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 friendshyppe of Kynges. The xlix. Dialogue.

IOY.

I Haue wonne the friendshyp of Kynges.

Reason.

True friendshyp among men is rare, and thou fanciest to thy selfe that thou hast wonne the friendshyp of Kynges, whom the ex∣cellencie of their estate, & the loftinesse of theyr minde, maketh them cōmonly the contemners of theyr inferiors.

Ioy.

I am beloued of kynges.

Reason.

I perceyue then that thou carest not for thy soule, vertue, fame, quietnesse, rest, & securitie: for the fashion of most kyngs is wel knowne, they scarcely loue any, but suche as settyng al other thynges apart, wyll make them selues the bondslaues and ministers of theyr crueltie, lust, and auarice. And therefore, yf thou be beloued of Kynges, there is no enquy∣ryng farther of thee, thou litle carest for thy selfe.

Ioy.

It is by meanes of my goodnesse and vertue that I am beloued of Kynges.

Reason.

What answerest thou then to Salust? For Kynges, sayth he, are more suspitious of good men, then of euyll, and alwayes they stand in feare of other mens vertues.

Ioy.

In re∣spect of good qualities, I am beloued of my Prince.

Reason.

Of what qualities, I pray you: Haukyng, or Huntyng? Concer∣nyng these I reprooued thee in a certayne discourse not long since, of warfare, whereof we disputed last: Which vnlesse it be commended by large bloodshed, and great daungers, it deser∣ueth not the name of warfare, but of warlie cowardice, not onely in the iudgment of kynges, but also of the common people.

Ioy.

The kyng loueth me for my conditions sake.

Reason.

It is for thy vanitie, or daunger: or perhaps for some crimes that are in thee, murder, poysonyng, vauderie, treason, flatterie, & lying, comman plagues, whiche dayly custome in thee excuseth, and vr∣banitie commendeth: For these be the most fyttest meanes to wyn the good wyl of some kynges, to whom there is nothyng more hateful then vertue & learning. By these therfore there is no hope to purchase theyr fauour, which are rather the cause of their hatred: thus is peace confirmed betweene wysedome and for∣tune.

Ioy.

I am a great man with the kyng.

Reason.

Art

thou greater then Lysimachus was with Alexander, or Seia∣nus with Tiberius? the greatnesse and fall of both whom, thou knowest, although writers doo vary concernyng the fyrst of them: I let passe others, the story is long.

Ioy.

I am wel∣beloued of my King.

Reason.

It were better he knewe thee not, and peraduenture more profitable that he hated thee: for then thou shouldst auoyd the danger which now thou folowest. Worse is the flatteryng voyce of the fouler when he calleth the foules into his net, then the noyce of the ploughman that maketh them afrayde.

Ioy.

My Kyng loueth me well.

Reason.

There are some of whom a man may doubt, whether theyr loue be more dangerous then theyr hatred, these are worse then serpentes, in whom there is poyson myxt with medicine, but in these men there is nothyng but pestilent or hurtful, for whether they loue or hate, the mischiefe is almost all one, sauyng that theyr hate dryue∣eth away, and theyr loue deteyneth. And to be short, there is no∣thyng more vnquiet and dangerous, then the friendshyp of Prin∣ces, vnlesse it were the gouernment of a kyngdome it selfe, al∣though I am not ignorant of that danger also, which many haue wyshed for in vayne, and often haue bought it ful deare, and ob∣teined it with great peryl: such is the trade of men. Thus one dan∣ger is procured by another, one with many, and with great the greatest. A strange matter: a great good thyng that commeth freely is contempned, a greater euyl with great euylles is sought for.

Ioy.

I hope that my Prince loueth me.

Reason.

That whiche thou hopest, thynke what maner of thyng it is, a brittle, waueryng, & frayle foundation, which the often falles of Princes do declare: a cloudie, troublesome, and vnquiet aduauncement, which the sorowful, busie, and dangerous lyfe of princes proueth to be true. Take heede therefore where thou buyldest: for lyke as the fortune of Princes, so theyr wylles and lykyng also is al∣wayes vncertayne, variable, and inconstant, although notwith∣standyng yf these thynges were permanent, there were no good∣nesse in them, but rather much hurt and euyl.

Ioy.

I haue with great payne and danger, deserued the loue of my King.

Reason.

Oh, how much more safely and easily myghtest thou haue pur∣chased the fauour of the Kyng of all Kynges.