dethe so greuousely, is that I leaue my sonne Commode in this lyfe in a perillous age for him, and suspecious for thempire. By the floures the fruites are knowen, and the vines in burgenyng: by the colt the hors is knowen, whether he shall be meke or stubborne for labour or cariage: and in the youthe the yonge man is knowen: and by the lytell that I se in my lyfe by my sonne Commode, I feare me it wyll be lesse after my deth. Thou knowest not why I say thus. And I say it not without cause: for my sonne Commode is very yonge, and yet yonger in wytte. He is of an yll inclination, but he be forced: he gouerneth hym selfe by his owne wytte and understandyng, as though he were a man of experience: he knoweth but lyttelle, and careth for nothynge. Of the tyme passed he hath no knowlege: all onely he occupieth hym selfe with the tyme present: Finally by that I se with myn eies, and thinke in my herte, I feare me the persone of my sonne shall be in peryll, and the memorie of his fathers house perysshe. Faustyne his mother hath fostred hym to delycatly: and by a harde stony grounde he hath a great way to go. He entreth as now alone into the pathe of youth without any guyde. I fere me he shall go out of the right waye, and wander in the bushes and thornes of vices. O Panutius harken what I say, I say it not without teares: thou seest that my son remayneth riche, yonge, and at libertie.Ryches, youthe,

solitarines, and libertie ben .iii. pestilences, that enpoysoneth the prince, and waste the common welth: it sleeth them that be alyue, and infameth them that be deed. Beleue me one thinge: dyuers graces are requisite to susteyn diuers vertues. With the fairest women the brothel houses are peopled, the mooste vilaynes are made ruffiens: the moste hardye are robbers in woddes: the quickest of understandynge ofte proue fooles: and the mooste subtylle becom theues. I say that such as are clothed with dyuers graces of nature, lacke the furres of acquired vertues. We may say, they hold in their handes a knyfe, wherwith they stryke and hurte them selfe: fire on their shoulders, wherwith they bren: and a corde about their necke, wherwith they hange: daggers at their stomacke, wherwith they are slayne: thornes at their feete, wherwith they are pricked: a stony way afore their eies, where they stomble, and stomblynge fall, and fallynge they lese their lyfe, and wynne dethe. The great trees of whom we haue fruite ind wynter and shadowe in sommer, first is planted the rotes fast in the entrayles of the erthe, or euer their waueringe boughes are aduentured in the wynd. Marke Panutius marke well. The man that from his youth hath set before hym the fere of the goddis, and the shame of men, is habited in vertues: and he that accompanyeth with them that be vertuous, mainteyneth trouth to euery man, and lyueth without preiudice of any man. Malicious fortune maye somtyme cleue the barke of the welth of suche a tree, wyther the floure of his youthe, breake the leaues of his fauour, gather the fruite of his trauaylle, breake downe a bough of his offices. and bowe down the height of his councell: yet for all the strokes that the wynde can strike, it can not be plucked up by the rote. Certaynely the sonne that the father hath endewed with graces, and the sonne applienge

hym in vices, ought not to be borne in this worlde: and if he be borne, to be buried quicke. For the fathers sweat by day, and watche by nyght, to leue honour to their childern, whiche the fathers bye of the goddis with sighes,and the mothers delyuered of them with peyne, and bring them up with trauayle: and the chylde proueth so, that he gyueth greuous age to the father in his lyfe, and great infamy after his deth. I consider wel, that the prince Comode being yonge and I olde, ageinst his wyl forbare vices: and I fere me that after my deth he wyl hate vertues. I remembre diuers of his aege haue enherited the empire, which were so hardy in their lyues, that they deserued to be called tyrantes after their dethes. Example of Denys renowmed tirant of Sycill, which hired them that coude inuent vices, as our Rome rewardeth them that conquere realmes. What gretter tiranny can be in a tyrant, than to make most priuie to him them that be vicious? Also I forget not the four kingis, that succeded after gret Alexander, as Ptholome, Anthiocus, Siluius and Antigonus, which the grekes called great tirantis: al that Alexander had gote with renoumid triumphes, they lost by their viciousnes. And in this maner the world that Alexader had deuided among them .iiii. came to the handis of mo than foure .C. for Antigonus set so litle by that had cost his lord Alexander so much, and was so light in his age, and so bold in his realme, that in mockery in the stede of a crowne of gold, he ware a garland of Iuie: and in stede of a sceptre, he bare a thystle in his right hand: and after that maner he wold syt among his men, and whan he spake to strangers. I lay shame to the yong man so to do, but I meruaile that the sadde and wyse men of Grece suffred it. I remembre also Caligula the .iiii. emperour of rome, a yonge man, in whose tyme it was harde to knowe, whiche was the greater, eyther the disobedience of the people

to their lorde, or the hatred that the lorde bare to the people. and this yonge prince went so farre out of the waye in his youthe, and was so farre wyde from reason in his tyrannies, that euerye man studyed howe to take his lyfe from him: and he studeid to slee euery man. he wrote these wordes in a table of golde: Wolde to god that all rome had but one heed, to the entent that with one stroke i myght strike it of. i also remembre Tyberie, sonne adoptiue of good Auguste, called August, bycause he augmented rome. but this good olde prince dyd not so moche augment it in his lyfe,but this yonge successour distroyed it moch more after his deathe. the hate that the romayne people had agaynste Tyberie in his lyfe was ryght well shewed after his dethe. for the same day that he died, or whan he was slayne, the people made dyuers processions, and the senatours offred great gyftes in the temples, and the priestes offred great sacrifices to their goddis, to thentent that they shulde not receyue the soule of the sayd Tyberie into their glorie: but to sende it to the furies of hell. also i mynde Patrocle the seconde kynge of Corynthe, which enherited the realme beinge but .xvi. yere of age, and he was so vicious of his body and so lyberall of his mouthe, that where as his father helde the realme .lx. yere, he possessed it but .xxx. days. also the auncient Tarquin the proude, the .vii. kynge of rome, whiche was right goodly in gesture, ryght valyant in armes, and of a clene bloudde, as an unhappye prince defyled all his vertues with noughty lyuynge: in suche wise that he conuerted his beautie into lechery, his power into tyranny, for the villanie that he dyd to Lucrece the chaste lady of rome: wherby he lost not onely his realme, but the name of Tarquin was banysshed for euer out of Rome

i remembre cruelle Nero, whiche enherited and dyed yonge: and in him ended the memorie of the noble Cesars: and by hym was renewed the memorie of Antygones the tyrantes. whom thinkest thou this tirant wolde suffre to lyue, which slewe his owne mother? tel me i pray the, what harte is that of a chylde, to slee his owne mother, to open the brestes that he sucked, to shed the bloode of her that nourished hym in her armes, and to beholde the entrayles, wherin he was fourmed? what thynkeste thou, that he wolde not haue done, sith he commytted suche an yl dede? the day that Nero slew his mother, an oratour sayd in the senate, that Agripine his mother had deserved deth for chyldyng suche a childe in rome. these thre dayes that thou haste sene me so altered in my mynde, all these thynges came before me: and i haue drawen them into the depenes of my harte, and disputed them. this sonne of myn holdeth me in the gulfe of the see, betwene the wawes of feare, and the ankers of dispaire, hopynge that he shulde be good, bycause i haue nouryshd hym well, and fearynge that he shulde be ylle, bicause his mother faustine hath brought hym uppe wantonly, and the yonge man is inclyned to yll. and as ye se a thynge made by artifice peryshe, and a naturall thinge laste: i am in great feare that after my dethe he wyll tourne that waye that his mother hath childed hym, and not as i have noryshed hym. o how happy were i, if i had neuer a child to leue behynde me to be emperour? then a chyld myght be chosen amonge children of good fathers, and i shulde not have ben troubled with him that the goddis haue gyuen me. Panutius i demaunde one thynge of the, whether thou callest moste fortunate Uaspasian the naturall father of Domitian, or els Nerua the father adaptife of

Traian? Uaspasian was good, and Nerua very good, and Domitian was of all other mooste cruelle, and Traiane the myrrour of all clemency. then regard how Uaspasian in the fortune to haue children was unhappy, and Nerua in the misfortune to haue children was happy. i knowe not why these faders desire to haue children, sith they ben the occasion of so moche trauyle. o Panutius, i wylle say one thing to the, as a frende to a frend (as thou knowest wel we be in this worlde) i haue lyued .lxii. yeres, in whiche tyme i haue redde many thinges, and haue herd, sene, desired, atteyned, possessed, suffred and rested moch, and nowe at this tyme i must dye: and of al thing i shal beare nothynge away, bycause both it and i are nothing. gret besynes the hart hath to serche for these goodes, and great trauayle to come to them: but without comparison the greattest dolour is at the houre of the deth to departe and leaue them. what greatter disease can be to the body, than sodeynely to be surprised with ennemies? what perille of the see or losse of frendes can be egalle, to se a vertuous man drawe to his deathe, to leue the sweate of his face? the auctorite of the empire, the honour of his persone, the company of his frendes, the remedye of his dettours, the rewardinge of his seruntes, and to leaue it to a chylde, that hath not merited it, nor hath not the power to wyll to merite it. In the .ix. table of the lawes were these wordis written: We commaunde and ordeyne, that euery father, who in the opinion of all men is good, shall disherite his sonne that is yll in euery mans opinion. Also euery chylde, what so euer he be, that disobeyeth his father, and robbeth any temple, or hurte any wydowe, so that she blede, flee fro the batayle, or do any treason to a stranger, who so euer is founde in any of these cases, lette him be banished for euer

the habitation of Rome, and cast out fro the heritage of his father. In good sothe this lawe was good, and in the tyme of Quintus Cincinate hit was ordeyned, and nowe by vs whiche be unhaphy[sic], it is cleane lefte and forgotten. Panutius without doubte I am wery to speake, and also I haue suche an impediment in my stomake, that I wante brethe: or elles I coulde shewe the all by order, yf myne understondynge fayled me not, howe many Parthiens, Mediens, Assyriens Caldiens, Indyens, Egypcyens, Hebrewes, Grekes, and Romaynes haue lefte their chyldren poore, and myght haue left them ryche: and al was bicause they were vicious: and other childerne that were very poore, were lefte ryche, bycause they were good and vertuous. I swere to the by the immortall goddis, that whan I came fro the warres betwene the Parthiens and Rome, and that the tryumphe and glorye was gyuen to me, and my sonne confirmed to be emperour: I wolde the Senate hadde lefte me my sonne Commodus poore with all his vyces, and that I hadde made the Senate heire and lorde to the empire: and to haue chastysed hym to the exaumple of all the worlde. I wyll that thou knowe, I shall carie fyue thinges with me out of this worlde intermedled, the whiche is great sorowe to my harte: The fyrste is, that I haue not determyned and iudged the plee and processe of the noble wydowe Drusia with the Senate, seinge that she is very poore, and hathe no bodye to doo her Justyce: The seconde is bycause I do not dye in Rome, to the intent that I myght cause to be cried and proclaymed euery where in Rome er I dyed, to wyte if any complayned on me: the thyrd is, that where as I dyd slee .xiiii, tyrantes that undyd the countreye, that I had not as well banyshed all the Pirates that kepte the sees:

the fourth is, that I left my dere sonne Uerissimus deed: and the .v. that I haue lefte alyue, as heire to the empire my sonne Commodus. O Panutius the greattest happe that the goddis can giue to a man (not couetous but vertuous) is to gyue hym renoume in his lyfe, and and a good heire to conserue him after his deathe. Fynally to conclude, I pray to the goddis, if I shall haue any parte with them, that if by my sonnes offences Rome be sclaundred and my renoume mynished, and my hous lost by his lyfe, that they wyll take away his lyfe yet or I dye. What themperour sayde to the maysters of his sonne, and to the rulers of thempire. Cap. xliii. I se you auncient fathers and noble Romayns, and ryght faythfull seruantes take peyne and sorowe for that I must yelde me to dethe, and leaue this lyfe, and treate with my sepulchre. Ye sorow for my sorowe, ye are turmented with myn anguyshe, and peyned for my peine: it is no meruaylle. For the clere understondynge of the pure blod of true and faythful frendes, is to double their trauayles and to wepe for other: if one brute beast morne for an other, moche more ought one humayne creature sorowe for an other. And this I say, bycause I know by the teares of your eyes, the felynge of your hartes. And syth that the greattest rewarde for any benefyte is to know it, and thanke the partie therof: as moche as I can I thanke you And if my weake thankes be not correspondent to your pitiefulle wepynge, I require the goddis after they haue taken away my lyfe, to rewarde you for mu duetie. It is greatte pleasure for the familie to knowe their maister go with the goddis, and great peyne to hym to leaue them. For company of many yeres is loth to leue the life. In my lyfe tyme I haue done with you as I ought to do,, and as nowe I must do as I may. The goddis wyl take mu soule away, Comodus my sonne the empire, the sepulchre my bodye, and ye mu speciall frendes mu herte. And sothly it is reason, that sithe ye were in the lyfe my hartis, that it be yours after my dethe. And in that I wyll speake more particuler this night shall be our reasonyng. Nowe my harty frendes ye se, that I am come to the ende of my laste iourney, and to the begynninge of my firste iourney with the goddis. It is reason, that syth I haue loued you in tyme past, that ye beleue me nowe. For the tyme is com that ye can demande nothyng of me: nor I haue nothing to offre you: not myn eares as now can not here flateries, nor my herte suffre importunities: yf ye neuer knewe me, knowe me now. I haue ben he that I am, and am he that hath ben, in tymes paste lyke unto you, somewhat: nowe ye se I am but lyttell, and within a lyttell whyle I shalbe nothynge. This daye shall ende the lyfe of Marke your frende, this daye shal ende the lyfe of Marc your parent, this day shal ende the fatall destenies of Marc your lord, this day shal ende the signorie of Marke your emperour, and this day shall ende his empire. I haue vanquysshed many, and nowe I am ouercome with deth: I am he that hath caused many to dye, and I can not as now gyue my selfe one day of lyfe: I am he that hath entred into chariottes of golde, and this day I shall be layde on a biere of wodde: I am he for whome many haue songe merily, and this day they wepe: I am he that hath had company in all exercitees, and this day I shall be gyuen to hungry wormes: I am Marcus greatly renoumed, that with famous triumph mounted into the high capitolle, and this day

with forgetfulnes I shal discende in to the sepulchre. I se nigh with myn eies, that was farre hyd in my herte. And as the goddis be fauourable to you in this worlde, and equalle and fauourable to me in an other worlde, as my fleshe neuer toke pleasure to passe this lyfe, but my harte was sodaynely taken with the feare of deathe: than take no peyne for me, for eyther I muste see the ende of you, or you of me. I yelde greatte thankes to the goddis, that they take away this old person to rest with them, and leue you yonge for to serue in thempire. For there is no comparison so to speake of dethe to the lyfe, nor to eschewe the dethe at the houre therof. And yet I wyl not deny, but I do feare dethe, as a mortal man. Whan the lyfe passeth there is no prudence in a prudent, nor vertue in a vertuous, nor lordshyp in a lorde, that can take away the feare of the spirite, nor peyne of the flesshe. At this tyme the sowle and the fleshe are so combyned and so conglutinate to gyther, and the spirite with the bloude are so annexed, that the separation of the one from the other is the moste terrible, and the last terrible of all terriblenes. Certaynely it accordeth unto good reasone, that the sowle depart dolorously, leauynge the fleshe unto wormes, and the body as enuious to se the soule go and sporte with the goddes. O what lyttell thoughte we take in this lyfe, untylle we falle grouelynge with our eyes uppon dethe. Beleue me, Sythe I haue passed from whens ye be, and haue experimented that ye do see, that is the vanities of us that are vayne, is so agreable to us, that whanne we begynne to lyue, we ymagine that our lyfe wylle endure a holle worlde, and whanne it is ended, hit semeth us to be but a puffe or a blaste of wynde. And bycause than sensualitie peyneth for sensibylitie, and the fleshe for the fleshe, reason guyded with them that be mortall telleth me, that it

peyneth not with the departynge. If I haue lyued as a brute beaste, hit is reason that I dye as a discrete manne ought to do. I dyenge, this day shall dye al my syckenes, hungre shall dye, colde shall dye, all my peynes shall dye. my thought shall dye, my displeasue shall dye, and euery thinge that gyueth peyne and sorowe. This daye the nyght shall be taken away, and the sonne shyne bright in the skye: This day the ruste shall be taken fro myn eies, and I shall see the sonne clerely: This daye the way shall be made smothe for to goo righte: this is, the daye shall ende the iourneye, wherin I shall not drede the stayes of Fortune. I thanke the goddis immortall, that haue suffered me to lyue so clerely, and soo longe a tyme. This day I shall haue an ende of all unhappy destenies of enuious fortune, and not they of me. Of trouth if the goddis haue commaunded my flesshe to be hydden in the sepulchre, and to be as mortalle: yet if they be iuste and do well, they wyl make my renoume to be immortal, bycause I haue lyued well. Than syth I chaunge this wery lyfe and company of menne, for the swetenes of the goddis, and the doubtes of Fortune for this sure lyfe, and greate and contynuall feare for perpetuall peace, and this ylle and naughty corrupte lyfe for good renowme and glorye, I thynke veryly this shulde be none yll chaunge. It is nowe thre score and two yeres sythe the erth hath susteyned and fedde the erthe of my bodye: it is nowe tyme that the erthe knowledge me for her sonne, and I wyll also take her for my mother. uerely it is a pytiefull mother, that wylle nowe take me into her entraylles for euer, sythe that i haue so longe space trodden her vn- der my feete. and yet though that i were as i am, for to be as she is, i am in certayne that she wolde kepe me su- rer among her wormes, tha rome among the senatours.

and al though it be paynful to you, yet if it plese the god- dis to haue it thus, no ma can excuse nor scape it. i shuld sbe right wel eased, if this webbe were broken, and my pos- session taken in the Sepulchre. Than shulde I have the firste thing propre of myn owne, and perpetuall without any feare of lesinge therof. All thinges mortall, that mortalle folkes haue, and the enuye of them that be enuious may be broken, except the deth and the sepulchre, the whiche are priuileged from enraged hongre of enuy. I se you well shedynge teares from your eies, and reise heuy sighes frome the depenes of your hartes. Wylle ye not that I shulde desire deathe, sith the phisitiens giue me but three houres of lyfe? and there are conteyned in me .iii. M. yeres of peynes, the length wherof is a cyronisme of dethe. And yet though our debilitie be weake, yet for al that our honour is so sensible, that at the houre of dethe, the more that the bones dischargeth them of the fleshe, the more is the herte charged with thoughtes. In maner that whan the sinewes untye theym fro the bones of the body, than newely they tye agayne a soore knotte to the herte. Nowe lette us leaue speakynge of that towcheth particularly my selfe, and speake we in generalle of that is conueniente to a yonge Prince, and to you that are his tutours and maysters. ye se here my sonne Comodus only prince and heire, abidinge for the heritage of thempire: neyther for beinge good, that he meriteth praise, nor for being yl represe. For he hath taken his naturalitie of the goddis, and his norture amonge you. Dyuers tymes whan he was a childe, ye toke hym in your armes, to thentent that nowe he is a man, ye shulde sette hym in your hertes. Hytherto he hath taken you for his maysters: and nowe at this tyme, he muste repute you as his fathers. And whiles I lyued, ye

helde hym for your prince in nourysshynge hym, for your emperour in seruing him, and as your parent in helping hym, and as your sonne in teachynge hym. hytherto ye onely helde him charge, as father, mother, and maysters: he is nowe as a newe shyppe put this daye in to the right see, fleting to the botomles swolowe, where as the sayles of prosperitie wyll make hym fall, and the rockes of vn- happynes wyll drowne hym. than amonge so many vn- portunate wyndes and vnstable waters, there is greatte necessitie of good oores. surely i am very sory for them- pire, and haue great compassion of this yong prince, and suche as wolde his welthe, shall more bewaylle his lyfe than my dethe. for scapinge fro the see i se my selfe at a good sure porte, and vppon mayne lande, and leaue hym the sweate and trauayle. for as yet he knoweth not howe to aduenture to sayle on the see: nor yet knoweth not whe- ther he shal abyde the age of my long experience, nor whe- ther he shall be a reasonable emperour or no. but whatte shall sorowfull rome do, whan it hath nouryshed a good prince, and that fatall destenies maketh an ende of hym or that by enuy of them that be yll he is slayn? or the cru- eltie of the goddis taketh hym away: or that the body by his owne propre handes be lyfte vp in suche wise, that in thexperiment of princes al the life tyme parteth in bewai- lynge the youthe of yonge princes, and the grauitie of their auncient princes passed. o if these princes beleued at the beginnynge of their empire, other kinges that are fayled in the worlde, how they be taught whan if is so im- portable for one man withoute charge to rule so many re- almes, and he doinge nothynge but take theyr goodes, robbe him of his renoume, banishe their persons fro hym, and he to ende his lyfe, and his subiectes augment their sorowes: and sithe he is but one, he can do no more than

one, though dyuers hope that he doth for all. regarde in what mysauenture a prince lyueth, whan the least vilayn in italy thinketh, that al only for hym and on hym alone the prince setteth his eies. and sith the worlde is so chan- geable, and the people so vnruly, the day that a prince is crowned and exalted with a sceptre ryall, the same daye he submitteth his goodis to the couetous, 7 all his estate to the semblaunce of other. thus than in this the goddis shew their power. for al the vnderstandynges are tacked to one free wyll. the semynge of all they condemne, and alowe but one. they giue the domination to one, and the subiection to many. to one they gyue the chastisemente of all, 7 not all to the chastisement of one. for the taste of many, they giue meate but to one: the fauour wherof is swete to some, and sowre to other: to some remayneth the bone, and to some the fleshe: at the last some be drowned 7 other be hyndred, 7 at the end al haue an ende. i wold de- mand of you that be most familier, what is the crowne of thempire, or the sceptre of gold, or the coler of perles or p- cious stones, or robes of alexader, or vessel of corinth, or chariottes of triuph, or what offices of consules or decta- tours are desired in change of their rest? for it is certaine, they can not attayn to the one, without lesing of the other. and this is the cause y there be yl mariners, 7 to hardi pi- lottes, for they fle fro the se to the lande, 7 fro the lande to the see. one thing i wil say, y is ageinst my self: euery ma hateth warre, 7 no man sekith for peace. all sorowe for one that is angred, and none is content to appeace, al wold co- mande, but none wil be comaunded. this hath ben in the world passed, 7 now at this present time men be so light, y they rather chuse to comand with peril, than to obey with rest. seinge that my days are diminished, 7 my sickenes augmented, suspecting tha that i se now, whan i retur-

ned fro the warre of sycil, i determyned to make my te- statement, the whiche ye may se here: open and beholde it and therby ye shall se howe i leaue you to be maysters of my son, yet in loue and fidelitie ye be to gither all as one. great peryll the prince is in, and the common welth in an yll aduenture, where as be many intentions amonge the gouernours. certaynly the princis are glorious, and the people well fortunate, and the senate happy, whan all a- gree in one councell, and that the counsaylers be ancient, and many of them, and al their intetions agree vpon one thinge. whan this was in rome, it was feared and dred of tirante, hauinge their consultations approued with iii .c. barons. and though their reasons were diuers, yet their wylles and intetis were al one for the comon welth. i desire and coniure you by the goddes, that ye be all fre- des in conuersation, and conformable in councell. all the weke debilities in a prince may be suffrid, except yl coucel: and all defautes of counsayllours are tollerable, excepte enuy 7 ire. wha the freting worm called a mothe, en- treth amonge them, it causeth peryle in justice, dishonour to the prince, sclander in the commons, and parcialite in the superiours. the cousayler that hath his minde ouercome with ire, and his herte occupied with enuy, and his wor- des outragious to a good man, it is reson that he lose the fauour of the goddis, his priuetie with the prince, and the credence of the people. for he presumeth to offende the goddis with yll intention, to serue the prince with yl cou- cel, and to offende the common welth with his ambition. o how ignorant are these princis, that take hede of suche herbes 7 venims that myghte poyson them in their mea- tes, and care not for the poyson that they of their priuie cousayle do gyue them? doubtles there is no coparison, for the herbes and poysons can be giuen but on one daye:

but the venyme of yll councell is giuen euery houre. Uenym is defended by the horne of an unicorne, by tryacle, and otherwyse by vomites: but the poyson of yll councel hath no remedy, and lesse defensiues. And finally I saye, that the venym gyuen by an enmy can but slee one emperour in Rome, but the poyson gyuen by hym that is most pryuie to euyll councell, sleeth the emperour, and distroyeth the common welthe. And where as euery vertuous prince setteth more by perpetuall renoume than this fallible lyfe, ye beinge gouernours of thempire, and maysters to my sonne, they that owe hym yll wyll haue not so moch power ouer his lyfe, as ye haue upon his renoume. Therfore if he be awaked by his enmies straungers, moche rather he ought to be awaked amonge his domesticall frendes. One thinge I commaunde as to my seruantes, and I desire you as my frendes, that ye shewe not your selfe so priue openly, as ye be in secrete: to thentent that some seme not as natural sonnes, and other as hired seruantis. He that is vertuous, oughte to haue great regarde to the profite of his lorde secretely, and to be of meke conuersation with euery man openly, els his priuitie wyll not longe endure, and the hate of the prince with the people wyl increace. Oftentymes I haue redde of our predecessours, and I haue sene it in the present Romaynes, whan many holde with one, that one holdeth but lyttell with dyuers, and lesse with many, the whiche kepeth their willes as far of, as the persons be nigh. And sith the ylnes of the time, and unstablenes of fortune neuer leaueth any thinge in one case, but all is as in maner of a dreme: the moste sure purchase is to flee fro peril, for then whan the princes haue passed their plesures entermedled in trauailes, they serche for many and finde not one. Therof cometh, that one present for feare will withdrawe hym, and an other out of

fauour and absente wyll not come. I wyll shewe you one thinge, the whiche ye shall alwaye put in my sonnes memorie: They that in our trauayles haue determyned of a longe seson to apply them, we ought to wynne their good willes. The wily labourer in one yere laboureth to gette cornes togither, and in an other yere he soweth and gadereth. Be not to presumptuous, for the presumption of an auncient prince, fordoth the auctorite of the yong prince: yet for al this despraise nor rebuke him not to moche: For the lacke of maners in the state of a lorde engendreth unshamefastnes in him, and boldnes to the seruant. I haue lefte in my testament the prince Comodus for your sonne, and you for his fathers. But I wyll and commande, that euery man knowlege him to be their lord, and to be at his commaundement. And ye my other seruantes and subiectes to be his obedience, and in all his hye besinesses to be well guyded as his frendes and louers. Justice ought to be sene to, by wise oratours, accordinge to the opinion of you that be his gouernours. And alwaye the determination to be done by the prince, which is lorde of al. One councell I wyll gyue you, and if ye finde it yll, blame me afore the goddis, and than the empire of my sonne shalbe stable and permanent in Rome, and your priuetie sure in his hous, if your counselles be moued by reason, and his wyll ruled by your councels. I desire soore that ye be not couetous: and therfore I haue gyuen you dyuers gyftes and thankes in my lyfe, to take couetousnes from you afore my dethe. It were a monstruous thing and very dredfull, that suche as ought to refrayne couetyse fro straungers, to haue their owne handes open for their owne propre lucres. The vertuous priue men, ought not to do all the yl that they may, not to desire all that they may atteyn unto to the intente that the prince gyue theym so moche goodes

for the profite of their houses, and peyne and enuy of the people to their persons. And as in meane shyppes men scape best in a meane see, soner than in great carrackes, in the wawes of the roringe and impituous sees: in likewise suche as be in meane estate amonge them that be but meanly enuious, lyue more surely, than suche as are sette in high estate and priuetie beinge ryche, to be passyoned among ennemies, that disdaynfully wold put them under. It is a notable rule amonge wise men, and an infallible experience amonge them that be good, and I thinke that by heringe therof the yll shall knowlege it: The glorie of one amonge great men maketh stryfe, suspection in them that be egal, and enuy amonge them that be meane. One thinge, that they that gouerne well, ought to haue, is liberalitie. The lesse ye be couetous, the more ye shalbe lyberal. For with the rage of couetousnes the right of iustice is mynished. It is longe tyme sithe I determyned to gyue you the gouernyng of thempire, and the nourishing of my sonne. And to haue prouyded to haue gyuen you largely of my goodes, to put the couetyng of other mens goodes from you. I warrant you one thing: yf couetousnes be amonge you, and be enuied of your neyghbours, ye shall lyue in peyne, and your hartes shall be peyned with other mens besinesses, and your mindes shalbe euer in suspect. Than shal ye folow the Justice of other, where as ye shal se your owne propre welth. One councel fynally I wyl gyue you, which i haue taken alway my selfe. Neuer commyt your honours to the myshappes of fortune: nor neuer offre your selfe to peryll with hope of remedy. For suspecious fortune kepeth alwayes her gates wyde open for peril, and her walles ben high, and her wyckettes narow to finde any remedy. And bicause I fele my selfe sore trauayled, I pray you suffre me to rest a lyttell.

Howe the emperour at the houre of his dethe, sent for his sonne, and declared to him, who shuld gouerne the Empire. Cap. xliiii. Thus a great parte of the night passed, and the day began to breake, and the life of this good emperour began fast to drawe to an ende: yet for all that he left not the remembrance of suche thinges as shulde be ordered after his deathe. There were that time in the warre with him diuers right excellent men senatours of Rome: and in al thinges he she wed him self right wise, and specially he wold neuer haue any vicions [sic] persone in his howse. He had euer in his company .L. gentylmen knightes, and in eche of them he might haue put trust to gouerne Rome. Oftentymes this good emperour wolde say, that princes lyued more surely with the gadryng to them men of good lyuyng and conuersation, than with tresure of money stuffed in their chestes. Unhappye is that prince, that estemeth hym selfe happy to haue his coffres ful of tresure, and his councell ful of men of yl lyuyng These malicious and yll men make princis poore: and a perfyte man suffiseth to make a holle realme ryche. Surely this emperour sayd well. For we do se daily, that what the father hath gotten in fiftye yeres, the son leseth in halfe a yere. Than chusinge amonge many a fewe, and of fewe to take the best, this emperour appoynted out .vi. notable barons: Thre of them to be maisters of his son, and other .iii. to be gouernors of thempire. One was Partinax, which after was emperour: an other was called Pompeiano, husband to his doughter, as sure in councel as he was aged in yeres: The .iii. Gneo Patrocle of the ancient stock of the Pompeies, whiche was not lesse clene in his lyuing than his heres were white: The .iiii. was called Andrisco

which in goodlynes of his gesture, highnes of body, ver- tue of courage, and wysedome in conscience, none was egalle to him in rome: the .v. was named bononius, whiche at that tyme was consule, and in the auncient la- wes very experte: the last was called juan varius the good, and he was called the good, bycause that in .lx. yere neuer man sawe hym do any ylle workes, nor harde hym speake any ydel worde, nor do any thinge but it was profi- table to the common welthe. though in case they were al egall in gouernynge: yet i say these laste thre were prin- cipall. for juan uarius particularly was left to be chief capitayne of the armye, and to hym was delyuered al the treasure, and the testament was put into his handes: and with sore weping the emperour recommended to hym the prince his sonne. than whan the peine of his sicknes en- creased, and that he loked for the houre of his deth, he co- maunded to awake his sonne comodus, whiche without any care was faste aslepe, and whan he was brought in- to the presence of his father, it was greatte pitie to see the eien of the olde emperour soore descoloured with weping, and the eies of the sonne almoste closed with slepinge: the sonne was wakynge with small thoughte, and the father coude not slepe for great thought and peyne. and whan he was in his presence, seinge the lyttell are that the son toke for the dethe of his father. and considering the great desire of the father for the good lyfe of his sonne, it moued to pitie the hartes of all the great lordes that were there, not lesse to leaue the company of the good olde man, than the annoyance of the dealynge of the yonge prince: tha the emperour sayde to his sonne these wordes. 'what the emperour sayde to his sonne at the houre of his dethe. cap. .xlv.

vnto thy maysters 7 my gouernours i haue shewed howe they shal councell the: and now my sonne at this houre i say to the, how they though they be but a fewe, 7 all for the alone shal gouerne: and it is not to be taken in smal estimation. the mooste easyest thinge in the worlde is to giue councell to an other: and the moste hardest and hiest thinge is a man to take it for hym selfe. there is none so simple a man but he may giue good coucell, though there be no nede. and there is none so wyse that wyl refuse cou- sell in tyme of necessitie. i se one thing that al take coun- selle for all, and at the laste take it for him selfe. some i thinke accordynge to my heuy fatalle destenies, and thyn yll customes, that one thinge shall not profite the, that is, if the lyttell goodnes that thou hast done was for feare of me in my lyfe, that thou wylte doo lesse whan thou haste forgotten my dethe. i do more nowe for to satisfie my de- sire and the comon welthe, than for any hope that i haue of the amendement of thy lyfe. there is not a worse com playnt, than that a man holdeth of him selfe. i thou my sonne by yl. rome wyl complayne to the goddis, that they haue giuen the so yll inclinatuins. they wyll complayne of faustine thy mother, that hath brought the vp so wan- tonly: and they wylle complayne on thy selfe, that thou dost not refrayne the from vices: and they shall not com- playne of thyn olde father that hathe gyuen the so manye good councelles. i am in certayne, thou hast not so great dolour to see the ende of this nyghte, and the ende of my lyfe, as thou haste plesaure [sic] to se the day that thou shalt be emperour: and i haue no meruayle: for where as sensu- alitie reigneth, reason is put asyde. dyuers thinges are beleued bycause they are knowen vncertainly. o how ma ny thinges of trouthe ben there, that if they were knowen

truely thay shulde be lefte. But we ben so doubtful in euery thing, and go about our busynessis so variably and inconstantly, that sometyme our spirites breake the pourpose, and an other tyme they rydde us not of trouble nor hyndrance. I say we be so swifte to do yll, that sometyme we lese by a carde of the most: and to do wel we be so dul, that we lese by a card of the leste: and at the last we do nothinge but lese. Sonne I wyll aduertse the by wordes, that I haue knowen in .lxii. yere by longe experience: and sythe thou arte my sonne and yonge, it is reason that thou beleue hym that is thy old father. As we princes are regard of all men, and regarde al men, and are regarded of al other, this day thou doste enherite thempire of the worlde and the courte of Rome. I knowe well there be inowe in the court of princes, that know nothyng what is to make them selfe worthynes, and to maynten them self among so many trumperies as are treated in the houses of princes. I lette the to wytte, that in the court is auncient parcialities, present discentions fearefull understondynges, euident wytnesses, entrayles of serpentis, tongues of scorpions, many detractours, and fewe that seke peace, and where as al men shulde harken to the common voyce, euery man sercheth his owne proufite. Euery manne sheweth a good pretence, and all are occupied in yll workes: In suche wise, that some by auarice lese their good fame, and some prodigally spende and wast all their goodes. What shulde I saye more? In the courte euery daye the lordes chaunge and alter the lawes, awake stryfes, and reyse noyses, abate noblenes, exalte the unworthy, banyshe innocentis, and honour theues, loue flateres, and disprayseth theym the whiche be vertuous, enbrace dilites, and treade vertue under their fete: Wepe for theym that be ylle, and laughe to scorne them that be good: and finally

they take all lyghtnes for their mother, and vertue for theyr stepmother. And my sonne I saye more unto the, The courte, the whiche thou shalte enheryte this daye, is nothinge but a shoppe with waares, and a howse of vacaboundes, wherin some selle vyle and corrupt thynges, and other bye lyes, some haue credence, and somme haue renoume, some haue goodes, and some haue lyuing, and al to gither is but losse of tyme: and that worst of al is, they wyll not beleue the poyson therof, tyl it be at their hartis, they are so folyshe and sturdy. Rome hath verye hie walles, and the vertues therof is very lowe: Rome vaunteth it selfe to be very stronge in nombre of inhabitantes, and afterwarde Rome shal wepe that there is more people than vertue, and vyces are not accompted. In a moneth a man might recken all the stones of the proude edifices, but in a M. yeres he myght not comprise the malyces of his yll customes. I swere to the immortall goddis, that in thre yeres I repaired all that was decayed in Rome, and in thirty yere I coude not refourme one quarter therof to good lyuynge. Good sonne beleue me, the great cities ful of good inhabitantes ought to be praysed, and not the great edifyces. Our predecessours haue triumphed on straungers as weake and feble: and nowe they maye triumphe on vs also, as menne that be more vanquyshed with vyces than any of the other. By the mightines and prowesses of our predecessours, we that be nowe are greattely honoured and exalted, and by the small estimation of vs that be now, they that come after vs may be greatly ashamed. Of a very trouth it is a great shame to saye, and no lesse infamie to doo, that the goodnes and trauayle of the auncientes shuld nowe be turned and conuerted to folies and presumption. My son loke well on thy selfe, that the reyne of thy youthe, and libertie of the empire cause the

not to committe vice. He is not called onely free, that is free borne, but he that dyeth within the same. O how wel are the sclaues borne, that after their deth are fre by their goodnes? and how many haue dyed sclaues by their noughtynes, that were borne free? There is fredome where noblenes abydeth. The prowes of thy persone shal giue the more hardines and libertie than thauctoritie of thempire. It is generall rule, that euery vertuous man necessitie is to be holden hardye: and euery vicious man of necessitie is to be reputed a cowarde. Nowe boldely they be chastised that be not noted with any vice, and coldly they be chastised that deserue chastisement. Lette a prince be in a certayn, that the loue of his people, and the libertie of his office, hath not wherwith to upholde hym in armes spred abrode on the erth, without the dyuers vertues assembled in his persone. Certaynly Octauius Cesar subdewed mo nacions by the renoume of his vertues, than dydde Gaius his uncle with his army of many men. All the worlde ioy of a vertuous prince: and it semeth that all the world ryseth ageinst a vicious prince. Uertue is a strong castel, and can neuer be wonne: it is a riuer where nedeth no rowing, a see that moueth not, a fire that quencheth not, a treasure that neuer hath ende, an army neuer ouercom, a burden that neuer werieth, a spye that euer retourneth, a sygne that neuer deceyueth, a playn waye that neuer fayleth: a sirope that healeth forthwith: and a renoume that neuer peryssheth. O my sonne if thou knewest what thinge it is to be good, and what a man thou shuldest be if thou were vertuous, thou woldest doo sevice to the goddis, good renoume to thy selfe, pleasure to thy frendes, and engendre loue of straungers, and finally all the worlde shulde fere and loue the.////

I remembre yhat in the boke of yeres, of the battaylle of Tarentyne, I founde that the renowmed Pyrrhus kynge of the Epyrothiens bare in a rynge grauen these wordes: To a vertuous man is but a smal rewarde to be lorde of all the erthe: and it is but a small chastisement to take a vicious mans lyfe fro him. truely it was a worthy sentence of suche a prince. What thinge is it, be it neuer so difficile, begonne by a vertuous man, but there is hope to haue a good ende therof. Sothly I haue sene in dyuers parties of myn empyre dyuers men very derke of good fame, very lowe in goodes, and unknowen of their kynne and bloud: undertake so great thynges, that to my semynge was a fearefull audacitie to begynne: And yet by the wynges of vertue all onely they haue had good renoume at the last. By the immortal goddis, and as god Jupiter bringe me into his mancion, and stablyshe the in all that is myne, There were ones a gardyner and a potter whiche dwelled in Rome, And they onely by their vertues were cause to putte out tenne vycious senatours of the senate: and the firste occasyon was for makynge a hedge of thorne, and a ptte whiche they wolde not paye them for the workemanshyp and labour I tell it the my sonne, bycause that vice maketh the bolde persone thoughtefull: and vertue causeth hym that is in thought to take strength and boldenes. I was well ware of two thinges in my lyfe: not to pleade ageinst the clerenes of iustice, nor to take part ageinst a vertuous person: For with vertue god susteyneth us, and with Justice the people are gouerned. Of other more perticular councelles gyuen by the emperour to his sonne. Cap. xlvi.k

Nowe to come to thinges more perticular. Seinge sonne that thou arte yonge, and that nature can not denye the: And as in all difficyle thinges ripe councell is necessarie, no lesse to comfort the state of our lyuing we desire some recteations. For thy youth I leue the with gret lordes children, with whom thou mayst passe the tyme. And to teche the I leue olde Romains that haur nourished the, and serued me, of whom thou shalte take councel. The inuention of interludes of theatres, to fyshe in pondes, to hunt wyld beastis, to course in the feldes, to hauke or birdes, and to exercyse dedes of armes, are the thynges that thy youthe desireth. And youth with youth ought to kepe companye in doinge the same: But beholde my son, that in ordering of armies, to applie the warres, to pursue victories, to accept truce, to confirme peace, to reyse tributis, to make lawes, to promote some, and dismisse other, to chastyse the yl, and recompence the good: for councel in all these thinges that be so chargeable, they that be of clere mynde, redy broken and trauayled of their bodies, and white hered ought to be taken. And sith thou art yonge and lusty of body, reioyce and sport with them that be yonge: and whan thou arte emperour, in thy secretes take councell of them that be old. Beware my sonne of ll extremities. For as yll maye the prince be under the colour of grauytie to be ruled by the auncient persons, as under colour of pastyme to kepe companye with yonge folkes. It is no generall rule that all yonge persons shall always be yonge an lyght, nor that all olde persons shulde be always wise. I am in suertie of one thinge, that if the yonge man be borne with foly, the olde man lyueth and dieth with couetise. Therfore my sonne beware, be not extreme in extremities. For the yong people wyll corrupt the with their lyghtnes, and olde folkes wylle

wyll depryue thy mynde with their couetousnes. What thing can be more monstruous than a prince that commandeth euery man, to be commaunded of one. Sothely the gouernynge of diuers can not be gouerned well by the opinion of one alone, than the prince that gouerneth many, ought to haue the intention and opinion of dyuers. In the annales of the Pompeyens, I founde a lyttell boke of remembrance, the which the great Pompeie bare alway with hym: wherin were diuers good councels and aduertisementis, the whiche were giuen in diuers partis of the worlde: amonge the whiche I founde these wordes: He that gouerneth the common welthe, and putteth the gouernance to them that are old, sheweth hym self unable: and he that trusteth in youth is lyghye: and he that gouerneth by him selfe alone, is hardy and bolde: and he that gouerneth by him selfe and other is wise. These were notable wordes. Than my sonne determyne the to take counsaylle, and specially in hyghe thynges and difficyle matters, and otherwyse lette theym not be determyned. For whan the counsaylle is of dyuers taken, than if any faute be, it shall be deuided amonge them al. Though the determination myght be done by a fewe, yet take councell of dyuers, Among all thy welthes, here the common councelle. For one wyll shewe the al the inconuenience, an nother the perylle, an other the domage, and another the proufytte, and an nother the remedye. And sette as well thyne eyes uppon the inconuenyentes that they laye, as upon the remedye that they offre. Whan thou begynnest any harde mattier, esteme as welle the smalle domages that maye befall afore, and stoppe them, as to remedy the great mysfortunes that come after. Of trouthe the stronge and myghtye shyppe ofte tymes for a smalle takynge hede of the pylotte, is sounken and drowned in a lyttelle water:

and an other shyppe not so stronge, with wise diligence is saued in the gulfe of the see. Be not annoyed to take councel in smal matters euery houre. For many thinges forthwith requireth to be loked to. and in abydinge for councel it endomageth. And that thou canste dispatche by thyne owne auctoritie without domage of the common welth, put it not to any other person. For sith thy seruice al only dependeth of thyn, the reward dependeth of the alone. In the yere .vi. Cxxx. of the foundation of Rome, after the cruell warres done ageinst the kinge of Numedie, the day that Marius triumphed, without puttyng of any of the riches that he brought, into the common treasure, he deuyded it to his men of warre. And whan he was therfore accused, and asked why he toke not firste the opinion of the senate: He aunswered and sayde: Sythe they take not the opinion of other to do me seruice, it were no reson that I shoulde take councell of other to rewarde anc recompence them. Son yet I wyll aduertise the of other thynges, Peraduenture som wyll gyue the counsell er thou demande it: and in that case kepe this generall rule: neuer abide the seconde councell of a man, if he haue giuen the counsell before in the preiudice of an other. For he offreth his wordes in thy seruice to bringe the besynes to his owne prouftye. O my sonne, there are many thynges to knowe a man. xv yere I haue ben senatour, consule, censure, capitayne, and tribune: and .xviii. yere I haue ben emperour of Rome, and diuers haue spoken to me in preiudice of other, and many mo for their owne profite, and none haue spoken clerely to me for the profite of other, nor for my seruice. Great compassion ought to be taken of princis: for euerye man foloweth them for their owne profitte, and none for loue and seruice. $ One councell i toke for my selfe all the whyle that

I haue gouerned in Rome: I neuer kepte manne in my hous after that I knewe hym hatefull agaynste the common welthe. In the yere of the foundation of Rome .vi. C. lix. of the Olympiade .C. lxvii. Lucullus Patricius, greate frende to Sylla, goynge to the warre of Metridates, It chanced that in Tygoano a citie of Caldiens, he found a plate of coper of brasse upon the kynges gatis, wherin were certayne letters, whiche they sayd were grauen there by the commandement of Alexander the great. The letters were in Caldee, conteynyng these sentences. That prince is not wyse, that wyll holde his lyfe in peryll: and wyll not assure his lyfe and state with the loue of al men: That prince is not vertuous, that in giuing moche to one person, willeth all other to haue but lyttell: That prince is not iuste, that wyll satisfie more the couetise of one persone, than to the vices of all men: That prince is a fole, that dispiseth the councell of all other, and all olely trusteth upon the opinion of one: And finally the prince is to bold and hardy that for the loue of one, wyl be hated of al other.. These were wordes of eternall memory. And in dede these princes shulde haue this always in theyr presence. Sonne yet I shal say more to the. This Lucullus Patricius brought into the Senate all the treasure that he hadde, and this plate with the sayde wordis theron, to thentent that they shoulde chuse the one and leaue the other. And the senate refused all the treasur, and toke the plate with the counselles written theron. Of dyuers and particular recommendations whiche the emperour commauned his sonne. Cap xlii.

I Have shewed lyke a father, the thynge that toucheth thy welth: Nowe I wyl shewe the what thou oughtest to do after my dethe for my seruice. Those thynges that I haue loued in my lyfe, if thou wilte be sonne to thy father, esteme them after my dethe. Firste my sonne I recommende to the, the worshyppynge of the temples, and the reuerence of the priestes, with the honour to the goddis. So longe shall the honour of the Romayns laste, as they perceuer in the seruice of the goddis. The realme of the Carthagenens perisshed not bicause they were not so riche or more cowardes than the Romayns: but bycause they loued their tresors to moche, and were but yll worshyppers and louers of the temples. My sonne I recommend to the Helia thy stepmother, and remembre that though she be not thyn owne mother, yet she is my wyfe: and on the peyne of my cursyng suffre not that she be yl intreted. For the domage that she shuld suffre by thy consent, shuld gyue evidence of the small thought that thou takest of my deth, which shulde be an iniury to thy life. I haue left to her the tributes and reuenues of Hostie, for to maynteine her degre: and the gardens of Uulcan, which I caused to make for her recreation. And if thou take it fro her, thou shewest thyn ylnesse. And to suffre her to enjoye it, I commaunde the by thyn obedience, and to shewe her thy bountie and largesse. Remembre she is a Romain, yong, and a widow, of the hous of my lorde Traian, and how she is thy mother adoptife, and my natural wyfe, wherfore I leue her under thy recommendation. Also I commyt to the thy bretherne in law: and sisters my doughters I leue them al maried, not with strange kinges, but with the natural inhabitantis and citesins of Rome. they dwell al within the walles of Rome, where as they may do the seruice, and thou mayst

do them good. Son intrete them in suche wise, that though their good father be dead, yet let them haue fauour. And though they se their brother emperour of Rome, yet let them not be defouled. Women be of a right tender condicion, they wyll complayne for a smalle cause, and for lesse they wylle rise up in pride. Thou oughtest to conserue them after my dethe as I haue done in my life. For othersise their conuersation shulde be fekyll to the people, and importunate to the. Also I commit to the Lipula thy sister, that is amonge the virgins Uestales, Thinke that she is doughter of thy mother Faustin, whiche I haue greatly loued in my life, and unto the houre of my deth I haue lamented hers. Euery yere I gaue to thy sister .ii. M. sexters for her necessities: she had ben as well maryed as the other, if she had not be brent in the visage: whiche was estemed of euery man an yl aduenture, and specially of her mother, that wept alway for her. But I esteme that ylle aduenture a good fortune. For if she had not ben brent in the face with fire, she had in the worlde as touching her renoume be brent with diuers tonges. Son I sere to the, that for the seruice of the goddis, and the fame of men, she is more surer with the virgins in the temple, than though she were in the senate with the senatours. I deme that at the ende of the iourney she shal finde her selfe better at ease closed and locked in, than thou with all thy libertie. In the prouince of Lucany, I haue lefte for her the .ii. M. sexters: I wyll not that thou take them fro her. Also I commytte Drusia the wydowe to the, whiche hath layd a gret proces ageinst the senate, bicause that by motions afore passed her husband was banished : I haue great compassion of her: for it is thre monethes sithe she put in her demaunde: and bycause of my great warres I coude not declare her iustyce. Sonne thou shalt fynde hit trewe, that in .xxxv. yere, that I haue gouerned Rome, there was neuer widowe that helde her processe before me passynge .viii. dayes. Take compassion of such. For womens necessities are righte peryllous: and at the laste yf their besines be longe in hande, they recouer not so moche of their goodes, as they lese in their renowne. Also haue compassyon of poore men, and the goddis shall rewarde the with great ryches. Also I commytte to the my auncient seruantes, to whom my longe yeres and cruel warres my often necessities, the displeasure of my body, and my longe syckenes hath ben ryghte paynfulle. For they as true seruantes to gyue me lyfe haue taken peyne unto the dethe. It is reason that syth I haue taken their deth, that they enherite parte of my lyfe. One thing I holde for certayne, In case that my bodye abyde in the sepulchre with wormes, yet I shall always before the goddis haue remembraunce of them In this doinge thou shalt do as a good childe, to satisfie them that haue served thy father. Take hede my son, euery prince doing Justice acquireth ennemies in the execution therof. And this is done by them that are mooste nere to hym. For the more priuie they are with the prince, the more hatefull they are to the people. And though euery man loueth Iustice in generall, yet they all hate the execution therof in particular. Whan a iuste prince is deade, the people take vengeace of the uniuste seruantis. Whan thou were a chylde, my seruantis noryshed the, to the entent that thou shuldest susteyne them in their age. Surely it were great shame to the empire, and offence to the goddis, an iniurei to me, and an ungentylnes of the, that thou haste founde them .xviii. yeres with their armes abrode to halfe the, that they shuld finde one day thy gates shet ageinst them. These thinges I commyt to the particularly, kepe them alway in memorie. And sithe that i remebre them at my deth, consyder how I loued them in my life.

Of the laste wordis that the emperour spake to his sonne, and of a table that he gaue hym. Ca. xlviii. Whan the emperour had ended his sayde recommendations [sic], the day began to springe, and his eie stringes began to breke, and his tonge faultred, and his handes shoke. Than the sayd happy emperour, felynge that weakenes began sore to drawe about his herte he commanded Panutius to go into his stufdy, and to bring to him a coffre that was there. And whan it was broughte to his presence, he opened hit, and toke oute a table of thre fote broode, and two fote longe, it was of wood Lybanus, and rounde about garnyshed with unicorne. It was closed with two leaues subtilly wrought of a reed wood, that some sayd was of the tree that the Phenyx bredeth in: and is called Rasyn. And as there is but one byrde Phenic bredinge in Arabye: so lykewise there is no moo trees in the worlde of the same kynde. On one of the outwarde parties of the table was pyctured and grauen the god Jupyter, on the other the goddesse Uenus: In the inward parties of the table that shette, was pictured god Mars and the goddesse Ceres: In the principall of the sayd table was pictured a Bulle subtylly wroughte to the quicke, and under that a kynge was pyctured. The whiche payntures were sayd to be of the handy warke of the expert Appelles an ancient worke man in payntinge. Than the emperour toke the table in his hande, and with great peyne, he sayd: Thou seest my sonne Commodus, howe I am all redy scaped fro the trappes of fortune, and am enterynge into the heuye aduentures of dethe. I wote not why the goddis haue created us, sith there is so great annoyance in our lyfe, and so great perylle at our deathe. I underatande not why the goddis

haue and vse so great crueltie to the creatures. Lxii. yere I haue sayled with great trauayle through the great perilles of this lyfe: and at this houre I am commaunded to take lande and discharge me of my flesshe, and to take erthe in the sepulchre. Nowe untyeth the lyuely thredes, nowe undothe the spyndell, nowe ryueth the webbe, nowe endeth my lyfe. Nowe am I awaked frome the slepynge euyll: Rembryng howe I haue passed my lyfe, I haue no more desire to lyue. And in that I knowe not whiche way to go, I refuse dethe. What shall I do? I am determyned to put me into the handis of the goddis wyllynglye, sythe I must do so of necessite. Whome I require, if they haue created me for any goodnes, not to depriue me fro them for my demerites. I am nowe in the laste gate: and to this houre I haue kepte the greattest and most excellent iewell that I coude fynde in all my lyfe. In the.x. yere of myn empire there arose a warre agaynst the Parthes: wherfore I determyned in myne wone persone to gyue them batayle. After that warre I came by the auncient citie of Thebes for to se some antiquitie: among the whice in a priestes house I found this table, the whiche as a kynge was reysed in Egypte, incontynent it was euer hanged at his beddis heed, and this priest shewed me, that it was made by a kyng in Egipte named Ptholomee Arsacides, that was a vertuous prince. And in the memorie of hym, example of other, the priestis kept it diligently. And sonne I haue kepte it alway with me: and I beseche the goddis, that suche may be thy werkes, as therin thou mayste fynde good councell. As emperour I leue the heyre of manye countreyes and realmes: and as thy father I do gyue unto the this table of counsaylles. Let this be the laste worde, that with the Empyre thou shalte be feared, and by this table thou shalte be beloued.

This sayde, and the table delyuired to his sonne, the emperour tourned his eyen and within a quarter of an houre he yelded the spirite. Nowe to retourne to the sayde table and writyng. There was written betwene the bulle and the kynge a scrowe in Greke letters. In maner of heroicall verses, conteynynge in our vulgar tongue this: I never chose ryche tyrant, nor abhorred the poore juste man: I never denied iustice to a poore manne for his pouertie, nor pardoned a ryche man for his greate goodes and rychesse: I neuer dydde, good dedes, nor neuer gaue hyre for affection, nor gaue correction onely for the peyne. I never lefte ylnesse unchastysed, nor goodnesse without rewarde. I never commytted an nother to do iustyce that was clere, nor darke iustyce I never determyned by my selfe alone.I never dydde never denye iustyce to theym that demaunded it, nor mercye unto hym that deserued it: I neuer dyd correction for angre, nor promysed any rewarde in my myrthe: I was neuer charged with thoughtes in my prosperitie, nor dispayred in myn aduersitie: I neuer committed yll by malyce, nor any villanye for auaryce: I neuer opened my gates to flatterars nor dissemblers, nor lystned myne eares to turmurers: I haue laboured always to be loued of theym that be good, and to be dredde and fered of them that be ylle: And fynally I haue fauoured the poore, that myghte do but lyttell, and haue ben fauoured of the goddis that may do moche. Hytherto is shewed brefely the worthye and laudable lyfe of the emperour Marcus Aurelius, and of his deathe. And here after ensueth the seconde parte of this boke.

A letter sent by Marcus Aurelius to Pyramon his speciall frende. Capitu. xlix. The firste letter. Marke oratour Romain, borne at mounte frende, desirynge salutation to thy person, and strength and vertue ageinst thy sinister fortune. In the thirde kalendes of Januarie I receyued thy letter, wher by I perceyue thou hast receyued one of myn, I set smal store by thy wordes, but I esteme greatly what thou meanest by them. So that without declaryng therof, I haue gadred the sentence. Reason wold bycause I haue writen so often to the, that thou shuldest the better understande me: but hou arte so slouthfull, that though I call the, thou wylte not here: nor though I stryke the thou wylte not feele. Nowe unto comme to the pourpose, thou knowest welle Piramon howe nere we be in parentage, aunciente in frendeshyppe, stedfaste in loue, and tender of hartis: and whan so euer thou puttest in experience, that one true frende shulde proue an other. Thou remembrest wel, whan we were at Rodes, that we dwelled to gyther in one house, and dyd eate at one table, and all that thou thoughtest I dyd it in effecte: and that I sayd, thou neuer gaynsaydest. Certaynly thou were in my hart, and I in thyn entrayles: I was thyn, and thou were myne. we beinge to gither, hit semed to all other, that we were but one, and of one wyll. what is it my frende piramon, thou wrytest, how thou arte heuy, and yet thou doest not shewe the couse why: thou complaynest y thou art almost deed, and thou shewest me not who taketh thy life fro the. if thou wylt not shewe to me thyn yll destenies, sith thou

arte my frende, i wyll thou knowe, that i demaunde it of right, if thou wylte not, i wyl that thou know, that y pitiefull goddis haue determyned, that all pleasures and profyte shall departe fro my house: and that all heuynes and domages shall be regystred in my persone. sythe i am prince of all honour, beinge in tribulation, yf thou woldest, thou canste not scape out of my seignourie. for if thou complayne, that thou arte vnhappy in fortune, tha i esteme my selfe to be happy in vnhappynesse. i demade one thynge of the. whan haste thou sene me haue suffici- ent, and thou nede? whan haste thou sene me slepe, and thou wake? and whan hast thou trauayled and i rested? of trouth sith the goodes and persones are theyr owne propre, the trauayles and yl aduentures are always com- mon. one thynge thou oughtest to knowe, if in myne a- mitie thou wylte perceuer, that all my goodes are thyne, and all thyn euylles are myn, syth thou arte borne to lyue easyly, and to e gentilly ordred and entreated, and i do lyue for to trauayle. i saye not this faynyngely: for thou haste hadde experience of me, that whan jamaria the sy- ster dyed, that was no lesse vertuous than fayre, thou sa- west wel whan she was buried deed, i was buried quick: and at the sowne of my teares thyn eies daunced. sithe thou holdest suche suretie of my person, surely thou maist discouer to me thy peyne. yet as often as i haue deman- ded it, there hath not fayned reasons fayled in the. i re- quire the, and desyre the agayne, and in the name of the goddis i pray the, and in their names i coniure the, that thou dispose all thy sorowes into myn entrayles. for the waye that thou goest i wyll not leaue one pace to go fro the same: if thou go, i wyll go, if thou rest, i wyl reste: yf thou worke, i wyll worke: if thou leaue of, i wyll do the same: if thou wylt dye, thou knowest well, i wyl not

lyue. Regarde frende what thou wylt do. For thyn euyls and myn, tourment bothe one harte. If thou haue displesure, all thynges displease me: if thou wepe, I sweare fro hensforthe neuer to laughe: if thou discharge the of thy peyne, fro hens forth, I shall take it for myne: if thou go alone, I wyll forsake company, and forthwith lyue solytarily. What wylte thou that I shulde desire? For al that euer thou wylte I wyll. Thou complaynest, that in al thy trauayles thou canst fynde no parent to remedye the, nor frende to councell the. I swere to the my frende Pyramon, that of these two thynges I haue as moche pouertie in my hous as thou haste sorowe in thyn. I knowe well the remedy shulde come by ryches, and by counsell, and consolation of theym that be wise. And by reason of my heuy destenies, slouth hath taken fro me the knowlege of wisdom: and fortune wyll not permytte me to haue great rychesse. Certaynely I wepe for thy myserie, and yet there is but smalle remedye in me. Thou sayest in thy letter, that thy neighbours and frendes in promisyng, haue behight the many thinges: but in gyuyng they do nothynge. Hereof I meruaylle: For the vertuous hande is not bounde to make the tonge a fole. Truly though our fete daunce, our handes shulde werke at the sowne of the tongue: our lyfe endeth in fewe days, and our renoume in fewer. Promys is an auncient custome among the sonnes of vanitie, and of custome the tonge speketh hastily, and the handes worke at leysure. Nowe let vs speke more particularly. Thou oughtest not to complayne, in that thou fyndest not but in a fewe, that dyuers haue founde in the alone. Custome is to receyue forthewith and merily, and to giue slowely with ylle wylle and repentaunce. They that be presumptuous do the one, and thy whiche be slouthfull doo the other. The Grekes saye: that he that promyseth

and is longe in fulfyllynge, is but a slacke frende. We Romayns say, that he is moch better that denieth forthwith, bycause he wyll not begyle him that asketh. In this case I say: He that may gyue and gyueth not, is a clere ennemie: and he that promiseth forthwith, and is longe or he do it, is but a suspecious frende. What nede wordes to our frendes, whan we may succour them with workes? Is it not right, to whom we giue our hartis, the which is the best thing within vs, that we giue him our tonge that is the worst thynge of all our vices? In good sothe the goddis wylle not suffre in the place of amitie, to desire any thyng of our frende in haste, that he dryue it of with longe delayinge. Plato in his lawes sayth: We commande, that in our gouernyng that politicke counsayle be gyuen to them, that be in prosperitie, to thentent that they decay not: and to succour them that be in heuynes and trouble, to thentent that they dispaire not. Certaynly vnder these wordes are comprised dyuers great sentences. Thou knowest wel my frend Piramon, that swete wordes comfort the hart but litel that is in tribulation, but if there be somme good workes therwith. I wyl not denie, but that they to whom we haue giuen oure good wylles in the tyme of our prosperytie, be bounde to gyue vs of their goodes, and to shewe vs fauour in our aduersite. I demande one thinge of the: Wherfore holdest thou it a presumptuous lycence to demande? And reprouest on the other part the libertie of denieng. Truly as there is shame in the demandinge, there is obligation in some thing to deny: an importunate man is not worthy to haue mercy. Thou maiste knowe, if thou know it not my frende Piramon, that to attain to euery thing that is demanded, belongeth only to the goddis. To giue euery thing that is demanded is no signe of any seruant. And to deny any thing is of liberte. To wepe for that is denied is the condition of tirantis:

And to conne no thanke for that is gyuen, is the condition of the Barbariens: and to haue euer a stedfaste hope of that is denyed, is the guyse of the Romaynes. One of these thinges, wherin Gayus Cesar shewed him selfe to be of hygh courage was, that he had moste greattest ioye whan the senate refused any thynge desired by hym. Oftentymes he sayde: There is nothynge wherin Rome giuethe me more glorye and renowme to my persone, than whan I shewe my selfe moste hasty to demaunde, and they moste styffe to denye me: to thentent that after they shuld knowe what is my power to abyde, and howe lyttel theyr strength is to resist. Me thinke it is better to haue recourse to the goddis with vertues, than to displease them with quarelles. And to gyue contentation to thy reposed wyll, whan thou seest thy selfe in tribulation, and that thou demaundest of the goddis and of men to be frustrate, thou oughtest to measure it with a right measure, and to peyse it in a right balaunce, the greate quantitie that hath bene giuen to the, and the lyttell quantitie that hath be graunted the. O howe vncourteyse be we to the goddis, and of smalle remembraunce to men, whan we mynishe with forgetfulnes, that we haue receyed of them: and that lytel that hath ben refused vs, we augment it with complayntes. Frende Pyramon, I am begyled if thou be not fyfty yeres of age, and all that season thou haste done nothyng but receyued gyftes: and yet for all that I haue nat sene the do one day of seruice. Certaynly it is no reson to complayne of .viii. dayes of yll fortune, beinge fiftie yeres of age. Thou sayst in thy letter, howe thou haste moch peyn, bycause thou knowest all thy neighbours to be enuious. By good soth I haue peyne for thy peyne, and of thy meruaylyng I haue great meruayle. For al admiration procedeth but by surmountynge of ignorance, and faulte of

experience. Doth the quicke vnderstandyng of men rule the lyfe of them that be mortal, that they nede not to thinke of the trauayle to come, hauyng in their handes hasty remedy? If they be hungrye, they may eate, whan they are colde, they may warme theym: if they be slepy, they may slepe: whan they be wery, they may rest: Whan they are sycke, they may be healed: whan they are heuy, they maye reioyce, in suche maner, that the thoughtfull lyfe passeth, some to make tyltes and lystes, some to make armure and scaffoldes, some to inuent newe gynnes, and some to repayre bulwarkes. I say the world and the fleshe do nought els but fyghte ageinste vs, and we haue nede at all times to defende vs fro them. All these remedies are against the trauayle of the fleshe. But what shall we do, that the cursednes of enuy extende not amonge all these? Cursed is that welthe, that euery man enuieth. Certainly ageynste enuy no fortresse can defend, nor caue to hide, nor hye hill to mount on, nor thycke wodde to shadowe in, nor shyppe to scape in, nor hors to beare away, nor money to redeme vs. Enuy is so venymous a serpent, that there was neuer mortall man amonge mortalles, that coude scape fro the bytynge of her tothe, and scratchynge of her nayles, foylynge of her fete, and poysonynge of her poyson. I swere to the my frend Pyramon, that such as fortune lyfteth vp with great ryches, she full of crueltie gyueth theym profounde bytynges. Enuie is so enuious, that to them, that of her are mooste denied, and sette fardest of, she gyueth moste cruell strokes with her fete. This vnhappye enuye prepaireth poyson secretely for them that be in rest amonge dyuers pleasures. I haue redde dyuers bokes of Hebrewe, Greke, Latyn, and Caldee: And also I haue spoken with many very wise men, to se if there might be founde any remedy ageinst

an enuious man. I confesse the trouth: Rede all that can be redde, and imagine all that can be, demaunde all that can be demaunded, and ye shall fynde none other cure ageinst this cursed enuie, but to banyshe vs fro all prosperitie, and to syt with aduerse fortune. O howe vnhappy are they that be in prosperitie: for iustly they that be sette vp in hygh estates, can not flee fro the perylle of Scilla without fallynge into Charibdis. They can not scape the peryl, without castyng their treasours into the see. I saye that the malady of enuie wyll not suffre them to scape fro dethe: and the medicine that is applied to them, wyl not assure their lyfe. I can not determyne me, whiche is the beste, (or to say more properly the worste) extreme myserie without the danger of fortune, or extreme prosperite, that is alwayes thretned to falle. In this case to be so extreme I wyl not determin me, sith in the one is a perillous lyfe, and in the other renoume is sure. I shall tell the, what wise Cicero sayde, whan he was pursued with many at Rome: Beholde ye Romaynes, I holde you not for so good, nor my selfe so ylle to saye the trouthe always, nor always to make lyes. I am certain, that ye bere me none enuie, for that I am not as ye be, but it is bicause ye can not be as I am: In this case I had rather that myn ennemies had enuy at my prosperitie, than my frendes at my pouertie. This oratour spake after the appetite of them that be in prosperitie, leuynge to gyue remedy to them that be sorowful. And after this Cicero had sene the feldes of Farsalye, he toke other councell and remedy, suche as pleased hym in Rome. For if Cesar had granted him his goodis, yet that turned not his credence and renoume. Surely frend Pyramon I wote no remedy to gyue the ageinst enuy, sith thou seest al the world ful therof. we se how we be the sons

of enuie, and we liue with enuie, and die with enuy: and he that leueth most riches, leueth the gretest enuie. The auncient wise men counceled rich men, that they shuld not haue pore folkes nere them: and they admonished the poore, that they shulde not dwell nere to the ryche. And trewely it is good reason. For richesse of ryche men is the sede of enuie to the poore. And that for the poore lacketh, and the riche hath to moche, causeth discord amonge the people. I swere by the goddis immortal frend Piramon, though they that be yll wold that I shulde swere falsely, as moch as riches without thought norisheth couetise, so moch the enuious norisheth enuy therby. I counsaile the one thing, and that is, that it is no good counsell to flee enuie, and to auoide the vertu contrarie to the same. Homer saithe, that in his tyme there were two Grekes extreme in all extremities: The one was extreme in riches, and therfore he was persecuted by enuie, and that was Achilles: and the other was sore noted of malice, but no man had enuie at him, and that was Thiestes. Certainly I had leuer be Achilles with his enuy, than Thiestes with out it. Thou knowest well, that we Romaynes serche not but for reste in our lyfe, and for honour after dethe. And sithe it is so, it is not possible but the man that euery man enuieth his renoume ought to be exalted in the rest of his lyfe. And sithe I see these two thynges in the, suche as be thy frendes taketh lytell thought, for that thyn ennemies murmure agaynst the. Thou wrytest to me, howe they of Lyons do well, and are merye, excepte thy selfe, that arte heuy, and full of pensyuenes. And sith they shewe not to haue pleasure at thy displeasure, shewe not thy selfe displeased with their pleasure. For it may chaunce one daye they shall be sorowfulle, whan thou arte merye: Thanne thou shalte be quite with theym. In an ylle persone there can be no greter euyll, nor in a good man a greater faute,

than to be displeased with an nother mans welthe, and to take pleasure at an other mans harme. And in case that all do vs domage with enuie, yet moche more a frend than the enmie. For of myn enmie I wyl be ware, and for fere he wyll withdrawe: but a frende with his amitie may begyle me, and I by my fidelitie shal not perceyue. Among all mortall ennemies ther is none wors than a frend that is enuious of my felicitie. Pyramon my frende, I wylle conclude, if thou wylt withdrawe thy selfe fro ennemies, than kepe company with thyn owne familiar frendes. I wote not what to write more to the, but with all my harte I lamente thy heuynesse. Thou knowest howe thy niece Brusia was slayn with a dagger by her owne husbande, I had great compassion for her deth, and for the renoume that she lefte behynde her. Flauius Priscus thyn vncle is newly made Censure. The processe betwene thy brother Fornion and Britio is determyned by the senate: and hit pleaseth me righte welle, that they be frendes, and euerye man well content. The boke intytuled the consolation of heuynes I haue ended, and layd it in the Capitol. I haue writen it in Greke, and that is the cause that I sent it not to the. But I do sende the a ryche swerde, and a fayre girdell. Faustyne my wyfe dothe salute the, and sendeth thy wyfe two sclaues. The goddis be my kepers, and comfort the in thy present heuynesse. Marke the man fortunate, to Pyramon sore discomforted. A letter sent by Marcus the emperour to Cornelius of the trauayle of warre, and vanitie of triumph. The seconde letter.

Marke emperour of Rome to the Cornelius my faythefull frende, salute to thy persone, and good fortune to thy desyred lyfe. As thou in tymes passed haste ben perteyner of my traueyles, I haue sente to calle the to gyue the pleasure of my triumphes. By the haboundance of rychesse, diuersitie of captiues, fiersnes of capitayns that we haue brought to Rome thou mayst perceyue what perils we haue suffred in this warre. The Parthes ar good men of ware: and as euery man findeth in their owne lond defendeth their houses with stronge hert: and surely they do lyke good men. For without reason we dye of affection to take other mens goodes: and they with reson do labor to defende that is their owne. Lette no man take enuie at the Romayn capitayn, for any triumph that is giuen him by his mother Rome: For for one daye of honour, he is a M. dayes in dispaire of his lyfe. I wyll not speake that I myght say of them that be in warre, and dwel in Rome ben cruel iuges of their owne fame. And sith that the propre renoume of a man lyeth in other folkes tongues, it is not sayde bycause his persone hath meryted, but bycause that they do shewe their enuie. But our foolyshenes is so folyshe, and the reputation of men so vayne, that for one vayne worde, more than for our profytte, we put our lyfe in daunger, and lay our honour to guage [sic] with trauayle, rather than to lyue, and to assure our renoume with reste. I sweare by the goddis immortall, that the day of my triumph being in the chariot, I was as pensiue as I myght be. O Rome cursed be thy foly, and wo be to hym that hathe brought vp in the so moche pryde. And cursed be he that hath inuented so greatte pompe in the. What greatter or more vnegall lyghtnes can be, than that a Romayne capitayne,

bicause he hath conquered realmes, altered peasibles, distroyed cities, caste downe fortresses, robbed the poore, enryched tirantes, shedde moche bloode, and made infinite wydowes, shulde for recompence of all these domages be receyued with great triumph? where hast thou sene a greatter foly? Infinite nombre is distroyed in warre, and one alone shal bere away the glorie therof. And though such miserable conquerours merited not to be buried, yet went I through the stretes of Rome. By the immortalle goddis (as a secrete betwene the and me, that whan the chariotte triumphalle came, and the vnhappy prisoners charged with irons: and I remembringe the infinite tresures yll gotten, and heryng lamentations of the widowes sorowfully wepinge for the dethe of their husbandes, and the remembrance of our manyfolde frendes deed. [sic] though I reioyced me openly, I wepte droppes of blood secretely. I can not tell what persone taketh pleasure in hym self of an other mans domage. In this case I praise not the Assiriens, nor I enuy not the Persians, nor am content with the Lacedemoniens, nor approue the Caldeens, nor content me with the Grekes: I curse the Troyans, and condempne them of Carthage, bycause they folowed not the zeale of Iustice, but what they dyd in their tyme was with rage of pryde, wherby they and their realmes were broughte into sclaunder, and was occasion to lese vs. O cursed Rome, cursed thou hast ben, and cursed thou shalt be. For if the fatal destenies deceyue me not, and myn vnderstondynge fayle me not, and that fortune holde not faste, we shall se in tyme to come, Rome shall be in lyke case as other realmes be nowe in our dayes. And where as nowe with tyranny thou arte lady ouer all seignouries, it shall comme by Iustice, that thou shalte tourne to be bounde to theym that are nowe vnder thy bondage. O ylle fortunate

Rome: I say it bycause that vertue is so dere in the, and makest folye soo greatte cheape. Peraduenture thou arte more autentike than Babylon, fayrer than Hely, rycher than Carthage, stronger than Troy, better peopled thanne Thebes, more stored with shyppes than Corinth, more delicious than Thyre, more inexpugnable than Aquilie, more happy than Numance: we see howe they all are peryshed, for all their vertues and valyant defenders, and thou hopest to abyde perpetually stored with them that be vicious, and peopled with suche as be fulle of vyce. O Rome marke this for certayne, that the glorie that thou haste at this houre was first theirs: and that distruction that nowe is theirs, hereafter shal be thyn. My dere frende Cornelius, shall I shewe the, the losse of the Romayne people, but I can not tell it the without wepynge? I the emperour of Rome commaunde, I make decrees for the warre (if any countreye aryse) by sownynge of a trompette to make menne to reyse theyr baners, and to create newe Capytaynes: And hit is a thynge very euydent to see, that whan they reyse their standerdes, and haue leue to make and assaylle ennemyes, chyldern leaue their mothers, Studentes leaue theyr scholes, seruauntes forsake theyr maysters, and ofycers their offyces, to the entente that vnder the colour and crafte of goinge to warre they shoulde not by [sic] chastysed by Iustyce: They haue no feare of the goddis, nor reuerence to the Temples, nor obedience to theyr fathers, nor loue nor awe of the people, and loue to lyue ydelly, and hate iuste labour, and theyr exercyses are domageable: Somme do robbe the churches, somme make quarelles and stryues, and somme breake gates open and beare the goodes awaye, sometyme they take theym that be at lybertie, and delyuer theym that shulde be prysoners: They passe the nyghtes in playes,

and the days in blasphemes: Finally they ar vnfete to do wel: and are holly disposed to do yl. What shal I say of their negligence? I am ashamed to write it. They leaue their owne wyues and take other mens, They dyshonour the daughters of honeste men, and begyle yonge maydens, They enforce their hostesses, and neyghbours wyues: and worste of all, the women that do go with theym, sette them agog that doo tarye. And so in this maner none of these women that so go scapeth without losse of honour, and the other ar striken with vices in their hartis bicause they tarie. Thinke surely Cornelius, that the entreprises are smalle, where as women doo go to warre. Thou knowest, that the women Amazones haue made greter warre in Grece, than the cruelle ennemies, and not for bycause they had not men ynowe, but bycause they were so many women. Pyrrhus was ouercome by Alexander, The valyant capitayne Hanyball was lorde of Italy, as long as he suffred no women to come in his warres. And whan he was enamoured of a faire yonge damoysell of Capue, he was fayne forthwith to turne his backe to Rome, bycause Rome clensed the feld fro lecherie. For the same cause Numancie was caste to the erthe. And I my selfe haue sene in the warre of the Parthes .xvii. M. horsemen .lxxx. M. fote men, and .xxxv. M. women. And our besynes wente so, that fro our hoste I sent awaye Faustine my wyfe, and so dyd other senatours their wyues home to their houses, to he [sic] entent that they shulde serue them that were olde, and brynge vp their chylderne. The daye that a Patrician is approued by the Senate, and ledde aboute Rome by the Consules, the egle is hanged at his brest, and his rayment is reade, and he after ryseth in suche pride, that he remem breth not the pouertie of the tyme passed, but thynkethe to be emperour of Rome forthwith. Beholde than what

they do. They writh their berdes, and ruffle their heres, boystous their wordis, they change their clothes, and roll their eyen that they may seeme the fiercer. And finallye they loue to be feared, and hate to be loued. And wottest thou not that they wyll be feared? On a day beinge at Pentapolyn, a captiayne of myn, not seing me, yet I hard him sweare and blaspheme, sayinge to a women his hostesse: ye villaynous people wylle not knowe the capitaynes of warre: I wyll thou knowest mother that the erthe neuer trembleth, but whan it is thret of a capitayne Romayne: and god neuer causeth the son to shyne but their as we be obeyed. But nowe frende Cornelius sith I haue blasoned his vaunt, harken his vertue and worthynes. I swere to the, that the sayde capitayne for all his boste, beinge in a cruel batayle, was the first alone, that fled fro the batayl, and lefte the standerde, wherin he dydde inough to cause me lose the feld. But whan it was done, I caused to strike of his heed. It is an infallyble rule, that they that shewe them selfe most fiercest, in effecte are most cowardes. In dyuers bookes I haue redde, and of dyuers I haue herde, and in many I haue seene, that hit canne not fayle in a man sufferynge and pacient, to haue vertue and force: And it is meruayle that he is stronge and valyant that can not suffre. What shall I saye more of these greues and domages, that these men of warre do in passing through realmes, and of theftes and robberies that they doo in the houses, where as they lodge? I ensure the, the worme in tymbre, nor the mothes in the clothes, nor the sparcle in the towe, nor the darnell amonge the corne, nor the wesell amonge the grayn, nor the caterpyllers in fruit trees, dothe so moche domage, as one companye of men of warre dothe amonge the poore people. They leaue no cattayle vnslayne, no gardeyne vnrobbed, no wyld beest

chased, nor no mayde vndefloured: and yet that wors is, they eate without payment, and they wyl not serue without payment: nor no man can conuerse and endure among them. Whan they ar payed, by and by they play it away: if they be not payed, they robbe and grudge. And the case is come to so great corruption, that if thou sawest it, thou woldest saye, that eche of them were the heed of rumour, and the begynninge of stryfe, poyson to vertues, Pyrate of rouers, and capitaynes of all wretched theues. I saye not this without wepynge. It is the greattest mockynge of all mockeries: and the case goth to suche losse and pardition, that these myscheuous people are our homely and familiar enmies, and yet there is no emperour that can haue lordshyp ouer them, nor Iustyce chastise theym, nor fear withdrawe them, nor lw subdue them, nor shame refreyn them, nor dethe that can kyll them: for they be men remedylesse: They ouer renne, and eate, and dispoyle euerye man. O howe sorowfulle I am for the Rome, that was not wont to haue in the suche ylle aduentures. Certainly in the auncient tyme, whan thou were peopled with right and trewe Romayns, and not as thou arte nowe with bastardes childerne, than the armies, that went fro Rome, were as well disciplyned and morigerate, as the scholes of the philosophies, that were in Grece. The olde auncyent histories wytnesse, that kinge Philyp of Macedonye, and his sonne Alexander, were happy in warre, bycause they kepte their armies so well ordered, that it semed better, to be a senate that ruled, than an armie that wold fight I swere to the by myn honestie, that fro the tyme of Quintus Cincinatus, vnto the noble Marcus Marcellus, in the whiche tyme was the greattest prosperitie of Rome the common people hadde greatte glorie as longe as disciplyne of knyghtehode was well corrected: and we beganne

to lose, whan our capitaynes beganne to deserue to be depraued and condempned. O cursed be thou Asye, and cursed be the day, that we had conqueste of the. The goodnesse that hath folowed therby we see it at our eye: and the domage that is come by the shall alwayes be sorowed. In the we haue wasted our treasures, and thou hast filled vs with thy vices: In chaunge of stronge and vertuous men, thou hast sent thy wantons to vs: We haue ouercome thy cites, and thou triumphest of our vertues: we haue beaten downe thy fortresses, and tho haste dystroyed our good customes: by force thou art becom ours, and with our good wylles we are nowe thyne: Uniustely we are lordes of thy realmes, and we are iuste subiectis to thy vyces: Fynally Asye thou shalte be the sepulchre of Rome, and thou Rome shalte be the syncke and gutter of the fylthynes of Asye. Certaynly Rome ought to haue bene content with the landes of Italye, whiche is he nauyll of the worlde, without conqueringe the landis of Asie, to bereue them from other. I lyke wel all thingis that I haue redde of my predecessours, sauinge that they were prowde, as we their successours be to hardye. And I sweare vnto the, that yet peraduenture after the peyn, we shall becomme vertuous and good. All the rychesse and tryumphes, that our forefathers haue broughte out of Asye, the goodes and the rychesse, and they also with the tyme at laste hadde an ende: but the wantonnes and vices that are in vs their chylderne, dothe remayne styll vnto this daye. I wolde to god that the Pryncis knewe what an outragious thynge hit is to inuente warres in straunge landes and countreyes, and wht trauayle they serche in theyr persons, and what thoughtes in their mindes, and what murmure and mocyon in their subiectis, what ende and wasting of their riches and their tresures,

what pouertie to their frendes, whith pleasure to their ennemies, what domage to their natyue countreys, and what poyson they leaue to their owne enheritours? I sweare to the, that if I had knowen that I do knowe, I wyll not say but by bloudde shedde they be taken, if they had offered them selfe with good wyll and shedynge of teares, I wolde not haue taken hem. The trouth is, that our capitaynes neuer slew .xx. M. men of Asie, with theyr armure that they bare out of Italye, but they loste mo than a .C. M. Romayns with the vices that they brought to Rome: As eatynge openly in the palayes Ausonios, suppynge in their houses secretely, the women to clothe them as men, and the men paynted as women, The patritiens bearyng Measques, The Plebeyens vsynge smelles, and the emperours to weare purple. These .vii. vyces of Asie, Asie sent for a present to Rome. Seuen noble capitayns brought them, I leaue to shewe their names, leest I shulde shame them with their faultes, sythe they were so noble men by their high dedes. Nowe ye princis beholde what profytte it is to take straunge realmes with your warres: I leue the vices that they recouer, and the vertues that they lese, with the pardicion of their tresure that they loue. For certayn there is neyther kyng nor realme brought to extreme pouertie, but by warrynge a straunge realme with finall extreme conueste. I demaunde of the myn owne frende Cornelius: What causeth princis to lese their treasure, and require them of other? Whan their owne can not suffyse, than they take fro churches, serche dyuers loones, reyse tributes, and inuent newe subsydies, gyue and spende on straungers, and make him selfe hated of his owne, pray euery man, and haue nede of euery man: aduenture his persone, and aduenture his renoume? If thou knowest not this, I wyll tell the, if thou wylt here me. These princis

councell with men, they lyue with me , and finaly at the laste they are men. At one tyme by pride that surmounteth them, an other tyme by counseyll that fayleth them, some imagininge by their fantasies, some sayinge, that yf he haue great goodes, he ought to encrease his fame, and that no memorie shuld be of him, if he inuented no warre, and that the emperour of Rome by right is lorde of al the erthe. And in this maner as his fortunes is base, and his thoughtes high, the goddis suffreth that whan they thinke iustly to wynne an other mannes iustely, iustely they lose their owne. O princis, I can not tell what begyleth you, for where as ye may be ryche with plesure, ye wyl be pore with warre: where as ye may be beloued, ye wil be hated: where as ye may play and sporte your selfe, and reste in a sure lyfe, ye wyll commytte your selfe to the chaunces of fortune: and where as other haue necessitie of you, ye put your selfe to be in the necessitie of other. And though the prince make no warre, he shoulde not suffre his people to warre: Euery man ought to leaue the warre. Frend Cornelius, I demaunde of the, whether is more trauayle to his persone, or domage to his realme, a kynges ennemies or els his owne armie? His ennemyes robbeth on the costes, but our men robbe all the londe: The enmyes maye be resysted, but we dare not speake to our owne men: The ennemies enuade vs on one day, and recule backe agein, but our garisons robbe daily and abydeth styll. The strangers haue some feare, but ours are shameles: and at the laste the farther our ennemies goo, the more they waxe lyberall, and our armies of men euery day encreaseth in crueltie, in suche wise, that they offende the goddis, and be importunate to their princes, and noyfull to the people, lyuynge to the domage of euery man, and be vnprofytable to all meu [sic]. By the god Mars I swere to the, and as I maye be holpen in the warres, that i gouerne with my hande, i haue mo complayntis daily fro the senat on the capitaynes that ben in illyrike, than on all the ennemies of the romayne people: i haue more feare in mayntey- nynge one standarde of a hundred men, than to giue bat- tayle to l. m. ennemies. for the goddis and fortune dis- patcheth a batayle in an houre, be it good or bad, but with these other i can do nothynge in al my lyfe. thus it hath ben my frende cornelius, and thus it is, and thus it shall be. thus i founde it, thus i holde it, and thus i shall leaue it: our fathers dyd inuent it, and we susteyne hit, that be their chyldren, 7 for yll it shal abyde to our heires. i saye to the one thynge, and i thinke i am not deceyued therin: to endure the great domage and no prouffite of these people, i thinke it is a gret foly in man, or els a gret punishement of the goddes. be the goddis so iuste in all iustice, and so true in all veritie, that they wyll suffre vs without reason to do yll in straunge landes, to whom we dyd neuer good, and in our owne houses to haue shrewde tournes of them, that we haue alway done good? these thiges frende cornelius i haue write to the, not bicause i thinke it nedeful that thou shuldest know it: in my spirit resteth in shewyng of it. panutius my secretarie went to visite this lande, and on the way i gaue hym this letter: i do sende to the horses, i thinke they be good. the armure and jewels that i wone on the parthes, i haue departed them. howe be it i sende the a charoit of them. my wyfe faustyne saluteth the, and sendeth to thy wyfe a riche glasse, 7 an ouche of precious stones to thy dough- ter: i beseche the goddis to gyue the good lyfe, and me a good dethe. marcus thy louer writeth to the cornelius his frende. to torcatus beinge at gayette in conso- lation of his banyshement. the iii. letter. marke of mount celio, companyon of the em- pire, to the torcate beinge at gayette, patri- cien romayne, salute to thy person, and ver- tue and force ageinst aduerse fortune. it is a thre monethes syth i receyued thy letter, the whiche myn eies mygh not make an end to rede, nor my handes to answere. i am so heuy for thy heuynes, so peyn full for thy peyn, and so hurt with thy wound, that where as thou wepest with thyn eies outwardly, i wepe with my hart inwardly. i wote what difference is betwene the tree and the croppe, and the dreme fro the trouthe: i here of thy tranayles [sic] by straunge persons, and i fele them in myne owne person. but where as true frendes be, the pey nes are in comon. the great infortunes oughte to be suf- fred for one thynge, bycause they declare who are the true frendes: i knowe by thy letter, howe thou arte banished from rome, and all thy goodis confiscate, and that for pure heuynesse thou arte sycke in thy body. i wolde go se the, and counell thy persone, bycause that thou myghtest see, with what harte and wyll i doo wepe for thy mysad- uenture. but if thou take me for thy true frende, beleue me as i beleue the, that is howe moche i feele thy mys- aduenture. of trouth as thou arte banyshed bodilye, soo am i banished inwardely in my harte. and yf thy goo- des or substaunce be taken away fro the, i am robbed of a good frende and companyon. and if thou lackest thy frendes, i am abydynge amonge myn enmies. though i myght remedy by workynge of my power, thy banysh- ment: yet i wyl councel thy spirite with certayn wordis.

If I be not forgetfulle, I neuer sawe the content in this lyfe: bycause thou were euer besie in thy prosperitie, and wery of any aduersitie. And as now I se the dispayre, as though thou were but newe come into this world. I haue knowen the this .xxxii. yeres in great ioy: and nowe thou complaynest of .vi. monethes that fortune hath tourned her whele. O Torcate, now thou mayst knowe, that vertuous men feare more two dayes of prosperitie, than two hundred of aduerse fortune. O howe many and oftentymes, and in howe many cities thou and I ahue sene slyp fro their prosperytes, charged with vyces of other and straunge enmities? In suche wise, that their vaynglorie and slypper prosperitie endured but two dayes: and he hurtes and losse that they haue hadde, and the cruell and extreme enmyties the whiche also that they haue wonne, lasteth to this daye in their heires. Contrarye wise we see some set in the height of tribulations, the whiche haue escaped by castynge away vices, clothinge them with vertues, wery of euyll warkes, folowynge goodnes, beinge frendees to all, and ennemies to none. What wylte tho that I shulde say more? They that are happye, are ouercome in peace, and they that are vnhappy, do ouercomme other in warre. Therfore my frende Torcate, it semeth to me no lesse necessitie to gyue good councelle, than to prosper with great prosperite, to remedy them that are in gret heuinesse. For as wery are they that go the playn way, as they that costeth the highe mountaynes. By thy letter I perceyue, that what time thou hopedst thou haue ben in most quietnes and rest, this yll fortune and chance felle on the. Be not abashed therof. For thoughe that all newe chaunces causeth newe thoughtes presently, yet therby cometh more cause of stedfastnes in tyme to come. Certaynly the tree beareth not so moche fruit there as it spryngeth first

as it dothe whan it is newe sette in an other place. And al good smelles are more odoriferous, if they be wel medled and chaufed togyther. I pray the tell me abidynge in the world, being a childe of the same, and louyng the worlde, what hopest thou to haue of the worlde, but worldly thinges? The worlde shal always be the world. At this houre thou arte worldly, and shalt be worldly, and shalte be entreated, as the worlde is accustomed to entrete them that be worldly. If thou knewest thy selfe and thy weakenes, if thou knewest fortune and her mutation, if thou knewest the men and their malices, if thou knewest the world and the flatteringe therof: thou wolde reyse the fro the hande therof with honour, and not be chastysed with infamye. O howe we hope to sprede by fortune? O how often without respecte vnwares we passe this lyfe? O howe often we trust the bobaunce of this worlde: and we trust therin as moche as though it neuer begiled man. I say it not bicause I haue harde it sayd, nor bicause I haue redde it in bokes: but for we se it dayly with our eyes: some decaye and lese their goodes, other falle and lose their credence, some falle in sighte, and lese their honour, and other arise and lose their lyues, and some thinke, tat all are free by priuilege, where as neuer none were priuyleged. O my frende Torcate of one thynge I am certayne, and let euery man take it for a warnyng: Men by whom we be borne be of so yll disposition, and the worlde so fierse and cruel, with whom we lyue, and the glydinge serpente fortune so full of poyson, that they hurt vs with their fete, and byte vs with their tethe, and scratche vs with their nayles, and swelle vs with theyr poyson: so that the passinge of the lyfe is no lesse than takynge of deathe. And in case thou haste sene somme lyue longe without any falle of fortune, thinke not it is well: for it is not by good aduenture, but

the more his yl fortune. The worlde is so malycious, that if we take not hede to prepare agaynst his wrinche, it wil ouerthrowe vs to our greatter losse and hurt. Moche soner dye they that ben helthful with the infirmities and sycknes of few days, than they that be weke with their langour of many yeres. I say this bycause I hold it for most suretie, that the myserable man, that maye not lyue withoute myseries, shulde fele the peynes by lyttell and lyttell, and not al at ones. We ete dyuers thynges by morsels which if we shulde eate hole, wolde choke vs. In lyke wise in diuers dayes we suffre dyuers trauayles, whiche al togyder wolde make an ende of vs in one day, and than sythe the goddis wyll permytte, that thy mysfortune shall fall, and that the ryuer of thy decay ouerflowe her chanel, and where thou wenest to be most sure, thou shalt be in gretest peryl: we shall minister to the a syrope, to the entent that thou lose not thy good renoume, though thou haue lost thy goodis that be nought. Tell me I praye the Torcate, why complaynest thou as he tht is sycke? why criest thou lyke a foole? why syghest thou as a desperate man? why wepest thou as a childe? Thou haste gone an yll way, and complaynest of thy reste. Thou arte clothed to goo throughe bushes, and thou sayest that thy gownes do teare. Thou walkeste amonge the stones, and arte sorye bycause thou fallest.Thou haste leaned and thought not to fall, and finally thou arte sette with the worlde, ad thynkest to be free with heuen. Wylte thou haue saufconduite of Fortune that is ennemye to many? She can not gyue the naturalitie, whiche is mother to all thinges. I wyl aske the one thynge: I put the case that the see had promysed the alway in suretie of her, and the skye clere wether, the somer snowes, and the wynter flowres: It wyll not be of a suretie Torcate. If nature can not fulfylle this, being

thyn owne mother, thinkest thou than, that fortune wylle gyue it the, whiche is thy vniuste stepmother? kepe this rule for certayne and neuer forgete it, that al natural courses are subiectes to mutation euery yere. And all worldly folke that truste on fortune, shall suffre eclyps euery moment. And than syth naturall thynge can not be always in one case, of necessitie the goodes of fortune muste peryshe, sythe they be superfluitie. Right vniuste shulde the ryght wise goddis be, yf they had made perpetuall that, whiche is domageable to so many: Or that which is profitable, to haue created it fallyble. I wyll speake no more of thy prosperitie in tymes paste, but nowe I wylle come to the banyshement that thou suffrest presentely. Suspecious fortune made a fayre at thy gate, knowynge what she solde: and thou wyst not what thou boughtest: She made a dere a [sic] bargayne, and solde it dere to the: she hath gyuen the sowre for swete, and the swete is tourned in to sowrenesse for the: she hath gyuen the yuell for good, and hath tourned thy good to yl. And finally she hath begyled the at a iust price, not wenynge to the, that she wolde haue done the domage: and though tht she was malicious in sellynge to the, thou were no lesse folysshe in the byenge therof: for the more there is in fortunes shoppe, the more suspecte is the marchandyse. O howe vnhappy we be, for in that market is nothyng solde but lyes. And she trusteth nothynge but vpon the pledges of our renoume: and at last wyll not be payde but with the shotte of our lyfe, and that is the moste greattest and myscheuous wounde. It is openly knowen to euery man as to the, that where as they thynke not to leese theyr wares, false Fortune in that they purpose, to their myshappe lyeth in awayte, and is redy to bye theym. Thou makest me very sore abashed Torcate. I haue reputed the ryght wyse and vertuous,

and nowe I take the for a loste foole. In good soth whan I sawe the yonge in Gayette, I iudged the worthy to gouerne Rome: and nowe that thou art olde, thou deseruest nothyng but to be caste in a galey as sclaue. O how many thinges are there to knowe a man by? There is not so high a toppe of a hylle, but hit is trodden with fetee [sic]: nor soo depe a see but hit is sounded with leade? And in a hundrede yeres one manne can not attayne to knowe an other mannes hart. Telle me I praye the, what lokedst thou for of fortune, after so greatte welthe? Lyuynge to the worlde, thynke to be in the worlde. The childerne of vanitie go and walke so longe, that at laste their disordynate desires can not take fro the worlde their antike vilanies and shamefulnes, the whiche fortune dothe not with them that she hath reysed vnto the skyes, thynkest than, that she shall bowe with the to the lowest parties? O fole Torcate, thoughtest thou to passe the see without peryll, to eate flesshe without bones, To drinke wine withoute lyes, to walke in the wayes without findynge stones, To bye wheate without chaffe? In good soth, if thou thoughtest to bye yl goodes without hyndrance of thy good fame and maynteyne thy good renoume without losse of yl gotten goodes, I wold wytte of the, what thou dyddest hope to do, sythe so longe season thou haste made a face in the world. Xxxiii. yere thou hast ben in the grace of the world, nowe it is tyme fro hensforth to fall at some discord therwith. with. abelle, kynge of the assiriens, hoped but seuen yeres of good prosperitie. quene simiramis but one- ly syxe. abell kynge of the lacedemoniens fyue. eutrete kynge of the caldeens iiii. alexander kynge of the gre- kes iii. amylcar the great of carthage but ii. and our gayus cesar romayn but one onely, and many before and syth not one yere: and syth thou were the moste vn- knowen of lygnage, the grossest of vnderstondyng, and the leest of power, the darkest of fame, and the most weke in merites, wherfore than complaynest thou of fortune? if thou haddest ben vertuous in al these. xxx, yeres, thou haddest neuer eaten without thoughte, nor neuer spoken without suspecion, nor slepte without stertinge, thinking what thou haddest to do, and wherin fortune myght be- gyle the. he that so longe is besette aboute with so many enmies, i can not tell howe he shulde take any sure slepe. ah torcate torcate, the worlde hath so many falles, and we knowe so yll howe to continue amonge theym that be worldly, that scantly we are fallen whan our handes and fete lyke sclaues be so fast tied, that we can not lose them. it fylleth our persons ful of vices, strengtheth our syne- wes to wickednes, weaketh our hartis in vertues, and fy- nally rendeth our spirytes in a traunce, and maseth our vnderstandynge, and chaungeth our taste, and suffereth vs as beastes to shewe our euylles that we fele with way- lynges, all though as men we durst not shew it. and that this is true, it appereth, that whan we see, that we lose, we lament and complayne, and none can helpe hym selfe. this smalle lesson i wryte to the, to the ende that thou lyue in lesse thoughte. the horse colte that thou dyddest sende me, leapeth very well: the spanyell that thou sent to me, is well, but he is wylde: the calfe was very fatte, and i wolde haue eaten it forthewith, but my wyfe fau- styn besyly prayed me to kepe it, and thynketh that it was stolne in a gardeyne. i sende to the ii. m. sexters for to succour thy [sic] in thy trauayles. and as touchyng thy bani- shement at tyme conuenient i shal dispatche thy matters with the senate. the consolation of the goddis, and the loue of man be with the torcate. the sodeynnes of euils and the yre of the furies be seperate fro me marcus au-

Faustyn my wife greteth the: and in lykewyse fro her parte and ours, to thy mother in lawe, and thy wyfe haue vs recommended. Marc of Rome sendeth this writynge to Torcate of Gayette. A letter to Domitius of Capue to comforte him in his baysshement. The fourth letter. Marke oratour Romayn, borne on mount celio, to the Domitian of Capue salute and consolation of the goddis consolatours. In this right colde wynter there arose in this land a myghty gret winde, and by reason of the great wynde arose great quantitie of waters, and the waters haue caused great humidities, and great humydities brede dyuers maladies and diseases: and amonge all the infirmities of this lande I haue the goute in my hande. and the ciatica in my legge. For the helth of my wyfe Faustine I can neyther go nor wryte. I saye it bycause I can not write to the so longe as the case wolde require, and as thy thankes meryteth, and my desire coueteth. It is shewed me by occasion of a hors thou hast hadde stryfe with Patricio thy neyghbour, and that thou art banished fro Capue, and set in the prison Mamartyn. Thy goodes are confisked, and thy chyldren banyshed, thy house cast downe, and haue put thy neuewe out of the senate, and banyshed the the senate for .x. yeres. It is tolde me that all the daye thou wepest, and wakest by night, in company thou diest, and doest loue to reste solytarilye, Thou hatest pleasure, and louest pensyuenes: And I haue no meruayle: for sorowfull hartis lyueth with teares and wepynge, and be

mery and laugh in dieng. I am right sorie to se the lost: but moche the more that for a so smal a thyng thou shulde be cast away, as for a hors to lese al thyn estate. O how variable is fortune, and howe sone a mysaduenture falleth before our eies? Fortune gyueth these euyls, and we se it not: with her handes she toucheth vs, and we fele it not: she tredeth vs vnder her fete, and we knowe it not: she speketh in our eares, and we here her not: she crieth aloude vnto vs, and we vnderstonde her not: and this is bicause we wyll not knowe her: and fynally, whan we thynke we are mooste surest, then are we in moste peryll. Trouth it is, that with a lyttell wynde the fruyte falleth fro the tree: and with a lyttell sparcle, the house is sette a fyre: and small rocke breketh a greatte shyppe, and with a lyttell stone the legge is hurte. I say that oftentymes of that we feare not cometh greatte perylle. In a close Fistula rather than in an open the surgiens doubte the peryll: In depe stylle waters the pilote feareth more than in the greate hye wawes: Of secrete enbushement rather than of open armies the warriour doubteth: I wyll not onely say of straungers, but of their owne propre, Not of ennemyes, but of frendes, not of crewelle warre, but of peace, not of open domage or sclaunder, but of secrete peryl and myschiefe, a wyse man oughte to beware. Howe many haue we seene, that the chances of fortune coude not abate, and yet within a short whyle after vnwares with greatte ignomynous shame hathe ouerthrowe them? I wolde witte of the, what reste can a persone haue, that trusteth euer vpon the prosperite of fortune, syth for so lyghte a cause we haue sene so great a stryfe in Rome, and suche a losse to thy hous. Seynge that I se, I wyll not feare the wyndes of her trauayles, nor beleue in the clerenesse of her pleasures, nor her thonders that shall feare me, nor trust vpon her flatteringes:

nor thanke her for that [she] abydeth with me, nor be sorye for that she taketh fro me, nor wake for any trouthe that she sayth to me, nor ryse for any of her lesynges, nor laughe for any thyng that she desireth of me, nor wepe for gyuing me leaue, if thou knowest not the cause of this I shall tel the. Our lyfe is so doubtfull, and fortune so waywarde, that she doth not alway threate in strikynge, nor stryketh in thretenynge. The wyse man gothe not so temperately, that he thynketh at euery steppe to falle, nor lyue with so smalle a thought to thynke to ouerthrowe in euery playn pathe. For oftentymes fals fortune shaketh her weapon, and striketh not, and an other tyme striketh without shakynge. Beleue me of one thynge Domitius, That parte of the lyfe is in moste perylle, whan with lyttel thoughte or care men thynke them selfe most sure. Wylt thou se the trouthe therof. Aduyse the of Hercules that scaped fro many perylles by see and by lande, and yet dyed betwene his lemmans armes. Laomedon peryshed not vnder Troy, but was slayne in his house. Great Alexander dyed not in makinge warre ouer al the erth, but he was ended with a lyttel poyson. The couragious Caius Cesar saued hym selfe in .lii. battayles, and after in the senate was slayne with .xxxii. strokes of penkniues. Asclipio brother of Pompeie, perished not flotynge .xxii. yere vpon the see, but he was drowned after in drawynge water at a welle. Tenne capitayns that Scipio had with hym in Affrike, that vanquished many harde batayles, as they were mockinge on a bridge, they fel fro the brydge and were drowned. Good Drusio that had ouercome the Parthes, the day of his triumph goinge to his chariot there fell a tyle that claue asonder his heed, so that vayneglorye was the ende of his good lyfe. What shuld I tel the more? Thou knowest wel that Lucye my syster hauynge a nedel on her bosom playenge

with her chylde betwene her armes, the chylde with his hande hytte the nedell suche a stroke into her bodye, that he slewe his mother. Gneo Ruffyn the consull sent ageinst the Germayns, of our tyme was so valyaunt in armes, that none of our predecessours surmounted him: yet he kembynge his olde whyte heares, one of the tethe of the combe entred into his heed, wherby grewe an impostume, by occasion wherof he ended his honorable life for so small a case. Howe semeth the Domitius? As I do tel the of so small a nombre, I coude recyte infynite examples. What misfortunes fel after good fortunes? what mychaunce after great glorie? what mysaduenture after great happe? what great euyll they take of their deathe after the begynnynge of great welthe in the lyfe. I beinge as they, knowe not what to desyre, but they beinge as I am wyll rather chuse the laborous and honourable dethe, than an yll dethe and an honourable lyfe. To my semynge he, that wyll be a man amonge men, and not a beast amonge bestes, ought to trauayle sore to lyue well, and moche more to dye better. For at the fynall ende an yll dethe putteth great doubte of the good lyfe: and the good deth excuseth the yll lyfe. I haue wrytten to the at the begynnynge of my letter, that by reason of the humidities, the gowte greueth me ylle. But to satisfie thy desire, I wolde wryte with my hande more at lengthe. Two days the loue that I bare to the, hath fought with the peyne that I endure. My wylle wolde write, but my fyngers can not holde my penne. The remedy is, syth I may not as I wolde, that thou wylte take as thyn owne that I may do, as myn owne dede. Faustine my wyfe saluteth the, who by reason of my diseases is halfe ylle at ease. It is shewed her, that thou haste greate peyne of a hurte of thy face, she hath sent the a boxe with baume,

that thy hurte shall nat appere in thy visage, if thou canst fynde any grene almondes or new nuttis, Faustine prayeth the to sende her some by this bearer. I haue but lytell store of money, therfore I send the a gowne and thy wife a kyrtell. No more but I pray the goddis to giue the that I desire for the: and to giue me that thou desirest for me. And beside that I do write to the with my hande, I gyue to the myn owne propre herte. A letter sent fro the emperour to Claudius and Claudyne his wyfe, bycause they beinge olde lyued as yonge persones. The .v. letter. Marke of mount Celio to the Claudius and Claudine husbande and wyfe, dwellynge in my warde, I desire helthe, sendyng you this letter. The trouthe is, bycause ye are my frendis, and vnder my charge, I enquire of them that come fro you of your estates: and by theym that go to you, I sende recommendations to you bothe: yf ye haue my good wylle demaunde it of your hartis. And yf in your stomacke ye repute and take me but as a suspecious frende, thanne I thynke my selfe euen cleane condempned. The cruelle forgetfulnesse, the whiche may be causer of myne absence, peraduenture banysheth the good dedes that ye haue receyued of my persone. If in any thynge I haue entreated you with lyes, than I require that ye entreate me nothinge with trouth. But if I haue bene alwayes your good neyghbour and frende, yf ye haue any nede of myne honour, than be to me as good. Gayo Furion my frende, as wel as your parent, passynge this waye to Alexandrye, hath shewed me

many thinges the which were done in Rome: and amonge other he shewed me one thynge, that caused me to laugh whan I herd it: and yet it was right greuous to me, whan I thoughte theron. Some thynges we take sodeynly in sporte and mockerie, the whiche afterwarde well considered, maketh vs very sorie. He shewed me, howe that ye seme to euery man right auncient, and very yong in your doinge: for ye aray your selfe dayly with newe apparell, as ye shulde go to weddinges: and where as men do honour you as ancient persons, ye shew your selfe wanton: and whan folke renne to se gewgawes, ye are not the last. There is no lyghtnes in Rome, but it is regestred in your house. Thus ye gyue your selfe to plesures, as they that thynke neuer to haue displeasure. And finally whan ye shulde lyfte vp your handis, ye entre newly into the wages of the worlde. Trewely my neyghbours and frendis to speake with due reuerence, I am ashamed of your vnshamefastnes, and am no lesse sorie for your fautis. There be dyuerse greuous faultes, that are made lyghte by the honeste withdrawinge of them. And some other that are but smal fautes, and fyndyng no ways to leue them are estemed very great. By all the goddis, I can fynde none occasion, howe for to excuse your euylles: but I see inowe wherwith to condempne them. Wherfore pardone me, yf that I am so vnhonest to speake so moche, if ye be not honeste in your lyuynge. In good sothe I denaye not, but that thou Claudius haste ben right free and lyberalle of thy personne, and thou Claudine ryght faire of vysage, and many persons for the beautie of thy forheed haue ben curious to haue had the to wife: but I wold wyt of the youth of the one, and beautie of the other, in vsing al your liues in vanite, what goodly trinkettes ye hope to were in the straytnes of the Sepulchre. O great foles ye and foles agayn.

Do ye not knowe yet, that the tyme fleeth with mouyng of wynges? The lyfe trauayleth on her way without liftynge of her fete: fortune stretcheth her without styrring her armes, and the world voydeth it selfe saying nothinge, the fleshe consumeth without felyng, and our glorie passeth as it neuer had ben: and finally deth assayleth vs er euer he knocke at the gate. Certaynly it is impossible for to make synewes of blode, of veynes to make bones, of a craggy rocke a playne way, and of possible to make impossible: I mene that none shal think, but that the grennesse of youthe, shall waste and wydder in aege: O worlde, what a worlde arte thou? so lytel is our force and our wekenes so greate, that without resistynge drownest vs wyllyngly in the depenes of thy peryllous whirlepoole: and hydest vs in the thyckest of thy mountaynes: and leadest vs out of the brode way wandryng by thy narow pathes, and bryngest vs into the rugged waye. I do meane, that they that be greattest in fauour, thou bringest into daunger, to the entente that with one stroke of thy fote thou mayst ouerthrowe them. O worlde .lii. yere I haue bene in the, and yet thou neuer saydest one trouth to me, and I haue taken the with .x. M. lyes. I neuer desyred nothynge of the, but thou dyddest promyse it me, but thou neuer gauest me any thynge promysed: I neuer treated with the, but thou begyledst me. I neuer arryued at the, but thou lost me: I neuer sawe thynge in the, wherby I shulde loue the. For all that we se in the, is worthy to be abhorred. And beside this, I wote not what is the worlde. O what faute is in vs thy worldly wretches? For if thou hate vs we dare not hate the: if thou braule with vs, we muste be styll: if thou spurne at vs we muste suffre the: yf thou beate vs with a staffe, we say nothynge: And yet if thou woldest haue vs gone we wyll not go. And worste

of all is, that we had rather serue the for nothyng with trauayle, than the goddis with prayer and reste. I swere to the by the immortall goddis, that often tymes I make accompt of my yeres passed: and an other tyme I reuolue my bokes to see what I haue redde. And lykewyse I demaunde of my frendes to gyue me councel to know wher in it is that I wolde speake. I beinge at Rhodes redinge Rhethorique, My lorde Adrian kepynge me there, at the age of .xxi. yere, my yonge fleshe, and no lesse weake than tender, at the firste worke I founde solytarinesse, and the solytarines with libertie adored the worlde: In adorynge I felte it, in felynge I folowed it, in folowing I ouertoke it, in ouertaking I toke it, in takinge I proued it, in prouynge I tasted it, in tastinge I founde it bytter, in fynding it bytter, I hated it, in hatynge it, I lefte it, in leauynge it, it retourned, and retournynge I receyued it. And in this maner .lii. yeres we haue eaten of one breadde, and dwelled in one hous. Whan I saw it displesed, I serued it, whan it sawe me thoughtfull it chered me, whan I sawe it in prosperitie, I demaunded it, whan it sawe me merye it begyled me. And thus we be to gyther vnto this daye, not gyuynge me leaue to go, nor I wyllynge to departe fro it. O worlde thou hast so many countenaunces in thy vanytie, that thou leadest all wandrynge in vnstablenes. Sith we suffre the to take vs, thou wilt neuer deliuer vs: if we withdraw our fete fro the snare of fortune, forthwith thou fettrest our legges fast with irons: and if by chance we fyle the yrons, anon thou manaclest our handes: and though the way be strayte, the pathe sharpe, the journeye longe, and our fleshe weake, yet our bodies are euer laden with vices, and our hartes fulfylled with thoughtes and pensyuenes. Of one thynge I haue great meruayle, and I can not deuyse what it is: without any constreynt to the

contrarie, we go surely ouer the bridge, and yet we wylle go an nother waye, and though the same way be sure, yet we wyll aduenture into the gulfre: if the wayes be drye, yet wyll we go throughe the dyrte and myre and plasshe: hauynge meate for our lyuynge, we serche for poyson to kylle vs, we serche to be loste, and may be assured: without interest we comytte synne, seinge peyne commynge withall: and fynally to the intente that we shulde be taken for good, we shote at the whyte of vertues, and hyt the butte of vyces. One thynge I confesse, though it be myn owne shame, Paraduenture in tyme to come it shall be profytable to som other: In .l. yeres of my lyfe, I wold proue all the vices of this lyfe, to se if any thynge myght haue satisfied the humayn malyce: And after I had sene all thynge, I founde that the more I dyd eate, the more I dyed for hungre: The more I slepte, the more sluggy I was: the more I dranke, the more thyrst I hadde: the more I rested, the more wery I was: the more good I hadde, the more couetous I was: the more I sought, the lesse I founde: And finallye I neuer toke peyne for any thinge, but I was euer lette: and than anone I hadde appetyte to an other. Lette no man thynke to lyue in the fleshe, and satisfie the fleshe. It hath power to take fro vs our lyfe: and we haue no power to take from it the disordinate couetyse. I wolde fayne knowe of the goddis why our dayes shuld haue an ende. O cruel goddis what is this? We can neuer passe one good lyfes day, we do but taste it, and so passeth our lyfe: and lyfe is but a dreame, and deathe waketh it. Lette euery man knowe, that the worlde taketh our wylle, and we with our good wyl giue it therto: and it taketh our wylle to the ende to contente vs, and prayse that we prayse, and the tyme passeth soo, that we lyue after the cursed tyme. To attayne vertues

we haue good desire: but to attayne to vices we putte to all our warkes. This haue I sayde for you Claudius and Claudyne, that in thre score yeres ye wylle not yssue nor goo oute of the pryson of the worlde: Hauynge your feete putrifyed with yrons and chaynes. What is than to be hoped of yonge personnes whiche be of fyue and twenty yeres olde? Except my memorye fayle me: whan I was with you, ye hadde your neuewes sonnes of your chyldren maryed, and nyeces doughters of your doughters maried: and me thynketh whan the guynes come, the season of cheryes is not comme: and whanne the newe wyne is tounned, the drye huskes are caste oute. Canne ye suffre dyuers neuewes sonnes to your chylderne in your howse, and fewe yeres in your personnes? Seldomme we see the fruyte and the flowre to gyther: for whan the one is rype and in season, the other is cleane gone and auoyded. In this case I thynke meruayle, howe ye can be of manye yeres, and seeme to be yonge. I knewe none other thynge, but whanne ye maryed Lamberte your doughter to Drusio, and Matryne your nyece, doughter of your dowghter, with Lamberte, that were all lyttelle and yonge chylderne: and sythe that ye be of a good aege, and lacke good, may gyue vnto eche of theym twentye yeres of your aege in stede of theyr dowrie. And so ye shall vnlade you of yeres, and charge you with other mennes goodes and substaunce. No lesse this mattier passeth in my thoughte, than the shorte clothe dothe in a false weuers handes. Ye haue strayned it on the tentours, and drawen hit on the perche for to lengthen the lyfe. If ye were made fayre clere cordwayners waxe, and swete of smelle, that ye myghte be drawen out alengthe, hit were well doone: but ye are but as fruyte of almondes,

semynge drie without, and worme eaten within. For the loue that I haue to you, and for neyghbourheed that ye haue had with me, I desire styll frendshyppe of you, that lyke as I knewe you yonge and very yonge, so to knowe you olde and very old. I say not that ye surmount in age, but your wytte fayleth you. O Claudius and Claudine, I wylle ye knowe, that to susteyne youthe, and to deface age, to length the lyfe, and driue away dethe: it is not in mens handes that desireth it: it is in the goddis that doo giue it, whiche accordinge to iustyce and our couetyse, giueth vs lyfe by weight, and deathe without measure. Ye may know that our nature is corruption of our body, and our bodye is putrifaction of our wytte, and our wytte is guyde to our soule, and our soule is mother of our desyres, and our desires are sleers of our youthe, and our youth token of our age, and our age spye of our dethe, and deth the house of our lyfe, wherinto youthe goth on fote, and fro age we canne not flee on hors backe. I wolde wyte a thinge of you: what finde ye in this lyfe? wherfore dothe lyfe content you after .lxxx. yeres of aege? eyther ye haue ben good or yl: if ye haue ben good and vertuous, ye shal not reioyce you with yll goddes: if ye haue ben yll, than as well desire dethe, to the entent ye shulde be no more yl: or els iustly ye might be slayn by iustyce. For he that hath ben yll tyl.lxx. yeres of age, in hym there is no hope of amendment. Whan the couragious great Pompeie, and Caius Cesar were ennemies, and beinge in cruell ciuil batayles Rome was infamed and theym selfe loste: The annales shewe that suche as came in fauour of Julius Cesar out of the west, and the succours of Pompeie out of the east, amonge other there came certayne people out of Barbarie, dwellyng among the mountayns Riffees toward Inde: Their custome was whan they came to thage of .l. yeres, to make great fyres, and brenne them selfe quick in sacrifyce to their goddis, and the same daye the parentis and [chil]dren wolde make great feaste, and eate of the fleshe halfe halfe [sic] brent, and drinke wine with the ashes of the bones. This was sene with the eies of Pompei, bicause that som accomplyshed the yeres of fiftye in his campe. O golden worlde, wherin were suche men. O happy people that in all the worldes to come, hath left such a memorie of them. They dispised the worlde and forgatte them selfe. What strokes gaue they to fortune? what delytes for the fleshe? and howe lyttell sette they by their lyues, and yet more, to set so small store by dethe: O what bridell was this for the vicious, and what hope for the vertuous, what confusion for them that loued this lyfe, and what ensample, not to feare dethe, haue they lefte vs? And sith they dispised their owne propre lyfe: It is then to be thought, that they died not to thentent to take other mens goodis, to thinke that our lyfe neuer shal haue ende, therfore our couetyse neuer hath ende. O glorious people, and .x. M. tymes blyssed, that lefte their sensualitie and vanquyshed the naturalle wylle, beleue not that ye se, but gyue fayth to that ye neuer sawe, as they that se nothing go ageinst the fatall destenies: who gothe againste the waye of fortune, gyue a wrynche to the lyfe, robbe the body at the deth, wynne honour of the goddis, not that they shulde length your lyfe. but to take the reste of the lyfe. Archagatus surgien, and And [sic] Anthonius the phisitien, and Esculapius the father of medicines, I thinke wanne but lyttelle in that lande. Who commanded these Barbariens to take sirope in the mornyng an [sic] to take pylles at nyght, and to refreshe them with mylke, to take clere barly to anoynt their lyuers, to day to be lette blode, and tomorowe to take a purgation to eate one thyng, and to absteyn fro many thynges? Than

me thinke that they beinge of .l. yeres of age, and you of .lxxx. at the leaste, shulde be egall with them in wysedom. And if ye wyl not take dethe in good worth, yet at the lest amende the yll lyfe. I remembre wel of a long tyme, that Fabricius our neybour wylled vs to beware of a mockerie, the whiche if it be not broken, there shall folow great dishonour. And sithe he shewed me soo good a lesson, I wyll pay you with the same money. I wyll shewe it you, if ye poore aged folkes do not knowe it: ye be suche, that your eyes are bleared, your noses droppynge, your heares whyte, your heringe dulle, your tongue falterynge, your tethe waggyng, your face wryncled, your fete swollen: your shulders croked, and your stomake distemperid, finally if the graues coude speake, they myght rightfully calle for you to come, and inhabyte in them. Of trouth it is great compassion to beholde yonge ignorance: that open their eies to knowe the infortunes of this lyfe, whan it is tyme to close them, and to entre into the graue. And therof cometh that it is in vayne to gyue counsel to vayn yong people. For youth is withoute experience of that it doth, and is suspect of that it hereth, and wyl not beleue that is sayd, and dispraiseth other mens counsel, and is right poore of their owne. And therfore I saye Claudius and Claudyne my frendes, I fynde without comparison none so ylle an ignorance of goodnes that holdeth these yonge persones, as is the obstination of these aged persons in yl. The diffinition of yll, is a man not to knowe that he oughte to knowe: yet it is wors to haue the knowlege of wysedom, and to lyue lyke a brute beaste. O ye olde goutye people, ye forgette your selfe, and renne in poste after the lyfe, and ye neuer regarde what shall falle, tylle ye be suche as ye wolde not, and without power to retourne backe, and hereof cometh, that ye lacke of lyfe, he [sic] wyll supplye it with foly.

Than awake ye that be slombring, haue no force to slepe, open your slepy eies, and accustome you to do wel: Take that is nedeful for you: and finally appoynt you betimes with dethe, or he make execution of your lyfe. Lii. yeres I haue knowen theym of the worlde, yet I coulde neuer knowe none so olde, nor so putrified in their membres, but that their hartes were hole to thinke vnhappynes, and their tongues hole to make lyes. Take hede ye poore olde persons, me thinke sith somer is paste, ye haste forward with the tyme: and if ye tary a smalle season, yet ye make hast to take lodgynge. I meane that though ye haue paste the day in the see with peryll, the night of dethe wyll take you at the porte of helth. Mockes do passe with mockynges, and trouth with trouthe: though I haue sene you ryghte yonge and hardy , nowe I se you very olde: Though the knyght passe his cours, yet it is not his faute if the horse be not well reyned: but at the ende of his cours, he wylle trymme his hors: Let not that begyle you, that of custom hath begiled men: That is ye shalbe as wel estemed therby, as though ye had moche moneye. I beleue ye folowe dyuers, and yet they all haue enuy at you. But truste me, that at the ende, honour is gyuen to a yonge persone pore and vertuous, rather than to an olde person ryche and vicious. The ryche may haue power to be more estemed with pore people, and accompanyed with ryche and couetous: but the vertuous poore person shalbe better estemed and lesse hated. What can be greatter confusyon to a persone, or more shame to our moder Rome, than to se in dyuers places the olde people behaue and appoynt theym as yonge folke, as though they lyke the vyne leues dyd newly burgein? What thynge is it to see the olde persones nowe in oure dayes, brayde and make fayre theyr whyte heares, trymme and kembe their beardes, weare strayte showes,

their hosen garded, their shertes frounced, their clokes of scarlette, their bagges embrowdred, their chaines of gold about their neckes, fringes of gold and syluer about their apparell, estrige fethers vppon their hattis lyke grekes, perles and rynges on their fyngers lyke Indiens, their gownes long lyke flamine prestes, and finally worst of al whan dethe hath gyuen them day, than they answere that newely they wyll serue a lady? O how many haue I knowen in Rome, that were highly renoumed in theyr youth. And after through wanton lyghtnesse they were but loste in their age: and worst of all, they loste their renoume in theyr age, and the fauour of their parentes, aud the profytte of their children. Certaynely Guagyn [sic] Caton of the ancient linage of the Catons was in Rome a priest of the law .v. yeres, and prouost .iii. yeres, and Censure .ii. yeres, and dictatour one yere, and Consule .v. tymes, and whan he was past the age of .lxv. yeres, than he began to serue Rosane doughter of Gneus Curcius a lady ryght fayre and yonge: and he doted so farre in her loue, that he spente all that he had to serue her, and wold wepe lyke a chyld whan he saw her. It fortuned this lady fell sycke of a feuer, and she listed to eate newe grapes, and it was in springe tyme, whan there was none nipe as than in Rome. He sent for some to the felde of Danubius that was a .M. and .v. C. myle thense, and this was shewed to the senate, and they ordeined that Rosana was closed in with the virgins vestales, and the old man was banyshed perpetually out of Rome, and his children lyued in great pouertie, and the father dyed infamed. I beleue that ye haue herde of this. There were dyuers that reputed for a greate vilanye the dede of the olde louer, and praysed the sentence of the senate. But I thinke if Guagin had had as many yonge persones in his banishement, as there was old amorous persons that

toke by hym example, I thinke there shuld not be so many men loste, nor so many women so yll maried. And therfore the beste is, that suche people, whan they be warned by their seruantes, and reproued by their parentis, and desired by their frendes that they make not excuse and say, how they be not amorous but in mockery. Whan I was very yong both of age and wyt, on a nyght I met with a neyghbor of myn nygh to the capitol. I was his neuew and son to his sonne, and I sayd to him. My lord Fabricius ye ar amorous thus and thus: He answered me, I do it but for pastyme. Certaynly I had meruayle to mete him at that houre, and I I[sic] was abashed of that answere that he gaue me. In them that be sore aged and of sadnes and grauitie suche requestes ought not to be called amours, but rather dolours, not a pastyme but a loste tyme, no mockery but a folyshenes. For in loue with mockerie foloweth the trouth of infamye. To the Claudius and Claudine, I demaunde of you olde louers, what is it to be polyshed and arrayed as ye be so gayly, but the bronde of the tauerne, where there is nothynge but vinegre, fayre egges and nothing in them. gylte pylles and bytter in taste, an olde botell, and a newe stopell, a hole wounde rancled vndernethe, the fygure of an oxe to take partriches, a slyppre way, where no fote is sure, and finally an olde louer is as a knyghte decayed, that helpeth to lese money and can helpe no man fro peryl. Of trouth the old lecherous louer is as a swyne with a white heed and a grene taylle. Than me thynke ye that be my frendes and neyghbours, ye take no hede in brekyng the wynges out of seson whan the fethers be gone: and yet ye begyle me not, to say that there is tyme inough. Beleue me, that that maye be done in the day, leaue it not tyll the nyght of your age. For the blunt knyfe cutteth but yl with the edge, and he that is wont for to eate the fleshe, can not

eate the boones. Than lette vs comme to the remedye to redresse this dommage, that is, yf the howse begynne to falle, shore and staye it not with pieces of sclender tymbre, but with streight pyllers of the lyfe, that we haue to yelde the goddis, and to men by good fame. And if the vyne of all our vertues be redy to be gadered, at the least lette vs gather that is leste vs by vnderstondynge. And sithe the waters of our reste are wasted with our yll werkes, lette vs water them with newe muste of good desires, and than the good goddis wyl be content with the seruices that we ought to do for the merites and rewardes that they do to vs, so that if we desire to attayne golde for our werkes, yet to pay vs with the copper of our good desires. And finally I say to you Claudius and Claudyne, if ye haue offred the meale of your youth to vyces, offre nowe at this tyme the branne of your age to the goddis. I haue wrytten thus largely to you as I thynke: and bycause ye shal not be taken as cowardes, nor I for hardy, gyue no part of this letter to any person. And I desyre you to haue me recommended vnto all my neyghbours in Rome, namely to Drusine the honourable wydowe. I sende to the two thousand sexters, thou shalte gyue a thonsande [sic] of them to Gaurina the doughter of thy doughter, I sende it to her for a pleasure that she dydde me at a feaste. Faustyne my wyfe is very sycke. Thou shalte gyue the other thousande to the Uestale Virgines, that they maye praye for her vnto the goddis. To the Claudyne, Faustyne my wyfe sendeth a coffre, but by the goddes I canne not telle what there is within it. Nowe that ye be aeged, I beseche the goddes to sende you and me and my wyfe for to ende the reste of our dayes in a good lyfe. Marke your neyghbour and frende hath wryten this with his owne hande.

A letter sente fro Marke the Emperour to Labinia a Romayn widow for to comfort her for the deth of her husbande. The .v. [sic] letter. Marke of mounte Celio, firste Consule Romayne sent ageynste the Daces, to the Labinia Romayn lady, wyfe to my good frende Claudine, salute to the and consolation of the goddis consolatours. I thynke welle, thou haste suspecte, that I haue so lytel set by the, sith in thy profounde and greuous hurtes my consolation hath ben slouthefull. But I remembre thy noblenes, whiche can neuer fayle: and my good wyll, the whiche hath euer desired to serue the. I am in suretie that thy great vertue shulde put away the suspecte. For thoughe I am the laste to comforte the, yet I am the firste that feleth thy dolours, and shall not be the laste to remedy thy troubles. And in case that ignorance is the end of al vertues, esperance for al vices, as wel somtime great plesure taketh away rest fro the wise folkes, and sclandreth the innocentes: moch better among vs latyns we fynd with ignorance of vices, more than the grekes do with the knowlege of vertues. If that we be ignorant, we haue no peyne to abide it, nor sorow to take it. I say it bicaude I haue knowen, that I wold not know, and that is the trauayles ar at an ende of Claudin thy husbande, and now beginneth the sorow of Labinia. I haue knowen it certayn days, and wold not discouer it to the, for it shuld haue ben cruelte. She that hath ben in trouble so longe a space with asence, that I shuld haue giuen knowlege of the deth of such an entierly desired husband, and it had ben no reson, that she of whom I haue receiued so many good dedis, shuld haue of me so yl newes. And sith the hour that I knew, that ye wyst therof, my peyne hath ben double.

I fele his dethe, and nowe I fele in his dethe my solytarines, and thy desolation. Thou hast reason to wepe, not for that he is with the goddis in reste, but for vs myserable persons lyuinge in the power of so many ylles, therfore we shulde not cease to take peyne and sorowe. O Labinia, oftentymes I haue thoughte, for what thynge I myght fyrste wepe, for the ylle that lyueth, or for the good that dyeth. For as moche hurteth the yll that is found, as the good that is loste. It is greatte peyne to se these innocentes dye, and surely it is no lesse peyne to se the malicious people lyue. But of that that of necessitie muste nedes come, whan it cometh we ought not to sclaunder hit. Shewe me Labinia, dost thou nowe know of how good conuersation the goddis be, to whom we hope to go, and howe yll the men be, with whom we are conuersant, that as the yll are borne to dye, in lykewyse the good dyeth to lyue. For a good man alway lyueth in dyenge, and the yll alwayes dyeth in lyuinge. And than sith the goddis hath caused him to come to them, than it is no great thyng that they haue taken fro the. I am in certaine thy desired husband Claudyn, and my true frend, seing where he is, and remembrynge what he hath scaped, had rather to be stylle there as he is, than to returne ageyn to the. Of trouth the remedies for wydowes is not to thynke of any companye passed, nor of the solytarines present, but to thinke of the rest that they hope to come to. If hythervnto thou hast ben in peyne abydinge in thy howse, nowe reioyce the bycause he abydeth for the in his, for thou shalt be moch better entreated amonge the goddis than here amonge men: nor consent not to thynke, that thou haste loste hym all onely. For syth we all reioyced of his lyfe, we are than bound to wepe for his dethe. The greattest sorowe to a sycke harte amonge all other sorowes, is to se other reioyce at his dolours:

and contrarye wyse, the greattest ease amonge all greues of fortune, is to se that other feleth their sorowe. Al that my frend wepeth for me with his eies, and al that he feleth of my sorowes, dischargeth somewhat myn inwarde peyne. The bokes in the tyme of Auguste the emperour sheweth, howe as he was nere to the ryuer of Danubius, he founde a maner of people, hauynge this custome. The same houre whan a husbande taketh a wyfe, or a louer, they wold swere by their goddis neuer to wepe nor sorowe for any maner of infortune, but to forget their owne propre troubles, and to dye to remedye their louer, and so in lykewise eche to do with other. O glorious worlde, O right happy age. O people of eternall memorie, wherin the men were so humble, and their louers so true, that wolde forgette their owne sorowe, and wepe for other. O Rome beynge Rome: O tyme yll spente: O lyfe yll applyed, O small thought rechelesse, Is in these dayes the hartes present separate from welth, and assured without remedy in euyll, that men forgettynge that they be men, tourne them selfe to beastes? I desire to gyue the lyfe, and thou dyest to take awaye my lyfe: Thou wepest to se me laugh, and I laugh to se the wepe. And thus without profyte of any of vs we lese, and we reioyce in lesynge of our selfe. By the lawe of an honest man I swere to the Labinia, if thy remedy lay in my handes, as thy sorowe dothe at my herte, thy pytiefulle wepynges shoulde not hurte me, nor thy heuy and wofull solytarines of thy husband: but syth thy remedy and my desire can not be accomplyshed, and that with dethe, nor with them that be deed we haue no power, than remyt it into the handes of the goddis who can moche better delyuer vs than we can chuse. We se by experience naturall, that some syckenes is healed by wordes, that be sayd to vs, and somme by wordes

that be layde to vs, and some with wordes do leaue other medicins. I say this, bicause the hartis that be in peyne make a see of thoughtes, somtyme comforted with benefitis done to the person, more than with wordes spoken in their eares: an other tyme the sorowfull herte is more comforted [conforted?] with wordes of a frende, than with all other seruices of the worlde. O how sorowfull am I, for in all these am I false, considerynge the highnes of the honourable lady Romayn, and the smal abilitie of me Marc of mount Celio, I se my selfe so vnable to comforte the, and to remedy the I lack substance, I haue made the a sore wound, the whiche wolde be taken in worthe. I wyll not paye the with ynke and paper, the whiche I may do with my persone, for he that gyueth counsell with wordes, may remedy with workes, if he shew hym self a frende in tyme past, and taken in suspect to be an ennemy in tyme to come. If thou hast reputed me hytherto for thy neighbour and parent to thy husbande, I pray the nowe to take me for thy husbande in loue, and for thy father in counsell, and for sonne in seruyce, and for aduocate in the senate, in suche maner that I hope thou shalt say, all that I haue loste in many, I haue founde in Marc alone. And bycause that in greuous conflyctis, where as crafte and subtyltie is forgotten, the vnderstondynge is altered, and the reason withdraweth, than is as moche necessitie of good councell as of a meane remedy. Claudyn nowe deed was my frende, and I Marc alyue am his, and also by thy deseruynge thou mayst commaunde me what thou wylte: and for the loue that I haue to the, thou mayste desire of me any thyng nedefull. I pray the eschewe the extremitie of the Romayne wydowes. For in all extremities lyeth the vice, for al such werieth them selfe, and anoyeth the goddis, and leseth them that be aliue, and doth no profit to them that

be deed, but they put suspect to them that be il, as did Fuluia wife to noble Marc Mercello, she seing her husband buried in the felde of Mars, scratched, her visage, and tare her heer, and brake her tethe, and at euery pace swouned, and two senators held her by the armes, bicause she shuld not hurt her self: Than said Flauius Censurius, let her alone, for this day she wil folow the iourney of widowes, and so it was, for whiles that the bones of Marcello were a brenning, she was entreting to mary an other husband, and yet more to be notid one of the senatours that led her, gaue her his hande, as one Romain to another bi perpetual mariage. This case was so foule, and taken of euery man for a gret vilanie, and al the Romains there present were abashed, and were in suspect neuer after to beleue widow in Rome. I say not this Labinia, bycause thou wilt do so: for by the god Mars I swere, the hart of Marc hath of the no such suspect, nor thy great age wyl not suffre it, nor the auctoritie of so sadde a matrone wyll demande it. 2 require the right hartily, forgette not the honestie that oughte to be in a Romayne woman, nor retrayte that is requisitte in a wydowe: for if thou be widowe of solytarines, that thou felest by him that is deed, than comfort the of the reputation [sic] that is holden of the by them that be liuing. I wyl say no more to the at this time, but that thy renoume may be suche with all men, to caste suche a bridell vppon theym that be ylle, to cause them to be stil: and to them that be good, to gyue them spurres to serue the. And if ye wyll thus do, take no thought for any besynes that ye haue in the senate. My wyfe Faustin greteth the, and oftentymes wepeth for this mysaduenture. I send the money to pay thy creditours. The goddis that haue gyuen reste to Claudine thy husbande, giue comfort and consolation to Labinia his wyfe. Marc of mounte Celio hath writen this with his owne hande.

A letter sente by Marc the emperour to Cyncinatus his frende, bycause he beinge a gentylman became a marchant. The .vii. letter. Marc Edillis Censure, to the Cincinatus of Capue sende salutation for thy person, force and vertue ayenst sinyster fortune. Syth the feast Berescinte, moder of the goddis, I haue sene no seruaunt of thy house, nor letter of thy hand, that I haue redde, the whiche putteth me in great suspection of thy helthe, and that thou arte in some peryll, or els thou dispraysest our amitie. Discharginge not thy selfe with so lyttell thoughte, nor forgette vs nat with so great rechelesnes: for thy trauaylle can not be so moche [sic] in writing, as it shuld be consolation to me to rede thy letters. And if thy hande waxe slowe from trauaylle of writynge, yet enforce thy harte for myn ease, wherin is semblaunt of true frendes. In that I wyl put the fro annoyaunce, and thou to do me pleasure: thou knowest wel the small distaunce that is betwene Capue and mount Celio, was not the cause of our frendeshyppe, but the space hens to Illirico shuld not cause vs to be straungers. The delycate wynes sent out of their owne countrey to strangers take the gretter myght: and the ferther that the persons of true frendes be seperate, the sooner they ought to vnyte and ioyne togyther their mindes. Shew me I pray the Cyncinate, syth thou hast euer founde me true, why hast thou any suspect of my desire? The grene leues outward sheweth, that the tree is not drye inwarde: and the good werkes openly notifieth the inwarde hart secretly. Where it is not perfite, there is always breakyng and faylyng in

seruice: for he that perfytly loueth, perpetually and faithfully serueth. And I am as moche astonied of thy slouth, in demaundynge somwhat of me, as of thy cowardyse to write. I wyll confesse to the one trouthe, if thou haddest as moche hardynes as wyll and thought of the small effecte of my letter myght satisfie to the greatenes of thyn vnderstondynge, it shulde abyde than for yl done, but not for shorte, as he that throweth his speare. In tyme paste whan I was yonge, and thou olde, thou in thy councels, and I with my money eche gaue to other: but at this houre that thy heed is whyte, men reken the to be olde, and yet thy workes accuse the to be yonge. Reason is that I succour thy pouertie with money, and to remedy thy lyghtnes with councell. For the good wyl that I haue to the, and for the lawe of amitie that I owe to the, I wyll aduertise the as a vertuous man ought to do, and that is to remembre the benefites that he hath receyued, and to forget the iniuries done to hym: esteme moche his owne smalle power, and holde the greatnes of other at nothyng: fauour the good and dissimule with the euyll: be great with the greattest, and communicalle with your inferiours: presently doo good dedes, and also of them that be absent speake good wordes: The greuous losses of fortune, holde them in smalle estimation, and the small losse of honour, hold that in great estimation: for one thyng aduenture not money. and for dyuers doubtful aduenture not a certayntie: and finally be frende to one and ennemie to none. These thinges ought he to haue, that amonge good, wyl be accompted good. I knowe well thou hast left to be pretour of the warre, and nowe thou haste sette thy selfe by lande and by see to vse marchandise. Thou makest me sore abashed, to conquere thyn enmies as a Romayn, and now to take on the the office, to persecute thy frendes as a tyrant. Wylte

thou do yll to thy neyghbours, and leaue the straungers? wylt thou take away the lyuynge fro hym that gyueth vs liuing, and take away the deth fro him that takith away our life? wylt thou to them that be mouers and strangers giue moderation, and fro them that be sobre take away their rest? Thou wylte giue to them that take away fro vs, and take fro them that gyue vs: delyuer them that be condemned and condempne innocentis. Thou wylt be tiraunt to the common welth, and not defender of the countrey. Than sithe to all this he aduentureth hym that leaueth dedes of armes, and becometh a marchaunt: I studye soore what hath meued the to leaue chiualrie, wherin thou haste had great honour, and nowe to take on the an office, wherby foloweth so moche shame and rebuke. Surely I thinke in the none other excuse, but that thou art olde, and canst not clymbe the mountaynes, and nowe thou syttest stylle and robbest the places. To olde men olde malady, whan outwarde force fayleth theym, than forthwith they arme them with malyce inwarde. I say it by the sore couetous persons as thou art now. One thyng I wyl say thou hast taken an office, wherby al thy felowes haue robbed in diuers days. Thou shalt gyue accompt therof in one houre, ye and after the tyme shall come, that thou shalt lese all in a moment. For the goddis permyt that one shall be a chastisement of diuers, and longe tyme chastiseth all. Howe is it my frende Cincynate, that in the howse of thy father Cincinate were speares, and not writynges hangynge? I haue sene his halle full of armure[sic], and not with fardels, and portall and gates ful of knightes, and not marchantis. Certainly there haue I sene the scole of noblenes, and not as it is now the denne of theues. O Cincinate cursed be so vilayn an office, the marchantis liue porely to die ryche: and let vs say ageyn cursed be it, bicause the couetise of one that

is yll, wolde be accomplysshed to the preiudice of many that be good. I wyll not hurt the by thy predecessours, but 2 wyl aduertise the of thy myserie and of thy successours. If thou thinkest, that thy vertue shuld holde to the ende of the worlde, as the worlde holdeth to the, as it semeth by thy white heares, hold me excused of the trauayle in perswadyng the to here me. How be it, it is reson that the gate of so great a cause be knocked at with the hammer of som warnyng, and to bring it to good reson, of necessitie it must passe the mylle. and to make clere the vnderstanding from tyme to tyme, of very nede there requireth councel. Diuers tymes wyse me fayle bicause they wold fayle, but if the thin ges be of suche qualitie, that wysedom suffiseth not to assure them, than it is nedefull, that his wyll be vntied, and his vnderstondinge dissolued, and his owne propre opinion voyde, and than incontynent to take a threde to the aduyse of an other. Take good hede Cincinate, where as the foundations be not wel edified, the buildynges ar in peryl. The dongeon of this world wherin we chyldren of va nitie do abyde, is founded on the grauell. For let it be neuer so sumptuous, yet a lyttell blaste of wynde wyl cause it to shake, and a lyttell heate of prosperitie wyl open it, and a lyttell rayne of aduersitie wyll diuide it, and within a short whyle or space, whan we least take hede, it wyll falle all flatte on the erth. If the pyllers be of syluer, and benches of gold, and though the benchers be kynges and continue a thousande yere: and rule into the entrayles of the erthe: yet they can fynde no stedfaste rocke nor mountayne wherin to cloose the goodes of their predecessours, and their, estates perpetual. The goddis immortal haue made al thinges communicable to men mortal, except immortalitie: and therfore they be callid immortal, bicause they neuer dy, and we be called mortal and fallyng, bicause we all take an ende.

. How stronge so euer the walles be, yet great age causeth it to falle to ruine[sic]. Two thinges semeth to be fre, the whiche fortune can not set abacke, nor the tyme cause to be forgotten, and they be these: The good or yll renoume among men, and the peyne or rewarde that they that be good or ylle haue of the goddis. O may frende Cincinate, thus acheueth the persones, but the goddes neuer. What grene or rype or rotten holdeth any season the fruyte of the tree floured? I esteme it nothinge bycause it must dye by nature. Howe be it dyuers tymes in leaues and flowres we beare the frost of some malady, or the blast of some enuious myshappe. Longe is the webbe in making: but that is made in many days, is cut asonder in a moment: Semblably it is a pitous thynge to se a man dye with so great trauayle, and to be sette in the state of honour, and after whan we, neyther regardynge the one, nor the other, and yet we se it perish. And without any memorie of any thing abidynge. O my frende Cincinate, for the loue betwene vs I pray the, and by the immortal goddis I coniure the. beleue not the worlde, the which vnder the colour of a lytell golde, to hyde moche fylthynes, and vnder colours of trouth to chaunge vs into a. M. lyes, and for a shorte delyte to gyue vs a. M.displesures. To them whom it sheweth most loue, it begyleth with greattest tromperies: to whom the worlde giueth moste goodes it procureth moste domages: to them that serueth it with mockeries: hit rewardeth with true recompences: and to them that loue it truly, it giueth them goodes of mockeries: finally whan we slepe mooste surest, it waketh vs with greatte perylle. What wylte thou say than of the worlde, shewe me? One thynge I wyll telle the, and me thynke thou shuldest not forgette it: and that is, men oughte not beleue the vayne vanities that we se with our eies, rather than the greatte

. meruayles that we here with our eres. One thing I haue regarded, and by long experience I haue knowen it, that but a fewe houses paynted, nor stalles reysed vp we haue sene in Rome: but of a small tyme thay take no thoughte for the walles, but they haue cruelle enmities with theyr neyghbours, and great anoye of their heires, and importunate shame of their frendes, and double malice of their ennemies, and enuious profite in the senate, and sometyme to put a gouernour out of possession they set foure in honor: and finally all that with great thought hath be gadered for their chyld, whome they loue wel with great rest, some time an other heire enioyeth it, of whom they thinke leest. It is a iuste sentence, that suche as begyle dyuers with yl dedes in their lyfe, shuld be begyled of their vayn thoughtes at their deth. Cruel shulde the goddis be, and ryghte greuous for men to suffre (that the yll that haue gathered for one heire in the preiudyce of dyuers that be good) shulde enioye it many yeres. Me thinke it shulde be a souerayne foly to be borne wepynge, and to dye sighyng, and to lyue laughynge. The rule to gouerne al partes ought to be egall. O Cincinate, who hath begyled the, that for a potte full of water, thou haste nede of a greatte laake of this worlde to passe thy wretched lyfe? wylt thou flee away the skynne of thy handis with the corde of thoughtes, breke thy body in batayle with great trauayle, and aduenture thyn honour for one potte of water? What wylte thou more that I shuld say? but that to fyll a potte of thy goodes thou wylte suffre a. M. perylles. And in the vyle exercysinge of thy marchandyse, thou doubtest not for lesing of thy credence. And fynally I swere to the, thou shalte abyde deed for thurste, as though there were no water in the feldes. If thou wylt do by my counfayle, desire dethe of the goddis, to reste the as an aeged wyse man: and demaunde

. not rychesse to lyue yll as a yonge fole. I haue sore wepte for many, that I haue seen in Rome departed out of this worlde, and for the I haue wepte droppes of blode, to se the returne newely vylely to the worlde. My amyte and the credyte of the senate, the bloud of thy predecessours, the auctorite of thy person, and the honour of thy countrey oughte to refrayne thy coueytousnesse. O frende, the whyte heares sheweth honour and wysdome, the whych shuld exercise and be occupyed in noble dedes. Regarde, it vayleth more to followe reason by the wayes of them that be good, than the comyn opinion, whiche is the large waye of theym that be yll. For thoughe the one be strayte for the fete, it reseth no duste for to blynd the eien as the other dooth, to lyghte yonge personnes, whych procure lyghtnesse: ygnoraunce excuseth theym, but the disordinate couetise of the olde persons, causeth theym to occupye theyr lyfe with trauayle, and to take deathe with greate anoyaunce, and in the one as welle as in the other abydethe greatte infamy. O Cincinate take this councel of a frende: Charge not thy lyfe with takynge of these vayne goodes, sith thou haste soo smalle a morsell of thy lyfe. For suche as thou arte, we se consume, and waste, and not to quicken: put no truste in frendes in the present prosperite, for it is a pronostication of an euylle fortune. And syth thou arte in a hasarde lyke a foole, me thynke thou oughtest to descende a fote lyke a sage persone. And thus euery man wyll saye, howe Cyncynate is discended and not fallen, [.] I wyl saye no more, but the goddes be thy sauegarde, and defende bothe the and me from gylefulle fortune. My wyfe Faustine saluteth the, for that I shuld write this letter, and hath coniured me to write this worde to the, that is, she sayth thou oughtest to haue wyt, whan thy necke is full of heare, and I thinke thou oughtest incontinent

. to take a barber and shaue away the heere, that thy wyt may come forth, [.] I wolde thy couetyse shulde forsake the, and folye Faustine, and the gowte me, and that soner our soules may departe fro our fleshe, than gile shuld remaine in our hartes. Marc of mount Celio writeth this with his hande. . A letter sente fro Marc the emperour to Catulus censorius, that was sorofull for the death of his sonne. Uerissimus. The viii. letter. . MArc censure newe and yonge, salute and reuerence to the Catulus censorius olde and aunciente. I haue written two letters to the , and thou haste made aunswere to none of theym. If it be bycause thou couldest not, I holde my peace: If it be bycause thou woldest not, than I complayne me: If it be for forgetfulnes, than I accuse the: If it be bycause thou setteste lyttelle by me, than I appeale the: If thou haste dreamed, that thou haste wrytten, I saye beleue not in dreames: And if thou wylte not it shulde vayle to gloryfye me as a frende, yet thou mightest take it write in aduertising and repreuinge as the father to the son. Yong vertuous persons are bounde to honour auncient wise men, and no lesse olde wyfe men oughte endoctrine the yonge people and very yonge, as I am. A iuste thynge it is that the new forces of youth supply and serue them that ar worne by age. For theyr long experience mocketh our tendre age and natural ignorance. Youth is il applied, when it surmonteth the force of the body, and faylleth the vertues of the soule: and age is honored, wherein the force drieth outwarde, wherby vertues quickneth the more inward. we mai se the tre when the fruite is gadered, the leaues fallen, and flowers drye

. than more grene and perfyte are the rootes. I meane that whan the first seson of youth is passed, which is the Somer tyme, than cometh age called wynter, and putrifieth the fruite of the fleshe, and the leaues of fauour fall, and the floures of delyte are wyddered, and the veynes of hope dried outwarde, than it is right, that moche better the rotes of good workes within be good. They that be old and auncient ought to prayse their good werkes rather than their white heares. For honour ought to be gyuen for the good lyfe, and not for the whyte heade. Glorious is that common welthe, and fortunate is that prince, that is lord of younge men to trauayle, and ancient persons to councell. As to regard the susteynyng of the naturalitie of the life, in lykewise ought to be consydered the polycie of gouernaunce, the whiche is that al the fruites come nor drie not al at ones, but whan one begynneth an other fayleth. And in this manner ye that be auncyent teachynge vs, and we obedient, as olde fathers and yonge pullettes, beinge in the neste of the senate: Of some their fethers fallyng, and other yonge fethered: and where as the olde fathers can not flye, their trauayles are mayntayned by their tender chyldren. Frende Catulus, I purposed not to wryte one lyne this yere, bycause my penne was troubled with thy slouthe: but the smalnesse of my spirite, and the greatte peryll of myn offices always called on me to demande thy counsel. This priuilege the old wise men holdeth in their houses where they dwell: They are alwayes lordes ouer them that be symple, and are sclaues to them that be wise. I thynke thou haste forgotten me, thynkynge that sythe the dethe of my dere sonne Uerissimus, the tyme hath ben so longe, that I shulde forgette it. Thou hast occasion to thynke so,for many thynges renneth in tyme, that reason can not helpe. But in this case I can not tel whiche is the

. greatest, thy trumperie or my dolour. I sweare to the by the goddis immortall, that the hungry wormes in the entrayles of the vnhappy chylde, are not so puisant, as are the cruell dolours in the hart of the father sore wounded. And it is no comparison, for the son is deed but one tyme, and that heuy father dieth euery moment. What wilt thou more that I shulde say? but that one ought to haue enuy of his deth, and compassion of my lyfe, bicause in dienge he liueth, and in lyuinge I die. In yl fortunes in case of lyfe, and in that subtyll aduerses of fortune, where as her gyles profyteth but lyttell, and her strength lesse, I thynke the beste remedye is to fele it as a man, and dissimule it as discrete and wise. If all thynges as they be felte at herte shulde be shewed outwarde with the tonge, I thinke that the wyndes shuld breake the harte with sighynges, and water all the erthe with wepynge. O if the corporall eies sawe the hurte of the harte with a true wound I swere to the, there they shuld se more of a droppe of bloudde sweatynge within, than all the wepynge that is made outwarde. There is no comparyson of the great dolours of the bodye, to the leeft peyne that the spirite feleth. For all trauayles of the body, men may fynde some remedy, but if the heuy hart speake it is not harde: if it wepe, it is not sene: if it complayne, it is not beleued. What shall the poore harte do? Abhorre the lyfe, wherwith it dieth, and defire deth, wherwith it lyueth. The high vertues amonge noble vertuous people consisteth siseth not al onely to suffre the passions of the body, but also to diffimule them of the sowle. They be suche that altereth the humours, and sheweth it not outwarde: It bringeth a feuer without alterynge the poulce. It altereth the stomake: It maketh vs to knele to the erth, it suffreth the water vp to the mouth, and to take death with out leauyng of the lyfe. And fynally it lengtheth our lyfe, to thentente

. that we shulde haue the more traueyle, and denyethe vs our sepulture, to thentente that we shulde not reste vs. But considerynge, if I be troubled with tribulations, as well am I lette with consolations. For euer I haue eyther desyre of the one, or werines of the other. I take this remedye to dissimule with the tongue, and to wepe with the eyes, and to fele it with my harte, I passe my lyfe, as he that hapethe to lese all that he hath, and neuer to recouer that is lost: I say this, though ye se me not nowe make funerall wepynges and waylynges, as I dyd at the deth of my sonne, yet thynke not but it doth brenne by harte, so that with the inwarde greate heate is confumed the humyditie of the eyes outwarde, for it brenneth all my spirytes inwarde. Thou mayste knowe what an honorable father suffrethe to lese a good chylde: In all thynges the goddes be lyberall, excepte in gyuynge vs vertuous chyldren: where there is abundaunce of greatte estates, there is greatteste scarcitie of good inherytours. It is a greate hurte to here, and greater to see, how these fathers clyme to haue ryches, and to se theyr chyldren discend to haue vycyousenes. To see the fathers honour theyr children, and the chyldren to infame theyr fathers, yea and sometyme the fathers to gyue reste to theyr chyldren, and the chyldren to gyue trouble to theyr olde fathers, yea and sometyme sometyme the faders dye for sorowe that theyr chyldren dye so soone and we se the chyldren wepe bycause theyr fathers dye soo late. What shoulde I saye more, but that the honour and ryches that the fathers haue procured with gret thought, the chyldren lese it with lyttell care. I am certayne of one thynge, that the fathers may gather ryches with strength and crafte, to susteyne theyr chyldren, but the goddes will not haue durable that that is begon with euyll intention, and is founded to the preiudice of other, and is possessed

. with an euyll heyre. And though the heuy destenyes of the father permit. that the riches be left to theyr chyldren to serue them in all theyr vyces for theyr pastyme, at last according to theyr merytes, the goddes wil that the heyre and heritage shulde peryshe. Marke what I saye, I had two sonnes, Comode and the prince Uerissimus, the yonger is deed, that was gretest in vertue. Alway I imagined, that while the good liued, I shuld be poore, and now that the yl remaineth, I thinke to be ryche. I shal shew the why, the goddes are so pyteful, that to a poore father they neuer gyue yl child: and to a riche fader they neuer giue a good childe. And as in al prosperite alway there falleth some sinestre fortune, eyther soone or late, therwith fortune doth arme and apparel vs wherin she seeth we shal fal to our gretest hurt. And therfore the goddes permit that the couetous faders in gaderynge with great trauaile shuld die with that hurt, to leue their riches to their vicious children yl implied. I wepe as moch for my child that the goddes haue left me, as for him that they haue taken fro me. For the small esteme of hym that liueth maketh immortal memory of him that is deed. The yl rest and conuersation of them that liue cause vs to syghe for the company of them that be deed. The yll is alway desyred for his ilnes to be deed, and the good alway meriteth to haue his deth bewayled. I say my frend Catulo, I thought to haue lost my wit, whan I sawe my son Uerissime die, but I toke comfort ayen: for eyther he of me, or I of hym must se the ende. Considering that the goddes did but lene him to me and gaue him not, and how they be inheriters, and I to haue the vfe of the fruit. For al thing is mesured by the iust wil of the goddes, and not by our disordinat wils and appetites. I think whan they toke away from me my childe, I restored him to another, and not that they haue taken myne. But sith it is the wil of the goddes to giue rest to the good childe,

. and hurte the father bycause he is yll, I yelde thankes to them, for the seasone that they haue suffred me to enioye his lyfe: And for the pacience that I haue take for his dethe, I desyre them to mytigate therwith the chastisement os theyr yre. And I desyre, sythe they haue taken away the lyfe fro this chylde, to cause good customes to be in the prynce myne other sonne. I knowe what heuynesse thou hast take in Rome for my sorowe. I pray to the goddes to send the ioye of thy chyldren, and that I maye rewarde the with some ioye, for that thou hast wepte for my peyne. My wyfe Faustyne saluteth the: and thou woldeste haue compassion to se her: For she wepeth with her eyes, and sigheth with her harte, and with her handes hurteth her selfe, and curseth with her tonge. She eateth nothynge on the daye, nor slepeth in the nyghte. She loueth derknesse, and abhorreth lyghte, and thereof I haue mo meruayle: for it is reasone, that for that was noryshed in her entrayles, she shulde fele sorowe in the same. And the loue of the moders are [!] so strange thoughe her chylde be deed and layed in sepulture yet alwayes she hath hym quycke in her herte. It is a generall rule, that the person that is enterly beloued causeth euer gret grefe at the deth. And as for me I passe the life ryghte sorowfully: thoughe I shewe a ioyful face, yet I wante myrth at my harte. And among wyse men beynge sorowfull: and shewynge theyr faces mery, is none other thyng but buryenge the quycke, hauynge no sepulture. And I swere by the goddes immortall I fele moche more than I haue sayd. And dyuers tymes me thynke I shuld fall downe, bycause I dare not wepe with myn eies, yet I fele it inwardely. I wolde fayne comyn with the in dyuers thynges. Come I praye the to Bryette, to thentent that we maye speake together. And syth it hathe pleased the goddes to take my chyld fro me, that I loued so well.

. I wolde councel with the that art my louyng frende. But fewe dayes passed there came hyther an ambassadour fro the Rodes, to whome I gaue the mooste parte of my horses: and fro the forthest parte of Spaine there were brought me .viii. of whiche I sende the .iiii. I wolde they were suche as myghte please the. The goddes be thy safeguarde, and sende me and my wyfe some ioye. Marcus Aurelius ryght sorowfull hath written this with his owne hande. . A letter sente by Marc the emperour to Marcurino being at Sannye nowe called Benauente. The .ix. letter. . My specialle frende and auncyente companyon, a messager of thyne, and a lackey of myne wente oute together at Capue, the one bare my desyre and affection to the, and the other broughte a letter to me. And if thou loke well, thou mayste se my harte as ful of thoughtes, as I se thy letter ful of complayntes. Thou dost send to comfort me in my feuer tercyan, I thanke the greately thereof, and hit is come in a good season. For the goynge of the feuer out of my poulse, and the ioye of thy letter to my spyrite is all one. And surely if this case be lefte in my hande, and that my feuer retourne not, than thy consolation shal serue. Lo beholde the mesery of man, that presumeth to take away realmes from other, and yet can not take the feuer oute of my bones. Thou knowest well that we loue togeder, and of a longe season thyne amyte hath trusted in me. My trouthe byndethe me, that thyne ylles shoulde be myne, and my goodes thyne. And there is true loue, where he

. two bodyes separate, and but one harte together. And than is but a bytter loue, where the hartes be as ferre asounder, as the straungenes of theyr persones. Take hede I praye the, that our loue be not inuenimed with vnkyndnes, nor our remembraunce enpoysoned with smalle thoughtes, and I beinge another then thou arte here, and thou being another than I am there, in maner that myne absence with thy presence, and my presence with thy absence may speke together. Thy messager hath shewed me the losse of thy godes, and by thy letter I knowethe [sic] anguysshe of thy personne. And it hath ben shewed me, that thou haste hadde a shyppe peryshed, and that thy factours lyke wyse men, to saue theyr personnes dydde throwe thy marchandise in to the see. Me thynke thy shyppe hathe eased the of thy charge. But I thynke, as it semeth by the, they threw not so many fardels in to the see, as thoughtis into thy harte. And accordynge as thou were before, I shoulde be more bounde to serche for thy leade and tynne, thanne for thy harte. Thy leade is sonken to the bottome, but thy counselle is spredde abrode ouer all the worlde. If thou shuldeste nowe dye, and thy bodye be opened, for trouthe I thynke, that thy hart shuld be rather found drowned with thy leade, than alyue with thy bodye, O Mercurius, at this houre thou feleste no malady of any feuer tercian, as I doo, for the harte of thy bodye, and the dolour of thy spirite causeth the to haue a quartayne. And this euyll is not in the body, but in the shyppe, nat on the erthe, but in the see: Not with phisicions, but philosophers I councel the to seke helth: For there thy lyfe is drowned where thy leade is sonken. Be not angrye, for thoughte thou haste not thy lead with the, thy lead hath the with it. Oftetimes auarice seketh out the auaricyous, and somtyme the auaricious seke auarice. It is shewed me, thou arte sory, bycause

. thy domage can haue no remedye: and doest thou not know, that where no remedy is, thou oughtest to take paicence [sic]? O Mercurius, nowe thou knowest, that whan thou dyddest aduenture thy goodes to the suspecious rockes, and thy desires to the depe wawes of the see, and thy couragious auarice to the importunate wyndes and thy leed to straunge waters: and as ioyous and desirous as thy factours went forth in trust of wynnynge, as moche nowe thou arte sure of the losse: and thus is thy desire drowned, and thy hope scaped. Doest thou not remembre, that Socrates castynge into the see not leade but golde, not a lytell, but a great deale, not goodes of other mennes, but of his owne, not by fortune, but by his wysedome, sayinge, I wyll drowne these gylefull rychesses, to the entent that they shall not drowne me: But I thynke if a man shulde see the do soo, he shoulde here the saye: O my swete rychesses, I had rather drowne my selfe, than other shulde drowne you? This auncient wyse man durste not truste in golde, and thou wylte truste on leade: caste lottes amonge your goddis, he of Athenes and thou of Rome. Whiche of you hath most fayled, or elles is most assured? he that caste his golde fro the erthe into the see, or thou that woldest brynge thy leade out of the see vpon the erth? I knowe that the auncient Romayns wyl say it is he, and the present couetous folke wyll say, it is thy selfe, and I thynke in this thou art dispraysed in the prayse thereof, and the dispreised is alowed of all men. Thy messager told me, that thou were right sorie and heuy, and cryest out in the nyght, callyng on the goddis, and wakest the neyghbours, complaynyng on fortune. I am sore displeased for thy heuynes, bicause sorow is nexte frende to thy solytarines, and enmye to company, and heire of desperation. I am sory for thy crienges in the night: for it induceth foly. For the night coueringe

. alle the worlde with derknes, thou alone wylte discouer thy hart with crienges. I am not plesed, that thou callest vpon the goddes, bicause they haue taken some thyng fro the: bycause thou were aloft, they haue brought the lower: Nor am I not pleased, that thou awakest thy neighbours for thy ryches that caused them to enuye the, thy pacience shuld moue them to compassion. Nor I am not content, that thou shuldest so complayn on fortune, for the thing so wel knowen of many, shulde not be infamed by one alone. O Mercurius remembre, that with them, with whom truce is taken, thou wylt entre agayn in to the feld of defiance. We vnbende and thou wylt spend thy speres. Thou neuer camest into the felde, and yet thou woldest enioy the triumphe. Al be stopped, and thou woldest passe surely. Thou yeldest thy selfe to fortune: And doest thou not knowe, how she beteth down the high walles, and defendeth the olde rotten howses, and peopleth where there lacketh people, and vnpeopleth where as people be? Of enmyes she maketh frendes, and of frendes enmyes, and dispoileth the vanquyshers, and crowneth them that be ouercome. Of traytours she maketh trewe men, and trewe men she maketh suspecte personnes. And fynally fortune is suche a maystresse, that she ruleth realmes, ouercommeth armes, beatethe downe kynges, exalteth tyrauntes, to the deed gyueth lyfe, and to somme renoume, and to some shame. Why styckest thou to her? Doest thou not remembre the worde that the kynge of the Lacedemonyens hadde at his gate, sayenge, This is the house of the puttynge downe of fortune. In good soothe these were hyghe wordes and of greate vnderstondynge, he knewe fortune moche better than thou, sith he rekeneth his house at fortune dispositions, and not for enheritance, and if he hadde loste any thynge, as thou haste doone, he thoughte that she restored it to other as theyrs, and had

. not taken his. Reason holdeth confidence, to argue thy treason by that he deposeth the fro thy heyghte to be an heryter: for he that lyueth heryteth deathe, and not death the lyfe, for all dyeth, and it heryteth al in theyr life. Wylt thou take vengeance of that hath giuen the so moch pein. Therfore take this councell: be frende to fortunes enmy, the whiche is the graue: Ouer them that be borne, and not ouer them that dyeth is her empyre. O howe many great lordes haue ben the thoughtes of thy harte soo as many wormes shalbe in thyn entrayles? What greatter victorie may be, than she that ouercometh all lyuers, shalbe vanquyshed of the all onely by death. I say one thing to the, that all onely he that is closed in his graue, is assured of all thynges of this lyfe. Thy messager shewed me, that this sommer thou woldest come to Rome, and nowe that hit is wynter, thou wylte sayle in to Alexandrye. O my frende Mercurio, whan thy lyfe draweth to an ende, thou begynnest to be auaritious. Thou shalt fynde two cities in this worlde in two extremytees, Rome the heed of vice, and Alexaundry the ende of al vertues. I say of thy merchaundyse, in Rome thou dooste charge thy bodye with vices, and in Alexandrye thy harte with thoughtes. I swere by the othe of a iust man, that thou shalt haue more desyre of that thou leauest, then contentation of that thou bearest away. Thou remembrest not, howe it is wynter, and thou muste passe the see, and but if the pylottes lye to me, the calme season mooste sure is the vygill of the more vnfortune. Thou wylt saye thy shyppes be voyde, and therfore they shall goo more surely, I beleue they shall goo more charged with auarice, than they shal come with silk. O what a good chaunge shall it be, if the auarice of Italy myght be chaunged for sylke of Alexandry. I knowe surely theyr sylke wyll lade a shyppe, and our auarice will

. lade a hole flete. Great is that couetyse, whiche the shame of the worlde dothe not repreue, nor the feare of deathe stoppe, nor reason appoynt. I say it, bycause that he whiche in suche a tyme offreth hym selfe to peryl, eyther couetyse surmounteth hym, or elles vnderstandynge faylethe hym. And bycause I can fynde none other excuse sufficient to excuse me to the, but that thou arte as moche knowen by the see, as vnknowen to the goddis, that is the vnstable wawes knoweth the wicked harte and vnrestfull, and the harde rockes vnruly men: and one wynde knoweth an other wynde. I pray the shewe me, what thou wylte goo serche? Wylt thou go into the gulfe of Arpino for to seke thy leade? Than take hede and thynke how the fyshe hath eaten thy harde leed, and let them not eate thy softe fleshe. Thou wylte peraduenture go seke thy goodis with peryl of thy lyfe, and to leaue renowme at thy deathe. Knowest thou not, that suche renowme is a salue for a rewme, a baume for a swownig [!], lyght to a blynd person', a nyghtingale to the deafe? I wyll discouer the enbusshement, er thou fall therin. Thou sekest thought for thy selfe, enuye for thy neyghbours, spurres for thyn ennemies, wakynge for theues, peryl for thy body, damnation for thy renome and endynge of thy lyfe, flyghte for thy thy children, and cursynge for thyn heires. And bycause the feuer hasteth towarde me, I leaue my penne to wryte any more. My wyfe Faustyne saluteth the, and is soore displeased for thy losse. I sende the a prouision, to the entent that a shyppe maye be gyuen the, bycause thou shuldest not lose thy wytte. If thou be in Alexandrie, returne not by Rhodes, leest the Pyrates take the. The goddis be thy saufgarde, and to me and other to gyue good lyfe, and good name with straungers.

. A letter sent by Marc the emperour to Antigonus comfortinge hym in a sorowfull case. The tenth letter. Marke pretour Romaine Edyle Censorine, companyon of the empire, to the Antigonus banyshed sendeth gretynge to thy part, and good hope of the senate. I beinge in Champayne, thy heuy case was shewed me, and at this houre in the temple of Jupiter was thy pitieful letter delyuerid to me. I fele as moche as thou felest, and am hurte with as many woundes, as thou arte separate fro neyghbours of thyne: in lykewyse I am banyshed fro my wyttes, and wepe at this houre for the, as thou in my trauayles haste wepte for me: and I fele for the, as thou in my trauayles haste wepte for me: and I fele for the as thou haste felte for me. For to frendes afflycted with sorowe, we ought to gyue remedy to their persons, and consolation and compassion to their hertes. I swere to the by the lawe of good menne, in this case I haue not ben vncourteys of ancient tyme, nor cruell at this tyme to fele it. As I redde the lynes of thy letter, I coude not hold my handis fro shaking, nor my hert fro sighing, nor myn eien fro weping, to se the smal thing that thou sendest to demande, and moche more for lacke of power to send to the. The grettest infortune of al infortunes, is whan a man may do lytle, and wold do much. And the greattest fortune of all fortunes is, whan a man may do moch, and wyl do but lytle. In this I wyl se if thou hast forgoten our amitie, and aduenturest at one tyme, that I haue trusted in the diuers times. Thou knowest wel, that the yonge days in my youth al thinges were dischargid fro my hert, and charged them to thin vnderstoning. Than it is a iuste thyng that thy traueyles shuld be discharged fro thy wyll

. wyl and charged vpon my harte. And in this maner thou and other shall see and here, that my handes shalbe as redy to remedy the, as my teeres of wepynge are for thy damage. Nowe come to the rest of euyl fortune. Thou gyuest me knowledge, that the goddes haue taken a doughter fro the: And the monstrous erthequake hath throwen downe thy houfe, and the senate hath gyuen a sentence agaynste the, wherby thy goodes are loste, and thy person banyshed. The goddes be to me as propyce and meke, as they haue ben cruelle to the. I am soore abashed of that my spirite hath conceyued in this, as of the losse that thou and thy wyfe haue felt, yet am I not abashed of the monstre that feareth the people, nor of the strymblynge that hathe shaken downe thy houses, nor of the fyer that hath brente thy goodes, nor of the goddes that haue permytted suche thynges to falle: But I am a bashed [sic], that there is so moche malyce in the and in thy neyghbours: For the whiche iustely ye do deserue to haue so horryble and cruelle chastysementes: Beleue me in one thynge Antygonus, and doubte it not, if men lyued lyke men, and chaunged not the rule of conditours, the goddes wolde then be always as goddes, not of cause vs to be borne of our mothers to gyue vs so cruel chastisementes by the hand of monstrous beastes. Certaynely it is iuste and moste iuste, that brute beastes be chastysed by other brute beastes, and the monsterous by other monsterouse beastes: and suche as offend with greate fautes, to be punyshed with greate paynes. I say to the one thynge, the whiche semeth a newe thynge to the, and that is, the euyll personne offendethe more by infany, than the goddes gyue theym payne for it, rather than for the offence that is comytted agaynst them, as the goddes naturally be pytiefull, and alway haue the name thereof, so we are alwayes euyll and our euelnes and shamefull

. werkes deserue to haue sore chastisement. The symple folkes call the goddis cruell, in that they se theyr chastisement openly, and for they se not our secrete ylnesse. Than the goddis haue reason to complayn, bicause we with our synnes offend them, and they by our cruelnes are infamed. An ineffable rule it is, that the pitieful goddis do not punyshe extremely with extreme chastysementis, sythe that firste the vicious men do extremely with extreme vyces. The tyme that Camillus was banyshed Capue, and that the frenche men posseded Rome, Lucius Clarus consule was sent by the senate to the oracle of Apollo, to demande councell what the Romayne people shuld do to be delyuered out of their greate peryll. And there this consule was xl. dayes within the temple on his knees before Appollo, offerynge right straunge sacrifices, and shedde many teares with wepynge, and yet he coude haue none answere: and so with no smal inconueniences he returnid to Rome. Than the holy senate sent out of euery temple two prestis and whan they were prostrate on the erthe, Apollo sayde: As one begynninge is correspondent to an other begynnynge, and one place to an other, Meruaylle thou not, though by the reason of an extreme demaunde, I shewed my selfe extreme to answere. Ye Romaynes sithe ye fayle men, ye come to seke to the goddis, for the occasion wherof we wyl gyue you no good counsayle whan ye haue nede, nor permytte that men shulde fauour you whan ye go to seke for them. Regarde my frendes, not for the sacrifices that ye haue offred to me, but for the amytie that I haue had with your fathers in tyme past, I wyl discouer to you a secrete, the whiche is, that ye shall say to the Romayns fro me .vii. thynges. The fyrste is, lette neuer man leaue the goodis for an other man, for feare that the goddes departe fro the myserable man in his most greattest necessitie.

. The .ii. is, that more auaylleth to holde the parte of one of the goddis immortall, that is in heuen, than with all the mortall men in the worlde. The .iii. is, that menne shulde beware to anoye the goddis, for the ire of the goddis doth more domage than the iniquitie of all men. The iiii. is, the goddis neuer forgetteth a man at any tyme, but if the goddis be forgotten by men a. M. tymes. The v. is, that the goddis do suffre that one shall be persecuted by an other that is ylle, or they haue firste persecuted one that is good. And therefore ye are stryken with the feates of the frenche men bicause ye haue persecuted and banished Camyllus your naturalle neyghbour. The .vi. is, if the men wyl haue the goddis fauorable in the tyme of warre, they muste serue them fyrste in tyme of peace. The .vii. is, that the pitiefull goddis sendeth not to any realme some extreme chastisement, but if it be for some extreme offences commytted in the same realme. And shewe to the Senate that I wold make none answere to Lucius Clarus, bicause they sent so yll a man to their god Appollo as ambassadour, the which they ought not to haue done. Ye Romayns take this councell of me, and if ye fynde it yl, take no more of me. In a straunge message sende alwayes the most eloquent men: and in your senate sette the wysest men: And commytte your hostes to valyant capitayns: and to your goddis sende alway the most innocent men. The iust goddis neuer appeaseth their ires ageinst vniust men: but if the requirers be very innocente and meke. For a fowle vessell is not made cleane but with faire water. For with foule handes it is hard to make the vessel clene. The goddis be so iust, that they wyll not gyue iust thynges but by handes of iust men. Finally I say, if ye wyl driue the frenche men your ennemies out of your landis, firste caste out the passions fro your hartes. Thynke for trouth, that the goddis

. wyll neuer driue your ennemies out of Italy tyll Camyllus and al the gyltlesse that be banyshed, be returned ageyn to Rome. Certaynly the cruell warres that the goddis permytteth at this tyme present, is but a warnyng of the chastisementes for offences passed. For that the yl men haue done to the innocentis in diuers days, after by the handes of other that be yl, the payment is made in one day. This answere Apollo made to the priestes flamynes that were sent to hym out of Rome, which thing made the senate sore abashed. I remembre that in the boke of the answere of the goddis, in the annales of the capitol there I founde it: the whiche boke the first day of euery monethe was redde by a senatour, before all the other senatours of the senate. Therefore frend Antigonus, as the god Apollo sayde, if thou wylte not beleue me, that am thy frende, beleue the god Apollo. O Antigonus behold how the vnderstanding of vayn men are but bestly to the spiritis of the goddis, whiche are secret and hid: and where as they speke, all other ought to be stylle. For one councell of the goddis is more worth in mockerie, than al the councels of men though they be nener [sic] so true. Of whens thinkest thou that this cometh? I shall shewe the: The goddis are so perfyte in all bountie, and so wise in all wysedome, and we are so yll in all malyce, and so simple in all symplenes, that though they wold erre, they can not bicause thy be goddis: and we that wolde be assured, erre bycause we be men. And herin I se what a brute beast man is: for al these mortal men are so entier in their owne wylles, that they wyl lose more in folowing their owne opinion, than wynne by the councel of an other manne: and the worste of all is, that they take suche a bytte in doinge yll, that there is no bridel that can refreyne them. And they are so slowe to do wel, that there is no pricke nor spourre that can moue theym forwarde.

. Thou doest complayne of the pitiefull goddis, and of the sacrate senate. Also thou complaynest of ioyfull fortune. Thre thinges there be, that one of theym is inough with one stroke of a stone, to take away thy lyfe, and bury thy renoume. And whan eche of them hath drawen the a part, than all togyther wyll stryke on the with stones. Thou haste taken greatte compeditours, and yet I knowe not what thy worthynes is. I shal shewe the some strengthes and valyant[n]es that the aunicient barons had, and therby thou shalte see, what they of this worlde doth holde. The felawe of Scipio Nasica toke a serpente in the mountayns of Egypt, whiche after it was slayne, flayed, and the skynne mesured in the felde of Mars, it was .vi. score fote of length. Hercules of Thebes proued his force with the serpente Hydra, And in strykynge of one of his heedes, there sprange out .vii. other heades. Mylon the gyaunt to execute his strengthe was accustomed euery day to ouertake a bull with rennyng a fote, and caste hym downe, and made many courses with the bulle, as it were an other naked yonge man: and yet that was more meruayle, he with one stroke of his fyste slewe the bulle, and the same day wolde eate hym all togyther. On mount Olympe Cerrastus the giaunt of the nacion of Grece, wrasteled with mo than .L. M. men, and none coude styre nor shake him. And if Homere begileth vs not of this gyaunt, he was of suche fame and dedes, that euery foure yeres, there was a custome, that all nations of the worlde went to wrastle at mount Olympe. And thereof came the rekenynge of the Olympiades. In the second warre punyke among the captiues of sorowful Carthage, Scipio brought a man, a lorde of Mauritayn ryght strong and fierse to behold: and in celebratyng a spectacle in the palayes of Rome, whiche was than of

. great rennoume, there were innumerable beastes ronne at: This captiue prisoner lept into the parke, and kylled two beares, and wrastled with a lyon a great whyle: fynally beinge sore hurte with the lyons pawes, he strangled the lyon with his handes. This was a monstruons [sic] thyng to se, and nowe it semeth incredyble to be beleued. In the yere .CCCC xx. of the foundation of Rome, Curio Ledente a renoumed capitayne, commynge fro Tarent against Pyrro kynge of the Epirotes: he was the fyrst that brought .iiii. Oliphantes to Rome the day of his triumph. Stages and places were made for .xxx. m. men to se the rennynge of these Olyphauntes: and in the myddes of the pastyme, the plankes brake, and slewe mo than .V. M. persones. And amonge them there was a Numantian, the whiche bare vpon his shulders a planke with mo thanne iii. C. men tyll that he and they were succoured. Gayus Cesar beinge yonge, fleinge the companye of Sylla, bycause he was perteyninge to Marius, he being among the Rodiens wan his meate with coursyng and runnyng of horses, with his handes bound behynde hym. It was a monstruous thynge to se, as the annales wytnes, howe he wolde guyde the horses with his knees so faste as though he had drawen them with the reynes of their bridelles. In the .xv. yere that the capitayne of Cartageniens entred into Italy, our auncient fathers sente to the realme of Frigie for the dyesse Berecynthia mother of the goddis: and whan she arryued at the porte Hostie, the shyppe that she came in, ranne vpon the sande, and by the space of .iiii. dayes .xxx. m. men, that came in the army coulde not remoue it: by chance came thither one of the virgins vestales, named Rea, whiche with her gyrdylle tyed to the shyppe, drewe it to the lande as easily as she wolde haue

. drawen a threde from the dystaffe. And to the intent that we shulde beleue suche thinges, as we here were done in times past, we may know it by dedes done presently in our days. I remembre whan my lord Adrian came fro Dacie he dydde celebrate a spectacle in Rome, wherin there was mo than .ii. M. wylde bestis. And the thinge most notable that we haue sene, there was a knyght borne by the riuer Danubio, who toke a hors, and ranne into the parke, and slewe so many wylde bestes, that there fledde fro him lyons, leopardes, beares, olyphantes, and we dyd fle fro them: and he slewe mo of them than they dyd of men. These strange thinges I haue recyted to the, that of all these I am not so abashed as I am of the, to se the redye to doo armes ageinst the goddis, and ageinst the senate, and ageinst fortune. These thre are gyauntes in vertuous valyauntise, and happy at al tymes: and they be suche as commaunde them that commaunde other. The goddis by their naturalyte and power close vp the furies, and gouerne the sterres: And the senate with their Iustyce ouercometh realmes, and subdueth tyrantes: and fortune with her tiranny taketh them that they leaue, and leaueth them that they take: and honoureth them that they dishonour, and chastyseth them that serue her: she begyleth euery person, and no person begyleth her: she promyseth moche, and fulfylleth nothing: her songe is wepynge, and her wepinges is songe, to them that be deed amonge wormes, and to them that lyue in fortunes, at them that be present she spurneth with her fete, and threateth them that be absent. All wyse men shrinke fro her, but thou lyke a foole shewest her thy face. Of one thynge I am abashed of the, to complayne of the senate, and yet I meruayle not: for in conclusion they be but men: yet of trouth in thinges of Justice they ought to be more than men. And to complayn on fortune, I meruayle

. not a lyttel: for in the end fortune is fortune amonge mortalle men. And all the heuens is of an auncient quarelle, and whan we are besette with mooste greattest quarelles, than she striketh vs with most greuous hurtes. I haue great wonder, that thou being a Romayn complainest on the goddis, as if thou were one of the Barbariens. We Romayns are not so moche renoumed among al nations for the multitude of realmes that we haue ouercome, as we are for the greate churches and seruices that we haue made. Thou complaynest, howe the goddis haue broken thy houses with an erthquake, and haue slayne thy doughter felawe in thy banysshement, and all in one daye. But thou dost not remembre the offences that thou hast conmitted in dyuers cases. O my frend Antigono, thou knowest not that out of our yl processes comith forth good sentences and thou knowest not that our wicked workes are but a waking of true Iustice: nor thou knowest not, that the fierse chastisementis is but a presse that hasteth the great commings of our yonge desires? and knowest thou not that it is nothinge that the goddis do chasitise openly, to that they do dissimule in secrete? Dost thou not know, that in conclusion the goddis be goddis, and the mortalles are mortalles, and they may do vs more good in one day, than we can do seruice in a C.M. yere? Doest thou not knowe, that the leaste ylle done by the handis of the pitiefull goddis, is more goodnes than al the welth that may come by the handis of the cruel men? Than whereof doste thou complayn? I pray the be styl. And sith thou art amonge strangers, suffre. And thou wilte haue honour, dishonour not the goddis of the Romayns. For the vniust men do gret iniustyce to speke yl of them that be iust, and specially of the goddis, for they are most iust. Certainly as Cicero saithe, the greatest faut in a man that is good, is to approue the yl rather than the good:

. and the moste greattest euyll in an yl man is to condemne the good for the yl. Thou knowest not how iuste the goddis be. Of trouthe they chaunge not for any prayer, nor leaue not for any thretenynges, nor mocke not by wordes: nor be not corrupt with gyftes. Great ought thyn offence to be, sith the erthe hath taken vengeance for the goddis: and thy innocente doughter hath payde the faute, for the offence of her father. O Antygonus, dost thou not know that in all thynges the goddis may werke after their own opinion and wyll, excepte in Iustyce: for in that they be goddes of all they oughte to be egall to all? And if theyr bountie doth bynde them to rewarde vs for goodnes, no lesse their iustyce constreyneth them to chastise vs for our ylles. It is a greatte custome, and a ryghtouse Justyce, He that wyllynge draweth to synne, ageinste his wylle is drawen to peyne. I say it bycause thy doughter hath lefte to do some good openly, or elles she hath done some secret ylle, sythe in her youth her lyfe is bereued from her father for ensample of chastisement to other. And in the ende of thy letter thou complaynest, that the peyne that men doth to the, is more greatter than the offences that thou haste done to the goddis. And if it be thus frende Antygone, thou oughtest to haue no displeasure, but pleasure, no heuynes but ioye. And I swere to the by the immortall goddes, I wolde gladly chaunge my lybertie for thy captiuitie, and the state of Rome for thy banyshement of Sycile. And I shall telle the why: He is honoured amonge them that be honoured, that fortune abateth without faute: and he is shamed amonge them that be shamed, that fortune inhanceth without merite. For the shame is [not] in the inconuenientes that is done to vs by men, but it is of the offence that we commytte ageinst the goddis. And in lyke case the honourable honour resteth not in the dignities that we

. haue, but in the good workes, wherby we meryte. And therby the wordes seme trewe, that the .xi. emperour of Rome bare written in a rynge on his finger, whiche sayde thus: More is he to be honoured, that deserueth honour, than he that hathe it and deserueth it not. These wordes are greatly to be noted, and spoken by a great lorde. Than retourne to the purpose. Thou complaynest of the wronges and greues that men do to men, and leue the goddis, I haue no meruayle: for as the goddis do neuer vniuste thynges, so the menne neuer lyghtly do any thynge iuste. Note this that I say, and forgette it not. The senate gyueth an open peyne, and publysheth the secrete faulte, in suche maner that with the peyne they hurte vs, and with the faute they shame vs. The goddis are more pitiefull: for though they giue vs peyn, yet they kepe the faut close. A my frende Antigone, though the goddis gader togyder the slouthe and wyckednes, that we commytte secretely, Beleue me and doubte not, the goddis gyue lyfe to many the whiche men bereueth. Therfore I thinke, that thou shuldest thynke and wyshe, that syth the goddis haue suffred the ylles that thou hast done secretly, that thou maist suffre open chastysement that men haue gyuen to the. For otherwise thinkynge to put away the peyne, thou shalt abyde charged with infamy. I haue writen to the this longe epystle, to thentent that thou shuldest haue some thyng to passe the tyme with. Certaynly the greattest easement to ease hym that is in trauayle is to exercyse the wauerynge harte with some good occupations. I wyll write no more to the at this tyme, but as touchynge thy banyshemente, truste me I shal bringe the at one with the senate. I sende Panutius my secretarie to the, gyue as moche credence to his wordes, as to my letters. And he bringeth a gowne to the, and therwith my harte and wylle for to comforte the.

. Salutation peace, and good age be with the: and the ire of the goddis and yll fortune be separate fro me. Marke my household, wyfe, and chyldren salute the as thyn own. And we salute all thy family as our owne. Thoughe the halfe of my letter be not of my hande, comforte the, for my harte is entirely thyne. Thou knowest howe I was greuously hurt in the warres of Dacye in my hande, and in moyste wethers one of my fyngers slepeth. Thus I make an ende as always thyn owne. An other letter sent by Marc the emperour to the same Antygonus ageinst cruell iuges. The leuenth letter. MArc beinge sicke to the Antygonus being banyshed, I desire salute for hym, and reste for the. To eschewe the enuious trauylles of Rome, and to se certayne bokes of Hebrewe that were brought to me fro Helya, I came hyther to Sanya: I made great haste in my iournayes, howe be it at Salon the feuer toke me: and the .XX. day of June I receyued the seconde letter, and the same houre the feuer quartayne toke me. I thynke none of vs bothe had the better hande. For neyther my longe letter dydde put away thy trauayle, nor thy short letter dyd put awaye my feuer. And though as now the felyng of thy trauaile minisheth that I had, the more brenneth the desire to remedy the. Therfore I wyll say some thinge to the, but not that I fynde any consolation that thou haste nede therof. In the lawe of Rhodes I haue founde these wordes: we commaunde, that none be so hardy to gyue councell with out remedy: for the wordes to him that is in trouble gyueth smal consolation, whan there is no remedy. Also the herte that is in sorow, hath more rest shewing his own greues,

. then herynge the consolation of other. Thou [sic] sayest in thy letter, that the censures are right rigorous in that realme: and therfore all that nacion hath yl wyl with the senate. I beleue well they haue good occasion therof: for dishonoured men make the ministres of Iustyce to be rigorous, and namely they of that yle. For there is an ancient prouerbe that sayth, lyghtly all these ylles [sic], are yl, and the Syciliens worste of all. Now adays the yl ar myghty in their ylnes, and the good with theyr vertues are kepte so close, that if there be not some bridel by Iustyce, the yl shuld possede al the worlde, and the good shuld fynyshe shortly. But finally to consider how vnable we be born, and ar enuironned with so many ylles, beinge subiect to so many miseries, I meruaile not of the inhumanities that the humain people committeth: but I am ashamed of the cruell Iustice that our Censures do, not as Romayns, but as cruel tyrantis. Of one thyng I am sore abashed, and greatly it troubleth my wittes, seynge naturally and of right the Iustice of the goddis is good, and we offendyng them, and we that haue iustice but lend [sic] to vs, yet we glorify vs to be cruell: so that the goddis do pardon iniuries done to then, wherby fame of mekenes abideth to them: and we chastyse the iniuries of other, wherby we wyn the fame of tirantis. In good soth there is no man amonge men, nor humayn [sic] among the humayns, but he is as a brute beast, and wylde amonge wylde beastis, that nameth him self to be of the fleshe, and hath no pitie to hurte other fleshe. Nor considereth not, that the goddis hath made hym a meke beast and lowly by nature, and he becometh a fiers serpent by malyce. In the .xii. yere of the foundation of Rome, Romulus the first kyng sent a conmandement into al places and realmes nygh to him: as to the Uolgues, Samites, and Russiens [?], to Capue, Tarentis, and Albanoys: to thentent that all such as were banyshed troubled

. and persecuted in their realmes, shulde come to Rome, and there they shulde be receyued and well entreated: and excepte the hystories lye, Rome was more inhabyted in ten yeres, than Babylon or Cartage in a .C. yeres. O glorious herte of Romulus that suche a thynge inuented: and glorious tongue, that suche a thynge commaunded: and glorious was the cite or countrey, that founded them vpon suche mercye and pitie. I haue founde dyuers letters of dyuers realmes of the orient, sent forth mencionyng thus: We the kynge of Parthes in Asie, to the conscript faders of Rome, and to the happy people of Italy, and vnto all theym of that empyre, hauynge the name of Romaynes, and surname of clemency, Salutation to your persones. We sende peace and tranquillitie to you, as we demande the same of the goddis. Thus than regarde, what glorious tytle of Clemency our predecessours Romanynes hadde: and what example of clemency they haue left for al emperours to com. Take this for certayne, that the Censures or minysters of Iustyce, forgettynge the pitie of the Romayns, shall be reputed cruelle, as Barbariens, Nor Rome shall nat repute them as her naturall chyldren, but as cruell ennemyes: and not for augmentours of the common welthe, but infamours and robbers of clemency. Whan I was of the age of .xxxvii. yere, beinge in the yle of Crete, nowe called Cypres, in wynter tyme, There was a mountayne called Archadio, whervpon foure pyllers were sette, and a sepulchre of a kyng of worthy fame and in his lyfe pitiefull and ful of mercy: and as one shewed me, there were certayne wordes written in greke letters rounde aboute the sepulchre saying thus: I haue taken to me always this counsayle, where as I myghte do but lytel good, I neuer dyd harme: and that that I myghte

. haue with peace, I neuer stroue for: Suche as I myght ouercome with prayer, I neuer feared with thretnynges: where as I myght remedy secretely, I dyd neuer chastise it openly: them that I myght correcte with warnynges, I neuer hurted with beatynges: Suche as I chastysed openly, I fyrst aduertysed secretely: and fynally I neuer chastysed one, but I forgaue foure: I am right sorowfull because that I haue chastysed, and am glad because that I pardoned, In as moche as I was borne as a man, and my fleshe is here eaten with wormes, and bycause I haue lyued vertuously in my lyfe, my spirite shal now rest with the goddis. Howe thynkest thou my frende Antygonus, what an Epitaphye was this? And howe glorious was his lyfe, sythe the memorie of hym vnto this daye abydeth so immortal? And as the goddis may helpe me in al goodnes, and defende me fro yl, I haue not so great delyte at Pompey with his armye, nor at Gaius Iulius Cesar with his Gaules of France, nor at Scipio with his Affrycans, as I haue at the king of Cypres with his sepulchre. For that kynge hath more glorie in that mountayne beinge deed, than all the other had in all their lyues with all their tryumphes, that euer they had in Rome. I say not, but that the wyckednes of yll people shulde be chastysed: for with out comparyson, he is wors that fauoureth the yll, than he that commytteth the yl: for the one procedeth of wekenes, and the other of malice: But it semeth to me and to al other that be wyse, that as the syn is natural and the chastysement voluntary, so oughte the rygour of Iustyce to be temperate: So that the mynisters shulde shewe compassion rather than vengeance: wherby the trespassours shulde haue occasion to amende theyr synne passed, and not to reuenge the iniurie presente. O whatte places and

. realmes haue ben loste, not for the ylnes that the yl people hath committed, but rather by the disordinate Justice that the ministers of iustice haue exercised? Thinking by their rigour to corecte the domages passed, wherby hath rysen sclaunders and strife, neuer none such hard of afore. Whan a prince sendeth any person with charge of Iustice, he ought to say to hym these wordes, suche as August Cesar sayd to the gouernours of Affrike: I put not the confidence of myn honour into thy handes, nor committe to the my iustyce to be a distroyer of innocentis, nor an executour of synners: but that with one hande thou shuldest helpe the good to maynteine them therin: and with the other hande to helpe them that be yll to reyse them fro their noughtynes. and myn intention is to sende the forth to be a preceptour of orphans, and an aduocate for wydowes, a surgien for all woundes, a staffe for the blynde, a father to euery persone, to speke fayre to myn ennemies, and to reioyce my frendes. In this maner I wolde thou shuldest vse thy selfe in euery place, so that by the fame of pitiefulnesse, such as be myn shalbe in rest and content to be my subiectis, and that strangers shalbe desirous to come and serue me. This instruction August Cesar gaue to a gouernour of his, bicause it was shewed him, that he was somwhat cruel in that realme. Certainly they were short wordes, but they were right compendious: And wold to god they were written in the hartes of our iuges. Thou writest, how that ile is sore troubled by reson of the censures and iuges therof. It is a noyfull trauayle to receyue the auctoritie of Iustice into the hande of an vniust man: and it is a thynge not to be suffred, that one with tiranny shuld tirannyse dyuers other : not with the lyfe, but with the auctoritie to correcte good men, therby to be called a good censure. The auctoritie of his office giuen hym by his prince ought to be his accessarie

. and his good lyfe for principall: in suche maner, that by the rectitude of his iustice the yl shuld fele the execution therof. Al that haue auctorite shuld tempre it with wisedome and purenes of liuyng. It is a great goodnes to the common welth, and great confusion for him that chastiseth with peyne, Whan the miserable is chastised, and he that doth chastise seeth nothyng in hym wherby he hath deserued to be chastised. And contrary, it is great slackenes in a prince to commaunde, and great inconuenientes and repose to the iuge to execute: whan a poore wretche for a smal faute is put to more payne for the same smal faut done in one day, than is giuen to them that be great for many tyrannies, that they haue committed during their life. These be they that peruerte the common welth, and sclandre the worlde and put them selfe out of auctoritie. in the .iii. yere that great Pompeie toke Elia, the which is nowe Jerusalem, the same tyme being there Ualerius Graccus, came thyder an Hebrewe or a iewe, as the annales shewe, he came to the senate to complayn of the wronges and greues that were done to him in that lond, and so in doing his errande in the name of al that prouince, he said these wordes: O fathers conscript, O happy people, your fatal destenies permitting, and our god leuing vs with Jerusalem, lady of al Asie, and moder to the Ebrues, to be in seruage to Rome, and to the Romains: Certeinly gret was the power of Pompey, and moch more the force of his armi to take vs. But therfore I say, that gretter was the yre of our god, and without comparison the multitude of our synnes, wherby we dyd merite to be lost. I wold ye knew one thing, and it sore displeseth me, that ye Romaynes haue not proued it by experience. That is, our god is so iust, that if amonge vs there had ben .X. iust men, and amonge .i. M. yll, one good, he wold haue pardoned al the yl. And

. than ye Romaynes shuld haue sene as the Egyptiens dyd, howe our god alone may do moch more than al your goddes togyther. And certaynely as longe as we be synners so long ye shall be our lordes. And as long as the yre of the Hebrues god doth endure, so longe shall the power of the Romayns last. And bycause in this case I folowe one way, and by your secte ye folowe an other way, ye can not retourne to honour one god onely, nor I to honour dyuers goddis. I wyll leue this matter to the god, by whose power we haue ben nourished, and by whose bounte we be gouerned, and returne to the case of our embassade. Ye know what peace hath ben betwene Rome and Judee, and betwene Judee and Rome, we with you, and ye vs. No iust thinge we haue denyed you. And bicause there is nothinge more desyred of the people, and lesse put in operation than is peace, And there is nothynge more abhorred, by the which abhorrying euery man lyueth, than is warre: I do warn you of this with trouth, prouyde therfore iustice, put them away that folowe your wylles to do vs yll. And let vs haue no suche malicious folke as incyteth vs to rebel. The greattest signe and strongest pyller of the peace is to put away the perturbers of pece. What profite is it to say peace peace, and in secrete to say warre warre? I say this bicause ye haue banished the eldest son of King Jdumeo out of Lyon for his demerites, and ye haue sente in his stede Campanius, Marcus, Ruffus, and Ualerius Graccus for presidentes. They be .iiii. plages, or .iiii. pestilences, so that the leeste of them were sufficient to enpoyson the hole empire of Rome, than moche soner our myserable realme of Palestyne. What thynge can be more monstruous, than that the iuges of Rome shulde sende men to put away yll customes fro them that be yll, and they them selfes ar the

. inuentours of newe vices? What greatter shame and inconuenience is in Iustice, than they that haue auctoritye to chastise wanton youth, to gloryfie theym selfe to be capytaynes of theym that be wylde? What gretter infamie can be to Rome, than they that ought to be vertuous and iust to gyue example to other to be yll and vicious? I lye yf they haue not so writhen and enlarged the discipline of Iustice, that they haue taught the youth of Iudee suche vices, that hathe not ben harde of by our fathers, nor red in no bokes, nor sene in our tyme. O Romayns beleue me in one thyng, what counselles Jude hath taken of Rome at this houre, lette Rome take of Judee. Many realmes are gotten with myghty capitayns, and moche shedynge of blode, and ought to be obserued with a good iuge, not in shedynge of blode, but in gettynge of hertes. Certainly the iudge that wynneth moo good wylles than money, oughte to be beloued: and he that serueth for money, and loseth the good wylles, for euer oughte to be abhorred as pestylence. What thynke ye is the cause nowe adays, that your presidentis be not obeyed in a iust cause? Of a trouth it is bycause, that fyrste they commaunde vniust thinges. The commaundementes that be iust, maketh soft and meke hertes, and suche as be vniust, maketh men cruel. We be so myserable in all myseries, that to hym that commaundeth well, we obey yll: and the more yll they commaunde, the more obeyed wolde they be. Beleue me in one thinge, that of the great lyghtnes and small sadnes of the iuges is brought vp fere and great shame in the subiectes. We that be iewes think our self wel aduertysed (by the mouth of our god that sayth) euery prince commyttynge charge of Iustice to him that he seeth vnable to execute the same, or dothe not principally for Justyce sake, accomplyshe iustyce, but dothe it for his owne profyte, or els to please the partie:

. thinke surely, whan the prince dothe not regarde this, by some way that he thynketh leaste of, he shal se his honour infamed, his credence lost, his good minished, and some great chastysement come to his house. And bycause I haue other thynges to say in secrete, I wyl conclude as nowe openly. Finally I say, if ye wyll conserue your realme longe tyme, for the whiche ye haue put your selfe in great perylles, kepe and maynteine Justice, and we shal bere you reuerence: Commaunde as Romayns, and we shal obey as Hebrues: Gyue vs a president, that is mercyfull, and all our realme shall be obedient: Be not to cruell to chastyse our mekenes, and we shall be the more obedient to your preeminence: I require you desire vs or ye command. For in desiring and not commaundyng ye shall fynde loue as fathers to the chyldern. And no treason as of lordes to seruantes. All these thinges sayd the iewe, wherof the senate had great meruayle. And forthwith the senatours prouyded for .iii. iuste thinges. The one was, that all these wordes shulde be put in writinge, to thentent that they shulde be put in the boke ordeyned to write in all good sayenges of all straunge. ambassadours. The second to put downe Graccus Ualerius, bycause he was so cruel, and in hatred with the people. The third they prouided Pylate of Lion to be presidente of that realme. Than howe semeth it to the my frende Antigonus, dyd not this Hebrewe speake hyghly? O Rome without Rome, that of Rome holdeth nothynge but the walles, and arte fallen into vnthriftie vices. what dyddest thou whan such a shame was laide to the by an Hebrewe in the myddes of the senate? Certainly the greattest plage amonge all plages, and the greattest losse amonge all losses, is whan the prince hath his lyfe so without lyfe, his iustice so without iustice, his dedes soo without dedes, and in all euyl so bolde and hardy, and in al

. goodnes such a coward, that rightwysely his owne men do accuse him, and straungers repreue hym, none dothe loue hym, but al hate him, and his frendes wyl not helpe hym, and his ennemies wyll persecute hym: They that be present refuse his goodnes, and they that be absente procure his yll: They that lyue take away his lyfe, and the deade his sepulchre. Nowe to retourne to the purpose of our iuges, I pray the Antygonus, shewe me thy mynde, wherof cometh nowe a dayes the great sclaunder of the people, the infamye of the prince, and the peryll in Justyce? If thou knowest it not, harken and I shall shewe the, wherby all goth out of order. They that be priue are so importunate, and the princis not refusinge them: they begylyng and he suffringe to be be [sic] begiled: The one with couetyse, and the other with ignorance, doth gyue to suche as he shoulde take fro, and take away fro suche as he shulde giue vnto: and honoureth them that dishonoureth hym, kepeth the ryght wyse in prison, and delyuereth the vicious, dispiseth experte persones, and trusteth them that be leude: and finally they prouide not offices to men, but men to offices. They ordeyne the vniust to ministre Iustice, and do iniurie to them that be iust. Yet here and I shal shew the more. These myserables after that they be appoynted and sette in their offices, wherof they be nothinge worthy, more for their auctoritie than for meryte of their persons, they are feared with their extreme iustice. They take on them the state of greatte men with the sweatte and labour of poore men. They supply with malyce that they wante of discretion. And worst of al, they mesure the Iustice of other men with their owne propre vtilitye. Yet harken and I shall say more. After that these ideotes se them selfe in the gulfe of these vayn besinesses, than they lacke the reyne of knowledge, and the sayles of wisedome, and the ankers of experience,

. nor can not remedy a small matter, but inuent other more greatter, altringe and troublyng the peace for their owne particular welth. They wepe for their owne harme, and no lesse for the welth of other, and finally lese them selfes. And therefore they aduenture them selfe into the gulfes, and inflame their lordes, that haue gyuen them suche offices, to giue to suche as hath not deserued them. Thou mayste know, that the beginnyng of them is pride and ambition, and their myddell is enuye and malyce, and their ende is dethe and distruction. And if my councell were taken, suche shulde haue no credence with princes or gouernours, but as sclaundred men to be separate, not all onely fro the common welthe, but fro their lyues. Surely great is the couetyse of them that be shamelesse, which without shame demaunde offices of the senate or princis: but it is a more boldnes of malyce for the prynces to gyue them. In this and in other thynges these are soo dampnable, that neyther the feare of the goddis doth withdrawe them, nor the prince doth not refreyne them, nor vengeaunce dothe not lette them, nor the common welthe doth not accuse them, and aboue al other reason dothe not commande them, nor the lawe subdue them. O my frende Antygonus note this worde that I write in the ende of my letter. In the yere of the foundation of Rome .vi. C. xlii. as the Romayns as than in the worlde had dyuers warres, as Gayus Celius ageynste theym of Trace, and Gneo Cordon his brother against Sardyne, Junius Sylla ageinst the Umbres, Minutius Ruffus ageynst the Macedonyens, Seruilio Scipio ageynste the Lusitayns, and Marius consull ageinst Jugurtha kyng of the Numidiens, It befell so that Boco kinge of Maurytayne fauoured Jugurtha, and vpon them triumphed Marius, and they laden with chaynes were led afore his

. chariotte, not without great compassion of them that sawe it. After this triumph done, incontinent the same daye by counsell of the senate, Jugurtha was beheeded in prison, and his companyon Bocus had pardone of his lyfe, and the cause was, It was a custome none to be putte to Iustice, but firste the auncient bokes shulde be serched, to se if any of his predecessours had done before any seruice to Rome, wherby the captiue shulde meryte to haue pardon of his lyfe: and than it was founde, that the grauntfather of Bocus came to Rome, and made gret orations before the senate, by whose wordes and sentences, his said neuew merited to haue pardon of his lyfe: and amonge other of his sayingis, he rehersed these verses that sayd: What is that realme, where is no good amonge the yll, nor yll amonge the good? what is that realme, that hath their houses ful of good simple persons, and banysheth away al wysdom? Or what is that realme that suche as be good are cowardes, and the yl hardy? or what is the realme, where al peasible are displeased, and the sedycious praysed? What is that realme, that sleeth them that wolde their welthe, and are angry with them that wold helpe their yll? or what is that realme, that permytteth the proude pore folkes, and the ryche tyrantes? or what is that realme, where they al know the euyl, and none procureth any goodnes? or what is that realme , where suche vices are openly commytted, that other realmes feare to doo secretely? or what is that realme, where as all that they desire they procure, and all that they do procure, they attayne, and all that is yll they thinke, and all that they thynke they say, and all that they saye they may do, and all that they may do, they dare do, and put it in operation that they dare do: and worst of al, there is none so good to resyst it. In suche a realme there shuld be none inhabitaunt. For within short space the yll men

. shall be chaunged, or elles dispeopled of good men, or the goddis wyl confounde them, or the tirantis shal take them, Dyuers thynges were said, the which I passe ouer at this tyme. Howe thinkest thou Antigone? I sweare by the immortal goddis, that my hert breketh to thinke of the great shame that was laid vpon Rome by such writing as was lefte to them by the grauntfather of this kynge Bocus. This my letter I wold thou shuldest rede in secrete to the pretours: and if they amende not, we shall fynd the meanes to chastise them openly. And as touchyng thy banyshment I promyse the to be thy good frende to the senate, that we may ioy our auncient amitie togyther. And to get the out of that yle, Certainly I shal do my diligence. I haue written to my secretarie Panutius to delyuer the .ii. M. sexters to releue thy pouertie: and thus I sende the my letter to comfort thy heuy hart. I say no more but the goddis giue the contentation of that thou woldest haue ioy and reste to the person. And all corporall euyls, cruel enmies, and fatalle destenies be separate fro me Marke. For the behalf of my wife Faustyne, saluteth the and thy wyfe Ruffa: She is thyn, and I am thyn. With visitation of ioy I haue receiued thy letter, and thankefully I sende the myn. I shall not cease to desire to se thy persone in Italy, and there in Sicyle to leaue my feuer quartayn. A letter sent by Marcus to Lambert gouernour of the yle of Helesponte, whan he dyd banyshe the vacabundis fro Rome. The .xi. [sic] letter. Marke emperour of Rome, lorde of Asie, confederate with them of Europe, frende of theym of Affrike, ennemye of the Maures: To the Lambert gouernour of the ile of Helesponte, sendeth to the of his part contentation

. and suretie fro the sacrate senate. I am furred with the fures that thou hast sent me, and am clothed with thy mantell, and am right well pleased with thy greyhoundes: if I hadde thought, that thin absence fro Rome shuld haue procured so moche fruite in that yle: longe ago I shuld haue determyned as well for thy profyte as for my seruyce. I sent to the in demaundinge but small thynges in my sporte, and thou haste sent me many thynges in ernest. In good soth thou hast better proporcioned thy seruice with noblenes, than I to demaunde with my couetise. For if thou remembre, I sent to the for a doseyne skynnes of furre, and thou hast sent me .xii. doseynes: and I dyd send but for [.] vi[.] greyhoundes, and thou hast sent me .xii. Truly in this case my pleasure is double. For here in Rome thy great largesse is publyshed, and my smal couetise there in Helesponto. And bicause I am sure thou hast great thankes of me, I pray to god to sende the salute and helthe. And that fortune be not denyed the at a good houre. I sende the .iii. barkes of mayster foles, and yet I haue not sent the al. For if I had banyshed all the fooles in Rome, we shuld haue ben so wyly to teche foly, and the Romayn youth so apt to lerne, though they be but in .iii. barkes their disciples wold lade .iii. M. Carrakes. I haue great meruayle of one thynge, and my hart sclaundreth the goddis: for I se wel that erthquakes casteth down howses, and gret waters bereth away bridges[,] frostes freseth the vines, sodein thondring and tempestes breketh down toures, scarsite of water causeth derth, corrupt aire maketh an ende of them that be wise: and yet there is nothynge that can make an ende of these fooles. All thinges at this day faileth at Rome, except all only these idell trewandes, gestours, tomblers, players, or dromslaye[r]s, iuglers, and suche other, of whom there is inow and to many.

. O what a seruice shuldest thou doo to the goddis, and what profyte to Rome, that for thre barkes ful of foles to sende one lade with wyse men? One thing I wyl say, that with the bones of the wise men that yle is halowed, that aunciently were banished by the malice and enuye of theym of Rome: if thy smellynge wittes be not lost, as Italy stinketh of them that be symple, so that yle smelleth swete of wyse men. whan I came fro the warres of the Parthes, the .iiii. yere of myn empire, I passed into that yle by dyuers sees to visite the sepulchres of ancient wise men: and in the citie of Dorbite, in the myddes therof, lyeth Ouide that was banyshed by August, and vnder the mountayne Arpines is the sepulchre of the renoumed Armeno orator banyshed by Sylla: at the porte of Argonaut thou shalte fynde the bones of Colliod[o]rus recapituler of the antyke lawes, that was banyshed by Nero the cruell: and in the felde of Elinos, vnder a marble, is the pouders of Sysifo Seteno, that was so well lerned in the .vii. artes lyberal, as though he had newe founde them, he was banished by the Marians. I say for trouth, thou shalte fynde it thus, for with my knees I haue touched their sepulchres. And all that season my tender eyes were as fulle of water, as their bones were harde in the erthe. These were not banyshed for no vilanies that they had done: but it was the meryte of our forefathers, that they wolde be priuated fro the company of so renoumed sages. I can not tell whiche is the greatter, the fantasie that I haue to thyn yle, or the compassion of miserable Rome. I pray the as my frend, and commaunde the as my seruant, to regarde the places that I haue shewed the. For it is a iuste thynge, and most iuste, that suche cities be priuileged by them that lyueth, whan they are peopled with suche deade wyse men.

. And more ouer Centurion knoweth by wordes the heuye case that these prisoners had with vs, and we with theym the day of the feaste of mother Berecyntia. I say, I sawe not that day so moch cruelte in Rome, as the infamie that we caused in all the empire. Rome, that neuer was ouercome by them that were valyant and vertuous, that daye we sawe ouergone and troden vnder fete by those fooles. The walles of Rome[.] that were neuer touched by the Peniens, had their lowpes full of armed trewandes: Rome that tryumphed ouer all realmes, was tryumphed [vpon] with tomblers and iuglers. I am so abashed in this case, that I wote not what to say or write. Yet one thing comforteth me, that sith that Rome and the Romaynes vniustly do not reioyce but with these fooles: she and the famous wyse men iustly shalbe chastised for these foles: and in this the goddis shall not be displeased, that syth Rome laugheth at these trewandes and mockeries, one day she shal wepe with these tomblers and iuglers. I banysshe all these for euer fro Rome, not for the bloudde that they haue shedde, but for the hartes that they haue peruerted: and not for the occasion of any that be deed, but bycause they were masters of folyes. Without comparison it is greatter offence to the goddis, and more domage to the common welthe, these trewandes to take away the wyttes fro wyse folkes, than the murtherers to take away mens lyues. If the grettest gift amonge all giftes of Fortune, be to kepe a good witte, let no man presume to be of a restefull vnderstondynge, that is an extreme frende to these trewandes. Beleue me one thinge. As one byrde loueth an other, and one beast an other, and one wyse man an other: so one foole loueth an other foole. I remembre on a day as I reuolued the registers in the Capitoll, I redde a ryght meruaylous thynge of Oruetus

. a famous oratour, which is buryed in the yle of Helesponte on the mount Adamantine, Whan great Scipio came fro the warre of the Peniens, better accompanyed with hungre storuen trewandes, than with valyant capitayns, he sayde to hym: Of trouth it is a great shame to the, and a small honour to the senate, that thou that haste ouercome the wyse Affres, and beinge soo wyse thy selfe, and of the blode of the wyse Romayns, wylte be accompanied with these trewandes and fooles. In that vnhappy realme all the wise men coude not ouercome one that was thoughte so myghty amonge so many fooles. I say to the, that thy wyt is in more peryl here in Rome, than thy life in Affrike. These were good wordes, and not of no worldely malyce, and within a shorte whyle after, and by dyuers light persons, and a for a small occasion, this poore olde oratour and ryche philosopher, by the frendes of Scipio, was banyshed Rome, and sent into that yle. Than behold Lambert, lette vs retourne to these iuglers, and trewandes. Whan they are landed in that ile, lette them go frank and free, soo that they vse not their accustomed toyes. Thou shalt constrayne them to labour, and chastise them if they be ydell. For these myserable folke, fleinge from iust trauyle, take on them vniust idelnes, and conuert mo men with their trewandyse, than if open scoles of vacabundes were kept. There is nothyng that our forefathers dyd, that displeseth me so moche, as the suffraunce of these vnthriftie trewandes. In the yere .CC. .xxvi. of the foundation of Rome, in an horrible pestilence in Italye, to reioyce the people, was fyrst founde out the inuention of Theatres, by the aduise of the trewandes. It is a shamefulle thynge to here, that the pestilence duryng but two yeres, and the rage of these vnthriftes, to dure .iiii. .C. yeres.

. Lamberte, I beleue well that the complayntes, that these prisoners haue begon here, shall neuer haue an ende there. How be it I care not: for the grudge of them that be ylle, iustifieth the iustyce and sentence of them that be good. As the mayster of Neron sayde: as moche as the shame of synne ought to be fledde of them that be good, so moche prayse is the infamye of the yll. I shall telle the one thynge, to the intent that the chastysement shulde not seme cruell to the: That sithe themperours of Rome are full of clemency to straungers, it is no reason they shulde be to sharpe to their owne. Sythe fatall destenies hathe brought me into this worlde, I haue sene nothynge more vnprofytable to the common welthe, nor greatter foly in them that be lyght of condicion, nor a worse inuention for vacabundes, nor a more cold reuocation of mortal folk, than to lerne of these gamners and trifelers, and such other iuglers. What thing is more monstruous, than to se wise men reioyce at the light pastyme of these vaine trifelers? what gretter mockerie can be in the capitol, than the folyshe sayinge of a gestour, to be praysed with greatte laughter of wyse men? what greater sclaunders can be to princis houses, than to haue their gates alwayes open to receyue in these fooles, and neuer open to wise folkes? what greatter crueltie can there be for any persone, to giue more in one daye to a fole, than to his seruantis in a yere, or to his kyn all his lyfe? What greter inconstancie can be, than to want men to furnishe the garysons and frontiers of Illirico, and these trewandes to abide at Rome? what lyke shame can be to Rome, than that the memorie shalbe left more in Italy of these tomblers, trewandes, pypers, singers of gestes, tabourers, croudes, dancers, mommers, gesters, and iuglers, than the renome of capitains with their triumphes and armes. And whan these caitises went all about in Rome in sauetie, sowynge their

. lewdenes, and gaderyng of money: the noble barons and capitaynes went fro realme to realme wastyng theyr money, aduenturinge their lyues, and shedynge their blode. In the vttermoste parte of Spayne, whan warre began betwene the Liberiens and Godytains, and they of Lyberie lacked money: Two iuglers and tabourers, offred to maynteyne the warre a hole yere. And it folowed, that with the goodes of two fooles many wyse men were slayne and ouercome. In Ephese a cytie of Asie, the famous temple of Dyana was edified with the confiscation of the goodis of such a trewande and foole. Whan Cadmus edified the citie of Thebes in Egipte with .L. gates, the mynstrelles gaue hym more toward it, than all his frendes. If the histories be trew, whan August edified the walles of Rome, he hadde more of the trewandes, that were drowned in Tybre, than of the comon treasourie. The firste kynge of Corynth arose by suche villaynes, I sawe his sepulchre at Corynthie. And as I say of these smalle nombre, I myght say of many other. Behold than Lambert, howe lyttell care the goodis take, and howe variable the case of fortune is, and howe the dedes of men falle. Some be had in memorie by their folye, and somme for their wysedome. One thynge is come to my mynde, of the chaunce of these trewandes, and that is: whyle they be in presence they make euery man to laugh at the folyes that they do and say: and whan they be gone, euery man is sorie for his money that they bare away. And of trouth it is a iust sentence of the goddis, that such as haue taken vayn pleasure togyther, whan they are departed to weepe for their losses. I wyll write no more vnto the: but that I do sende the this letter in Greke, to thentent that thou shewe

. hit ouer all the yle. Sende forthwith the shyppes ageyne, for they muste be sente forthe with prouysions in to Illyrico. Peace be with the Lambert: helth and good fortune be with me Marc. The senate saluteth the. And thou on my behalfe shalt shewe to the yle the ioyfull happy customes. My wife Faustine saluteth the, and sendeth a riche gyrdell to thy doughter. And in recompence of the furres I sende the ryche iewelles. A letter sent by Marc themperour to Catalus his speciall frende of the nouelties of Rome. The .xiii. letter. Marcus the newe Censure to the Catulus the olde Censurine. It is .x. dayes past, that in the temple of god Janus, I receyued thy letter: and I take the same god to wytnesse, that I had rather haue sene thy persone. Thou wryteste, howe my writynge is longe, but the shortnes of tyme maketh me to aunswere the more briefely, ferre awaye more thanne I wolde. Thou desirest me to gyue the knowledge of the newes here. Therto I aunswere, that it were better to demaunde, if there be any thynge abyden here in Rome or Italy that is olde. For nowe by our heuy destenies al that is good and olde is ended, and new thinges that be yll and detestable we may se dayly. Themperour, the Consule, the Trybune, the Senatours, the Ediles, the Flamynes, the Pretours, the Centurions, all these thinges be newe, but the vilanies that ben olde, and al passeth to make newe offices, and to ordeyne statutes and practykes, to come to the councelles, and to reyse vp subsidies. In suche wise, that there hath ben nowe mo nouelties within

. these .iiii. yeres, than in tyme passed in .iiii. C yeres. We nowe assemble to gither a .iii. C. to councel in the capitoll, and there we blason and boste, swere, and promise, that some of vs may subdue and put vnder other, to fauour one, and distroye an other, other to chastise the yll and rewarde the good: To repaire olde and edifie newe: to plucke vices vp by the rootes, and to plante vertues: to amende the olde, and folowe the good: to reproue tyrauntes, and assiste the poore: and whan that we are gone from thens, they that spake best wordes, are often taken with the worst dedes. O heuy Rome, that nowe adayes hath suche Senatours, that in sayinge we shall do, we shall do, passeth their lyfe: and than euery man sekynge for his owne profyte, forgetteth the common welth. Oftentymes I am in the Senate to beholde other as they regarde me: and I am abashed to here the eloquence of their wordes, the zele of Iustyce, and the iustification of their persons: and after that I come thens, I am ashamed to se their secrete extorcions, their damnable thoughtes, and their yll werkes so playnly manifest. And yet there is an other thynge of more meruayle, and not to be suffred, that suche persones as are moste defamed, and vseth mooste dishoneste vices, that they with their most damnable intencions, make their auowes to do moste cruell Iustice. It is an ineffable rule, and of humayn malyce moste vsed, that he that is mooste hardy to commytte greattest crimes, is most cruel to giue sentence ageynst an other for the same offence. Me thynk that we regarde our owne crimes, as though small metters, that causeth thynges to seme the lesser. And we remenbre the fautes of other in the water, that causeth thinges to seme greatter than they be. O howe many haue I sene condempned to be hanged by the senate, for one smal faut done in all the lyfe, and yet they commytte the same faute

. euery houre. I haue redde, that in the tyme of Alexander the great, there was a renoumed pirate or rouer on the see, whiche robbed and drowned all shyppes that he coude gette: and by commaundement of this good kynge Alexander there was an army sent forthe to take hym. And whan he was taken and presented to Alexander he sayde to hym: Shew me Dionides, why doste thou kepe the see in danger, that no shyppe can sayle out of the east into the weste for the? The Pyrate aunswered and sayde: If I kepe the see in daungier, why doste thou Alexander kepe all the see and lande as loste? O Alexander, bycause I fyghte with one shyppe in the see, I am called a thefe, and bycause thou robbest with .ii. C. shyppes on the see, and troublest al the worlde with two .C. thousande men, thou arte called an emperour. I sweare to the Alexander, if fortune were as fauorable to me, and the goddis as extreme agaynst ther [sic] they wolde gyue me thyne empire, and gyue the my lyttel shyppe: and than peraduenture I shuld be a better kyng than thou arte, and thou a wors thefe than I am. These were high wordes, and well receyued of Alexander: and of trouth to se if his wordes were correspondent to his promyses, he made hym from a pyrate a great capitayne of an army: and he was more vertuous on lande, than he was cruell on the see. I promyse the Catulus[,] Alexander dydde ryght well therin, and Dionides was to be praysed greatly for that he had sayde. Nowe adayes in Italye they that robbe openly are called lordes: and they that robbe priuely are called theues. In the yere bokes of Liuius I haue redde, that in the seconde troublous warre punyke betwene the Romaynes and Carthageniens, there came an ambassadour Lusytayne sente fro Spayne, to treate for accorde of peace.

. Whan he camme to Rome he proued before the Senate, that syth he entred into Italye, he had ben .x. tymes robbed of his goodes, and whyles he was at Rome, he had sene one of them that had robbed hym, hange vp an other that had defended hym. He seinge so yll a dede, and howe the thefe was saued without Iustyce, as a desperate man toke a cole and wrote on the gybet as foloweth. O gybette thou art made amonge theues, nourished among theues, cutte of theues, wrought of theues, made of theues, set amonge theues, and thou arte peopled with innocentes. And there as I redde these wordes was in the original of Lyuius, and in his histories. I swere to the by the immortall goddis, that al the Decade was written with blacke ynke, and these wordes with redde vermyl[y]on. I can not tell what wordes I shulde sende the, but that euery thing is so newe and so tender, and is ioyned with so yl syment, that I feare me all wyll fall sodeynly to the playne erthe. I tell the that some are sodaynly rysen within Rome vnto valour, to whom I wyl rather assure their fall, than their lyfe. For all buyldynge hastely made can not be sure. The longer a tree is kept in his kynde, it wyll be the longer er it be olde. The trees whose fruite we eate in sommer, doo warme vs in wynter. O howe many haue we sene, wherof we haue meruayled of their rysinge, and [ben] abasshed of their falles. They haue growen as a hole pece, and sodenly wasted as a scomme. Theyr felicitie hath ben but a short poynt, and their infortune as a longe lyfe. Finallye they haue aredyed the mill, and armed it with stones of encreace, and after a lyttell gryndyng left it, invtyle al the hole yere after. Thou knowest wel my frend Catulus[,] that we haue sene Cincius Fuluius in one yere made Consule, and his chyldren tribunes, and his wyfe a matron for yonge maydens, and besyde that made keper of the capitol, and after

. that not in one yere, but the same day we saw Cincius beheeded in the place, his chylderne drowned in Tybre, his wyfe banyshed fro Rome, his howse raced downe to the grounde, and all his good confisked to the common treasourie. This rigorous example we haue not redde in any boke to take a copie of it, but we haue sene it with our eies to kepe it in our myndes. As the nations of people ar variable, so are the condicions of men diuers, and appetites of mortal folke: and me thynketh this is true, seinge that some loue, some hate, and that that some seke, some escheweth: And that that some setteth lyttelle by, other make of. In such wise, that al can not be content with one thing, nor some with all thinges can not be satisfied. Let euery man chuse as they lyste, and enbrace the worlde whan he wyll, I had rather mount a softe pace to the fallyng: and if I can not come therto, I wyll abyde by the way, rather than with sweatte to mount hastely, and than to tumble down heedlyng. In this case syth mens hartes vnderstond it, we nede not to write further with pennes. And of this matter regarde not the lyttell that I do saye, but the great deale that I wyll say. And syth I haue begon, and art in strange landes, I wyl write the all the newes fro hens. This yere the .xxv. day of May, there came an ambassadour out of Asie, sayenge he was of the yle of Cetyn, a baron righte elegant of body, ruddy af [sic] aspect, and ryght hardy of courage. He considered beinge at Rome[,] though the sommers dayes were longe, yet wynter wold drawe on, and thanne wolde it be daungerous saylynge in to his yle: and sawe that his besynes was not dispatched: On a day beinge at the gate of the Senate, seinge al the Senatours entre in to the Capitolle, without any armure vpon them, he as a man of good spirite, and zelatour of his countreye, in the presence of vs all sayde these wordes:

O fathers conscripte, o happy people, i am come fro straunge countreye to Rome, onely to se Rome, and i haue founde Rome withoute Rome: The walles wherewith it is inclosed, hath not broughte me hyther, but the fame of them that gouerne it. I am not come to se the tresourie, wherin is the treasure of all realmes, but i am come to se the sacred senate, out of the whiche issueth the counsell for al men: i came not to se you, bycause ye vanquyshe all other: but bycause i thought you more vertuous than all other. I dare well say one thynge, except the goddis make me blynd, and trouble myn vnderstondyng, ye be not Romayns of Rome, nor this is not Rome of the Romayns your predecessours. We haue herde in our yle, that diuers realmes ben wonne by the valyantise of one, and conserued by the wysedome of all the senate: and at this houre ye are more lyke to be distroyed, than to winne as your fathers dydde: all their exercise was in goodnes, and ye that are their chylderne passe all your tyme in cerimonies. I say this ye Romayns, bycause ye haue almost kylde me with laughynge at you, to se howe ye doo all as moche your diligence to leaue your armure withoute the gate of the senate, as your predecessours dyd to take them to defende the empire. What profyte is it to you to leaue your armes for the sureties of your persons, and putteth them on wherwith ye slee all the worlde? What profyteth it to the thoughtfull suiter, that the senatour entreth vnarmed in to the senate without swerde or dagger: and his harte entreth into the senate armed with malyce? O Romaynes, i wyl ye knowe. that in our yle we hold you not as armed capitaynes, but [as] maicious senatours: not with sharpe grounden swerdes and daggers, but with harde hertes and venymous tongues ye feare vs. If ye shulde in the senate put on harnes, and therwith take away your lyues, [it]

were but a small losse, seinge that ye susteyn not the innocentes, nor dispatche not the businesses of suiters, i can not suffre it. I can not tell in what possessions ve be holden at Rome: for in our ile we take armour fro foles, whether your armours are taken awaye as fro foles or madde folkes, i wote not: If it be done for ambiciousnes, it cometh not of Romaynes, but of tyrauntes, that wranglers and ireful folke shulde be iuges ouer the peasible, and the ambicious ouer the meke, and the malicious ouer the simple: if it be done bycause ye be foles, it is not in the law of the goddis, that .iii. C. fooles shuld gouerne .iii. C. M. wise men. It is a longe season that i haue taried for myn answere and licence: and by your madnes i am now farder of, than i was the first daye. We bringe oyle, hony,safffon, wood, and tymbre, salt, syluer, and golde out of our yle into Rome, and ye wyll that we go elles where to seke Iustice. Ye wyl haue one lawe to gather your rentes, and an other to determyne our Iustices: ye wyll that we pay our tributes in one day, and ye wyl not discharge one of our errandes in a hole yere. I require you Romayns determin your selfes to take aeay our lyues, and so we shall ende: or els here our complayntes, to thentent that we may serue you. For in an other maner it may be than ye know by herynge with your eares, whiche peraduenture ye wold not se with your eien. And if ye thinke my wordis be out of mesure so that ye wyl remedy my countrey, i set not by my lyfe. And thus i make an ende. Uerily frende Catulo these be the wordes, that he spake to the senate, which i gat in writinge. I say of truth, that the hardines, that the Romaynes were wont to haue in other countres, the same as now strangers haue in Rome. There were that spake that this ambassadour shuld be chastised, but the goddis forbyd, that for saying trouth in my presence, he shulde haue ben correcte.

It is inough and moche to, to suffre these euyls, thoughe we slee nor persecute those that aduertyse and warne vs of them. The shepe ar not in suretie of the wolfe, but if the shepard haue his dogge with him. I mene doggis ought not to leaue barkynge for to awake the shepardes. There is no god commaundeth, nor lawe counsayleth, nor common welthe suffreth, that they whiche are commytted to chastyse lyers, shulde hange them that say trouth. And sith the senatours shewe them selfe men in their liuinge, and sometyme more humayne than other that be slaues, who elles shulde delyuer them fro chastisement? O Rome and no Rome, hauyng nothyng but the name of Rome, where is now become the noblenes of thy triumphes, the glorie of thy chyldren, the rectitude of thy Justice, and the honour of thy temples? for as nowe they chastise hym more that murmureth agaynste one only Senatour, than they do them that blaspheme al the goddis at ones. For it greueth me more to se a Senatour or censure to be worste of all other, than it displeaseth me, that it shuld be sayd, that he is the best of all other. For a trouthe i saye to the my frende Catulus, that as nowe we nede not to seke to the goddis in the temples, for the Senatours are made goddis in our handes. This is the difference betwene theym that ben immortall, and they that be mortal. For the goddis neuer do thynge that is yll, and the senatours doo neuer good thynge: the goddis neuer lye, and they neuer say trouthe: the goddis pardon often, and they neuer forgyue: the goddis are content to be honoured .v. tymes in the yere, and the Senatours wolde be honoured .x. tymes a day. What wylt thou that i shuld say more? but what so euer the goddis do, they ought to be praysed: and the senatours in all their workes deserue to be reproued. Fynally i conclude, that the goddis assure and affirme euery

thynge, and they erre and fayle in nothynge: and the senatours assure nothynge, but erre in all thynges: onely for one thynge the senatours are not of reason to be chastysed: and that is, whan they intend not to amend their fautes, they wylle not suffre the oratours to waste theyr tyme to shewe theym the trouthe. Be hit as maye be , i am of the opinion, that what man or woman, withdraweth their eares fro heryng of trouth, impossible it is for them to applye their hartes to loue any vertues: Be it censure that iugeth, or senatour that ordeyneth, or emperour that commaundeth, or consule that executeth, or oratour that preacheth. No mortall man take he neuer so good hede to his werkes, nor reason so well in his desires, but that he deserueth some chastysement for some cause or counsayle in his doinges. And sith i haue written to the thus of other, i wyll somwhat speake of my selfe, bycause of the wordes of thy letter. I haue gathered, that thou desirest to knowe of my person. Knowe thou for certayne, that in the kalendes of Januarie i was made censure in the senate, the whiche offyce i desired not, nor i haue not deserued it. The opinion of all wyse men is, that no manne without he lacke wytte, or surmounteth in foly, wyl gladly take on hym the burden and charges of other men. A gretter case it is for a shamefaste man to take on hym an office to please euery man, for he muste shewe a countenaunce outwarde, contrarye to that he thynketh inwarde. Thou wylte saye, that the good are ordeyned to take the charge of offices. O vnhappye Rome, that hath wylled to take me in suche wyse, as to be the beste in it. Greuous pestylence ought to come for them that be good, sith i am scaped as good amonge the yll. I haue accepted this office, not for that i had any nede therof, but to satisfie the desyres of my wyfe Faustyne, and to fulfyll the commandement

of Anthonius my grauntfather. Haue no meruayle of any thynge that i do, but of that i leaue to be done. For any man that is wedded to Faustyne, there is no vilany but he shall do it. I swere to the, that sith the day we were wedded, me semeth that i haue no wytte. I leaue weddynge for this tyme, and returne to speake of offyces. Surely a peasible man ought to be in offyces, thoughe it be peynfull: for as the offyces are assured amonge them that be vertuous, so peryllously goth the vertuous folke amonge offyces. And for the trouthe hereof recken what they wynne, and than thou shalt se what they lose. Saye that is good, if thou knowest it, and here the yll, if thou desyre to knowe it. He that wyll take the charge to gouerne other, he seketh thought and trouble for hym selfe, enuye for his neyghbours, spurres for his ennemyes, pouertie for his rychesse, awakynge of theues, peryll for his body, an ende of his dayes, and tourment for his good renome. Fynally he seketh a waye to reiecte his frendes, and a repeale to recouer his ennemyes. O an vnhappy man is he, that taketh on hym the charge of chylderne of many mothers, for he shalbe always charged with thoughtes, how he shulde content them all: ful of sighes bycause one hath to gyue hym: feare that one shulde take fro hym, weping if he lese, and suspection that they infame hym. He that knoweth this, without longe tarieng ought to sette a bridell at his heed. But i say of one, as i saye of an other. For i wyll swere, and thou wylt not deny it, that we may finde some nowe adays, that had rather be in the parke to fight ayenst the bulles, than be in suretie vpon the scaffolde. Oftentimes i haue hard say: Go we to the Theatres to renne at the bulles: go we to chase the hertes and wylde boores: and whan they com there, they renne away, not the beestis fro them, but they fro the beastis: In such wyse as

they went rennyng, they returne ageine fleing. I say these ambicious persones procure to gouerne, and are gouerned, they commaunde and are commaunded: they rule and ar ruled: and fynally thynkynge to haue diuers vnder their handes, these wretches put them selfes vnder euery mans fote. For the remedy of all these perylles my thoughte is comforted with one thing, and that is , without procuring or offring of my selfe, the senate of their owne wyll hathe commaunded me. In the .viii. table of our auncient lawes be these wordes. We commande, that in our sacred senate charge of iustyce be neuer giuen to him that wylfully offreth hym selfe to it, but to such as by ripe deliberation be chosen. This is certaynly a iuste lawe. For men nowe be not so vertuous nor so louinge to the common welth, that they wyl forget their owne quietnes and rest, doing domage to hym selfe to procure an other mans profyt. There is none so folyshe, that wyl leue his wife, chyldren, and his own swete countrey, to go into strange countreis, but if he se him selfe amonge strange people, thinkyng vnder the colour of iustyce to seke for his own vtilite. I say not this without wepyng, that the princis with their small study and thought, and the iuges with their couetyse, haue vndermyned and shaken down the hygh walles of the polycie of Rome. O my frend Catulus, what wylt thou that i shuld saye, but that our credence so minisheth, our couetyse so largely voyded, our hardines so boldeth, our shamfastnes so shameles that we prouyde for iuges to go and robbe our neighbours as capitayns ageinst our ennemies. I lette the to wyte, where as Rome was beloued for chastising the yl, nowe it is as moche hated for dispoyling of innocentes. I do remembre, that i red, in the time of Denis Syracusan, that ruled al Sycile, there came an ambassadour fro Rhodes to Rome, beinge of o good age, well lerned, and valyaunt in armes,

and right curious to regarde euery thynge. He camme to Rome to se the maiestie of the sacred senate: the height of the high capitol enuironned with the Colliset: the multitude of senatours: the wysedom of the counsaylours: the glorie of triumphes: the correction of the yl: the peace of the inhabitauntes, the diuersitie of nations: the haboundance of the mayntenaunce, the order of the offyces: and finally seinge that Rome was Rome: he was demanded howe he semed therby: He answered and sayd: O Rome in this thy present worlde, thou arte fulle of vertues and wyse men, hereafter it wyll be furnyshed with fooles. Lo what hygh and very hygh wordes were these? Rome was vi. C. yeres without houses of nycetie of foles, and now it hath ben .iii. C. yeres without one wyse or vertuous. Loke what i say, it is no mockerie but of trouth. If the pitiefull goddis nowe adayes did reyse our predecessours fro dethe do lyfe, eyther they wold not knowe vs for their chylderne, or elles attache vs for foles. These be thinges vsed in Rome, but thou sendest no worde of that is vsed in Agrippine. I wyll write no thynge to the to put the to peyne: write to me some thyng to reioyce me: If thy wife Dynsilla chanced well of the flote that came out of Cetin with salte, oyle, and hony, i haue caused it to be wel prouided for her. Wite thou, that Flodius our vncle was cast downe by rage of his hors, and is deceassed. Laertia and Collodius are frendes to gyther, by occasion of a maryage. I do send the a gowne, i pray to the goddis to sende the ioy therof. My wife Faustyn saluteth the. Recommende me to Iamyro thy sonne. The goddis haue the in keping: and contrary fortune be fro me. Marcus thy frende to the Catulus his owne.

A letter sent by marke the emperour to the amorous ladyes of Rome, by cause they made a play of hym. The .xiiii. letter. Marke oratour lernyng at Rodes the arte of humanite, to you amorous ladies of Rome salutation to your persones, and amendement of your desyred lyfe. It is writen to me, that at the feaste of the mother of the goddis Berecynthia, all ye togyther there present played, and gested on me: wherin ye layde for an example my lyfe and my renoume. It is shewed me, that Auilina composed it, Lucia Fulua wrote it, and thy selfe Toringula dyd singe it, and ye all togyther dyd present it to the Theatre, ye haue portrayed and paynted me in dyuers maners, with a boke in my hande, tourned contrary, as a fayned philosopher: with a tongue alonge, as a bold speker without measure: with a horne on my heed, a common cuckolde: with a nettel in my hande as a tremblyng louer: with a baner fallen downe, as a cowarde capitayn: with halfe a berde as a femynate man: with a cloth afore myn eies as a condempned vacabunde: and yet not content with this, but the other day ye portrayed me in a new maner. Ye made my figure with fete of straw, my legges of ambre my knees of wood, the thyghes of brasse, the belye of horne, the armes of pytche, the handes of mace: the heed of yesso: the eares as an asse: the eyes of a serpent, the heares as rootes iagged, the tethe of a catte, the tonge of a scorpion, and the foreheeed [sic] of lead: wherin was writen in two lynes these letters, M,N,T,N,I,S,V,S, the wiche meneth, (as i do take it) The mortall man taketh not the statue so strange, as the doublenes of the lyfe: and than ye went to the ryuer, and therin tyed his heed downward

a hole day. And if the lady Messalyn had not ben, i think it had ben tied ther tyll nowe. And nowe ye amorous ladyes haue written to me a letter by Fuluius Fabritius, wherof i receyue no peyn, but as an amorous man, from the handes of ladyes i take it as a mockerie. And to thentent that i shulde haue no tyme for to thynke theron, ye sende to wyte a question of me, that is: if i haue founde in my wrytinges, wherof, by whom, where, whan, what, and howe the fyrste women were made. And bycause my complexion is to take mockes for mockynges, and syth ye demaunde it, i shall shewe it you, and your frendes and myn, and specially Fuluius your messanger hath desired me. There is nothinge wherof i complayne, but i wyll holde my peace, saue to your letter and demaunde, i wyll answere. and sith there hath ben none for to aske the question, i protest that to none other, but to you amorous women of Rome, i sende myn answere, And if any other honest lady wyll take the demande for you, it is a token that she hath enuy of the office that ye be of. Certaynly if any lady sheweth her selfe annoyed with your peyne openly, fro hensforthe i condemne her, that she kepe no faut that she knoweth in secrete. They that be on the stage fere not the roringe of the bulle: and he that is in a dongeon feareth not the shotte of artillerie. I wyll saye, a woman of good lyfe feareth no man with an ylle tongue. The good matrones may kepe me for their perpetuall seruante, and they that be yll for their chiefe ennemie. Nowe to answere the question, to know wherof the fyrst women were made: i say that accordynge to the diuersitie of nations, that be in the world, is dyuers opinions, that i fynd in this case. The Egiptiens saye, that whan the flode of Nyle ranne abrode, and watred the erthe, there abode certayne pieces of erthe cleauynge to gyther lyke greace, and thanne the

heate commynge in them created many wyld beastes: and so amonge them was founde the firste woman. Noote ye ladies, that it was necessarie, that the flode of Nyle shuld flowe ouer his brimmes, that the firste woman myght be made on the erthe. All creatures are bredde in the entrailes of their mothers, excepte the woman, that was bredde without a mother. And this semeth to be tru, bicause without mothers ye were borne, without rule ye lyue, and without order ye dye. Ueryly he putteth him selfe to many trauayles, and hath many wyles to fynd, and many times to thynke, and to aske many succours, and to abyde many yeres, and to chuse amonge many women, that wyll rule one onely wyfe by reason. Be the beastes neuer so cruelle and fierse, at the laste the lyon is ledde of his keper without any bonde: The bulle is closed in the parke: the brydell ruleth the hors: a lyttell hoke catcheth the fyshe: and the wolfe suffreth to be tyed: only a woman is a beast vnable to be tamed: and neuer leseth her boldnes for any thing that is commanded her, nor the bridell, for that she is not commaunded. The goddis haue made men as men, and beastes as beastis, and the humayne vnderstondynge very high, and his strength of a great power: but yet is there no man be he neuer so high, that shal scape the woman lightly, nor defende hym be he neuer so stronge. But i saye to you my ladyes: There is no spurres that can make you go, nor raynes that can holde you, nor brydell that can refreyne you, nor angle or net that can take you: and finally there is no law can subdue you, nor shame refreyn you, nor feare abashe you, nor chastysemente amende you. O in what yll aduenture putteth he hym selfe, that thinketh to rule and correct you. For if ye take an opinion in hand, all the worlde shall not drawe you frome it: if a man tell or warne you of any thynge, ye wyll neuer beleue hym:

If one gyue you good councell, ye wyl not take it: if one threaten you, anone ye complayne: if one flatter you, than ye waxe proude: if one reioyce not in you, ye are spitefull: if one forbeare you, it maketh you bolde: if ye be chastysed, ye tourne to serpentes: finally a woman wyll neuer forgyue any iniurie: nor gyue thanke for any good dede. Nowe adayes the moste symple of all women (i sweare) wyll sweare, that she knoweth lesse than she dothe: and of trouthe the moste wysest mans wytte shall fayle in theyr reasons: and yet the wysest of them swerueth frome all wysedom. Wyll ye know my ladyes, howe lytel ye know, and howe moche ye be ignorant? That is, ye determyne sodenly in harde thinges of grauitie, as yf ye had studied for it a. M. yeres: and if any gaynsaye you, ye take hym as a mortall enmie. Hardy is that woman, that dare giue councel to a man: but he is more hardier that taketh it of a woman. But i say he is a sole that taketh it, and he more fole that asketh it, and he is moche more folyshe that fulfylleth it. Myn opynion is, that he that wyl not fal among so many stones, nor pricke him amonge so many thornes, nor blyster hym amonge so many nettyls, lette hym here what i wyll say, and do as he shall see: speake well and worke ylle, in promysynge promyse moche: In fulfyllynge fulfylle nothynge: and finally alowe your wordes, and condemne your councelles. If one shulde demaunde nowe adays of dyuers ryght renoumed persons, that ben deed, howe they dydde with the councell of women whan they lyued:i am sure they wolde not haue rysen than to beleue them: nor at this houre to be reuyued ageyn to here them. How was kyng Philyp of Macedon with Olympias? Parys with Helayne? Alexander with Rosane? Eneas with Dydo? Hercules with Deyanira? Hanyball with Thamyra? Nero with Agrippine? And if ye wyll not

beleue what they suffred with them, demande of me how i do amonge other. O ye women, i remembrynge that i am borne of one of you, abhorre my lyfe: and thynking that i lyue with you, i desire deathe. For there is none other deathe as to treate with you. And no better lyfe than to flee fro you: It is a common sayinge amonge women, that we men be vnkynde, bycause we being borne in your entrayles, do entreate you as bondwomen and seruantis: and ye say, sith ye beare vs with peryll, and nouryshe vs with trauaile, that it were conuenient and iust that we always shulde be occupied in your seruices. Oftentymes i haue studyed, why men desireth women so moche. There is no eies, but they ought to wepe, no harte but it shulde breake, no spirite but it shuld be sorowfull to se a wyse man lost by a foolshe woman. The foolyshe louer passeth the day to satisfie his syght: the derke nyght to tomble with vayne thoughtes: one day to here tidinges, and other day he offereth seruice: one tyme louynge darkenes, an other tyme he hateth lyght: he dyeth with company, and lyueth solytarie: and finally the poore folyshe louer may that he wyl not, and wylleth that he may not. More ouer the counsell of his frendes profyteth hym not, nor the shame of his enymies, nor losse of his goodes, nor the aduenture of honour, nor losynge of his lyfe, nor sekynge of deathe, nor comynge nere, nor goinge ferre, nor seinge with eyes, nor herynge with eares, nor tastynge with mouthe, nor yet felynge of hande: and finally to attayne victorie, he hathe alway warre ageynst hym selfe: i wold these louers knew fro whens loue procedeth, it is this: The entrayles that we are bredde in is of fleshe: the brestes that we sucke, are of fleshe: the armes that we are nourished in be of fleshe, the werkes that we do are of the fleshe, by the whiche occasions commeth the repeale of our fleshe to their fleshe.

Many free hartes falle into the snares of loue. It semeth well my ladies, that ye are brought vp in pudles, as the Egiptiens say: The puddels kepe no clere water to drinke, nor fruite to eate, nor fyshe to be taken, nor vessell to sayle with: i do say ye are foule in your lyuinge, shamefull in your persones, in aduersitie feble and lethy, in prosperitie subtyll and wyly: false in wordes, doubtfull in your werkes: In hatynge ye kepe a disorder, extreme to loue, auaricious in gyftes, vnshamfast to take: And i say ye are a receyte of feare, where as wyse men findeth perylle, and symple men suffre: In you wise men holde their renomes disalowed, and the symple their lyfe in penury. Let vs leaue the opinion of the Egiptiens, and come to the Grekes, whiche saye, that in the desertes of Arabye the sonne shyneth moste hote: and they say, that at the begynnynge there appered a woman alone with a byrde called Phenyx, the whiche byrde (they say) was created of the water, and the woman of the great hete of the sonne, and of the corruption of the powder that falleth fro the trees, whiche the wormes doth eate: In this wise there was a tree soore eaten with wormes, and it chaunced by heate of the sonne, and the drythe of powder, a fyre to kendle, and so brent it: and than of the fire and pouder of the said brent tree, the firste woman was made. And though i be a philosopher Romayne, I wyll not say that the opinion of the philosopher greke was yll. For of a truth ye ladies that be amorous, haue your tongues of the nature of fire and your condicyons of the rotennes of the powder of wood. After the diuersitie of bestes, nature hath put som strenght in dyuers partes of their bodies, as the egle in the beke, the vnicorne in the horne, the serpent in the tayle, the bull in the heed, the bere in his armes, the hors in his brest, the dogge in his teathe, the hogge in groyne, the wood doue

her wynges, and women in their tongues. Of trouthe the flyght of the wood doue is not so highe as the fantasie of your folyes, nor the catte scratcheth not so soore with her nayles, as ye scratche foles with your importunities: nor the dog hurteth not them, that he renneth at, as ye do the sorowful louer that serueth you: nor he renneth not in so gret perill of his lyfe for to catche the bull by the hornes, as is the peril of the good fame of the louer that falleth into your handes. And finally the serpent hath not so moch poyson in his taile, as ye haue in your tonges: set al the Romaine ladies apart: for there be many ladyes of Rome, of whom there is no complaynt of their persones, nor suspection of their good names. Of all suche my letter speketh not, nor my penne writeth not, but of other and not of them. I speke of women that be suche, that all venemous beastes haue not so moche poyson in their bodies, as an yl woman hath in her tongue. And sith that the goddis haue commanded, and our destenies doth permytte, that the lyfe of men can not passe without woman: therfore i aduertyse these yonge people, and pray them that be olde, and awake wise men, and teche the symple, to flee away fro women of yl name, rather than fro common pestylence. Redynge the ancient lawes of Plato, i fynde written thus: we command that al women openly infamed, be openly put out of the citie: to thentent that other seing their sinnes not vnpunished, may abhorre the sinne for feare to fal into the same peyne. Also the same law sayth: We commande, that pardon be giuen to a woman of all the fautes commytted by her owne body, if any amendement be sene in her: but neuer to pardon them that hathe commytted synne with their tunges. For commyttynge synne with an yll person is of fragilitie, but with the tongue it is of pure malyce. O diuine Plato master and mesure of al vnderstondyng,

and prince of all philosophers, whanne thou madest that lawe in the golden world, that there was neuer such scarcitie of yll women, and so great abundance of good women in Grece. What shall we doo nowe in Rome, where there be so many ylle openly, and so fewe good in secrete. Naturally they were wonte to be shamefaste in their vysages, temperate in wordes, wyse of wyt, sobre in goinge, meke in conuersation, pitiefull in correction, well regardynge their lyuinge, not kepynge companies, stedfast in promesse, and constant in loue. Fynally let not the woman that wyll be good, trust in the wisedome of wise men, nor in the flatterie of lyght folkes: But lette her vertuously regarde her renoume, and beware alwayes of any man that maketh her any promys. For after that the flames of Uenus be set on fire, and Cupide hath shotte his arowes, the ryche man offreth all that he hathe, the poore man all that he may, the wyse man sayth he wyl be her great frende, and the symple alway her seruant: the wyse man wyl lose his lyfe for her, and the fole wyll take his deathe for her: The olde man wyl say he wyl be frend to her frendes: and the yonge man wyl say, he wyl be ennemie to her enmies. Some wyl promys to pay her debtes, and other to reuenge her iniuries. Finally to hyde their pouertie, and to shewe their beautie they leaue these fooles losing their persones and good fames. I wyll leaue to speake of good women, for it is not myn intent to lay any thinge to their charge, but to aduertyse them well. I demaunde of you amorous ladyes, if Platon was there, whan ye made a playe of my lyfe, and drewe my figure about in Rome? No surely in dede, by that i se in you, at this tyme it is suspecious that in sayde of other. For there is but a fewe in Rome, whom Plato and his lawe dothe excuse. One thynge ye can not deny, if i were the worste of all men, at the laste ye haue

founde the ende of my vilanyes. And ye can not deny me, but she that is leaste yll of you, in all my lyfe i coude not shewe the malyce of her lyfe. It is greatte perylle to wyse women to be neyghbours to fooles: Great peryll it is to them that be shamefast, to be with them that be shameles: great peril it is to them that be of a meke and styl maner, to be with them that be bolde and rude: great peryll it is for them that be chaste, to be with them that lyue in auoutrie: great peryll it is for the honourable, to be with them that be disfamed. For the women defamed, thinke that al other be defamed, and desire that they shulde be defamed, and procure to haue them defamed: and say they be yl famed. And to thentent to couer their owne infamy, they infame all other that be good. O ye ladyes in amours, it is long sith ye knew me and i you: and yf ye speke, i speke: yf ye knowe i knowe, if ye be styll i am styll, yf ye speke openly, i wyl not speke in secret. Thou knowest wel Auylia, that made the ieste, how Eumedes solde calues derer in the bouchery, than thou soldest the innocent virgins in thy house. Thou knowest wel Turinga, that one day thou recknedst all thy louers, but thou coudest not recken them on thy fyngers, but desyredst to haue a bushell ful of peason. And thou Lucia Fuluia knoweste well, whan thou were (thou wotest where) with Breto, and madest peace with thy husbande, thou tokest hym a syde, and saydest, but if thou myghtest lye out of thy house ones a weke, he shuld not lye in the house. And thou Retoria knowest wel, that in thy yonge dayes two yeres thou were appoynted on the see with a Pyrate, so that he shulde take no mo to satisfie a. C. men of warre in the galey. Thou Egna Corcia knowest wel, that whan the censure entred to take the, he found .v. mens gownes, in whiche thou wentst euer by nyght, and thou haddest but one womans gowne, that thou

warest on by day. Thou knowest well Pesylane Fabrice, that Aluinus Metellus and thou beinge maried, before the Censure demaunded openly his parte, of that thou gate in thy house with thy secret louers. And thou Camyll knowest well, not beinge content with thyn owne nation, but by reason of the great hauntynge that thou haddest with straungers, thou canst speake all maner of languages. I wil marke them that hath marked me, and hurt them that haue hurte me, persecute theym that haue persecuted me, and infame them that haue infamed me: Al other my pen doth pardon, bycause they haue pardoned me in their play. And bycause my letter hath begonne in that ye hath done to my person, therfore i wyl end it in that it feleth of your good names. And thus i conclude, that a man may scape free fro all domages, with absteynynge fro them: But fro women there is no way, but to fle fro them. Thus i ende and demaunde of the goddis, that i may se of you, as ye desire to se of me. And sythe ye be louers, i councell you, as ye haue sente me your ieste as for a mocke, in lykewise for a mocke to receyue the answere. Marce Rodyan to the amorous ladyes of Rome. A letter sent by Marc the emperour to Boemia a louer of his, that wolde haue gone with hym to the warres. The .xv. letter. Marc pretour Romayn sent to the warres of Dacy, sendeth salute to his louer Boemia, which art in the plesures of Rome. I being scaped fro cruel bataile, haue red the fewe lynes written with thy hande, and haue herde of the a long information. I say to the, thou hast put me in a more great abashement, than the feare of

myn enmies. In takynge thy letter into my hande, forthwith the herbe of malyce entred into my herte. Whan I tempre my body with thy delytes I thinke my hart is fre fro the venym of thyn amours. I of my wyl, and thou bicause thou canst do no more, we haue giuen vs to be free of our pleasures, I thinke as wel as to make a deuorse of our enmies. But suche as ye be, so ye do, banyshementes of amours. and treasours of passions. The loue of you al ought to be digested with pylles: but the the passion of one of you wyl not be oppressed with all the Rubarbe in Alexandrie. Ye shewe your selfe cruell to pardon an ennemy, and euery day light to change louers. Curiously i haue kept you all the while that delytes ouerpressed my youth: yet i coude neuer se in any woman no certayntie, nor reason in loue, but hate at the last. Thy present lyghtnes quarelleth with my youth past: and it is bycause thou seest not in me the auncient wyll toward the, nor the present seruice. And certaynly herynge thyn accusation, and not my iustification as iustly thou paiest me with deth, as i pay the with forgetfulnes: The whiche forgettynge is as straunge to be in hym that serueth, as vngentylnes in the lady that is serued. Thinkest thou, that i haue forgotten the lawe of Uenus, where as it commandeth, that the curious louers shuld exercise their strengthes in armes, and occupie their hartes in loue? and also that their apparell be very clenely, their fete well compassed, their bodies stedfast and not wauerynge, their voyces lowe and soft, and sadde in countenance: their eies open gasynge at wyndowes, and theyr hartes redy to fle in the ayre. Of trouth my loue Boemia, he is but a grosse louer, that holdeth his wylle in captiuitie, and his vnderstandynge free. The vnderstondyng oughte to be lost, where as wyll is in prison. I saye this to thentent that though myne age haue lefte the exercyse,

yet my spirite hath not forgotten the art. Thou complainest bicause i gyue my selfe to rest, and that i haue greatly forgotten the. I wyll not deny the trouthe: the day of forgettynge maketh the muster of my thoughtes, and reson whiche is prouisour declareth, that it is not to my grauite to permyt, that i shuld loue, nor thy age to suffre to be beloued. As nowe thou knowest, that dyuers thinges, that youth dissimuleth in yonge persons, in age meryteth greuous correction. The dedes done in youthe procedeth of ignorance: but the vilanies done in age procedeth of malyce. Whan i kepte the Cautons, i ietted in the stretes, i sange balades, i gased to the wyndowes, i played on instrumentes, i scaled the walles, i wakened lyght persons: thinkest thou, that i wyst what i dyd in my youth? and now that i se my selfe promoted fro these pleasures, and decked with so many whyte heares, and apparayled with so many dolours, i thynke nowe, i was not than, of elles i dreame as nowe, not knowynge the ways that i haue gone, not seinge the wayes full of stones, i haue fallen ere i was ware, i haue fallen in snares: seking no guyde, i was entred in to the whirlepoole: and by the grossenes of my boldnes, i was lost, and therfore i haue deserued pardon. And nowe that i am out of the thornes and bushes, thou woldest haue me farther in than euer i was: And now that i can not take the purgations, thou offrest me newe syropes: i haue watched all nyghte, and touched newly the alarme. For the ancient amitie i pray the, and coniure the in the name of the goddis, sithe that my harte is rebell against thy wyll, which is right doubtful: causeth me to leaue to desire the thus without doubt. And so thentent that thou shuldest not thynk any vnkyndnes in my whyte heares, as i may argue thy face of ydelnes, i wyll that we recken what we haue wonne, or hope

to wynne. Shewe me what cometh of these plesures: the tyme yll spent, good name in scaterynge to pardicion, the partrimonie wasted, the credence lost, the goddis annoyed, the vertues sclaundred, gette the name of brute beastes, and surnames of shame: suche ye and we and other be. Thou wrytest in thy letter, howe thou wylte leaue Rome, and come and se me in the warres of Dacy. Seing thy foly i laugh, and knowledgynge thy boldnesse, i beleue the. And whan i thynke thus, i take the letter agayne out of my bosum, and beholde the seale, doutynge if it be thy letter of not. Thou alterest my pulses and felynges of my hart, and the colour of my face chaungeth, imageninge, that either shame surmounteth in the, of els grauitie fayleth in me. For suche lyghtnes shuld not be beleued, but of lyke light persones. Thou knowest well, he that doth yll, meryteth peyn soner than he that doth the infamy. I wold wite: whither thou wylt go? thou haste ben cutte for vertinace, and nowe thou woldest be solde for wyne. Thou began fyrste as cheries, and thou wylt be laste as quynces: we haue eten the in blossomes, and thou wylt be lyke the fruite: the nuttes ar very good, but the shales be to hard, with straw and donge thou arte made rype, and thou art rotten, and if thou be rotten, thou art to be lothed. Thou art not content with .xl. yeres, that thou haste, of the whiche .xxv. yeres are passed in tast as wyne, that is to be solde: and as straw beries hyd vnder the leaues that are corrupte and rotten. Art not thou Boemia, that lacketh two tethe, the eyes holowed, with white heares, and a riueled face, one hande loste with the gout, and a rybbe marred with chyld beryng? whyther wylt thou go? put thy self than in a barrell, and cast the and it into the riuer, and thou shalt come out al weate. We haue eaten the freshe fyshe, and nowe thou woldest bring hyther the rusty old salt fishe in stede therof. O Boemia Boemia, now

i know there is no trust in youth, nor hope in age. Thou complaynest, that thou haste nothynge. That is an olde quarell of the amorous ladies of Rome, whiche takynge all, say they haue nothynge: and that ye lacke of credence, ye do fulfyl with money. Therfore beleue me louing frend, that the folyshe estate, that procedeth of vnlaufull wynnyng, gyueth small suretie and lesse good name to the persone. I can not tell howe thou haste spende so moche. For if i drewe of my rynges with one hande, thou dyddest open my purse with the other hand. I had greatter warres with my coffres than, than i haue nowe with myn ennemies. I coude neuer haue iewel, but thou woldest demand it: nor i dyd neuer deny the. Nowe at this houre i meruayle, for in this myn age i fynde great hynderaunce by my youthe. Thou complaynest of trauayle and pouertie. I am he that hath great nede of that medicine for this opilation, and a playster for that soore, and to haue some colde water for that hote feuer. Art thou not aduised, that i banyshed my necessitie in the londe of forgetfulnes, and dyd set vp thy wyll for the request of my seruice. In wynter i went all bare, and in sommer charged with clothes, i went on fote in the myre, and rode in the faire way. whan i was heuy, i laughed, and whan i was mery i wept. For drede i drewe forthe my strengthes, and out of my strengthes cowardyse. The nyghtes to sygh, and on the day to wayte where thou wentest by. Whan thou haddist nede of any thynge, i was fayne to robbe my father for it. Tel me Boemia, with whom fulfilledst thou thyn open folies, but with the yll orders that i putte my selfe to in secrete? wote ye what me semith by you amorous ladies of Rome? ye are in the courte as the lyttell moughtes eatynge olde clothes, and a pastime for light folkes, tresorers of foles, and sepulchres of vices. This that semeth me is, that if in thy youth

euery man gaue to the, bicause thou shuldest giue the to euery man: now thou giuest thy self to euery man, bycause euery man shuld giue them to the. Thou tellest me, that thou hast ii. sons, and lackest helpe for them. Yeld gracis to the goddis of the pitie that they haue vsed with the: they haue giuen to .xv. children of Fabricio my neyghbour but one father, and two of thy children onely, they haue giuen .l. fathers. Therfore deuyde them amonge theyr fathers, and euerye man shal not haue one fynger. Lucia thy doughter indede, and myn by suspect, remembre that i haue done for her more in marienge of her, than thou didst in her procreation. For to the gettyng of her thou dydst call dyuers, and to mary her i dyd it alone. I wryte to the but lyttel, to the respect of that i wold write. Butrio Cornelio hath spoken moch on thy parte, he hym selfe shall shewe the as moche of my parte. It is longe ago sith i knewe thyn impacience. I knowe wel thou wilt sende me an other letter more malicious. I pray the sith i write to the secretly, defame me nat openly. And whan thou redest this letter, remembre what occasions thou giuest me to write, and though that we be not frendis, yet wil i not leue to send the siluer. I send the a gowne: and the goddis be with the, and bryng me out of this warre with pece. Marke pretour in Dacye to his auncient louer Boemia. The answere to the emperours letter sent by Boemia. The .xvi. letter. < 10802> Boemia thyn ancient louer, to the Marc of mount Celio her mortal enemy, i desire vengeance of thy person, and il fortune for al thy life, i haue receiued thy letter, and therby perceiue thy damnable entrailes and thy cruel malices Suche yll persons as thou art hath this priuilege, that sith one doth suffre your vilanies in secret,

ye wyll hurte them openly, but thou shalte not do so with me Marc: for though i be not tresouresse of thy tresours, yet at leaste i am treasouresse of thyn ylnesse: and where as i can not reuenge me with my person, i shall labour to do it with my tongue. And thynke that though we women be weake, and our bodies sone ouercome, yet wyte it for certayne, that our hartes ar neuer vanquyshed. Thou sayest, that scapynge fro a battayle thou dyddest receyue my letter, wherof thou were soore abashed: It is a verye common thynge to them that be weke and slacke, to speke of loue, wanton fooles to treate of bookes, and to cowardes to babble of armes: i say it, bycause the answeringe to a letter was not of necessitie to reherse to a woman as i am, whither [sic] it were before the battayle or after. I know well, thou art scaped fro it, for thou were not the first that fought, nor the last that fledde. Whan thou were yong, i neuer sawe the go to the warre, that euer i dredde or had suspecte of thy lyfe: for knowynge thy cowardyse, i neuer toke care for thyn absence, for therin i was most sure of thy persone. Than Marc tell me now, what thou dost in thyn age. I thynke thou bearest thy spere not for to iust in the warre, but for to leane on whan the goute greueth the. Thy helmette i deme thou bearest with the to drinke with in tauernes, and not to defende the fro the strokes of swerdes, for i sawe the neuer stryke man with thy swerd, but i haue knowen the sle a .M. women with thy tonge. O malicious and vnhappy Marc, if thou were as valyaunt as thou arte malicious, thou shuldest be as greately dred of the barbarike nations, as thou arte in hatred, as reason is, with the matrones of Rome. Tell me what the lyste, at the least thou canst not denye, but that thou haste ben a weake and slacke louer, so thou arte nowe a weake and slacke cowarde knyght, an vnknowen frende, auaricious,

infamed, malycious,cruel, ennemy to euery man, and frende to no bodye. And we that haue knowen the yong strong and lusty, condemne the for an olde fole. Thou sayest, that takyng my lettre in to thy handes, thy herte toke the poyson of malyce. I beleue it well without sweryng, for any thyng beyng malicious forthwith fyndeth lodgyng in thy hous. Beastes that be corrupt, lyghtly take the poyson, that they that ben of good complexyon caste away. Of one thyng i am in certayne, thou shalt not dye of poyson. For one venyme oftentymes dystroyeth an other venym. O Malycyous Marc, yf all they in Rome knewe the, as well as sorowfull Boemya dooth, they shuld soone se what difference were betwene the wordes that thou spekest, and the intencion of thy hert. And if by the wrytinges that thou makest, thou meritest to haue the name of a philosopher, by the ylnes that thou doest inuente, thou doste merite to haue the name of a tyraunt. Thou sayest, thou sawest neuer certytude in the loue of a woman, nor ende of her hate. I haue great glorie, that other ladies besyde me haue knowlege of thy small wysedome. A se [Ase?] Marc, i wyll not mocke the, thou arte suche one, as neuer deserued that one shulde begynne to loue the, nor leaue to hate the. Wylt thou haue certitude in loue, and thou vnfaythfull of thy seruice? Wylt thou serue with mockeries, and woldest be loued truely? Wylte thou enioye the persone without spendyng of any of thy goodes? Wylt thou haue no complayntes of the, and thou not ceassynge thy malyces? Thou sayest thou knowest the ylnes of women. I wyl thou know, we be not so folyshe as thou thinkest, nor thou so wyse as thou wenest, to prayse thy selfe: yet hytherto hath ben sene mo men to folowe the appetyte of women, than there hath ben women folowynge the wyll of men. In none of bothe is great trust, and yet we bothe practise

that one man hath his harte so myghty to be more wyser than thre wyse women, and one woman thynketh her so stronge to put vnder her fete and ouercome .iii. C. suche as be lyght. Thou sayest, thou arte abashed of my lyghtnes, to leaue Rome, to go to the in the warres. Great is the loue of the countrey, sith that many leaue dyuers welthes that they haue in strange landes, and lyue straytely, for to lyue in their owne lande: but greatter is my loue, syth that i wolde leaue Rome with al the pleasures to go and serche for the in straunge landes amonge the cruelle battayles. O malicious Marke, O straunge louer: if i leaue Rome, it were to go and seke my hert beinge in the battayles with the. And certaynly dyuers tymes whanne i doo thinke on thyne absence, i swowne and sorowe as my hart were not with me, and yet i fynde no perfyte remedy. I thinke not our loue is lyke these bestes that ioyeth of their pleasures, without to wylle, and desyre their wylles. I sweare to the by the goddesse Uesta, and by the mother Berecynthia, that thou owest me more for one day of loue, that i haue had to the, than for the seruices that i haue done to the in .xxii. yeres. Behold vnhappy Marc, howe moche in thy presence i haue alwayes regarded the, and in thyn absence i haue alwayes thought on the, and slepynge i haue alwayes dreamed of the, i haue wepte for thy trauayle, and laughed at thy pleasure, and finally all my welth i haue wyshed the, and al thyn ylles i haue wyshed me. I ensure the one thynge, that as nowe i fele not so moche thy persecution, that thou doest to me, as i do the mysknowlege that thou makest to me. It is a gret sorowe for an auaritious man to se his goodes loste: but without comparison it is ferre greatter for the louer to se his loue yl bestowed: It is a hurt that is alwaye sore, and a peyn alway peinful, a sorow alway sorowful, and it is a deth

that neuer endeth. O ye men, if ye knew with what loue women loueth you in perfytenes whan they loue, and with what hert they hate whan they are set to hate: i swere to you, ye wold neuer company with them in loue: of if ye do loue them, neuer to leue them for feare of theyr hate, and how there is neuer gret hate, but where as moch loue was fyrst. But thou shalt neuer be gretly hatid, for thou were neuer truly loued of ladies. The sorowful Boemia hath loued the .xxii. yere of her lyfe, and now she only hateth the tyl after her deth. Thou sayest, i may be eaten for veriuyce, and yet i wold be solde for wyne. I knowe wel i haue erred, as one that hath ben yonge and lyght, and whan i perceyued that i had lost my way, and that my mysaduenture can fynde no way nor remedy: It is the greattest losse of al losses, whan there is no remydy. I haue erred lyke a feble and a weake woman, but thou hast erred as a stronge man: i haue erred by symple ygnorance, but thou haste erred of a prepensed and wlyfull malyce: i haue erred, not knowyng that i shuld haue erred, but thou knewest what thou dyddest: i haue trusted as faythfull to thy wordes, lyke a gentyll man, and thou haste begyled me with a thousande lesynges as a lyer. Telle me, dyddest thou not seke occasion to comme into my mothers house Getulia, to allure me her doughter Boemya to thy mynde? Dyddest not thou promyse my father to teache me to rede in one yere? and thou taughtest me to rede the boke of Ouidius, of the arte of loue? Dyddest thou not sweare to be my husbande, and than withdrewest thy hande as a false aduoultrer? Doest thou not knowe, that thou neuer foundest vilanye in my personne, nor i neuer founde trouthe in thy mouthe? At leest thou canst not deny, but thou hast offended the goddis, and arte infamed of men, and odious to the romayns, sclaundred of good folkes, and example to the yll folkes,

and finally a traytour to my father and mother, a breker of thy faythe, and to me sorowfulle Boemia an vnkynde louer. O malicious Marc, haste thou not cutte me in leues, offrynge to my father to kepe his vynes surely? Ill may the chekyn truste the kyte, or the lambes the wolues: and worse the to bring vp the doughters of them that be good. O cursed Marke, o [sic] domageable keper of vines hath the matrones of Rome founde the, in kepynge their doughters: i swere, that there was neyther grape nor cluster, but it was eaten or cut by the. Thou dydst eat me beinge grene, i promyse the it hath sette thy tethe on an yl edge. Thou sayest, i ryped by power of heate and strawe. It displeaseth me not so moche, that thou sayest, as thou gyuest me occasion to say to the. Thy shame is so shamefull. and thy malyce so vnshamefaste, that i can not answere the to the pourpose, without hurtynge or touchynge the quycke. I wolde wyte of the, whan thou maryedst Faustyn, whether thou fondest her grene or rype? Thou knowest well, and lykewise so do i, that other beside the, gauged the vessel, and thou drankest the lees: other gathered the grapes, and thou gleyned the vyne: other dyd eate the grapes, and thou haddest the huskes. O wycked Marc, beholde thyn euylles, and howe the goddis haue gyuen the iuste chastysement, that thou being yonge merited not to be desyred of thy louers, nor that thy wyues kepe feith to the in thyne age. For to be aduenged of thy persone, i nede none other thynge, but to se the maried to Faustine. By the mother Berecynthia i promyse the, that if thy small wysedome myght atteyne to knowe entierly, what is sayd of her and the in Rome, surely thou woldest wepe nyghte and day for the lyfe of Faustyn, and not leue the thoughtfull Boemia. O Marc, lyttell thought is taken for the, and howe fer is our vnderstondyng vncoupled fro thy thoughtes:

bycause that with thy great doctrine by day tyme thy house is made a schole of philosophers, and the wantonnesse of thy wyfe Faustyne by nyght, maketh it a bordell of ruffiens. It is a iuste iugement of the goddis, that sith thyn onely malyce suffiseth to poyson many that be good, that one alone may suffise to vnbend and lose thy renome. One difference there is betwene the and me, and thy wyfe Faustyne: for my dedes are but in suspect, and yours are openly knowen in dede: myn are secrete, and yours are euident: I haue stombled, but ye haue fallen: Of one thing alone i haue merited to be chastised, but ye haue deserued no forgyuenes: My dishonour is deed with the faut, and is buried with myn amendment, but your infamie is borne with your desyres, and is brought vp with your wylles, and lyueth styll with your werkes: and finally therfore your infamie shall neuer dye, for you lyued neuer well. O malicious Marcus, with all that thou knowest, wotest thou not, that for losynge of a good name, an yll fame is recouered: and in the ende of a good lyfe, begynneth a good faame [sic]? Thou ceassest not to saye ylle onely by suspicion, the whiche thy false iugementes shewe the, and yet thou woldest we shulde not speake that we se with our eyes. Of one thynge be thou sure, that neyther of the, nor of thy wyfe Faustine there is no false wytnesse: for the trouth is so euident, that there nedeth not to inuent any lies. Thou sayst, that it is an old quarel of amorous ladies of Rome, that in takinge fro many we are the poorest of all other, bycause we fayle in credence, we are honoured for syluer. It is of certayntie, that we mystrust the hollie bycause of his prickes, the acornes, for his huskes, the roses amonge nettyls, and thy mouth for thy malyce. I haue curiously taken hede that thou neuer saydest well by women, nor i neuer coude fynde, that any wolde the good. What gretter

correction shuld i haue of thy wyckednes, or more vengeance for myn iniuries, but to be certayn, that all the louynge ladies of Rome are sory of thy lyfe, and wolde be glad of thy dethe. The lyfe of that man is wycked, that many bewayle, and in whose dethe euery body reioyseth. It is the propertie of poore vnkynde persons as thou art, to forgette the great goodnesse done to them, and to be sory for the lyttell that they gyue. As moche as noble hartis glorifye them in gyuynge to other, so moche are they ashamed to receyue seruices vnrewarded. For in giuinge they make them selfe lordes, and in receyuyng they are as sclaues. I wolde wyte what thou haste gyuen me, or what thou haste receyued of me? I haue aduentured my good name, and giuen the possession of my personne: I haue made the lorde and mayster of al my goodes: I haue banyshed my selfe out of my countrey, and putte my selfe in peryll only for thy sake, and in recompence of al this, thou reprochest me now of miserie. Thou neuer gauest me any thing with thy good wyl, nor i neuer receyued it willingly, nor it dyd me neuer profyt. Al thinges recouer a name, not for the common werke that we see, but for the secrete intention with whiche we worke. And thou vnhappy man desiredst me, not to enioy my persone, but rather to haue my money. We ought not to cal the a clere louer, but a thefe, and a wyly see rouer. I had a lytel rynge of the, whiche i am determyned to caste into the ryuer, and the clothynge that i had of the i haue brent in the fire. And yf that my body were any thyng amended with the bread that i haue eaten of thyn, i wold cutte my fleshe, and let out the blode without any feare. O cursed Marke, thy darke malyce wolde not suffre the clerely to vnderstande my letter: for i entended not to aske moneye, to releue my pouertie and solytarynesse, but reknowlegynge and thankynge

to satisfie my wyllynge herte. The vayne and couetous menne as thou arte thy selfe, are pleased with giftes, but the hartes incarnate in loue are lyttell satisfied with syluer. For loue onely is payed with loue agayne. The manne that loueth not as a manne of reasone, but as a brute beaste, and the woman that loueth not but for the interest of her person: suche ought not to be trusted in their wordes, nor their persones desyred. For the loue of her endeth, whan the goodes fayle: and the loue of hym, whan her beautie fayleth. If thy loue proceded onely of the beautie of my face, and loue only for the money of thy pours: it were not ryghte, that we were called wyse louers but rather very nyce persones. O wycked Marke, i neuer loued the for thy goodes, though thou louedst me for my beautie: with all my hart i loued the than, and with all my hart i hate the now. Thou sayst, the goddes haue shewed me great pitie, to gyue me fewe chyldren, and to them many fathers. The greattest malice in women is to be vnshamefaste, and the moste vilanie in men is to be yll sayers. Dyuers thinges ought to be suffred for the fragilite of women, whiche are not permytted in the wysedom of men. I say this bycause i neuer sawe temperaunce in the for to couer thyn owne malyces, nor wysedome to excuse the debilities of other. Thou sayest, that my sonnes haue dyuers fathers. i swere vnto the, that though thou dye, the chylderne of Faustyne shall not be fatherles. And of trouth yf the goddis (as thou sayest) haue be pytiefull to my chyldren, no lesse arte thou to straunge chyldren. For Faustin kepeth the but to excuse her blame, and to be tutour of her chyldren. O cursed Marc, thou mayst wel enioy and take no thoughte, for thyne owne chylderne haue no nede to be maried. For one thynge we are bounde, that is for the example the whiche thou doste gyue of thy pacience:

For sithe thou suffreth Faustyne in so many infamies, it is no great nede that we suffre any secretes in the. I say no more at this tyme, makyng an ende of my letter, desyring the ende of thy persone. A letter sent by Marcus the emperour to Matrine a yonge mayden of Rome, of whom he was enamoured, seinge her at a wyndowe. The .xvii. letter. Marke the emperour, the very desirous, to the Matrine greatly desyred. I wote not if by good aduenture of myn yll aduenture or by yl aduenture of my good aduenture, i dyd see the of late at a wyndowe, where as thou heldest thyn armes as close as myn eien were spred abrode, that cursed be they for euer. For in beholdyng thy face my hart forthewith abode with the as prysoner. The begynninge of thy knowledge is the ende of my reason, and felynge of flyght. Of one trauayle cometh infinite trauayles to men, i say it, if i had not ben ydel, i had not gone oute of my house, and yf that i had not gone out of my howse, i hadde not gone oute in to the stretes, and if i had not passid through the strete, i had not sene the at thy wyndowe: and if i hadde not sene the at thy wyndowe, i had not desyred thy persone: and not desiring thy person, i had not put thy name in so great peryll, nor my lyfe in trauayle, nor had giuen none occasion in al Rome to speke of vs. Of a trouth lady Matrine in this case i condemne my selfe, syth i wold beholde the. And thou woldest be saluted, sith thou desiredst to be sene. And syth thou were set as a whyte marke, it was no great meruayle that i shot

with the arowes of myn eies at the butte of thy beautie, with rollynge eies, with browes bent, wel coloured face, incarnate tethe, ruddy lyppes, crispe heares, handes set with rynges, clothed with a. M. maner of clothynges, bearynge purses full of swete smelles, and bracelettes ful of knackes, with perles and stones at the eares. Tell me what becometh of a woman with these thynges, that wyl shewe her selfe at a wyndowe? The mooste cause is, that i can esteme or thynke therin, that sythe ye do shew your bodies openly to vs at the eie, that your wylle is, that we shulde knowe your desires secretely. And if it be so, as i afferme, that it is so, it semeth me madame Matrine, thou shuldest desire hym that desireth, to informe hym that sercheth the, to answere hym that calleth the, and fele that he feleth, intende to hym that intendeth to the: and sythe i vnderstande the, vnderstande me, and vnderstande sythe thou doest not vnderstande. I am aduysed as i went by the strete Falaria to se theues putte to iustice, myne eyen sawe the at a wyndowe, on whome dependeth all my desyres. Thou doest more Iustyce to me, than i do to the theues, for i beinge at Iustice, thou haste iusticied the Justyce, and none dare peyne the. The gybet is not so cruell to them that neuer knew but yl doing, as thou art to me that neuer thought, but howe i myghte do the seruice. The theues suffre but one dethe, and thou makest me to suffre a. M. in a daye: In one houre the theues liues are ended, and i dye euery mynute: I drawe towarde deth wrongfully, and they suffre for their fautes: I suffre an innocent, they openly and i in secrete. What shall i saye more to the? of trouthe they wepe watry droppes with their eies, bycause they dye, and i wepe teares of bloud in my hart, bycause i lyue. This is the difference, their tourmentes spredeth abrode through al their bodies, and i kepe myn

to gether in my herte. O cruelle Matrine, i can not telle what Iustyce it is, to put men to deth that steale money, and suffre women lyue that robbe mennes hertes: If theyr eares be cut of, that pyke mennes purces. why are women than pardoned, that robbe mennes inwarde hertes and entrayles? By thy noblenes i pray the, and by the goddesse Uenus i coniure the, eyther answere to my desyre, or els restore my herte agayn, whiche thou haste robbed fro me. i wolde thou kneweste the clere fayth of ny herte, rather that this letter writen with my hand. If myne aduenture were soo good, as to speake with the, and that thy loue were not ashamed therof, i wolde hope with the syght and spech to wynne that whiche i am in suspect to lese by my letter. The reason is, bycause thou herest my ylle and rude reasons redynge my letter. And if thou sawest me thou shuldeste se the cruell teares that i offre to the by my lyfe. I wolde my mouth coude publyshe myne enraged euylles, as my herte feleth, then i swere to the lady Matrine, that my greuous Dolor shulde awake thy small thought. And as thy beautie and mine affection hath made me thyn owne. the knowelege of my passion shuld make the myne. I desyre that thou shuldest regarde the begynnynge, and therwith regarde the ende. Certaynly the same day that thou enprysonedst my herte at thy wyndowe, in the doungeon of my desyres, i had no lesse weykenesse to be euercome, than thou haddeste force to constrayne me. And more greatter is thy power to put thy selfe from me, thanne my reason is to put me fro the. I axe noo mercye of the, but that we myghte declare oure wylles together. But in this case what wylte thou that i shulde say, but that thou hast so moche power ouer me, and i so lytel of my liberte, that wyll i nyll i my herte can not be but thyne: And hit beynge thyne, thou mayste and wylt not declare thy selfe

to be myn. And sith it may nat be, but that my life must be condemned in thy seruyce, be thou as sure of my fayth as i am douteful of thy hope: For i shall haue a greatter welthe to be loste for thy sake, thanne to wynne any other thynge. I wyll say no more atte this tyme, but that thou accompte my perdicion and dethe, and drawe the lyfe of my teares in to open ioye: And by cause that i holde my fayth in thy fayth, and wyll neuer despayre in thy hope, i sende to the .x. lytell rynges of gold, with .x. stones of Alexandry: And i coniure the by the mortall goddes, that whanne thou doest put theym on thy fyngres, to sette me in thy herte and entrayles. Marcus amorous wrote this with his owne hande. An other letter sente by Marc the emperoure to the sayd gentylwoman Matryne. The .xviii. letter. Marke habytaunt atte Rome, to the Matryne his ryghte swete enemy. I call the swete, for it is Iust [sic] that i dye for the. And i call the enemy, bycause thou makest not an ende to slee me. I can not tel wherin it is, but sythe the feast of Jano hytherto, i haue wryten thre letters to the: And to the answere of them i wolde that i had seen two letters from the, if it were thy pleasure. If that i serue the, thou woldest that i shuld not serue: if i speke, thou wylt not speke to me: if i loke at the, thou wylt not beholde me: if i cal the, thou wylt not answere: if i visite the, thou wylt not se me, if i write to the, thou wilt giue me none answere, And worst of al, yf other do shewe the of my dolours, thou makest but a mocke therof. And if i had as moch knowlege,

where to complayne to the, as thou hast power to remedy the playntyfe, my wysedome shulde no lesse be praysed amonge wyse men, than thy beautie is amonge fooles. I pray the hartely regarde not the contrarieties of my reasons, but regarde the faythe of my wepynges, the whiche in wytnesse of my peynes i do gyue vnto the. I wote not what good may come to the of my harmes: nor what wynnynge of my losse thou shuldest hope to gette: nor what suretie of my perylle thou shulde attayne vnto: nor what pleasure of my displeasure thou mayst haue. I haue had aunswere of my messanger, that without redynge of my letters, thou hast with thy handes toren them all to pieces. It ought to suffise the to thynke, that my person were hewen in quarters, yet i wolde thou haddest redde these small lynes lady Matrine: for by them thou shuldest haue sene, howe my thoughtes were troubled. ye women are so extreme that for faut of one man, a woman wyll complayn of all other men in generall, so that ye be cruel for one particular cause. Openly ye pardone all mens lyues, and in secrete ye procure euery mans dethe. I esteme it nothynge dame Matrine that thou haste done: but i lament me of that thou demaundedst Ualerius thy neyghbour to saye to me. One thynge i wolde thou haddest in memorie and not forgot, and that is, sithe that my lybertie is so small, and thy power so great, bycause i beinge all holly myne owne, i am tourned to be thyn, that thou shuldest thinke, that whan thou woldest iniurie me, thou shuldest do most iniurie to thy selfe, sythe that by the i dye, as thou by me doste lyue. In this yll purpose perserue not, for thou dost aduenture the lyfe of vs bothe. Thou damnest thy condicion, and distroyest my helth, and finally thou must come to the medicine. Forgiue me dame Matrine, if i say any malyce to the, that is, i knowe that ye women desyre one

thynge, and kepe vs in drede, that it shoulde not come by her thought. Thou were wont to be wel condicioned, and at least though thou doest not put it in vre [sic], yet thou haste the fame therof: and an ancient fame ought not to be left for a newe vnkyndnes. Thou knowest wel, what contrarynesse dothe vngentylnesse to the vertues in vertuous houses, and thou canst not be called vertuous, but if thou be gentyll and courteyse. There is no gretter vnkyndnes, than to loue her that loueth not me: That i visite the, and thou visitest not me, that i speake to the, and thou speakest not to me is nothynge, that i knowlege the, and thou wylt not know me is nothyng, though i wepe and thou laugh is nothynge, thoughe i demaunde, and thou denyest is nothynge, though thou owe me, and neuer paye, yet it is nothynge: but where as i loue the and thou not me is a great thynge: that thyng that can not be dissimuled with the eies, nor the hart suffre all the vyces amonge mortall creatures, it is reason that they be forgyuen, bycause they are commytted by nature, saue onely the vnlouynge of women, and the vnkyndnesse of men, whiche are vyces commytted of malyce. And dyuers seruices by me done to the, and moche more that i haue to do hereafter, thou Matryne mayste all onely pay me with one thyng. I pray the refuse not gyue me remedy, sythe i haue not offred me in the peryll. If thou say, that Patroclus thy spouse hath the propretie ouer the, yet at leaste receyue me to the profe, and i shall pretende possession of the. And in this wise in the vayneglorie to be thyn, shal couer the domage not to be myn. Thou makest me to meruayle sore, howe for so small a mercy and rewarde thou can suffre suche importunitie so longe. For certayne many thinges we grant to an importunate manne, the whiche are not graunted to a temperate man. If thou hopest to ouercome me Matryne,

i holde my selfe vanquysshed, if thou wylte lose me, i holde me for loste, if thou wyl sle me, i yeld my self as deade. For by the gesture that i make afore thy gate, and the syghes that i make in myn owne hous, are gretly myne to resyste, and the greuous assault of the, be edyfices more to sommon dethe, than to defende the [lyfe]: yf thou wylt that i scape this daunger, deny me not the remedy, bycause it shalbe a gretter vyce in the to sle me, than vilany to gyue me remedy. And it were no iuste thyng for so small a pryce to lose the fayth of so gret seruyce. I wote not what to do, to make the my debtour, and thou to paye me. And yet worst of al, i wote not what to do, nor what to thinke nor to say, nor to whom to determine me, bicause i can not assure any profyte in me, but to be certayne in thy seruices. And bicause thou doste truste hym that hath done this message, by hym i do send this open letter, and my secrete aunswere. I do sende the a iewel of perles, and a besant of golde. To the goddis i do commende the. And i require the for to receyue it with as good a wylle as i do present it vnto the. Marc the oratour to the right honorable Matryne. A letter sent by Marc the emperour to Lybia a fayre lady Romayne. The .xix. letter. Marke full of sorowe and pensyfenes to the Lybia takynge but lyttell thought or care: If thy small thought passed any thynge on me, and also yf my troubles and dolours were lodged and dydde reste in the, than thou shuldest perceyue and se howe smalle the quarell were, the whiche i make to the, in respecte of

the tourment that i doo suffre, yf the blasinge flames issued out, as the fyred brondes doo brenne me within, the smoke wolde reache to the heuens, and make ymbres of the erthe: yf thou doest well remembre the fyrst tyme that i sawe the in the temple of the virgins vestales, thou beynge there prayed to the goddis for thy selfe, and i on my knees prayed the for my selfe. I knowe well thou offredst hony and oyle to the goddis, and i offred to the soore wepynges and syghes. It is a iuste thynge to gyue more to hym that offreth his inwarde entrayles, than to hym that draweth money out of his purse to offre. I haue determined, and disposed me, to write to the this letter, that thou shuldest se how thou arte serued with the arowes of myne eies, that were shotte at the whyte of thy seruyces. Alas, howe sorowful am i to thynke, least the calme tyme now, dothe threten me with the tempest to come. I wyl say, that disloue in the, causeth the hope doubtfull in me. Beholde what mysaduenture, i had loste a letter, and i retourned to the temple to seke for it, but i had nere lost my self, in going thyther so often, consydering my smal merite. I se well, that myn eies the ladders of my hope, are set on soo hye a walle, that no lesse is the doubte of my fal, than the daunger of the clymmynge vp. Thou bowynge downe the leaues of thy high merytes, haste broughte me to the poynt of continuall seruice. Lette me haue the fruite, and giue the leaues to whome thou wylte: But the immortalle goddis, i haue great meruayle, by cause [byc.?] i thought that in the temple of the virgins Uestales, no manne shoulde haue hadde temptations. But as nowe i do fynde by experience, that the woman is more lyberall and sooner ouercome, that is fast and straytly kept and watched than other. All the corporalle domages are fyrste harde of, er they be knowen, and knowen er sene, and sene er they be

felte, and felte er they be tasted, yet it is not so in loue. For firste they fele the stroke therof, er they se the way howe it cometh. The lyghtnynge is not so sodeyne, but it is seene afore the thonder clappe, nor the wal falleth not so sodeinly, but fyrste some stones do breke asonder, nor the colde cometh not so faste on, but some smal sheueringes cometh before: but all onely loue is not felt tyll it be setled in the entrayles. Let euery man knowe it that knowe it not, and thou lady Libie if thou wyll knowe: Loue slepeth whan we wake, and waketh whan we slepe, and laugheth whan we wepe, and wepeth whan we laugh: It assureth in takynge, and taketh in assuringe: And speketh whan we be styll, and is styll whan we speke: And finally it is of that condicion, that for to gyue vs that we desyre, hit causeth vs to lyue in peyne. I swere to the, whan my wyl became thy seruaunte, and thy beautie caused that thou were my lady, whan i was in the temple and retorned agayne thither, not desyrynge the, thou beheldeste me, and i as vnhappy loked on the. But O what a thoughte came to me that my herte beynge hole, thou haste deuyded, beinge in helth thou haste hurte, beinge aliue thou haste slayne, beynge myn thou haste stollen it, and that worste of al is, not helpynge to my lyfe, thou consentest that loue assayle me to the deth. Many tymes ladye Libya consyderynge that al my thoughtes ben hyghe and my fortune lowe, i wold haue seperate my selfe fro the, But consyderynge that my trauayles are well applyed in thy seruyces, i say though i myghte i wille not be seperate fro the. I will not denie one thinge, and that is, that cursed loue taketh away the taste of al thinges, and yet therby alonely it gyueth vs appetite, the whiche giueth vs moche yll prouffite. This is the profe of him that loueth hertily. For one dissauour of them that is beloued, is more that all the fauoure of this

lyfe. I thinke lady Libia thou art gretly abashed to se me outwarde as a philosopher, and to knowe me inwarde a secrete louer. I praye the Lybia discouer me not: For yf that the goddis gyue me longe lyfe, i am mynded for to amende. And thoughe i be atte this houre but a yonge foole in the arte of loue, whan i am olde i shall be wise: the goddis knowe what i desire, and the force that i do enforce me to: but as the fleshe is weake and the hart tendre, and hath many occasions and fewe vertues, and the worlde subtyll, and the people malicious, i passe this begynnyng and spring of floures, with hope that in haruest i shall haue some fruite. Dame Lybia doest thou thinke, that philosophers though they were neuer so sage, be not stryken with the cruelties of loue? and that vnder theyr cours clothes their fleshe is not smoth? Certaynly amonge the hard bones soft fleshe is bredde, vnder the sharpe huskes the chestnutte is nouryshed. I saye that vnder cours apparell, is true and perfyte loue. I deny not but that our slacke nature resysteth not with vertues, nor i deny not, but there be yonge wanton desyres, not repressed with vertuous purposes: i deny not, but that the bytte of youthe is not refreyned with the brydell of reason: i denye not, but that that the fleshe procureth, is dyuers tymes withstande by wysedome. And also i knowlege well, that he that is not amorous, is a foole. And thou knowest, that thoughe we be wyse, we leaue not therfore to be men. All that euer we lerne in all our lyues, suffiseth not to knowe howe to rule the flesshe one houre. To wyse men in this case hathe fallen many errours: there be many maysters in vertues, and many moo hath bene and yet they haue ben ouercome with vices, wherfore than doest thou meruayle of me alone? I confesse of trouthe, that i had neuer myne vnderstondynge so clere, as whan Cupyde fanned

wynd on me with his winges. There was neuer none vnto my tyme, that euer was noted wyse, but first he was a prisoner and bound with the loue of Cupyde. Gratian was amorous on Tamyr: Solon Salaminus gyuer of the lawes, was amorous of Grecyane: Pytacus Mitelenus lefte his owne wyfe, and was enamoured of a bondwoman, that he broughte fro the warres. Cleobolus the curyan, whan he was ful .xxiiii.[sic] yere olde, and had red philosophy xlv. yere, scalynge the house of his neyghbour, fel of the ladder, and dyed: Periander prince of Acaye, and a great philosopher of grece, at the prayer of one of his louers slew his wyfe: Anacharces a philosopher a Scitean of his father syde, and a greke of his mother syde, was so enamored of a woman of Thebes, that he taught her al his counnynge, and whan he was sycke in his bedde, she redde in the schole for hym: Epimenides of Crete, that slepte .xv. yeres without waking, and though he was .x. yere a gret worshypper of the goddis, yet he was banyshed from Athenes for the loue of women: Archyta Tarentyn, mayster of Plato, and disciple of Pythagoras, occupied his mynde more to inuent the kyndes of loue, than his forces in doctrines of vertues: Gorgio Cleontino, borne in Sycyll, kept rather concubines in his chambre, than bokes in the scholes. All these were wyse men, and yet we maye se, howe at the laste they were ouercome with the flesshe. Than blame not me alone: for as i haue tolde of so fewe in noumbre, so i coude recyte of other a holle armye. Of trouthe he ought to haue many thynges, that wyll be taken as curious in loue. He muste haue his eien displayed on her that he loueth, his vnderstandynge sore altered in that he thinketh, his tonge troubled in that he shuld say: So that in seinge he be blynded, in thoughtes wandring, and in speakynge troubled. O lady Libia, the louynge in

mockerye passeth by mockerie: but where as the true hert is, there is the grefe and no mockerie. Loue shedeth her poysone, and cruelle Cupydo fyxeth his arowes vppe to the fethers. Than the eyen wepe, the herte sygheth, the fleshe trymbleth, the synewes shrynke: the vnderstandynge waxeth grosse, reason fayleth, and so all falleth to the erthe, soo that finally the heuye louer abidyng in him selfe, holdeth lyttell or nothynge of hym selfe. All this i say bycause that knowlege to loue fayleth in me: yet be ye sure, that the workes fayle me not to worke in thy seruice. And sithe hit was my aduenture to se the, nowe it is my chaunce to knowe the, i demaunde nothynge els of the, but that thou wylte loue me trewely, syth i loue the without feynynge. And yf thou haste herde, that i am sycke at my harte, i desyre the to do me some good: for sythe it is all onely in the, it is reason that thou all onely seke for remedy. I was greatly comforted, whan Fabius Carlynus desyred me in thy behalfe to be a prisoner, and i dyd incontinent all that thou dyddest desyre, to thentent that thou on some day shuldest do that i desyre. And beholde lady Lybia, the woman that is serued with seruyces, it is reason, that she receyue some prayers. And thoughe my strengthes haue no power to open the gates of thy pourpose, as nat to agree to thy demaunde, yet all my labours be bycause of thy renowme. I praye the discouer not the one, nor begyle me nat with the other. For now thou seest that in grauntinge is remedy, and in truste is comforte, but promesse is deceyuable, the delayenge is peryllous, and the entreatynge byndeth. I se verye welle, that the hasty demaunde deserueth a longe aunswere: but i wold not that thou shuldest do soo: but as i desyre the, so desyre me. I saye agayne. i am all thyne, and not myne owne. And as for my selfe in all thinges i wyll serue the.

And lady Libia regarde, that it were as moch honour for the, as profytable for me, to tourne thy disordinate desyres and purposes. For thou seest well it is moche better to heale shortely than to late with faylynge of thy purpose. All women kepe one daungerous opinion, that is, they wyll neuer receyue councell that is gyuen them in a great cause: and if it be so, as i thynke, sithe thou art praysed and estemed of great beautie, than be estemed to receyue good councel. And in this maner in case that my domage be very great, and thy pacience very lyttell, i shalbe called wyse to gyue the suche councell [sic], and thou ryght gracious to folowe it. One thynge i saye: and pardone me, though i shewe it to the, howe that women be greatly infamed, that wyll take no counsayle, and suche as wyll assure their renowme by the opinyon of other, as moche as though they were determined so to do their selfe. Wherefore i wolde ye shuld do one thing for an other, as i counsayle you. And yf thou fyndest any yll therby, withdrawe thy hande. I wyll say no more to the, but that i do present to the al my vnhappy troubles, my desperate syghes, and my seruyces as thy seruaunt. My troubled dolours, my wordes of philosophy, and my amorous teares. Also i sende the a gyrdille of golde, and i gyue it the on the condicyon, that thou sette thyn eies theron, and apply thy harte to me. I praye the goddis to giue me to the, and the to me. Marcus Aurelius the philosopher writeth this in very great secrete. Thvs endeth this golden boke of the eloquent Marc Aurelie emperour: who so euer be reder therof may take it by reason for a ryche and a newe labour, and specially princis and gouernours of the common welth, and mynisters of iustice, with other, also the common people eche of them maye finde the labour conuenient

to theyr estate. And therin is conteyned certayne right high and profounde sentences, and holsom counselles, and meruaylous deuyses ageynste thencumbrance of fortune: and right swete consolations for them that are ouerthrowen by fortune. Finally it is good to them that digeste it, and thanke god that hath gyuen suche grace to a paynym, in gyuynge vs example of vertuous lyuynge, with hye and salutarie doctrines and meruaylous instructions of perfectnes. Certainly as great prayse as ought to be gyuen to the auctour, is to be gyuen to the translatours, that haue laborously reduced this treatyse oute of Greke into latyn, and out of latyn into Castilyan, and out of Castilyan into frenche, and out of frenche in englyshe, writen in high and swete styles. O right happy trauayle, sythe that suche fruyte is issued therof. And also blessyd be the handes that haue wrytten hit. A ryghte precious meate is the sentences of this boke: But finally the sauce of the sayd swete style moueth the appetite. Many bokes there be of substanciall meates, but they be so rude and so vnsauery, and the style of so small grace, that the fyrste morselle is lothesome and noyfull: And of such bokes foloweth to lye hole and founde in Lybraries, but i truste this wylle not. Of trouthe great prayse is due to the auctour for his trauayle. And syth there can be no grace equi- polent in erthe, lette vs praye to god to gyue hym grace and reward in heuen. Amen. Graces to god. Finis.# \thus endeth the volume of Marke Aurelie empe- rour, otherwyse called the golden boke, translated out of Frenche into englysshe by John Bourchier knyghte lorde Barners, deputie generall of the kynges towne of Caleys and marches of the same, at the instant desyre of his neuewe syr Francis Bryan knyght, ended at Caleys the tenth day of Marche, in the yere of the reyghe of oure Soueraygne lorde kynge Henrye the .viii. the .xxiii. Londini in aedibus tho- mae bertheleti re- gii impressoris. cvm privilegio a re- ge indvlto.