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 a furnished Armie. The .xcvii. Dialogue.

IOY.

I Haue a furnished Armie.

Reason.

I shoulde haue maruey∣led if that an Armie had not followed a Kingdome & an Em∣pire, that is to say, one miserie another. But Seneca commen∣deth Scipio Africanus to the Starres, not because he ledde great Armies, which frantike and wicked persons haue done also, but for his great moderation, which truely an Armie neuer bring∣eth to a man, but often taketh it away, or often diminisheth it: for what vertue is there so sounde, which the keeping companie with

so many rakehels & blooddy Butchers, and their wicked example, wyl not quayle?

Ioy.

I haue a great Armie.

Reason.

Thou hast now occasion to liue in y^e fieldes: For neyther can Armies be receiued into cities, neither peaceable citizens & armed souldiours dwell well togeather.

Ioy.

I haue a most valient Armie.

Reason.

Thou hast matter of war, and losse of peace: if thou re∣ioyce in this, doubtlesse thou belongest not to the heauenly citie.

Ioy.

I haue an huge Armie.

Reason.

Thou hast armed eni∣mies on both sides of thee, from whom thou art defended neyther by wal nor trenche, truely an heauy and dangerous case.

Ioy.

I haue many valient legions.

Reason.

The tediousnes, trouble, & insolencie of these: no man can easily recite, but thou shalt learne by experimenting, how much it is better to liue alone, then with many legions: For truely there are no iniuries, no falshood, no crueltie to be compared to y^e wickednesse of souldiours. Thou shalt by thine owne experience finde, how true that verse is which euery boy hath in his mouth, There is no faith nor honestie in men that fo∣lowe the warres.

Ioy.

I am Lord & gouernour of a great Armie.

Reason.

Perhaps thou were better be a sheapheard among Tygers & Beares. The furie of wilde beastes may be tamed, but the hartes of some men can neuer be reclaimed: and wilde beastes do threaten before they strike, but the malice of men doth suddenly breake foorth. These whom thou tearmest thine, & call thee Lord, alas this hireling & inconstant generation, for how smal a price, and vppon how light occasion wyll they be changed, and of thine owne souldiours, become thine enimies? Their flattering counte∣nances shalbe turned into horrour, & their right handes, which they deliuered vnto thee, perhaps shalbe conuerted to thy destruction: and if this happen, it is no rare nor vnaccustomed matter. At Placentia was that terrible commotion, when as Iulius Caesars armie rebelled against him, wherof this was spoken, What Cap∣taine woulde not that tumult haue made afrayde? Howbeit, Caesar, through his wonderful constancie and fortitude, repressed the vp∣roare, & punishing the aucthours, appeased the armie, & brought them to obedience. Te like did Alexander, that was Emperour of Rome, at Antioche, & it tooke magnificall effect. But goe for∣warde a lytle, and thou shalt see that shortly after he was slayne

by none other then his owne Souldiours. In the same maner Pertinax perished before: in lyke sort afterward, the two Max∣imi, the father and the sonne: so Balbinus and Maximus: so Probus, a most valient Captayne: so Gratiane and Valenti∣nian the younger, a couple of good brethren, the one betrayed by his legions, the other by his companion: so likewyse others innu∣merable, whom their enimies coulde not ouercome, haue peri∣shed by their owne armies, and those whom they called their Souldiours, they founde eruell Butchers. Take heede therefore wherein thou reioycest: For this thy cruel and vnmerciful armie, as he sayeth, is a beast with many heades, and dareth to aduen∣ture any thyng, beyng thereunto prouoked by anger, want, or co∣uetousnesse.

Ioy.

I haue an huge armie.

Reason.

At the Thessalike battayle, sayth Florus, there was nothyng that ouerthrewe Pompei so muche, as the greatnesse of his armie: and it fortuneth almost in all battayles, that the greater armie is vanquished, and the lesser vanquisheth.