CHAP. X.
BVt it may be thou art falne into some troublesome and difficult course of life,* 1.1 and ere thou knewst it; some fortune either pub∣lique or priuate hath entangled thee•• in such sort, as thou neither canst loose or break the bonds. Think with thy selfe, that such as are fettered at the first can hardly beare their shackles or the irons on their legs, but afterwards being better resolued doe suffer the same, and con∣clude to endure them patienly, necessity teacheth them to sustaine them con∣stantly, and custome easily. Thou shal•• find in whatsoe•••••• kind of 〈…〉〈…〉 be, delights, remissions, and pleasures, except thou hadst not rather think 〈…〉〈…〉 euill, then make it hatefull. The greatest good that we haue r••cieued by n••ture is, that she foreseeing how many troubles wee are to endure in this wor••d hath found out a remedie to ••en••••••e the same, which is custom••, which in 〈…〉〈…〉 maketh the greatest euils familiar and supportable; no m••n••••ou••d endur•• it if the continuance and sence of aduersitie were •••• bi••t••r as 〈…〉〈…〉 we are all of vs coupled by fortune, some of vs haue a 〈…〉〈…〉 some a more base and sordide inth••almen••••. But what skilleth 〈…〉〈…〉 all of vs are enuironed with the same guard, and they that ••nchai••e o•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a••••••en∣chained themselues. It may be•• thou think••st that the cha••••••e which i•• tyed ••o the left arme waieth not as much as that on the right. Some are 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by their honours, other some by their base ••••••a••e. These are 〈◊〉〈◊〉 subiec•• to an∣others emperie, others are vassals to them••elues•• ther•• are some that are confi∣ned in one place, others that are arrested by ••••o•••• charges that are co••••itted vnto them. All our whole life is a serui••••de•• we ought herefore to accustome our selues to our condition•• and no waies to complaine of the same, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to ap∣prehend all those commodi••ies which are ••bout vs. Th••re is nothing so di••••ast∣full wherein an equall mind cannot find some solace. Ostimes a•• ingenious man may write infinite things in the smallest tables, and ••ee 〈◊〉〈◊〉 knoweth how to march readily, maketh the straightest aboa••d habitable 〈…〉〈…〉 find. Adde reason to thy difficulties, for the ha••des•• things may bee in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the straightest layd open, and those things that are most grieu••••••s presse them least that discreetly can endure them. Besides•• desires are not to be•• sent ••arre off from vs, but let vs suffer them to houer neare abo••t vs, because they endure not to bee restrained whol••e. Leauing those thing•• which either cannot bee done or hardly can be a••chieued; let vs follow those things that ar•• near•• ••s, and are ••n∣swerable to our hopes. Y••t let vs know, that all that wh••ch outwardly ••at•• di∣uers appearances is equally light, and inwa••dly 〈…〉〈…〉 le•• vs 〈◊〉〈◊〉 those that are more highly preferred, those thing•• that see••e most highest are in most danger. They likewise whom aduersity holdeth in suspence shall b••e more assured by withdrawing pride from those thing•• which of thems••l••••s are