Of wisdome three bookes written in French by Peter Charro[n] Doctr of Lawe in Paris. Translated by Samson Lennard

CHAP. IX. Verity and free admonition.

FRee and hearty admonition is a very wholesome and ex∣cellent * 1.1 medicine, and the best office of amity. For to wound and offend a little, to profit much, is to loue sound∣lie. It is one of the principall and most profitable Euange∣licall commandements: Si peccauerit in te frater tuus, corripe illum, &c.

All haue sometimes need of this remedy, but especially all * 1.2 those that are in prosperity, for it is a very hard thing to bee happie and wise together. And princes who lead a life so pub∣licke and are to furnish themselues with so many things, and haue so many things hid from them, cannot see nor vnder∣stand,

but by the eies and eares of another. And therefore they haue great need of aduertisements, otherwise they may chaunce to runne strange and hard fortunes, if they be not very wise.

This office is vndertaken by very few; There are required thereunto (as the wise affirme) three things, iudgement or dis∣cretion, * 1.3 couragious libertie, amitie and fidelitie. These are tempered and mingled together, but few there are that do it, for feare of offending, or want of true amitie; and of those that do it, few there are that know how to do it well. Now if it be ill done, like a medicine ill applied, it woundeth without pro∣fit, and produceth almost the same effect with griefe, that flat∣tery doth with pleasure. To be commended, and to be repre∣hended vnfittinglie and to small purpose, is the selfe-same wound, and a matter alike faultie in him that doth it. Veritie how noble soeuer it be, yet it hath not this priuiledge, to be imployed at all houres and in all fashions. A wholsome holie reprehension may be vitiouslie applied.

The counsels and cautions for a man well to gouerne him∣selfe heerein (it is to be vnderstood where there is no great * 1.4 inwardnesse, familiaritie, confidence, or authoritie and power, for in these cases there is no place for the carefull obseruation of these rules following) are these: 1. To obserue place and time; that it be neither in times nor places of feasting and great ioy, for that were (as they say) to trouble the feast; nor of sorrow and aduersitie, for that were a point of hostilitie, and the way to make an end of all; that is rather a fit time to succour and comfort a man. Crudelis in re aduersa, obiurgatio, damnare est obiurgare, cùm auxilio est opus. King Perseus seeing himselfe thus handled by two of his familiar friends, killed them both. 2. Not to reprehend all faults indifferentlie, not small and light offences, this were to be enuious, and an im∣portunate, ambitious reprehender; not great and dangerous, which a man of himselfe doth sufficientlie feele, and feares a worse punishment to come, this were to make a man thinke he lies in wait to catch him. 3. Secretlie and not before wit∣nes, to the end he make him not ashamed, as it hapned to a young man, who was so much abashed, that he was repre∣hended by Pythagoras, that he hanged himself. And Plutarch

is of opinion, that it was for this cause that Alexander killed his friend Clitus, because he reprehended him in companie: but especiallie that it be not before those whose good opi∣nion he that is reprehended desireth to retaine, and with whom he desires to continue his credit, as before his wife, his children, his disciples. 4. Out of a simple carelesse nature and freedome of heart, without any particular interest, or passion of the mind, be it neuer so little. 5. To comprehend himselfe in the same fault, and to vse generall termes, as, We forget our selues; What do we thinke of? 6. To begin with commenda∣tions, and to end with proffers of seruice and help, this tempe∣reth the tartnesse of correction, and giues a better entertain∣ment: Such and such a thing becomes you well, but not so well such and such a thing. 7. To expresse the fault with bet∣ter words than the nature of the offence doth require; as, You haue not been altogether well aduised; in steed of, You haue done wickedlie: Receiue not this woman into your compa∣nie, for she wil vndoe you; in steed of, Allure hir not, perswade hir not to yeeld to your desires, for thereby you will vndoe your selfe: Enter not into dispute with such a man; in steed of, Quarrell not, enuie not such a man. 8. The admonition being ended, be not presentlie gone, but stay and fall into some o∣ther common and pleasant discourse.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1 An excellent thing.
• * 1.2

  2 To whom profitable.
• * 1.3

  3 Rare, diffi∣cult, dange∣rous.
• * 1.4

  4 The rules of true admo∣nition.