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 occasion lost to reuenge. The .xxxiij. Dialogue.

SOROWE.

I Haue lost my wyshed occasion to reuenge.

Reason.

From whom sinne is taken, nothyng is taken, but much is added: for certayne thynges which men haue, to be taken from them, is a gayne, but to withstand them, that they may not be had at al, is a greater vauntage.

Sorowe.

I haue lost the meanes to be reuenged.

Reason.

An happy losse, to loose that whiche may hurt thee.

Sorowe.

I am prohibited of my hoped and wished reuenge.

Reason.

The chiefest point is to haue a minde not to doo euyl, the next to be prohibited.

Sorowe.

I must of necessi∣tie loose occasion of reuengement.

Reason.

If it be a notable kynde of reuenge, not to haue a wyll to reuenge, it is an excellent necessitie, not to be suffered to reuenge. It is the chiefest point willingly to embrace vertue, the next, to be constrayned therunto.

Sorowe.

I am sory that reuenge is taken from me.

Reason.

The tyme wyll come peechaunce shortly when thou mayest re∣ioyce, and that thou wouldest not wyshe that it had hapned other∣wyse: Many when they come by occasion vnto any thing, at length they begyn to haue will vnto it, and to loue it, and theyr liking groweth vpon necessitie, and when it beginneth to be a wyl, it surceasseth to be a necessitie.

Sorowe.

I thought I could haue ben reuenged, but I could not.

Reason.

Not to be able to doo e∣uil, is a great power, & this qualitie is proper vnto the almightie.

Sorowe.

Present reuenge is fallen away from me.

Reason.

Thinke that thou hast let fal a snake out of thy hand, & take heede that he creepe not into thine hand agayne. There is nothyng so coutrary vnto a man, as vngentlenesse. By this he surceas∣seth to be a man, whiche to be so, the name it selfe declareth:

there is no sicknesse so contrary, no not death it selfe: For death hapneth by the course of nature, but this, far contrariwise: To shew crueltie vnto a man, is contrary vnto the nature of a man, al∣though it were deserued: a man ought not to folowe the motion of a wounded mynd, and by the remembrance of a priuate griefe, to forgeat the instinct of the common nature.

Sorow.

I shall be sory for euer, that I was restrayned from reuenge.

Reason.

Perhaps thou shalt reioyce for euer: How often, thinkest thou, after enmitie layd a part, and friendshyp concluded, haue some ab∣horred theyr friendes in the middest of theyr embrasinges, thus thinking with them selues: this man I wished at the Deuyl, and I lacked but litle of bryngyng my wicked desire to effect? O hap∣pie chaunce, to howe good a part hast thou conuerted my cruell meanyng?

Sorowe.

I cannot be suffered to wreake my iust wrath.

Reason.

A man shall scarce fynde iust anger: forasmuche as it is written, Mans anger woorketh not the righte∣ousnesse of God: and agayne, it is said by an other, Anger is a short madnesse: It is best therefore not to be angrie at all: and next, not to reuenge, but to bridle anger, that it cary not away the mynde whyther as it is not seemely: the thirde is, not to be able to re∣uenge, if thou wouldest.

Sorow.

I haue lost notable occasion to be reuenged.

Reason.

Pardon, which is more notable is left vnto thee, and also forgetfulnesse, which is most notable of all. The same made Iulius Caefar renowmed among all Princes. Great & innumerable were this worthie Emperours conquests, his triumphes most glorious, his excellencie in chiualrie incom∣parable, his wyt most excellent, his eloquence notable, the nobili∣tie of his progenie, the beautie of his personage, the valure of his inuincible mynde, surpassing: but when thou hast heaped togea∣ther all his commendations, thou shalt finde nothyng in hym more excellent then his mercifulnesse, and forgetfulnesse of offen∣ces: which although it procured vnto hym the cause of his death, so that the saying of Pacunius was iustly song at his buriall, It was my fortune to saue some, that there might some lyue to destroy me: neuerthelesse since that he must of necessitie die, in suche a cause death was in a maner to be wyshed.