SECT. XI.

AS doing good is better thē not doing euil, so (for the better exercising your selfe in the practice of Ver∣tues) I doe rather recom∣mend vnto you, honest so∣cietie, then as Melancho∣lous and Heremitish life; but in the choyce of your companie, great care is to be had,t that you conuerse with none, but such whose Page  53 disposition is honest, and vertuous; affect not multi∣tude of friends, (remem∣bring that ancient saying, He that hath many Friends, hath eaten too much Salt at Meales) but (after good ad∣uice) settle your friendship with such, who reuerencex friendship, as the habit of a continued loue, procee∣ding from a true vertuous disposition; vniting two soules in one will, and e∣steeme the conuersing of friends, their mutuall parti∣cipating, eyther priuate sor∣rowes, or conceyued plea∣sures, to bee the true end of friendship; for this cause did Theseus choose Perithous, O∣restes, Pilades.

Let your friend be such, Page  54 who accounteth beauty but a blaze, wealth a fickle fauor of Fortune; but friendship to be the precious chayne of humane societie, and of such Vertue, that neytherx time nor fortune can corrupt.

In friendship abandon (as an infectiue poyson) suspici∣ous Iealousie, andy com∣municate not onely your minde, but your most waightie affaires to your friend; and if sometime you keepe vp any thing from him, let it be to auoid suspi∣cion of facilitie.

Vse not your friends like Sutes of Apparrell, in wea∣ring them thred-bare, and then call for new, but re∣member thou owest him foure dueties;z with thy Page  55 purse, with thy person, with thy comfort, and counsell.

In true friendship pati∣ence is specially required: for there is no man that hath not somewhat to bee misli∣ked, and shall not iustly mis∣like something in you; if your friends faults bee few, swallow and digest them, if many, smother them to o∣thers, but louingly notifie them to himselfe.

Let nothing but death & villainie diuorce you from your friend, but still follow him so farre as is eyther pos∣sible or honest, and thena leaue him with sorrow.

In your gesture and words bea courteous to all men, by this means you shal procure loue, and keep friendship fast.