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 Suretishyp. The .xiiii. Dialogue.

SOROWE.

I AM molested with Suretishyppe.

Reason.

Thou complaynedst erewhyle of the losse of thy money, and nowe thou complaynest of the castyng of it away. Hast thou not by wyllyng enteryng into bandes, throwne away thy money? This is a common madnesse among the greater sort of people, by meanes whereof a man may soone loose both his money and his friende.

Sorow.

I haue geuen my fayth and troth for another.

Reason.

Thou shalt breake it for thy selfe, and to thyne owne hynderaunce and losse shalt learne, how plea∣saunt a thyng it is to owe nothyng, and lyue out of pryson and fetters.

Sorowe.

I haue geuen my woorde in assurance for my friende.

Reason.

Hence foorth geue vnto thy poore friendes, golde, syluer, Wyne, Oyle, Corne, Cloath, Houses, Farmes, counsell and comfort, finally deuide all that thou hast among them, only keepe vnto thy selfe thy sweete libertie, whiche thou shalt neuer geue to nor for any other.

Sorowe.

I haue geuen my woorde for another: and the day of payment is come.

Reason.

Dyddest thou not knowe that it woulde come? or dyddest thou not hope to lyue so long, or at least thyne heyre, whom thou hast wrapped in voluntarie bandes? But it happeneth well, that the punyshment of the errour, falleth vppon his pate that committed the errour. But I knowe that it was the deferryng that deceyued thee. The meane tyme betweene the day of promyse and the day of paye∣ment, you measure vaynely in your mynde, whiche as other tymes doo, doo seeme long, but when they be once past, ap∣peere to haue been very short: For away flye the houres, the dayes, the nyghtes, weekes, monethes, yeeres, cyrcuites of seuen yeeres, ages, and whatsoeuer seemeth to be farthest of, is euen at hande: Insomuche as that whiche you nowe

beholde amazed, within the compasse of a fewe monethes, yf your eyes were open, you shoulde cleerely discerne through many ages: but you, as yf you hadde the tyme at your com∣maundement, and it were not gouerned by it owne nature, ima∣gine that your prefixed tyme wyll neuer come, nor the dayes passe away: and in this hope, as it were, with closed eyes passyng ouer the headlong downefall, yee seeme vnto your selues to be pleasaunt and courteous in woordes, vndertakyng for o∣thers, as though these woordes and priuate promyses woulde not soone come abrode to lyght, and bryng great trouble and hurly burly with them.

Sorowe.

I am become Suretie for my friende.

Reason.

Thou knowest that a mannes friendes want, yf his friende haue wherewithall, must be with present supply releeued. But doo not thou encomber thy selfe, neyther promyse any thyng agaynst to morowe: which thyng I woulde not speake, yf there coulde none other shyft be made then by promysing. For to what purpose is it to promyse? If thou canst not perfourme, thou dooest foolyshly: if thou canst, thou dooest superfluously. But you are moste couetous of the thinges, and moste lauishe of your promyses, as though in deede those promyses dyd not require the thynges them selues. But if thou aunsweare me, that at that present thou haddest not where∣withall to helpe hym, and wast in hope thou shouldest haue shortly after, whereof thou wast deceyued: then haddest thou not learned sufficiently, that hope is the most deceitfull thyng in the worlde. You shal finde nothyng that deceiueth you so often, and yet is there nothyng that you beleeue so wyllyngly, she is so craf∣tie and flatteryng, so sweetly and setretly she insinuateth her selfe, and is hardly pulled from you.

Sorowe.

I am become a sure∣tie.

Reason.

I thinke thou haddest forgotten the notable pre∣cept of Thales Milesius, It is a losse to enter into Suretiship: and also that whiche the wise man saide, which I suppose not vnprofi∣table to be recited, which being translated into Latine by the poet Ausonius, soundeth after this maner, Become suretie, saith he, and thou art neere a shrewd turne. I coulde recite a thousand examples, to proue y^t promisers, vndertakers, & sureties, are worthy to tast of repētance, but I wil touch none by name. Let euery man certifie

hym selfe of the trueth, & recount with hym selfe, what great losse hath hapned vnto many by meanes of suretishyppe.

Sorowe.

I haue doone amisse by voluntary byndyng my selfe.

Reason.

This trespasse shall not neede the fire of Purgatorie after thy de∣cesse, it shalbe purged where it was committed: For it is of the kynde of offences that carrye theyr Purgatorie with them.

Sorowe.

I haue bounde my selfe by my promyse.

Reason.

Release thy selfe then by payment, and let the hand discharge hym whom his tongue hath wrapped in bandes: and it shall doo thee good to haue been bounde, for when thou hast once escaped, thou wilt alwayes the more abhorre hamperinges.