The workes of Lucius Annæus Seneca, both morrall and naturall Containing, 1. His bookes of benefites. 2. His epistles. 3. His booke of prouidence. 4. Three bookes of anger. 5. Two bookes of clemencie. 6. His booke of a blessed life. 7. His booke of the tranquilitie of the minde. 8. His booke of the constancie of a wiseman. 9. His booke of the shortnesse of life. 10. Two bookes of consolation to Martia. 11. Three bookes of consolation to Heluia. 12. His booke of consolation to Polibius. 13. His seuen bookes of naturall questions. Translated by Tho. Lodge, D. in Physicke.

CHAP. X.

WHat doest thou auarice? How many things are they, which in va∣lue surpasse thy gold? All these things which I haue reckoned vp are of more honour and better price. Now will I recognize thy riches, the plates of both mettals, at which our couetousnesse is dazeled. But the earth which produced whatsoeuer was pro••i∣table for our vse, hath drowned these mettals, yea, and with her whole waight hath cast her selfe vpon them, as vpon hurtfull and hatef••ll things•• which could not come to light: but to the common hurt of all nations I s••e that Iron is ta∣ken out of that very darkenesse, whence gold and siluer were had, to the end that neyther instruments for mutuall slaughters, n••yther price for the murtherers should be wanting, yet haue these things som matter of esteem in them. There is somewhat wherein the mind may follow the errour of the eyes. I see these Patents, these Indentures, and Obligat••ons, the emptie images of couetousnesse, certaine shadows of sicke auarice, by which they deceiue the mind, that deligh∣teth in the opinion of transitori•• things. For what are these? What is interest? What day-bookes and vsurie, but c••rtaine names of humane couetousnesse, which nature neuer heard of? I can complaine of nature, because shee hath not hidden gold and siluer deeper, because she hath not cast a heauier bu••then on them, then that it might be remoued. What are these Registers, these compu∣tations, & sailable time,* 1.1 these bloudie vsuries of twelue for a hundreth? They are voluntarie euils depending on our constitutions•• in which there is nothing that may be subiected to the eyes, or held in the hand, the dreames of vaine co∣uetousnesse. O how wretched is he, who taketh delight to reade ouer the great

rentall of his patrimonie, or large demeanes to be tilled by his bondmen, or infi∣nite heards of cattell, that need whole countries and Kingdomes to feed them, or his family greater then warlike nations•• & priuate buildings, that in bignesse exceede great cities! When he hath well examined these things, whereby he hath disposed and spread out his riches, and made himselfe proude; if he com∣pare that which he hath with that which he desireth, he is a poore man. Let me go, and restore me to those riches of minde: I know the Kingdome of wise∣dome to be great and secure: so enioy I all things as all men may enioy theirs in particular.

Notes

• * 1.1

  These were called Centesi∣ma, which was a kind of vsury a∣mongst the Ro∣mans: the cre∣ditor was wont to giue his deb∣tor 100. crowns, and ••or the vse therof he paid for euery moneth a crowne ••or his interest, till a hundreth months were past; at the end whereof he returned the principall to his crediter.