Opinion diefied [sic]. Discouering the ingins, traps, and traynes, that are set in this age, whereby to catch opinon. Neither florished with art, nor smoothed with flatterie. By B.R. Gentleman, seruant to the Kings most excellent Maiestie.

The inconstant Opinion of the vulgare. Chap XXIIII.

AS the sea, which of it owne nature is calme and quiet, yet by the winde it is raised vp into huge billowes, so the vulgare people, though of themselues seeming ne∣uer so tractable, yet by the breath of opinion, they are present∣ly stirred vp into violent tempestes, and therefore they that haue in them more foolish boldnes, then aduised counsaile shall worke them to any thing.

As popular loue is light, so their opinions are as variable, and therefore Diogenes seeyng the people to throng out at a Church doore, pressed as fast against them to get in, and being asked what he ment, answered, That it was the part of wise men, to be still oposite to the multitude.

Where the small sparke of vnderstanding (which is vsually the portion of the vulgare) is dimmed & obscured with the misty cloud of foolish opinion, what is to be hoped for in the shallow ignorance of so wauering and vnstedy a multitude,

which can but iudge of matters, with a sensitiue apprehēsion

There is no contending against them, amongst whom o∣pinion is of such force, as Reason is of no force against them.

How vncertaine then is that worldly honour that han∣geth on the brittle balance of the wauering Opinion of the common people.

Take an example, see what mutabilitie, to day Caesar renou¦ned in the senat: accounted a pater patriae, the father & defen∣der of his country, no small time Emperour, beloued by Bru∣tus, saluted by Cicero, now Caesar a Tyrant, slaine by the Senat, Hostis patriae, bereft of his Dyademe, no pater, but predator, go∣red by his friends with their owne kniues, detected and in∣famed by the vnkind Brutus, exclaimed & rayled on by the declaiminge Cicero; see here the mutabilitie of opinion in the vulgare.