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

¶ Of Detraction, and the ymage ther∣of made by the peynter Ap∣pelles. Cap. XXVI.

THERE IS MOCHE conuersaunt a∣monge men in authoritie a vyce very vgly and monstruous, who vnder the

pleasant habyte of frendshyp & good coun∣sayle, with a breathe pestilenciall infecteth the wyttes of them that nothynge mystru∣steth. This monster is called in englysshe DETRACTION, in latin Calumnia, whose propretie I wyll nowe declare.

¶ If a man, be determined to equitie, ha∣uynge the eyen and eares of his mynde, set onely on the trouth, and the publike weale of his countreye, wyll haue no regarde to any requeste or desyre, but procedeth dire∣ctely in the admynistration of iustyce, ey∣ther he, whiche by Iustyce is offended, or some his fautours, abbettours, or adherē∣tes, if he hym selfe, or any of them be in ser∣uyce or famyliaritie with hym that is in au∣ctoritie, as soone as by any occasyon, men∣tion happeneth to be made of hym, who hath executed Iustyce exactely, forthwith they imagine some vyce or defaut, be it ne∣uer so lyttell, wherby they maye mynysshe his credence, & craftily omittyng to speake any thynge of his rygour in Iustice, wylle note and touche somme thynge of his ma∣ners, wherin shall eyther seme to be lyght∣nes, or lacke of grauitie, or to moch sower∣nes or lacke of Ciuilytie: or that he is nat beneuolent to hym in auctoritie, or that he is nat sufficient to receyue any dygnitie, or to dispatche matters of weighty importāce

or that he is superfluous in wordes, or els to scarse. Also if he lyue temperately, and delyteth moche in study, they embrayd him with nygardshyp, or in derislon, calle hym a clerke or a poete, vnmete for any other pur¦pose. And this do they couertely and with a more grauitie, than any other thyng that they enterprise.

¶ This euyll reporte, called Detraction, was wonderfully wel expressed in figures, by the mooste noble peynter APELLES. After he was dyscharged of the cryme, wherof he was falsely accused to Ptholo∣mee, kyng of Aegypt, hauyng for his amē∣des of the said kyng. xii. M. poundes ster∣lynge, and his accuser to his bondman per∣petually, the table, wherin detraction was expressed, he peynted in this forme.

¶ At the ryght hande was made syttyng a man, hauynge longe cares, puttynge forth his hande to DETRACTION, who farre of came towardes hym. Aboute this man stoode two womenne, that is to saye, Ig∣norance, and Suspicion. On the other side came Detraction, a woman aboue measure well trymmed, all chaufed and angrye, ha∣uynge her aspecte or loke lyke to the fyre, in shewynge a maner of rage or furye. In hyr lefte hande, she helde a brennynge torche or bronde, and with her other hand

she drewe by the heare of his heed, a yong man, who helde vppe his handes towarde heuen, callynge god and the saynctes for wytnesse: with her came a man pale, and e∣uyll fauoured, beholdynge the yonge man intentifely, like vnto one that had ben with longe sicknes consumed, whom ye mought lyghtely coniecte, to be enuye. Also there folowed two other women, that trymmed and apparayled Detraction, the one was Treason, the other Fraude. After folowid a woman, in a mournyng weede, blacke and ragged, and she was called Repentaunce, who tournynge her backe, weepynge and soore ashamed, behelde Ueritie, who than approched.

¶ In this wyse Apelles described Detra∣ction, by whome he hym selfe was in pe∣ryll. Whyche in myne opynion is a ryghte necessary matter to be in tables or hangyn∣ges, set in euery mans house, that is in au∣ctorytie, consyderynge what damage and losse, hath ensued, and may hereafter en∣sue, by this horrible pestilence, false Detra∣ction, to the auoydynge, wherof Luciane, who writeth of this picture, gyueth a no∣table counsayle, sayenge,

¶ A wyse man, whan he douteth of the ho∣nestie and vertue of the persone accused, shulde kepe close his eares, and nat open

them hastely to them, whiche be with this sicknesse infected, and put reason for a dyli∣gent porter and watche, whiche oughte to examyne and lette in the reportes that be good, and exclude and prohibite them that be contrary. For it is a thyng to laughe at, and verye vnsyttynge, to ordeyne for thy house a keper or porter: and to leaue thine eares and mynde to all menne wyde open. Wherfore, whan any persone commeth to vs, to tel vs any reporte or complaint: First it shall behoue vs throughly and euenly to considre the thynge, not hauinge respecte to the eares of hym that reporteth, or to his fourme of lyuynge, or wysedome in spe¦kynge. For the more vehement the repor∣ter is in perswadynge, the more dylygente and exacte triall and examynation ought to be vsed. Therfore truste is not to be giuen to an other mannes iudgement, moche lesse to the malice of an accuser. But euery man shall reteyne to him selfe the power, to en∣serche out the trouthe, and leauyng the en∣uye or dyspleasure to the detractour, shall ponder or waye the matter indifferentely, that euery thynge, in suche wise beinge cu∣riously inserched and proued, he may at his pleasure eyther loue or hate hym, whom he hath soo substauncially tried. For in good fayth, to giue place to detraction at the be∣gynnynge,

is a thynge chyldisshe and base, and to be estemed amonge the moste great inconueniences and myschiefes. These be well nyghe the wordes of Luciane: whe∣ther the counsayle be good, I remytte it to the wyse reders. Of one thinge I am sure, that by Detraction, as wel many good wit∣tes haue ben drowned, as also vertue and peynefull study vnrewarded, and many ze∣latours or fauourers of the publyke weale, haue ben dyscouraged.

Notes

• The image of detrac∣tion.