The prouerbes of the noble and woorthy souldier Sir Iames Lopez de Mendoza Marques of Santillana with the paraphrase of D. Peter Diaz of Toledo: wherin is contained whatsoeuer is necessarie to the leading of an honest and vertuous life. Translated out of Spanishe by Barnabe Googe.

The fifth Chapter of Temperance. (Book 5)

34.

As much as it deserueth praise, with temperance to feed. Which doth our mortall life sustaine, and serueth for our need: So much abhorred ought to be the greedy glutton great,

That thinkes there is no other life, but for to drinke and eate.

The Paraphrase.

IN this Prouerbe, and certaine others that followe, the Marques sheweth the order that we ought to obserue in ea∣eating and drinking: and these two, being the chiefest sustainers of our life, a man hath as much a doe as may bee, to vse a mo∣deration and temperance in them. For as Aristotle in the second boke of his Ethicks saith, These two do onely sustaine our mor∣tall life, and are alwayes desired as things of moste pleasure: and because wee haue so great delight in them, as the things where∣with wee haue been accustomed from our birth, it is very hard and painefull to be re∣strained of them. But those that exceede and obserue no measure therein, are counted of Aristotle in the first of his Ethickes, to liue like Dogges, and to choose the life of mon∣sters. The same Aristotle in his Ethicks, telleth vs of a great glutton, that was cal∣led Philoxenus, who put all his felicitie in eating and drinking: and the earnest request that hee made to the Gods, was that they

would make his neck as long as a Cranes necke, to the ende his delight might be the greater, in the long goyng downe of his meate, and his drinke. For he tooke that for the chiefest pleasure that was.

35

Great honour doth this temperance, deserue at all assayes, Sith it a vertue alwayes is, of great and speciall praise: For heate and furie great it doeth by honestie asswage, And stayes the frantike flame, that in the youthfull yeares doth rage.

The Paraphrase.

VVE do read, that many haue great∣ly offended more by excesse in ea∣ting & drinking, then for any other offence. For example sake, let vs looke vppon our first Father Adam, who for a gluttonous desire of eating, brought both himselfe and al his posterity to destructiō. Lot, the bro∣ther to Abraham, by too much drinking, as it is writtē in Genesis, shamed not to lye

with two of his daughters. And therfore is Temperance & sobrietie worthie of greate honour, being a vertue of greatest commēda∣tion. The maides of Rome that were ap∣pointed to attend vpon their Gods, to the ende they shoulde be sober & temperate, did neuer eat more thē three meales in a weeke: and Valerius writeth in his first booke, that the women of Rome, to keepe themselues chast and sober, did neuer drinke wine. Of such sobernes & temperance was the greate Alexander (as Vegetius writeth in his booke Of the art of warres) that he was so farre from setting his delight in eating & drinking, that he neuer vsed to eate but as he trauailed. We likewise reade, that hard by the campe of Hanniball, there grew an appletree, being as ful of apples as it might hang: And so great was the continence and temperance of the souldiers, that the tree after their departure remained as full of fruite, as it was when they firste en∣camped. For they counted it a greate shame and dishonour, to eate any thing that was deyntie, while they were in the fielde. And of Iulius Caesar the Emperour, wee reade that his dyet

was grosse and common, as herringes, sprattes, cheese, and greene figges, & that he did eate at all times, and in all places, whensoeuer he was hungry, and with this temperance and modestie, he bridled the fu∣rie and disorder that followeth of to much eating and drinking.* 1.1 For the bellie, being stuffed with good meates and wines, doeth presently yeeld to the rage of riot and Le∣cherie. And therefore sayeth Solomon in his Prouerbes, That wine ought not to be geuen to Princes: For where drunken∣nesse hath place, no secrete can bee kept, And therefore the Prouerbe sayeth, Tem∣perance stayeth the raging lust of youth, and of small and temperate feeding, there ariseth neither disordinate lust, nor other e∣uill. Saint Augustine did euer vse to saie, that he liued not to eate, but did eate for to liue, and this is the Temperance which, as the Prouerbe sayeth, is woorthie of honour.

36.

But seeldome pouertie is seene, such persons to molest:

As are of heedfull gouernement, aud slouthfulnesse detest, But idlenes and gluttonie where once they doe infect, No vertue euer doe regarde, nor honour doe respect.

The Paraphrase.

SAint Bernarde in an Epistle that hee writeth of the ordering and gouerning of a house, to one Raimond a gentleman, doth specially amongst other things exhort him, to haue a careful eye to his liuing, and to his expenses, and to take heede that his receits be greater then his charges. For if his ex∣penses and his reuenues be one as much as the other, hee shall bee sure to bee ouershoes and vndone before he be aware: and there∣fore his counsell is, that he that is wise, shoulde alwayes set his bellie and his purse at discorde, and vppon their strife be taught to knowe whose parte he shoulde take. The belly proueth his purpose by the present de∣light that he feeleth, and the purse prooueth his by the trial of the present harme and the miserie to come: and farre better is it for

a man to prouide and be carefull before hee come in neede, then to seeke for helpe, when hee is in miserie. And this is it that is meant by the Prouerbe, That pouertie is seeldome knowne to come to a person of good gouernement: And gluttonie, and sloth, where they once come, haue ne∣uer regarde to Nobilitie. For as Sainte Bernarde saieth, The negligence and pouertie of the Maister of the house is, as it were, a burning and consuming fire in the toppe of it.

37

His time he may not idlely spend, that seeketh for to gaine. For knowledge is not gotten, but by industrie and payne. So oughtest thou for to rule thy life, and order such to keepe: As thou preferre a gaineful watche, before a harmefull sleepe.

The Paraphrase.

SOlomon in his Prouerbes willeth the slugard & the loyterer, that he go to the

Emoth, and consider her order and her tra∣trauayls, which hauing neyther Captaine, nor gouernour, seeketh and prouideth in Sommer for her liuing, and gathereth and layeth vp in the Haruest time, as much as shall suffise hee to liue by in the winter: And sayth, that if a man will take paynes & be diligent, his haruest shal flow like a foū∣tayne, and pouertie shal presently flie from him, and therefore doth the Prouerbe bid, To preferre a gaynefull watche before a harmeful sleepe. For learning is not to be got without trauell, for all men haue not knowledge by the inspiration of the holy Ghost. But he that will atteine to know∣ledge, must seeke and take paines for it, and he that will come to be able to liue, must as the Prouerbe saith, preferre a good watching, before an euil sleepe.

38.

For procreation onely, and encrease of mortall kinde,

Forsake the chast virginitie, with wise and sober minde. Consider that this vaine delight was once the wofull fall Of Solomon, for which he lost both wit, and grace and al.

The Paraphrase of the Marques.

THe perfection and profoundnesse of Solomon the king of Israel, as wel in natural iudgement, as in knowledge of the lawe, is both at this day sufficiently knowne, and shalbe alwaies hereafter ma∣nifest, who in his latter age being waxen ef∣feminate, and altogether ruled by women, laied aside his obedience to GOD, and be∣came an idolatour, as may be seene at large in the booke of the kinges.

The Doctour.

THe Marques hauing in his Prouerbs before, declared the inconueniences that men fall into by gluttonie, and excesse in eating and drinking, doeth shewe vs in

this Prouerbe, and a fewe that folowe, the inconueuiences and harmes that proceede of carnall and fleshly lust: For where as men cannot liue for euer, nor alwaies continue, and that it is incident and com∣mon to them, that some be borne, and some die: it is therefore of necessitie prouided by nature, that men should haue the com∣pany and vse of women, and so breake the bondes of virginitie: And this ought to be doone with great modestie and considerati∣on, as the Prouerbe heere sheweth: For a man to lie with any other then his owne wife, though it be with intent of encreasing the worlde, is hainous and deadly sinne, Yea, yf a man lie with his owne wife vpon a fleshly desire, and not for procreation, hee doeth offend: For a man ought not to haue the vse of a woman for any other end, then for the encreasing of posteritie: Or for a∣uoiding of whoredome, he may vse his own wife. And those that doe otherwise, doe fal into that filthie sensualitie, that brought Solomon to all his miserie, wherof the Marques hath partly spoken aboue.

39.

And for the selfesame greeuous sinne, Was Dauid brought full lowe: And in the midst of mortall plagues, was taught his fault to knowe▪ The loftie Tarquin in his pride, Was punished therfore, And from the stately gates of Rome, Was thrust for euermore.

The Paraphrase of the Marques.

DAuid that most holy Prophete, and king of Israel after Saul, was a man that did many woorthie and notable acts, and a man of great wisedome, hee doeth greatly set foorth the glory and Maiestie of GOD in his Booke of Psalmes. Notwithstanding hee dyd greeuously fall and offende in fleshly and beastly affection, committyng moste horrible adulterie: howbeit hee afterwardes turned to GOD with great repentance, and with great

griefe and mourning bewailed his offence. Hee committed adulterie with the wife of Vrias, who was mother to Solomon, for the which greeuous offence, the Lorde was more offended with him, then for all that euer hee did, as is to be seene at large in his life.

The Doctour.

SExtus Tarquinius was the sonne of Tarquinius the King, as Liuie in the first of his Decades writeth. The like is affirmed by Saint Augustine in his boke of the Citie of GOD, Valerius Max∣imus, and many other auncient writers. No lesse was Lucretia famous for her vertue, then was this Tarquine to be ab∣horred for his wickednesse. Amongst ma∣ny that haue written of the woorthinesse of this Ladie, none doeth so greatly delite me, as M. Iohn Galensis, in a booke that hee wrote of the foure principal vertues, whō I only determin to folow. His words as I haue translated thē out of the Tuscan

tongue are these: Well woorthie of im∣mortall and euerlasting remembraunce, is the noble & vertuous Lady Lucretia: Who refusing to liue any longer, did rip out the stain of the villany and violence done vnto her, with the death of her owne person: The maner wherof S. Augustine telleth in his boke of the citie of God, saying, that Sextus Tarquinius came with Collatinus the husbande of Lucretia, to a house of his, cal∣led Collatinū, where they found Lucretia vertuously disposed amongst her maidens and women: the only Paragon of her time, & most commended of all others, was this Lucretia: Whom when the sonne of Tar∣quinius king of the Romans had through∣ly behelde, he was presently inflamed with disordinate and wicked loue towardes her: whereuppon within a fewe dayes after, ac∣companied only with one man, he retur∣neth vnknowne to Collatinus, vnto the a∣foresaide place, where he was honourably entertained and receiued of Lucretia: who made him great cheare, and lodged him ac∣cording to his estate, supposing that she had had her friende, and not her enimie in her house. Tarquinius being now a bed,

& al a fire with the flames of beastly desire, perceiuing that they were all fast a sleepe in the house, taking his swoorde in his hande, leapeth out of his bed, and goeth di∣rectly to the chamber of Lucretia, whom he founde fast a sleepe: where laying his hande vpon her brest, he said vnto her, Lie stil Lucretia, I am Sextus Tarquinius, yf thou makest any noise, thou shalt die for it. Wherewithall the Lady beeing with great feare awaked, and seeing no succour about her, nor any waye too escape death, Tarquinius beginneth to disclose vnto her his great affection, and somtime with faire woordes, intreating her, and sometime a∣gaine terribly threatning her, assaieth all the waies that he can deuise to bryng her to graunt to his desire: But when he saw that she was by no waies to be remooued from her stedfast and chaste minde, and that the terrour of death coulde nothing pre∣uaile, he casteth about againe, and thinke∣eth to boorde her on an other side, and saith vnto her, I will tel thee what I will doe, if thou wilt not consent vnto me, I wyll first kill thee, and afterwards kill an euil fauou∣red knaue that I haue heere in the house,

and laye him in bedde with thee, where∣by it shalbe reported to the worlde, that thou wert taken in shameful and filthie ad∣ulterie. And with this feare he ouercame the chaste minde of the vertuous Ladie, and hauing obteined his desire, with great disdaine departed. Wherewith the poore Lucrecia, beeing now ouerwhelmed with sorowe and pensiuenesse, for her great and greeuous mishappe, sendeth with al speede possible to her father, her husbande and all other their friendes at Rome, earnest∣ly desiring them to come vnto her with as muche haste as they coulde. VVho when they were come, Lucrecia, all heauie and sorowfull in her bedde, at their entring in∣to the house, fell into a great weeping, and when her friendes began to salute her, and to bid her bee of good comfort: Alas, quoth she, What comforte can there be to a wo∣man that hath lost her chastitie? and looke∣ing stedfastly vppon her husbande, shee cried out, and saide, O Collatinus, the feete of a straunger hath been in thy bed: But I sweare vnto thee of a trueth, only the body is defiled, for the mind was neuer consenting, and that shal my death present∣ly

declare: And therefore I require you all to shewe your selues men, and not to suffer this horrible act to remaine vnpunished. Sextus Tarquinius was he, whom I re∣ceiued, not as an enimie, but as a supposed friende, who hath this laste night depri∣ued me (and you also, yf you be men) of al ioy. VVhen shee had vttered these wordes, they all beganne to comfort her, and to tel her that her offence was nothing, beeyng forced and constrained thereunto, and that where there was no consent, there coulde be no offence. VVhereunto Lucrecia re∣plied, and saide, As for that, looke you to those thinges that concerne your selues, I, though I dooe cleare my selfe of beeing guiltie of any offence, yet doe I not dis∣charge my selfe of punishment. There shal neuer chaste woman take occasion to be e∣uyll by the example of Lucrecia: And with these wordes, plucking out a knife that she had secretly hidden, and thrusting it to her hart, she fell downe dead, whereat both her husbande and Brutus her father, makyng great lamentation, presently drewe out the knife out of the wounde, being al stained & embrued with blood: which knife Brutus

takyng in his hande, sware to reuenge the iniurie and the death of his daughter, and to destroy both Tarquin the king, his wife, and his children, either by fyer, by swoord, or by al the waies that he might, and neuer to suffer any of the kindred to reigne in Rome. VVith which he gaue the knife to Collatinus, and so from one to another: Whereby this mourning chaunged into wrath, and desire of reuenge: they all made promise to folowe Brutus, and taking with them the body of Lucretia, they brought it to Rome, and laide it in the middest of the market place, to the ende that the horrour of so strange a facte, might stirre vppe the people to reuenge it. At the sight wherof, the people were straight in armes, and fo∣lowing Brutus, they thrust out of Rome Sextus Tarquinius, who after miserably died in prison.

4••

No lesse was worthie Scipio, Commended for the deede: That from his chaste and worthie mind, Did worthily proceede.

Then for his valiant manly actes, Esteemed in his daies, By which he to his Countrey got, A neuer dieyng praise.

The Paraphrase of the Marques.

COrnelius Scipio, as Valerius rehear∣seth in his thirde booke, hauing taken the Citie of Carthage, was tolde by his souldiours that in the sacke of the Towne there was taken a young maiden, of woon∣derful beauty & great parentage, who was affianced to a Gentleman of the nobilitie: which as soone as he vnderstoode, he com∣maunded that the Damsel, her husbande, and her parentes, should be brought before him, and caused the young maide safe and vntouched to be deliuered vnto them, gi∣uing with the maide in marriage, a great masse and quantitie of Treasure, that was offered for their raunsome.

41

Shunne idlenesse, and giue thy selfe To honest exercise.

That neither wicked vice, nor lewde Alurementes of the eies, Haue power or force at any time, To bring thy hart in thrall: For to subdue the raging fleshe Is (sure) no matter small.

The Paraphrase.

SAint Hierome saith, in a certaine ad∣uice that he giueth to a friende of his, Be alwaies busie in some labour or o∣ther, that the Deuil may finde thee occu∣pied. And the reason is, because idlenes is the roote and groundwoorke (as the Pro∣uerbe saith) of all maner of sinne, specially, of lecherie, which springeth sooner of idle imaginations, then any sin beside: VVher∣vpon Seneca in his fourth Tragedie, bring∣eth in the olde Nurse, who seeketh to dis∣swade Phaedra from the beastly loue that she bare to her sonne in law Hippolytus, where Phaedra saith that there was no blame nor fault in her, since Cupid the God of loue had so mortally wounded her, and that there was none to be blamed for it, but the God himselfe. The Nurse

aunsweareth, That brainsicke and wicked persons, the better to cloake and coloure their naughtinesse, and that they might the freelier attaine to their letcherous pur∣poses, haue vainely imagined a God-head to be in loue, saying that there is a GOD of loue, whose power extend∣eth not only to men, but euen to the verye Gods: which, saith the nurse, is a false and shamefull deuise. For whosoeuer hath a∣bundance of wealth, & liueth at pleasure, giuing him selfe to idlenesse, banqueting, and surfeiting, passing his life in dalli∣aunce and disport, suche a one doeth loue continually torment: yf it be not so, aske of the Ladie Venus, howe chaunce shee hath so colde entertainement in the poore labourers houses, where you shall seldome or neuer see any of them goe mad for loue? And the only reason of it is, that they are continually painefully la∣bouring and trauailing to get their liuing, not hauing any time to be idle or euill oc∣cupied. To liue in the fleshe, as the Di∣uines say, and not to folowe the fleshe, is a woorke more proper to God then to man,

and cannot possibly be done without great labour and vertuous exercises: And there∣fore the Prouerbe saith, It is no smal mat∣ter to subdue the fleshe: That is to say, for a man to conquere him selfe. And there∣fore those that first deuised Monasteries, and religious orders, did aboue all other things ordeyne, that they shoulde neuer be idle, nor haue any thing to occupie their mindes withall but vertuous exercises, and this is the effect of the Prouerbe, where it saith: Shunne idlenesse, and giue thy selfe to honest exercise.

42.

For not yenough it is, to flee From actions lewde or il, But also from the motion to offende in thought or wil. So muche we ought for to eschewe, The foule and wicked thought: Because it is the only seede, And roote of doeing nought.

The Paraphrase.

THE faultes that we heere committe are of two sortes, either they are doone by chaunce, and vnwittingly, or they are doone vppon knowledge, which cannot be without imagination: Also our thoughts and imaginations are, as the Doccours say, of two sortes. One is the first motion that we haue to offende, and this because it is not in our power, being, as we be na∣turally, inclined to deadly sinne, is not to be reckoned for sinne: But if wee take pleasure in our euill thoughtes, and con∣tinuing in them, determine to put them in execution as soone as wee may haue time and place, this is as great an offence as yf we had alredy doone it, according to the saying of our Sauiour in the Gospel, Whosoeuer looketh vppon a Woman, to luste after her, hath alredy com∣mitted adultrie in his hart. For the e∣uill thought was the seede and causer of the sinne, and would, yf time hadde serued, haue perfourmed the deede. And therefore Seneca in his fourth Tragedie, bringing in the Nurse, that disswadeth Phedra from her euill pretence that she had to play the Whoore with her sonne in lawe, maketh

her to saie thus, O woorthie and moste renowmed Ladie, descended of the woor∣thie Stocke of Iupiter, and wife vnto Theseus, banishe speedely from thy no∣ble and chaste brest this moste hainous and shamefull imagination, quenche quickly the raging flames of this vnnatural desire, make not thy minde to be the woorker of so wicked and Diuelishe a deuise: whoso∣euer resisteth this franticke and fond affec∣tion of loue, the same may be well assured that hee shall conquere and ouercome it: But he that nourisheth the sweete poyson, that is, the wicked thought, and delighteth in it, it is very harde for suche an one to re∣fuse the yoke, to which they haue once sub∣mitted their necke. And this is it that the Prouerbe heere saith, That wee ought not onlie to flee from doeing of euill: But also from thinking of euill, for of euil thoughtes, there neuer springeth, as is said, good seede.

43

A goodly ornament to man, I doe account the wife,

Where as shee is obedient, To reason all her life. In marriage looke thou be not led, By fancy or opinion: But in thy choyse beeware and wise, With heede and great discretion.

The Paraphrase.

SOlomon sayth in his Prouerbes, that the man that hapneth vppon a good wife, is blessed of the Lorde, and the tale of his yeeres shalbe doubled, that is, he shall liue twise so long as he should haue doone. And in an other place, hee saith, That no better lot can happen to a man, then a good wife. And this is it that the Pro∣uerbe saith, That the wife is an ornament to her husbande, when shee will be ruled by reason. In what sort this obedience ought to be, the Apostle teacheth, saying, Let the husband be the head of the woman, and as the head hath the preheminence and principalitie ouer all the rest of the mem∣bers, so ought the husbande to haue ouer his wife, who as Aristotle in his Oeco∣nomikes doeth say, ought not to be vsed

of her husbande like a Slaue, but as his companion, and his felowe: And the hus∣bande according to the doctrine of the A∣postle, Is bounde to vse her wel, and to loue her, and shee to honour and feare him. Feare (as Aristotle in the boke aboue mentioned saith) is of two kindes. The one is called a seruile feare, the other a sonnely feare. The seruile is that, which is hadde for feare of punishment, and not for any loue: and this is the feare that the Slaue hath of his maister, who as hee serueth against his owne will and by force, hee doeth it more for feare, then for loue. The Sonnely feare, is a meddlie of feare and loue togeather: And this is the feare that the sonne hath of his father, and that the wife ought to haue of her husband, for if the wife feare her husband, and doeth what soeuer he commaundeth her, she ought not to doo it for feare of any punishment that shee shoulde haue yf shee did it not, but for feare of displeasing & offending her hus∣band, and to the end her husband should thinke well of her, in seeing her willing∣nesse in doeing whatsoeuer he cōmaundeth her. And this is the meaning of y^e prouerbe

A godly ornament to man, I do accompt the wife, where as she is obedient to rea∣son all her life. That is, when she shall loue and reuerence her husband, and while shee keepe her selfe honest and chaste, looking carefully to such thinges as bee aboute the house, as Aristotle at large discourseth in his said booke of Oeconomykes, and Solo∣mon in the ende of his Prouerbes, whither because I would be short, I referre the rea∣der. The Prouerbe sayth further, That in mariage a man ought not to followe his fansie.* 1.2 Wherein there are two things to be vnderstoode. The first, that he take a wife of a good & vertuous kindred, according as a Philosopher once answered, whē it was as∣ked of him, what maner of wife were best to be chosen. Marie, quoth he, such a one whose mother & grandmother thou knewest to be honest & chast: for as the parents haue been, such will cōmonly the daughter be. So like∣wise in marying, a man ought to choose a wife of like degree & state to him self, & such a one as is answerable to his yeeres, accor∣ding to the olde Prouerbe, Like good, like blood, like age, maketh a good mariage. And as Ouid sayeth, The Oxen that are

vnequally matched, will neuer draw well together. And therfore the Prouerbe saith, Choose thy wife with heed, and great dis∣cretion.

44.

For such as seeke a wife for goodes, and do not greatly way Her vertues, nor her honestie, do seeke their owne decay. A harme it is that hath no helpe, such mariage for to make, Wherefore, my sonne, let neuer such a fault thee ouertake.

The Paraphrase.

IT is generally agreed vpon amongst the Philosophers, that good is deuided into two kindes, the one of them profitable and commodious, the other honest. And where profite on the one side, and honestie on the other side meeteth, we ought alwaies to pre∣ferre honestie before profite. And as their o∣pinion is, the vertues are cōteined vnder the kind of honest goodes, and worldly goodes, vnder the kinde of profitable goods. And he that refuseth a vertuous wife for her want

of worldly wealth, and taketh a wife for ri∣ches, not regarding her vertues, trespasseth against reason, and seeketh his owne disqui∣etnesse and harme; that will neuer be reco∣uered. For the goodes that hee hath, shall quickly be consumed, & he shall be plagued at home with a froward foole. For as the wise man in his Prouerbs saith, A wise and a vertuous wife, raiseth and setteth vp the house, but a foolish woman bringeth it to ruine: for shee will waste and consume the goods that she brought with her, and what∣soeuer her husbande besides by his traualle getteth: neither is it good to take a wife of greater parētage then he himself is, but on∣ly to regard, that she be vertuous, and equal in degree to himselfe. For as it is written in the Chronicle of the Philosophers, Cleo∣bolus one of the seuen wise men of Athens, did euer say, that the wife ought to bee of no greater blood than her husbande. For if thou takest a wife of hier degree then thy selfe, thou shalt alwayes bee sure to haue thy wiues kindred to bee as Lordes ouer thee. And therefore the Prouerbe sayeth, My sonne, beware thou neuer commit such a follie.

45.

The beautie and the fauour sweete of women could I praise, If them I found accompanied with wisedome anie wayes. But verie hardly or by happe, they agree togither right, And many times they are the markes of persons that be light.

The Paraphrase.

MOst certain it is, that the more good things do meete together, the bet∣ter it is. As to haue a wife that is honest, beautifull, and wise, is farre better then to haue one that is honest, and neither wise nor well fauoured. But because they seldome happen togither, nor are not farre distant from loosenesse, you shall verie hardly see a verie faire woman to be verie wise, and as Ouid saith, hautinesse, and disdaine, is na∣turally incident to faire women. Pride is alwayes the cōpanion of beautie. And here∣in is verified that which the Poets in their fables haue written, and also Seneca in his seuenth booke declareth, that the Goddesse

Venus the better to hide her whordome, en∣closed herselfe and her mate within a verie darke house, and yet not so close, but the iea∣lous Sunne was peping in with his bright beames at the small cranies & holes, where he discouered all. Whereat the good Ladie taking greate displeasure with the Sunne, because he had so vncurteously handled her, laide her heauie cursse vppon him, causing that all the womankinde that were discen∣ded from the Sunne, should be as good as euer twigged. Now of the linage and kin∣red of the Sunne, are all welfauoured and beautifull Dames, and therefore, because you shall hardly find a faire woman, that is not foolish and dishonest, it is said, that the curse of Venus did light vpon them. And this is the signification of this tale. And Solomon saieth in his Prouerbes, That beautie in a woman without wisedome, is like vnto a ring of golde in the snoute of a sowe. And this is it, That beautie and wisedome seldome meete, nor are farre distant from lightnesse.

46.

Yet here withall I do not count the kinde of women all,

To be vnprofitable, or of vse or value small: For why, I know they haue been praisd of diuerse worthily, And that their vertues haue been pende in manie an hystorie.

The Paraphrase.

PYthagoras, and his followers, were of opinion, that there were two chiefe heades, the one the authour of all goodnesse, the other the authour of euill. And vnto these two they referred al things y^t were wrought in the worlde, and sayd, that of the God of goodnesse, proceeded and came the light, and all things that were good and perfect: of which number they accounted Man. Of the God of euill, sprang darknesse, and all vnperfect things: amongst which they rec∣kened the woman. And in verie deede, ha∣uing respect to man, the woman is an vn∣perfect creature, although not so vnperfect▪ but by teaching shee may bee brought to some perfection, and to be profitable in her kind. For as Aristot. saith in his Oecono∣mikes, and they be also the wordes of saint

Isidore, that to bring things to a perfecti∣on, it behoueth to haue the man, the wo∣man, & the oxe that ploweth. And in the name of the woorking oxe, hee includeth all maner of Instrumentes that are necessarie about an house. And further, he sayth, that it proceeded of the great wisedome and dis∣cretion of nature, that man was made of more perfection then the woman, because he was to commaund, and she to obey, and that man was of more actiuitie and abilitie then the womā, because his office was to trauail in matters abroad, & without doores, & hers only to sit at home, and to keepe that which is brought in. And therefore the Prouerbe saieth, that the woman is not vnprofitable, nor vnperfect. Neither ought we to thinke, that because some women haue been to blame, therefore they are all to be condem∣ned. For as the nurse sayth to Hippolytus, as Seneca in his fourth Tragedie sheweth, where Hippolitus saith, that if there had ne∣uer been other euill woman but Medea, the wife of Aegeus, her onely villanies were sufficient to cause all other women to be ab∣horred. Wherto the nurse answereth, that it were greatly against reason, that the offence

of one or two should be the blame of all the rest: And therefore sayeth the Prouerbe, that notwithstanding the faultes of a fewe, the vertues of women haue been highly commended and set out with the pen.

47.

For, setting here aside that sweete and blessed worthie rose, That ouer all the rest doth shine, and farre beyonde them goes: The daughter of the thundring God, and spouse vnto the hiest, The light and lampe of women all, who bare our sauiour Christ:

48.

Manie Ladies of renowne and beautifull there bee, That are both chast and vertuous, and famous for degree. Amongst the blessed holy saintes, full many a one we find, That in this cōpasse may be brought, for liues that brightly shinde.

49.

What should I of Saint Katheren that blessed martyr tell: Among the rest of Virgins all, a flowre of preecious smell? Well worthy of remembrance is her beawty, and her youth: And eke no lesse deserueth praise her knowledge in the trueth.

The Marques.

SAint Katherin was a virgin, and a holy Martyr, and among the whole company of Saintes of speciall commendation, tou∣ching whose life and death, beeing a thing so commonly knowne, I refer the Reader to the booke called The Flower of Saints.

50.

We finde that Hester wanted nei∣ther beawtie great, nor grace: Whose noble minde was ioyned with the fauour of her face. Of Iudith likewise doe we reade, the bewtie great to bee:

And how she vertuously behaude her selfe in eche degree.

The Paraphrase of the Mar∣ques.

HEster the Queene, was the wife of King Assuerus, of whom it shall not bee needefull to speake much, considering that in the Paraphrase to the prouerbe of Assuerus, in the beginning of the Booke, there hath been enough saide. It is suffici∣ent to knowe that she was a holy woman, and a deuout seruaunte of God, as appea∣red by her vertuous life, and by the earnest Prayers that shee made vnto God, in the case of Hamon and Mardocheus. Iu∣dith (as her Booke testifieth, which is one of the 24 bookes of the Bible) was repu∣ted among the Iewes, for a woman of sin∣gular wisdom, and of great honestie in life: who slewe the great Holofernes, that be∣ing sent by the King Nabuchodonosor with a great and puisant Campe, had be∣sieged the Citie of Ierusalem, as her Booke at large declareth, where it also ap∣peareth by what great policicie (after shee

had slaine him) shee conueyed his hed, pas∣sing thorowe the watch of the Camp, to the aforesaid Citie. This only fact (renowmed Prince) strake such a feare and terrour to the harts of the enemies, as they speedily and without order, to their great losse, brake vppe their siege. So as shee is great∣ly commended in the Scripture, for her beautie, and for her noble and valiant sto∣macke.

51.

The famous worthy women, that among the heathen warre, No reason that of good reporte among the rest we barre. For why? their valure and renoume was woundrous in their dayes: And therefore not to be depriude of due deserued praise.

52.

In Athens and in Thebes too wer Ladyes great of fame. The Troians, Sabynes, Greeks & Arge had many a worthy dame.

The Laurentines, the Amasons may triumph for the same. And Rome of vertuous women can, remember many a name.

53.

No fairer creatures coulde be seene, then Vagnes and Diana: Daphnes, Dido, Anna, and the vertuous Lucretia. Nor vnrembred let wee passe Virginia, the same Whose passing chastitie procurde her euerlasting fame.

The Paraphrase.

VAgnes as Statius in his Booke of the Warres betwixt the Thebanes and the Argians reporteth, was the cheefe among the Argian Ladies, that went alto∣gether to King Creon with humble petiti∣on, for the deliuery of the dead bodyes of their husbandes and kinsemen, that were slaine at the battaile of Thebes, fighting against Ethiocles the Sonne of Oedip∣pus, and nephew to King Layus, who was

of the linage and stock of Cadmus: Who hauing receiued a flat denyal, went altogi∣ther to Theseus, that then was Duke of Athens, declaring vnto him with great ex∣clamation, the great crueltie and extremi∣tie that was showed vnto them. Theseus who was then newly come from the warres of the Amasons (as Iohn Boccace the poet of Florence, in his Booke of Theseus, at large discribeth) vowed, that before he en∣tred the Citie, he would go out of hand with his whole forces against Creon, requiring him yet before by his Embassadours, to graunt vnto the poore Ladyes, this their so iust and reasonable request: which when he disdainfully refused to doe, hee made warres vpon him, and slew him, wherby the gentlemen of Argos, by the industrie and diligence of the vertuous Vagnes, came in the ende to bee honourably buryed. At the ende of this battaile, wherin Creon was slaine by the handes of Theseus, beginneth the story of Arcyt and Palemon, the ser∣uants and great louers of Emilia the sister of Hypolitus, which because of the tedious∣nes, and that the matter maketh nothing to our purpose, I heere passe ouer. Diana was

counted the goddesse of Chastitie, a Lady that set all her delight vpon the feeld in the chase and hunting of wilde beastes. Lucre∣tia and other the famous Ladies of Rome, are sufficiently mencioned, as wel by Lyuy, and Valerius in their storyes, as by Saint August. a man of more credit, in his Boke Of the Citie of God, and Iohn Boccace in the fall of Princes, and commendation of woorthy women, where it is shewed how she, beeing the wife of Collatinus, was violently forced by Sextus Tarquini∣us, wherevpon with a knife, or a swoord, shee slewe her selfe, saying, I free my selfe from the faulte, but not from punishement: which I heere but briefely touch, because I haue writen thereof before in the story of Sextus Tarquinius. Daphnis was daughter to Peneus, a Virgin, dedicated to Diana the Lady of Chastitie, who as O∣uid writeth, beeing greatly desired of Phe∣bus, and not consenting nor able to with∣stande the force of her furious louer, com∣mending her selfe to all the gods, but spe∣cially to Diana whom shee serued, was (as the Poets faine) transformed into the Laurell, a tree of continuall greenenesse,

sweete of sauour, and of a delectable sha∣dowe. The morall whereof beeing decla∣red by diuers Authors, as Fryer Thomas of Capua in his Moralls vpon the Me∣tamorphosis, Iohn Boccace, in his Genea∣logie of the heathen gods, and Maister Iohn the Englishman, commenting vppon the same Booke, I heere leaue to declare, as a thing to long to entreate off. It may suffice that shee was counted among the heathen for a mayden of singular beawtie. Anna was mother to the Virgin Mary, and wife to Ioachim, a woman of great sanctitie and vertuousnesse of life. An other of the same name was sister to Queene Dido, a wo∣man of great commendation among the heathen, both of them as wel she of the He∣brues as the Heathen, were worthy to be had in continual memory. Dido as appea∣reth by her true story, was the daughter of King Belus, sister to Pigmalion, & wife of Sichaeus, who after the death of her husband made a vowe neuer to marry againe, & for∣sooke the countrie where her husband was murdered, by the meanes of her traiterous brother Pigmalion, & comming into Affri∣ca, founded the stately Citie of Carthage.

Where while shee purposed to liue a sole and a chaste life, beeing required in marri∣age by the King Hiarbas, and vtterly refu∣sing, she was by the saide Hiarbas strongly besieged, and brought to so hard a poynt, that seeing no other way to escape, and to preserue her chastitie, chosing rather to die then to liue thus violated, threw her self, in∣to a great flame of fire, & so ended her daies. This story although Virgill doe otherwise declare, yet is he not, considering the liber∣ty of a Poet, greatly to be blamed. Virginea with what earnestnesse she was required by Appius Claudius, to consēt to his dishonest and vnlawfull lust, is sufficiently declared by Liuie in his second Decade, and likewise by Iohn Boccace in his Booke Of the fall of Princes, where it is at large declared, with howe great constancy the chaste may∣den preserued her virginitie.

54.

Prefer a life with libertie, aboue all other things: A vertue great it is, and wor∣thy of the paines it bringes.

A shamefull great reproch it is, without it for to flye: An honourable thing it is for such a good to dye,

The Paraphrase.

THe auncient Philosophers were of o∣pinion, that all the Vertues were to be reduced into the number of foure, which they named Cardinall or principall ver∣tues, whereof they accounted to bee chiefe Fortitude or manhood, which as Aristotle in the thirde of his Ethicks testifieth, is so much the more excellent and praiseworthy, as the subiect and matter wherwith it dea∣let, his dreadful and difficult: for manhood hath for his obiect or contrary, Death, which is, as Aristotle saith, the last of all dreadfull and terrible thinges, beside the great dangers, and sharp and cruell aduen∣tures: So as by reason of the difficultie or hardnesse of the obiect, there are but few that happen to attaine to this vertue. And as it is written in the Ciuil lawe, those that lose their liues for the libertie of their coun∣trey, are counted to liue for euer: for muche

better is it for a man to dye freely in fight, for the libertie of his Countrie, then esca∣ping to liue with a shamefull and cowardly flight. And as the Prouerb heere saith, and they be the very words in effect of Aristo∣tle in the 3. of the Ethicks, The death that is honourable, is to be preferred before a di∣shonourable life, which the Marques doth plainly set foorth by examples following.

55.

Oh, what a death had Cato dyed if it had lawfull beene: And had not by the iust decrees of God beene made a sinne. No lesse doe I the worthy fact of Mucius heere commend: That Lyuie in his story hath so eloquently pende.

The Paraphrase.

AFter that Pompey was ouerthrowen by Caesar at the battail of Pharsalia, & had retired him selfe to Lesbos, where his wife Cornelia lay, & passing from thence to Aegypt, was slaine by y^e hands of Photinus

and Achillas, at the cōmaundement of king Ptolomei, who was at that time his ser∣uant. Cato, who saw that the side of Pompey went in such sort to wrack, as was not by a∣ny meanes to be recouered, fled vnto the ci∣tie of Vtica: where, fearing by some misad∣uenture to fall into the handes of Caesar his mortall enemie, he presently dispatthed him selfe. Mucius Sceuola was a man of great courage among the Romanes, who when Porsenna the King had with a great pow∣er besieged the Citie, determined with a noble minde to raise the siege: and to bring his matter to better effect, went secretly a∣lone out of the Citie, with full intent to kill the Kinge, and happening to spye in the Campe, a Secretary of the Kings appare∣led in Princely roabes, supposing that it was the King, thrust him thorowe the bo∣dy with his swoorde, wherevpon beeing presently taken by the Guarde, and such as stoode by, hee was shackeled and brought before the King, who demaunding of him what foolishe presumption had brought him to this misery? he aunswered, that not onely hee, but diverse others, to the number of an hundred more, had professed

by solemne othe, for the deliuerance of the Citie, to doe their vttermost indeuour in killing of the king: Whervpon Porsenna, giuing credite to the words of Mucius Sceuola, presently raysed his siege, com∣maunding that Sceuola should foorthwith be burned: who when hee was brought vnto the fire, thrusting out his hand with a vali∣ant courage into the flame, there held it, til such time, as the whitenes of the bones, the flesh beeing scorched away, appeared, and when he was asked, what made him to vse such crueltie to his owne fleshe: he aunswe∣red, that since his hand had failed of his ver∣tuous purpose, it was good reason, that it should suffer such punishment for so greate an offence.

56.

For (sonne) if thou do much esteeme thy selfe, and seekst to liue, Thou neuer shalt receiue the crowne, that mightie Mars doth giue: But if thou doost abandon all faint hart and foolish feare: Thou shalt not want the honour, nor the state thou seekest to beare.

The Paraphrase.

ACcording to the true opinion of both the Astronomers and the Catholike diuines, we are not in such sort constrained by the starres to doe any thing, as we bee thereby depriued of our owne will, to doe of necessitie that which they foreshowe, but by inclining vs to doe certaine actions, they moue al our bodyly forces to do such things as they signifie. Which doth not so farre inforce vs, but that as Ptolomy saith in his Centiloquium, A wise and a vertuous man, may rule & reigne ouer the starres. That is, though the starres doe stirre and moue a man to doe euill, yet the partie him selfe hath sufficient power, if he will, to doe wel. But the olde people, beeing ignorant of this vertue, and seeing the Planet Mars did mooue men to be venterers and souldi∣ers, held opinion, that he was the onely god of battailes, and that hee aduaunced and re∣warded all such as were valiant and vente∣rous: which olde maner of speaking, is here by the Marques at this time followed. And most certaine it is, that such as make much of them selues, doe shunne as much as they

may, the comming into any perill or daun∣ger. Of which sort of people Seneca in his first tragidie speaketh, where he saith, That great yeeres and gray heares, happeneth to faintharted, and such as loue to sleepe in a whole skin. For such manner of per∣sons will be sure to commit themselues to no hasard nor danger, wherby they are vn∣capable of any vertue or honor. For Honor as Aristotle in the fourth of his Ethicks saith, is a reuerence, that is giuen to men in rewarde and recompence of their ver∣tues. And therefore the Marques saith, That whosoeuer is so valiant, as not to regarde his life in any vertuous attempt, shal be sure to receiue the crowne of Mars: that is, the renowme & rewarde of a vertuous minde, which he shall quickly attaine vnto if he represse feare. And where as there are in the vertue of Fortitude two extreames or vices, the one in ventering to farre, the other in fearing to much: the Marques hath not here said, If thou restrainest bold∣nesse, as hee sayeth, If thou abandonest feare: because as Aristotle in the thirde of his Ethicks affirmeth, and as dayly ex∣perience

teacheth, the nature of man is more inclined to fearfulnesse then to bolde∣nesse, and therefore those that seeke to bee valiaunt and vertuous, ought more to trauel in the repressing and abandoning of feare, then in the restraint or temperaunce of boldenesse. And therefore to good purpose sayeth the Marques in this Prouerbe, If thou abandonest or forcest feare, and not corrage, and because as it is sayde abooue, it is in euery mans power and will to bee vertuous, it is heere well saide of the Pro∣uerb, Thou shalt not want the honour, nor the state thou seekest to beare.

57.

Detest an euill life, thats led with foule reproch and shame: And alwayes ready be to dye, with honorable name. For life cannot be lent for loane, nor let from day to day: Nor can the appoynted houre bee shund nor skaped any way.

The Paraphrase.

THE Emperours did in their lawes carefully prouide for the behoofe and good estate of their Subiectes, to sette downe rewardes and encouragements, for such as were honest and vertuous, and to de∣uise punishments and corrections, for suche as were wicked and euill disposed. And it is very wel thought, as hath been saide be∣fore, that such as valiantly lost their liues, either in defence of their faith, or for the li∣bertie of their countrie, are rewarded with euerlasting life: or if any man dye in the defence of his owne honesty, he shall conti∣nually be well thought of, and commended. But such as cowardly forsake the feelde, and run away from the warres, the lawes haue appointed to dye, and are accounted for wretches and villaines, whether they dye or liue, and their shameful and reproch∣full life, is more griefe to them then any death that can bee deuised, especially an honest death, & this is the meaning of the Prouerbe, Detest an euill life &c. For as Aristotle in the 3. of his Ethicks saith, A man is borne to honor & libertie, which two things, we ought alwaies to keepe and

maintaine, and to couet by all meanes we can, to diehonestly, & to liue vertuously. The Prouerb saith further, that life can not be borrowed. For as Iob sayeth, The Lord hath rated the dayes of our life, which can not bee lengthened: And therefore no man may shunne the appointed houre that God hath determined. And herevpon ariseth the tale among the Poets, of the three sisters of destinie, whereof the one of them called Clotho, carieth the distaffe, the other named Lachesis, spinneth, and draw∣eth out the threede, which the thirde sister, Atropos, windeth vppe vpon the reele. And as Seneca in his first Tragedie sayth, These three sisters are so cruell and hard, that it was neuer seene, that the threede which they had once wounde vppe, could euer bee got backe againe. These sisters of the De∣stinie doe signifie in deede the posting time of our transitorie life, whereof the day once past, can neuer be called backe againe. And therefore sayeth Seneca, these three vnlibe∣rall Ladies doe rule by assured order, and may neither shorten nor lengthē, otherwise then is appointed. Therefore ought euerie man to applie himselfe to die well, since the

time of his death can by no maner of meanes be altered.

58.

King Codrus rather chose to haue the conquest then to liue, And neuer did his noble minde refuse his life to giue, To saue a valiant companie of such as him did serue, The life is alwayes well bestowed that doth such praise deserue.

The Paraphrase.

COdrus beeing (as both saint Austine & Valerius report) the king of Athens, when as he was to fight with Pelops duke of the Lacedemonians, and had answere of his Idols, to whom he sacrificed, that the side whose captaine was slaine should haue the victorie, preferrin, glike a worthie gen∣tleman, the liues & prosperitie of his poore subiects farre aboue his owne, apparailing himselfe in a base and simple habite, and ru∣shing into the thickest of the enemies, was presently slaine. Of whom Virgil writeth,

that he chose rather to die with the victorie, then to liue with the ouerthrow.

59.

Take no delight to heare thy deedes commended to thy face, A thing that wisedome alwayes hath accounted for disgrace, And if thou doest reprochfull wordes of anie man sustaine, It is no commendation, to to report the same againe.

The Paraphrase.

VNder the vertue of Fortitude is takē and included all maner of vertuous and godly actions, that are done without re∣spect of praise. For a man ought not to look for the praise of the people, as a recōpence for his good deed, and specially if it be done in his owne presence, which for two causes is to be disliked. The one, because that glo∣rie nor praise is no perfect recompence or rewarde for anie vertue: For as Boe∣cius sayeth, Praise or glory is nought else amongest the multitude, but a tickeling and bewitching of the eares. The other

reason is, that praises and commendations before the face, doth rather seeme a kinde of flattering and clawing, then a praise. The Prouerbe saith further, That if thou doest reprochfull wordes of any man sustaine, It is no cōmendation, to report the same againe. The meaning of it is, that no man that is of great minde or courage, ought to speake of the iniurious and euill words that hath been offered him, but shall rather bee counted both wiser and valianter, if he dis∣semble them, and seeme not to wey them, as it is writtē in the third booke Of the liues of the Philosophers: where a Philosopher be∣ing railed at, and reuiled, made this answer, Thou, quoth he, hast learned to speake e∣uill, and I haue learned, to make no ac∣compt of lewd speech. And more is he to be commended, that beareth euill wordes, then he that offreth them.

60.

Likewise the praising of thy selfe, thine actes and speciall grace, Doth neuer thee aduaunce, but all thy doings doth deface. For if the deedes that here thou dost, be onely done for praise,

An errour great thou dost commit, and walkst the croked wayes.

The Paraphrase.

SOlomon is his Prouerbes sayth, Let a stranger cōmend thee, and not thine owne mouth. And Cato saieth, Neither praise nor dispraise thine owne doings: for thy praise in thine owne mouth is a great disgrace vnto thee. And those that praise themselues, because as Tullie sayth, it seemeth to proceede of pride, doe thereby bring themselues into hatred and euill will. So as if any man shall set soorth his owne doings, to the ende to bee commended & ho∣noured, and shall thereby be reputed to bee a man of great vanitie and folly, his errour as the Prouerb saith, shal appeare to be great.

61.

Such things as wonderfull do seeme, but seld or neuer tell, For all men haue not heades alike, To iudge thy credite well. And many wordes to vse doth shew, no great perfection, Tis better for to shew thy deedes, and let thy tongue alone.

The Paraphrase.

THe chaunces that are wonderfull, are those that doe seldome happen, which though a man hath seene with his own eies, yet will not the common people (who neuer beleeue more then is subiect to their grosse senses) giue credite to him that shall report them, but shall bee counted a liar and vaine prater for telling of them. And therefore if a man be not driuen by necessitie to tell it, it is much better for him to keepe his tongue. For as Isocrates sayeth, I haue manie time repented for woordes that I haue spo∣ken, but for keeping silence, neuer. And eue∣rie mans perfection doeth rather stande in the proofe of his workes, then in his words, according as Saint Luke writeth in the beginning of the Actes of the Apostles, touching our Sauiour, where he sayeth, that our Lorde Iesus Christ beganne to do and to teach: where he placeth his workes before his woordes, which is the meaning of the Prouerbe, And manie woordes to vse doeth shewe no great perfection, tis better, &c.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gluttonie pro∣uoketh Leche∣rie.
• * 1.2

  The choise of a wife.