¶ What Persons are meete or vnmeete to Traueil, and also of the causes of Traueill.

Chapter. 2.

NAture teacheth vs, that Infants, A∣ged persons, & such as haue weake bodies, are of al others lesse meet to tra∣ueill. And although it oftentimes chan∣ceth through the iniquitie of the tyme, or some common calamitie thereto con∣straining, that persons of such age and condicion are enforced to traueill: yet are they vnméet for it, not being able to abide those paynes that accustomablye befal to traueillers. Like as Iacob mée∣tinge with his brother Esau, excuseth himselfe from traueylynge by reason of his young Children, who if they were weryed but with one dayes traueill, wold die w^c the paines of so long a iour∣ney. And as touching old folke by proofe it is euident, that they are nothing méet to traueill: since ould age of it selfe is supposed to be an heuy burthen. Which the Poet Ouid hath done vs to vndeo∣stand Page  8 in the 4. Booke De Tristibus, th• viii. Elege. And lykewise the noble Po∣et Homer, hath a notable sayinge of one sore laden with yéeres, which Verses may thus be englished.

Ther is also some difference to be had in y^e sexe in respect of Decorum or cum∣lynes, & publique honesty: howbeit the same is not euery where accordinglye obserued. For the Dutch Wéemen, and * those that inhabit the Ilands of Sealand, doe not only occupy buying & selling at home, more dilygently then y^t men doe: but they traueil also vnto y^e furthermost partes of the world to trafacque and oc∣cupy Merchaindize. And for so doynge they are neuer a whit the more discom∣mended, especially amonge their owne cuntrye folke. But in other regions of this our Europe, y^e same custome is not obserued, as it was not also vsuall a∣mōgst our auntiēt fathers in foretime: as it playnely appeareth by example of Page  9Medea, who when shée ascended into y^t Castle and Temple of Corinthe, inde∣uoringe by all meanes to perswade the Matrones and kepers of the same tem∣ple, that they should suspect no éeuell, in that shee had bene so longe absent from her owne cuntrey, forsomuch as many haue cōmendably béehaued themselues being out of their owne natiue soyles: they gaue her no answer at all, that shée might vnderstand, that the wide wan∣dring of Wéemen cannot want suspiti∣on, * & bringeth some tokē of dishonestie. Whereupon the Tragicall and Comi∣call Poets, when they bringe in any far traueiling Woman, for the most parte they feine her to be incontinent. Sem∣blably, frantique and furious Persons are vnfit to traueill. For séeinge that they are distracte of their right wittes, they are accompted also vnméet to deale in all ciuile affaires. There bée lyke∣wise manie thinges moe, that stay sun∣drye from trauellinge, that whoso shall bée frée and voyd of them: then they are not forbidden to take y^e labor in hand, es∣pecially in their youth, or at mans state Page  10 For these ages are not onely fit to en∣dure Labours, but those things whiche we sée, heare, and learne at those dayes are soonest fired in memory and longest continue. Which being so: it may then séeme straunge, that Plato, an excellent * Philosopher, and a moste dyligent sear∣cher out of all thinges, hath especiallye apoynted that tearme of mans lyfe vnto traueill, whiche is betwéene fiftye and thréescore. For since at y^e time al the strength of mans body beginneth to de∣creace, it séemeth very ridiculous for the age that then is weakned, and drawing apace to death to bée oppoynted vnto youthly labours, and as the cōmon say∣ing is, to heape one mischiefe vpon ano∣ther. But I lyke of Platoes opinion well enough. For hée forbiddeth not but that younger men also may traueill, being not otherwise possible but y^e men wyll pas and repasse the seas, and other∣wise to, which he also affirmeth. Wher∣fore, such as haue time and leasure, and are desierous to sée the trades and ma∣ners of other peoples, bee wyll not haue prohibited by enie laws to the con∣trarie: Page  11 bicause that a desolate Citie, and such an one as knoweth not what is good or bad in forein countreys, is verie far from perfection. And whereas hee hath apointed that terme of yéeres to be emploid in traueill: the reason is this, for that hée would haue that time espe∣ciallye to bée béestowed in learninge of maners and searchinge other know∣ledge. For since at those yéeres mans iudgement is moste perfect: hée is the better able to discerne and iudge of mat∣ters, then in his youth, or old age, wher∣of the one is rather enclined to vice then vertue and is ruled by affection, the other beginneth to fail in memory, and cannot well vse the iudgement of the sences. And although hée forbidde not young men to traueill, wherby they al∣so may sumdeale profite in maners and knowledge: notwithstandinge foras∣much as that age is but of weake iudg∣ment, hee cōmitteth that care to men of ryper yéeres, not so much for priuat, as for common cōmodytie. For he willeth them at their retourne home, diligently to reporte vnto the Senate whatsoeuer Page  12 notable thing and worthy of memorye they haue séene in forreine cuntries, ei∣ther concerning lawes, or bringing vp, or appertaininge to knowledge, that if it might happen the same to be liked of, it might be receiued into the common wealth. And lyke as there bee many thinges that may hinder a man from traueiling although he woulde neuer so faine: so may there also bee diuers and sundry causes why a man ought to tra∣ueill, and those likewise sumtimes such whereof a man neuer thought before. For some men are naturally enforced to traueill, or rather to wander abroad after the maner of Cilenius, as those in whose natyuitie the moone is placed w^t Mercurie in the nineth house, especially in a moouable signe, or soome other lyke iudgemente in this matter: and other some grow into that nature by custom. And others agayne traueill for gaines, and commoditie, as Merchantes: some for vertues sake, as those that apply the studie of good Arts: howbeit these also reape gayne and commoditie of traueill at their due time & season. For, Gain is Page  13 two fold, the one honest, which is ioyned vnto vertue and honor, & that which the students and professours of good arts do attayne. Likewise souldyeurs which a• content with their pay, as S. Iohn saith: and Merchantes if they desire to waxe ritch after no dishonest sort. The other kind of gaine is dishonest, which repug∣neth w^t nature and vertue, such as they do practize which giue themselus wholy to robbing and spoyling, who being vn∣mindfull of the law of armes, and of the Oth which souldiours take: do not spare nor abstaine from their friendes goods. That kind of gain also which is cōmon∣ly hatefull among men, as vsurers, and others that heap vp wealth by right or wrong with such gredines and auarice, that as the Poet saith, they run to the furthest Indians, and all to eschew po∣uertie, leauing nothing vnassaied wher∣of they may raise to themselues some gain. Which occasiō, as I suppose, mo∣ued Cicero, to distinguishe filthye artes from other, and to iudge nothing to bee profitable, which was not also honest.

But principally wee must weigh and Page  14 examine vnto what ende wée take our traueill vpon vs. For since all thing is done for some ende, it were taken in hand in vaine, vnlesse it were also di∣rected vnto some certen scope. But as the Philosophers doe distinguishe, of endes & purposes: some bée séemely and lawful: other not séemely, or wandring. Moreouer, of those that bée séemely, one is tearmed principall and last of all, to whō when wée haue attained then wée at rest and séeke for none farther: an∣other is lesse principall or meane, which again is distinguished into subordinate, and not subordinate, but by any meanes hapning. Let this varietie of endes ther∣fore bee considered, and one of them seuerallye examyned from another, bycause this consideration bringeth great profite with it. For not onely na∣ture requireth vs so too doo, but also pro∣fit, and diligence, which are to bée sought in all things that wée do. For the princi∣pall ende is more profitable then the o∣ther, and there is more labour required in attaining him, then the residue. So then it is a thing importing more pro∣fit, Page  15 and it requireth also more traueill, to go into Italy, & to returne home againe passing well furnished with the know∣ledge of Phisicke or Lawe, then it dothe to vnderstande how the Venetians go∣uerne their common wealth, or what is done at Rome vppon their Saturnalia feast dayes. Fridericus Furius Coerio∣lanus whom I vsed familiarly during my continuance at Louane, telleth an excellent Historie in a certen Booke of his, and bicause it teacheth y^e same which wee declare in this place: I will not * spare to recite it. A certen gentleman of Naples requested of his kinsman which was a noble man and had the tuition of him, that hée might haue licence to go sée forreine Cuntries, vnto whom hys kinsman promised hée shoulde, if first hée would traueill to Rome which was not farre of, and there abide a certeyne time. The younge gentleman obeying his commaundement went thither, and afterwarde returned home, still calling vpon his kinsman that he might goe a greater iourney. But whē his kinsman perceyued that hée had taken no profite Page  16 by that traueill: said vnto him, Sonne, * you haue séene Medowes, Plaines, Hilles, Valleis, Earables, Woods, Fo∣rests, Fields, Springs, Riuers, Trées, Thickets, Villages, Castles, Cities, Beastes, Bathes, Galleries, Colosseis, Churches, Pallaices, Pillers, Images, Buildinges, Downefalles, Towers, Amphitheatres, Triumphall Arches, Baines, Stéeples, Vniuersities, Schooles, Gardeins, Conduites, Good∣men and Knaues, Ritche and Poore, Learned and Ignoraunt, and whatso∣euer may else be found within the com∣passe of the whole world: abide therfore nowe henceforwarde at home, and con∣tent your selfe. Thus that most pru∣dente Prince, did briefly recite whatso∣euer might bée saide in such a matter, and wittely set downe the right order and rule to traueill ouer the worlde, wherby hée might reprooue the abuse of traueiling. Notwithstanding a man maye by one labour attaine to diuerse endes. As for example, by traueiling into Italy, he may get the knowledge of Phisicke or Lawe, and vnderstand also Page  17 the gouernment of the state of Venice. Which when it happeneth in this wise, certen also it is y^t the commoditie which insueth theron must néedes be the grea∣ter. Wée must also take heede that the commoditie bee good and honest which wée receyue by our traueyll. For these two poyntes are not in vayne knit togyther by wyse men, and many tymes there is an ouersight éeuen in common wealthes, vnder couler of profite, and commoditie. And the ver∣tue of honestie is such, that it preser∣ueth the bewtie of profite. So that they which seperate honestie from profite: they alwayes obtayne not their true ende, nor yet reape that commoditie which they ought to doe. But for as∣muche as in all humane affayres, wée must consider to what ende, and for what commoditie they are taken in hande: then ought wée most especial∣ly too bée myndefull thereof in traueill. For who so traueyleth in any other re∣specte, hée spendeth his time in vayne, consumeth his goodes to no purpose, en∣damageth Page  18 the health of his bodye, and daungereth his life, casting himselfe in∣to a thousand perilles, nothing profiting himselfe or others.