The boke named the Gouernour, deuysed by syr Thomas Elyot knight

THE SECONDE BOKE. (Book 2)

¶ What thynges he, that is elected or appoynted to be a gouernour of a publyke weale, ought to pre∣meditate. Cap. I.

IN THE BOKE PRECE∣dynge I haue (as I truste) sufficiently declared, as well what is to be called a verye and ryghte publyke weale, as also, that there shulde be therof one prince and souerayne aboue all other gouernours. And I haue also expres¦sed my conceyte and opinion, touching nat only the studies, but also the exercyses cō∣cernynge the necessary education of noble

men and other, called to the gouernance of a publyke weale, in suche fourme as by the noble example of their lyues, and the fruit therof commynge, the publyke weale that shal happen to be vnder their gouernance, shall nat fayle to be accounted happy, and the auctoritie on them to be emploied well and fortunately. Nowe wyl I treate of the preparation of suche personages, whan * 1.1 they fyrst receiue any great dignite charge or gouernance of the weale publyke.

¶ FYRST SVCHE persons, being now ad∣ulte, that is to say, passed their childehode, as wel in maners as in yeres, if for their v∣tues and lernynge, they happe to be called to receyue any dignitie, they shulde fyrst a∣moue al company from them, & in a secrete oratory or priuy chambre, by them selfe, as∣semble al the powers of their wyttes, to re¦membre these .vii. artycles, whiche I haue not of myn owne heed deuysed, but gathe∣red as well out of holy scripture, as out of the warkes of other excellent wryters of famous memorie, as they shall soone per∣ceyue, whiche haue radde & pervsed good autours in greke and latine.

¶ Fyrst and aboue all thyng, let them con∣sider, that from god only procedeth al ho∣nour, * 1.2 And that neither noble progenie, suc¦cession, nor election be of suche force, that

by them any astate or dignitie maye be soo stablyshed, that god beinge styred to ven∣geāce, shall not shortly resume it, and per∣chance translate it where it shall lyke hym. And for as moche as examples greatly do profytte in the stede of experyence, here shal it be necessary to remēbre the hystorye of Saul, whom god hym selfe elected to be the firste kynge of Israel, that where god commanded hym by the mouthe of Samu∣el the prophet, that for as moch as the peo¦ple * 1.3 callyd Amalech, had resisted the chyl∣dren of Israel, whan they firste departed from Egypte, he shulde therfore distroy al the countray, and slee men women and chil¦dren, al beastis and cattel, and that he shuld nothing saue or kepe ther of. But Saul af∣ter that he had vaynquyshed Amalech, and * 1.4 taken Agag kynge ther of prysoner, he ha∣uynge on hym compassion, saued his lyfe onely. Also he preserued the best oxen, ca∣tell, and vestures, and all other thinge that was fayrest, and of mooste estimation, and wolde not consume it, accordynge as god had commaunded him, sayinge to Samuel, that the people kepte it to the entent, that they wolde make ther of to allmyghty god a solempne sacrifyce. But Samuel repro∣uynge hym sayde, Better is Obedience, than Sacrifyce. with other wordes that

do folowe in the hystorie. Fynally for that offence only, almighty god abiected Saul, that he shulde no more reigne ouer Israel: and caused Samuel forthewith to enoynte Dauid kynge, the yongest sonne of a pore man of Bethleem, named Isai, which was kepynge his fathers shepe.

¶ Sens for ones neglectyng the cōmand∣ment of god, and that neyther naturall pi∣tie, nor the intent to do sacrifice, with that which was saued mought excuse the trās∣gressyon of goddis commaundement, nor mytigate his greuous displeasure: howe vigilant ought a christen man, being in au∣ctoritie, howe vigilant (I saye) industrious and diligent ought he to be in the adminy∣stration of a publyke weale? dredynge al∣waye the wordes, that be spoken by eter∣nall sapience to theym that be gouernours * 1.5 of publyke weales, All power and vertue is gyuen of the lorde, that of all other is hyghest, who shall examyne youre dedes, and inserche youre thoughtes. For whan ye were the mynysters of his realme, ye iudged nat vpryghtely, ne obserued the lawe of Iustyce, nor ye walked nat accor∣dynge to his pleasure. He shall shortely and terryblye appiere vnto you. For most harde and greuous iudgemente, shall be on theym, that haue rule ouer other. To

the poore man mercy is graunted, but the great men shal suffre great turmentes. He that is lorde of all excepteth no persone, ne he shall feare the greatnes of any man, for he made as well the great as the small, and careth for euery of them equally. The strō¦ger or of more myghte is the persone: the stronger peyne is to hym immynent. Ther fore to you gouernours be these my wor∣des, that ye maye lerne wysedome and falle nat.

¶ This notable sentence is nat only to be imprinted in the hartes of gouernours, but also to be oftentymes reuolued and called to remembrance.

¶ They shall nat thynke, howe moche ho¦nour * 1.6 they receyue, but howe moche care & burdeyn. He they shall nat moche esteme their reuenues and treasure, considerynge that it is no buten or praye, but a laborious offyce and trauayle.

¶ Let them thynke, the greatter dominiō * 1.7 they haue, that thereby they susteyne the more care and studye. And that therefore they must haue the lasse solace and pastime, and to sensuall pleasures lasse oportunitie.

¶ Also whan they behold their garmentis and other ornamentes, rych and precious, * 1.8 they shall thynke, what reproche were to them to surmount in that, whiche be other

mennes warkes and nat theirs, and to be vanquyshed of a poore subiecte in sondrye vertues, wherof they theym selues be the artifycers.

¶ They that regarde them, of whom they * 1.9 haue gouernaunce, no more than shall ap∣pertayn to their owne priuate cōmodities, they no better esteme them than other men dothe their horses & mules, to whom they employ no lasse labour and diligēce, not to the benefite of the sely beastis, but to their owne necessities and singular aduantage.

¶ The moste sure foundation of noble re∣nome, * 1.10 is a man to be of such vertues & qua∣lities, as he desireth to be opēly published. For it is a faint prayse, that is gotten with feare, or by flaterars giuen, and the same is but fume, whiche is supported with silence prouoked by menacis.

¶ They shall also consyder, that by theyr * 1.11 preeminence, they sit as it were on a pyller on the top of a mountayn, where al the peo¦ple do beholde them, nat only in their open affaires, but also in their secrete pastymes, priuie dalyaunce, or other improfytable or wanton conditions, whiche sone be disco∣uered by the conuersation of their mooste familyar seruantis, whiche do alwaye im∣brace that study, wherin their mayster de∣lyteth, accordynge to the sayinge of Iesus

Sirach, As the iuge of the people is, so be his ministers: And suche as be the gouer∣nours of the citie, such be the people. Whi∣che sentence is confyrmed by sondry histo∣ries. For Nero, Caligula, Domiciane, Cu∣cius Commodus, Uarius Heliogabalus, monstruous emperours, nourished aboute them, rybaudes, and other voluptuouse ar∣tifycers.

¶ Maximianus, Dioclesian, Maxencius, and other persecutours of christen men, lac ked not inuentours of cruell and terryble tourmentes.

¶ Contrary wyse, reigning the noble Au∣gustus, Nerua, Traiane, Hadriane, the two Antonines, and the wonderfull empe∣rour Alexander, for his grauitie called Se∣uerus, the imperiall palayce was alway re∣plenished with eloquent oratours, delecta∣ble poetes, wyse philosophers, moste cun∣nynge and experte lawyars, prudente and valiaunte capitaynes.

¶ Mo semblable examples shall here of be founden, by them which purposely do rede histories, whom of all other I most desyre to be princis and gouernours.

¶ These articles wel and substācially gra∣uen in a noble mannes memory, it shall also be necessary to cause them to be delectably writen and sette in a table within his bedde

chambre, addyng to, the versis of Claudi∣ane the noble poet, which he wrate to Ho∣norius emperour of Rome, The versis I haue translated out of latine into englshe, nat obseruynge the order as they stande, but the sentence belonging to my purpose.

¶ The table of gouernours to be hanged in their chambres.

Though thy power stretchith both far & large * 1.12 Through Inde the rich, set at the worldis end, And Mede with Arabi be both vnder thy charge And also Seres, that silke to vs doth sende If feare the trouble, & small thinges the offēde, Corrupt desyre thyn harte hath ones imbraced Thou arte in bondage, thyn honour is defaced.

Thou shalt be demed thā worthy for to reigne whan of thy selfe thou winnest the maistry. Euyll custome bringeth vertue in dysdaine Lycence superfluous perswadeth moche foly, In to moche pleasure sette nat felicitie, If luste or anger do thy mynde assayle Subdue occasion, and thou shalt sone p̄uayle.

¶ what thou mayst do, delyte nat for to know, But rather what thing wyl become the best. Embrace thou vertue, & kepe thy courage low, And thinke that alway measure is a feest. Loue well thy people, care also for the leest. And whan thou studiest for thy cōmoditie

Make them all parteners of thy felicitie.

¶ Be nat moche meued with synguler appetite Excepte it profyte vnto thy subiectis all At thyn example the people wyll delyte Be it vyce or vertue with the they rise or fall No lawes auayle, men tourne as doth a balle For where the ruler in lyuyng is nat stable Both lawe & counsayle is tourned into a fable.

¶ These verses of Claudiane, ful of excel∣lent wisedomes, as I haue sayd, wold be in a table, in suche a place as a gouernor ones in a day may behold them, specially as they be expressed in latine by the sayd poete, vn∣to whose eloquence no translation in eng∣lyshe maye be equiualent. But yet were it better to can them by harte, ye and if they were made in the fourme of a dytie, to be songen to an instrumente, O what a sweete songe wold it be in the eares of wyse men? For a meane musitian mought ther of make a ryght pleasant harmonie, where almoste euery note shuld expresse a counsayle ver∣tuous or necessary.

¶ Ye haue nowe hard, what premeditatiōs be expedient before that a man take on him the gouernāce of a publyke weale. These notable premeditations and remembrāces shulde be in his mynde, whiche is in aucto∣rytie often tymes renewed. Than shall he

procede further in furnishynge his person, with honourable maners and qualytyes, wher of very nobilitie is cōpacte, wherby all other shall be induced to honour, loue, and feare hym, whiche thinges chiefely do cause perfect obedience.

¶ Now of these maners wil I write in such order, as in my conceyt they be (as it were) naturally disposed and sette in a noble man, and soonest in hym noted or espied.

The exposition of maiestie. Cap. II.

IN a gouernour or man, hauing in the pu∣blike weale some greatte authoritie, the fountayne of all excellent maners is ma∣iestie, whiche is the holle proportion and fygure of noble astate, and is proprelye a beautie or comelynesse in his countenance, langage and gesture, apt to his dignite, and accommodate to tyme, place, and compa∣ny, whiche lyke as the sonne doth his bea∣mes, so dothe it caste on the beholders and herers a pleasaunt and terrible reuerence. In so moche as the wordes or countenan∣ces of a noble manne, shulde be in the stede of a fyrme and stable lawe to his infery∣ours. Yet is nat maiestie alwaye in haulte or fyerce countenance, nor in speche out∣ragious or arrogante, but in honourable

and sobre demeanure, deliberate and graue {pro}nunciation, wordes clene and facile, void of rudenes and dishonestie, without vayne or inordinate ianglynge, with suche an ex∣cellent temperance, that he amonge an in∣finite nombre of other persons, by his ma∣iestie may be espied for a gouernour.

¶ Wherof we haue a noble example in Ho¦mere of Ulisses, that whan his shyppe and * 1.13 menne were perysshed in the see, and he v∣nethe escaped and was caste on lande vp∣pon a cooste, where the inhabytauntes were called Pheacas, he beinge al naked, sauynge a mantell sent to hym by the kyn∣ges doughter, without other apparaylle, or seruant, represented suche a wonderfull maiestie in his countenaunce and speche, that the kynge of the countrey, named Al∣cinous, in that extreme calamitie, wysshed, that Ulisses wold take his doughter Nau∣sicaa, to wyfe, with a great part of his tre∣sure. And declarig the honour that he bare towarde hym, he made for his sake dyuers noble esbatementes and passetymes. The people also wondrynge at his maiestie, ho∣noured hym with sondrye presentes. And at their propre charges and expensis, con∣uayed hym into his owne realme of Itha∣ca, in a shyppe of wonderfull beautie, well ordynaunced and manned for his defence

& saufe conduct. The wordes of Alcinous, wherby he declareth the maiestie, that he noted to be in Ulisses, I haue putte in eng∣lishe, nat so well as I found them in greke.

¶ Alcinous to Ulisses.

¶ whan I the consyder Ulysses, I perceiue Thou doest nat dissemble to me in thy speche As other haue done, whiche craftily can deceiue Untruely reportyng, where they list to preache Of thiges neuer done, such falshod they do tech. But in thy wordes, there is a right good grace. And that thy mind is good, it shewith i thy face

¶ The estimatyon of maiestie in counte∣naunce, shall be declared by two examples nowe ensuynge.

¶ To Scipio, beinge in his manour place, called Linternū, came dyuers great theues and pyrates, only to the intent to se his per¦sone, of whose wonderfulle prowesse and sondry vyctories they harde the renoume. But he nat knowynge, but that they came to endomage hym, armed hym selfe and su¦che seruauntes as he than hadde with him, and dysposed theym aboute the imbatyl∣mentes of his house, to make defence, whi¦che the capytaynes of the theues percey∣uyng, despeched the multitude from them, and layinge aparte their harneis and wea∣pons,

called to Scipio with a loude voyce, sayinge that they came nat as enemyes, but wondrynge at his vertue and prowesse, de∣sired only to see him, whiche if he vouched saufe, they wolde accounte for an heuenly benefyte. That being shewed to Scipio by his seruauntes, he caused the gaates to be sette wide open, and the theues to be suffe∣red to entre: who kyssynge the gates and postes with moche reuerence, as they had bene of a Temple or other place dedicate, humbly approched to Scipio, whyche vy∣saged theym in suche fourme, that they as subdued with a reuerente drede, in behol∣dynge his maiestie, at the last ioyfully kys∣sing his hande oftentymes, which he beni∣gnely offred to theym, made humble reue∣rence, and so departed, laying in the porch semblable offrynges, as they gaue to theyr goddes: And forth with retourned to their owne habitatiōs, reioysing incredibly, that they had sene and touched a prince so no∣ble and valyant.

¶ It is no lyttell thyng to meruayle at, the maiestie shewed in extreme fortune and my¦sery. The noble Romayne Marius, whan he had ben .vii. tymes Consul, being vayn∣guyshed by Scilla, after that he had longe hyd him selfe in marises and desert places, was fynally constrayned by famyne to re∣paire

to a towne called Minturne, where he trusted to haue ben succoured. But the inhabitantes, dreding the cruelte of Scilla, toke Marius, and put hym into a dongeon, And after sente to slee hym their commune hangeman: whiche was borne in Cimbria, a countrey somtime distroyed by Marius. The hangman, beholdyng the honourable porte and maiestie, that remayned in Ma∣rius, nat withstandynge that he was out of honorable apparayle, and was in garmētes torne and fylthy, he thought that in his vy∣sage appered the terrible battayle, wherin Marius vanquyshed his coūtray men: he therfore all tremblynge, as constrayned by feare, dydde lette falle out of his hande the swerde, wherwith he shoulde haue slayne Marius, and leuing him vntouched, fledde oute of the place. The cause of his feare reported to the people, they meued with reuerence, afterwarde studied and deuysed howe they mought delyuer Marius from the malyce of Scilla.

¶ In Augustus, emperour of Rome, was a natiue maiestie. For as Suetom{us} writeth, from his eien proceded rayes or beames, whyche perced the eien of the beholders. The same emperour spake seldom openly, but out of a comentarie, that is to say, that he had before prouided and wryten, to the

intente that he wold speke no more ne lasse than he had purposed.

¶ More ouer, towarde the acquiringe of maiestie, thre thinges be required in the o∣ration of a man hauyng autoritie, that it be compendious, sententious, and delectable: hauynge also respect to the tyme whan, the place where, and the persones to whom it is spoken. For the wordes perchance apte for a bankette or tyme of solace, be nat cō∣mendable in tyme of consultation or seruice of god. That langage that in the chambre is tollerable, in place of iugement or great assembly is nothinge cōmendable.

¶ Of apparayle belongynge to a noble man beinge a gouernour or great counsaylour. Cap. iii.

APparayle may be well a part of ma∣iestie. For as there hath ben euer a discrepance of vesture of youth and age, men and womenne, and our lorde god ordeyned the apparayle of priestis distinct frome seculars, as it appereth in holy scri∣pture: also the gentyles had of auncyente tyme sondry apparayle to sondrye astates, as to the senate, and dignities called ma∣gistrates, And what enormitie shoulde hit nowe be thought and a thing to laughe at,

to se a iuge or sergeāt at the lawe in a short coote garded and pounced after the galy∣arde fation, or an apprentyse of the lawe or pleder, come to the barre with a myllayne or frenche bonette on his heed, sette full of aglettes? So is there apparayle comely to euery astate and degree, and that whiche excedeth or lacketh, procureth reproche, in a noble man specially. For apparaile sim∣ple or scant reprouethe hym of auarice. If it be alwaye excedynge precious and often tymes chaunged, as well in to charge as straunge and newe facions, it causeth hym to be noted dyssolute of maners.

¶ The moste noble emperours of Rome, Augustus, Traiane, Hadriane, Antonine, Seuerus, and Alexander, whiche were of al other incomparable in honorable lyuing, vsed a dyscrete moderation in theyr appa∣rayle, all though they were greatte empe∣rours and gentyles. Howe moche more ought than christen men, whose denomina∣tion is founded on humilitie, and they that be not of the estate of pryncis, to shewe a moderation and constaunce in vesture, that they diminysshe noo part of theyr maiestie, eyther with newe fanglenesse, or with ouer sumptuous expences, and yet may this last be suffred, where there is a great assembly of straungers: for than some tyme it is ex∣pediente,

that a noble man, in his aparayle, do aduaunce hym selfe to be bothe ryche and honourable. But in this as wel as in o∣ther partes of maiestie, tyme is to be high∣ly consydered.

¶ Semblable deckinge oughte to be in the * 1.14 house of a noble man, or manne of honour. I meane concernynge ornamentes of halle and chambres, in Aryse, paynted tables, and images couteynynge histories, wherin is represented some monumente of vertue, mooste cunnyngely wrought, with the cir∣cumstaunce of the matter briefly declared, wherby other men in beholdynge, maye be instructed, or at the least wayes to vertue perswaded. In lyke wise his plate and ves∣sayle wolde be ingraued with histories, fa∣bles, or quycke and wyse sentences, com∣prehendyng good doctryne or counsayles, wherby one of these commodyties maye happen, eyther that they whiche doo eate or drynke, hauynge those wysedomes euer in syghte, shall happen with the meate to receyue some of them, or by purposing thē at the table, maye sussitate some dysputati∣on or reasonynge, wherby somme parte of tyme shall be saued, whiche elles by super∣fluouse eatynge and drynkynge, wolde be idelly consumed.

¶ What very nobilitie is, and wherof it toke fyrste that denominati∣on. Capitulo. iiii.

NOwe it is to be feared, that where maiestie approcheth to excesse, & the mind is obsessed with inordinate glo∣rie, lest pryde, of al vices mooste horryble, shulde sodeynly entre and take prisoner the harte of a gentyllman called to auctoritie. Wherfore in as moch as that pestilence cor¦rupteth all sences, and maketh them incu∣rable by any perswation or doctryne, ther∣fore such persons, from theyr adolescency, * 1.15 ought to be perswaded and taught the true knowledge of very nobylytie, in fourme fo∣lowynge or lyke.

¶ Fyrst that in the begynnynge, whan pri∣uate possessions and dignitie were giuen by the consente of the people, who than had all thynge in commune, and equalitie in de∣gree and condition, Undoutedly they gaue the one and the other to him, at whose ver∣tue they meruayled, and by whose labour and industrie they receiued a commune be∣nefyte, as of a commune father, that with equal affection loued them. And that prōp∣titude or redynesse in employinge that be∣nefyte was than named in englyshe gentyl∣nesse, as it was in latine BENIGNITAS,

and in other tonges after a semblable signi∣fycation: and the persons were called gen∣tyll menne, more for the remembraunce of theyr vertue and benefyte, than for discre∣paunce of astates.

¶ Also it fortuned by the prouidēce of god, that of those good menne were ingendred good chyldren, who beinge broughte vp in vertue, and perceyuynge the cause of the aduauncement of theyr progenytours, en∣deuoured them selfes by imitation of ver∣tue, to be equall to them in hon our and au∣ctoritie: by good emulation they reteyned stylle the fauour and reuerence of people. And for the goodnes that proceded of su∣che generation, the astate of them was cal∣led in greke EVGENIA, whiche signifyeth good kynde or lynage: but in a more briefe maner, it was after called nobilitie, and the persoues noble, which signifieth excellent, and in the analogie or significatiō it is more ample than gentill, for it conteyneth as wel all that, whiche is in gentilnesse, as also the honour or dignitie therfore receyued, whi∣che be so annexed the one to the other, that they can not be seperate.

¶ It wolde be more ouer declared, that where vertue ioyned with great possessiōs * 1.16 or dygnytie, hath longe contynued in the blode or house of a gentyll man, as it were

an inheritaunce, there nobilitie is most she∣wed, and these noble men be most to be ho∣nored: for as moche as continuaunce in all thinge that is good, hath euer preeminence in prayse and comparyson. But yet shall it be necessary, to aduertise those persōs, that do thynke, that nobylitie may in no wyse be but onely where men can auaunte theym of auncient lignage, an auncient robe, or great possessions, at this day very noble men do suppose to be moch errour and foly. Wher∣of there is a familiar example, whiche we beare euer with vs: for the bloode in our bodies beinge in youthe warme, pure, and lustye, is the occasion of beautie, whiche is euery where commended and loued, but in age beynge putryfied, it leseth his prayse. And the goutes, carbuncles, kankers, le∣pryes, and other lyke sores and sycknesses, whiche do procede of blode corrupted, be to al men detestable. And this persuasion to any gentilman, in whom is apt dysposition to very nobilitie, wyll be sufficient, to with∣drawe hym from such vice, wherby he may empayre his own estimation, and the good renoume of his auncetours.

¶ If he haue an auncient robe, lefte by his * 1.17 auncetour, let hym consider, that if the first owner were of more vertue than he is, that succedeth, the robe beynge worne, myns∣sheth

his prayse, to them whiche knowe or haue harde of the vertue of hym that fyrste owed it. If he that weareth it be vyclouse, it more detecteth howe moch he is vnwor∣thy to weare it, the remembraunce of his noble auncetour makynge men to abhorre the reproche gyuen by an yuell successour,

¶ If the fyrst owner were not vertuouse, it condemneth him that weareth it of moche folyshenesse, to glorie in a thynge of so base estimation, which lacking beautie or glosse, can be none ornament to hym that weareth it, nor honorable remembrance to hym that fyrste owed it.

¶ But nowe to confirme by true histories, that accordynge as I late affirmed, nobili∣tic * 1.18 is not only in dignitie, auncient lignage, nor great reuenues landes or possessyons, let yong gentylmen haue often tymes tolde to theym, and (as it is vulgarely spoken) layde in theyr lappes, how Numa Pompi∣lius was taken from husbandry, whiche he * 1.19 exercised, and was made king of Romayns by electyon of the people. What caused it suppose you, but his wisedome and vertue, whiche in him was very nobilitie: and that nobylitie broughte hym to dygnitie? And if that were not nobylytie, the Romaynes were meruaylousely abused, that after the dethe of Romulus theyr kynge, hauinge a∣monge

them a hundred senatours, whome Romulus dyd set in auctoritie, and also the blod royal, and olde gentylmen of the Sa∣bynes, who by the procurement of the wi∣ues of the Romains, beīg their doughters, inhabited the citie of Rome, they wold nat of somme of them electe a kynge, rather than aduaunce a ploughman and straunger to that autoritie.

¶ Quintius, hauing but .xxx. acres of land, * 1.20 and beinge ploughman therof, the Senate and people of Rome sente a messager to shewe hym that they had chosen hym to be DICTATOR, whiche was at that tyme the highest dignitie among the Romains, & for thre monethes had auctoritie royal. Quin∣tius herynge the message, lette his plough stande, & went into the citie, & prepared his hoost, agein the Samnites, and vanquished them valiantly. And that done, he surren∣dred his office, and being discharged of the dignitie, repaired ageyne to his ploughe, and applied it diligently.

¶ I wold demaund nowe, if nobilitie were only in the dignitie, or in his prowesse, whi∣che he shewed agaynst his ennemies. If it were only in his dignite, it therwith cessed, and he was (as I mought say) estsones vn∣noble, and than was his prowesse vnrewar∣ded, whiche was the chiefe and origynall

cause of that dignite: whiche were incon∣gruent and without reasō. If it were in his prowesse, prowesse consistynge of valiaunte courage and martial polycie, if they styl re∣mayne in the personne, he maye neuer be with out nobilitie, whiche is the commen∣dation, and as it were the surname of vtue.

¶ The two Romaynes, called both Decii, were of the base astate of the people, and * 1.21 not of the greate blode of the Romaynes, yet for the preseruation of theyr countrey, they auowed to dye, as it were in a satisfa∣ction for all theyr countrey: and soo with valyaunte hartes they perced the hoste of theyr ennemies, and valiauntly fyghtynge dyed there honourably, and by theyr exam∣ple gaue suche audacitie and courage to the residue of the Romaynes, that they em¦ployed so their strengthe agaynst their en∣nemyes, that with lyttell more losse, they opteyned victorye.

¶ Ought not these two Romaynes, which by theyr death gaue occasiō of victorye, be called noble? I suppose no man that kno∣weth what reason is, wyll denie it.

¶ More ouer, we haue in this realme coy∣nes, which be called nobles, as lōg as they be sene to be golde, they be so called: but if they be counterfayted, and made in brasse, coper, or other vile metal, who for the prit

onely, calleth them nobles? wherby it ap∣pereth, that the estimation is in the metall, and not in the prynte or ••ygure.

¶ And in a horse or good greyhounde, we prayse that we se in them, and not the beau∣tie or goodnes of theyr progenie. Whiche proueth, that in estemyng of money and ca∣tell, we be led by wysedome, and in appro∣uynge of man, to whom beastes and money do serue, we be onely induced by custome.

¶ Thus I conclude, that nobylytie is not after the vulgare opynion of menne, but is onely the prayse and surname of vertue. Whiche the lenger it continueth in a name or linage, the more is nobilitie extolled and meruayled at.

Ofaffabilitie, and the vtilitie ther of in euery astate. Cap. v.

TO that, whiche I before named gen∣tylnesse, be incident thre special qua∣lities, Affabilite, Placabilitie, & Mer∣cy, of whom I wil nowe seperately declare the propre significations.

¶ Affabilitie is of a wonderfull efficacie or power in procuryng loue. And it is in son∣dry wyse, but moste proprely, where a man is facyle or easye to be spoken vnto. It is also where a man speketh courteysely with

a swete speche or countenaunce, wherwith the herers (as it were with a delycate o∣dour) be refreshed, and alured to loue him, in whom is this moste delectable qualytie. As contrary wyse, men vehementely hate them, that haue a proude and haulte coun∣tenaunce, * 1.22 be they neuer so hyghe in astate or degree. How often haue I hard people say, whan men in great auctoutie haue pas∣sed by, without makyng gentyl countenāce, to those whiche haue done to them reue∣rence, This mā weneth with a loke, to sub∣due all the worlde? Nay nay, mens hartes be free, and wyll loue whom they lyst. And therto al the other do consēt in a murmure, as it were bees. Lorde god howe they be sore blinded, which do wene, that haulte countenaunce is comelynesse of nobylitie, where vndoubtedly, nothynge is therto, a more greatter blemyshe: As they haue wel proued, which by fortunes mutabilite haue chaunged their astate, whan they perceiue that the remembrance of theyr pride, with∣draweth all pitie, all men reioysynge at the chaunge of theyr fortune.

¶ Dionise, the proude kynge of Sicile, af∣ter that for his intollerable pride, was dri∣uen by his people out of his realme, the re∣menbraunce of his haulte and stately coun∣tenaunce, was to all men so odiouse, that he

coulde be in no countrey well enterteyned. In so moche as if he had not be releued by lernynge, teachynge a grammer schole in Italy, he for lacke of frendes had ben con∣strayned to begge for his lyuynge.

¶ Semblably Perses king of Macedonia, & one of the rychest kynges that euer was in Grece, For his execrable pryde, was at the last abandoned of all his alies and con∣federates, by reason wherof, he was vain∣quyshed, and taken prisoner by Paulus E∣milius, one of the consules of Rome: & not onely he hym selfe bounden, and ledde as a captiue, in the triumphe of the sayde Pau∣lus, but also the remembrance of his pryde was so odiouse to people, that his owne sonne, destitute of frendes, was by nede cō∣strayned to worke in a smythes forge, not fyndinge any man that of his harde fortune had any compassion.

¶ The pride of Carquine, the last kyng of Romaynes, was more occasion of his exile, than the rauysshynge of Lucrecia, by his sonne Arunci{us}, for the malice that the peo∣ple by his pryde had longe gathered, fyn∣dinge valiaunt capitaynes, Brutus, Cola∣tinus, Lucretius, and other nobles of the citie, at the last braste out, and takynge oc∣casion of the rauisshement, all thoughe the king were therto not partie, they vtterly ex¦pulsed

him for euer out of the citie. These be the fruites of pride, and that men do call stately countenaunce.

¶ Whan a noble man passeth by, shewynge to men a gentyll and familiare visage, it is a * 1.23 world to beholde, howe people taketh cō∣fort, howe the bloude in theyr visage quic∣keneth, howe theyr fleshe styreth and har∣tes leape for gladnes: Than they all speke, as it were in an harmony, the one saith, who beholdinge this mannes most gentyl coun∣tenance, wil nat with al his harte loue him? A nother sayth, He is no man but an angel, se howe he reioyseth all men that beholde hym. Fynally, all doo graunte, that he is worthy all honour that maye be gyuen or wyshed hym.

¶ But nowe to resorte to that, which most proprely (as I haue said) is affabilite, whi∣che is facile or easy to be spoken vnto.

¶ Marcus Antonin{us}, emperour of Rome (as Lampridius wryteth) enserched, who were moost homely and playne men within the cite, and secretely sent for them into his chambre, where he diligently enquered of them, what the people coniected of his li∣uinge, commaundynge them vpon peyne of his hygh indignation, to tell hym trouthe, and hyde nothynge from hym. And vpon theyr reporte, if he harde any thynge wor∣thy

neuer so lyttell dyspreyse, he forthwith amended it. And also by suche meanes, he corrected them that were about his persō, fyndyng them negligent, dyssemblars, and flatterers.

¶ The noble Trayane, whan his nobles & counsaylours noted hym to famylyar and curtaise, and therfore dyd blame hym, He aunswered, that he wolde be a lyke empe∣rour to other men, as if he were a subiecte, he wolde wyshe to haue ouer hym selfe.

¶ O what domage hath ensued to pryncis * 1.24 and theyr realmes, where liberte of speche hath ben restrained?

¶ What auayled fortune incomparable to * 1.25 the great kynge Alexander, his wonderful puyssaunce and hardynes, or his synguler doctryne in philosophy, taughte hym by Aristotle, in delyueryng hym from the deth in his yonge and flourishyng age? where if he hadde reteyned the same affabilitie, that was in hym in the begynnynge of his con∣quest, and had not put to sylence his coun∣saylours, whiche before vsed to speake to hym frankely, he mought haue escaped all vyolent death: and by simylitude haue en∣ioyed the hole monarchie of al the worlde. For after that he waxed to be terryble in maners, and prohibited his frēdes, and dis∣crete seruauntes, to vse theyr accustomed

libertie in speche, he felle in to the hatefull grudge amonge his owne people.

¶ But I had almost forgoten Iulius Ce∣sar, * 1.26 who being not able to susteyne the bur∣den of fortune, and enuienge his owne fe∣licitie, abandoned his naturall disposition, and as it were being drōke with ouer moch welth, sought newe wayes, howe to be ad∣uaunced aboue the astate of mortal princis: wherfore litel and lytel he withdrewe from men his accustomed gentylnesse, becoming more sturdy in langage, and strange in coū∣tenaunce, than euer before had bene his v∣sage. And to declare more playnely his in∣tente, he made an edict or decree, that noo man shulde prease to come to him vncalled, and that they shuld haue good awaite, that they spake not in such familiar faciō to him, as they before had ben accustomed: wher∣by he so dyd alienate from hym the hartes of his moste wyse and assured adherentys, that from that tyme forwarde, his lyfe was to them tedious: and abhorrynge hym as a monstre or commune enemy, beinge knytte in a confederacy, slewe hym syttyng in the Senate, of whiche conspiracy was chiefe capitayne Marcus Brutus, whom of al o∣ther he best loued, for his great wysedome and prowesse. And it is of some writers sus∣pected, that he was begoten of Cesar, for

as moch as Cesar in his youth loued Ser∣uilia, the mother of Brutus, and as menne supposed, vsed her more familiarly than ho¦nestie required. Thus Cesar by omittinge his olde affabilitie, did incense his next frē∣des and companions to sle hym.

¶ But nowe take hede what domage ensu∣ed * 1.27 to hym by his decre, wherin he cōman∣ded, that no man shulde be so hardy to ap∣proche or speke to hym, One which knewe of the conspiracie against him, & by all lyke∣lihode did participate therin, beyng meued either with loue or pitie, or other wyse his cōscience remording against the destructiō of so noble a prince, cōsidering that by Ce∣sars decree he was prohybyted to haue to him any familiar accesse, so that he myghte not plainly detect the conspiracie, he ther∣to vehemētly meued, wrote in a byll all the fourme therof, with the meanes howe it might be espied, & sēs he mought find none other oportunitie, he delyuered the byll to Cesar the same day that his dethe was pre∣pared, as he wēt towarde the place, where the Senate was holden. But he being radi¦cate in pride, & neglectīg to loke on that bil, not esteming the {per}son that deliuered it, whi¦che {per}chāce was but of a mean hauiour, cōti¦nued his way to the Senate, where he incō¦tinēt was slain by the said Brut{us} & many mo

of the Senate for that purpose appoynted.

¶ Who beholding the cause of the death of this moste noble Cesar, vnto whom in elo∣quence, doctrine, martial prowesse, and gē∣tylnesse, no prince maye be compared, and the acceleration or haste to his confusyon, caused by his owne edict or decre, wyll not commende affabilitie, and extolle liberalite of speche? wherby onely loue is in the har∣tes of people perfectely kendled, all feare excluded, and consequentely realmes, do∣minions, and all other auctorities consoly∣date and perpetually stablished. The suffe∣rance of noble men to be spoken vnto, is not only to them an incōparable sur etie, but al∣so a confounder of repentaunce, ennemy to prudence, wherof is ingendred this word, Had I wyst, whiche hath benne euer of all wyse men reproued.

¶ On a tyme kynge Philip, father to the * 1.28 great Alexander, sittyng in iugemente, and hauynge before hym a matter agaynste one of his soudiours, beinge ouer commen with watche, fel on a slombre, and sodeynly be∣ing awaked, immediatly wolde haue giuen a sentēce agaynst the poore souldiour. But he with a great voice & outcrie said? Kynge Philip, I appele. To whom wylt thou ap∣pele sayd the kyng? To the (sayd the soul∣diour) whan thou arte throughly awaked.

with whiche answere the kynge suspended his sentence, and more diligētly examining the matter, foūd, the souldiour had wrōge: whiche being sufficiently discussed, he gaue iugement for hym, whome before he wolde haue condemned.

¶ Semblably hapned by a pore woman, a∣gaynste whom the same kynge had gyuen iugemēt, but she as desperate, with a loude voice, cried, I appele, I appele. To whom appelest thou sayde the kynge? I appeale, sayde she, from the, nowe beynge dronke, to kynge Philyp the sobre. At which wor∣dis, though they were vndiscrete and foo∣lishe, yet he nat being moued to displesure, but gatherynge to hym his wyttes, exami∣ned the matter more seriously: wherby he fyndyng the pore woman to susteyn wron∣ges, reuersed his iugement, and according to truth and iustyce, gaue to her that she de¦manded. Wherin he is of noble autours cō∣mended, and put for an honorable example of affabilitie.

¶ The noble emperour Antonine, called * 1.29 the philosopher, was of suche affabilitie, as Herodiane writeth, that to euery man that came to him, he gentilly deliuered his hād. And wold nat {per}mitte, that his garde shuld prohibyte any man to approche hym.

¶ The excellent emperour Augustus on a

a tyme, in the presence of many men, plaied on cimbales, or an other lyke instrumente. * 1.30 A poore man standyng with other, and be∣holdynge * 1.31 the emperour, said with a loude voyce to his felowe, Seest thou nat, howe this voluptuous lechour tempereth al the worlde with his fynger? Whyche wordes the emperour so wysely noted, withoute wrathe or displeasure, that euer after, du∣ryng his lyfe, he refrayned his handes frō semblable lyghtnesse.

¶ The good Antonine, emperor of Rome * 1.32 cōming to supper to a meane gentylmā, be∣helde in the house certaine pyllers of a de∣licate stone, called porpheri, asked of the * 1.33 good man, where he had bought those pil∣lers. Who made to the emperour this an∣swere, Syr, whan ye come into any other mans howse, than your owne, euer be you both dome and defe. Whiche liberall taunte that most gentyl emperour toke in so good {per}t, that he oftētimes rehersed that sentēce to other, for a wyse and discrete coūsayle.

¶ By these exāples apperith now euidētly what good cometh of affabylitie or suffe∣rāce of speche, what most pernicious daū∣ger alway ensueth to theym, that either do refuse counsayle, or prohybyte lybertie of speche, sens that in lybertie (as it hath ben proued) is most perfect suertie, accordyng

as it is remembred by Plutarche, of The∣opompus, kynge of Lacedemone, who beinge demaunded, howe a realme mought be beste and mooste surely kepte, If (sayd he) the prince gyue to his frendes libertie, to speake to hym thynges that be iuste, and neglecteth nat the wronges, that his sub∣iecte susteyneth.

¶ Howe noble a vertue placabi∣litie is. Cap. VI.

PLacabylitie is no lyttell parte of Benignitie, and is proprely where a man is by any occasy∣on meued to be angry, and nat withstandynge eyther by his owne reason ingenerate, or by counsaylle perswaded, omytteth to be reuenged, and often tymes receyuethe the transgressoure ones reconsyled, into more fauour: whyche vndoubtedlye is a vertue wonderfulle ex∣cellent. For as Tulli sayth, No thynge is * 1.34 more to be meruayled at, or that more be∣cometh a man noble and honorable, thanne mercy and placabilitie. The valewe ther∣of * 1.35 is beste knowen by the contrarye, why∣che is yre, called vulgarely wrathe, a vyce mooste vgly, and farrest from humanitie.

For who beholdynge a man in estymation

of nobylitie and wysedome, by furie chan∣ged into an horrible figure, his face infar∣ced with rancour, his mouth foule and im∣bosed, his eien wyde starynge, and sparke∣lynge lyke fyre, nat speakynge, but as a wylde bulle, roringe and brayinge out wor∣des despytefull and venomous, forgettyng his astate or condytion, forgettynge ler∣nynge, ye forgettynge all reason, wyll nat haue suche a passyon in extreme detestati∣on? Shall he nat wysshe to be in suche a man placabilitie? wherby onely he shulde be eftesoones restored to the fourme of a man, wherof he is by wrathe despoyled, as it is wondersly well described by Ouide in his crafte of loue.

¶ Man to thy vysage it is conuenient Beastly fury shortly to aswage. * 1.36 For peace is beautyfull to man onely sent, wrathe to the beastis cruell and sauage. For ī mā the face swelleth, whā wrath is ī rage The blode becometh wanne, the eien firy bright Lyke Gorgon the mōster, appering in the night.

¶ This Gorgon, that Quide speaketh of, is supposed of poetes to be a fury or infer∣nall * 1.37 monster, whose heares were all in the figure of adders, signifieng the abundance of myschiefe, that is conteyned in wrathe. Wherwith the great kyng Alexāder being * 1.38

(as I mought say) obsessed, dyd put to vē∣geable deathe his dere frende Clitus, his mooste prudent counsaylour Calisthenes, his moste valiant capitayne Philotas, with his father Parmenio, and dyuers other. wherof he so soore after repēted, that op∣pressed with heuynes, had slayne him selfe, had he nat ben let by his seruantes. Wher∣fore his furye and inordynate wrathe, is a fowle and greuous blemishe to his glorye, whiche without that vice, had incompara∣bly excelled all other princis.

¶ Who abhoreth or hateth nat the violēce * 1.39 or rage that was in Scylla and Marius? noble Romains, & in their tyme in hyghest authoritie within the citie, hauyng the go∣uernance of the more parte of the worlde. Scilla, for the malignitie that he hadde to∣warde Marius, caused the heades of a thousande and seuen hundred of the chief citisens of Rome to be strikē of, & brought to him freshe bledinge and quyck, and ther on fedde his mooste cruell cyen, whiche to eate his mouth naturally abhorred. Ma∣rius with no lesse rancour inflamed, beside a terrible slaughter, that he made of noble men, leanyng to Scilla, also caused Caius Cesar (who had ben both Consul and Cen∣sor, two of the mooste honorable dignities in the citie of Rome) to be violently drawē

to the sepulture of one Uarius, a symple and seditious persone, and there to be dis∣honestly slayne. With lyke bestiall fury, he caused the heed of Marcus Antonius, one of the moste eloquente oratours of all the Romaynes, to be brought vnto hym, as he sate at dyner, and there toke the heed all blody betwene his handes, and with a ma∣lycious countenaunce reproched hym of his eloquence, wherwith he had nat onely defended many an innocēt, but also the hole publyke weale by his wyse consultations singularly profyted.

¶ O what calamitie hapned to that moste noble citie of Rome, by the implacabilitie or wrath insaciable, of these two capytay∣nes, or (as I mought rather say) deuylles? the nobles betwene theym exhauste, the chyualrye almooste consumed, the lawes oppressed, and lackynge but lyttell, that the publyke weale had nat ben extinct, and the citie vtterly desolate.

¶ The vndiscrete hastinesse of themper or Claudius, caused hym to be noted for foo∣lysshe. For he meued with wrathe, caused dyuers to be slayne, for whom after he de∣maunded, and wolde sende for to soupper. Nat withstandynge that he was right well lerned, & in dyuers great affaires appered to be wise. These discōmodities do happen

by implacable wrathe, wherof there be ex∣amples innumerable.

¶ Contrarywise, the valiant king Pirrhus * 1.40 herynge that two men at a feast, & in a great assembly and audience, had openly spoken wordes, to his reproche, meued with dy∣spleasure, sent for the persones: and whan they were come, he demanded where they spake of him any suche wordes? whervnto one of theym aunswered, If (sayde he) the wyne had nat the sooner fayled vs, all that which was tolde to your hyghnes, in com∣parison of that whiche shuld haue ben spo∣ken, had bene but trifles. The wyse prince with that playne confession was mitigate, & his wrath conuerted to laughynge.

¶ Iuli{us} Cesar, after his victory ageinst the * 1.41 great Pompei, who had maried his dough¦ter, sittyng in open iugement, one Sergius Galba, one of the nobles of Rome, a frend vnto Pompei, saide vnto him, I was boun∣den for thy sonne in law Pompei in a great somme, whan he was consul the third time, wherfore I am nowe sewed. What shall I do? Shall I my selfe pay it? by which wor¦des he moughte seeme to reproche Cesar of the sellynge of Pompeis goodis, in de∣fraudynge his creditours. But Cesar than hauynge a gentyll harte and a pacient was nat meeued with any displeasure towarde

Galba: but caused Pompeies dettes to be discharged.

¶ we lacke nat of this vertue dimesticalle examples, I meane of our own kynges of Englande, but moste specially one, whiche in myne oppinyon, is to be compared with any, that euer was writen of in any region or countrey.

¶ The moste renomed prince king Henry the fyste, late kynge of Englande, durynge * 1.42 the lyfe of his father, was noted to be fiers and of wanton courage: it hapned, that one of his seruantes, whom he well fauoured, was for felony by him committed, arrained at the kynges benche: where of the prince beinge aduertised, and incensed by lyghte persones aboute him, in furious rage came hastily to the barre, where his seruāt stode as a prisoner, and commaunded hym to be vngyued and set at libertie. wherat all men were abashed, reserued the chiefe Iustice, who humbly exhorted the prince, to be cō∣tēted, that his seruaunt mought be ordred, accordynge to the aunciente lawes of this realme: or if he wolde haue hym saued frō the rigour of the lawes, that he shulde op∣teyne, if he moughte, of the kynge his fa∣ther, his gratious pardon, wherby no lawe or iustyce shulde be derogate. With whiche answere the prince nothynge appeased, but

rather more inflamed, endeuored him selfe to take away his seruant. The iuge consi∣dering the perillous example, and incōue∣nience that mought therby insue, with a va¦lyant spirite and courage, commanded the prince vpon his alegeance, to leaue the pri¦soner, and depart his way, with which com¦mandment the prince being set all in a fury, all chafed and in a terrible maner, came vp to the place of iugement, mē thinkyng that he wold haue slayne the iuge, or haue done to hym some damage: but the iuge sittynge styll without mouīg, declaring the maiestie of the kynges place of iugement, and with an assured and bolde countenaunce, had to the prince, these wordes folowyng,

¶ Syr, remembre your selfe, I kepe here the place of the kyng your soueraine lorde and father, to whom ye owe double obedi∣ence, wherfore eftesoones in his name, I charge you desyste of your wylfulnes and vnlaufull enterprise, & from hensforth giue good example to those, whyche hereafter shall be your propre subiectes. And nowe, for your contempte and disobedience, goo you to the prysone of the kynges benche, wherevnto I commytte you, and remayne ye there prisoner vntyll the pleasure of the kynge your father be further knowen. with whiche wordes beinge abashed, and

also wondrynge at the meruaylous graui∣tie of that worshypfulle Sustyce, the noble prince layinge his weapon aparte, doynge reuerence, departed, and wente to the kyn¦ges benche, as he was commanded. wher∣at his seruauntes disdaynynge, came and shewed to the kynge all the hole affaire. Wherat he awhyles studyenge, after as a man all rauyshed with gladnesse, holdynge his eien and handes vp towarde heuen, a∣braided, saying with a loude voice, O mer∣cyfull god, howe moche am I, aboue all o∣ther men, bounde to your infinite goodnes, specially for that ye haue gyuen me a iuge, who feareth nat to minister iustyce, and al∣so a sonne, who can suffre semblably, and o∣beye iustyce?

¶ Nowe here a man may behold thre per∣sones, worthy excellent memorie, Fyrste a iuge, who beinge a subiecte, feared nat to execute iustyce on the eldest son of his so∣ueraigne lorde, and by the order of nature his successour. Also a prince, and sonne and heire of the kyng, in the myddes of his fu∣rye, more consydered his euyll example, & the iuges constance in iustice, than his own astate or wylfull appetite. Thirdly, a noble kynge and wyse father, who cōtrary to the custome of parētes, reioyced to se his sōne, and the heire of his crowne, to be for his

bysobedyence, by his subiecte corrected. wherfore I conclude, that nothing is more honorable, or to be desired in a price or no∣ble man, than placabilite. As contrary wise, nothinge is so detestable or to be feared in suche one, as wrathe and cruell malignitie.

¶ That a gouernour oughte to be mercy∣full, and the diuersitie of mercy and vayne pitie. Cap. VII.

MERCY IS and hath bene euer of su∣che estimation with mankynde, that nat onely reason persuadeth, but al∣so experience proueth, that in whome mer∣cy lacketh, and is nat founden, in hym all o∣ther vertues be drowned, and lose their iuste commendation.

¶ The vice called crueltie, whiche is con∣trary * 1.43 to Mercy, is by good reason mooste odious of all other vyces, in as moche as lyke a poyson or contynuall pestylence, it distroyeth the generation of manne. Also lykewise as norishyng meates and drinkes in a sycke bodye, doo lose their bountie and augmente the malady, semblably dyuers v∣tues in a person cruel and malicious, be not onely obfuscate or hyd, but do minister oc∣casion and assistence to crueltie.

¶ But now to speke of the inestimable p^•ce

and value of mercy, Let gouernours, whi∣che knowe, that they haue réceyued theyr powar frome aboue, reuolue in their myn∣des, in what peryl they them self be in dai∣ly, if in god were nat abundance of mercy, but that as soone as they offende hym gre∣uously, he shulde immediatly stryke theym with his moste terrible dart of vengeance: All be it vneth any houre passeth, that men deserue nat some punyshement.

¶ The moste noble emperours, which for their merites resceyued of the gentyls di∣uine honours, vanquyshed the great hartis of their mortal ennemies, in shewyng mer∣cy aboue mens expectation.

¶ Iulius Cesar, which in policy, eloquēce, celeritie and prowesse, excelled al other ca¦pitaynes, in mercy onely, surmounted hym selfe, that is to saye, contrarye to his owne affectes and determynate purposes, he nat onely spared, but also resceyued into ten∣der familyaritie his sworne enmyes. wher∣fore if the disdayne of his owne blode and alyance had nat traytorously slayne him, he had reigned longe and prosperously.

¶ But amonge many other exaumples of mercy, wherof the hystoryes of Rome do * 1.44 abounde, there is one remembred by Se∣neca, whiche may be in the stede of a great noumbre.

¶ It was reported to the noble emperour Octauius Augustus, that Lucius Cinna, * 1.45 which was susters sonne to the great Pō∣pei, had imagined his dethe: Also that Cin¦na was apointed to execute his feate, whi∣les the emperour was doing his sacrifice. This reporte was made by one of the con∣spiratours, and therwith diuers other thin¦ges agreed: the olde hostilitie betwene the houses of Pōpei and Cesar, the wyld & se∣ditious witte of Cinna, with the place and tyme, where and whan the emperour shuld be disfurnyshed of seruantes. No wonder though the emperours mynde were inqui∣ete, being in so perillous a conflict, conside∣ryng on the one parte, that if he shulde put to deth Cinna, whiche came of one of the moste noble and auncient houses of Rome, he shulde euer lyue in daunger, onelas he shoulde destroye all that noble familie, and cause the memory of them to be vtterly ex∣terminate: whiche mought nat be brought to passe, without effusion of the bloudde of persons innumerable, and also peryle of the subuercion of the empire, late pacified. On the other parte, he considered the im∣minente daunger, that his persone was in, wherfore nature stered hym to prouide for his suertie: wherto he thought than to be none other remedy, but the deth of his ad∣uersarye.

To hym beinge thus perplexed, cam his wife Liuia, the empresse, who said vnto him, Pleaseth it you sir to here a wo∣mans aduise. Do you as phisitions be wont to do, where theyr accustomed remedyes preue nat, they assaye the contrary. By se∣ueritie ye haue hytherto nothyng profited: proue therfore nowe, what mercy may ad∣uaile you. Forgyue Cinna, he is taken with the maynure, and may nat nowe indomage you, profyte he may moche to the increase of your renoume & perpetuall glorie. The emperour reioysed to him selfe, that Cinna had founde such an aduocatrice, and giuing her thankes, caused his counsaylours, whi¦che he had sent for, to be countermaunded, and calling to him Cinna only, commanded the chaumbre to be auoyded, and an other chayre to be set for Cinna, and that done, he sayd in this maner to hym, I desyre of the this one thinge, that whyles I speke, thou wylt nat let or disturbe me: or in the middes of my wordes make any exclamation.

¶ What tyme Cinna, I founde the in the hoste of myne ennemies, all thoughe thou were nat by any occasyon made myne ene∣mye, but by succession from thyn auncetors borne myn enemye, I nat onely saued the, but also gaue vnto the all thyn inheritance: And at this day thou art so prosperous and

ryche, that they, whyche hadde with me vyctorie, do enuye the, that were vanquy∣shed. Thou askeddest of me a spiritual pro¦motion, and furth with I gaue it the, before many other, whose parentes hadde serued me in warres. And for that I haue doone so moche for the, thou haste nowe pourpo∣sed to slee me. At that worde, whan Cinna cried out, sayinge, that suche madnes was farre from his mynde. Cinna (said the em∣perour) thou kepeste nat promyse, it was couenanted, that thou shouldest nat inter∣rupte me. I say thou preparest to kyll me. And therto the emperour named his com∣panyons, the place, tyme, and order of all the conspiracy, and also to whom the sword was commytted. And whan he perceyued hym astonyed, holdynge than his peace, nat for bycause that he soo promysed, but that his conscyence hym meued. For what intent dyddeste thou thus, (sayde Augu∣stus) bycause thou woldest be Emperour? In good faythe the publyke weale is in an euyll astare, if nothynge lettethe the to raygne, but I oonely. Thou canste nat mayntayne or defende thyne owne house. It is nat longe sens that thou in a pryuate iugement, were ouercomen of a poore man but laate infraunchysed. Therfore thou mayste nothynge doo lyghtlyer than plede

ageynst the emperour. Say nowe, do I a∣lone let the of thy purpose? supposist thou that Paule, Fabius Maximus, the Cosses, & Seruiliis, aunciente houses of Rome, and suche a sorte of noble men (nat they whiche haue vayne and glorious names, but suche as for their merites be adorned with their propre images) wyll suffre the? Finally said the emperor (after that he had talked with hym by the space of two howres) I gyue to the thy lyfe Cinna the seconde tyme: fyrste beinge myn ennemy, nowe a traytour and murderer of thy souerain lorde, whom thou oughtest to loue as thy father. Howe frō this day let amitie betwene vs two be∣gynne, and let vs bothe contende, whether I with a better harte haue giuen to the thy lyfe, or that thou canst more genrilly recō∣pence my kyndnes.

¶ Sone after Augustus gaue to Cinna the dignitie of consull vndesired, blaming him, that he durste nat aske it, wherby he hadde hym moste assured and loyall. And Cinna afterwarde dieng, gaue to the emperour al his goodes & possessions. And neuer after was Augustus in daunger of any treasone.

¶ O what sufficient prayse may be giuen to this moste noble and prudente emperoure, that in a chambre aloone, without men, or∣denance, or weapon, and perchaunce with∣out

harnes, within the space of .ii. houres, with wordes well couched, tempered with maiestie, not only vainquished and subdued one mortall enemie, whiche by a malignitie engendred of a domesticall hatred, had de∣termined to slee hym, but by the same feate excluded out of the hole citie of Rome, all dyspleasure and rancour towarde hym, so that there was not left any occasion, wher∣of mought procede any lyttell suspicion of treasonne, whiche other wyse coulde not haue hapned without slaughter of people innumerable.

¶ Also the empresse Liuia, maye not of * 1.46 right be forgoten, whiche ministred to her lorde that noble counsayle in suche a per∣plexitie, wherby he saued bothe hym selfe and his people. Suppose ye that al the Sc∣natours of Rome, and counsaylours of the emperour, whiche were lytell fewer than a thousande, coulde haue better aduysed hym? This historie therfore is no lesse to be remembred of womē than of princis, ta∣kynge therby comforte to perswade swete∣ly theyr housebandes to mercye and pacy∣ence, to which counsayle only, they shulde be admytted and haue fre lybertie. But I shall forbere to speke more of Liuia nowe, for as moche as I purpose to make a boke onely for ladies, where in her laude shalbe

more amplye expressed. But to resort nowe to mercy.

¶ Suerly nothinge more entierly and fast∣ly * 1.47 ioyneth the hartes of subiectes to theyr prynce or soueraygne, than mercy and gen∣tilnes. For Seneca saith, A tēperate drede represseth hyghe and sturdy myndes: feare frequente and sharpe, sette forthe with ex∣tremitie, stereth men to presumption and hardynes, and constrayneth them to expe∣rimente all thynges. He that hastily punis∣sheth, oft tymes sone repenteth. And who that ouer moch correcteth, obserueth none equitie. And if ye aske me what mercye is, it is a temperaunce of the mynde of hym, that hath power to be auenged, and it is called in latine Clementia, and is alway ioy∣ned with reason. For he that for euery lyt∣tel occasion is meued with compassion, and beholdynge a man punysshed condygnely for his offence, lamenteth or waylethe, is called pitiouse, which is a syckenesse of the mynde, wherewith at this daye the more parte of menne be diseased. And yet is the sikenes moch wars by adding to one word, callynge it Uayne pitie.

¶ Some man perchance wyll demaunde of me, what is Uaine pite? To that I will an∣swere * 1.48 in a description of dayly experience.

¶ Beholde what an infynite nombre of en∣glishe

men and women, at this present time, wander in all places throughout this re∣alme, as beastis brute and sauage abando∣nyng al occupation, seruice, and honestie. How many semely personagis, by outrage in riote, gaminge, and excesse of apparaile, be induced to theft and robry, and somtime to murder, to the inquietatiō of good men, and fynally to theyr owne destruction?

¶ Howe consyder semblably, what noble statutes, ordinances, and actes of counsayl, from time to time haue ben excogitate, and by graue study and mature consultation, en acted and decreed, as well for due punys∣shemente of the saide idle persones and va∣cabundes, as also for the suppression of vn∣laufull games, and reducynge apparayle to conuenyente moderation and temperance? Howe many proclamations ther of haue bē dyuulgate, and not obeyed? Howe many commyssions directed, and not executed? (Marke wel here, that dissobedient subie∣ctes, & negligent gouernours, do frustrate good lawes) A man hering, that his neigh¦bour is slayne or robbed, forth with hateth the offendour, and abhorreth his enormy∣tie, thinkinge hym worthy to be punyshed, accordynge to the lawes. Yet whan he be∣holdeth the transgressour, a semely perso∣nage, also to be his seruant, acqueyntance,

or a gentyll man borne (I omytte nowe to speke of any other corrupty on) he forthe with changeth his opinion, and preferreth the offendours condition or personage, be∣fore the example of iustice, condempninge a good and necessary lawe, for to excuse an offence pernycious and dampnable, ye and this is not onely done by the vulgare or cō∣mune people, but moche rather by them, whiche haue auctoritie to them committed concernynge the effectuall execution of la∣wes. They beholde at theyr eie the conti∣nuall encrease of vacabundes, in to infynite nombres, the obstinate resistence of theym that dayely do transgresse the lawes made agaynste games, and apparayle, whiche be the streyght pathes to robry, and sembla∣ble mischefe. Yet if any one comissioner, me∣ued with zele to his countrey, accordynge to his duetie do execute duely, and frequēt∣ly the lawe or good ordinaunce, wherin is any sharpe punisshmente, some of his com∣panyons therat reboyleth, infamynge hym to be a manne without charytie, callynge hym secretely a pyke thanke, or ambicious of glorie, and by suche maner of obloquie, seeke meanes to brynge hym in to the ha∣tered of people. And this maye wel be cal∣led vayne pytie, wherin is conteyned ney∣ther iustice nor yet commendable charytie,

but rather therby ensueth negligence, con∣tempte, dissobedyence, and fynally all mys∣chiefe and incurable miserie.

¶ If this syckenesse had reygned amonge the olde Romaynes, suppose ye that the a∣state of theyr publyke weale had syxe hun∣dred yeres encreased, & two hundred ye∣res contynued in one excellente astate and wonderfull maiestye? Or thynke ye that the same Romayns mought so haue ordred many greatte countreyes, with fewer my∣nisters of iustice, than be nowe in one shire of Englande?

¶ But of that mater, and also of rigour and equalite of punishement. I wyll traite more amply in a place more propise for that pur∣pose. And here I conclude to wryte any more at this tyme of mercy.

The pryncipall partes of hu∣manitie. Cap. VIII.

THe nature & condition of man, wher∣in he is lesse than god almyghty, and excellynge not withstanding al other creatures in erth, is called humanitie: whi∣che is a generall name to those vertues, in whom semeth to be a mutuall concorde and loue, in the nature of man. And al thoughe there be many of the sayde vertues, yet ••e

there thre pryncipall, by whom humanitie is chiefely compact, Beneuolence, Bene∣ficence, and Liberalitie, which maketh vp the saide principall vertue called Benigni∣tie or gentylnes.

¶ Beneuolence, if it doo extende to a hole countreye or citie, is proprely called cha∣rite, * 1.49 and some tyme zele: and if it concerne one person, than is it called Beneuolence. And if it be very feruēt and to one singuler person, than maye it be named loue or ami∣tie. * 1.50 Of that vertuous disposition procedeth an acte, wherby some thynge is complyed, whiche is profitable and good to hym that receyueth it. And that vertue, if it be in o∣peration, or (as I mought saye) endeuour, is called than Beneficence: and the dede (vulgarly named a good tourne) maye be called a benefytte. If it be in money, or o∣ther thynge that hath substaunce, it is than * 1.51 called Liberalitie, whiche is not alwaye a vertue as Beneficence is: for in wel doinge (whiche is the ryght interpretation of Be∣neficence) can be no vice included. But Li∣beralitie, * 1.52 thoughe it procede of a free and gentyll harte, wyllynge to do some thynge thankeful, yet may it trāsgresse the bondes of vertue, eyther in excessyue rewardes, or expences, orels employenge treasour, pro∣motion, or other substaunce on {per}ersons vn∣worthy,

or on thynges inconuenient, and of small importaunce. Al be it some thynke suche maner of erogation not to be worthy the name of Liberalitie.

¶ Aristotle defineth a liberal man, whiche * 1.53 doth erogate, accordinge to the rate of his substance, and as oportunitie hapneth. He sayth also in the same place, that Liberaly∣tie is not in the multitude or quātite of that which is gyuen, but in the habite or facion, of the gyuer. For he gyueth accordynge to his habilitie. Neither Tulli approueth it to be Liberalitie, wherin is any myxture of auarice or rapine: for it is not properly Li∣beralitie, to exacte iniustely, or by violence or crafte to take goodes frō particuler per sons, and distribute them in a multitude: or to take frō many iniustly, and enriche ther∣with on personne or fewe. For as the same autour sayth, the last precept concernynge benefytes or rewardes is, to take good hede, that he contende not agaynst equitie, ne that he vpholde none iniurie.

¶ Nowe wyll I procede seriously and in a due forme to speke more pticulerly of these thre vertues. Not withstanding there is su∣che affinitie betwene beneficence and libe∣ralitie, beinge alwayes a vertue, that they tende to one cōclusion or purpose, that is to say, with a free & glad wyll to gyue to a no∣ther

that thynge, which he before lacked.

Of what excellence beneuo∣lence is. Cap. ix.

VUhan I remembre, what incompara¦ble goodnes hath euer proceded of this vertue BENEVOLENCE, mer∣cyfulle god what swete flauour fele I, per∣synge my spyrytes, wherof bothe my soule and body, to my thynkynge doo conceyue such recreation, that it semeth me to be in a paradise, or other semblable place of incom¦parable delites and pleasures.

¶ Fyrste I beholde the dygnitie of that vertue, consyderynge that god is therby chiefly knowen and honoured, both of an∣gel and man. As contrary wyse, the deuyll is hated and reproued both of god and mā for his malyce, whiche vice is contrarious and repugnant to Beneuolence. Wherfore without Beneuolence may be no god. For god is all goodnes, al charitie, al loue, whi∣che holy be comprehēded in the said word Beneuolence.

¶ Nowe let vs see, where any other ver∣tue may be equall in dignitie with this ver∣tue Beneuolence: or if any vertue remay∣neth, where this is excluded? For what commeth of Prudence, where lacketh Be¦neuolence?

but disceite, rauine, auarice, and tyrranny. What of Fortitude? but beastely crueltie, oppression, and effusion of bloode. What iustice may there be without beneuo∣lence? sens the fyrst or chiefe porcion of iu∣stice (as Tulli saith) is to indomage no mā, onles thou be wronfully vexed. And what is the cause hereof, but equal & entier loue, whiche being remoued or cessinge, who en∣deuoureth not hym selfe to take from a no∣ther al thynge that he coueteth, or for eue∣ry thynge that discontenteth him, wold not forthwith be auenged: wherby he confoū∣deth the vertue called Temperance, which is the moderatrice as well of al motions of the mynde, called affectes, as of all actes procedynge of man.

¶ Here it sufficiently appereth (as I sup∣pose) of what estymatiom beneuolence is. Nowe wyl I endeuoure me to recreate the spirites of the dylygente reder, with some delectable hystories, wherin is any noble remembrance of this vertue Beneuolence, that the worthynes therof maye appiere in a more plaine declaration: For in euery dis∣cipline, exaumple is the beste instructour. But fyrste I wyl aduertyse the reder, that I wyll nowe wryte of Beneuolence onely, whiche is moste vniuersal, wherin is equa∣lytie without syngular affection or accep∣taunce

of personages.

¶ And here it is to be noted, that if a go∣uernour * 1.54 of a publyke weale, iuge, or any o∣ther ministre of iustice, do gyue sentence a∣gaynste on e that hath transgressed the la∣wes, or punissheth hym accordynge to the qualitie of his trespas: Beneuolence ther∣by is not any thynge peryshed: for the con∣dempnation or punishement, is either to re∣duce hym that erreth into the traine of ver¦tue, or to preserue a multitude frō domage, by puttynge men in fcare, that be prone to offende, dreding the sharpe correctiō, that they beholde a nother to suffre. And that maner of seuerytie is touched by the pro∣phet Dauid in the fourthe psalme, sayinge in this wyse, Be you angry, and loke that you synne not. And Tulli saith, in his fyrste boke of Officis: It is to be wysshed, that * 1.55 they, whiche in the publyke weale haue a∣ny autoritie, may be lyke to the lawes, whi∣che in correctynge be lad onely by equitie, and not by wrath or dyspleasure

¶ And in that maner, whan Chore, Dathā, and Abirō, moued a sedition against Moy∣ses, he prayed god, that the erthe mought open and swalowe them, consyderyng that the fury of the people mought not be by a∣any other menes asswaged, ne they kept in due rule or obedience.

¶ Helias, the holy prophete of god, dyd * 1.56 his owne handes put to death the priestes of the Idol Baal, yet cessed he not with fa∣stynge, prayinge, longe and tedious pilgri∣mages, to pacifie the dyspleasure that god toke agaynste the people of Israel. But to retourne to beneuolence.

¶ Moyses, be ing highly enterteined with Pharao kynge of Aegipte, and so moche in his fauour, by the meanes of the kynges sister, that (as Iosephus saythe) he beinge made capitayne of a huge armye, was sente by Pharao against the Ethiopians or Mo∣res, where he made suche exployture, that he not only atchieued his entreprise, but al∣soo had gyuen vnto hym, for his prowesse, the kynges doughter of Ethiopia to be his wife, with great abundance of ryches. And also for his endeuour, prowesse, and wyse∣dome, was moche estemed by Pharao and the nobles of Aegypte, so that he moughte haue lyued there continually in moche ho∣nour & welth, if he wold haue preferred his singuler aduayle before the vniuersal weale of his owne kinred or familie: But he infla∣med with feruente beneuolence or zele to∣warde them, to redeme them out of theyr myserable bondage, chase rather to be in the daungerous indignation of Pharao, to commytte his personne to the chaungeable

myrides of a multitude, and they moste vn∣stable, to passe greate and longe iourneyes throughe desertes, replenished with wylde beastes and venemo{us} serpentes, to suffre ex¦streme hunger and thyrste, lackynge often tyme not onely vitayle, but also fresshe wa∣ter to drinke: thā to be in a palayce of Pha∣rao, where he shuld haue ben satisfied with honour, rychesse, and ease, and all other thynges pleasaunte.

¶ Who that redeth the boke of Exodi, shal finde the charitie of this man wonderfull. For whan almyghty god, beinge greuous∣ly meued with the chyldren of Israel, for theyr ingratitude, for as moche as they oftē tymes murmured agaynste hym, and vneth moughte be kepte by Moyses from idola∣tri, he sayde to Moyses, That he wold de∣stroye them vtterly, and make hym ruler of a moche greatter and better people. But Moyses brenninge in a meruaylous chari∣tie towardes them, sayde vnto god, This people good lorde haue mooste greuouslye synned, yet eyther forgyue them this tres∣pas, or if ye do not, stryke me cleane out of the booke that he wrate. And dyuers other tymes he importunatelye cried to god for the saufe garde of them, notwithstandynge that many tymes they concluded to haue slayne hym, if he had not bene by his wyse∣dome,

and specially by the power of god, preserued.

¶ But peraduenture some, which seke for stertynge holes to maynteyne theyr vices, wyll obiecte, sayinge, that Moyses was a holy prophete, and a person electe by pre∣destination, to delyuer the chyldren of Is∣rael out of captiuitie, whiche he coulde not haue done, if he had not ben of suche pacy∣ence and charitie. Therfore let vs se what examples of semblable beneuolence we can fynde amonge the gentyles, in whom was no vertue inspired, but that only which na∣turall reason induced.

¶ Whan a furious and wylfull yonge man, in a sediciō, had stricken out one of the eies * 1.57 of kynge Licurgus, the people wold haue slayne hym, and the kinge wolde not suffre them, but had hym home to his house, and by suche wyse meanes corrected the yonge manne, that at the laste he broughte hym to good maners and wysedome.

¶ Also the same Licurge, to thentent that theffect of his beneuolence, toward the cō∣mune weale of his countrey mought persist and continue, and that his excellent lawes beinge stablyshed, shulde neuer be alterate, he dydlette swere all his people, that they shulde chaunge no parte of his lawes, vntil he were returned, saynynge to them, that

he wold go to Delphos, where Apollo was chiefly hououred, to consult with that god, what semed to hym to be added to, or mini∣shed of those lawes, whiche also he feyned to haue receyued of the sayde Apollo. But finally he wēt into the Isle of Crete, where he continued and dyed, commaundynge at his death, that his bones shulde be caste in to the see, leaste if they were broughte to Lacedemonia his countreye, the people shulde thynke them selfe of theyr othe and promyse dyscharged.

¶ Semblable loue Codrus, the last king of * 1.58 Athenes, had to his countrey. For where the people called Dores (whom some thīke to be nowe Sicilians) wold aduenge their olde grudges againe the Atheniensis, they demaunded of some of theyr goddis, what * 1.59 successe shoulde happen, yf they made any warres. Unto whom aunswere was made, that if they slewe not the kynge of Atheni∣ensis, they shulde than haue the victorye. Whan they came to the fielde, straite com∣maundemente was gyuen amonge theym, that aboue all thynge, they shoulde haue good awayte of the kyng of Athenes, whi∣che at that tyme was Codrus. But he be∣fore knowynge the aunswere made to the Dores, and what commaundement was gi∣uen to the army, dydde put of his princely

habite or robes, and in apparayle al ragged and rent, carienge on his necke a bundel of twygges, entred into the hoste of his ene∣mies, and was slayne in the prease by a soul diour, whom he wounded with a hoke pur∣posely. But whan it was perceiued & kno∣wen to be the corps of kynge Codrus, the Dores al dismayed departed frō the fielde, without proferynge battaylle. And in this wyse the Atheniēsis, by the vertue of their moste beneuolent kynge, who for the saulf∣garde of his contrey, willyngly dyed, were clerely delyuered from batayle.

¶ O noble Codrus, howe worthy had you bene (if god had ben pleased) to haue abo∣den the reparation of mankynde, that in the habite and religion of a christen prynce, ye moughte haue shewed your wonderfull be∣neuolence and courage for the saulfe garde of christen men, and to the noble exaumple of other princis?

¶ CVRTIVS, a noble knyghte of the * 1.60 Romaynes, hadde no lesse loue to his coū∣treye than Codrus. For soone after the begynnynge of the Cytie, there hapned to be a great erthe quauc, and after there re∣mayned a greatte dell or pytto without bo∣tume, which to beholde, was horrible and lothesome, and out of it proceded suche a dampe or ayre, that corrupted all the cytie

with pestylence. Wherfore whannej they had counsaylled with suche idols as they than worshypped, answere was made, that the erth shulde not close, vntyll there were throwen into it the moste precious thynge in the citie. which answere receyued, there was throwen in ryche iewels of golde and precious stone: but all auayled not. At the laste Curtius, beynge a yonge and goodly gentyll man, consyderynge, that no riches throwhen in, profyted, fynally coniected, that the lyfe of man was aboue all thynges most precious, to thētent the residue of the people mought be saued by his onely deth, he armed hym selfe at all poyntes, and syt∣tynge on a courser, with his swerde in his hand redy drawen, with a valiaunt & fyerce courage enforsed his horse to lepe into the dell or pytte, and forth with it ioyned to ge∣ther and closed, leuinge only a signe where the pytte was, which longe after was cal∣led Curtius lake.

¶ I passe ouer the two Decius, Marcus Regulus, and many other princis and no∣ble men, that for the weale of theyr coun∣trey died willingly. And nowe wyl I speke of such as in any other fourme haue decla∣red theyr beneuolence.

¶ Xenophō the condisciple of Plato, wrate * 1.61 the lyfe of Cirus kynge of Persya mooste

elegantly, wherin he expresseth the figure of an excellent gouernour or capitayne: he sheweth there, that Cresus kynge of Li∣dia, whom Cyrus had taken prisoner, sub∣dued his countray, and possessed his trea∣sure, sayd on a tyme to Cyrus, whan he be∣helde his liberalitie, That suche largenes as he vsed, shulde brynge hym in pouertie, where if he lysted, he mought accumulate vp treasure incomparable. Than Cyrus de¦manded of Cresus, what treasure suppose ye shulde I now haue, if durynge the tyme of my reigne, I wolde haue gadred & kept money, as ye exhorte me to do? Than Cre¦sus named a great somme. Wel sayd Cyrus, sende ye some man, whome ye beste truste, with Histaspa my seruaunt. And thou Hi∣staspa, go about to my frendes, and shewe them that I lacke golde towarde a certayn busynes, wherfore I wyll, they sende me as moche as they can, and that they put it in wrytyng, and sende it sealed by the seruant of Cresus. In the same wyse Cyrus wrate in a letter, and also that they shulde receiue Histaspa as his counsaylour and frende, & sent it by hym. Histaspa, after that he had done the message of Cyrus, and was retur∣ned with the seruāt of Cres9, who brought letters frome Cyrus frendes, he sayde to Cyrus, O syr, from hensforth loke that ye

ye take me for a man of greate substaunce. For I am hyghely rewarded with manye greate gyftes for bryngynge your letters. Than Cyrus at the houre appoynted, lad with hym kynge Cresus into his campe, sayinge to hym, nowe beholde here is our treasure: accounte if ye can, howe moche money is redy for me, if I haue nede of a∣ny to occupie. Whan Cresus behelde, and reckened the innumerable treasure, which in sondry partes were laid about the paui∣lyon of Cyrus, he found moche more than he said to Cirus, that he shulde haue in his tresure, if he him self had gadred & kept it. And whan al appered sufficiētly, Cirus thā said, How think you Cresus, haue I nat tre¦sure? And ye coūsailed me, that I shuld ga∣ther and kepe money, by occasyon wherof I shuld be enuied and hated of my people. And more ouer put my truste to seruantes hyred to haue rule therof. But I do all o∣therwise, for in makyng my frendes ryche, I take them all for my tresure, & haue them more sure and trusty kepers, bothe of me & my substance, than I shuld do those, whom I muste truste onely for theyr wages.

¶ Lorde god, what a notable hystorie is this, and worthy to be grauen in tables of golde? consyderyng the vertue and power of beneuolence therin expressed. For the

beneuolente mynde of a gouernour, nat on¦ly byndeth the hartes of the people vnto hym, with the chayne of loue, more stron∣ger than any materyal bondes, but also gar¦deth more saufely his persone, thanne any toure or garyson.

¶ The eloquent Tulli saith in his offycis, * 1.62 A lyberall harte is cause of beneuolence, al¦though perchaunce power sometyme lac∣keth. Contrary wise, he saythe, They that desyre to be feared, nedes muste they drede them, of whom they be feared.

¶ Also Plini the yonger saythe, He that is * 1.63 nat enuironned with charite, in vayne is he garded with terrour, sens armure with ar∣mure is stered. Whiche is ratyfyed by the mooste graue philosopher Seneke, in his * 1.64 booke of mercye, that he wrate to NERO, where he saith, He is moche deceiued, that thinketh a man to be sure, where nothynge from hym can be saulfe. For with mutualle assurance, suretie is opteyned.

¶ Antoninus Pius, emperour of Rome, so * 1.65 moch tendred beneuolence of his peo∣ple, that whan a great nombre had conspi∣red treason ageinst hym, the senate beynge therwith greuousely meued, endeuoured them to punishe the said conspiratours, but the emperoure caused the examination to cesse, saying, It shulde nat nede to seeke to

busily for them that intēded such mischiefe, leste if they founde many, he shuld knowe, that many hated hym. Also whan the peo∣ple (for as moche as on a tyme they lacked corne in their graynardes, wold haue slain hym with stoones) rather than he wolde haue the sedytious persones to be punys∣shed, in his owne persone declared to them the occasyon of the scarsytie, wherewith they beynge pacifyed, euery man held him contented.

¶ I had almooste forgotten a notable and * 1.66 worthy remembrance of kynge Philyp, fa∣ther to great kynge Alexander. It was on a tyme to hym reported, that one of his ca∣pitaynes had menacinge wordes towardis hym: wherby it semed he intended somme domage towarde his personne. Wherfore his counsayle aduysed hym, to haue good awayte of the sayde capitayne, and that he were put vnderwarde. To whom the king answered, If any parte of my bodye were sycke or els sore, whether shuld I therfore cut it from the residue, and cast it from me, or els endeuour my selfe, that it mought be healed? And than he called for the said ca∣pytain, and so entertayned him with familia ritie and bounteous rewardes, that euer af¦ter he hadde hym more assured and loyall, than euer he was.

¶ Agesilaus, kynge of Lacedemonia, to * 1.67 hym that demanded, howe a kyng mought moste surely gouerne his realme, withoute souldiours or a garde to his person, answe∣red, If he reigned ouer his people, as a fa∣ther dothe ouer his children.

¶ The citie of Athenes, from whense ys∣sued * 1.68 all excellent doctrine and wysedome, durynge the tyme that it was gouerned by those {per}sons, vnto whō the people mought haue a familiar accesse, and boldly expoūde their grefes and damages, prospered mer∣uaylously, and duringe a longe season, rey∣gned in honour and weale. Afterward the Lacedemons, by the mutabilite of fortune, vanquyshed them in battayle, and commyt∣ted the citie of Athenes, to the kepynge of xxx. of their owne capitaynes, which were for their pride and auarice called tyrantes. But nowe se howe lytell suretie is in great * 1.69 nombre or strength, where lackith beneuo∣lence. These .xxx. tyrantes were contynu∣ally enuyronned with sondry garrysons of armed men, whiche was a terryble visage, to people that before lyued vnder the obe∣dience of their lawes only. Fynally the A∣thenienses, by feare beinge put from theyr accustomed accesse to their gouernours to require iustice, and therwith being fatigate as men oppressed with contynuall iniurie,

toke to theym a desperate courage, and in conclusyon expelled out of the cytie all the said tyrātes, and reduced it vnto his pristi∣nate gouernance.

¶ What misery was in the lyfe of Dyonise * 1.70 the tyrant of Cicile? who knowing, that his people desired his distruction, for his rauin and crueltie, wolde nat be of any man sha∣uen, but firste caused his owne doughters to clyppe his bear de: And afterwarde also mystrustyng them, he hym selfe with a brē∣nynge cole seared the heares of his beard: and yet fynally was distroyed.

¶ In lyke wretchednesse was one Alexan¦der, prince of a citie called Pherea, for he * 1.71 hauynge an excellent fayre wyfe, nat onely excluded al men from her company, but al∣so as often as he wolde lye with her, cer∣tayne persones shulde go before hym with torches, and he folowynge with his swerd redy drawen, wolde therwith enserche the bedde, coffers, and all other places of his chaumbre, leste any manne shoulde be there hydde, to the entent to slee hym. And that nat withstandynge, by the procuremente of his sayde wyfe (who at the laste faty∣gate with his mooste folyshe ialousy, con∣uerted her loue into hatred) he was slayne by his owne subiectes.

¶ NOVVE DOTHE IT appere, that this

reuerende vertue BENEVOLENCE, is of all men, moste specially of gouernours and men of honour, incomparably before other to be enbraced. The treasure of a gentylle countenaunce, swete aunsweres, ayde in ad uersitie, nat with money only, but also with studye and dylygent endeuoure, canne ne∣uer be wasted, ne the loue of good people therby acquired, can be from theyr hartes in any wyse seperate. And here I make an ende to speake any more atte this tyme of Beneuolence.

Of beneficence and liberalitie. Cap. x.

ALthough philosophers, in the des∣cription of vertues, haue diuised to set theym as it were in degrees, ha∣uyng respect to the qualitie & condition of the persone, whiche is with theym adour∣ned, as applieng Magnificence to the sub∣staunce and astate of princis, and to priuate persones Beneficence and Liberalitie: yet * 1.72 ben nat these in any part defalcate of their cōdigne praises. For if vertue be an electiō annexid vnto our nature, and consisteth in a * 1.73 meane, which is determined by reason, and that meane is the very myddes of two thin¦ges vycious, the one in surplusage, the o∣ther in lacke: than nedes must Beneficence

and Liberalitie be ••apitall vertues, & Ma∣gnificence procedeth frō them, approching to the extreme partes. And may be turned into vyce, if he lacke the brydell of reason. But Beneficence can by no meanes be vi∣cious, * 1.74 and retayne styl his name. Sembla∣bly Liberalitie (as Aristotle saith) is a me∣sure, * 1.75 as welle in gyuynge as in takynge of money and goodes. And he is onely lybe∣rall, whiche distributeth accordynge to his * 1.76 substance, and where it is expedient. Ther fore he ought to cōsider, to whom he shuld gyue, howe moche, and whan. For lybera∣litie taketh his name of the substance of the persone, from whome it procedeth: for it resteth nat in the quātitie or qualite of thin ges that be gyuen, but in the naturall dispo¦sition of the gyuer.

¶ The greate Alexander on a tyme after he had vanquyshed Darius in battayle, one * 1.77 of his souldiours broughte vnto hym the heed of an ennemy that he had slayne, whi∣che the kynge thankefully, and with swete countenance receyued, and takyng a cuppe of golde fylled with good wyne, sayde vn∣to the sowldyour, In olde tyme a cuppe of golde was the rewarde of such vertue, as thou haste shewed, whyche semblablye thou shalt receyue. But whan the souldior for shamefastnes refused the cup, Alexāder

added vnto it these wordes, The custome was to gyue the cuppe emptie, but Alex∣ander gyueth it to the fulle of wyne, with good handsell.

¶ Wherwith he expressed his lyberal hart, and as moche comforted the souldiour, as if he had gyuen to hym a great citie.

¶ More ouer, he that is lyberalle, neglec∣teth nat his substance or goodes, ne giueth * 1.78 it to all men, but vseth it so, as he may con∣tynually helpe therwith other, and gyueth whan, and where, and on whome it oughte to be employed. Therfore it may be saide, that he vseth euery thynge beste, that exer¦cyseth vertue, whiche is to the thyng most appropried. For rychesse is of the nombre of thynges, that maye be eyther good or yuell, whyche is in the arbytremente of the gyuer. And for that cause Lyberalitie and Benefycence be of suche affinitie, that the one maye neuer from the other be se∣perate. For the employment of moneye is nat Lyberalitie, if it be nat for a good ende or purpose.

¶ The noble emperours Antonine & Ale∣xander Seuerus, gaue of the reuenues of * 1.79 the empire inumerable substāce, to the re∣edifieng of cities & cōmune houses decaied for age, or by erth quaues subvted, wherin they practised Liberalite & also Beneficēce.

¶ But Tyberius, Nero, Caligula, Helio∣gabalus, & other semblable monsters, whi∣che * 1.80 exhausted and consumed infinite trea∣sures in bordell houses, and places, where abominations were vsed, also in enryching slaues, concubynes, and baudes, were nat named lyberall, but suffren therfore perpe∣tual reproche of writars, beinge called de∣uourers and wasters of treasure. wherfore in as moch as Lyberalitie holly resteth in the gyuynge of money, it somtyme colou∣reth a vyce: But Beneficence is neuer ta∣ken but in the better parte, and (as Tullie saith) is taken out of vertue, where Libe∣ralitie cōmeth out of the coffer.

¶ Also where a man distributeth his sub∣stance to many persons, the lasse Liberali∣tie shal he vse to other: so with bounteous∣nes, bountie is minyshed. Onely they that be called beneficiall, and do vse the vertue of Beneficence, whiche consisteth in coū∣saylynge, and helpynge other with any as∣sistence in tyme of nede, shall alwaye fynde coadiutours & supportours of their gentyll courage. And douteles, that maner of gen tylnes, that consisteth in labour, studie, and diligēce, is more cōmendable, and extēdeth further, and also may more profite persons, than that whiche resteth in rewardes and expences. But to retourne to liberalitie.

¶ What greater foly may be, thā that thing * 1.81 that a man most gladly dothe, to endeuour hym with all studye, that it maye no longer be done? wherfore Tulli calleth them pro∣digalle, that in inordynate feastes and ban∣kettes, vayne playes, and huntynges, doo spende all theyr substance, and in those thin¦ges, wherof they shall leaue but a short or no remembrance. Wherfore to resort to the counsaylle of Arystotle before expressed, Lyberalytie, in a noble manne specyally, is commended, all though it somewhat ex∣cede the termes of measure. And yf it be well and duely employed, it acquireth per∣petualle honour to the gyuer, and moche frute and syngular commoditie therby en∣creaseth. For where honeste and vertu∣ous personages be aduaunced, and wel re∣warded, it stereth the courages of menne, whyche haue any sparke of vertue, to en∣crease therin with all theyr force and en∣deuoure. wherefore nexte to the helpynge and relieuyng of a communaltie, the great parte of Lyberalitie is to be employed on men of vertue and good qualities, wherin is required to be a good election and iuge ment, that for hope of rewarde or fauour, vnder the cloke of vertue, be nat hyd the moste mortall poyson of flatterie.

¶ The true description of amitie or frendeshyp. Cap. XI.

I HAVE AL redy treated of Beneuolēce and Beneficence generally. But for as moche as frendshyp, called in latin AMI∣CITIA, comprehēdeth both those vertues more specially, and in an hygher degree, and is nowe so infrequente or strauuge a∣monge mortall men, by the tyrannye of co∣uetyse or ambition, whiche haue longe rei∣gned, and yet do, that amitie may nowe v∣nethe be knowen, or founde throughoute the worlde, by them that seke for her as di∣lygently, as a mayden wold seke for a small syluer pynne in a great chaumber, strawed with whyte rushes. I wyl therfore borow so moche of the gentyll reder, thoughe he be nigh wery of this longe matter, barram of eloquence and pleasant sentence, and de¦clare somewhat by the way, of verye & true frendshyp. whiche perchaunce maye be an allectiue to good men to seke for their sem∣blable, on whom they may practise amitie. For as Tulli saith, Nothinge is more to be loued, or to be ioyned togyther, than simy∣lytude * 1.82 of good maners or vertues: wher∣in be the same or sēblable studies, the same wylles or desires: in them it hapneth, that one in an other as moch delyteth as in him

selfe. But nowe let vs enserch what frend∣shyp or amitie is. * 1.83

¶ Aristotle saith, Frendeshyp is a vertue, or ioyneth with vertue. whiche is affirmed * 1.84 by Tulli, saying, Frendeshyppe can nat be without vertue, ne but in good men onely. Who be good men, he after declareth, to be those persones, whiche so do beare theym selues, and in suche wyse do lyue, that their faythe, suretie, equalitie, and lyberalitie, be sufficiētly proued. Ne that there is in them any couetyse, wylfulnesse, or folehardynes, and that in theym is great stabilitie or con∣stance: them suppose I (as they be taken) to be called good men, whiche doo folowe (as moche as men maye) nature the chiefe capytayne or guyde of mannes lyfe More ouer, the same Tulli defyneth frendshyppe in this maner, sayinge, It is noone other thynge, but a perfect consent of al thynges appertaining aswell to god as to man, with Beneuolence and Charitie. And that he knoweth nothing gyuen of god, except sa∣pience, to man more cōmodious. whiche de¦finition is excellent & very true. For in god and all thynge that cōmeth of god, nothing is of more greatter estimation, than loue, called in latine AMOR, wherof AMICITIA cōmeth, named in englyshe frendshyppe or amitie: the whiche taken awaye frome the

lyfe of man, no howse shall abide standing, no fyelde shall be in Culture. And that is lyghtly perceyued, if a man do remembre, what commeth of dissention and dyscorde, fynally he seemeth to take the sonne frome the worlde, that taketh frendshyppe from mannes lyfe.

¶ Sens frendshyp can nat be but in good men, ne may not be without vertue, we may be assured, that therof none euyl may pro∣cede, or therwith any yuel thyng may par∣ticipate. Wherfore in as moche as it maye be but in a fewe persones (good men being in a smalle nombre) And also it is rare and seldome, as all vertues be communely, I wyll declare after the opynion of philoso∣phers, and partely by commune experiēce, who amonge good men be of nature moste apte to frendshippe.

¶ Betwene all men that be good, can nat alway be amitie, but it also requireth, that they be of semblable or moche like maners or study, and specially of maners. For Gra uitie and Affabilitie, be euery of them lau∣dable qualities. So be Seueritie and Pla∣cabilitie. Also Magnificence & Liberalite, be noble vertues: and yet Frugalitie, whi∣che is a sobrenesse or moderation in liuing, is, and that for good cause of all wyse men extolled. Yet where these vertues and qua¦lities

be seperately in sondry persons assē∣bled, may welle be perfecte concorde, but frendeshyp is there seldome or neuer. For that, which the one for a vertue imbraceth, the other cōtemneth, or at the leste negle∣cteth, wherfore it semeth, that it, wherein the one deliteth, is repugnāt to the others nature: And where is any repugnaunce, may be none amitie, sens frendeshyp is an entier consent of wylles and desires. Ther¦fore it is seldome sene, that frendeshyp is betwene these persons, A man sturdy of o∣pinion inflexible, and of soure countenance and speche, with hym that is tractable, and with reason perswaded, and of swete coū∣tenance and entertaynment. Also betwene hym, whiche is eleuate in auctoritie, and a nother of a very base astate or degree, ye & if they be both in an equall dignitie, if they be desyrous to clyme: as they do ascende, so frendshyp for the more parte decayeth. For as Tulli saythe, in his fyrste booke of offices, what thing so euer it be, in the whi¦che many can nat excelle, or haue therin su∣periorytie, therein often tymes is suche a contention, that it is a thynge of all other moste difficile, to kepe amonge them good or vertuous company: that is as moche to say, as to retayne amonge them frendshyp and amitie. And it is oftentymes sene, that

diuers, which before they came in autorite, were of good & vertuous condiciōs, being in their prosperitie were vtterly changed, and dispisyng their old frendes, set all their study and pleasure on their newe acquain∣taunce. Wherin men shall perceyue to be a wonderfull blyndnes, or (as I mought say) a madnesse, if they note diligentely all that I shall hereafter write of frendeshyp. But nowe to resorte to speke of them, in whom frenshyp is most frequente, and they also therto be most aptely disposed.

¶ Undoutedly it be specially they, whiche be wyse, and of nature inclyned to Bene∣ficence, Liberalitie, and Constance. For by wysedome is marked and substancially de∣cerned the wordes, actes, and demeanure of all men, betwene whome hapneth to be any entercours or familiaritie, whereby is ingendred a fauour or disposition of loue. Beneficence, that is to saye, mutually put∣tynge to their studie and helpe in necessary affaires, induceth loue. They that be lybe∣rall, do withholde or hyde nothynge from them, whom they loue, wherby loue incre∣seth. And in them that be constant is neuer mystruste or suspition, nor any surmyse or yuelle reporte can with drawe theym from their affection. And hereby frendeshyppe is made perpetuall and stable. But yf simi∣litude

of study or lernynge be ioyned vnto the sayde vertues, frendship moche rather hapneth, and the mutuall enteruewe and conuersation is moche more pleasaunt, spe∣cially if the studies haue in them any dele∣ctable affection or motion. For where they be to serious, or full of contention, frende∣ship is oftentymes assaulted, whereby it is often in peryll. Where the study is elegant, and the matter illecebrous, that is to saye swete to the reder, the course wherof is ra¦ther gentyll perswasion and quicke reaso∣nynges, than ouer subtyll argumente, or li∣tigious controuersyes: there also it hap∣neth, that the studentes do delyte one in a nother, and be without enuye or malycy∣ous contention.

¶ Nowe let vs try out, what is that frend∣shyppe, that we suppose to be in good men. Ueryly it is a blessed and stable connexyon of sondry wylles, makynge of two persons one, in hauynge and suffrynge. And ther∣fore a frende is proprely named of Philo∣sophers, the other .I. For that in theym is but one minde and one possession: and that, which more is, a man more reioyseth at his frendes good fortune, than at his owne.

¶ Horestes and Pilades, beinge wonder∣ful lyke in al features, were taken to geder, and presented vnto a tirant, who deedly ha∣ted

Horestes. But whan he behelde them bothe, and wolde haue slayne Horestes on∣ly, he coulde not decerne the one from the other: And also Pilades, to delyuer his frende, affirmed, that he was Orestes: on the other parte Orestes, to saue Pilades, denyed, and sayd, that he was Orestes (as the trouthe was) Thus a longe tyme they togyther contendynge, the one to dye for the other, at the laste so relented the fierse and cruell harte of the tyraunte, that won∣dringe at theyr meruaylous frendshyp, he suffred them frely to departe, without do∣inge to them any damage.

¶ Pitheas and Damō, two Pythagoriens, * 1.85 that is to say, studentes of Pythagoras ler∣nynge, beinge ioyned togyther in a perfect frendshyp: for that one of them was accu∣sed to haue cōspired against Dionyse, kyng of Sicile, they were both takē and brought to the kynge, who immedyately gaue sen∣tence, that he that was accused, shulde be put to dethe. But he desired the kinge, that er he died, he mought retourne home, to set his householde in order, and to dystribute his goodes. Whereat the kyng laughynge, demaunded of him skornfully, what pledge he wolde leaue hym, to come agayne. At the whiche wordes, his company on stepte forthe and sayde, that he wolde remayne

there as a pledge for his frend, that in case he came not agayne, at the daye to him ap∣poynted, he wyllngly wold lose his hede. Whiche condicion the tyraunte receyued. The yonge man that shuld haue died, was suffred to departe home to his hous, where he did set all thynge in order, and dysposed his goodes wysely. The day appointed for his retourne was commen, the tyme moche passed. Wherfore the kynge called for hym that was pledge. Who came forth meryly, without semblaunte of drede, offringe to a∣byde the sentence of the tyraunte, and with out grudginge, to dye for the sauing the life of his frende. But as the offycer of iustyce had closed his eien with a kerchiefe, & had drawen his swerde, to haue stryken of his hede, his felowe came renning and crieng, that the daye of his appoyntmente was not yet paste: wherfore he desired the minister of iustice to lose his felowe, and to prepare to do execution on hym, that had giuen the occasion, whereat the tyraunte beynge all abashed, cōmanded both to be broughte in his presence, and whan he had inough wō∣dred at theyr noble hartes, and theyr con∣stance in very frendshyp, he offring to them greate rewardes, desyred them to receyue hym into theyr company: and so doing▪ thē moche honour, dyd set them at libertie.

¶ Undoughtedly that frendshyp, whiche doth depend eyther on profite or els in ple∣sure, if the habilitie of the persone, whiche mought be profitable, do faile or diminishe, or the dispositiō of the person, which shuld be pleasaunte, do chaunge or appayre, the feruentnesse of loue cesseth, and thanne is there no frendshyp.

The wonderfull history of Titus & Gisip∣pus, & wherby is fully declared the figure of perfet amitie. Ca. XII.

BUt nowe in the myddes of my labour, as it were to pause and take breth, and also, to recreate the reders, whiche fatigate with longe preceptes, desyre vari∣etic of mater, or some newe pleasaunt fable or historie, I wyll reherce a righte goodly example of frendshyp, whiche example stu∣diousely red, shal minister to the reders sin¦guler pleasure, and also incredible comfort to practise amitie.

¶ There was in the cytie of Rome a noble senatour, named Fuluius, who sente his sonne, called Titus, beinge a chylde, to the citie of Athenes in Grece (whiche was the fountayne of al maner of doctrine) there to lerne good letters: and caused hym to be hosted with a worshypfull man of that citie,

called Chremes. This Chremes hapened to haue also a sonne, named Gisippus, who not onely was equal to the sayde yong Ti∣tus in yeres, but also in stature, proporcion of body, fauour, and colour of visage, coun∣tenaunce and speche. The two chyldren were so lyke, that without moche difficul∣tie it coulde not be decerned of theyr pro∣pre parentes, which was Titus from Gisip¦pus, or Gisippus from Titus. These two yonge gentyllmen, as they semed to be one in fourme and personage, so shortely after acquaintaunce, the same nature wrought in theyr hartes suche a mutuall affection, that theyr wylles and appetites dayly more and more so cōfederated them selues, that it se∣med none other, whan theyr names were declared, but that they had only chaunged theyr places, issuing (as I mought say) out of the one body, & entringe into the other. They to gether, and at one tyme wente to theyr lernynge and studye, at one tyme to theyr meales and refectyon, they delyted bothe in one doctrine, and profyted equally therin, fynally they to gether so increased in doctrine, that within a fewe yeres, fewe within Athenes mought be compared vnto them. At the laste dyed Chremes, whiche was not onely to his lonne, but also to Ti∣tus cause of moche sorowe and heuynesse.

Gysippus, by the goodes of his father was knowen to be a manne of great substaunce: wherfore there were offred to hym greate and ryche mariages. And he than being of rype yeres, and of an habile & goodly per∣sonage, His frendes, kinne, and alies exhor¦ted hym busely to take a wyfe, to the entent he mought increase his lynage and proge∣nye. But the yonge man, hauyng his harte all redy wedded to his frende Titus, & his minde fixed to the study of philosophie, fe∣rynge that maryage shulde be the occasion to seuer him both from thone and thother, refused of longe tyme to be perswaded, vn∣tyll at the laste, partly by the importunate callynge on of his kynnesmenne, partely by the consente and aduyse of his dere frende Titus, therto by other desired, he assented, to mary suche one as shulde lyke him. What shall nede any wordes? his frendes found a yonge gentyl woman, whiche in equalitie of yeres, vertuous condicions, nobilitie of blode, beaute, and sufficiente richesse, they thought was for suche a yonge man apt and conueniente. And whan they and her frē∣des vpon the cōuenantes, of mariage were throughely accorded, they counsayled Gi∣sippus to repayre vnto the mayden, and to beholde howe her persone contented him. And he soo doynge, founde her in euerye

fourme and condicion, according to his ex∣pectation and apperite, whereat he moche reioysed, and became of her amorouse, in soo moche as many and often tymes, lea∣uing Titus at his study, he secretely repai∣red vnto her. Not with standynge the fer∣uent loue that he had to his frende Titus, at the last surmounted shamefastnes. Wher∣fore he dysclosed to hym his secrete iour∣neyes, and what delectacion he toke in be∣holding the excellent beautie of her, whom he purposed to marye: and howe with her good maners and swete enterteynemente, she had constrayned hym to be her louer. And on a tyme, he hauynge with hym his frende Titus, wente to his lady, of whom he was resceyued moste ioyously. But Ti∣tus furthewith as he behelde so heuenly a personage, adourned with beautie inexpli∣cable, in whose visage was mooste amiable countenaunce, myxt with maydenly shame∣fastenesse, and the rare and sobre wordes, and well couched, whiche issued out of her pretye mouthe, Titus was therat abashed, and had the harte through perced with the firy darte of blynde Cupide, of the whiche wounde the anguishe was so excedyng and vehement, that neyther the study of philo∣sophie, neyther the remēbrance of his dere frende Gisippus, who so moche loued and

trusted hym, coulde any thyng with drawe hym from that vnkynde appetite, but that of force he muste loue inordinately that la∣dy, whom his saide frende had determined to mary. Al be it with incredible paynes he kepte his thoughtes secrete, vntyll that he & Gisippus were returned vnto theyr lod∣gynges. Than the myserable Titus, with∣drawynge hym as it were to his studye, all turmented and oppressed with loue, threwe hym selfe on a bed, and there rebukyng his owne moste despitefull vnkyndnesse, which by the sodeyne syghte of a mayden, he had conspired agaynste his mooste dere frende Gisippus, agaynst all humanitie and reasō, cursed his fate or constellation, and wisshed that he had neuer comen to Athenes. And therwith he sente out from the botome of his harte depe and colde syghes, in suche plentie, that it lacked but litel that his hart ne was ryuen in peces. In dolour and an∣guishe tossed he him selfe by a certain space but to no man wolde he dyscouer it. But at the laste, the peyne became so intollerable, that wold he or no, he was inforced to kepe his bed, beinge for lacke of slepe and other naturall sustenaunce, broughte in suche fe∣blenesse, that his legges mougt not susteine his body. Gisippus, missynge his dere frēd Titus, was moche abasshed, and herynge

that he laye sycke in his bed, had forthwith his harte perced with heuynesse, and with all spede came to hym, where he laye. And beholdynge the rosiall colour, whiche was wonte to be in his visage, tourned into sa∣lowe, the resydue pale, his ruddy lyppes wan, & his eyen ledy and holowe, moughte vneth kepe hym selfe from wepyng, but to the entente he wolde not dyscomforte his frende Titus, dissimuled his heuynesse, and with a comfortable countenaunce demaun∣ded of Titus, what was the cause of his di∣sease, blamynge hym of vnkyndenesse, that he so longe had susteyned it, without gy∣uinge hym knowlege, that he moughte for hym haue prouyded some remedye, if any mought haue begoten, though it were with the dyspendynge of all his substaunce. With which wordes the mortal syghes renewed in Titus, and the salte teares braste out of his eyen, in suche habundaunce, as it had ben a lande flode runnyng downe of a moū∣tayne after a storme. That beholdyng Gi∣syppns, and beinge also resolued in to tea∣res, moste hartely desired hym, and (as I mought say) coniured him, for the feruente and entier loue that had bene, and yet was betwene them, that he wold no lenger hide from hym his gryefe: and that there was nothynge to hym so deere or precyous (all

though it were his owne life) that mought restore Titus to helthe, but that he shulde gladly, and without grutchynge employe it. with whiche wordes, obtestations, and teares of Gysippus, Titus constrayned, al blusshynge and asshamed, holdinge downe his hede, brought furthe with greate diffi∣cultie his wordes in this wise.

¶ My dere and moste louyng frende, with * 1.86 drawe your frendely offers, cesse of your courtaisie, refraine your teares and regre∣tynges, take rather your knyfe and slee me here where I lye, or otherwyse take ven∣geaunce on me, mooste miserable and false traytour vnto you, and of all other mooste worthy to suffre most shameful deathe. For where as god of nature, like as he hath gi∣uen to vs similitude in all the partes of our body, so had he conioyned our wylles, stu∣dies and appetites to gether in one, so that betwene two men was neuer like concorde and loue, as I suppose: And now, not with standynge, only with the loke of a woman, those bondes of loue be dyssolued, reason oppressed, frēdship is excluded, there auai∣leth no wysedome, no doctrine, no fidelite or truste: ye your truste is the cause that I haue conspired agaynste you this treason. Alas Gysippus, what enuious spirite me∣ned you to bringe me with you to her, whō

ye haue chosen to be your wyfe, where I receyued this poyson? I saye Gysyppus, where was than your wysedom, that ye re∣membred not the fragilitie of our cōmune nature? what neded you to cal me for a wit¦nesse of your priuate delites? why wolde ye haue me see that, whiche you your selfe coulde not beholde without rauysshyng of mynde and carnall appetite? Alas why for∣gate ye, that our myndes & appetites were euer one? and that also what soo ye lyked was euer to me in lyke degree pleasaunte. What wyll ye more? Gysippus I saye, your trust is the cause that I am intrapped. The rayes or beames issuynge from the eyen of her, whom ye haue chosen, with the remē∣braunce of her incomparable vertues, hath thrilled throughout the middes of my hart and in suche wyse brenneth it, that aboue al¦thinges I desire to be out of this wretched and moste vnkinde life, whiche is not wor∣thy the company of so noble and louynge a frende as ye be. And therwith Titus con∣cluded his confession, with so profound and bytter a sighe, receyued with teares, that it semed, that all his body shulde be dyssol∣ued and relented into salte dropes.

¶ But Gysippus, as he were therwith no∣thynge * 1.87 astonyed or dyscontented, with an assured countenannce, and mery regarde,

imbrasynge Titus, and kyssynge hym, an∣swerd in this wise. Why Titus, is this your only sickenesse and griefe, that ye so vncur ••esely haue so longe counceyled, and with moch more vnkindnesse kept from me, than ye haue conceiued it? I knowlege my foly, wherwith ye haue with good right imbrai∣ded me, that in shewyng to you her, whom I loued, I remembred not the commune a∣state of our nature, ne the agreablenesse or (as I moughte saye) the vnitie of our two appetites. Suerly that defaulte can be by no reason excused. Wherfore it is onely I, that haue offended. For who may by ryght proue, that ye haue trespased, that by the ineuitable stroke of Cupides dart are thus bytterly wounded? Thynke ye me suche a sole or ignorant persone, that I knowe not the power of Uenus, where she lysteth to shewe her importable vyolence? Haue not ye wel resysted agaynste suche a goddesse, that for my sake haue stryuen with her all mooste to the deathe? What more loyal∣tye or trouthe can I require of you? Am I of that vertue, that I maye resyste agaynst celestiall influence, preordynate by prouy∣dence dyuine? If I so thought, what were my wyttes? where were my study so longe time spent in noble Philosophy? I confesse to you Titus, I loue that mayden as mo∣che

as any wyse man mought possyble: and toke in her company more delyte and plea∣sure than of al the treasure and landes that my father lefte me, whiche ye knowe was ryght abundaunte. But nowe I perceyue, that the affection of loue towarde her sur∣mouuteth in you aboue measure, what shall I thynke it of a wanton luste, or sodeyne appetite in you, whom I haue euer knowē of graue and sadde dysposytion, inclyned alwaye to honest doctrine, fleynge al vayne dalyaunce and dyshoneste passetyme? Shal I imagine to be in you any malice or fraude sens from the tender tyme of our chylde∣hode, I haue alwaye founden in you, my swete frende Titus, suche a conformytye with all my maners, appetites, and desires, that neuer was seene betwene vs any ma∣ner of contention? Nay god forbede, that in the frendshyppe of Gysyppus and Ti∣tus, shoulde happen any suspition: or that any fantasye shulde perce my hedde, wher∣by that honourable loue betwene vs shulde be the mountenaunce of a cromme, perys∣shed. Nay nay Titus, it is (as I haue said) the onely prouydence of god: she was by hym from the begynnynge prepared to be your lady and wyfe. For such feruent loue entreth not in to the harte of a wyse manne and vertuous, but by a dyuyne dysposyton:

whereat yf I shoulde be dyscontented▪ or grudge, I shulde not only be iniuste to you, with holdynge that from you, which is vn∣doubtedly yours, but also obstinate and re∣pugnant agaynst the determination of god, whiche shal neuer be founden in Gisyppus. Therfore gentyll frende Titus, dysmaye you not at the chaunce of loue, but receyue it ioyously with me, that am with you no∣thinge discontented, but meruaylous glad, sens it is my happe to finde for you suche a lady, with whome ye shall lyue in felicitie, & receyue fruite to the honour and comfort of all your lynage. Here I renounce to you clerely al my title and interest, that I nowe haue or mought haue in the fayre mayden. Call to you your pristinate courage, washe clene your visage and eien thus bywepte, and abandone all heuynesse, the day apoin∣ted for our mariage approcheth: let vs cō∣sulte, howe without dyfficultie ye may holy attayne your desyres. Take hede, this is myne aduise, ye knowe wel, that we two be so lyke, that beinge a parte and in one ap∣parayle, fewe men do knowe vs. Also ye do remembre, that the custome is, that not withstandynge any ceremony do one at the tyme of the spousayles, the maryage not∣withstandynge is not confyrmed, vntyll at night that the husbande putteth a rynge on

the finger of his wife, and vnloseth her gir∣dell. Therfore I my selfe wyll be presente with my frendes, and performe all the par∣tes of a bride. And ye shall abyde in a place secrete, where I shall appoynt you, vntil it be nyghte. And than shall ye quickely con∣uaie your selfe into the maydens chambre: and for the similitude of our personages, & of our apparayle, ye shall not be espyed of the women, which haue with none of vs a∣ny acqueyntaunce, and shortely get you to bed, and put your owne rynge on the may∣dens fynger, and vndo her gyrdell of vir∣ginitie, and do all other thynge, that shalbe to your pleasure. Be nowe of good chere Titus, and comforte your selfe with good refections and solace, that this wanne and pale colour, and your chekes meygre and leane, be not the cause of your discouering. I knowe wel, that ye hauing your purpose, I shall be in obloquie & derision of all men, and soo hated of all my kynrede, that they shall seke occasion to expulse me out of this citie, thynkynge me to be a notable reproch to all my familie. But let god therin warke. I force not what payne that I abyde, soo that ye my frende Titus may be saulfe, and pleasauntly enioye your desyres, to the in∣creasynge of your felicitie.

¶ VVITH these wordes Titus beganne to

meue, as it were out of a dreme, and doub∣tynge, whether he harde Gisyppus speke, or elles sawe but a visyon, lay styll as a man abashed. But whan he behelde the teares, tryckelynge downe by the face of Gysyp∣pus, he than recomforted hym, and than∣kyng hym for his incomparable kyndnesse, refused the benefyte that he offered, say∣inge, that it were better, that a hundred su∣che vnkynde wretches, as he was, shulde perysshe, than soo noble a manne, as was Gysippus, shulde susteyne reproche or da∣mage. But Gysyppus estesones comfor∣ted Titus, and therwith sware and prote∣sted, that with fre and gladde wyl he wold that this thynge shulde be in fourme afore∣sayde accomplysshed, and therwith inbra∣ced and swetely kyssed Titus. Who percei∣uynge the matter sure, and not feyned, as a man not sycke, but only awaked out of his flepe, set hym selfe vp in his bed, the quicke bloud some what resorted vnto his vysage, and after a lyttell good meates and drinkes taken, he was shortely and in a fewe dayes restored in to his old facion and figure. To make the tale shorte. The daye of mary∣age was commen. Gysyppus accompanied with his alies & frendes, came to the house of the damosell, where they were honora∣bly & ioyously fested. And betwene him and

the mayden was a swete entertaynemente, whiche to beholde, all that were presente, toke moche pleasure and comfort, praysing the beautie, goodlynesse, vertue, and curte∣sie, which in this couple were excellent a∣boue all other, that they hadde euer sene. What shal I say more? the couenātes were radde and sealed, the dowar apointed, and all other bargaynes concluded, & the fren∣des of either parte toke their leaue & dep∣ted: the bride, with a fewe women (as was the custome) brought into her chambre: thā as it was before agreed, Titus conueyed hym selfe, after Gysippus retourned to his house, or perchance to the chambre appoin¦ted for Titus, nothyng sorowfull, although that he hartily loued the mayden, but with a gladde harte and countenaunce, that he hadde so recouered his frende from deth, and so well broughte hym to the effecte of his desyre. Nowe is Titus in bedde with the mayden, not knowen of her, nor of any other, but for Gysippus. And fyrste he sweetely demaunded her, if that she loued him, & dayned to take hym for her husbāde, forsakyng all other. whiche she al blushing with an eye halfe laughynge, halfe mour∣nynge (as in poynte to depart frō her mai∣denheed, but supposinge it to be Gysippus that asked her) affirmed. And than he efte∣sones

asketh her, if she in ratifieng that {pro}∣mise, wold receyue his ryng, which he had there alredy: wherto she consentyng, put∣teth the rynge on her fynger, and vnloseth her gyrdell. what thynge els he dyd, they two only knewe of it. Of one thynge I am sure, that nyghte was to Titus more com∣fortable, than euer was the lengest daye of the yere, ye and I suppose a hoole yere of dayes. The morowe is comen. Gysippus, thinking it expedient, that the trouth shuld be discouered, assembled all the nobilitie of the citie at his owne house, where also by appoyntemente was Titus, who amonge them had these wordes, that do folowe.

¶ My frendes Atheniēsis, there is at this * 1.88 tyme shewed amonge you an example, al∣most incredible, of the diuine powar of ho¦norable loue, to the perpetuall renome and cōmendatiō of this noble cite of Athenes, wherof ye ought to take excellent cōfort, & therfore gyue due thankes to god, if ther remayne amonge you any token of the an∣cient wysedome of your moste noble pro∣genitours. For what more prayse maye be giuen to people, thā beneuolence, faithful∣nesse, and constance? withoute whome all countrayes and cities be brought vnto de∣solation and ruyne, like as by them they be come prosperous, and in mooste high feli∣licitie.

What shall I longe tary you in con∣iectyng myne intent and meanynge? Ye all know, from whens I came vnto this citie, that of auēture I foūd in the hous of Chre mes his sonne Gysippus, of min owne age, and in euery thing so lyke to me, that ney∣ther his father, nor any other man coulde discerne of vs the one frome the other, but by our owne insignement or shewynge: in so moch as there were put about our nec∣kes lacis of sondry colours, to daclare our personages. what mutuall agrement & loue haue ben alwaye betwene vs, durynge the eyght yeres, that we haue ben togither, ye all be witnesses, that haue ben beholders & wonderars of our most swete conuersation and cōsent of appetites, wherin was neuer any discorde or variaunce. And as for my part, after the decesse of my father, natwith standinge that there was discended & hap∣ned vnto me great possessiōs, fayre houses, with abundance of riches: also I being cal∣led home by the desirous & importunate let ters of myn alies and frendes, which be of the moste noble of all the senatours, offred the aduancement to the highest dignities in the publike weale, I wyll nat remembre the lamentations of my moste naturall mo∣ther, expressed in her tender letters, all be sprent and blotted with abūdāce ofteares,

wherin she accuseth me of vnkyndnesse, for my longe taryenge, and speciallye nowe in her moste discomforte. But all this coulde nat remoue me the breadthe of my naylle frome my dere frende Gysippus. And but by force coulde nat I, nor yet may be dra∣wen from his swete cōpany, but yf he ther∣to wylle consente. I choosynge rather to lyue with hym, as his company on and fe∣lowe, ye and as his seruaunt, rather than to be consull of Rome. Thus my kyndenes hath be wel acquyted (or as I mought say) redoubled, delyueryng me from the deth, ye from the moste cruel and peynefull deth of all other. I perceyue ye wonder here∣at noble Atheniensis, and noo meruayle. For what person shulde be so hardy, to at∣tempte any suche thyng ageynst me, being a Romayne, and of the noble blode of the Romaynes? Or who shulde be thought so malicious, to slee me, who (as all ye be my iuges) neuer trespassed agaynste any per∣sone within this citie? Nay nay my frēdes, I haue none of you all therin suspected. I perceyue ye desyre and harken to knowe, what he was, that presumed to do so cruell and great an enterprise. It was loue, noble Atheniensis, the same loue, which (as your poetes doo remembre) dydde wounde the more parte of all the goddis, that ye doo

honour, that constrayaed Iupiter to trans∣fourme hym selfe in a swanne, a bulle, and dyuers other likenesses: the same loue that caused Hercules, the vaynquysher and di∣stroyer of Monsters & Giauntes, to spinne on a rocke, syttynge amonge maydens in a womannes apparayle: the same loue that caused to assemble all the noble pryncis of Asia and Grece in the fieldes of Troy: the same loue I saye, agaynste whose assaultes may be founde no defence or resistēce, hath sodainely and vnware stryken me vnto the harte, with suche vehemence and myghte, that I had in shorte space dyed with moste feruent tourmentes, hadde nat the incom∣parable frendship of Gysippus holpen me. I see, you wolde fayne knowe, who she is, that I loued. I wyll no lenger delaye you noble Atheniensis: It is Sophronia, the lady, whom Gysippus had chosen to haue to his wyfe, and whome he moste entierly loued. But whan his mooste gentyll harte perceyued, that my loue was in a moche hygher degree than his toward that lady, and that it proceded neither of wantōnes, neyther of longe conuersation, nor of any other corrupte desyre or fantasie, but in an instant, by the onely looke, and with suche feruence, that īmediatly I was so cruciate, that I desired, & in all that I mought pro∣uoked

deth to take me. He by his wisedom so one perceyued, (as I doute nat but that ye do) that it was the very prouisiō of god, that she shuld be my wyfe, & nat his. wherto he giuynge place, and more estemyng true frendship, than the loue of a woman, wher vnto he was induced by his frendes, & nat by violence of Cupide cōstrayned as I am, hath willyngly graunted to me the interest that he hadde in the damosell. And it is I Titus, that haue verily weded her, I haue putte the rynge on her fynger, I haue vn∣do one the gyrdell of shame fastenes. what wylle ye more, I haue lyen with her, and confyrmed the Matrymonye, and made her a wyfe.

¶ At these wordes all they that were pre∣sent, began to murmure, and to caste a dis∣dainous and greuous loke vpon Gisippus. Than spake ageyne Titus.

¶ LEAVE YOVR grudgynges and me∣nasynge countenaunce, towarde Gysyp∣pus, he hath doone to you all honour, and no dede of reproche. I telle you, he hath accomplyshed all the partes of a Frende: that Loue, whyche was mooste certayne, hath he contynued. He knew, he mought fynd in Greece an other maiden, as faire & as ryche as this that he had chosen, & one perchaunce, that he mought loue better.

But suche a frende, as I was (hauyng re∣spect to our similitude, the longe approued concorde, also myne astate and condytion) he was sure to fynde neuer none. Also the damosell suffereth no disper gemente in hyr bloode, or hynderance in her mariage, but is moche rather aduaunced (no dyspreyse to my dere frende Gysippus). Also cōsider noble Atheniensis, that I toke her nat my father lyuynge, whan ye mought haue sus∣pected, that as well her ryches as her be∣autie, shoulde haue therto allured me: but soone after my fathers decease, whan I far exceded her in possessions and substance, whan the moste notable men of Rome and of Italy, desired myn aliāce. Ye haue ther∣fore all cause to reioyse and thanke Gysip∣pus, and nat to be angry, and also to extoll his wonderfulle kyndenesse towarde me, wherby he hath wonne me and al my blode suche frendes to you and your cytie, that ye may be assured, to be by vs defended a∣gaynst all the worlde: whiche beinge con∣sidered, Gisippus hath well deserued a sta∣tue or ymage of golde, to be set on a piller, in the myddes of your citie, for an hono∣rable monumente, in the remembraunce of our incomparable frēdshyp, & of the good that therby may come to your citie. But if this persuasion can nat satisfie you, but that

ye wyll imagyne any thyng to the damage of my dere frende Gysippus, after my de∣partynge, I make myne auowe vnto god, creatour of all thynge, that as I shall haue knowlege therof, I shall furth with resorte hyther, with the inuyncible power of the Romaynes, and reuenge him in suche wyse against his enmies, that al Grece shal speke of it to their perpetuall dishonour, shame, and reproche.

¶ And therwith Titus & Gysippus roose, but the other for feare of Titus dissembled their malyce, makynge semblaunt, as they had ben with all thynge contented.

¶ Sone after Titus, beinge sent for by the auctorite of the senate and peple of Rome, prepared to departe out of Athenes, And wolde faine haue hadde Gysippus to haue goone with hym, offrynge to deuyde with hym all his substance and fortune. But Gy∣sippus, considerynge howe necessarye his counsayle shuld be to the citie of Athenes, wolde nat depart out of his countray, nat withstandynge that aboue all erthly thyn∣ges, he most desired the company of Tit{us}: whiche abode also, for the sayd considera∣tion, Titus approued.

¶ Titus with his lady, is departed towar∣des the citie of Rome. Where at their cō∣mynge, they were of the mother of Titus,

his kynsemen, and of al the senate and peo∣ple ioyously receyued. And there liued Ti∣tus with his lady in ioye inexplycable, and had by her many faire children: and for his wysedome and lernynge was so hyghely e∣stemed, that there was no dignitie or hono∣rable offyce within the Citie, that he hadde not with moche fauour and prayse a chye∣ued and occupied.

¶ But now let vs resorte to Gisippus, who immediately vpon the departing of Titus, was soo malygned at, as well by his owne kynsemen, as by the frendes of the ladye, that he, to theyr semynge shamefully aban∣doned, lcauynge her to Titus, that they spared not dayly to vexe hym with all kyn∣des of reproche, that they coulde deuyse or imagine: and fyrste they excluded hym out of theyr counsayle, and prohibited from hym al honest company. And yet not being therewith satisfyed, fynally they adiuged hym vnworthy to enioye any possessions or goodes, left to hym by his parentes, whō he (as they supposed) by his vndescrete frendshyppe had so dystayned. Wherfore they dyspoyled hym of all thynges, and al∣moste naked, expelled him out of the citie. Thus is Gysippus, late welthy, and one of the mooste noble men of Athenes, for his kynde harte, banysshed his owne countrey

for euer, and as a man dysmayed, wandring hyther and thyther, fyndynge no man that wolde socour hym. At the last, remembring in what plesure his frend Titus liued with his lady, for whom he suffred these dama∣ges, concluded to go to Rome, and declare his infortune to his said frend Titus. What shall nede a longe tale? in conclusyon, with moche peyne, colde, hunger, and thurste, he is commen to the citie of Rome, and di∣ligently enquiringe for the house of Titus, at the laste he came to it: but beholdinge it so beauteous, large, and pryncely, he was ashamed to approche nygh to it, beynge in so symple astate and vnklad, but standeth by, that in case Titus came forth out of his howse, he moughte presente hym selfe to hym. He beynge in this thoughte, Titus holdynge his lady by the hande, issued out from his doore, and takynge theyr horses to solace them selfe, beheld Gisyppus: and beholdynge his vyle apparayle, regarded hym not, but passed furthe on theyr waye, wherewith Gysippus was soo wounded to the harte, thynkynge Titus had contemp∣ned his fortune, that oppressed with mortal heuynes, fell in a sowne, but beynge reco∣uered by some that stode by, thynkyng him to be syeke, furth with departed, entending not to abide any lenger, but as a wilde beast

to wander abrode in the worlde. But for werinesse he was constrayned to entre into an olde barne, without the citie, where he castinge him selfe on the bare gronde, with wepynge and dolorous cryenge bewayled his fortune: But moste of all accusynge the ingratitude of Titus, for whom he suffred all that mysery: the remembraunce wherof was so intollerable, that he determined no lenger to lyue in that anguyshe and dolour. And therwith drewe his knyfe, purposyng to haue slayne hym selfe. But euer wyse∣dome (whiche he by the study of Philoso∣phy had attayned) withdrewe hym frome that desperate acte. And in this contentiō, betwene wysedome and wyll, fatigate with long iournaies and watche, or as god wold haue it, he fell into a dede slepe. His knyfe (wherwith he wolde haue slayne him selfe) fallyng downe by hym. In the meane time a commune and notable rufyan or thefe, whiche hadde robbed and slayne a manne, was entred into the barne, where Gysyp∣pus laye, to the intente to soiorne there all that nyghte. And seyng Gisippus bewept, and his visage replenysshed with sorowe, and also the naked knyfe by hym, percey∣ued well, that he was a man desperate, and supprised with heuynesse of harte, was we∣rye of his lyfe: whiche the sayde rufyan

takynge for a good occasion to escape, toke the knyfe of Gysyppus, and puttynge it in the wounde of hym that was slayne, put it all blody in the hande of Gysyppus, beinge faste a slepe, and so departed. Soone after the dedde man beinge founde, the officers made dyligente serche for the murderar: at the laste they entringe into the barne, and fyndinge Gisippus on slepe, with the blody knife in his hande, awaked hym, wherwith he entred agayne in to his olde sorowes, complaynynge his yuel fortune. But whan the officers layde vnto him the death of the man, and the hauynge of the blody knyfe, he thereat reioysed, thankynge god, that suche occasiō was hapned, wherby he shuld suffre deathe by the lawes, and escape the vyolence of his owne handes. Wherfore he denyed nothynge that was layde to his charge, desyryng the officers to make hast that he mought be shortely out of his lyfe. Whereat they meruayled. Anone reporte came to the senate, that a man was slayne, and that a straunger, and a Greeke borne, was founde in suche fourme, as is before mencioned. They forthwith commaunded hym to be brought vnto theyr presence, sit∣tynge there at that tyme Titus, being than Consull, or in other lyke dignitie. The mi∣serable Gisippus was brought to the barr̄,

with billes and staues like a felon, of whom it was demaunded, if he slewe the man, that was foundended. he nothynge denyed, but in most sorowfull maner cursed his fortune, namynge hym selfe of all other moste mise∣rable. At the laste one demaundynge hym, of what coūtrey he was, he confessed to be an Atheniense, and therwith he cast his so∣rowfull eyen vppon Titus, with moche in∣dignation, and braste oute into syghes and teares abundauntly: that beholdynge Ti∣tus, and espienge by a lyttel sygne in his vi∣sage, which he knewe, that it was his dere frende Gisyppus, and anone consideringe, that he was brought into dyspayre by some my saduenture, rose out of his place, where he sate, and falling on his knees before the iuges, sayd, that he had slayne the man, for olde malyce that he bare towarde him, and that Gysippus, being a straunger, was gilt∣les, and all men mought perceyue, that the other was a desperate person. wherfore to abbreuiate his sorowes, he confessed the acte, wherof he was innocent, to the intent that he wold finishe his sorowes with deth. Wherfore Titus desyred the iuges, to giue sentence on hym, accordynge to his mery∣tes. But Gysippus, perceyuynge his frēde Titus (contrary to his expectation) to of∣fre hym selfe to the deathe, for his saulfe

garde, more importunately cried to the se∣nate to procede in theyr iugement on hym, that was the very offēdar. Titus denied it, and affirmed with reasons and argumētes, that he was the murderer, and not Gisyp∣pus. Thus they of longe tyme, with abun∣daunce of teares contēded, which of them shuld die for the other, wherat all the Se∣nate and people were wonderly abasshed, not knowyng what it ment. The murderer in dede, hapned to be in the prease at that time, who perceiuing the meruaylous con∣tention of these two persones, which were bothe innocēt, & that it proceded of an incō parable frendship, was vehemently prouo∣ked to dyscouer the trouthe. Wherfore he brake through the prease, and cōminge be∣fore the senate, spake in this wise,

¶ Noble fathers, I am such a persō, whom ye knowe haue ben a cōmune baratour and thefe by a long space of yeres: ye know al∣so, that Titus is of a noble bloude, and is a proued to be alway a man of excellent ver∣tue and wysedome, and neuer was malyci∣ous. This other strāger semeth to be a mā full of simplicitie, and that more is, despe∣rate for some greuous sorowe that he hath taken, as it is to you euidente. I say to you fathers, they both be innocente, I am that person, that slewe hym, that is foundēded

by the barne, and robbed him of his money, and whan I founde in the barne this stran∣ger lyenge on slepe, hauinge by hym a na∣ked knyfe: I, the better to hyde myne of∣fence, dyd put the knife into the wounde of the ded man, and so al blody laide it agayne by this stranger. This was my mischeuous deuise to escape your iugement. Where vn∣to nowe I remit me holy, rather than this noble man Titus, or this innocent stranger shulde vnworthely die.

¶ Here at all the Senate and people toke comforte, and the noise of reioysing hartes filled all the courte. And whan it was fur∣ther examined, Gisippus was dyscouered, the frendship betwene hym and Titus was through out the citie publysshed, extolled, & magnified. Wherfore the Senate consul∣ted of this mater, and fynally at the instāce of Titus and the peple, dyscharged the fe∣lon. Titus recognysed his neglygence, in forgettynge Gisippus. And Titus beinge aduertised of the exile of Gisippus, and the dipiteful crueltie of his kynrede, was ther∣with wonderfull wrath, and hauinge Gisip∣pus home to his hous (where he was with incredible ioye receiued of the lady, whom somtyme he shulde haue wedded) honora∣bly apparyled him: and there Titus offred to hym, to vse al his goodes and possessiōs

at his owne pleasure and appetite. But Gi∣sippus, desyrynge to be agayne in his pro∣pre countrey, Titus by the consente of the Senate and people, assembled a gret army, and wente with Gysyppus vnto Athenes: where he hauing deliuered to him al those, whiche were causers of banysshynge and dyspoylynge of his frende Gysyppus, dyd on them sharpe execution: and restorynge to Gysyppus his landes and substance, sta∣blyshed hym in perpetuall quietnes, and so retourned to Rome.

¶ This exaumple in the affectes of frend∣shyp, expresseth (if I be not deceyued) the description of frendeshyppe, engendred by the symilitude of age and personage, aug∣mented by the conformitie of maners and studies, and confirmed by the longe conti∣nuance of company.

¶ It wolde be remembred, that frendship * 1.89 is betwene good men onely, and is ingen∣dred of an opinion of vertue. Than may we reason in this fourme, A good man is so na∣med, bycause all that he wylleth or doth, is only good: in good can be none euyl, ther∣fore nothynge that a good man wylleth or dothe, can be euyl. Lykewyse vertue is the affection of a good man, which neither wil∣leth nor dothe any thynge that is euyl. And vice is contrary vnto vertue, for in the o∣pinion

of vertue, is neyther euyll nor vyce. And very amytie is vertue. wherfore no∣thynge euyll or vycyous maye happen in frendshyp. Therfore in the fyrste election of frendes, resteth al the importāce, wher∣fore it wold not be without a longe belibe∣ration and profe, and as Aristotle sayth, in * 1.90 as longe tyme as by them bothe, beinge to gether conuersaunt, a hole busshell of salte mought be eten. For oftentymes with for∣tune (as I late sayd) is chaunged, or at the least minished the feruentnesse of that affe∣ction, according as the swete Poete Duide affirmeth, sayinge in this sentence,

¶ Whiles fortune the fauoureth, frendes thou * 1.91 hast plentie. The tyme beinge troublous thou arte al alone, Thou seest coluers haunte houses made whyte and dente. To the ruynous towre all moste cometh none, Of emotes innumerable vneth thou findest one In emty barnes, and where fayleth substaunce Hapneth no frende, in whom is assuraunce.

¶ But if any hapneth in euerye fortune to be constant in frendshippe, he is to be made of aboue all thynges that maye come vnto man, and aboue any other that be of bloude or kynrede, as Tulli sayth. For from kyn∣rede maye be taken Beneuolence, frome frendshippe it can neuer be seuered. Wher∣fore

Beneuolence taken from kynrede, yet the name of kynseman remayneth: take it from frendshyp, and the name of frendship is vtterly peryshed.

¶ But sens this liberte of speche is nowe * 1.92 vsurped by flaterers, where they perceiue, that assentation and praises be abhorred: I am therfore not well assured, howe a man nowe a dayes shal knowe or dyscerne suche admonicion from flatery, but by one onely meanes, that is to saye, to remembre, that frēdship maye not be but betwene good mē. Than consider, if he that doth admonysshe the, be hym selfe voluptuous, ambicious, co¦uetous, arrogant, or dissolute, refuse not his admonicion, but by the example of the em∣perour Antonine, thākefully take it: and a∣mende suche defaulte, as thou perceyueste, doth gyue occasion of obloqui in suche ma∣ner as the reporter also by thyne exaumple maye be corrected. But for that admonici∣on onely, accompt hym not immediatly, to be thy frend, vntyl thou haue of hym a lōge and sure experience. For vndoubtedly it is wonderful difficile, to fynde a man very am∣bitious or couetous, to be assured in frend∣shyp. For where fyndest thou hym (saythe Tulli) that wyl not prefer honoures, great offices, rule, autoritie, and rychesse before frendshyp? Therfore (sayth he) it is very

harde to fynde frendshyp in them, that be occupied in acquiring honour, or about the affayres of the publyke weale. Which say∣inge is proued trewe by dayly experience. For dysdayne and contempt be companiōs with ambition, lyke as enuye and hatered be also her folowers.

The diuision of Ingratitude, and the dysprayse therof. Ca. XIII.

THe most damnable vice, and moste a∣gaynst iustice, in myn opinion, is IN∣GRATITVDE, commenly called vn∣kindnesse. All be it, it is in diuers formes, and of sondry importaunce, as it is discry∣bed by Seneca in this fourme.

¶ He is vnkynde, whiche denyeth to haue receyued any benefite, that in dede he hath receyued, He is vnkynde, that dissimuleth, he is vnkynde, that recompenseth not: But he is moste vnkynde, that forgetteth. For the other, though they render not agayne kindnesse, yet they owe it, and there remai∣neth some steppes or tokēs of desertes, in∣closed in an yuel conscience, and at the laste by some occasion maye hap to retourne to yelde agayne thankes, whan eyther shame therto prouoketh them, or sodeyne desyre of thynge, that is honest, whiche is wonte

to be for that tyme in stomackes, thoughe they be corrupted, if a lyghte occasyon do moue them. But he that forgetteth kinde∣nesse, maye neuer be kynde, sens al the be∣nefite is quite fallen from hym: And where lacketh remembraunce, there is no hope of any recompence.

¶ In this vice, men be moche warse than * 1.93 beastes. For dyuers of them wyl remembre a benefytte, longe after they receyued it. The courser, fierse and couragious, wyll gladely suf••re his keper, that dresseth and fedeth hym, to vaunte hym easely, and ste∣reth not, but whan he lystethe to prouoke hym: where if any other shulde ryde hym, thoughe he were a kynge, he wyl stere and plonge, and endeuour hym selfe to throwe hym. Suche kyndenesse hath ben founden * 1.94 in dogges, that they haue not only dyed in defendynge theyr maysters, but also some, after theyr maisters haue died or ben slaine, haue absteyned from meate, and for famine haue dyed by theyr maysters.

¶ Plini remembreth of a dogge, whiche in Epiro (a contrey in Grece) so assaulted the murdrer of his mayster in a great assembly of people, that with barkynge and bytynge he compelled hym at the laste, to confesse his offence.

¶ The dogge also of one Iayson, his mai∣ster beinge slayne, wolde neuer eate meate, but dyed for hunger.

¶ Many sēblable tokens of kindnesse Pli∣ni reherseth, but principally one of his own tyme, worthy to be here remembred.

¶ Whan execution shoulde be done on one Titus Habinius and his seruantes, one of them had a dogge, whiche moughte neuer be dryuen from the pryson, nor neuer wold departe from his maysters body: and whā it was taken from the place of executiō, the dogge houled mooste lamentably, beynge compased with a great nombre of people, of whom whan one of them had cast meate to the dogge, he brought and laide it to the mouthe of his maister. And whā the corps was throwen in to the ryuer of Tiber, the dogge swamme after it, and as longe as he moughte, inforced hym selfe to beare and susteyne it, the people scateryng abrode to beholde the faythfulnesse of the beaste.

¶ Also the Lyon, whiche of all other bea∣stes is accounted mooste fierce and cruell, hath ben founden to haue in remembraunce a benefite shewed vnto hym.

¶ Aul. Bellius remembreth out of the hy∣story of Appion, howe allon, out of whose fote a yonge man had ones taken a stubbe, and clensed the wounde, wherby he waxed hole, after knewe the same man, being cast

to him to be deuoured, and wolde not hurt hym, but lyckynge the legges and handes of the man, whiche laye dysmayde, lokinge for deathe, toke acquaintaunce of him, and euer after folowed hym, beynge ladde in a small lyam, whereat wondred all they that behelde it. Whiche hystorie is wonderfull pleasaunte, but for the lengthe therof I am constrayned to abrege it.

¶ Howe moche be they repugnaunte, and (as I moughte saye ennemies) bothe to na¦ture and reason, whiche beynge aduaun∣ced by any good fortune, wyll contemne or neglecte suche one, whom they haue longe knowē, to be to them Beneuolent, and ioy∣ned to them in a sincere and assured frend∣shyppe, approued by infallible tokens, ra∣tifyed also with sondry kyndes of benefy∣cence? I require not suche excellant frend¦shyppe, as was betwene Pitheas and Da∣mon, betwene Horestes and Pilades, or be twene Gysyppus and Titus, of whome I haue before wrytten (for I fyrmely beleue, they shall neuer happen in payres or cou∣ples) nor I seke not for suche as will alway prefer the honour or profyte of theyr frēde before theyr owne, ne (which is the leaste parte of frendshyppe) for such one as desi∣rously wyll participate with his frende all his good fortune or substaunce. But where

at this daye maye be founden suche frend∣shyppe betwene two, but that if fortune be * 1.95 more Beneuolente to the one, than to the other, the frendeshyppe waxeth tedyous, and he that is aduaunced, desyrethe to be matched with one hauynge semblable for∣tune? And if any damage hapeneth to his olde frende, he pytyeth hym, but he soro∣weth not, and thoughe he seeme to be so∣rowfull, yet he helpeth not: and thoughe he wolde be sene to helpe hym, yet trauai∣leth he nat: And though he wolde be sene to trauayle, yet he suffreth not. For (let vs laye a parte assystence with moneye, why∣che is a very small portion of frendeshyp) who wyll so moche esteme frendshyp, that therefore wyll entre in to the dyspleasure, not of his prynce, but of them, whome he supposeth may mynysshe his estimation to∣wardes his prince, ye and that moche lesse is, wyll displease his newe acquayntaunce, equall with hym in auctorite or fortune, for the defence, helpe, or aduauncement of his auncient and well approued frende? O the moste miscrable astate at this present tyme of mankynde, that for the thynge, whiche is mooste propre vnto them, the exaumple muste be founden amonge the sauage and syerce beastes.

The election of frendes, and the diuer∣site of flaterers. Cap. XIIII.

A Noble man aboue all thynge oughte to be very circumspecte, in the ele∣ctiō of suche men, as shulde continu∣ally attende vpon his persone, at tymes va∣cante from busye affayres, whom he maye vse as his familiars, and saufely commytte to thē his secretes. For as Plutarche saith, what so euer he be that loueth, doteth, and is blynde in that thynge, whiche he dothe * 1.96 loue: excepte by lernyng he can accustome hym selfe to ensue and sette more pryce by those thynges, that be honeste and vertu∣ous, than by them that he seeth in expery∣ence, and be familiarly vsed. And suerly as the wormes do brede mooste gladly in softe wode and swete, so the mooste gentyll and noble wyttes, inclined to honour, repleni∣shed with most honest and curtaise maners, do sonest admytte flaterars, and be by them abused. And it is no meruayle. For lyke as the wylde corne, beinge in shape and greatnesse lyke to the good, if they be mengled, with great difficultie wyll be tryed out, but either in a narowe holed seeue they wyl stil abide with the good corne, orelles, where the holes be large, they wyll issue out with the other: soo flattery from frendshyppe is

hardely seuered, for as moche as in euery motion and affect of the minde, they be mu∣tually mengled together. Of this peruerse and cursed people be sondry kindes, Some apparantly do flatter, praysynge and extol∣lynge euery thing that is done by theyr su∣perior, and bearynge him on hande, that in hym it is of euery man commended, which of trouthe is of al men abhorred and hated, to the affyrmaunce wherof they adde to o∣thes, adiurations, and horrible curses, of∣fryng them selfes to eternal peynes, except theyr reporte be true. And if they perceiue any parte of theyr tale mistrusted, thā they sette forthe sodeynely an heuy and sorow∣full countenaunce, as if they were abiected and brought into extreme desperation. O∣ther there be, which in a more honest terme maye be called Assentatours or folowers, whiche do awayte diligently, what is the fourme of the speche and gesture of theyr mayster, and also other his maners and fa∣cion of garmentes: and to the imytatiō and resemblaunce therof they applie theyr stu∣dy, that for the simylitude of maners they maye the rather be accepted in to the more famyliar acquaintaunce. Lyke to the ser∣uauntes of Dionyse, kynge of Sicile, whi∣che al thoughe they were inclined to al vn∣happynes and myschiefe, yet after the com

mynge of Plato, perceyuynge, that for his doctrine and wysedome the kinge had him in highe estimation, they than counterfay∣ted the countenāce and habite of the Phi∣losopher, therby encreasynge the kynges fauour towardes them, who than was ho∣ly gyuen to study of Philosophye. But af∣ter that Dionyse, by theyr incitation hadde expelled Plato out of Sicile, they abando∣ned theyr habite and seueritie, and estsones retourned to theyr mischeuous and volup∣tuous lyuinge.

¶ The greate Alexaunder bare his hedde some parte on the one syde, more than the other, whiche diuers of his seruantes dyd counterfayte.

¶ Semblably dyd the scholers of Plato, the most noble Philosopher, whiche for as moche as theyr mayster had a brode breste, and hygh shulders, and for that cause was named Plato, whiche sygnifyeth brode or large, they stuffed theyr garmentes, and made on theyr shulders greate bolsters, to seme to be of like fourme as he was. wher∣by he shulde conceyue some fauour towar∣des them, for the demōstration of loue that they pretēded in the ostentation of his per∣son. Which kinde of flatery I suppose Pla∣to coulde right well laugh at.

¶ But these maner of flaterars may be well

founde out and perceyued by a good witte, whiche sometyme by hym selfe dyligentely considereth his owne qualities and natural appetite. For the company or communica∣tion of a person familiar, whiche is alwaye pleasaunte and without sharpnes, inclinyng to inordinate fauour and affection, is alway to be suspected.

¶ Also there is in that frende small cōmo∣ditie, whiche foloweth a man lyke his sha∣dowe, meuynge only whan he meueth, and abiding where he list to tary. These be the mortall enemyes of noble wyttes, and speci¦ally in youthe, whanne communely they be more inclined to glory than grauite. Wher∣fore that Liberalitie, which is on suche fla∣terers imployed, is not onely perished, but also spilled & deuoured. Wherfore in myne opinion, it were a right necessary lawe, that shulde be made to put suche persons open∣ly to tortures, to the fearefull exaumple of other, sens in all pryncys lawes (as Plu∣tarche sayth) not onely he that hath slayne the kinges sonne and heyre, but also he that counterfayteth his seale, or adulteratethe his coyne, with more base mettall, shall be iudged to dye as a traytour. In reason how * 1.97 moche more peine (if there were any gret∣ter peyne thanne deathe) were he worthy to suffre, that with false adulation, dothe

corrupte and adulterate the gentil and ver∣tuous nature of a noble man, whiche is not only his image, but the very man hym selfe? For without vertue man is but in the num∣bre of beastes. And also by peruerse instru∣ction and flatery, suche one sleeth both the soule and good renome of his maister. By whose example and negligence peryssheth also an infinite numbre of persones, whiche domage to a realme neyther with treasure ne with power can be redoubed.

¶ But harde it is, alway to exchewe these flaterers, whiche lyke to crowes, do pyke out mennes eyes er they be ded. And it is to noble men moste difficile, whom all men couayte to please, and to dysplease them it is accounted no wysedome, perchance lest there shulde ensue therby more peryl than profytte.

¶ Also Carneades, the Philosopher, was * 1.98 wonte to saye, that the sonnes of noble men men lerned nothynge well but only to ride. For whiles they lerned letters, theyr may∣sters flattered them, praysyng euery word that they spake. In wrastlynge theyr tea∣chers and companions also flattered them, submyttyng them selfes, and falling downe to theyr fete: But the horse or courser, not vnderstandynge who rydeth hym, ne whe∣ther he be a gentyll man or yoman, a ryche

man or a poore, if he syt not surely, and can skyl of ridynge, the horse casteth him quic∣kely. This is the sayinge of Carneades.

¶ There be other of this sort, which more * 1.99 couertly laye theyr snares to take the har∣tes of princis and noble menne. And as he, whiche entendeth to take the fierse & migh¦ty lyon, pytcheth his haye or nette in the woode amonge greatte trees and thornes, where as is the mooste haunte of the lyon, that beinge blynded with the thyckenes of the couerte, maye er he be ware, sodeyne∣ly tumble into the nette: where the hunter seelynge bothe his eyen, and byndinge his legges strongly to gether, fynally daunteth his fiercenesse, and maketh hym obediente to his ensygnes and tokens. Semblablye there be some, that by dyssimulation can o∣stente or shewe a hyghe grauitie, mixt with a sturdy enterteinment and facion, exilinge them selfes from all pleasure and recreati∣on, frownyng and gruching at euery thing, wherin is any myrth or solace, all though it be honest, tauntynge and rebukyug immo∣derately them, with whome they be not cō∣tented, Namyng them selfes therfore plain men, althoughe they do the semblable, and often tymes warse in theyr owne howses. And by a simplicitie and rudenesse of spea∣kynge, with longe delyberation vsed in the

same, pretende the hygh knowlege of coū∣sayle to be in them onely: and in this wyse pytchynge theyr net of adulation, they in∣trap the noble and vertuous harte, whiche onely beholdeth theyr fained seueritie and counterfayte wysedome, and the rather by cause this maner of flatery is moste vnlyke to that, whiche is communely vsed.

¶ Aristotell in his politykes, exorteth go∣uernours, * 1.100 to haue theyr frendes for a great numbre of eyen, eares, handes, and legges, considerynge that no one man maye see or here all thynge, that many men may se and here: ne can be in all places, or do as many thynges well, at one tyme, as many persōs maye do. And often times a beholder or lo∣ker on, espieth a defaulte, that the doer for∣getteth or skyppeth ouer: whiche caused the emperour Antonine to ēquire of many, what other men spake of hym, correctinge therby his defautes, whiche he perceyued to be iustely reproued.

¶ This I truste shal suffise, for the expres∣synge of that incomparable treasure, cal∣led amytie: in the declaration wherof I haue aboden the longer, to the intente to perswade the reders, to enserche therfore vigilantly, and beinge so happy to fynde it, accordinge to the sayde description, to em∣brace and honour it, abhorrynge aboue all

thynges ingratytude, whiche pestylence hath longe tyme raygned amonge vs, aug∣mented by detraction, a corrupte and loth∣ly syckenesse, wherof I wyll trayte in the laste parte of this warke, that men of good nature espienge it, nede not (if they list) be therwith deceyued.

Finis libri secundi.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Prepara∣tion of go¦uernours.
• * 1.2

  The fyrste considera∣tion of go¦uernours.
• * 1.3

  Saul and Amalech.
• * 1.4

  Disobedi∣ence.
• * 1.5

  The wor∣des of Sapience to ••ouer∣nours. Sapiencie
• * 1.6

  The. ••i. cō∣sideration.
• * 1.7

  The third.
• * 1.8

  The .iiii.
• * 1.9

  The .v.
• * 1.10

  The syxte.
• * 1.11

  The .vii.
• * 1.12

  Claudian{us}
• * 1.13

  Ulisses.
• * 1.14

  Hāgynges and plate mete for a noble mā.
• * 1.15

  Adolescē∣cye, is the age next to the state of man. Nobilitie begunne.
• * 1.16

  Nobilitie auncient.
• * 1.17

  Aunciente robes.
• * 1.18

  Nobilitie wherin it is.
• * 1.19

  Numa klg of Romais
• * 1.20

  Quintius Dictator.
• * 1.21

  Decii and theyr a∣••owe.
• * 1.22

  Hault coū tenance.
• * 1.23

  Gentil coū¦tenance.
• * 1.24

  Libertie in speakynge.
• * 1.25

  Alexāders crueltie in sleinge his frendes.
• * 1.26

  Iulius Ce¦sar exāple of tyranny
• * 1.27

  Dammage insuing by lacke of li∣bertie of speche.
• * 1.28

  Jugement suspended through li¦bertie of speche. Plutarch{us}.
• * 1.29

  Antonine philoso∣phus. herodian{us}
• * 1.30

  Augustus▪
• * 1.31

  Suetoni{us}.
• * 1.32

  Antonin{us} Plus.
• * 1.33

  Lāppridi{us}
• * 1.34

  Cice. off. 1.
• * 1.35

  Ire or wrathe.
• * 1.36

  Ouidi{us} de erte amādi
• * 1.37

  wrathe
• * 1.38

  Alexander in furye.
• * 1.39

  The horri¦ble crueltie of Sylla & Marius.
• * 1.40

  Pyrrhus.
• * 1.41

  Placabi∣litie.
• * 1.42

  A good Iudge, a good prīce a good kīg
• * 1.43

  Crueltie▪
• * 1.44

  Seneca de clementia.
• * 1.45

  Mercy she wid by Au¦gustus vn∣till his ene¦mye.
• * 1.46

  A wisewo¦man.
• * 1.47

  mercy and gentylnes.
• * 1.48

  Uayn pitie
• * 1.49

  Charitie.
• * 1.50

  Beneuo∣lence. Loue. Amitie.
• * 1.51

  Liberalite
• * 1.52

  Seneca de benef.
• * 1.53

  A liberal man. Ethic. 2.
• * 1.54

  That Iu∣styce neuer lacke bene¦uolence.
• * 1.55

  Sharpnes of iustyce.
• * 1.56

  Helias.
• * 1.57

  Pacience.
• * 1.58

  Codrus kynge of Athenes.
• * 1.59

  Charitie.
• * 1.60

  Curtius.
• * 1.61

  The pow¦er of bene∣uolence.
• * 1.62

  Offic. 2.
• * 1.63

  In pane∣gyrico.
• * 1.64

  De clemē∣tia.
• * 1.65

  Antonin{us} Pius.
• * 1.66

  Kynge. Philip.
• * 1.67

  Agesilaus
• * 1.68

  The .xxx. tyrātes of Athenes.
• * 1.69

  puissaunce lacking be neuolence.
• * 1.70

  Dionyse kynge of Sicile.
• * 1.71

  Alexander Phereus.
• * 1.72

  Aristotel. Ethic. 1.
• * 1.73

  Uertue what it is.
• * 1.74

  Beneficēce
• * 1.75

  Liberalite
• * 1.76

  Considera¦tions iu gyuynge.
• * 1.77

  Alexand.
• * 1.78

  Liberal.
• * 1.79

  Antonyne and liberal Alexander emperors.
• * 1.80

  Prodiga∣lite.
• * 1.81

  Prodiga∣litie.
• * 1.82

  Ci. off. i.
• * 1.83

  Ethi. vi.
• * 1.84

  Tulli de amicitia.
• * 1.85

  Pithias? Damon.
• * 1.86

  The wor∣des of Ti∣tus to Gi∣syppus.
• * 1.87

  The ann∣swere of Gisippus.
• * 1.88

  The ora∣tion of Ti¦tus to the Athenien∣sis.
• * 1.89

  None euil maye be in frendship.
• * 1.90

  Ethie.
• * 1.91

  Oui. de Pon.
• * 1.92

  Howe to discernea frēd from a flatterer.
• * 1.93

  Kyndenes in bestis.
• * 1.94

  Kidnes in dogges.
• * 1.95

  Frēdship of tyme.
• * 1.96

  Plutarch{us} de cognos¦cēdo ami∣co ab adu∣latore.
• * 1.97

  Flateri {per}∣nicions to gentyl na∣ture.
• * 1.98

  Plutarch{us} de libe. e∣ducandi. A notable exaumple.
• * 1.99

  Subtyll flatterers. Ex Plu∣tarcho de cogn. ami∣co ab adu latore.
• * 1.100

  Many frē∣des neces∣sary for a gouernor.