The felicitie of man, or, his summum bonum. Written by Sr, R: Barckley, Kt

CHAP. VI.

The Earthy felicities that belong unto the meane estate with the way how best to manage it: Of E•…•…vy, Hatred, and Contempt: Of Prudence, Silence, & Bashfulnesse: Who are the happiest men in this world: Not those which out∣wardly appeare such: Wholesome Counsell and neces∣sary Instructions to attaine to that felicity of true friendship: And the distinguishing of Friends and Kinsfolkes: The great difference betwixt these lat•…•…er Times and the former: Of learned Emperours: The true and direct way to enjoy Happinesse, &c.

THe inferiour state of men likewise is not excluded from felicity, for though they want much of the superfluities of great estates, yet they have sufficient wherewith to be contented, and to leade a happy life, and are not so much subject to the inconstancy of For∣tune. As they exceede these in dominion and posses∣sions, in wealth and sensuall pleasures, in honour and re∣putation: so have they more cares and unquietnesse of minde, and live in greater feare and perill. For so •…•…ath * 1.1 God disposed of these worldly matters, joyning trou∣bles and unquietnesse with high dignities and riches; security and quietnesse with poverty, and low estate. He liveth more cheerefully upon whō Fortune never smi∣led, than he whom she hath forsaken. Alexander severus was used to say; There is no kind of mis-hap so unfor∣tunate, as for a mā to call to remembrance, that in times past he had beene fortunate. Adversity never dismayed any but such as prosperity deceived. He is more happy to whom honours, riches, and worldly pompe is super∣fluous,

than they that have the fruition of them at the full. All these which we call good things, wherein wee seeme to take a singular and sound, but indeed a deceipt∣full and false pleasure, as riches, reputation, authority, rule and such like, which mens vaine and greedy desires have in so great admiration, are possessed with paine, * 1.2 and beheld with envy. And to them that are so ador∣ned, or rather burdened, they threaten more evill than they promised good. And those estates that are be∣tweene these extremities, have also their meanes to at∣taine to felicity; but with so much the more difficulty, as they exceede or defect from the meane. For the ex∣tremities of estates, specially the highest, are more sub∣ject to those things that are hinderance to felicitie, than the meane estates. And therefore they require Gods graces in greater measure, & a mind fortified with many vertues, to make resistance to the things that are offen∣sive to happy life. And yet there is no estate but is sub∣ject to troubles and unquietnesse. Pontanus reckoneth up * 1.3 some of the troubles of this life, in an Epitaph made for his friend, thus: Doe you aske me what be the saw∣ces of this life? labour, sorrow, sickenesse, mourning; to serve proud masters, to beare the yoke of superstition, to bury those that bee deare to us, to see the ruine of our country; for the troubles of a wife I never felt.

Seeing then there is no estate excluded from felici∣ty, and that there are more incumbrances and impedi∣ments to happinesse in some estates than in others, it shall bee requisite for him that would live happily, to content himselfe with that estate that hath in it least dif∣ficulty in the attaining of felicity, and not to aspire to high dignities, and great possessions: neither to hunt af∣ter credit, and reputation, the immoderat desire wherof,

I observe generally to be a great hindrance to felicity: but rather to thinke a reputation of vertue and honesty * 1.4 sufficient to a happy life. Better is a good name, saith the wise man than much riches; and better to have renown among the good sort, than to bee Lord over the whole world: there being no such riches under heaven, as to be well thought of among men. And therefore nothing ought to be so deare to us as good fame, being the true & only reward of vertue, all other things being the gifts of Fortune. And nothing in this miserable life can right∣ly be called losse, but when wee lose good fame. And * 1.5 because in seeking for felicity, there must be a respect had to civility, which consisteth in decency of habits and manners, it shall be good for him that meaneth to preferre vertue before vanity, to follow Seneca his coun∣sell: Temperetur vita inter bonos mores & publicos: Tem∣per thy life (sayth he) betweene good manners, & those that be commonly used. For it is one thing to live af∣ter the common custome of men, and another to live as thou oughtest. Covet not to win estimation by trim∣ming up thy selfe in disguised habits & new fangled fa∣shions, nor by wrying thy body with tragical gestures & Frierly ducks, and such like Italian and Spanish tricks and tuckes, which are but fantasticall toyes, and the in∣vention of idle heads: for honesty is of small estima∣tion with him that is over-curious, and carefull in dec∣king his body. Nor yet bee over-rusticall, as though thou didst condemne all things, saving that thy selfe al∣lowest; but be modest in attire, and temperate in dyet, * 1.6 and use a mean, observing decency. Adorned thy mind with vertue & learning, that men may rather esteem thee for the gifts & ornaments of thy mind & honest cōver∣sation, than the brave attire of thy body, & formality of

manners. Curious neatnesse is meete for women, but * 1.7 labour for men: for he that passeth his youth vainely, maketh his old age odious: but that time being well spent, hee gathereth to himselfe the fruits of cre∣dite and authority in his latter age: as a Germane Poet sayth:

Qualiter in teneris adolescens vixerit annis, * 1.8 Talem prabebit c•…•…rva senecta senem. Such as in youth thou striv'st to bee, Such age in age shall render thee.

We are no lesse beholding to them, from whom wee had good education and instruction, than to them from whom wee had our being: for good inclinations are many times corrupted by vicious conversation.

Neither wonder at these kind of things now in use af∣ter the common custome, nor yet despise them, but give every one leave to use his owne manners, and laugh in thy fleeve. Thou art nothing the worse though the gallants thinke thee rude, because in all things thou do∣est not imitate them. Let it suffice thee that thou know∣est thy selfe, and the office of a man, and many of their formall manners to be vaine, ridiculous, and fantastical: If the manners used in times past were good then, they are not evill now. A common custome maketh things more familiar, but not Good. The wise Em∣peror Augustus Caesar, foreseeing the inconvenience that ordinarily ensueth the alteration of outward habits and manners, sayd in a great assembly of the Romanes; En palliati cives: behold our cloaked Cittizens; a thing * 1.9 not then used: but if he lived in this corrupt age, hee would say: En Tragaedi: Thrust not thy selfe into offi∣ces and charge for credit sake, nor yet for gaine; nor in∣cumber thy selfe over much with worldly affaires: they

bring with them troubles and unquietnesse, rather than happinesse. He is not least happy that is most free from worldly cares:

Obtundunt siquidem curarum pondera sensus; for The weight of cares duls and besots the senses.

Let matters rather follow thee, than thou follow them; * 1.10 and avoid contention and suits in law: for hardly there can be found a more miserable life. A bad end at home, is better many times than a good sentence in court. It is not in his power that beginneth contention, to end it at his pleasure. And though no man is borne to him∣selfe, but all to bee helping to others, yet because an en∣terlude hath no grace, if all be players, and none have leave to looke on; this life may bee compared to an en∣terlude, that hath many players, and few spectators. If I were to begin the world again, I would willingly chuse (if it were lawfull) to be one of the lookers on. All men are not equally affected, some desire labour, others qui∣etnesse: some hunt after honour, others after riches and reputation: some like a sole life, others thinke it no life without a companion: which diversities of affections, when one had considered and reckoned up, he breaketh out into this speech:

Hac alil cupiant, liceat mihi paupere cultu, Securo chara conjuge posse frui: Those things let others covet, let me weare Poore habit, and enjoy my wife that's deare.

The way to purchase to thy selfe much quietnesse, is to meddle as little as thou mayst with other mens matters. * 1.11 If thou desire to know and reforme thy selfe, observe diligently what thy enemies thinke and speake of thee; for they will bee the first that will discover thy faults: for the old Proverbe will alwaies bee true; That men

carry other mens faults in the wallet before, but cast * 1.12 their owne behinde their backe. And if thou wilt reap fruit also of the flatterers, endeavour to be such as they commend thee: and if thou wilt wade safely through the troubles of this world, make no great account of externe things; and set honesty alwaies before thine eyes, and therewith content thy selfe. Thinke not to winne happinesse by depending upon the favour of great estates, gotten with flattery; give them their due, and live of thy selfe. Liberty is a great furtherance to felicitie. Plaine dealing and honest conversation will bring thee favour and reputation enough to leade thee to a happy life:

Vsibus edocto si quicquam credis amico; Vivetibi, & longe nomina magna fuge: Live to thy selfe, if ought thy friends prov'd brest Conceales, and bigge-swolne titles farre detest.

The higher the tree, the more subject to the winde, whose fall many times overthroweth them that stand neare him. And the more favour thou hast with great estates, the greater is thy disgrace and griefe when they reject thee. And when thou hast used all thine endeavour to please them, what greater griefe can there bee, than to see thy selfe defrauded of the fruits of thy labour? And where thou didst expect a reward, or thankfulnesse for thy good will and diligence, thou shalt sustaine losse and disgrace: and therehence receive harme and unkindnesse, where thou thoughtest to finde helpe and favour. Three things avoyde as much as thou * 1.13 mayst, envie, hatred, and contempt. Wherein thou must be very circumspect, lest by avoyding the smoke, thou fall into the fire; beleeve not all thou hearest: doe not all thou mayst: nor speake all that thou knowest. And

three things prepare to thy selfe to be alwayes in readi∣nesse: * 1.14 prudence in thy minde: silence in thy tongue, and bashfulnesse in thy countenance. By this after Diogenes, thou shalt agree in colour with vertue. By pru∣dence thou shalt avoyd many things that bring men to infelicitie. By modesty in speech thou shalt avoyd ma∣ny quarrels, and occasions of trouble and unquietnesse. As the wiseman saith; he that keepeth his tongue, keep∣eth his soule: much speech hath often been hurtfull to many, but silence seldome or never to any. As over∣much silence bringeth a mans simplicity into suspicion, so many words discovereth his vanity. And therefore one saith, we have two eares given us by nature, and one tongue; to the end we should heare much more than we should speake. It is a Princely vertue, quickely to con∣ceive, and slowly to break out into speech. The Psalmist * 1.15 saith; hee that is wise, hath his tongue in his heart; but the foole and furious hath his heart in his tongue; hide thy vertues as other men doe their vices, and use few words thy selfe, but heare them patiently that will speak. Think upon the end before thou begin any thing: heare every one, beleeve but few; and fall not twice in∣to one error. Speake little, and think much: covet not to winne an opinion of wisedome, by setting forth a fine tale with eloquent words, when there is no just occasi∣on, as though ye would draw your hearers into admira∣tion of you, after the maner of vain-glorious men; for he is not alwaies the wisest that loves to hear himself speak, & that can tel a smooth tale, though it be a common cu∣stome so to esteem him: for wisdome consisteth chiefly in judgment, as Scaliger saith; Iudicium est anima sapien∣tiae: Iudgment is the soule of wisdome. Nor reason over earnestly with a contentious man, that is full of words:

for that may bee called a battell of fooles. Looke not too much into other mens estate and manners; for thereof envie hath his name: as well to eschew the torment that commeth of envie, as also that no man is envious, but he that mistrusteth his owne vertue: as the Poet saith;

Invidus alterius rebus marcescit opimis:

The envious man growes leane to see others fat. * 1.16 Envie beareth such rule in these dayes, though men be lesse vertuous than they have bin, that he is in miserable estate that hath no enemies: for if his owne merits will not procure them, envie will: yet forbear not to follow vertue, to avoyd envie: but live so as thine enemies may rather wonder at thy vertnes, than thy friends shall have cause to excuse thy vices. And remember the words of Hermocrates the tyrant of Syracusa spoken to his son ly∣ing on his death-bed. Sonne, the last words I speak unto thee, are: Bee not envious in condition; but doe such deeds, as therefore thou mayest bee envied. Advice meete to be followed of them that aspire to honour by vertue, although the enmity be greater, that is groun∣ded upon euive, than that which is founded upon inju∣ry for the injured man doth often forget, but the en∣vious never ceaseth to persecute. There is to a man no * 1.17 greater enemie, than hee which seeth that thing in thee, which he desireth to have in himselfe. But there is not so modest or meane a felicitie that can escape evill tongues, howsoever hee can avoyde all other things. But hee that hath his conscience cleare, will say with the Poet:

Consciamens recti fam a mendatiarides: He that is conscious of truth, laughs at lying report.

It belongeth to a King to heare evill, when he doth wel.

In all things follow reason, and fly opinion, and con∣tent thy selfe with thine estate; and thinke there is no difference betweene having and not desiring: A little will serve thee to happinesse of life: to which thou shalt the more easily perswade thy selfe, if thou consider, (as hath beene said) that the true end and felicitie of man, and his proper action, is to glorifie God; and that the common opinion of happinesse that commeth by pleasures, riches, honour and glory, is contracted by the fall of our first parent, and by the corruption and alteration of our nature: As to him that is sicke of * 1.18 an ague, sower things seeme sweete and pleasant, be∣cause the disease hath corrupted and altered his taste. If thou wilt avoyde the things that be odious to God and men, in poverty bee not proud, nor in riches cove∣tous; in age be not lecherous, nor in youth shamelesse. If thou see thy selfe in poore estate, without credit and reputation, and of a cleare conscience, and beholdest another live in abundance of wealth and honours, bee not dismayed, nor thinke thy selfe lesse in Gods favour, or lesse happy than he, because he surmounteth thee in riches and reputation, and worldly vanitie; for God di∣stributeth these temporall goods in differently both to the good & to the bad. For if God should give them on∣ly to good men, the wicked would thinke for that cause he should be worshipped and prayed unto: and if hee should bestow worldly goods upon the wicked onely, the weake in faith would feare to bee converted wholly to God, lest he should want. It is a manifest sign of dam∣nation * 1.19 for a man to •…•…live here wickedly, and to enjoy at the ful, health of body & the goods of fortune. All such (saith one) as God marketh with recompence and re∣ward in the book of this world, it is a signe that he hath

raced them out of the Register of heaven. Arme thy selfe therefore with patience, and expect the islue of Gods ordinance with a quiet and thankefull minde, and thereto wholly submit thy selfe. That which seemeth sometimes to a man full of griefe and pain, becommeth many times the cause of his joy and comfort. And the same, that in the beginning seemeth to worke his infeli∣city, bringeth to him unlooked for happinesse. The best way is to take those things patiently that thou canst not amend. And if thine estate be not sufficient to maintain thee and thine, endeavour by honest meanes to amende it. But if God blesse thee plentifully with riches and possessions, hoord it not niggardly, nor spend it prodi∣gally, but be beneficiall to others, and use liberalitie to those that lacke and deserve well of thee: for (after Ci∣cero) wee ought to doe most for them that most loveth us: yet with this consideration, that thou spare at the brimme, lest whilest thou shouldest powre out a pint, there run forth a pottle, & let the old proverb never fall out of thy minde; Serò parsimonia in fundo: It is too * 1.20 late to spare when all is out. Cicero counselleth us not to shut our purse so fast, that a will to do good cannot o∣pen it, nor yet so to unloose it, that it bee open to every body. And Alcmenes saith, hee that possesseth much should live according to reason, and not to his lust, mea∣ning that riches are hurtfull, except thy mind be above riches, that can moderate riches by their use, not by their plentie.

Remember alwayesthat thou live by thy mind, which (after Plato) is the true life, and thereof hast chitsly the name of a man. The substance of thy body is common with that of brute beasts, but by thy minde thou resem∣blest the Angels and God himselfe. The minde is not

disgraced with the deformity of the body, but by the beauty of the minde the body is graced. Give not thy selfe to fleshly pleasures, to ambition, nor to covetous∣nesse, as the most part of men doe: thy understanding * 1.21 was not given thee to that purpose. Thales being asked who was happy, answered, he that hath an healthfull body, and a learned and a vertuous minde. And Eccle∣fiasticus saith, better is the poore, being whole and strong, than a rich man that is afflicted in his body. Health and strength is above all gold, and a whole body above infinite treasure. There is no riches above a sound body, and no joy above the joy of the heart. And Anxagoras to the like question said; none of these that thou accountest happy, but he rather is happy, that thou beleevest is unhappy: meaning that the rich and ho∣nourable persons, who are wondered at as the happiest men for their wealth and reputation, are unhappy; and he happy that contenteth himselfe with a little: which agreeth with Democritus opinion, that he is happy that is merry with a little money; and hee unhappy that is sad in the middest of great riches. Give not over thy minde unto heavinesse, and vexe not thy selfe in thine owne counsell. The joy of thy heart is the life of man, and a mans gladnesse is the prolonging of his dayes. Love thine owne soule, and comfort thine heart: drive sorrow farre from thee, for sorrow hath slaine many, and there is no profit therein: envie and wrath shorten the life, and carefulnesse bringeth age before the time. Socrates walking in the Burse or market place, and be∣holding * 1.22 the great variety of things there to bee sold; How many things (quoth he) have I no neede of? O∣thers are rather tormented in minde at the sight of such things, and will say within themselves, how many

things doe I lacke? but hee contenting himselfe with that which is sufficient to nature, esteemed gold and purple, and precious stones, and such like delights of rich men, more fit for players of Tragedies, than neces∣sary to the use of life; as hee shewed by these verses, which he had oft in his mouth:

Argentea ista vasa simul at purpura, Trag•…•…diarum accommoda bistrionibus Sunt; ad beatam conferunt vitam nihil Those silver vessels, and that purple be, More fit for Actors in a Tragedie; To blessed life they no way doe belong.

With such vanities mens minds bee occupied by the corruption of our nature, and our judgments are so blinded with our impure affections, that of all crea∣tures man doth leaft performe his proper action, and least directeth the course of his life, to his true end and felicitie.

For whereas the great God of nature hath tyed to∣gether all his creations, with some meane things that agree and participate with the extremities, and hath composed the intelligible, athereall, and elementarie world, by indissoluble meanes and boundes; as be∣tweene plants and living Creatures, hee hath made * 1.23 sponges and oysters, that in part resemble living things, and in part plants; betweene the creatures of the earth, and those of the water, Otters, Tortoyfes, and such like; betweene those of the water and birds of the ayre, flying fishes; betweene brute beasts, and those of a spi∣rituall essence and understanding, which are Angels, he hath placed man, which combineth heaven and this elementarie world together, whose one part is subject to death, and the other part immortall: all other crea∣tures

of the earth live according to their nature and kinde; man only is seene to degenerate: but if we lay aside the consideration from whence our corruption commeth, by the fall of our first parent, and account of our selves according to our present state; among so many millions, as replenisheth all the corners of the earth, how many use their endeavours to live as they ought? If things bee layd before us that differ in va∣lue, every man will make choyce of the best: But in our selves that are composed of a bodie, which par∣ticipateth with brute beasts, and of a soule that is of an Angelicall nature, and resembleth God himself, who maketh choyce of the best? that is, to live after his best part, which is immortall: how many thousands live like brute beasts, pleasing their senses, feeding their belly, and following the lusts of the flesh, without any respect to the excellencie of their minde, as though they would incorporate their soule to their body with an indivisible bond of brutish nature? and how few hundreds contemne their mortall part, which is the bo∣dy, to joyne their better part, which is their immortall soule with the Angels and heavenly creatures, whom they in that part resemble? A third sort there are, far ex∣ceeding * 1.24 born the other in number, that neither give themselves wholly to live after the flesh with the one, nor after the mind with the other: but in a sort partici∣pating with them both, imploy their greatest care & la∣bour to the attaining of the things that are in most esti∣mation of the world. They labour and aspire to excell others, not in dignitie of vertue and knowledge, but in estate and reputation: and to the attaining of the things which leade to that end, every one willingly be∣stoweth his labour and diligence: for no man is content

with his estate. Hinc illa lachryme, hereof ariseth all our complaints and griefe, and the greatest part of the calamities and miseries that happen to men: for mens desires be so unsatiable, and their mindes so uncertaine * 1.25 and variable, th•…•… no estate of life alwayes pleaseth any man, because they seeme to want some things that bee incident to the estates opposite to theirs. For they that bee in principilatie and honourable estate, desire to have joyned to their rule and reputation, the securitie and tranquility of a private life, which they seeme to lacke. And the private man affecteth to have joyned to those things which hee enjoyeth, the dignity and au∣thority to command of honourable estates. The rich man wisheth to have added to his abundance of wealth, the poore mans quietnesse of minde and freedome of worldly cares, and safety of person and goods. The poore man would have added to those things of his, the rich mans plenty and credit. The Citizen would have joyned to his civill and easie life, the pleasures and de∣lights of the fields and countrey. The Couutrey man would have the civility and company and good fel∣lowship of the towne joyned to the wholesome ayre of the Countrey, and pleasant gathering of the fruits of * 1.26 the earth. The souldier wisheth to his glorious title the safety of a peaceable life. Hee that liveth in peace, desireth to the security and safety of his estate, the ho∣nourable reputation of a man of warre, which he hath gotten by the continuall hazzard and perill of his per∣son. And so of all other estates of life, some things are desired that seeme to be wanting to the fulnesse of their happinesse, w^ch are as unpossible to be joyned together, as for heate and cold to be at one time both together in one subject, being diametrally contrary in quality. So

hat the greatest hinderance to our attaining of felicity or happinesse of life, proceedeth from our evill affected minds, that desire unpossible things, which also diver∣teth us from our proper action and true end or beati∣tude. We passe our time in vaine hope of things never like to come to passe; as Petrarke saith: Bene sperando & male habendo transit vita mortalium. In hoping well, and having evill, the life of man passeth away. Every good * 1.27 thing wee possesse is lesse, the things hoped for seeme great. And such is also the infirmitie of our common nature, seldome or never so sully to enjoy prosperitie, as in no respect to finde cause of complaint of the qua∣litie of our estate. For many are raysed to great wealth, * 1.28 that beare shame of their base linage: some ennobled by birth and parentage, and yet live in povertie: many blessed with riches and nobilitie, that want the delight of children: and some made glad with procreation, that feele great sorrow and discomfort by their chil∣drens untowardlinesse. No man is wont to be long and * 1.29 every way happy, a worse fortune ever followeth the former. But what estate or course of life soever thou follow, have alwaies a speciall regard to these two things; to live in the feare of God, and to observe the rules of honesty among men: from which, what soever happen, let nothing divert thee: To God thou owest * 1.30 a good conscience, and to thy neighbour a good exam∣ple. All things will happen well to thee, if thou place God the beginning and the end: For in this life thou shalt not finde greater comfort than by that which pro∣ceedeth of a good conscience, of honest counsels, of upright actions, of contempt of casuall things, and of a quiet and peaceable life. But in these dayes many feare * 1.31 their fame, but few their conscience: and yet there is

not (saith Saint Augustine) a more happy thing, than the quietnesse of conscience. And if any afflictions or crosses happen that thou canst not avoyde, yet thou mayst overcome them with patience. Fly unto God for succour, he will give it thee; that is the only way to make thee safe, secure and happy.

Friendship was wont to bee accounted a helpe to happinesse of life: but wee may now rightly say with the Poet:

Illud amicitia quondam venerabile nomen, Prostat & in questu pro meretrice sedet: That name of friendship venerable of yore, Is prostrate now complaining like a whore.

The time is so changed, and mens manners with * 1.32 them so corrupted, that the precepts heretofore given by wise men for the commoditie of life grounded up∣on vertue and honesty, will not now serve the turne. Friendshippe is growne cold; faith is foolishnesse; ho∣nesty is in exile; and dissimulation hath gotten the up∣per hand. That is effectually done which is commonly spoken, he that cannot dissemble cannot live. Machia∣vels rules are better followed in these dayes, than those * 1.33 of Plato, Aristotle or Cicero: whose schollars have so well profited under him, that many are able to teach their master. Professe (saith hee) love and friendshippe to thine enemie: and if hee fall into the water up to the knees, give him thine hand to helpe him out. And if he fall in up to the waste helpe him likewise; but if hee fall into the water up to the chinne, then lay thy hand upon his head and ducke him under the water, and never suffer him to rise againe. Men have changed the inward habites of their mindes, as they have done the outward habites of their bodies. Every age, nay

rather every yeare bringeth forth new fashions; so likewise that friendship and honesty, which in our forefathers times was wont to bee performed with faith and plaine meaning, is now out of the fashion, and therefore not esteemed: cunning dissimulation with faire words, and large offers with little perfor∣mance, is now all the fashion. Ioyne thy selfe there∣fore in friendship with very few, and bee circumspect and curious in thy choyce: and if it be possible, bee beholding to no man, more than hee is beholding to thee; for a faithfull friend is hard to be found: the bare name onely remaineth, the thing is obsolet and growne out of use. So long as thou hast no need, thou shalt find friends ready to offertheeal mnner of courtesies: but if fortune begin to frowne upon thee, & a tempest chance to arise, they will find quarrels to leave thee, and cover their infidelity with thy fault, and give thee cause to say with Ovid:

In mediis lacerâ puppe relinquor aquis. I am in a torne ship left in the midst of the Sea.

It is a hard matter for him that is in poverty to find out a kinsman or friend: for no man will confesse that he appertaineth in any sort to him, that needeth any helpe, fearing lest hee will by and by aske something of him: David calleth such men table friends. And that is one cōmoditie which poverty bringeth, that it shew∣eth * 1.34 who loveth thee. But to him thou meanest to per∣forme the part of a faithfull frieud, thou must observe these two things: to helpe his necessities; and to com∣fort him in adversity. But the manner of friends in these dayes, is to deliver words by the pottle, and deeds by the pinte. They that call themselves thy friends, will looke for performance of friendship at thy hands,

though they wil performe none to thee. For every man looketh for honest dealing in another, though he meane to use none himselfe. To this declination, the greatest comfort to the life of man is come by the generall de∣pravation of manners: for where can a man find grea∣ter comfort in adversitie, than in faithfull friends? who also double the joyes and pleasures of prosperitie. That was never more commonly in use which Latimer spake * 1.35 in his Sermon to reprehend the want of love, and cha∣ritie: Yee have a common saying (said hee) every man for himselfe, and God for us all; but ye might more tru∣ly * 1.36 say, every man for himselfe, and the Divell for us all; one for another, and God for us all. Martiall finding the infidelitie and inconstancie of love and friendship, giveth this counsell:

Si vitare velis acerba quadam, Et tristes animi cavere morsus, Nulli te facias nimis sodalem, Guadebis minus 〈◊〉〈◊〉 minus dolebis: If thou wilt bitter accidents avoyde, Nor let thy minde with sad things be annoyd; No man too neare unto thy breast retaine, So shalt thou more rejoy•…•…e, and lesse complaine.

Prosperitie winneth friends, but adversitie proveth them, as the touch-stone tryeth Gold. And over-great friendship, not considerately united, is many times the cause of great hatred. Men cannot bee better warned to trust to themselves, than by Aesops fable of a Lark, w^ch discovereth the common coldnesse of friendship in their friends causes. A Larke (saith hee) that bred in the corne went forth to seeke meat for her yong birds, * 1.37 that had feathers, when the corne was ripe, and willed them to hearken what was said in her absence, and tell

her at her returne. The master of the corne perceiving it ripe, willed his son to desire his friends the next day earely in the morning to come reape downe his corne. The sonne did as hee was commanded: and when the Larke returned, her little ones trembling for feare, told her what newes they had heard, desiring to be removed to another place: but shee bid them be quiet and feare nothing, and went forth the next day againe to seeke for meat: the master looketh for his friends, and when hee saw that none came, hee willed his sonne to goe to his kinsfolkes, and desire their helpe to cut down his corne the next day: when the Larke returned, shee found her young ones in the like feare againe, but understanding what they had heard, she willed them to have no feare, for kindred (said she) will not bee so hasty to helpe with their labour at the first call, and departed from them a∣gaine. The day following when the master had in vaine expected the performance of his kinsfolks promise also; Away (quoth hee) with friends an•…•… kinne, fetch two hooks, to morrow early in the morning, one for mee, a∣nother for thee, and we will reape the corne our selves. Which when the Larke understood of her young; Now it is time to bee gone (said shee) and removed her nest. By which fable men are warned not to stay for their friends help in that they can do themselves. And hereof springeth a common error, that men consider not right∣ly of the nature of friendship, which can be perfect but between two, and those vertuous persons. And where is no conformitie of manners, there can bee no perfe∣ction of friendship; for contraries can hold no consent nor unity together: because their affections must be joy∣ned together, and his friend must bee preferred before all others, & as it were two bodies made one: which mo∣ved

Alexander the Great to say to Darius mother, that desired pardon upon her knees, for mistaking Ephestion * 1.38 for the king, that he was also Alexander. For if a man have many friends, it may chance, that one may have cause of joy by some great good fortune happened to him, and another at the same time may have cause of sorrow by some evill accident or fortune. Both which contrary passions cannot bee in him together; and therefore hee cannot bee like friend to them both. But one may be a friend to many by degrees, according to the merit or estimation hee hath of them: which he may also with honesty dissolve, if by their deme∣rites he shall find just cause, and bee not bound to con∣tinue it by some good turne received and not requited. Many by acquaintāce only, or by some courtesie shew∣ed for civilities sake, are more ready to challenge a fur∣ther friendship never promised or professed, as due to them by his voluntarie kindnesse, than forwardly to re∣quite that already received. Yet neverthelesse true love and friendship hath respect onely to his friends necessi∣tie, without merchandize or feneration: as one sayth, Charitas non quaerit suum. But seeing the affected name of a friend is so common, and the act or matter so rare, I wish thee to make choyce of a few companions, with whom thou wilt passe thy time, to avoyd the tediousnes of a solitary life, such as bee inclined to honest con∣versation, as neere as thou mayst; and let them goe un∣der the name of welwillers rather than of friends, ex∣cept * 1.39 thou bee assured of their fidelity. So shall not ho∣nestie bind thee to performe more to them to whom a common custome, and the malignity of this time hath given a Supersedeas to discharge the duty of friend∣ship, then thou shalt see cause, or they will performe

to thee: for in so great pennury of friends, & corrupti∣on of manners, thy fortune must bee very good if thou chance upon a faithfull friend: for in these daies men hold friendship by indenture. And that thou maist bee better instructed in thy choice, hearken to Guevarra his counsell, to one that asked how one man may know a∣nother, to the end he may be either accepted or eschew∣ed. First, obserue what affaires he taketh in hand, what works he doth, what words he speaketh, and what com∣pany * 1.40 he keepeth; for the man that by nature is proud, in his businesse negligent, in his word a lyer, and maketh choice of evill men for his companions, deserves not to be embraced, much lesse to be trusted: for that in men in whom is laid no foundaton of vertue, is no expecta∣tion of faith or honesty. And one of the things (saith he) that men thinke they haue, when they have them not, is many friends; yea (say I) one faithfull friend. For by my experience, if thou wilt beleeve me, I know not any thing wherein thou maist sooner bee deceived. Fortie yeares and more I may with some judgement remem∣ber the world; in which little time I have found such a metamorphosis and alteration in mens minds and man∣ners, that if they should decline so fast from evill to worse after forty yeares more, it will bee a hard mat∣ter any where to finde out a faithfull friend, or an ho∣nest man. For (as the same Authour further saith) that which one friend doth for another in these dayes, is eyther to excuse, or hide himselfe when there is neede of him, being more ready to lend him his conscience than his money. And hee that will compare the num∣ber that professe friendship unto him, with them that have performed the true office and part of friends, for one faithfull, hee shall discover an hundred dissemblers.

Of such friends, as they are most common, so we may e∣steem it no smal felicity to be divided from them, being more prodigall of their conscience, than liberall of their goods, or ready to performe any other duety of friend∣ship. Isocrates counselleth us to chuse that friend which hath beene faithfull to his former friends; for he is like to prove constant in friendship: and if thou wilt follow * 1.41 mine advice, enter not into friendship with a covetous man, for his mind is so possessed and overcome with the love of money, and greedy desire to encrease his riches and possessions, that there is no hope of perfor∣mance eyther of friendship or honesty at his hands. Plautus saith: Vt cuique homini res parata est, firmi anuci sunt: Si res lassae labant, itidem amici collabascunt: As our substance is, so are our friends; if that faile, they fall from us.

The minds and manners of men in these latter daies, are much like to the manners used by the old Romanes, when they triumphed: the Romanes, as they were very politike in all their government, so did they well con∣sider that there was no better meanes to excite their young men to vertue, than by rewarding their noble acts with honour. Therfore they had a custome, when * 1.42 any Generall of their Armies had wonne any notable victorie, to suffer him at his return to Rome to triumph, which was done with very great pompe and solemnity and when the triumph was ended, the triumpher had prepared a sumptuous feast, and invited the chiefe men of the citie to supper, and among the rest the Consuls also, which were the principal Magistrates of Rome, yet meaning nothing lesse than to have their company: for they were no sooner returned to their houses, but the Triumpher would send a messenger presently to de∣sire

the Consuls not to come to supper, that there might be no man to whom he might give place. So, many in∣vite * 1.43 men to their friendship, with faire words and friend∣ly offers, when they meane nothing lesse, that they may seeme to give place to none in humanity and courtesie; but his back is no sooner turned, but they revoke with∣in themselves their friendly offers, and are ready, if they thinke he look for performance, to forbid him to make triall of their friendship, being done for forme, and not with plaine meaning, as the triumphers maner was.

This time seemeth to resemble that whereof Galen complaineth, that he happened into a most wicked age, in which hee thought them onely wise, and of a sincere mind, that having espyed the generall infidelity, subtil∣tie, dissimulation, and dishonestie of men, withdrew themselves speedily from the assemblies and compa∣nie of people, as from a vehement storme and tempest into the safe port of a solitarie life: which agreeth with the Poet:

—Benê qui latuit, benè vixit. Hee lives well that lives warily.

There have bin times when he that knew most, was e∣steemed best, but now reputation growes not by know∣ledge, nor is measured by the worthinesse of vertue, but by the abundance of riches and possessions.

Heu Romae, nunc sola pecunia regnat. * 1.44 Alas, now onely money reignes in Rome.

One of the things that Ecclesiasticus said grieved his heart, was; That men of understanding are not set by. In time past learned men were sent for out of farre coun∣tries, but now if they knocke at our doores, we will not let them in. Vnfruitfull pastimes and vaine toyes draw∣eth our delights. None was advanced to honour but

such as deserved it: but now none climbe so fast to high dignities, as those that bee least worthy. In that * 1.45 golden age no Senate or Councell was established, but there was resident some excellent Philosopher; but now in stead of them and of learned Divines (who should supply their roomes among Christians) are brought in some excellent Machiavellians, as the mee∣test counsellers for this corrupt time. Kings and Empe∣rours were wont to be singularly learned, and thought learning a great ornament to their dignitie. Alexander * 1.46 the great, and Iulius Caesar were wel learned, and also the Emperour Adrian: which Iulius in the middest of his campe would have his speare in his left hand, and his pen in his right hand: hee never unarmed himselfe but hee would presently fall to his booke. The title of Phi∣losopher was given to the Emperour Marcus Aurelius for his excellent learning: who would say, that hee would not leave the knowledge hee might learn in one houre, for all the gold he possessed: and I (saith he) re∣ceive more glorie of the bookes I have read and writ∣ten, than of the battels I have wonne, and of the king∣domes which I have conquered. Ptolomy King of E∣gypt, and Hermes before him, and of latter yeares, Al∣phonsus king of Arragon, who would say, that he had ra∣ther lose his pearles and precious stones, than any book. And divers other Kings & Emperors were excellently learned: among which number I account by a rare ex∣ample the noble Queene of England, my gracious So∣veraigne. The Mathematicallsciences were had in such * 1.47 estimation for their excellencie, that none might stu∣dy them but Kings, that they might excell others as well in worthinesse and singularitie of knowledge, as in dignity of estate: but now Kings children bee brought

up in Machiavels: schoole; •…•…s an Authour sufficient for their instruction.

Hee that will compare this time with that of former ages, shall find a wonderfull Metamorphosis in mens minds and manners. Vertue was never lesse in use, and vice did never more abound: the truth was never more knowne, and never lesse regarded: never better taught, and never worse followed: men were never lesse idle, and never worse occupied: worldly 〈◊〉〈◊〉 were never more carefully sought for, and heavenly 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ever lesse effectually thought of. Men were never mo•…•… reli∣gious in words, and never more prophane i•…•…deeds. The divell never bestirred himselfe with more dilligence to allure men to all manner of vice; and men were never more negligent to make resistance, nor more ready to further his labour: and though hee cannot stop the ut∣terance of the word, yet hee prevaileth in that which is next to it, to hinder his bringing forth of condigne fruits. It happeneth to us as it did to Tantalus, that * 1.48 though the water ranne by his mouth, yet none would enter in to quench his thirst: so the sound of Gods word beateth continually against our eares, but it en∣tereth not in to coole the heate of the wicked moti∣ons of our inordinate desires, and to quench our thirst after worldly vanities. In every place is talke of divini∣tie, even among them that know not what belongeth to humanity. Many are with their tongues blazers and talkers of vertue, but all their other members they suf∣fer to administer to vice. Few men are so covetous of their owne good fame and honour, as they are greedy of other mens goods, and envious of others vertue. Most men seeme to hate pride, and yet few follow hu∣mility: all condemne dissolutenesse, and yet who is

continent? All blame intemperancie •…•…nd yet none lives in order. All praise patience, and yet who resisteth the sweet passion of revenge? He that possesseth much, op∣presseth him that hath little: and hee that hath but little * 1.49 envyeth him that hath much. Wee condemne Papists for their superstition & confidence in their good works and we blame Puritanes for their affected singularitie and formall precisenesse; and in the meane time that we may be unlike the one in grossenesse, and not much re∣semble the other in precisenesse, we neither have suffi∣cient regard to the true devout service of God, and to Christian charity, nor sufficiently shew the zeale of true Christians to the sincerity of religion, and least of all expresse it in our lives and conversations: as though godlinesse consisted in a theoricall kinde of beleeving, without any respect to the exercise of Christian chari∣tie and vertue. And when we go about to shake off the clogges wherewith our consciences are burdened by su∣perstition, to enjoy the true and Christian libertie, wee fall into such a licentiousnesse of life, and dissolutenesse of manners, that the Poets saying may be aptly applyed to many:

Dum stulti vitant vitia, in contraria currunt.

Whilst fooles shunne vices, they run into contraries. * 1.50 Some hold, that God may be better served in •…•…eir •…•…∣ber than in the Church; others pre•…•… a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or a barne before any of them both. Thus do•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉 old Serpent labour 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sow division in mens min•…•…s and manners, to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…nour of true religion, that whilst the Magistrates bee occupied in reforming these new schismes, the professed enemie to the Gospel may mul∣tiply and encrease his flocke under hand. But in the middest of this generall wickednesse and depravation

of manners, being almost (as we may conjecture) at the highest, this comfort remaineth to the well-minded, that the day of deliverance cannot be farre off. When Dionysius, at the time that Christ was crucified, beheld with admiration the Sunne eclipsed contrary to nature, the Moone being at the full, and opposite to the Sunne, he pronouneed these words; Either the God of nature suffereth now, or else the whole frame of the world shal be dissolved. And as Dionysius divined rightly in the one, so may he do in the other, that wil behold the gene∣ralitie of all maner of vice and wickednesse of this time, * 1.51 contrary to the nature of Christianity, and opposite to the word of God which was never more plentifully taught; and boldly pronounce, that this generall and unnaturall eclipse of Christian manners, doth presage the destruction of the world to be at hand.

Hee that will looke into the manners of this time; shall he not find cause, with trembling and feare, to thinke that the time is at hand, that the Prophet Ionas spake of to the Ninivites? There be yet forty dayes and the world shall be destroyed: but our hearts be so har∣dened with worldly desires, that wee will beleeve no∣thing that feedeth not our humours, and is not plausible to our inclinations. And nothing is more dangerous to a Christian than to accustome himselfe to harden his * 1.52 conscience. For in such unhappy people there is no will to be amended, nor meanes to be remedied. The Affri∣cans had a Prophecie, that when the Romans sent an Ar∣mie into Affrica, Mundus cum tota sua prole periret: the signification of which words is, The world with all his issue shall perish: which made them thinke that the world with all the people should be destroyed. But af∣terward the Romanes sent an Army thither, under the

conduct of a Generall, whose name was Mundus, who in battell with his sonnes were slaine by the Affricanes, * 1.53 and fulfilled the effect of the Prophecie, and discovered the illusion of the Divell. But these Heathens were not so easie to be delud•…•…d by the Divell, as we are hard to bee perswaded by the true Prophets of God, and Preachers of his word, that the destruction of the world cannot bee farre off: for the mindes and man∣ners of men are so transformed and changed, and de∣clineth daily from evill to worse, that if the men of former ages were to walke againe a while upon the earth, they would thinke that this world were not the same which before it was, but rather another substitute in his place. Horace found this fault in his time, that the age of their parents was worse than that of their grand∣fathers, and themselves more wicked than their fa∣thers, and their children would be more vicious than they. And as wee are worse than our fathers, so our posterity is like to be worse than wee be, if vice bee not now at the highest, and the world almost at an end. The Poets observed diligently, and with great * 1.54 consideration, the mutations of the world, and divi∣ded it into foure parts. The first age they likened to gold, and called it the golden age: the next so decay∣ed, that they compared it unto silver: the third, aba∣sed to brasse: the fourth worst of all, was become like iron, of lesse value and price than any of the rest: and if there were a more base metall, wee might com∣pare our age to it. In consideration whereof, they with other writers in these latter ages, both divine and pro∣phane, doe bewaile the decay of vertue, of true faith, of charity, of mutuall love and fidelitie, of good con∣science, of honesty, yea of devotion and prayer, and of

the love and feare of God, and of heavenly contempla∣tion: whereof, as from his proper root should spring all the rest. For how many doe wee see live as though they had no need of God; & hoped for no better, nor mistrust no worse than they finde here? As though God were not the rewarder of vertue, and punisher of vice; nay rather as though there were no God at all, no resur∣rection, no heaven, nor hell. Who feareth to offend God, or spareth to blaspheme his holy name? Who * 1.55 taketh any paine to please him? Who forbeareth to hate, envie, and to slander? Who laboureth to sub∣due his flesh to the spirit; sensualitie to reason; rea∣son to faith; and faith to the service of God? Who letteth not loose the reines to his affections, and suf∣fereth not his will and wicked inventions to take the bitte in the teeth, and runneth away against the rule of reason? Subjects rebell against their Prince and Gods anointed, and are sometime excited unto it by them that should set forth obedience by word and example of life. Children disobey their parents, con∣temne them, and laugh them to scorne. Servants make small estimation of the trust committed unto them by their masters. Labourers hunt after idle∣nesse. Artificers are deceiptfull in their wordes and workes. Merchants and others in uttering the wares that they sell. No man lendeth without hire. Vsurie was never so generall, nor so extreame. And if wee should after this sort run over the other estates of life, wee should finde all sorts of men degenerate from the simplicity and goodnesse of their forefathers. No man seeketh after vertue, nor laboureth to reforme or amend, much lesse to mortifie himselfe. So as we might never more truly pronounce these old verses:

Heu, vivunt homines tanquam mors nulla sequatur, Et velut infernus fabula vana foret. Alas men live, as they should never dye, And Hell were a meere tale and fantasie.

To doe these things what is it, but as though there were no Gospell to forbid it, nor God to punish it, nor lawes, nor authority to reforme it? We have small re∣gard and compassion to the reliefe of the poore, & lesse conscience wee make to deceive or oppresse our neigh∣bours. And this is a thing to be marvelled at, that if the * 1.56 Merchant bee taken with a counterfeit measure, the Gold smith with a false weight, the measure shall bee burnt, the ballance broken, and the offender delivered to publike justice: but if a man be knowne to be a blas∣phemer, a drunkard, an adulterer, yea, an atheist, where∣of * 1.57 (it may be doubted) there bee over many in these daies, he shal be so far from being punished, that he shal be rather of many favoured and supported, & regarded as a jolly fellow that will be cōmanded of none: which encourageth him to offend further, to the evill example of others: for wicked acts and misdemeanours are al∣lured by impunity, as it were by rewards: and he hur∣teth the good that spareth the wicked. If we heare of any sinful or wicked act committed, we sigh and grone, and looke up to heaven, as though it pierced our hearts, with detestation both of the man and the fact: whereas if the like occasion were offered, wee are as ready every day to doc the same or worse. Wee are notable cen∣surers of other mens faults, and cunning dissemblers of our owne. We behold our owne faults with spectacles that make things shew lesse, and other mens faults wee behold in the water, where things shew greater. Wee follow sermons like Saints, with great shew of devoti∣on,

as though we were very religious: but that we pra∣ctise in our life, rather resembleth infernall spirits. And thus we dissemble with God, and play the hypocrites * 1.58 with men. When our life is seene to bee contrary un∣to our profession, we are a slander to the Gospell. And it may be said to us, as I heard a plaine man of the Low∣countrie say to a Gentleman that commended the Spa∣niards for their devotion, and often blessing and cros∣sing themselves: No doubt (quoth hee) they are holy men: Cruzes de fuera, & diabl•…•… de dentr•…•…: Crosses without, and the divell within. The iniquity of this time is almost growne to this, that a man godly and ho∣nestly given is laughed to scorne, •…•…nd had in contempt, and the wicked is had in estimation and reverenced, as though it were a shame to doe well, and a commendable thing to live unhonestly: so as nothing is more com∣mon in these dayes among us than false friendship, dis∣sembled honesty, manifest iniquity, and counterfeit ho∣linesse. And who is he, if hee separate his mind, a while from worldly cogitations, that he may the better looke into the generall wickednesse of these dayes, that will not say with Saint Paul: Cupio dissolvi, & esse cum Chri∣sto: I desire to be dissolved, and to bee with Christ: when he shall see in use and dayly practice every where all kinds of vice, but almost no where any kind of ver∣tue? When he shall see no wisedome without craft, no justice without corruption, no faith without dissimula∣tion, no godlinesse without hypocrisie, no friendship wiehout gaine, no lending without hire, no promise without suspition, and all things corrupted with cove∣tousnesse and sensuality, shal he not find cause to cry out with Policarpus; Deus, ad quae nos 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉? God, to what times hast thou reserved us? But they

that by word or writing shall go about to reprove the generality of vice lately crept into mens manners, may looke for that answer that king Antigonus made to one that presented to him a booke written of Iustice: Thou art a foole (said the King) to present a booke to mee of * 1.59 Iustice, when thou seest mee besieging and making war upon other mens cities: so shall they bee accounted fooles, that so farre out of season in this common ex∣ercise and generality of all manner of vice, will per∣swade or speake of vertue, of godlinesse, of honesty, and reformation of manners: they shall but sing to the dease (as the proverbe is.) O wicked age and ungrate∣full people•…•… Hath God dispersed the darke clouds from our understanding, and sent us the light of his Gospel, to the end wee should runne into the dirt and mire, and soyle our selves with all manner of vices? Hath hee bestowed so many benefits upon us, and yet cannot find us thankfull? Hath he offered us his grace so plen∣tifully, and yet will we not receive it? He that standeth in a high place letteth down a rope, to help him up that standeth beneath: so God hath let downe his grace to us to lift us up to him, but wee will not take hold of it: and therefore it may bee feared, if we bee not more cir∣cumspect, lest our common adversary entangle us with his rope, that hee may plucke us downe to him. Wee may be wondred at, not without cause, as the Emperour Constantius marvelled at his people that were newly become Christians: I marvell (said hee) how it com∣meth to passe, that many of my people are worse now, than before they were Christians. The best we can hope for, if we amend not our maners, is, that God will cha∣stise us: and the most we can desire at his hands, is, that * 1.60 if he punish us by some of his ordinary meanes, he will

use a fatherly correction upon us; and when hee hath beaten his children, cast the rod in the fire. Wee have beheld these many yeares in great tranquility under the flourishing reigne of a most happy Prince, the troubles and afflictions of our neighbours, by which we have beene warned to reforme our lives, and to be thankfull: but with how small effect, is too apparent: and therefore it may be feared, lest the time will come, that wee shall have cause to say to our neighbours;

Vivite felices, quibus est fortuna per•…•…cta, I am sua, nos alia ex al•…•…is in fata vocamur: Live happy you, whose fortunes are full grown, We have no fate to looke to but our owne.

Petrarks saying could to no time bee more aptly apply∣ed, that hunters and fowlers used not their endevour with greater diligence to lay nets and snares for wilde beasts & birds, than crafty men layd for the simple and plaine meaning. And therefore (said he) if thou wilt not be deceived, either dye or deale not with men: which agreeth with Pionano his countrey man:

Con arte, & con inganno, Si vive mezzo l'anno, Con inganno & con arte, Si vive l'altraparte.

Hee therefore that would enjoy that happinesse which * 1.61 may be found in this life, must live in the feare and ser∣vice of God, and alwayes lift up his minde to the true felicity, which cannot be injoyed in this world, but in the life to come. He must desire God to bestow his be∣nefits and graces upon him, by which he may eschew, and be free from those things that are hindrance to feli∣city: and that he will blesse his labours and indeavours that are taken in hand, and leadeth the right way to the attaining of happinesse. Hee must arme himselfe with

patience, quietly to receive such afflictions and crosses, as it shall please God to send and lay upon him; and perswade himselfe he doth all for his good, to draw his love from these worldly vanities, to the contemplation and desire of God and his heavenly kingdome, which is our end, and sovereigne good and beatitude. He must purge and cleanse his mind from those impure motions and affections, that intice and allure men to the decei∣vable lusts and brutish pleasures of the flesh: than which pleasure (after Demosthenes) there is not a more capitall ene∣mie given of nature to man: and (after Demosthenes) no evill can happen to that man, which hath layd tempe∣rance and continency for a foundation of wisedom. He must also beware, and be very circumspect that he bee not overcom with inordinate desire of riches, nor with ambition and desire of honor and glory; whereunto, for want of due consideration, the most part of men are commonly carried headlong, by a false and flattering shew of happinesse. And if it shall please God to blesse him with worldly wealth & honourable estate (for they are his blessings to them that come rightly and justly to them) he must use them to that purpose for which they were ordained and given him: for the estimation of things, and their use and abuse maketh them helpefull or hurtful to happinesse of life. He that knoweth how to esteem and use riches & honourable estate as he ought, neither will desire them, if he have them not, nor feare their losse, if he possesse them: knowing that he may live well and happily without them; as things not ne∣cessary to felicity. For the greedy desire of riches & pos∣sessions, & the ambitious passions, common almost to all men in aspiring to honorable estate, & the cōtinual fear of their losse, doth so torment and unquiet our mindes, that whereas by the due estimation of riches and ho∣nour,

and such like delights of men, with an upright judgement, we might leade a pleasant and happy life; wee contrariwise by a sinister opinion, heape upon our selves grievous torments, manifold cares and vexati∣ons; so as wee seeme to seeke of purpose for the causes, and meanes how to bring our selves into an unhappie and miserable estate: for all the troubles and perplexi∣ties that travell our fraile bodies, our selves are the cause of them, and for the most part we goe out to seeke them. For thus fares it with men of all estates, first to desire one thing, and then another, without end or measure, ne∣ver satisfied or contented, and therefore never happy. He must estimate these things that will live happily, not after the common custome and opinion of men, but by a right and reasonable censure, and content himselfe with his estate, to which God hath called him, where∣unto he shall the more easily bee perswaded, that will compare the dangers and troubles of high dignities and honourable estate, with the security and quietnesse of meane callings, and bestow some time in reading the monuments of wise and learned authors, whose coun∣sell he shall find to contemne the things (wherein by an erroneous opinion men set their felicity) as meere vanities, and the frumpes of fortune, and that a little is sufficient to the happinesse of life. Yet providence is to bee used by a wise and •…•…rugall man, after Isocrates counsell: To remember things past, to doe things pre∣sent, * 1.62 and to beware of things to come. For he is no lesse worthy of blame, that provideth not that which is ne∣cessary, than he that never ceaseth to get more than is sufficient. And though no estate of life be excluded from felicity, for that the chiefe part & cause therof proceeds from the minde, yet abundance of riches, honorable e∣state, & hie dignities, are more subject to those things that

are hinderance to happinesse, than the meane and infe∣riour estates are which, whosoever will attentively ob∣serve, will be the more readily induced to beleeve with Saint Paul, that Godlinesse is great riches; and suffici∣ent to lead us to the felicity & happinesse we seeke for. For that bringeth with it a contempt of worldly vani∣ties, so much esteemed of the multitude, peace of con∣science, and a contentation of mind, wherein felicity consisteth: Which was rightly espied by the Poet, that the vanities of this world, as riches, pleasures, ho∣nours, and such like, bringeth not felicity, but the ser∣vice of God.

Iugera non faciunt felicem plurima, frater, Non Tergestini dulcia musta soli. Non Tyriae vestes, Aur•…•… non pondera flavi; Non ebur, aut gemma, non juvenile decus. Non dulcis nati soboles, non bellula conjux, Non tenuisse su•…•… sceptra superbamanu. Noveris & rerum causas licet, astra, poli{que}, Et nostro quicquid sub Iove mundus habet. At mea, si quaeris, quae sit sententia, Frater, Dicam; vis felix vivere? vive Deo. (Brother) not many acres make thee blest, Nor the sweet grapes in Tergestine prest: Not Tyrian garments, not thy golden treasure, Not Ivory gemmes, nor all thy youthfull pleasure: Not thy faire issue, not thy beauteous bride, Not a proud scepter with thine hand to guide: To natures secrets though thy skill extend, And thou the starres and poles dost apprehend, With all, the world doth (beneath Iove) containe: Yet if thou ask'st of me what thou shalt gaine By these? Ile speake, if thou wouldst make thy 'boad In heaven: so live that thou mayst live to God.

The end of the fifth booke.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The felicity of the moan estate.
• * 1.2

  Note.
• * 1.3

  Troubles of this life.
• * 1.4

  Good for∣tune the greatest 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.5

  Good same the greatest losie.
• * 1.6

  The best bravery.
• * 1.7

  Marius.
• * 1.8

  Eras.
• * 1.9

  Moral prin∣ciples.
• * 1.10

  oncer∣ning law suits.
• * 1.11

  The way to purchase quicn•…•…sse.
• * 1.12

  Non vi∣demus id manticae quod in tergo est.
• * 1.13

  Three things to be avoyded.
• * 1.14

  Three things to be pra•…•…sed.
• * 1.15

  Wholesome counsell.
• * 1.16

  Of envie.
• * 1.17

  To 〈◊〉〈◊〉 commenda∣ble envie.
• * 1.18

  Imitable precepts.
• * 1.19

  A manifest signe to bee out of Gods favour.
• * 1.20

  Necessary parsimony.
• * 1.21

  Who is happy.
• * 1.22

  Vnnecessary sorrow.
• * 1.23

  Creature intermedi∣ate.
• * 1.24

  A third sort of men.
• * 1.25

  No man contented with his e∣state.
• * 1.26

  Horace.
• * 1.27

  Ou.
• * 1.28

  Gu. No one man can enjoy all things.
• * 1.29

  Octav.
• * 1.30

  The end which all men should ayme at.
• * 1.31

  Plin.
• * 1.32

  Friendship.
• * 1.33

  〈1 line〉〈1 line〉.
• * 1.34

  The com∣moditie of poverty.
• * 1.35

  True friend∣ship doubles prosperitie.
• * 1.36

  proverbs.
• * 1.37

  •…•…sops fable of the Lark.
• * 1.38

  Alexander and Ephe∣stion.
• * 1.39

  Chuse wel∣willers ra∣the than friends.
• * 1.40

  How to chuse or retuse.
• * 1.41

  No friend∣ship to bee made with the covetous man.
• * 1.42

  Custome a∣mongst the Romans.
• * 1.43

  The appli∣cation.
• * 1.44

  Manutan.
• * 1.45

  The change of times.
• * 1.46

  Learned Emperours.
• * 1.47

  Queene E∣lizabeth.
• * 1.48

  Simile.
• * 1.49

  One thing spoke ano∣ther practi∣•…•…ed.
• * 1.50

  Prophane 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.51

  A fearefull eclipse.
• * 1.52

  Guev.
• * 1.53

  〈1 line〉〈1 line〉
• * 1.54

  The foure Ages.
• * 1.55

  The wic∣kednesse of these times.
• * 1.56

  •…•…e.
• * 1.57

  Sinne in the height •…•…∣punubed.
• * 1.58

  〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.59

  An Atheisti∣call answer.
• * 1.60

  Chastise∣ment neces∣sary.
• * 1.61

  The way to injoy hap∣pinesse.
• * 1.62

  What proui∣dence is to be used.