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CHAP. XXIIII.
BEginne to estimate him by his vertues,* 1.1 and not by his yeares. He hath liued enough, he was left a pupill, and vntill the fourteenth yeare of his age he was vnder the gouernment of Tutors, but al∣wayes vnder his mothers custodie: when hee had a house of his owne, yet would he not leaue thine. Being a yong man, both in stature, beautie, and other strength of the bodie, borne to be a souldier, he re∣fused warfare, because hee would not leaue thee desolate. Consider Marcia, how many mothers there bee in diuers houses, that see their children ve∣rie little. Thinke you that those mothers, whose sonnes follow the warres, lose in respect of them whole yeares, and liue solitarilie? then shalt thou know that there is much time remaining thee, in which thou hast lost nothing. Thy sonne neuer departed out of thy sight, hee framed his studies in thy pre∣sence, shewing himselfe of a most excellent spirit, but it was accompanied with a modest feare, the which hath buried many perfections in diuers men. He was one of the goodliest Gentlemen that a man might behold, yet behaued he him∣selfe with so great temperance and modestie, that amiddest so great a troope of men-corrupting women, he gaue no occasion of suspition: and whereas some of their impudence had attempted so far as to tempt him, he blushed and was angrie with himselfe, because he had pleased. This holinesse in his manners was the cause, that so yong as he was, he was thought worthie to be entertained a∣mongst the number of those that intermedled with those things that appertai∣ned to religion, and that by the aid and assistance of his mother. In contempla∣tion of these his vertues so behaue thy selfe, as if he were more conuersant with thee now then euer. Now hath he nothing to withdraw him, he shall neuer put thee in care, or cause thee to sorrow, and all the griefe thou hast conceiued for so good a sonne is finished: the rest being exempted from casualties, are full of pleasures, if thou knowest how to make vse of thy sonne, and if thou knowest that which hath beene most precious in him, thou hast but lost the Image and resemblance of him, although it resembled him not rightly. For he is eternall, and for the present in better estate then euer, despoiled of forren incombran∣ces, and at his full libertie. These bones that thou seest wreathed about with nerues, this skin that couered vs, this countenance, and these ministring hands, and those other members that enclose vs, are the bonds and fetters of the soule which is deiected, obscured, infected, and hindered from knowing the truth of those things that appertaine vnto her, and distracted with error. Shee hath a grieuous combate with this flesh, to the end she may not be made captiue and slaue vnto it. She extendeth and raiseth her selfe to the place from whence she was sent: there is her eternall repose, where in stead of troubles and confusi∣ons of this world, she shall see nothing but that is cleare and pure.