Phisicke against fortune, aswell prosperous, as aduerse conteyned in two bookes. Whereby men are instructed, with lyke indifferencie to remedie theyr affections, aswell in tyme of the bryght shynyng sunne of prosperitie, as also of the foule lowryng stormes of aduersitie. Expedient for all men, but most necessary for such as be subiect to any notable insult of eyther extremitie. Written in Latine by Frauncis Petrarch, a most famous poet, and oratour. And now first Englished by Thomas Twyne.

Of the promises of VVysemen, and Southsayers. The .Cxii. Dialogue.

HOPE.

DIuinours, and Southsayers, promise me many thinges.

Reason.

Loe, thou hast found out another kynde of men, to whom if thou geue credite, thou shalt alwayes hang in suspense, and lyue in Hope: for the thynges shall neuer come to passe whiche they promise, and thou shalt neuer lacke promisers: so that on the one side, gapyng after the runaway promised thynges, and on the other syde, prouoked by promises, thou shalt continually be tossed to and fro, after the maner of Ixion.

Hope.

The Southsayers put mee in good hope.

Reason.

It is as easie a matter to bryng the credulous into hope, as the timerous into feare: as for constant mindes, they are not easily mooued vnto eyther side.

Hope.

Mathema∣ticians promise me manie matters.

Reason.

There is no∣thyng more redie vnto them that want honestie, then to abounde with promises: but who so are ashamed to lye, are flowe in promi∣sing.

Hope.

The Mathematicians promise me happie fortune.

Reason.

Choose other auowers as a pledge, the kynde of promi∣ses is brittle, a bare woorde is scarcely to be trusted.

Hope.

Mathematicians promise me many thynges.

Reason.

Seeke some that may fulfyll those promises: it is sufficient for them to haue put thee in hope, no one man canne doo all thynges.

Hope.

I am awaked by the Southsayers answers.

Reason.

Thou shalt be brought a sleepe by the euentes, for nothing shall happen that is promised thee.

Hope.

I am willed to hope for great matters.

Reason.

It is strange, that the mind of man that is stubberne to vertue, should be so much obedient to vani∣tie. If vertue commaund any one thing, be it neuer so good, it is not regarded: but if vanitie wyl any thing, although it be difficult and most vile, it is obeyed.

Hope.

The Mathematicians pro∣mise me happie fortune.

Reason.

These be woonderful fe∣lowes, that know only what is to come, and are ignorant of that which is past, and present, and do so pronounce of thinges that are in heauen, as though they had been called to counsell among the goddes, and were now come downe from thence with a fresh me∣mory, when as in the meane whyle they be ignorant what is doone vppon the earth, in theyr owne countrey, in theyr house, and in theyr chamber: so that it is very true whiche thou rea∣dest in Tullie, No man seeth what is before his feete, but they searche the regions of heauen.

Hope.

A certayne notable and true Mathematician, telleth me of great matters.

Reason.

The more notable the diuinour is, the greater is his libertie of lying, and his credite more prone to a false tale. Truely I vse often tymes to marueyle, and our countrey man Tully not with∣out cause marueyled also, what newe or vnaccustomable acci∣dent is happened in this matter, that when as in al sortes of men many true matters are obscured by one notable lye, and the cre∣dite of the reporter is euer more afterward had in suspition, it fa∣reth otherwyse in this kynde of people, that one slender and casu∣all true tale, as it were a veyle beyng set agaynst many fittens, notwithstandyng purchaseth credite to a publique lye, yf it be founde that he once tolde true, wherein there was neuer any so impudent a lyar, but some tyme hath told trueth, eyther agaynst his wyl, or vpon ignorance: but yf any of those by chaunce doo hyt vpon the trueth, then is the matter cocke, he shalbe belee∣ued yf he foretel that there shal fall a Star this day from heauen: finally, he may lye in all cases, without suspition of lying, that coulde be once founde out of a lye. And they stycke most vppon this one point, for that they can see into the thynges that are to come, beyng forgetful of that which is past, deceiuing those that

haue affiance in them, by meanes of the fauour and sight beliefe which they beare vnto them.

Hope.

I geue credice vnto Di∣uinours that foretel me good fortune.

Reason.

To geue cre∣dite to mad men, is madnesse. And truely although that Cicero seemeth herein to be of an other mynde, yet I am of opinion that the name which the Grecians haue geuen vnto this thing, is more apt then that which is geuen by your countreymen. For the Latines haue deriued this woord diuination, a Diuis, from the goddes, or a Diuinitate, from Diuinitie: but the Grecians fetch their woord Mantice, a Furore, from madnes: you per∣haps more finely, but they more truely. The same art al the holy Doctours doo by one content condemne, namely Ambrose, Au∣gustine, with the residue, who, if it so happen at any time, as this pestilent custome hath preuailed among many, that among these brablers in disputation concernyng the trueth, they are had in sus∣pition for the very names sake of theyr profession, so that the pro∣fessours of the true fayth cannot be hearde, with the free consent also of all other, who beyng innumerable are of the same opinion. And although the godly or vertuous men do condemne diuinati∣on, what cause is there, or iust occasion of suspition, but that only one, and especially among many, the most excellent Cicero may be regarded and hearkened vnto: For truely he condemneth, moc∣keth, and despiseth this whole kinde of illusions and deceipts. And to be short, omitting those thyngs whiche this place cannot holde, not only al godly religion, but also true Philosophie, and likewise Poetrie, which directly imitateth the same, and not the holy men only, but also all the learned, do reiect this vanitie, except those on∣ly that lyue of it, or that beyng by them seduced, are fallen into theyr snares, vppon whose losses and errours they founde theyr Art, and rayse theyr gayne. In which Art, this is the chiefe and principal point, to cloke theyr fraude with obscuritie, and so to geue an ambiguous or doubtful answere, so that whatsoeuer hap∣neth, may seeme to haue ben foretolde, which is a common proui∣so among al that professe the knowledge of thyngs to come, wher∣in not theyr Art, whiche is none, nor theyr wyt, which without learnyng and knowledge in matters is naked, but theyr subtiltie

and boldnesse, and impudencie, is wonderful. So that, that whi∣che once the rough Cato spake merily, that he marueiled that one southsayer laughed not when he saw another, may be also fitly applied vnto al aire watchers, southsaiers, fortune readers, ghes∣sers, chaldies, and Mathematicians, and the whole kinde of diui∣nation, so vncerteine it is whether their fraude be more filthie, or your madnes more ridiculus: howbeit, it were an easie matter to answere their quiddities, and refute their reasons, but it would be ouerlong, and is so common a matter, and so notably handled by sundry excellent men, that the repetition thereof woulde not only be superfluous, but also folysh. And vnto your most fond vanitie, what may be sayde other, then that ye are worthy not only to be mocked by earthly men, but also by men made of clay, and that haue none other knowledge, then by this meanes only to deceiue fooles, by pretending great skyl, and abusing you with the name and colour of heauen.

Hope.

I am perswaded that prospe∣rous fortune is at hande, the expectation whereof is sweete, plea∣sant, and acceptable vnto me.

Reason.

Nay rather, bytter, sowre, and troublesome: but you hauyng lost your sense, do iudge of the obiectes of the senses, whereunto I suppose you are easi∣ly perswaded. For it is an easye matter to perswade them that are wyllyng: and some haue no neede of a perswader, for truely they are theyr owne southsayers, and take occasion to prognosti∣cate happy euentes to them selues, both by the meetyng of liuing creatures, and the flying and chatteryng of byrdes. But if thou re∣count with thy selfe how often these thynges haue deceyued thee, yf thou aske counsell of thy neyghbours concernyng this matter, or they, beyng infected with the same errour, aske thyne aduice, thou shalt easily perceyue howe far thou oughtest geue credite to these follies, vnlesse those three most notable and famous gouer∣nours and Princes, Pumpeius, Crassus, and Caesar, will haply say otherwyse vppon theyr othe, vnto whom, as it appeareth by a great witnesse, and best knowne of all men, Marcus Cicero, all the Chaldeys, and southsayers promysed, that they shoulde all three of them ende theyr lyues moste glory∣ously in theyr owne countrey, in happy estate, and honorable old age: which how crue it was, perhaps thou attendest not to heare:

but truely, they dyed al by the swoorde, two of them more mise∣rably farre of from Iralie or the Citie of Rome beyng slayne, theyr honorable heads only, wherof sometyme the whole world stoode in feare and reuerence, with shameful reproches buryed, but theyr bodyes most pitifully throwne foorth to be torne by wylde beastes, bytten by fyshes, and rent by foules, cruelly mangled & dismembred, lay there as a most miserable spectacle of fortune. Goe thy wayes now, and say these southsayers haue no knowledge, that they geue iudgement so vncertaynly.

Hope.

I haue obserued an acceptable token of southsaying.

Reason.

O importunate madnesse: a wretched man hopeth to knowe the successe of his affayres, of byrdes, when he hath none of hym selfe: what folly is greater then this? Kyng Deiotarus, a gods name, was deliuered from present destruction by the sight of an Eagle: And Agrippa the Hebrue 〈◊〉〈◊〉 aduertised of his deliuerie out of pryson, the ende of his aduersitie, and begynnyng of prosperitie, by the sitting of an Oule vpon his head, which otherwise is coun∣ted an infamous byrde, whose song by Virgils verse, is counted deadly and infortunate.

Hope.

A good token and prognosti∣cation hath hapned.

Reason.

This worde Omen, signifiyng a token, or an abodyng, is deryued from the woorde Homo. that signifieth a Man, and is an argument of mens madnesse, wherby your myndes are not only euermore drawne into errour by some external thyng, but also by one thyng or another that is within you, that there may be no part voyde of fancies and try∣fles: and therefore ye obserue your seruantes neesynges, and drawe your chyldrens woordes, which they vtter by chaunce, to that purpose, not to the purport of them, but to your owne pur∣poses, to wyt, because the Centurion sayde, Here we shal re∣mayne best of all, the head of the worlde was not remooued: or because the litle gyrle tolde her father crying, when he was goe∣yng foorth to warfare, that Perses was dead, it was necessarily iudged that the Kyng of Macedonie shoulde be vanquyshed. O strange and sotted mynde of man, with how small a force art thou dryuen into the pyt of errour?

Hope.

Good fortune hapned vnto me whyle I was a sleepe.

Reason.

But thou shalt haue sorowful tidinges when thou art awake.

Hope.

I saw good

hap in sleepe.

Reason.

But thou shalt finde il hap when thou awakest.

Hope.

I was an happy man in my rest.

Reason.

But thou shalt be wretched in thy trauayle. For many tymes ••reames signifie nothing, and many tymes the contrary.

Hope.

True thynges are often seene in dreames.

Reason.

But how more often false? The lyke iudgement is to he geuen of this, and all such other kyndes of vanities, one thyng happenyng true by chaunce, purchaseth credite to a great many of false, and mens myndes gapyng after that whiche is to come, taketh no regarde of that whiche is past.

Hope.

The Diuinours promyse me many thyngs.

Reason.

I do not much wonder at these impo∣stours and deceyuers, who accordyng to theyr maner do lyue by theyr practise: but I marueyle more at you, that you subiect your lyues, soules, and wittes vnto theyr bellies: and therfore take hede what perswasion thou holdest ••••r yf thou wylt folowe mine ad∣uyce, thou shalt expect with a quiet and vpryght mynde, not what the Starres, but what the Creatour and gouernour of the Starres hath determined concernyng thee, feruently woorkyng somethyng euery day, whereby thou mayst be founde the more woorthy of his loue. Concernyng the euentes, let it not once en∣ter into thy mynde to mooue any of them, vnto whom the trueth is lesse knowne then to thy selfe, Finally, thus perswade thy selfe, that it is an harde matter for men to knowe what it is to come, and that it is not lawful for them, yf it were expedient, nor expe∣dient, yf it were lawfull.