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 Stepdame. The .xlij. Dialogue.

SOROWE.

I Haue a Stepdame.

Reason.

Then thou hast a father al∣so. Thus goeth the course of mans lyfe, that meery thyngs are myxt with sorowfull, sowre with sweete: and I wyshe that sweete and sowre, beyng thus equally mixt togeather, dwelled not here amongst vs.

Sorowe.

I haue an vniust stepdame.

Reason.

Thou vsest Virgils terme very aptly: but how much the more vniuste she is to thee, so muche the more labour thou to be iuster then she.

Sorowe.

I haue a very proude stepdame.

Reason.

It is the propertie of a woman to be proude, and there∣fore of a stepdame: yf two causes doo engender one effect, there is no cause why thou shoulde & be amazed, but that thou shouldest suffer, and therein thou shalt shewe thyne owne selfe both a good naturall sonne, and also a good sonne in lawe.

Sorowe.

I haue a very proude stepdame.

Reason.

Pryde is ouercome by no meanes better then by lowlynesse.

Sorow.

I cannot abyde my stepdame.

Reason.

But thou must suffer thy father: Yf thou loue hym wel, thou shalt the better abide her.

Sorowe.

I haue a wicked, & an importunate stepdame.

Reason.

Be thou duetiful & pacient towardes her: thou owest loue vnto thy father, pacience towards a woman, reuerence to thy stepdame.

Sorow.

I haue a malapert stepdame.

Reason.

Do not commit, that her malapertnes be greater thē thy duetifulnes: There is nothing hard, nothing difficult vnto duetifulnesse, the same aduanceth men vnto God, & plucketh downe god vnto men. As often as thy step∣dame shalbe in her outrage, thynke not on her, but on thy father.

Sorow.

I haue an iniurious stepdame.

Reason.

Womens iniu∣ries are better requited with cōtempt, then with reuenge.

Sorow.

I suffer a greeuous stepdame.

Reason.

Thou sayest well, I suffer: For to faynt, and not to be able to suffer a foolyshe simple woman, is not the part of a man.

Sorow.

My stepdame hateth me.

Reason.

Loue thou her, and it is Gods commaun∣dement, that we shoulde loue our enimes: but to loue, that thou shouldest be loued agayne, is the counsayle of the Heathen Philo∣sophers.

Sorowe.

My stepdame hateth me.

Reason.

It may suffise thee if she loue thy father, and it is not the duetie of a sonne to hate her that loueth his father: but if she hate hym, whom dooth she not hate? For and yf she loue another man more then her husbande, see that thou be not he.

Sorowe.

My step∣dame hateth me ouer muche.

Reason.

Perhaps the hate of thy stepdame is lesse hurtfull then her exceeding loue: Dooest thou know the Historie of Phaedra and Hippolitus? Truely that hatred whiche thou oughtest not to reuenge, ought eyther to be paci∣fied, or auoyded, or suffered, for there is none other meanes. Com∣plaintes oftentymes doo encrease hatred.