The French academie Fully discoursed and finished in foure bookes. 1. Institution of manners and callings of all estates. 2. Concerning the soule and body of man. 3. A notable description of the whole world, &c. 4. Christian philosophie, instructing the true and onely meanes to eternall life. This fourth part neuer before published in English. All written by the first author, Peter de la Primaudaye, Esquire, Lord of Barre, Chauncellour, and Steward of the French Kings house.

Of an Enemy, of Iniurie, and of Reuenge. Chap. 36.

AMA∣NA.

HAuing hitherto in three daies workes discoursed (according to our iudgement) of all the parts of the vertue of Fortitude, and of those commendable effects that issue from it, to the correcting of many vices and imperfections, which a∣bound in mans nature, I thinke that to end this afternoone, we are yet to resume and to con∣tinue the speech already begun by vs (as also we then promised) of one principall point con∣cerning true magnanimitie, and greatnesse of courage, which respecteth our enemies, there∣by to know more particularly both our dutie towards them, and also what good may come to vs from them, if we sustaine and beare couragiously their iniuries, forsaking all desire and lust of reuenge.

ARAM.

As industrious Bees gather the driest and most pearcing hony of bitter Time: * 1.1 so a wise and vertuous man (saith Xenophon) knoweth how to draw profite and commoditie from his enemies, vpon whom we must beware of reuenging ourselues, least (as Theophrastus saith) we hurt ourselues more than them.

ACHITOB.

It is the propertie (saith Cicero) of famous personages and noble hearts to contemne iniuries offered vnto them by knowne wicked men, whose commendation of a man importeth some dishonesty in him. Now then ASER, teach vs somewhat of this matter wherein we haue so great need of instruction.

ASER.

The Cynicke Philosophers said, that if a man would be in safetie and partaker of happinesse, he must of necessitie haue good friends or sharpe enemies, that the first sort by * 1.2 good and wise admonitions, and these by notable iniuries, might withdraw him from doing of euill. And truly if we consider the profite and commoditie which may come vnto vs from him that voluntarily without occasion giuen him, (as it is our dutie not to offend any) is be∣come our enemie, by gouerning ourselues therein with the reason of a true Academical pru∣dence, besides that we shall shew forth the effects of that title which we beare, and of the end of our being, wee must bee so farre off from hating an enemie, that wee should rather thinke ourselues beholding and bound vnto him for that great good which hee procureth vnto vs. That this is so, is not this one propertie of vice to make us more ashamed before our enemies when wee haue committed a fault, than before our friends? Doe wee not take our enemie * 1.3 for a spie and enuier of our life? If any imperfection reigne in vs, who will more freely giue vs to vnderstand thereof than hee that hateth vs, who will not bee slacke to publish it euery where? For this reason Plutarke calleth an enemie a Schoole-master that costeth vs nothing of whom wee learne that which may greatly profite vs, and which we know not. To this ef∣fect * 1.4 hee maketh mention in his Apothegmes of an Athenian captaine who complained to Aristo cheife captaine of the Lacedaemonians, that his souldiers blazed abroad the manners of the Athenians: If the Athenians (said Aristo. vnto him) did looke well to their doings, they should not neede to care what the Spartans could say of them. These things being well con∣sidered by vs, if we haue enemies, they will be a meane to make vs more fearefull and restrai∣ned from offending, and more earnest and diligent to order well our behauiour, to direct our doings, and to correct our imperfections. But let vs marke a little how the noble and couragious youthes of the world behaue themselues now adaies. The reproofes and iniuries of an enemie, may peraduenture bee tolerated in some sort by the skilfullest sort of those that boast themselues to be so curious obseruers and readie defenders of their honour, so that they be not vttered in their presence: because they say that they cannot be offended at that which is spoken of them in their absence, and that they which speake so, will not auouch that slan∣der before their faces, which they raised behinde their backs. According to these weake rea∣sons they would haue other men iudge of reproch and iniurie, either to credit or to discredit them according to their power, and not as the truth of the fact itselfe requireth: whereupon also they passe that ouer with profit & amendment of the life, which they knew was misliked in them. There are others, who vpon a bare report made vnto them, thinke themselues great∣ly misused and harmed by those that spake ill of them, so that presently they purpose to bee auenged of them. But herein they agree all, that if any man voluntarily offereth iniurie to

they would haue the sworde presently to decide the controuersie, What say I, for an in∣iury? Nay for a yea or a nay, they foorth with thinke that the lie is giuen them, and that they are outfaced, so that nothing but the death of the one, or of both together, and of∣tentimes of their deerest and best friendes, is able (as they thinke) to repaire the preiudicate and supposed offence, and all for this vaine honour of the world. O detestable fury, not to bee found in most cruell beasts, which spare the blood of their sexe! It is not conuenient, that any time should bee lost in reproouing the same, beeing of itselfe so odious, that it can∣not so much as be once named but with shame, trembling and horror. For no man is so dull * 1.5 of vnderstanding, but he knoweth that effusion of blood is forbidden by God, and that out∣rage being in no sort permitted, much lesse may a Christian forget himselfe so farre as to kill another, except it be through necessitie in defending his owne body, or in the seruice of his prince and country in a iust warre. Amongst all the sententious sayings of Socrates the wise, and the wonderfull works of Plato his scholler, I find none more diuine, or worthy of greater * 1.6 praise than the sentence so often repeated by them, That reuenge is not in any sort to bee vsed. It is not iust (saide the same Socrates) to offend any, although hee had offered vs wrong. For a good man ne∣uer ought to do euill: yea it is a great deale better to suffer, than to offer contumely, to bee slaine, than to slay, because the one bringeth no detriment to man, who is the soule, but the other procureth the vtter ruine and destrustion thereof. This will sound very ill in many mens eares. But if they will iudge without passion, and had eies to see, and eares to vnderstand the end of their being & calling, as also the reason of true prudence and geneosity taught vs the by study of Philosophy, no doubt but they would subscribe to the opinion of these wise Philosophers, agreeing very well with that which is taught by the spirit of God, who cōdemneth the murderer, and him that * 1.7 offereth wrong and iniurie to another: but calleth himselfe the defender of innocency, and such a one as returneth a double reward and recompence to those that suffer for righteousnes and equitie. Who may therefere doubt but that it is farre better to receiue than to do euil, to be killed than to kill, seeing by the one the good houre of our perpetuall rest and felicitie is hastened forward, and by the other wee are vtterly frustrated thereof, and throwne into a hell of eternall fire? So that if wee endeuour to shew foorth the effects of true Magnanimity and greatnesse of heart, there is no doubt but to beare and to endure withall modesty and * 1.8 patience the outrages and wrongs of our enemies, is the marke of that vertue which is most absolute and perfect. That it is so, doth it not appeare in this, that vertue consisteth in diffi∣cult things? And that vertue that commeth neerest to the diuine nature, which is hardest to bee obtained, and least familiar with men, it is not more woorthy and vnbeseeming a noble and valiant man, than all the rest? Vnto which may wee attribute better this marke than to the vertue of patience, whereof we haue already intreated? We see no man vpon earth of so base estate, no woman so feeble and weake, no liuing creature so little, but if they bee stri∣ken they will reuenge themselues very willingly as well as they can. How greatly then ought this vertue to bee accounted of, which forceth this naturall lust of reuenge, bred in all liuing creatures, and how noble must the mind of that man needes be which is able to maister such a violent passion, so common to all men, thereby procuring to itselfe the name of a mild and gracious spirit, and ready to forgiue, which is proper and peculiar to the diuine nature? Ther∣fore that great Monarch Alexander, said, That a man wronged had neede of a more noble heart to for giue his enemie, than to be reuenged of him, and to kill him. Behold the saying of as noble a prince as euer the earth bare. What can the Courtiers of these times say to the contrary? It is a great vertue (saith Epictetus) not to hurt him of whom thou art misused. It is a very commendable thing to par∣don him whom thou mightest hurt, and it is a praise worthy kinde of reuenge, to let them goe to peace that are ouercome. Therefore Pittacus the Sage hauing one in his power that had dealt contu∣meliously * 1.9 with him, hee suffered him to depart vnharmed, saying, That pardon was better than reuenge, the one beeing proper to the spirit of a man, the other of a cruell beast. But further, although it were onely in respect of our owne benefite during our life, wee ought to shunne all motions of iniury, and all desire of reuenge: forasmuch as wee cannot either determine or execute the same, but with a thousand perturbations, which cause vs to want the rest and tranquility of our soules, wherein all our happinesse and felicity consisteth. And therefore Seneca saith, If * 1.10 hee that wronged thee bee weaker than thou, forgiue him: if hee bee mightier, spare thyselfe. For who∣soeuer nourisheth his neighbours anger, whosoeuer prouoketh and incenseth him more, when hee seeth him vehement and importunate against him, hee committeth two faults. First hee hateth himselfe by procuring his owne trouble and griefe: Secondly, his brother, because he maketh him sad, and vexeth him. Moreouer prudent men (as Theophrastus saith)

ought to doe nothing in choler. For that vnreasonable part of the soule beeing mooued, fore∣seeth nothing wisely, but beeing driuen forward with a contentious desire, suffereth it selfe to bee carried hither and thither, as if it were drunken. Also wee must take great heede, * 1.11 that wee doe not alwaies put in execution whatsoeuer wee haue a minde vnto, but onely that which moderate reason commaundeth vs. Wherein wee shall deserue the praise of true Magnanimitie, if I say, wee can commaund our selues and all vehemency of choler, which driueth men forward to be auenged on their enemies, and is in act that sauoureth more of a vile and abiect heart drawing neere to brutish fiercenes, than of a noble minde which despi∣seth whatsoeuer is earthly, mortall, and fading, that it may thinke of nothing but of heauen * 1.12 and immortality. This is that which the study of our Philosophy teacheth vs: and euen as ex∣pert Phisitions know how to drawe medicines apt for the preseruation of life out of serpents, poisons, and other deadly and venemous things: so we ought to draw from our enemies, not their life, which ought to be onely in the power of God and of his iustice, but profit and com∣modity by their backbitings, reproches, and iniuries. Which will easily be done, if we make * 1.13 small account of their intent, and consider narrowly the fact which they speake ill of, to the end that if we be guilty of that which they condemne in vs, wee may purge and eorrect our selues. And if so be they harme vs wrongfully, their impudencie will cause their reproaches and iniuries to be turned backe, and sent against themselues, together with that shame and dammage, which they thought to procure vnto vs, whereas we shall be no lesse honest and vertuous men than before. So that the best reuenge and most honourable victorie, which wee can carry away from our enemies, will be to surpasse them in diligence, bountie, mag∣nanimity, * 1.14 good turnes, and in all vertuous actions: whereby they will sooner perceiue and confesse themselues vanquished and constrained to stoppe their mouth, and to represse their tongue, than by any other force, which wee can oppose against them. Then may wee say, that as he who enterprised to kill Pormethens the Thessalian, gaue him so great a blowe with asword vpon an apostume which put him in danger of death, that by launcing it hee saued his life contrary to his meaning: so the iniurous speeches of our enemies vttered in wrath and of ill will to hurt vs, haue bene the cause of curing many euils in vs whereof we made no account, and of making vs much better than we were before. But because iniurie seemeth so hard and vneasie to be tollerated by the imbecility of mans nature, which is so soon offen∣ded, and by the heart of man beeing full of reuenge, let vs yet see whether we can finde any remedy, if not to cure that which is incurable, at least wise to purge and to cleanse the acci∣dents of this euill. Iniurie is offered either to the goods, to the honour, or to the person of a * 1.15 man. As touching the first and last, namely, the spoiling of our goods, and violence offered to our person, what other reuenge either by the law of God or of man can wee haue than to repulse force with force, I meane when wee are constrained thereunto, or else by the way of the Prince his iustice, which is open to euery one? If any haue robbed thee, must thou be∣come a theefe or satisfie thy selfe by thine owne strength? Much lesse oughtest thou to sette thy selfe against him that is not faultie, as many doe. If thou being the weaker are ouertaken hurt and wronged, oughtest thou to vse new force, violence and murder to reuenge thy selfe, and to repaire thy iniurie receiued? The sword is in the hands of the King and of the Ma∣gistrate that representeth his person: and it belongeth to him onely to vse it against them that trouble publike tranquility and ciuill society; to the ende thereshould be no shew, that any other either would or durst meddle with the soueraigntie, whose greatnesse and preser∣uation consisteth in the administration of iustice. Yea the lawes haue alwaies so abhorred vi∣olence and priuat force, that they haue restored theeues and robbers into those places which * 1.16 they vniustly possessed, if they had bin driuen from them by violence. But some man will say, that these things ought indeed to be duly considered of, if iustice were executed, and had not forsaken the earth to dwell in heauen. And how then canst thou execute it, seeing thou art not called to doe, but to demaund iustice? Tarie, and the iust Iudge will returne double that which hath bene vniustly taken from thee, which thou hast suffered, or which hath beene denied thee, euen then when you shalt haue greater need than now that thy daies are are so short: and then shalt thou liue for euer of that which thou hast reaped in this poore and miserable life. Concerning honour, the iniurie whereof we feare more than of the other let vs know that it cannot be hurt in a good man, because vertue, which is inuincible, prote∣cteth * 1.17 & dependeth it. But now adaies we fetch it not so far off. For we wil haue our honor ty∣ed to the vaine opinion of the world, which reiecteth & contemneth those men as cowards and base minded, that haue but once put vp the least iniurie offered by another, but honoreth

as noble and couragious those that can lustily kill their enemies. This is the cause why many, who would willingly forgette an iniurie receiued, dare not doe it for loue of their friendes: as also because they see, that it would rather bee imputed vnto them as a token of a fainte hearte, than of a desire to follow reason. But let all these blood suckers, inclined * 1.18 to reuenge and to murder, couer their beastly cruelty as well as they can, yet haue they no other reason to disguise it but this, that it is an vsuall kinde of behauiour now adaies amongst men, to the ende they may bee welcommed, praised, and fauoured of Kings, Princes, and great Lords, otherwise they must take a Coule, and shutte vp themselues in some cloister, But they must needes affirme this withall, that they had rather vndoe and condemne them∣selues with the multitude, so they may haue worldly honour, than bee saued with the small number of honest men, except peraduenture they will say, that they knowe no other life but this, and that they will liue onely for the world, without beleefe or hope of a second and eternall life. And albeit they confesse a second life with their mouth, yet their deeds de∣clare sufficiently, that they are altogether ignorant of the nature and happinesse of the o∣ther life, and that they care not greatly to come vnto it. But let vs that are better instructed imitate Socrates, who beeing counselled to reuenge a wrong receiued made this answer, what•• If a Mastiue had bitte mee, or an asse giuen mee a blow, would you haue mee serue writtes vpon them? So let vs behaue our writs towards them that are froward and vicious, making a great deale lesse account of their iniuries, than of a blow that hurteth, which they cannot * 1.19 doe at all to our honour. As for good men we shall neuer be hurt by them, Now, if wee draw neere, although neuer so little, to the perfection of such a nature, much lesse ought we to bee prouoked and stirred vp through any laughter or gibing which cannot touch or offend any but those that are troubled and carried away with passions, Thus much did Socrates wisely giue one to vnderstand, who told him that certain mocked him, I doe not (quoth he) think that I * 1.20 am mocked. Hereupon I remember a notable answer made by one Ptolemaeus king of Egypt, who was counselled to punish a Gramarian. The king demaunding of him by the way of gi∣bing, who was father to Peleus, hee made this answer: that he desired first to know who was Lagus his father, nothing thereby that the king was borne of base parentage, If it bee vnseemelte (quoth Ptolemaeus to his friends) for a king to bee mocked, it is also vndecent for him to mocke another. Now although it be our duty to treade vnder foote all desire of reuenge, and to make no ac∣count * 1.21 of iniuries and mocks, yet it is lawfull for vs sometime, if wee bee disposed, and no greater offences arise thereof, to stoppe the mouthes of such as are iniurous and impudent, * 1.22 with a little short reply, not in wrath or choler, but with a certaine meekenes and graue smi∣ling, and somewhat nippingly, so that it passe not the boundes of modesty. Cato knew well how to be haue himselfe after this sort, who being iniurously dealt withal by one that had al∣waies * 1.23 liued wickedly, saide thus vnto him: I am not able to deale with thee in this manner by con∣tēding with iniuries. For thou hast throughly vsed thyselfe both to vtterreproches freely, & to suffer with ••ase when any mā offereth thee wrōg or iniury, But as for me, I delight neither in hearing, nor in vttering thē. Likewise Demosthenes answered another in this sort: I wil not enter into this combat with thee, * 1.24 wherein the vanquished is better than the vanquisher. Plato also being touched with iniurous spee∣ches, saide: Goe on to speake ill, seeing thou diddest neuer learne to speake well. Lysander, Admirall of * 1.25 the Lacedemonians, being reuiled with many bitter speeches, said to him that offered the iniury: Spue out boldly my friend, spue out boldly and often, and spare not, to see if thou canst emptie thy * 1.26 soule of that euill and wickednesse wherewith it is replenished. Shall wee thinke now, that these fa∣mous men, making so small account of iniuries and wrongs, had any other bound than right * 1.27 and iustice onely in the hatred of the vices of wicked men, or that they would haue sought by any other way for the satisfying of those wrongs, which they receiued? Let vs consider how Scaurus behaued himselfe towards his enemie Domitius against whom he was to put vp a complaint by way of iustice. There was one of Domitius his seruants, who before iudge∣ment was giuen of their processe, came to Scaurus, and said, that he would disclose vnto him a * 1.28 matter of great importance against his maister, which vndoubtedly would cause him that was his aduerse partie to gaine his sute, But he not minding to heare him any further, tooke order that he should be straightly boūd, & so sēt him to his master. The means which Agesilaus vsed to make his enemies his friends, in stead of reuenging himselfe vpon them, are worthie of e∣ternall praise, and ought to mooue vs greatly to correct our naturall imperfections, so much * 1.29 inclined to reuenge. For when he could come to the knowledge of them, without any fur∣ther shew, hee thrust them into publike offices and charges. And if it fell out so that they committed any offence wherebie they were drawne to iudgement, hee holpe them as

much as he could, by that meanes winning the friendship of euery one. For although wee commonly say, that as one and the same Sunne softeneth the waxe, and hardeneth the clay, so good deeds winne the hearts of good men, but prouoke the wicked; yet there is no man of so peruerse a nature, whom a man cannot make his friend by plying him often with bene∣fits, and when occasion is offered, by binding him with some notable good turne. For this cause Augustus, after the cospiracy of Cinna was discouered, notwithstanding that he had him in his power, being conuicted by his own letter, yet he did not onely forgiue him, but taking * 1.30 him by the hand, sware friendship with him, and bestowed vpon him great estates and dig∣nities, wherein Cinna afterward serued him faithfully. And it seemeth that for the same reason * 1.31 the Venetians hauing taken the Duke of Mautua their deadly enemie, in steade of taking his estate from him, they made him their Generall captaine: so that he euer abode their faith∣full friend. Pontinus also an ancient captain of the Samnites, said, That they were either freely to set * 1.32 at libertie the Romane armie, which was surprised in the streights of the mountaine Apeninus, and so make them loyal friends through the bond of so great a good turne, or else to put them all to death, thereby to take from the enemie a great part of his strength. Neither may wee here let goe in silence the dis∣cretion of Dyonisius the elder, king of Syracusa, in punishing an iniury. Which example * 1.33 ought to cause all themto blush: who in furie and choler, after an iniury receiued, or af∣ter some report thereof, seeke presently for some cruell reuenge. This king beeing told that two young men as they were drinking together, had spoken many outragious words of him, he inuited them both to supper. And perceiuing that one of them, after he had taken a little wine into his head, vttered and committed much folly, and that contrariwise the other was very staied, and drunke but a little, hee punished this fellow as one that was malitious, and had beene his enemie of set purpose, but forgaue the other, as beeing drunken, and mooued by the wine to speake ill of him. Concluding therefore our present discourse, let vs learne that it is the property of a great and noble minde to be milde, gracious, and ready to forgiue. and that it is a greater point of Magnanimity to surmount the common nature of men by a won∣derfull diuinitie of the soule, than to follow after that which beasts are able to do better than we. For many of them in this earthly generosity, whereof many men make so great account, excell and surpasse the best of them all. In all debates and controuersies with our enemies, let vs retaine (as Cicero councelleth vs) grauity and constancy, and chase away all choler: because nothing that is done through perturbation can be done constantly, or be approoued of any. Let vs not be afraid (said Antisthenes) to wish all the good in the world to our enemies, except valure, which may make them rash to venture vpon our life: and let vs giue ouer all will to procure them any * 1.34 hurt or displeasure, or any maner of reuenge. Let vs rather desire not to be spared of them in those things which are blame worthy in vs, in that so we may be more ready to amend and correct them. Let vs loue our enemies, blesse them that curse vs, do good to them that hate and persecute vs, ouercomming euill with good, and leauing all vengeance to him that hath reserued it to himselfe, who by his power directeth the * 1.35 n••ts, swords, hatchets, instruments and scourges of his wrath, all which are our enemies for the amendment of our life: and then shall wee shew forth those true effects of the vertue of Fortitude and Mag∣nanimity, * 1.36 with our heauenly Father requireth of vs.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A pretie com∣parison.
• * 1.2

  Good friends or sharpe ene∣mies are ne∣cessarily re∣quired to a happie life.
• * 1.3

  Why men are beholding to their enemies.
• * 1.4

  How men be∣haue them∣selues now a∣daies towards their enemies
• * 1.5

  Murder for∣bidden.
• * 1.6

  A notable sentence.
• * 1.7

  Leuit. 24. 17. Psal. 9. 9. 16. Mat. 5. 10.
• * 1.8

  To suffer in∣iury patiently is a badge of a most abso∣lute vertue.
• * 1.9

  A commen∣dable king of reuenge.
• * 1.10

  Good coūsell of Seneca.
• * 1.11

  We must do nothing in choler.
• * 1.12

  An apt simi∣litude.
• * 1.13

  How a man may profit by the backbi∣ting o•• his enemies.
• * 1.14

  The best kind of reuenge.
• * 1.15

  How many waies a man may receiue iniurie.
• * 1.16

  Men must not take the law into their owne hands, although it be not right∣ly executed.
• * 1.17

  Of the office done to ho¦nor.
• * 1.18

  The execuse of quarrellers
• * 1.19

  Socrates void of reuenge.
• * 1.20

  We must not be mooued with mocks.
• * 1.21

  Ptolemaeus.
• * 1.22

  How a man may repulse a mocke.
• * 1.23

  Cato.
• * 1.24

  Demosthenes.
• * 1.25

  Plato.
• * 1.26

  Lysander.
• * 1.27

  The limits that are to be vsed in hea∣ring the wicked.
• * 1.28

  Scaurus.
• * 1.29

  How Agesi∣laus made his enemies his friends.
• * 1.30

  Augustus.
• * 1.31

  The Venetiā
• * 1.32

  Pontinus.
• * 1.33

  The prudēce of Dyonisius in punishing euil speakers.
• * 1.34

  Antisthenes counsa••le.
• * 1.35

  Matth. 5. 44.
• * 1.36

  Rom. 1••. 19.