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 shame commyng from another. The .xxiiij. Dialogue.

SOROWE.

I Am slaundred for an other mans offence.

Reason.

I tolde thee erewhyle, and true it is, that the griefe of another mans offence may touche thee, but so can not the infamie. I tell thee true. And yf it be a false infamie, though for the tyme it be greeuous, yet is it not durable, and to make infamie or glorie durable; thou must looke into thyne owne fielde, and prune the vine of thy minde with thine owne sickle.

Sorowe.

I am so∣rie for another mans fault.

Reason.

Truely I beleeue thee. But reioyce then in thyne owne innocencie, vnlesse thou greeue more at other mens matters, then at thyne owne, for the inheri∣taunce of fame descendeth not as doth the inheritaunce of a patri∣monie, for yf it were so, it myght sometyme be refused. No man is constrayned to take vppon hym a burdensome and infamous inheritaunce: for as I sayde before, it descendeth not by succession of name: there is no degree of kyndred expected in this matter. whether thou desyre to haue a glorious or obscure name, it must come from thy selfe, and not from another, and therein thine owne desartes are necessarie. There is a tyme when as another mans deedes can neyther defame thee, nor commende thee. To what purpose dooest thou expect the Carrier, or the Post, or the Testa∣tour? or repose any trust in thy most louing and noble auncetours, thy Father or Grandfather? or to what ende art thou afearde of any of them, to become infamous or obscure, by any of their meanes? Truely by neyther sort of them commeth eyther esti∣mation,

or discredite. Fame is not bequeathed, but won.

Sorow.

I am ouerburdened with the infamie of my friendes.

Reason.

It is rather thine owne fansie that oppresseth thee, whiche is one of the cheefest rootes of humane miserie. Cast of that, and thou shalt lyghten thy selfe of a false burden.

Sorowe.

I am diffa∣med with the offences of my friendes.

Reason.

I denie that it is possible to be so, howbeit I confesse, that it were better for thee to be diffamed for other mens crimes, then that other men should be for thyne: For more heauie is the weyght of offence, then infa∣mie, for where offence is, there is perfect miserie. And contrari∣wyse, false infamie hath no part of perfect and true miserie, as hath false glorie, although the one vexe the mindes of the common multitude, and the other delyght them.

Sorowe.

I can not choose, but be greeued & touched with the infamie of my friendes.

Reason.

To be touched is charitable, to be discomforted is wretched. And therefore, whyle there are some remnantes of hope remayning, be careful for the good name of thy friendes, and haue respect vnto the vnquietnesse and trouble whiche thou hast con∣ceyued. If all hope be gone, my counsayle is, layng them aside, to put of all greefe and vexation: for to endeuour in vayne, and seeke for matter of sorowfulnesse, is a lyke madnesse.

Sorowe.

I am blamed for my seruauntes crimes.

Reason.

Thou art woorthily punished for thy patience, and too muche suffe∣ryng, when thou myghtest haue auoyded that ignominie, by punyshyng and correctyng the aucthours of the mischiefe.

Sorowe.

But I am molested with reproches, whiche are due vnto them that can not easily be corrected, nor put away.

Reason.

Who be they, I pray thee? For, as touchyng the correction of the parentes, it is in no wyse permitted to the chyldren. And therefore by that meanes there can growe no infamie, but rather in vpryght iudgement, there wyll spryng vp vnto thee as it were a certayne bryghtnesse out of the darke: for since vnto vertue difficultie is proper, it is muche more harder to keepe the ryght way vnder conduct of obscure, then famous leaders, and Captaynes. But yf it be thy wyues, what in that case thou oughtest to doo, and whose remedie to remember, I haue alredie declared. Yf of thy

chyldren, note what men what manner of chyldren they haue had, as Fabius Maximus, and Scipio Africanè, and Pom∣peius the great: for I followe not nowe the order of Empire and ryches, but of age and glorie: and what manner one Vespasians last was, or Aurelius Antoninus onely, or Se∣uerus eldest sonne? What manner ones also, though in another kynde, had Hortensius and Cicero? And lastly what a daugh∣ter Augustus the Emperour had, or what a sonne Germani∣cus? and thou shalt see great darkenesse to haue spring out of great lyght, and thou shalt also perceyue, how this euyll fortune in chyldren, I knowe not by what chaunce, doth most accusto∣mably creepe into the most honourable families, and that euery one hath that way one griefe and imperfection or another, ey∣ther vnknowen to the next neyghbours, or not regarded. There are not lackyng also examples of Brethren, and Nephues. Onely I haue set downe those, whose shame may seeme most greeuous vnto a man, and to touche hym neerest. The order and reason is like in all, that the blemishes of another person what so euer he be, can not hang or be fastened vppon any man agaynst his wyll.