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 one only faythfull Freende. The .Lii. Dialogue.

IOY.

I Haue one faythfull and approoued freende.

Reason.

In trying, your iudgement is often deceyued, and looke wherein ye thynke your selues most expert, both in that, and so lyke∣wyse

in all other thynges, your opinion fayleth.

Ioy.

I doo knowe it, and not suppose onely, that I haue a most faythfull freende.

Reason.

And howe many haue there been, thynkest thou, that beleeuyng so muche, yea, and as they thought, knowing so muche, yet when the matter came to more diligent examinati∣on, founde them selues to be deceyued: Whence commeth it that there be so many complantes made dayly of freendes, but onely because whom ye counted most saythful, ye haue found vntrustie: There is no coniecture nor estimation so difficult, as is of the minde of man.

Ioy.

I doo not coniecture nor suppose, as I haue sayde, but I knowe that I haue a most assured freende.

Reason.

Eyther thou hast a most excellent thyng, or els thou art in a most foule errour.

Ioy.

Concernyng this matter, I am in no errour, but I haue a freende whom I haue tryed in sundrie and great difficulties.

Reason.

Then hast thou a most sweete and sacred thyng, a more excellent then which, next vnto vertue onely, neyther nature, nor fortune, not labour, nor studie, haue graunted vnto Mankinde. A mans parentes, I confesse, are deare vnto hym, his chyldren deare, his brethren deare, all these may waxe vnpleasant, and yet for all that they are styll our parentes, chyldren, and brethren, yea though vppon occasion they surceasse to be sweete vnto hym: onely a freende, as long as he is true, can not surceasse to be sweete and dearelybeloued. Pa∣rentes, I say, are deare: Notwithstandyng, dyd not Iubi∣ter expulse Saturnus his father out of his kyngdome? Dyd not Nicomedes depriue of lyfe Prusias his father, that was kyng of Bithynia, who at that tyme was in consultation with hym selfe howe to murder his sonne? Ptolomeus also, hereof surnamed Philopater, who hauyng slayne his father, mother, and brother, and last of all his wyfe Euridice, gouerned the kyngdome of Egypt in suche sort by the aduice of harlottes, that he had nothyng in his whole Realme proper to hym selfe, besydes the bare and vayne name of a kyng. Dyd not also Ore∣stes slay his mother Clytemnestra, Nero his mother Agrip∣pin. and Antipater his mother Theslalonice? Chyldren also are deare. Dyd not These us commaunde his most chast sonne Hippolytus, and Philip kyng of Macedonie his sonne

Demetrius, a young Gentleman of singular towardnesse, to be slayne? Dyd not also the other Ptolomeus, whiche is a name repugnaunt to godlynesse, who was also a most trustie kyng of Egypt, slay two of his sonnes? Likewyse, Herode king of Iudea slue one, and Constantinus, Emperour of Rome, slue one of his sonnes, called Crispus. Dyd not also Maleus, generall of the Carthagiens, hang vp Carthalo his sonne? Yea moreouer, mothers, whose loue is more tender, and their kynde more milde, haue also shewed crueltie agaynst theyr chyldren. The historie of Medea is knowen to all men. What sayest thou to the Queene of Laodicea and Cappadocia, who vpon the immoderate desire she had to reigne, slue fiue of her sonnes? Parentes, I say, are deare (for I repeate these agayne) chyldren are deare, brethren are deare. But to conclude al wicked∣nesse in one example, Phraates kyng of the Parthians, the most wickedst wretch that euer liued, & of al men most inraged with fu∣rie and desire to reigne, cruelly and vnnaturally slue his owne fa∣ther Orodes. beyng an olde and diseased man, and moreouer his thirtie brethren, the sonnes of the abouenamed kyng, and with these also his owne naturall soune, to the ende there shoulde none remayne in Parthia to gouerne the kyngdome. But these examples be olde: heare we not howe of late memorie in Britanie. the father and the sonne contended for the crowne? and howe this other day in Spayne, brethren were togeather by the eares for the kyngdome? Howebeit of suche contenti∣ons, and specially among brethren, there be plentie examples both newe and olde, that it were almost an harder matter to finde out whiche brethren were friendes, then whiche were enimies, But wee wyll let them both passe, for nowe we ga∣ther remedies, and not examples. Moreouer, are not hus∣bandes deare, and wyues deare? Concernyng this matter thou shalt enquire of Agamemnon and Deiphobus, and of your countreymen, Claudius the Emperour, and A∣fricanus the younger: these men shall tell thee howe deare∣ly beloued they were vnto theyr wyues. On the other side, de∣maunde of Octauia, and Arsinoe, what the one thought of her husbande Nero, and the other of her Ptolomeus.

The first of her adoptiue, the other of her naturall brother, & both of them of theyr husbandes. The fyrst wyl testifie as she hath been founde towarde her selfe, the other towardes her chyldren. Thus, as thou seest, we gather the most choyce and woorthy examples: As for the common sort, both of cities, and vulgare lyfe and trade of men, whiche are full of suche lyke complaintes, I let them passe. Whiche beyng so, since in all kyndes of those thynges whiche seeme most deere, what by priuie hatred, or open displea∣sure, oftentymes there is muche bitternesse, freendshyp onely is voyde of suche griefe and displeasure, and freendes neuer not one∣ly not flue or destroyed, but dyd not so muche as hurt one ano∣ther willingly: Wherefore yf thou haue founde suche a freende as thou speakest of, perswade thy selfe that thou hast founde a great treasure, and take heede thou doo not as the common sort of people doo, who geuyng them selues to the searchyng and folo∣wyng after vile matters, and contemnyng excellent thynges, doo busie them selues more with tyllyng their lande, and folowing their trade of Merchandize, then in seekyng of freendes, and ensu∣ing of vertue, and so haply thou neglect this commoditie whiche thou hast gotten. If ye bestowe so muche care and diligence in preseruing your golde and siluer, and orientall precious stones, whiche are but the excrementes of the earth, and purginges of the sea: howe muche more diligent ought ye to be in enterteynyng and keepyng of a freende, whiche is a most precious and diuine thing? Beware thou offende hym in no respect, or that vpon occa∣sion of any woorde he conceyue displeasure agaynst thee, and so de∣part from thee, and then too late thou heare that saying of Eccle∣siasticus: Lyke as one that letteth a byrde flie out of his hande, so hast thou lost thy neyghbour, neyther canst thou take hym agayne, or followe hym, for he is farre of. He hath escaped as a Roe out of the snare, and because his soule is wounded, thou shalt not be able to intrap hym any more. And therefore, as I say, thou hast a great and sweete treasure, but painfull notwithstandyng, and difficult: paineful, I meane to be gotten, and kept. A freende is a rare Ie∣well, he must be kept with great diligence, and yf he be lost, be la∣mented with great sorowe.