A panoplie of epistles, or, a looking glasse for the vnlearned Conteyning a perfecte plattforme of inditing letters of all sorts, to persons of al estates and degrees, as well our superiours, as also our equalls and inferiours: vsed of the best and the eloquentest rhetoricians that haue liued in all ages, and haue beene famous in that facultie. Gathered and translated out of Latine into English, by Abraham Flemming.

•…•…ocrates to Timoth•…•…o.

•…•… THE ARGVMENT.

Hee highly aduaun•…•…eth the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of a certaine tyrant: and giueth him counsell, vnder the pre•…•…ence of praise, to be gentle and courte∣ous to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is citizens. Lastly, hee tempteth Timoth•…•…us with a petition▪ namely to bee a•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and succoure•…•… to one 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

WHat tried friendshippe hath knitt •…•…s twaine in one, you haue (I thinke) receiued by the report of many. First of all, I cannot but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for your sake, in that your vsage, in this possession of princip•…•…litie, is farre bett•…•…r then your fa∣thers was, and your •…•…oings tempered with m•…•…re 〈◊〉〈◊〉: Secondly, because you are in•…•…amed with a greater 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…o purchase honest and honourable renowne, then to gather •…•…∣gether in huge heapes, abundaunce of riches, and mo•…•…e like mountaynes: In which your doings, no slender signification of vertue appeareth: but rather a most manifest test •…•…oniall of your well disposed nature, and right commendable disposi∣tion. Wherefore, if, as your b•…•…ginninges are, (nowe in the mouthes of all men, and in all places, to your high praise pro∣claimed:) so bée your procéedings, it is not like that you shall want instruments, for the aduancement of your wisedome, or tongues to er•…•…oll with triumphant trumps, this your most noble enterprise▪ I suppose also, that those things which are noysed abroade, concerning your father, will be of very great force and efficacie, to proue your pruden•…•…e, and to shew also, wherein, aboue others, you are to challenge excellencie. For it is a custome amonge many vsed, not so much to com∣mend and make honourable the children, that are descen∣ded

of p•…•…iseworthie pa•…•…ents: as to haue them in reuerence, whose fathers being tyrannicall, sauage, bloud thirstie, and mercilesse, yet their sonnes degenerating from kinde, and indued with qualities in all respectes clean•…•… contrarie. For, what soeuer is in the nature of men, not answear•…•…ble to ex∣pectation, that in all pointes is much more gracious, and ac∣ceptable, then those thinges which of custome are loked for, and by ordinarie course come to passe. These premisses, therefore, curiously canuassed, narrowly •…•…fted, and streight∣ly examined, this ought to be your chiefest meditatiō, in this (I say) must your minde be ea•…•…nestly conue•…•…saunt, by what meanes, through wh•…•…se help, by the vertue of whose 〈◊〉〈◊〉, you may both redresse the calamities of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, pr•…•…cure the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the people, woorke meanes how they mighte leade their liues in more pleasantnesse and securitie, then they haue in times past to their great disqui•…•…tnes. For these dueties of clemencie, these practises of humanitie and gentle∣nesse, are the ornaments of good gouernours, and the preci∣ous pearles wherewith all princes are beautifie•…•…. Which inualuable Iewells, many hauing in contempt, applied all their power and abilitie to this onely end, namely, to attaine the full measure of their pleasures and c•…•…ncupiscences, with libertie excessi•…•…e, and more then e•…•…pedient: Citizens, in the meane season, of great worship and wisedome, being defaced, vtterly vndone, and spoiled. Such Caterpillers in Common wealthes, ar•…•… ignoraunt, that It is to the praise of a prudent prince, yea that it maketh much for the estimation of wise∣men, aduaunced to these high and stately thrones of noble∣nesse, by others sorrowes not to seeke their owne delight, by others miseries not to purchase their priuate pleasure, nor to the detriment of others, to procure their owne profite: but rather by their carefulne•…•…se and diligent industrie, to aug∣ment and increase their peoples felicitie, to bee in•…•…linable to clemencie, conquered with compassion, not rigorous in re∣uengment, not pitiles•…•…e in punishment, nor of his owne safe∣tie to seeme carelesse and negligent: but with the Scepter of mercie, & sword of iustice in such order to gouerne his king

dome, that none dare b•…•…obould, by treacherous 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ to bring their good estate in hazard▪ and to be no lesse circum∣specte, that his owne life be strongly d•…•…fended. Yea, therein to be so diligent, as i•…•… all the world conspired to woorke hi•…•… ouerthrow and destruction. For by this meanes it shal come to passe, that they shal be exempted from peril, and •…•…lourish in fame, among all the rest of the Graecians: Then these sin∣gular benefits, & incōparable cômodities, it is too too hard to attaine greater or better. As I was thus occupied with my penne in writing, I soudenly remembred, that in all thinges you haue excéeding prosperous s•…•…ccesse. For you haue abun∣dance of wealth, plentie of riches, which cannot be gotten w^t∣out extréeme tyrannie: these you haue by inheritance, your father with much violence, and through flaming fyers of en∣uie obteined them, you haue them now in possession: the good and orderly vsing of the which, is in your hands, it becômeth you to haue •…•… singular regard how they bée bestowed, not vainly, but necessarily, not vnad•…•…isedly, but di•…•…creetly, not to your reprehension, but to your comm•…•…ation. Touching this matter, therfore, these are my precepts tēding to your profit. Thus, then, standeth the case: if you estéeme of monie, if you make accompt of great power, if you haue such transitorie things in reputation, then you must néedes loue dangers al∣so, without y^• which those things cannot be recouered, nor at∣tained: so that you must, elsewhere craue counsel, & of others séeke assistance. But if you •…•…aue sufficient, nay, if you haue a∣bundance, if you loue vertue, if you loue an honest & honoura∣ble report, if you be incensed with the desire of y^• peoples fa∣uour and beneuolence, th•…•…n imprint mine admonitions in y^• tables of your memorie, i•…•…brace my coūsels, let my precepts be y^• rule of your actions, striue to be equal to those y^• gouerne cities vnder their authoritie most excellently: contend I say, not onely for equalitie, but also for superioritie. For this I haue heard concerning Cleomenes, whose Dominion lay in Methym•…•…a▪ that in at his enterprises he discharged the dutie of •…•… good and prudēt gouernour, was also so far frō putting a∣ny to death, frō driuing any into exile▪ frō making any pro∣s•…•…ript or outlaw, from procuring vnto any one such miserable

nience that his citizens liue in singular securitie, in ease and quietnes, a•…•… wil and in wealth: that hee calleth home againe such as were thrust into ba•…•…ishment, intertaineth them into the imbracing bosome of their countrie natural, that were de priued of that passing ioyfulnesse: that of all their possessions, whereof they were spoiled and robbed, hée maketh mercifull restitutione •…•…ud that they might easely▪ recouer interest in their owne, he maketh large paiments, to such as bought the goods of the banished, to giue ouer their purchased title to the former and lawfull owners: and, not being here withal satis∣ficed, he furnisheth al y^• citizens with armour, and séeth the•…•… prouided to the purpose, for his present assistaunce, nothing 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the mischefous insurrections, and rebellious at∣tempts of such as fauour chaunge, and buisie themselues to bring in alteration. And if any dare be so bould to set abroach such an enterprise, he thinketh much more auailable, that his owne life in consideration of his humanitie, gentlenesse, be∣nignitie, and mercifulnes to his citi•…•…ens plentifully: testified, should suffer shipwracke: then exe•…•…nting crueltie vpon them, and taking bloudie reuengment, to furuiue and outliue y^e re∣sidue. Touching this matter, much more (peraduenture) I might haue mencioned, and more artificially with you haue reasoned, but that I perceiued me selfe stayed with an impe∣dimēt, namely lack of loysure to lengthen my letter, in y^• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ting whereof, I was forced to vse great has•…•…. But another time shall serue to minister counsell vnto you, for your pro∣site and commoditie, if mine old age be not mine hinderance: For the present time, we wit•…•…take occasion, to discourse vp∣pon thinges perteyning to your priuate person, Autro•…•…ntor, the bearer and deliuerer of this letter vnto you, is a man with whome I haue much familiaritie: For, I haue béene conuersaunt in the selfe san•…•…e exercises, wherein hée hath béene occupied, and I haue oftentimes •…•…nd the vse of his Arte and knowledges 〈◊〉〈◊〉, I haue béene in hand with him, & 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that not s•…•…eldome, to addresse his iourney vnto you, and that hée hath so done, I was y^• author and procurer. In 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 which premisses, I would y^• you entertaine him honorabl•…•…, 〈◊〉〈◊〉

in such order, as to eyther of vs is expedient and profitable: & towards whome, what duties of humanitie so euer you ex∣hibite, what courtesies so euer you shew him for his furthe∣raunce, persuade your selfe, that some part or portion of the same tendeth to my benefit. I wold not you shuld wonder at my so blunt and bolde •…•…nditing considering▪ that I neuer cra∣ued any thing of Clearchus, For, in manner all, that sayle from you to vs, report you to be like such among vs, as be of most excellencie? so that concerning Clearchus, thus much must be signified, that at what time he was conuersant with vs, by al mens confession that euer had conference with him, of all our disciples or scholers, he was of most liberalitie, of most mildnesse, and of most gentlenesse. But after that he had aspired to principalitie, and had caught gouernement within his clawes, his minde was so altered, his conditions so changed, & what not in him so alienated, that euery one, to whome in times past, he was not knowne, had him in highe admiration: in consideration of which causes, my former ac∣quaintance with him, is turned into strangenesse. To come again to you, whom I loue & like, my desire is, and that with earnestnesse, to accept vs familiarly: & so sone as you can, giue vs some assuraunce, that your wonted courtesie towards vs conceiued, remaineth still vnchaungable. For you shall to Autocrator, be a fauourer and a furtherer: you shall like∣wise, procure a letter to be sent vnto vs, whereby our aunci∣ent friendship, and acceptable seruice tending to gentle in∣tertainement, may be renewed. Fare you well: and if it be your pleasure, to vse our labour, in any thing to your person pertaining, send vs worde by writing.

Notes

• An exhorta∣tion to clemē c•…•…e, vnder the couler of com mendation.
• Witnesses of your 〈◊〉〈◊〉, by whome your fame may bee blowne a∣broade, to your eternall renowne.
• Childrē not following the vicious quali∣ties of their fathers more to be com•…•…ē∣ded, then such whose good behauiours are correspon∣dent to their pare•…•…ts exam∣ple.
• P•…•…inces minds in what pointes they ought to bee occupied: for though the e∣pistle be speci∣all: yet the pre •…•…epts are ge∣nerall.
• Which iniu∣rie the lawe of nature graffed in our mindes in our 〈◊〉〈◊〉 forbiddeth.
• Because they a•…•…e the verie best and most souereigne, without com∣parison.
• Hee enioyed all prosperitie by inheritāce.
• For therein standeth most commendan∣on•…•… otherwise, it turneth to shame when wealth is abu∣sed.
• Because, a•…•… the shadowe doth followe the substance: to daunger•…•… accompanie 〈◊〉〈◊〉 chesse.
• A thing spe∣cially to be obteyned.
• Do your en∣deuour, not to be equal with them onely, but to excell & passe them also.
• From brin∣ging any into that case, that they are not onely 10. be dispos∣sessed of all that they were worth, but their liues al∣so to be in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• As not con tent with an vniformitie in gouernment.
• Ab effectu, because it thirsteth after the losse of life,
• Which is the end of ho nest counsell.
• Or, studies tending in knowl•…•…dge, or, o•…•…e & the selfe same sci∣ence and pro∣fession.
• Or, how fa∣uourable soe∣uer you doe shewe your selfe for his a∣uaile and pro∣site.
• Like it is that he mea∣neth Clear∣chus the Lace¦daemonian Duke: for of that name there wer two other, Clear∣chus Solensis, and Cl•…•…archus Ponticus: as Suidas sayth.
• This Auto∣crator was one of his deer•…•…st acquaintance, and his verie friend.