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 Banishment. The .Lxvij. Dialogue.

SOROWE.

I Am vniustly dryuen into vanyshment.

Reason.

What, haddest thou rather then be iustly banyshed? For, as touching the heape of iniuries whereof thou spakest, it is taken in the contrarie part: and nowe thou hast iustice to be thy compani∣on, whiche shall be a comfort vnto thee in thy vniust banyshment, whiche forsakyng thine vniust Countreymen, hath chosen rather to folowe thee into exile.

Sorowe.

I am banyshed vniustly.

Reason.

Hath the kyng banyshed thee, or a tyraunt, or the peo∣ple, or an enimie, or thou thy selfe? If the kyng, eyther thy ba∣nyshment is not vniust, or he hymselfe is not iust, and so by con∣sequence, no kyng. If a Tyrant, reioyce that thou art banyshed by hym, vnder whom good men are exiled, and Theeues are set in aucthoritie. If the people, they vse their olde maner, they hate the vertuous, among whom if this manie headed Tyrant had founde any lyke them selues, they woulde neuer haue banyshed hym. Thynke not therefore that thou art expulsed thy Countrey, but

remooued from the felloweship of wicked persons, and that thou art not driuen into exile, but receiued into the companie of good Citizens. If an enimie, acknowledge the lightnes of the iniurie, for he hath not dealt extreamely with thee: He that coulde take from a man all that he hath, and hath taken but his Countrey, hath left hym hope. But yf thou thy selfe, the cause is, that falling into mislykyng of the people or Tyrant, thou hast chosen to de∣part, not only because thou wouldest not be sorie, but also vaunte thy selfe for preferryng the honour of thy Countrey. So that now thou hast not a miserable, but an honest cause, not of exile, but of absence, hatefull to the wycked, and gratefull to the vertuous. Pythagoras voluntarily forsooke Samos, and Solon Athens, and Lycurgus Lacedemon, and Scipio Rome.

Sorowe.

I am condemned vnto exile.

Reason.

Many haue wonne cre∣dite by theyr banishment, not fewe there are whom some sharpe storme and iniurie of fortune hath made knowne and notable: and what letteth thee, but that thou mayest be reckoned in the num∣ber of them who haue gayned singuler fame by sufferyng trou∣bles, euen as by knocking Flintes together, fire is engendred?

Sorowe.

I am driuen into exile.

Reason.

In histories thou shalt perceiue that thou hast notable companions in this accident, whose most honourable felowshyp may not only deminish the fee∣ling of the griefe, but also bring forgetfulnesse. Camillus was no lesse regarded in his banishment, then if he had taried at home, as famous an exiled person, as he was woorthie Citizen, who had brought into the Capital house of Rome victories and triumphes, no lesse renowmed for iustice, then famous for felicitie, and being shortly after driuen into banishment, in reuenge of the iniurie whiche he receiued, he saued his vnthankfull Countrey from destruction. It is not easie, I confesse, to finde suche another example of so notable a banished personage: howbeit Rutilius and Metellus were so smally greeued with their banishment, that when Rutilius was sent for home, by hym whose commaunde∣ment not to obey was present death, rather choosing banishment, he refused to returne: eyther to the entent he would not in any re∣spect disobey the Senates decree and the lawes of his Countrey, though they were vniust, or els for doubt he might haply be bani∣shed

agayne. But Metellus returned, with the very same coun∣tenaunce wherewith he departed into exile. Vnto these may Marcellus be added, euen the same younger Marcellus that hap∣ned in the tyme of the last ciuile warre, who beyng dryuen out of his countrey, reteined not only his auncient constancie and studie of liberall sciences, but also applied them more earnestly then be∣fore, and beyng free from publique cares, with such feruencie pur∣sued the beautifying of his minde onely, that he seemed rather to haue been sent to the schooles of Vertue, then into banishment: which being much more eminent in Cicero, was by the woorthy∣nesse of his woorkes, and his great learning, made the more fa∣mous, whereby he found no smal comfort, not only in banishment, but also in pryson.

Sorow.

I suffer banishment.

Reason.

A short banishment wyll soone restore thee to thy Countrey, but a long banishment wil purchase thee another Countrey, so that they shal be banished from thee, that woulde haue banished thee from them, which is now alredy accomplished, yf thou haue respect to the nature of the thinges, and not to the opinions of men. For that is a very base minde that is so bounde to one sillie corner of the earth, that whatsoeuer is out of that, it thinketh it banishment: whoso bewayleth his exile, is farre from that loftinesse of mynde whiche was in hym vnto whom the whole worlde seemed to be a strayght prison. Socrates beyng demaunded what Countreyman he was, answeared, I was borne in the world. A ryght Socratical answere: some other peraduenture in that case woulde haue an∣sweared that he was an Athenian, but Socrates Countrey was that which is lykewyse all mens, to wit, the worlde, not only this part which you commonly cal the worlde, whiche in deede is but the lowest part of the worlde, but Heauen it selfe, which is more truely tearmed by that name. That is the Countrey whervnto you are appoynted, vnto whiche if your minde doo aspire, it wyll ac∣knowledge it selfe to be a stranger and banished in whatsoeuer part of the earth it remayne: For who wyl call that his Countrey, where he dwelleth but for a very short tyme? But that is truely to be called a mans Countrey, where he may dwell continually in rest and quietnesse: seeke for this vppon earth, and I suppose thy seeking wil be in vaine. According to the law of nature, as it was

geuen vnto men, and the limittes thereof prescribed, whilest you liue here, euery lande is your Countrey, wherein whoso maketh himselfe a banished man, is not so sicke in effect, as diseased in minde. We haue not here any perpetual Citie of abode, as sayth the Apostle S. Paul. Euery land is the natiue Countrey vnto a vali∣ent man, sayth Ouid the Poet. To a man, euery Countrey is his na∣tural soyle, sayth Statius. With these speeches I would haue thee armed, whereby thou mightest be alwayes one man, and eyther neuer or euer be in thine owne Countrey.

Sorowe.

I am com∣maunded to go into banishment.

Reason.

Goe willingly, & then it shall be but a trauayle, and no banishment: and remember that banishment hath ben vnto some in steede of a departure, and vnto other some, in steede of a returne: and there be some also that are neuer in woorse case, then when they be in their owne Countrey.

Sorow.

I am enforcedly dryuen into banishment.

Reason.

In couetyng to do that which thou art enforced, thou shalt seeme not to be constrayned. All violence is ouercome by patience, and that surceaseth to be violence, whiche is suffered willingly.

Sorowe.

I must needes goe into exile.

Reason.

See thou do willing∣ly, which thou must els do nillingly, and suffer al thyng meryly, that thou seeme to suffer nothyng heauily: so shalt thou escape the force of necessitie, and al the Adamantine nayles & chaines that are ascribed thervnto, and the loathsomnesse and vexation thereof. But you couet impossible thinges, and flee from the necessarie, but both in vayne.

Sorow.

I goe into banishment.

Reason.

Perhaps into rest, and peraduenture vnder pretence of false mi∣serie, lurketh true felicitie, at leastwise thou shalt now be safe from enuie: make haste, and take holdfast of glory that is entermedled with securitie. There is nothyng sweeter then honest and safe lurkyng, with whiche no streetes of Cities are comparable.

Sorowe.

I am dryuen out of my Countrey.

Reason.

Beyng dryuen away of the woorst, insinuate thy selfe into the companie of the best sorte, and make it euident by good proofes that thy Countrey was vnwoorthie of thee, and not thou of thy Countrey. Let it perceyue what it hath lost, and knowe thou howe that thou hast lost no∣thyng: Let the euyll Citizens want the weerisomnesse, and

also the hatred and suspicion of thy presence, and let the good pro∣secute thine absence with loue and desire, and with their eyes and mindes folow after thy departure: Let them be sorie for that thou hast forsaken them, and be thou gladde for that thou art departed with companie, and thinke not vpon thy returne, neither desire to be with them that desire to be without thee, and finally be not so∣rie that another hath done that vnto thee, whiche thou oughtest to haue done thy selfe: thou oughtest to haue geuen place to the enuie of the people, and therefore to auoyde the same, thou willingly wentest into exile. Of this deuice I was the first aucthour, neither are there wanting most famous ringleaders for an example, for thou knowest howe that the three most remowmed Scipioes dyd the lyke, and that with suche constancie, that some iudged theyr Countrey, whiche was dispoyled of their presence, then whiche it had nothing in it more honourable, to be vnwoorthy of their ashes when they were dead: and some likewyse thought that the Citie deserued to be girded with some infamous and taunting Li∣bel: howbeit their names remaine in euerlastyng memorie, so that they cannot be vnknowen to thee by report, and the faythfull testimonie of all histories, whose names are, Africanus, Nasica, Lentulus.

Sorowe.

I am sent into exile.

Reason.

Nay ra∣ther to trie thyselfe. Beware how thou behaue thyselfe in thine ex∣ile, yf thou faynt, then art thou a very banyshed wyght, yf thou stand stoutly, thy banyshment wyll ennoble thee, as it hath doone many other before thee, who passed inuincibly and honourably through difficulties, to the ende they might shew the right way to them that came after. Let Tyrantes rage, let the people chafe, let thyne enimies and fortune treat & fume: thou mayest be dryuen a∣way, taken, beaten, slayne, but thou canst not be ouercome, vnlesse thou yeelde vp thyne handes, nor yet be despoyled of thyne orna∣mentes, by meanes whereof whythersoeuer thou goest, thou shalt be a Citizen, and one of the Princes of thy Countrey.

Sorowe.

I goe into banishment.

Reason.

Goe a pace, and depart in safetie, thou knowest not howlong thy kinges armes be: there is no place too far of from hym, he can defende thee in euery place, who defended thee in thy natiue Countrey.