A philosophicall discourse, entituled, The anatomie of the minde. Nevvlie made and set forth by T.R.

¶Of Innocencie. Cap. 37.

INnocencie (according to the Peripa¦tecions) is an habit of the minde,* 1.1 so wel framed that it wil hurt no man ei∣ther by woord or déed. An innocent man in respect of a good conscience contem∣neth all woorldly things, and will not so much as in hart couet another mannes right, he wil come to nothing by wicked and vnlawful meanes, neither wil he in¦iury

any man though he might got much therby. Cicero therfore calles the same an affection of the minde, which wil not molest, iniury, nor hurt any man. This innocēt man is he which feareth no man, no law, no witnes, accusar, iudge, or any but is a frée man, and by reasō of his good conscience is out of the limits of the law. He wil be sure to giue vnto euery man his due right, and wil obey the authoritie of no man which wil commaund him to doo any thing that is not good, honest and vertuous. Now the vngodly perceiuing the same, conceiue by & by secret hatred against them. And heerof it comes that innocent and iust men of all others are moste contemned, hated and persecuted: and they which liue moste vprightly and in the fear of God, are coūted idiots and fooles, and are iudged vnworthy to be in a common weale as Lactantius confir∣meth.* 1.2 And as he saith, such is the vilde nature of the rude and common people, as they make smallest account of them which are best disposed: and those they extole to the Skyes,* 1.3 which can by wurse meanes come either to riches or promo∣ciō. Cicero confirmes y^e same in a certain oration of his moste eloquently: his place

though it be somwhat long, yet wil I re∣cite because of the worthines therof: his woords are these. M. Aemylius Scaurus a moste worthy man of our cittie was ac¦cused of M. Brutus,* 1.4 whose orations are extant, by which it is apparant that ma∣ny things were spoke against M. Scaur{us} but falcely as all men knowe. How much did Aquilius hear in his iudgemēt? How much L. Cotta? finally P. Rutilius? whi∣che although he were condemned,* 1.5 yet in mine opinion he is to be numbred amōg the best & moste innocēt men. That holy and temperate man heard many things in his troubles which tended to his defa∣mation, and made him to be suspected of lust and incontinencie. There is an ora∣tion of C. Gracchus a man in my iudge∣ment of all others moste ingenious and eloquent, in whiche oration are manye things vttered against L. Piso,* 1.6 but a∣gainst what kinde of man? Forsooth of such integritie of life, as in those dayes (when it was wunder to sée a wicked man, nay none could be found for con∣uersacion dishonest) yet he of all others alone was called by y^e name of a good hus∣band. Which whē Gracch{us} willed to be called before the assembly, and he which

should haue gone, asked what Piso he should fetch (because there were many of that name)? Thou compellest me now said Gracchus to say, mine enemie that good husband, So that he whome his vt∣ter and capitall enemie could not other∣wise discribe without he had praised him before,* 1.7 whiche by that name giuen vnto him for his vertues was bothe knowe∣en who he was: and also what kinde of man, yet notwithstanding was falsely slaundered and made to answere vnto many wicked accusations, and to cléere him self before the whole court, of many euil reportes. M. Fonteius in two acci∣ons hath béen meruailously accused,* 1.8 and yet nothing is prooued, wherby he may be thought either incontinent, a brabler, vnmerciful, or a molester of any man.

His accusers are so far from declaring any notorious vice of his, that for their liues they cannot finde faulte with, or blame any thing whiche he hath at any time spoken. Now if his enemyes either had asmuch boldenes to lie, or ingenious¦nes to fain, as they haue wil to oppresse, and libertie to inuente, certainly Fon∣teius at this time should not haue better fortune in hearing their opprobrious

talke, then those of whōe before I made mention. Hetherto Cicero. By whiche it appéereth that the vertuous and well disposed, are odious to the wicked,* 1.9 & haue béen, yea in those dayes, when as godli∣nes was most exercised. But what may we thinck to be the cause of this deadly and cruel hatred? shall we think that ve∣ritie and trueth brings hatred? Or that the wicked be ashamed of them selues (through giltienes of conscience) and would in no case that there might be any to reprehend them for their detestable behauiour, and therefore conceiue in∣warde malice againg them? Or rather iudge that bothe truethe and integritie causeth this contempt and crueltie of the wicked against y^e innocent? But let the righteous reioice in their integritie of life and vnpolluted conscience. For (as Tullie saith) all of vs are willing and wil make haste to repel dangers (which are imminent against the innocent) and though we be in hart or secretly enemies yet in such troubles, when it stands vp∣on y^e credit or life of a man, we wil shew the parte of moste loouing and faithfull freends.* 1.10 For (as the same Cicero in an other place affirmeth) as fire cast into wa¦ters

is by and by put out & waxeth colde: so a falce accusation though it burne and be neuer so hot, against a chaste and vn∣corrupt conuersation, is quickly consu∣med and vanisheth ere one beware with∣out hurting any whit.* 1.11 And a rumor rai∣sed of nothing, vanisheth of his owne ac∣corde, and that vanitie of speech profiteth nothing, but in making the innocencie of him whiche is defamed to be more wun∣dred at. And this ought again to comfort, that not withstanding they are oppug∣ned, yet a time wil come whē the trueth shalbe knowen, and the false accusations of their enemies shall be made open to all men.* 1.12 For (as the same Cicero saith in an other place very notablie) the truth by the maliciousnes of many oppugned, and (as it were) drowned often times, when it is supposed neuer to be seene a∣gain, dooth swim aloft, and is apparant to the eyes of all men, and this defence of Innocencie béeing stopped of the malig∣nant, taketh breath and hart againe to the ouerthrowe of her enemies. Now let vs confirme this which hath béen spoken by storyes and examples.* 1.13 The Poets fain that when Perseus did shew Gor∣gons hed vnto the Seraphians, they

were straight way turned into stones, whiche Perseus was reported to haue doon to reuenge the death of his innocent mother,* 1.14 which Pelydectes their king had wickedly murthered.* 1.15 One Archias a Poet, because him self in poetrie would beare the bell, murthered an innocent man, one whiche neuer had offended him, whose name was Archilochus (his bet∣ter by many degrées in that facultie••) which murther béeing doon secretly none béeing present or nigh at hand,* 1.16 Archias was farthest from beeing suspected of such a 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Yet notwithstanding at length he was detected after this maner. As the people of that contrie according to their custome were aboute to sacrifice vnto their God Apollo, a voice was heard which commaunded Archias (beeing a∣mong the multitude) to go away lest he by the blood of Archilochus polluted the temple of Apollo. So that the innocen∣cie of Archilochus was illustred, and Archias for his horrible fact punished: For the people stoned him to death. In like sort Hasdruball for killing without a cause, an honest Spaniard:* 1.17 was kil∣led of the seruant of the same Spaniard.

Which beeing apprehended of the garde of Hasdruball, and afterwards condem∣ned, among moste cruell torments did meruelously reioice that he had reuen∣ged the death of his good and so innocent maister. But what should I recite straunge and forrain examples, when daily we see y^e innocencie hath many pa∣trons, and for the defence of such as are iniured are magistrates (as it were ma∣sters of the people) appointed to sée that such as are malefactors be seuerly corre∣cted, and such as are quiet and vertuous∣ly bent, be fauoured and preferred.

Cicero saith, that if in complaining of the misuse of the Romans,* 1.18 he should by speaking so strain him self, as his strēgth should fail him and yéeld vp the Ghost••, that death of all others would séem vnto him moste pleasant and honourable. So that innocencie neither can lack praises, patrons, nor reuengers. It may for a time be oppressed, but it wil rise againe: it may bee obscured, but it will shine a∣gain:* 1.19 it may be ouerwhelmed, but it can neuer be drowned. Quintilian saith ve∣ry wel that Prouidence, meaning God, hath giuen especially this vnto man, that by honestie he should receiue moste com¦fort.

And Tullie saith that the remem∣brance of a good conscience,* 1.20 is a comforte in aduersitie. And therfore this vertue, if it were aswel practised in woork and con¦uersation, as it is praised in woord and orations, lesse impietie towardes God, lesse enmitie among men, lesse iniuring one another, there would be. For e∣uery man should consider y^t he is borne to help and not to hurt: to profit and not displeasure his fellow neighbours: if not for fear of punishment in this world and euerlasting pain in the worlde to come, yet because he is Animal sociale, a cre∣ature whose nature is not to be without companie and neighborhood, whiche hurt¦ful persons in that which in them lyeth, would not haue as appéereth by their kil∣ling, vndooing, or molesting their fellow Cittizens. But I may not stand long vp∣on any particular thing, and therfore I wil cut of the commending of this Inno∣cent man, onely with Plato I say,* 1.21 that this is he that wel may by trusted of eue¦ry man: to whome without fear of reue∣ling or disclosing of them, any may vn∣folde his secrets:* 1.22 and with the Poet The¦ognis I say, that of all treasures in a cō∣mon weale, this Innocent man is moste

to be estéemed and accounted of, nay no∣thing can be compared vnto him, nether golde, nor siluer, nor any treasure. Now to that which followeth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Innocen∣cie.
• * 1.2

  Lactan. de Iusticia ca. 9. &. 32
• * 1.3

  Cicero {pro} M. Fonte∣io.
• * 1.4

  M. Aemy¦lius Scau.
• * 1.5

  M. Aqui∣lius. L. Cotta. P. Rutili{us}.
• * 1.6

  L. Piso Frug••.
• * 1.7

  C. Grac∣chus.
• * 1.8

  M. Fonte∣ius·
• * 1.9

  Cicero {pro} L. Murae¦na.
• * 1.10

  Cicero {pro} posio.
• * 1.11

  Consolati∣ons for the slaundered.
• * 1.12

  Cicero {pro} Clurentio
• * 1.13

  Perseus. Gorgon. Seraphi∣ans.
• * 1.14

  Pelyde∣ctes
• * 1.15

  Archias.
• * 1.16

  Archilo∣chus.
• * 1.17

  Hasdru∣ball.
• * 1.18

  Cice. act. 6 in verrem.
• * 1.19

  Quin. li. 1 cap. 20. de institutio∣n•• orato∣••ia.
• * 1.20

  Cice. li. 6. epistolarū familiarū
• * 1.21

  Plato.
• * 1.22

  Theognis