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 kyngdome lost. The .lxxix. Dialogue.

SOROW.

MY kyngdome is gone.

Reason.

Nowe it is a kynde of comfort to be without a sonne.

Sorowe.

I am cast out of my kyngdome.

Reason.

A good fal, thou sattest in a slypperie place, and now, beyng on the plaine, and beholdyng the perilous height behinde thy backe, thou wylt see howe that descendyng from the throne of royaltie, thou art aduaunced to the rest of a priuate lyfe. And if there can be no pleasure nor happinesse without securitie, thou shalt perceyue, that somewhat more pleasant and happie is the lyfe thou nowe leadest, then whiche thou dyddest heretofore.

Sorow.

I am driuen from my kyngdome.

Reason.

Thanke hym which was cause thereof: an harde thyng for the eare to heare peraduenture, but surely comfortable to the mind it is that I byd thee. For thou art dryuen from that, from whiche thou must needes depart, and that which wyllingly thou shouldest doo, thou art enforced to do. That force whiche should be wyshed, is not to be lamented. For who can eyther wyshe to be aboue men, as a kyng, or myslyke that he is made equal to others, as a man? If it be a goodly thing, and to be wyshed, to excell, then to excell in the moste goodlye thyng of all, is exceedingly to be desired. Wherefore, to be

free from all lawes and controlment, to excell in outwarde glory, to haue abundance of golde and precious stones, is to be a kyng, but vertue is the thing whiche maketh the prince, and this wyl any wordlyng easily confesse. For who seeth not, that among men superioritie is due vnto humanitie, not vnto riches, whiche onely make a ryche man, they cannot make a man ciuile, and so not better for vertue, neyther hygher for aucthoritie? But this, a∣mong other of your errours, aryseth from the desire of excellen∣cie, whiche being contented with it owne place, ye seeke where it is not, not beholdyng the true euent of thynges and causes. For as among ryche men, the rychest, among strong men, the stron∣gest, the fayrest among the fayre, & among orators the most elo∣quent: so certaynely among men, the most humane doth excel other.

Sorow.

I am fallen from the seate of royaltie.

Reason.

If thou dyddest fall without hurte, it is very woonderful: For commonly they whiche so fal, leese kingdome and soule togeather. But if thy soule be safe, mislike not, if thou be wise, thine ex∣change: For more quiet and plesaunt is thy life nowe, then it was then. And that knewe they full wel, which not constrained, but voluntarilie forsooke their Empire, left their dignitie of Pope∣dome, which some haue supposed to be aboue all other earthly dignities: among whom Diocletian is most famous, who be∣ing called agayne to the Empire, whiche of his owne accorde he had forsaken, contemned the wealth of the world, and the slippery place of principalitie, so greedyly sought after, and dearely bought with the blooddy murderyng of many, he abhorred, preferring his pryuate lyfe before the royaltie of prynces, and the base fruite of his owne poore garden, planted with his owne handes, be∣fore the delicious fare of the courte.

Sorowe.

I am thrust out of my princely pallace.

Reason.

Contente thy selfe, many secrete dangers thou hast escaped, among whiche ere∣whyle thou were helde captyue, with strong, though golden, and sure, though glorious fetters, and couldest not beholde thy miserie, beyng blynded in mynde: but nowe, through lyght of wysedome, mayest perceyue the subtile place of incon∣stant fortune. And what couetous carle is he, that would not choose a poore soundnes of the most noble sense, rather then

a rich blindenes? But no lesse noble, yea without comparison, more noble is the sight of the minde, then that of the bodie: reioyce therefore, that with a litle losse of a transitorie kyngdome, thou hast attayned for a smal price a great thing, yea not one thing onely, for not onely blyndnesse is departed from thee with thy kyngdome, but also thy libertie restoared, and thou thy selfe dis∣charged of thy publique function.

Sorowe.

I am put from my royaltie.

Reason.

Credite them whiche haue experience: the royal robes, crowne, and scepter, are most heauie thinges: be∣yng lyghtened of so mightie, and manifolde a burden, ceasse to complayne.

Sorowe.

I haue lost my kyngdome.

Reason.

Nay thou hast escaped, and swymming away naked, hast saued thy selfe from drownyng: suche men shoulde ceasse complaining, and beyng restoared to the land, ought to perfourme the vowes that they haue made.

Sorowe.

I haue lost the happynesse of a kyngdome.

Reason.

If thou call it eyther a miserable hap∣pinesse, or an happie miserie, a false felicitie, or a true miserie, I confesse thou hast done so.

Sorowe.

I haue lost my kyngdome, my aucthoritie, my welth and al togeather.

Reason.

Thou oughtest rather to reioyce thereat, for they woulde haue bereaued thee of al ••oy, and destroyed thee.

Sorowe.

I lacke princely aucthoritie.

Reason.

So doest thou the cares and troubles in∣cident vnto kynges, through the hatred and weerysomnes wher∣of, some woulde haue departed from their thrones, as Augustus though modestie, and Nero through feare, others dyd forsake them, as euen nowe I sayde. They whiche cannot wyllyngly, (as the affections of many are stiffe, and wyl not be bridled) when they must forceablie do so, ought greatly to thanke both God, and man, bringing them to that estate, whiche exceedingly they shoulde wyshe and desire. The first wishe of a good minde shoulde be, wyllyngly to embrace wyse counsell, the seconde, to doo so though constrainedly. That full wel knewe the myghtie kyng of Siria Antiochus, who beyng spoyled of al Asia beyonde the mountayne Taurus, sent great thankes vnto the senate and peo∣ple of Rome, because they had vnburdened hym of an ouer great charge, and brought hym to a meane estate: Pleasantly truely, though but from the teeth forward: but yf from the hart, prudent∣ly

and grauely was it spoken.

Sorowe.

I am come downe from my kyngly throne.

Reason.

I sayde it was the poynt of a shamelesse pride, I wyll now adde, the part of wretchlesse mad∣nesse, to forget our estate, to loath that we are, to long to be suche as we can neuer be. All men cannot be Kinges, let it suffise that we are men. They that greedyly embrace their kingdomes, doo loath their owne humane estate, and woulde be counted as they are not, as it shoulde seeme, whiche so desyre their earthly king∣domes. Quiet your selues, ye wretches, let them thynke them sel∣ues in good case, whiche haue lefte of to be Kinges. For as the state of all men is hard, so most miserable is the condition of Kinges: their innocent life to labour, their wicked to infamie, ech to daunger is subiect, turne they how they wyll, they shall fynde extremities to ouerwhelme them, and shypwrackes of theyr sub∣staunce. To escape these thynges thou iudgest it a misfortune, but sure neuer came suche good lucke vnto thee, as when thou wast most vnluckie in thyne owne iudgement.

Sorowe.

It gree∣neth mee, that another hath my kyngdome.

Reason.

It was not thyne truely, but Gods, and yf he gaue it, why eyther may he not, yf he wyl, take it away? or can he not, yf he please, geue it vnto another? But, besydes the wyl of the bestower, whiche alone may suffise, consyder whether in thy selfe there were not causes why thou were berefte thereof, as those whiche a certayne wyse man doth expresse, saying, A Kingdome is transported from one nation to another, through vniust dealyng, and iniuryng, and reprochfull woordes, and diuers double dealynges.

Sorowe.

I am no more a King.

Reason.

Nowe art thou a man. For suche is the pride of Princes, that they blush to be called men, whiche our Sauiour was not ashamed of.