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LIbertie is accounted by some a souereigne good, and Ser∣uitude an extreame euill, insomuch that many haue cho∣sen rather to die a cruell death, than to be made slaues, or to see either the publike good or their owne priuate indange∣red. But of this there may be too much, and of these too ma∣nie, as of all other things. There is a twofolde libertie: the true, which is of the minde or spirit, and is in the power of
euery one, and can not be taken away, nor indamaged by an∣other, nor by Fortune it selfe: contrariwise, the seruitude of the spirit is the most miserable of all others, to serue our owne affections, to suffer our selues to be deuoured by our owne passions, to be led by opinions. ô pitifull captiuitie! The corporall libertie is a good greatly to be esteemed, but sub∣iect to Fortune: and it is neither iust nor reasonable (if it be not by reason of some other circumstance) that it should be preferred before life it selfe, as some of the ancients haue done, who haue rather made choice of death, than to lose it; and it was accounted a great vertue in them: so great an euill was seruitude thought to be: Seruitus obedientia est fracti ani∣mi & abiecti arbitrio carentis suo. Many great and wise men haue serued, Regulus, Valerianus, Plato, Diogenes, euen those that were wicked, and yet dishonoured not their owne con∣dition, but continued in effect and truth more free than their masters.