A very excellent and learned discourse, touching the tranquilitie and contentation of the minde conteining sundry notable instructions, and firme consolations, most necessarie for all sortes of afflicted persons in these latter dayes : distinguished into seven bookes, 1. Against covetousnes, 2. Against ambition, 3. Against anger, 4. Against envie, [brace] [brace] 5. Against pleasure, 6. Against curiositie, 7. Against feare / written in French by the famous and learned M. I. De L'Espine ; and newly translated into English by Ed. Smyth.

TO THE RIGHT ƲƲORSH JPFVL SJR Francis Hynd, Knight, and M. Tho∣mas Wendy, Esquire; two of her Maiesties Iustices of peace in her Countie of Cambridge, EDWARD SMITH wisheth all increase of true worshippe in this worlde, and the full accomplishment of all necessarie blessings for the world to come.

IT hath bene no small controversie in former ages, (Right worshipful) and that among the greatest Clarks, as may evidently appeare by their large volumes and long discourses, what should be the readiest way and most effectu∣all meanes to bring man) who is subiect to so many miserable and fearefull accidents) to a firme and stable estate, and place him in such a perfection, as that even in this life he might attaine an assured rest and a ioy∣full contentation. The consideration whereof,* 1.1 as it was alwayes verie common among those of greatest giftes, and such as were most plentifully endued with many and sundrie excellent gra∣ces, so was it the principall drift of the wiser sorte, whome na∣ture hath garnished with the best conceites, to employ their whole studies and indeavours in the searching out of so invalu∣able a Iewel, as the ioy of the heart,* 1.2 which (as the Wiseman saith) is accounted as the life of man, and the meanes to prolong his dayes. Having thus resolved with them selves, and being fully perswaded that by their owne devise and industrie they were able to builde such an impregnable fortresse, and that with the morter of their owne inventions, against the fierce assaultes of frowarde fortune, that nothing should be of sufficient force, either to incumber their mindes, or disturbe the peaceable estate

of their pretended happinesse, every one according to his fancie haue laid his foundations, and finished the rest of the building with such matter as was most agreeable to his owne liking. The diversitie of their workes doe evidently declare their dissenting humours,* 1.3 and their frivolous reasons doe apparantly prove, that the wisedome of the worlde is meere foolishnesse. To let passe the simpler sorte, whose writings haue bene of least waight, and to come vnto the Ringleaders of the rest, whose memoriall re∣maineth at this day in highest price, and is but too greatly reve∣renced of such, as are somewhat too zealously addicted to hea∣then fansies, we shall finde that though they were as confident in their opinions as ever was that boasting Meno,* 1.4 (of whome Plato maketh mention) yet a wise and Christian Socrates would easely convince them, and make them confesse with the wise King, that wisdome is farre from them, and that they know nothing as they ought to know.

And no marvaile though they could not direct others vnto that happie estate, which they them selves so earnestly affected, seeing that besides the darkenesse of their owne vnderstanding, which was wonderfully obscured with the foggie mists of clou∣die ignorance, they were for the most part wholy directed by those same two noysome neighbours,* 1.5 and vnadvised Counsel∣lours Pleasure and Paine: whose devises were accounted as ora∣cles, & their suggestions sufficient to sway every action. Where∣upon some, though such indeed as had but slender iudgements, being terrifyed with the frowning countenance of tormenting sorrowe,* 1.6 embraced the counsel of Electra to her brother Orestes, imagining that the best meanes to compasse a quiet life, was to sequester them selves from all publike affaires; and like Tymon of Athens carefully to avoyd all societie,* 1.7 lest peradventure they should heare or see that, which might breede their vnquietnes. Which doctrine, though it were plausible ynough to the slouth∣fuller sort, who are wiser in their owne conceits, then seven men that can render a reason,* 1.8 yet are they too blame to forget that worthy saying of sage Cato, that in doing of nothing they learne to do euill. Besides that they value their rest at too high a rate, buying their ease with idlenes the mother of so many mischiefs, not remembring (like vnskilfull surgeons) that whilest they covet

to heale some particular member, they destroy the whole bo∣die; and labouring to purge the minde from griefe, they wholy bereave it of vnderstanding, making it sluggish, forgetfull, and vncapable of any excellent conceite.

Others of as base a iudgement and of a more brutish pra∣ctise,* 1.9 doe not thinke it sufficient for their owne contentation to abstaine from all good, vnlesse withall they bee wholy given over to a sensuall life, wallowing in the filth of their owne concupiscences,* 1.10 desiring with Philoxenus to haue neckes as long as Cranes, the more to delight their intemperate throtes. Thus indeavouring by a supposed felicitie consisting in the full fruition of their owne licentious appetites, to become more happie then earthly men,* 1.11 through the filthie pollution of their swinish affections they become more miserable then the brutish beastes.

Such as supposed this inestimable pearle the enioying of a blessed estate and a quiet life,* 1.12 to consist in the want of affe∣ctions, had sayde somewhat, if senselesnesse were a vertue, or if it were possible to become a skilfull artisan, and never take delight in an occupation, which is contrarie to that com∣mon rule among philosophers:* 1.13 Ʋnicuique operationi est pro∣pria quaedam voluptas. And therefore not without good cause is this sencelesse assertion reprooved by Aristotle, and iust∣ly condemned of all that are wise, for that without all regarde of circumstance it doeth whollie bereave vs of all inclination, and maintaineth (contrarie to the opinion of Plato, who ac∣counted ioye and sorowe as the roapes, wherewith wee are drawen to the embracing or avoyding of every action) that we may attain a perfection without affecting of any thing.

Which out of question was alwayes accounted a paradoxe among the ambitious sorte, and the greatest wittes coulde never away with such doctrine. For beeing perswaded that the onely way to purchase a peaceable estate, was to inter∣meddle in worldly affaires, to employ their wittes with Lycur∣gus to make lawes, to studie with Deioces to minister iustice,* 1.14 and with Alexander to bend their whole forces to conquere king∣domes, & as though the earth were too litle for one man, would needs command over sea and land, and like Monarches rule all:

not onely lamenting with Caesar, that they haue not conquered so much as Alexander: but also if they happen to heare some foolish Anaxarchus maintaiyne that there are innumerable worldes,* 1.15 they are readie to weepe that they haue not all of them vnder their subiection, and every mans head vnder their girdle. These men, if they would haue bene ruled by reason, without passing the boundes of modest ambition, might peradventure in the sight of worldlings haue bene thought happie. But such is the nature of fleshly conceites, that the more we tender them, the more they torment vs: the more we cherish them, the more they chooke vs: the more we take pleasure in them, the more they paine vs.* 1.16 So that we may truely confesse with the wise man, that they breede nothing in vs but sorowe and vexation, and through the sensible feeling of our owne miserable estate, crie out with Croesus,* 1.17 and confesse the saying of Solon to bee verie true:

— Vltima semper Expectanda dies homini, dici{que} beatus Ante obitum nemo, suprema{que} funera debet.

Which opinion though it be highly disgraced by Aristotle,* 1.18 in calling it an absurd assertion, yet it is of greater waight then hee tooke it, and commeth neerer the trueth then he imagi∣ned. But whilest hee woulde discent from all others, making felicitie like a galli-maufrey, in compounding it of an Omni∣gatherum, of the vertues of the minde, the giftes of the bodie, and the favours of fortune,* 1.19 he quite forgate that hee did repug∣nantialoqui, framing his Foelix like a Camoelion, to day happie, to morrowe miserable.

The devine and heavenly Philosopher Plato, though hee were more excellent in this argument then all the rest, pla∣cing his greatest happinesse in a serious contemplation of an Idea, which was notwithstanding hee knewe not what, yet (whilest hee seemeth to make mans reason a rule to attaine to perfection, and attributeth too much to Philosophie, cal∣ling it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, * 1.20 the pure golde and precious pearle, for the attaining whereof wee shoulde sell all that we haue, and ac∣count it the onely meanes to compasse a quiet life) hath gone

astray aswell as the rest, and left small hope of heavenly health to be procured by his heathenish receiptes.

And yet surely a wise reader may picke out excellent prepa∣ratives, as well out of his workes, as out of other philosophicall discourses, and compounde a potion fitte for the purging of our mindes of much vnquietnesse, though hee shall never bee able to attaine that perfection of ioy and blisse, which is here spoken of.

For it is not all one to bee a morall wise man, and to bee a good Christian; to bee a great proficient in humaine know∣ledge, and a profounde Clarke in heavenly vnderstanding; to bee skilfull in the writings of men, and to bee cunning in the booke of God. For these differ more in deede then they doe in shewe; and more in substance then in apparance. And there∣fore in seeking to repose our selves in humane discourses, wee may seeke for quietnesse, but we shall never be at rest; wee shall hunger, and never be satisfyed; we shall drinke,* 1.21 and yet never taste of that water which shall be sufficient to quench our thirst: for the deuice of mans braine is too shallow, and his reason pol∣luted with too many filthie staines of his owne corruption, to finde out so heavenly a blessing, and so vnspeakeable a be∣nefite.

And therefore such as haue bene trayned vp in the schoole of Christianitie, and truely taught by the Spirite of God, have learned to avoyde those sandie foundations, and to builde vpon sure rockes; the death and merites of Christ Iesus: and to looke for all happinesse and tranquillitie both of minde and consci∣ence, in the assured perswasion of the forgivenesse of their sinnes:* 1.22 which strong foundation neither the stormie tempestes of carnall motions,* 1.23 nor the blustering windes of divelish suggesti∣ons shall ever be able to shake.

Considering then that this peace and contentation of mind ought to be the desired haven, wherein everie one shoulde har∣bour him selfe from the tempestuous rage of his owne distempe∣red humours, and that among all the violent passions where∣with we are tossed, as it were, too and fro, not any are more dan∣gerous then those that are tainted with Covetousnesse, Ambition, Anger, Envie, Pleasure, Curiositie, Feare, & such like; the perillous

goulfes whereof are continually readie to swallow vp the ship of every mans safetie, were it not guided by the direction of some skilfull Pilot: I could not but commend this excellent discourse of M. I. del' Espine, directly tending to the compassing of a qui∣et minde, wherein he hath not onely laid downe the reasons that may be most effectuall to drawe men to moderate their vehe∣ment passions, but also most notably discovered those imminent dangers, which doe vsually accompanie vnruly motions, and furnished this whole discourse with such infallible proofes, apte similitudes, fitte comparisons, sage sayings, and worthie exam∣ples, as well out of divine as humane stories, as may be sufficient to drawe on the liking of all such, as are not wholly compoun∣ded of vnruly affections. And though I feared at the first to com∣mit any translation thereof to the presse, being most vnwilling to lay open mine owne insufficiencie in the tongue to the viewe of the skilfull Reader, but to vse it rather as an exercise for mine owne particuler: yet being perswaded to the contrarie by con∣sidering the correspondencie that ought to bee among Christi∣ans, and the good that so necessarie a worke may doe in these dayes, wherein mens mindes through the pollicie of Sathan and the corruption of their owne natures, seeme to be but too full of passionate humours, I was the rather enduced to venture neere home like a young merchant, and to make tryall howe these precious French wares will be vttered among our English nati∣on at this present, who haue (I am sure heretofore) bene but too much delighted with their baser commodities.

Being growen to this resolution, I began to call to remem∣brance howe deepely I am indebted vnto your Worships, and my want of abilitie in any small measure to requite so many de∣sertes, otherwise then by this or the like testimonie of my thanke∣full heart and duetiful affection: as also how correspondent the title of this booke is vnto the wise & peaceable carriage of your selves in your greatest actions, so farre from the least suspitiō of al distēpered affections, as that you may seeme to put in continuall practise those excellent preceptes, which the authour of this worke hath most notably described in his most serious contem∣plations: which mooved me (I confesse) to offer this translati∣on vnto your worships, seeking herein to countenance my selfe

vnder your patronage, thereby the more readelie to stoppe the mouthes of sundrie carpers, who either cannot or will not doe any thing themselues, and yet are froward enough to reprooue other mens labours, and sharply to censure their honest endea∣uours; crauing withall a fauourable acceptance of my good meaning, and curteous entertainment of this new come gesse, who though he be but plainlie attired, yet I trust his discreet be∣hauiour will procure him friendes, and make others, through your goods words, countenance him, though it be for nothing, but for that he is a stranger.

The Almightie God, who hath enriched your worships with so many worldly blessings, and adorned your mindes with such excellent graces, as that you may iustly be said to haue attained no small portion of his heauenly benedictions, increase in you all blessings necessarie for the attaining of all contentation in this life, and the full fruition of all happines in the life to come.

Your Worships to command, Edward Smyth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Plato in con∣vivio.
• * 1.2

  Ecclus. 30.16. Prou. 15.13.
• * 1.3

  1. Cor. 1.20. & 3.19.
• * 1.4

  Plato in Menone. Eccles. 7.16.26. 1. Cor. 8.2.
• * 1.5

  Plato in the first booke of his lawes.
• * 1.6

  Seneca.
• * 1.7

  Cic. in his first booke of offices.
• * 1.8

  Prov. 15.13. T. Livius. Plutarch.
• * 1.9

  The Epi∣cures.
• * 1.10

  Arist. in the 3. booke of his Ethickes. Chap. 10.
• * 1.11

  Cic. in Cato. maior.
• * 1.12

  Zeno and the rest of the Stoickes.
• * 1.13

  Arisl, in his 2. booke of Ethicks. Chap. 2.3. Vt oportet, quando opor∣tet. In the 6. booke of his lawes.
• * 1.14

  Herodit. in Clio. Q. Curtius. Plutarch in his lives.
• * 1.15

  Plutarch.
• * 1.16

  Eccles. 2.
• * 1.17

  Herodit.
• * 1.18

  In the first booke of his Ethickes, Chap. 6.
• * 1.19

  Chap. 6.
• * 1.20

  In Phoedone. Tertul. in lib. de anima.
• * 1.21

  Iohn 4.3.
• * 1.22

  Psal. 32.1.
• * 1.23

  Matth. 7.23.