Certaine tragicall discourses written out of Frenche and Latin, by Geffraie Fenton, no lesse profitable then pleasaunt, and of like necessitye to al degrees that take pleasure in antiquityes or forreine reapportes

To the righte honorable and vertuous Ladie, the Ladye Marye Sydney, Geffraye Fenton VVisheth a happie encrease of honor and yeares in this lyfe.

NICEPHORVS an Historiographer of greate creditt amongest the Grekes, affirmeth, that as euerye knowledge of it selfe deserueth commendacion, so the discipline of histories is most agrea∣ble and necessarie for all ages, which the Roman orator Marcus Cicero full well ap∣proueth in commending the studie thereof to al degrées and times as an exercise of moste necessitye and honor, for that (saith he) in theim is represented (as yt were) an ymage or pourtraict of all thinges that haue passed since the begin∣ning of the worlde, to gether with diuersitie of instructions to all sortes of people touchinge their direction in future chaunces euen vntill the laste and extreame dissolucion of the same, not doutinge also in his firste booke De oratore to add certeine peculiar titles, callinge an historie testis tempo∣ris, lux veritatis, vita memoriae, magistra vitae, & nuncia vetu∣statis: For if a man be younge saith e. The readynge ther∣of will make hym olde (not in yeres, with the moste parte cold be content to shyfte of and forgo, but in experience and wisedom, and yf he bée alredye loaden wythe the heauie burden of nature, what a pleasure is it then to beholde the thinges whiche eyther he hath passed in youth, or longe be fore his time were put in practise, whereof as the first is ve∣raye well proued by Euripides the Poett sainge that the re∣membrance of the paine that his past is swéete so th'oppi∣nion of TVLLYE (touchinge the other) perswades a greate

necessitie to all degrées to be preuye to the commoditie of stories, for saith he, to be ignoraunt in things happened or thou waste borne, is as much to say as thou wilte be alwaies a childe. There is required in all estates bothe a faithe and feare in God, & also an outwarde pollecie in wordly thinges whereof (according to the philosophers) y^t one is to bée lear∣ned by perusinge the scripture, and the other can not bée gotten but by the assistance of histories, who are the onelye and true tables whereon are drawne in perfect coollers, the vertues and vices of euerye condicion of man, bothe their florishynge tyme whileste they embraced the firste, and mi∣serable fal, when they grew in delite with the wickednes of the last: yf a man be a magistrate or beare authoritie in pu∣blike affaires, what labor is better bestowed, then in sear∣chinge the actes of suche as haue supplied equall dignitye and place, to accomodate himselfe to their vertues: and to the priuat person, antiquitie giues choice of admonicions, for obedience to his superiors, with charge to applie and employe all his care for the commoditye of his countreye: yf he bée a citizen, he shall there fynde what belongeth to his proper office eyther in the seruice of his publike weale, or in his peculiar affaires at hoame. And to a woman, what stoare of examples are there to instructe her in her dutie, ey∣ther for the maried, to kepe her fayth to her husband with LVCRETIA, or the vnmaried to defende her virginitye with virginya: fynallye that excellent treasore and full li∣brarye of all knowledge yeldes vs frelye presidentes for all cases that maye happen, bothe for imytacion of the good, detestynge the wycked, auoydynge a present mischiefe, and preuentyng any euil afore yt fall: wherein also as in euery arte there bée certeine speciall principles and rules for the direction of suche as searche out their disposition, so histo∣ries do swarme with examples of all kinde of vertues, wherein both the dignitye of vertue, and fowlenes of vice appereth muche more lyuelye then in any morall teachyng, seinge therein is figured vnder certeine formes and shaps

of men and their doyngs past, al & euery such diuersitye and chāge which philosophie doth teach by waie of preceptes, like as also (touchinge the commodityes to bee coolled oute of antiquityes) Lyuye is of oppinyon, that the pleasure and proffitt falleth out of indifferent value to suche as bestowe theyr tyme wythe vprighte iudgement in the viewe of auncient recordes, for saith he, nihil est aptius ad delectationem lectoris, quam temporum varietates fortunae{que} vicissitudines cognos∣cere, quae etsi exoptabilia in experiendo non fuerūt tamen in legendo sunt iocunda, and the frute and chiefe gayns deriued of suche traueile is, in that wée shall sée set furthe good and who al∣some lessons of all sortes, whereof we maye take to our selues and benefyt of our countreye, suche as we like to fol∣lowe, and whiche presentes vnto vs the true picture and reapport of suche enterprises, as had both sinister begyn∣nynges and much worse endes, and yet is yt not sufficient for vs to iudge that the only frute consistes in readynge the noble actes of good men, seinge that (of the contrarye) to those that studye to resemble theyr vertues, th'eschewynge of the euill partes in a nomber of vicious personnes, is a singuler commoditye, whiche, yf it were not so the conti∣nuaunce of so many hundreth yeares in all common states aswel heathen as Christened, had not permitted the reading of sondrye Poetes, whose commodies and tragedies im∣porte a discription fyguratyue of the wicked liues of all degrées of men & women, wythout intent to perswade any ymitation that waye, but rather to prouoke the multitude by familyar traines to auoyde such condicions as they sawe iustely reprehended in others: And truly wyth better rea∣son may a man put to the viewe of the worlde any auncient reapport, whose profession is to declare a truthe, then to preferr the fained tales of Poetes, whiche yet we sée for di∣uerse good respectes tollerated to bée redd in all ages. For lyke as in a familye or auncient house, who hath bene most renowmed of all the stocke, leaueth a president and desyer

to his posteritye to resemble his doynges, as a glasse and mirroir to theym of moste excellent vertues, so when hi∣stories are published to the common proffyt of al men, eue∣ry one goeth aboute to confirme himselfe to the vertuous conuersation and lyfe of suche as excelled amongst the el∣ders, wherein me seameth Nycephorus saied veray well, that those whiche write Histories, and kepe not that which is profitable and praise worthie (as it were) in their stoare house at hoame, but rather beinge benefyciall to the com∣mon welthe, do expose so common a profitt to the generall commoditie of all men, are (as it were) th'executours of Gods diuine prouidence, because they comprise and packe vpp in one worke or volume (as in a common treasore, son∣drye sortes of noble deedes, without inhibition or lett to any degrée, to resorte thereunto, and learne by othermens misdéeds, to direct better his owne doinges, and not with th'exchange of the worlde to alter also his minde, but ra∣ther asmuche as lyeth in hym, to ymitate the lyfe and con∣uersation of theym, who haue lyued well before, wherein seinge in this worlde the nature of man in all ages, al∣thoughe the singler personnes bee chaunged, remeineth stil one, so also the good fortunes, felicities, calamities and miseries whyche happen both in publike gouernement and to euerye priuate state, tourne alwayes to one effect and are lyke those of tymes paste, so that by the benefyt of stories, presentinge afore oure eyes a true kallender of things of auncient date, by the commendacion of vertuous, and valyaunt personnes and actes: we be drawen by desyer to treade the stepps of their renowme, and on thother syde, considering the sinister fortune & horrible cases, which haue happened to certeine miserable soules, we behold both th'ex∣treme points wherunto the fraile condicion of man is sub∣iect by infirmitie, and also are thereby toughte by the viewe of other mens harmes to eschew the like inconueniences in our selues: wherein (righte honorable) like as I haue rather touched sleightelye, then vsed tearmes of commendacion at

large according to the worthynes of so precious a Iewell as the knowledg of histories, for that now a dayes euery mans mouth is open to commende the frute distilling from so flo∣rishynge a vine ••o for my part, beyng more forwarde then hable to discharge my zeale in that behalfe, haue bestowed some of my voyed howers whilest I was in the other sides the Sea, in forcynge certeyne Tragicall Discourses oute of theyr Frenche tearmes, into our Englishe phrase, pre∣sumyng to commende vnto your Ladishypp the frutes and effecte of my trauayle, folowynge therein the order of suche as haue spente tyme in the lyke studye, who are wounte to declare theyr good wyll, by bestowynge theyr labours: wherewithe beinge vnhappelye denyed other frendshypp of fortune to make good my desyer in gyuing an vnfayned showe of the dutye and seruice I owe you and the house whereof you tooke youre begynnynge, am here vppon tearmes of humilitye for preferment of this rude and simple dedication of theis forrein reap∣portes to youre honor, to whose vertues, as I haue chiefe∣lye respected to gyue due renowme, by preferrynge a true purtraict of your conuersation and lyfe in the ver∣tues giftes and ornamentes of the noble ANGELIQVA chaste PAROLYNA, constant IVLIA and renowned CARMOSYNA wyth others, whose integretye of life hath gyuen theim a crowne of immortalitye, wyth a glorious remembrance of theyr names for euer after theyr deathe, so my seconde indeuor was bent to obserue the neces∣sitie of the tyme, chiefly, for that vppon the viewe and examples of oure Auncesters lyues, the fraile ympes of this age, maye fynde cause of shame in theyr owne a∣buses, wyth desyer to exchaunge their badd condicion and order of lyuynge, wyth the studye and desyer to ymi∣tate the vertue of their predecessours, whose lyfe and re∣nowme after death, argueth the vndoubted rewarde, at tendynge (as a thynge of course) the vertuouse and well disposed, where of the contrarye, appeare wounderfull

tormentes and sharpp pennaunce prouided to plage the abhominable and vicious lyuer: Besides it is a princi∣ple and chiefe rule in our nature and disposition to bee rather instructed by examples of familyar authorityes, then reformed by seueritye of lawes, for that the one seames to gouerne vs by awe and commaundement, and in the other appeares a consent of oure fancie, marchinge alwayes accordynge to the direction of our owne willes, for whiche cause the Historians of olde tyme (in theyr seuerall recordes of the actes, conquestes, and noble at∣temptes of Princes and greate men) haue lefte oute no∣thynge seruynge for the ornamente and institution of mannes lyfe, not forgettynge to sett oute also in natu∣rall coollers, theyr tyrannye and other vices, withe con∣tempte of vertue, yf theyr lyues were founde guiltye in any suche offence: But when they paynte oute a good kynge, a magistrate without touche of partiall or coue∣tous mynde, a courtyar loyall and withoute dissimula∣tion, A minister of the Churche not smellynge of hypo∣crysye, but searchynge purelye the honor of God, A La∣dye chaste, honeste, curteouse, a louer of charitye, vsynge a deuoute reuerence to God and feare to hys lawes, yt is then that they allure (by traines of familyaritye) eue∣rye succession to embrace and beholde (as in a glasse) the vndoubted meane that is hable and wylt brynge theym to the lyke perfection in vertue, whyche also moued me to vse a speciall discrecion in coollynge oute suche exam∣ples as beste aggreed wyth the condicion of the tyme, and also were of moste freshe and famylyar memorye, to the ende that wyth the delyte in readynge my dedication, I maye also leaue to all degrees, an appetitt and ho∣neste desyere to honor vertue and holde vice in due de∣testation. And albeit at the firste sighte theis discourses maye importe certeyne vanytyes or fonde practises in loue, yet I doubte not to bée absolued of suche intente

by the iudgement of the indifferent sorte, seinge I haue rather noted diuersitie of examples in sondrye younge men and women, approuynge sufficientlye the incon∣uenience happenynge by the pursute of lycenceous de∣syer, then affected in anye sorte suche vncerteine follyes: For heare maye bée séene suche patternes of chastetye, and maydes so assured and constant in vertue, that they haue not doubted rather to reappose a felicitye in the extreme panges of death, then to fall by anye violent force into the daunger of the fleshelye ennemye to theyr honour: In lyke sorte appeareth here an experience of wounderfull vertues in men, who albeit hadd power to vse and commande the thinge they chieflye desyered, yet (bridlynge wythe maine hande) The humour of theyr inordinate luste, vanquished all mocions of sensualytye, and became maisters of theym selues, by abstaynynge from that whereunto they felte prouocation by nature: who desyereth to sée the follye of a foolishe lover passio∣nynge hymselfe vppon creditt, the impudencie of a maide or other woman renouncynge the vowe of her fayth or honor due to virginitie, the sharpp pennance attendynge the rashe choice of greate Ladyes in séekynge to matche in anye sorte wythe degrées of inferior condicion: or who wisheth to bée priuie to th'inconueniences in loue, howe he frieth in the flame of the fyrste affection, and after gro∣weth not onelye colde of hymselfe, but is easelye con∣uerted into a contrarye shapp and disposition of deadlye hate, maye bée heare assisted wyth more then double expe∣perience touchinge all those euills: the curtesie of an ene∣mye on the behalfe of hys aduersarye, wythe a wounder∣full lyberalitye in the other in retournynge the benefytt receyued, is heare set furthe in fuche lyuelye coollers, that there seames to lacke nothynge for the ornament and decoracion of suche a wooke. And who takes pleasure to beholde the fyttes and panges of a frantique man incensed

to synister conceites by the suggestion of frettynge Ie∣louzye, forcynge hym to effectes of absolute desperation, The due plage of disloyaltye in both kyndes, wyth the glo∣rye of hym who marcheth vnder the enseigne of a con∣trarye vertue, a man of the churche of dissolute lyuyng pu∣nished with publike reproche, or the villenie of the greedye vsurer makyng no conscience to preferr oppen periury in suppressynge th'innocent cause, maye fynde here to satis∣fye his longynge at full, neyther do I thynke that oure Englishe recordes are hable to yelde at this daye, a Romant more delicat and chaste, treatynge of the veraye theame and effectes of loue, then theis hystories, of no lesse credit then sufficient authoritie, by reason the moste of theym were within the compasse of memorye, wherein as I wish the tormentes that pinched here suche as labored in a pas∣sion of follye and fonde desyer, maye worke a terror to all those that hereafter vnhappelye Syp of the cupp of suche ragynge infection, so touchinge the commendable partes of anye Ladye or woman of meaner condicion, mencioned in this volume of discourses, I fynde theym farr to lighte to kepe wayghte wyth the ballance, wherein are paised the qualityes of your honor, whyche seame to haue a cer∣teine affinitye and resemblance wyth suche as were the verye vertuse and causes of commendacion in any that euer deserued the title of moste perfect or iustyle renow∣med: For yf euer the ••uene of Carya was meritorious for her magnanimytye and bountifull disposition, the quene of Saba whiche some writers call Nycaula, and other Man▪ quedae, was had in honor for her wysedome, whiche was suche that both the olde and newe testament affirme, that she traueled from the ende of the worlde and extreme con∣fynes of the lande of Iud••••, to come and heare the doctrine of Salomon, wyth whome she disputed no lesse learned∣ly then wyth profo••de iudgement, or if the constant Ladye Blaudina a Christian borne in the harte of Europe hath pur∣chassed

chassed a crowne of eternetye, in kepinge her fayth and vowe to God and the worlde euen to the laste seperacion of her sowle and bodye, or yf any other, eyther of antiqui∣tye or familyar experience, of what degree and condicion so euer, haue bene noted of renowme for the gyfte of no∣bilitye in anye sorte, your Ladishipp maye boldelye cha∣lenge place wyth the best, eyther for moderate gouerne∣ment, whose effectes in all thynges you attempte, ar∣gue your worthie participacion with the excellent giftes of temperance and wonderful modestie in, the tj. moste fa∣mous Erles of leicester & Warwike your brotherne, & most vertuous and renowmed Ladye the Countesse of Hunting∣ton your syster, to whose glorie and general loue amongst all sortes of people in this lande, I nede not add further circumstance or increase yf praise, considerynge the whole state, fixinge theyr eyes vppon theym wyth an vnfained zeale and admiracion of their wisdome and vertues, do ad∣uouche in more ample sorte their good will that waye, then I am eyther worthie or hable to declare. And for your cle∣mencie to the case of th'afflicted, vprighte dealynge wyth∣out exaction or cause of grudge to any, wonderfull respecte to the honor of your callynge, wyth dutyfull awe and feare of Godd, and obedience to my Lord your husbande, or other arguments or effects, wherein consistes the praise of a ver∣tuous mind, or ought to appeare the frutes of true nobilitie, they make you not so muche honored in your contreye, as embrased of strangers, who neuer sawe nor knewe you but by name, who also doubte not to make your sincere and de∣uout order of lyuynge, a lookyng glasse to beholde & followe your vertues, and by your order of doing, to drawe the plat and foundacion of their owne life, which shal suffice for this tyme (good madam) for the commendacion of that, whiche is sufficiētly perfect of it self, & so generallie honored of all de∣grées, that it nede not th'assistāce of any peculiar praise: hū∣blie crauing for my part a priuiledge of fauor at your hādes

so farfurthe, as it maye bee lawfull for me to laye theis firste frutes of my trauel vppon the alter alredye garnished wyth other oblacions of your euerlastynge glorye as a remembrance of an humble sacrifice, whiche, I make of my litle labor and contynuall ser∣uice vowed to your Ladishipp so longe as God and nature will allow my abode in this miserable vale: at my chamber at Paris, XXII, Iunij. 1567.

Your Ladiships to commaunde. Geffraye Fenton.

Notes

• A vvitnes or cronicler of tymes, a cādle to the trothe, the life of the memorie, the maister of a mans life, and the reaporter of all anti∣quityes.
• Iucundi. acti labores.
• Nescire quid antequam na∣tus sis accide∣rit est semper esse puerum
• Lyuye.
• Histories a librarie or store house of knovvledg
• Executed for religion in Fraunce by the Emperor Seuerus in the yere. 178.