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I Haue a most louing Mother.
But thou art vnto her a continual feare and carefulnesse.
I haue a most louing Mother.
The Fathers loue is greatest, but the Mothers loue is most vehement, and both their loues are such, and so great, that the affection of the childe, vnlesse it be very rare, can scarce counteruayle it. Notwithstanding, the con∣tention
betweene the Parentes and the Children, in shewing loue and duetie one towardes another, is commendable and vertuous, & let them haue the victorie vpon whom the fountaine of heauenly charitie is most abundantly powred. But hytherto the Parentes haue the vpper hand, neyther is yet the duetifulnesse of the Chyl∣dren, or their reuerence towardes their elders and progenitours suche, that it may minister iust cause that we shoulde thinke it woulde be otherwyse: but if it shoulde chaunce so to happen be∣sides expectation, there were no sight in the earth that coulde be deuised more acceptable vnto the heauens.
I haue a ve∣rie good Mother.
Be thou at leastwise a good childe vnto her: remember that thou was first a burden and coyle vnto her, and afterwarde a most bitter payne, and lastly a continuall trouble, and ielous carefulnesse. Thinke on her wombe that bare thee, and her breastes that gaue thee sucke, how many sleepes, and how many meales or pleasures thou hast broken her of by thy crying? What feare and sorowe thou hast procured her by thy chaunces, and sometymes also perhaps perilous pleasures. Many tymes, as the feare of chyldrens death hath enforced the wretched Mothers to ende their lyues, so also hath the ioy of their lyfe. This last poynt appeared playnely that day, wherein they that remayned after the slaughter at Thrasimenus, beyng dis∣persed, returned safe to their friendes: and when two Mothers, who thought no lesse but that their sonnes were slayne in the bat∣tayle, sawe them notwithstanding come agayne in safetie, not be∣ing able to susteine the force of so sodayne a ioy, they dyed present∣ly. So that by this and suche lyke examples it is truely verified, that amongst men there is no greater ingratitude then that which is shewed agaynst the Mother.
My Mother is yet ly∣uing an olde woman.
As often as thou lookest vpon her, and beholdest the earth also, thinke from whence thou com∣mest, and whyther thou shalt, out of how narrowe a place thou camest, and into how narrowe an one thou shalt depart, to witte∣out of the wombe of thyne owne Mother, into the bowelles of the Earth, that is mother of al thinges. Among all the thinges there∣fore, which between these twaine do delight, and busie the minde, drawe backe the raynes of pryde and couetousnesse.