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BUt nowe wyll I assay to shewe what happeneth often to these mon∣struous fathers, that whan they haue lewdely and vnhappylye no∣ryshed and brought vp their chyl∣dren,
whan they be at mans stute, they despisinge all holsome doctrine & vertuous ordre of liuing, do fall heedlynge into inordinate pleasures, and into seruile and abhomynable voluptuosities & vices. Than the fathers sore repente them, that they haue in suche wyse brought them vp. And whan they do perceyue in them no commoditie: than for their mischiefe and vnhappynes, the pa∣r••ntis be continually in theyr myndes tourmen∣ted. Semblablye some take to them flatterers, scoffers / and raylers, vyle and vngratious par∣sons, peryllous subuertours of youthe: Other mainteyne proude and sumptuous queynes and harlottes: some passe all the holle dayes in deli∣cate feastes and bankettes / other, as it w••re in a w••ccke, be drowned at dyse, and in riottous com∣panye. There be also, whiche gyuynge them sel∣fes to the foly of youth, do embrace lecherye, ad∣uoutrye, and other lyke abhomynations, and onely make deth the ende of pleasure. whiche if they had alway ben in the company of any wyse man, doutles they shulde neuer haue sette their myndes to suche foly, but rather haue lerned the precept o•• Diogenes the philosopher / who in his say••nge, wysely and by an experience truely ex∣horted in this wise: Be bolde to entre into an har¦lottes house / that thou mayste lerne there, howe litell or no cōmodite is in the estimation of thin∣ges vyle or vicious. Nowe to speake in fewe wordes / wherein I shall seme rather to dyuyne than to admoneste and exhorte, The fyrste, myd∣dell,
and laste poynte of this matter is, that the sure and honest rule of liuynge is lernynge. And that is the thyng, whiche soonest helpeth a man to vertue: All other thynges temporall be but tryfils, and not of suche value, that there in we oughte to spende any studye. Doubtles nobilite or gentylnes of bloud is a goodlye thynge: and ryches is a thynge precious and delectable: but the gyftes of Fortune be suche, that as we may se by experience, she gyueth them, where they be not loked fore: and those whiche alredy haue them, she dispoyleth. More ouer great substance is a token or pray to allure seruauntes and other parsones ylle disposed / to wayte a man with dis∣pleasure, and to enserche his cofers and baggis. And finally they be redy for euery lewde person, that may happe to take them. Honoure is plea∣saunt, but it is vnstable and nothynge constaunt. Beautie is a thynge excellente, and for the attay∣nynge therof, moche debate hath ensurged: but yet it is transitorie, and dureth but a season. Bo∣dilye helthe is a treasure, but that is also muta∣ble. Strengthe is moche desyred, and is taken for a parte of felicitie: yet notwithstandynge hit soone fadeth, with age or sykenesse. And he that auaunteth hym selfe in myght of body and lym∣mes, is in a false opinion. For howe small a por∣cion of strength is in man, in comparison of bea∣stis: I meane elephauntes, bulles, and lyons? Therfore truely the thynge that in vs is diuyne and immortall is lernynge. Generally two spe∣ciall
thynges be in the nature of manne / whiche be good, that is to saye, knowlege and reasone. Knowlege commaundeth, reasone dothe obeye. As for knowlege no violence of Fortune maye take awaye / no vexation maye withdrawe, nor sickenes may corrupt / nor age by any meane may endomage. Onely knowlege perisshed with age eftsones reuiueth. And where all other thynges by longe contynuance decaye, onely counnynge with the yeres encreseth and multiplieth. warre lyke a raginge floode, draweth and carieth away all thynges with hym, onely lernynge, for that he may not stere it, he leaueth vntouched. wher∣fore Stilpo the philosopher, as me semeth, made answere necessarye to be remembred. For whan kynge Demetrius had taken the citie of Mega∣rie, where Stilpo dwelled, and abated hit in to the erthe: he demaunded of Stilpo, if he hadde loste any of his goodes by the assault? No sayd Stilpo, warres maye neuer take any spoyle of vertue. Accordynge hit semeth that Socrates answered. For whan Gorgias the Rhetorician (as I remembre me) demaunded of hym, if he thoughte the kynge of Perse to be happye: I knowe nat sayd he, howe moche he hath of ver∣tue and lernynge. As who saythe, in those thyn∣ges standeth happynesse, and not in the treasure and gyftes of Fortune.