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NOw are we to speake of Fortitude whose prayses are no fewer then those ascrybed vnto Prudence and Tem¦perance. And that deseruedly,* 1.1 for (as Tully Prince of Eloquence dooth say) there is no vertue, but either Swoord, strength, or threates will weaken
the same, but to banquish affections, to re¦sist anger, is only the parte of a moste va¦liāt man, which thing{is} who soeuer dooth: he may not onely be compared with the moste excellent and famous men, but ought to be made of as a God. And ther∣fore no meruail though ye Romains flou∣rishing by this onely vertue, ascribed the name of vertue vnto fortitude, sith with out the same are all other as it were lāe and imperfect, without their limmes.
And therefore more commendations, glory, and triumphing hath been ascry∣bed vnto those indued with this vertue, then any of the others. But why doo I make comparison? who for Temperāce? who for chaste modest abstinence,* 1.2 honest and sober life was euer out of the com∣mon treasure house of any cōmon wele rewarded? Iustice and innocent, vertu∣ous,* 1.3 godly, loouing & faithful harted men where be they preferred or greatly made of?* 1.4 Prudente and wise, circumspect, héed¦ful, wily and craftye men are made of, who can deny? But in such sorte, as for Fortitude,* 1.5 bolde, patient, constant, stout harted, and valiant defenders of their contrie, who wil affirme? Of one or two or a few, whiche for other vertues haue
béen wel thought of and preferred, men∣tion may be made: but none can tel me of an vniuersall reioysing of an whole Contrie for any of th'others at any time: but for this valiant man euery man re∣ioyseth, his sight is grateful to euery mā, and all men delight in him. Héereof it came that tokens of Nobilitie were gi∣uen to those kinde of men in times past: as may witnes their bracelets, chaines,* 1.6 Pictures, armes and triumphs, appoin∣ted them in token of honor, and now the goodly orders and lawes which generall Captains haue, to prefer to the order of Knighthood any stoute and noble harted man. In olde time, to euery couragi∣ous fellowe, was giuen a péece of a vine in to•••• of his prowes, also noble wariers for their valiancy had bowes giuen thē in token of honor. The ancient Greciās to preserue the memory of those whiche had by valyantnes profited their Coun∣trie, did erect certain greate Pillers, in which was grauen the names of such as had showed thē selues noble harted and faithful defenders of their Contrie. As were those Pillers erected at Thermo∣pylas in the honor of Leonidas,* 1.7 whiche with a few Lacedemonians, and a small
crew of the Locresians, did withstand a number almoste infinit of the Persians; so long as he and all his Souldiers were bereft of life, whose names togither with Leomidas, were grauen in marble pillers to be séene of all posterities. It were a long and a very great laboure to recite the triumphes in number many, in sight straunge, for cost sumptuous, ap∣pointed to valiant and victorious Cap∣tains. Nay some haue stood in such admi∣ration of them, that they haue thought them worthy not only suche honor as we haue recited, but also immortalitie. And therfore the Athenians,* 1.8 Castor and Pol∣lux, Thebans, Hercules, Indians, Bac∣chus, only for their noble hart{is} and stout courage are numbred among the Gods, and so called them: and also did appoint alters, and sacryficed vnto them euen as if they had been borne of immortall séed because they shewed them selues vigilāt in seeing to them selues,* 1.9 valiant in de∣fence of their Contries, victorious in sub∣duing their foes and vertuous in al their dooings. But we hauing somwhat offen∣ded in praysing a thing before we expre∣ssed by definitiō what it was: I wil now define what is Fortitude. Many are the
definitions. Socrates said it was a knew∣ledge instructing a man how with com∣mendation, to aduenture daungerous, troublesome, and fearful things, and in the taking of them in hand to be nothing terrified. Chrisippus gaue two definiti∣ons therof, and said that Fortitude was either a science teaching how to suffer things: or it was a vertue of the minde, obeying vnto reason without all fear, ei∣ther in patiēt bering, or aduēturing any thing. The Platonists define it in this maner, and say that Fortitude is a kée∣ping of a stable iudgement in repelling those things which séeme fearfull and ter¦rible in mens eyes.* 1.10 Aristotle in a cer∣tain place, calleth it a meane betwéene feare and holdenes, and therfore he say∣eth it may séeme to be a knowledge of dreadful things, whiche may terrifie a man without this knowledge. In a no∣ther place he calles it a vertue by which many and meruailous things are doone, not rashly without discretion, but accor∣ding to lawes, & as far foorth as they will permit.* 1.11 Cicero defines Fortitude to be an affection of the minde in labours, troubles, and torments, frée from feare at all times.
All which definitions wil nothing els, but that Fortitude shalbe a vertue of the minde, aduēturing nothing rashly with out consideration, neither fearing any thing in a good cause whether it be death or any thing els, séeme it neuer so terri∣ble. By which it appéereth that Forti∣tude consists betwéen two extremities, fear, and folishboldenes, which doo either make a man to doo that which he should not, or not to doo that whiche he should. For feare wil not let a man doo what he should,* 1.12 a good occasion béeing offered: and by boldenes he passeth the bounds of the law,* 1.13 and in a hed, for no occasion or very little, will slay God almightie. Wel, this Fortitude, this vertue boldenes frée from foolish and childish fear, hath many partes (and without any of them none can truely be named a valiaunt man) which are in number eight, & are these Magnanimitie,* 1.14 Trust, Securitie, Mag∣nificence, Constancie, Suffering, Stabi∣litie & Patience, whose properties shal∣be declared.
Fortitude.
Temperāce
Iustice.
Prudence.
Fortitude.
Praemia fortitu∣dinis.
Thermo∣pylas. Leonidas.
Castor. Pollux. Hercules. Bacchus.
What▪ For¦tit••de••s.
Arist. li. 1. Retor. ad Theode∣ctē. ca. 22.
Cice. lib. 1.2.3.4. & 5 Tuscula▪ quest.
Feare.
Boldenes.
The partes of fortitude