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 games of VVrestlyng. The xxix. Dialogue.

IOY.

I Am delighted with the games of wrestlyng.

Reason.

If to be a looker on, thou art a foole, yf to wrestle, thou art mad.

Ioy.

I vse to exercise wrestlyng.

Reason.

By euery one of thy woordes, it appeareth vnto what maister thou art a slaue. For these, aswell as the abouenamed, doo belong to the body, and as I haue admonished a litle before, there be thyngs that may be doone more honestly without force and noyce. And there is also a more excellent mouing of the mynde, which if thou knewest, thou wouldest contemne and hate these bodyly ende∣uours. But you esteeme of your mynde, as a degenerate and hateful ghest: and of your bodyes, as some great and dearely be∣loued lorde: for him you plowe, for hym you sowe, for hym you mowe. Truely in so doing ye do well: but in this ye deale vn∣iustly, in that ye referre al thynges to the body: and not regarding the mynde, for this ye spende whole nightes in wakefulnesse, for this ye sigh, for this ye vowe, for this ye learne good artes, this ye obey and serue, of al other a most sumptuous and vnthank∣ful maister, to whom neyther any thyng is sufficient, and if perhaps it want somwhat at any tyme, it neuer is mindful of a benefite receiued, and yet notwithstandyng ye obey whatsoeuer this maister commaundeth, and sufferyng the mynd to hunger, for this you do not only prouyde necessaries, but also superfluous thynges in eche respect, and suche as wyll hurt: and not only suche thynges as apparteyne to foode and apparrel, whereof we haue spoken in theyr proper places, but also to games, and sundrie lustes, not perceyuyng how much the trueth is agaynst your de∣uises, which speaketh by the mouth of the most eloquent Cicero: whereby it appeareth, that he whiche neglecteth the body, neg∣lecteth not hym selfe, but his frayle and transitorie house: but he that regardeth not his minde, truely regardeth not hym selfe. For be sayth not, Thou art he whom this outwarde shape declareth, but euery mans mynde is hym selfe, and not this fourme whiche may be poynted vnto by the fynger.

Ioy.

I am delyghted with the

exercyse of wrestlyng.

Reason.

The heate of Charrettes, the noyse of horses, & the guydyng of the scorching wheeles through narrow straightes vnhurt, the crye of the wrestlers, and theyr throngyng togeather, the oyle, the sweate, and the woonderful dust, is a great token of the dulnesse of the senses, whether it be the pleasure of the eyes, or nose, or eares, that is thereby conceyued: Whiche yf it were sounde and perfect, not these places of out∣cryes and tumultes, whiche they tearme places of wrestlyng and exercyse, but rather the diligent obseruation of this place of exercise and toyle, whiche they that are borne doo enter into, whi∣che they that lyue doo treade and trample continually, from whence they that dye doo depart, shoulde delyght thee, beyng a more profitable and honest pleasure.

Ioy.

I am geuen to the studie of wrestlyng.

Reason.

This was not the least glory among our forefathers in olde tyme, but so great, that vnto Diagoras Rhodi••s, who was also hym selfe a famous wre∣stler, when he sawe two of his sonnes in one day rewarded with wrestlyng victories, as though there remayned nothyng more noble in this life wherunto he might aspyre, another ancient man of Lacedemon, a friend of his, sayd, Now dye Diagoras, for thou shalt not ascend vp into heauen. He accompted it so great and hygh a matter for three of one familie at one tyme to be tryed wrestlers. Truely a very small and lyght Grecian estimation of true prayse, but so common, that it troubled also great wittes. For Plato, beyng so great a Philosopher as he was, was famous for his deedes at Olympus, and in that practise knowne by many euentes, but this was whyle he was a young man. The valiauntnesse of his courage, from whence some thynke that Platoes name was deryued, the strength of his body, and the heate of his yeeres, mooued his youthly mind to the tryall of his strength, wherein he was equall with the best: but in processe of tyme, consyderyng what he had done, he betooke hym selfe to that whiche was better, and chose rather to belyk•• Socrates, then Milo. And truely great age accu∣seth: Youth is easyly forgeuen: there is no excuse to a man of his folly.

Ioy.

The studie of wrestlyng delygh∣teth me.

Reason.

In this game the vylest person sometime

hath the victorie, and the vertue of the mynde is vanquyshed by the hugynesse of the bodie. What Duke or noble man canst thou name vnto me, whiche Milo coulde not ouercome, who woulde run a Furlong with a lyue Bul vpon his shoulders, and kylling hym with a stroake of his bare fyst, stucke not to eate hym whole in one day? A straunge matter, but commonly written by Hi∣storiographers. Who therefore shal meete with this felowe to matche hym in his kingdome of Cheualrie? Veryly, there is nothyng more shameful then to beholde noble spirites to be ouer∣come with such a beast: and therfore let valiant mindes whiche trust wel to themselues, haue a special regard that they enter not into such exercise where they may be conquered by the most cow∣ardes: But if thou take pleasure in contention, enter that con∣flict wherein he that ouercommeth is the better man, not of the strength of the bodie, or of any other matter, wherein one may be both the worst and the conquerer. Striue not therefore for riches, nor for dignitie, nor for power, but for vertue and knowledge: and not to the ende thou detract from any mans good name, but that the emulation of another mans prayse may be a prouocati∣on vnto thee towardes glory: let there be no iotte at al of enuie, but of vertue. Here hast thou an example of the younger Cato, of whom Salust writyng: He striued not, sayth he, neither with the riche for ryehes, neyther with the factious for faction, but with the valiaunt for vertue, and with the shamefast for honestie, and with the innocent for abstinence. This is the most honest kynde of contentious exercise, not only to be kept at Olimpus, but in euery place: no lesse in the bedchaumber, then in the iudiciall Court: and no lesse in leasure, then in businesse: and no lesse with them that are present, then them that be absent: and with al noble myndes of al ages, and of all countreys. I haue alwayes iudged that saying of Scipio in Liuie to be notable and princely: I am perswaded, sayth he, that this cogitation is in the mynde of euery noble personage, to compare hym selfe not on∣ly to renowmed men whiche nowe lyue, but that haue lyued in all ages. And thou lykewyse, yf there be any among the troupes that be present, whiche I scarce can hope, or among al the memorie of antiquitie, choose some matche vnto thy selfe, with

whom thou mayest contende, not with armes and Cuggels, but with wysedome and vertue, without feare of daunger, but in hope of an immarcessible crowne. This is my counsayle and o∣pinion concerning the wrestlyng exercise.