Learning and Honesty to go together. [ 964]
FRanciscus Petrarcha, that Scholarium Tetrarcha, a Man famous in his time, was put upon the scrutiny of Mens judgements;* 1.1 Four Men undertook the task: One had no Learning, the other had a little, a third not much, the fourth somewhat, but intricate and perplexed: (Good Man! he was not tryed by his Peers). All their opinions were sum'd up in this sentence, Petrarcha sine literis, vir bonus, Petrarch an illiterate good Man. The King stormed at this sentence; the Nobles fretted, his friends were vexed, and almost all Men threatned revenge upon such saw∣cy Judges; But Petrarch himselfe applauded their judgement, saying; O utinam non vere dixerunt, &c.* 1.2 The end of all my study was to be a good Man; if Learning came in upon the by, I did not refuse it; but now seeing by their sentence, I may without Learning have goodnesse; what a comfort is this to me, and thousands more of no better knowledge? And most true it is, that of two unhappy dis-jun∣ctions, it were better to see an honest Man without Learning, then a Learned Man without honesty: but quam ben•• conveniunt? when Learning and honesty meet to∣gether; Where Learning is as the sowing of the ground, and vertuous and holy life is as the Harvest; Where knowledge is but for breed, but being marryed to Grace, brings forth a glorious issue, a race of Heavenly fruits, a posterity of good Works.