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 Cuppes made of precious Stones. The xxxviii. Dialogue.

IOY.

I Delyght to drynke in precious Stone.

Reason.

It is an auncient kynde of wantonnesse and ryot, to cause preci∣ous stones to be made hollowe for drynkyng Cuppes, in de∣spite of glasse, whiche though it be brittle, yet is it a most beautyful and cleane substaunce, and also of syluer and golde, whiche in tymes past was woont to be the bttermost bounde of humane couecousnesse. And there was sometyme founde out whereby ryot myght exceede couetousnesse, whiche was not counted a sufficient woorthie cause of so great an euyl. This the Poet sawe, when he sayde: This man strong cities doth besiege, and houses in distresse. A great euyl doubtlesse, not only contrary to iustice, but also to humanitie. And to the end thou myghtest knowe from whence it springeth, he addeth, That

he might drinke out of precious stone. Behold two causes of ciuil furies, that whereas a siluer chalice had been sufficient for the diuine seruice, yet a golden one seemed in mans eye scarce good yenough, vnlesse the danger also enhaunced the price: and pretious stones were cut hollowe by forraigne woorkmanshyp, in whi∣che a poore symple wretche shoulde drynke, and with the great∣er pleasure applie thereunto his lyppes, defyled with lyes and fylthynesse: beyng a thyng both vnhansome to drynke in, the feare breakyng of the pleasure, and costly by meanes of the trim∣myng, and also difficult to be preserued, and ieoperdous for health, and most fyt for poysoynyng. For this saying of an other Poet is true: There is no poyson drunke in earthen pottes. But when thou begynnest to drynke in pottes of preci∣ous stone, then be afrayde of poysonyng.

Ioy.

I accompt it a glorious matter to drynke in precious stone.

Reason.

While pryde aduaunceth her selfe, she thynketh neyther vppon fallyng, nor ruine. Ye be more desyrous to drynke costly, then safely, more ambitiously, then saue••ly. Thus vyces are ouercome with vices, and the tast of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 dooth not so much solicit•• ••••••••e appetite, as the colour of the cuppe prouoketh pryde. Yee stande amazed at the beames of precious stones, and this ama∣zyng ye esteeme at the greatest price that may be, not only of money, but of vertue. Dooth not this Virgiliane ouerthrower of his countrey, of whom I speake, seeke for a precious stone of that pryce, lyghtly ouerpassyng iustice and godlynesse, and by losse of them, to gayne this, that he myght drynke in precious stone, and forget hym selfe to be a Euizen and a man.

Ioy.

I am desyrous to drynke in cuppes of precious stone.

Reason.

Perhaps there is some other cause of so feruent desire: For it is not the gli∣stering only that allureth thee, but some hydden vertue. For who is able to declare all the operations and vertues of precious stones: Thus I say then, yf al those thynges that are reported or written of them, the seuenth part were true, it were a worthye matter: but neyther the seuentie part, neyther the seuenscore is true in deede. And yf, as Plinius sayth, there be no one deceypt in the lyfe of man more gaynefull,

who wyl ma ruayle yf there be none more plentifull? Not that there is more common sale of precious stones, then of any o∣ther thyng, as beyng suche thyngs as the preciousnesse of them maketh them rare, but that the trueth is neuer more rare in any merchandize. For in no ware is there lesse lybertie of expe∣rimentyng, or more libertie of lying, or more vantage of vntrue dealyng, or impudency more free, or the custome of vsyng it more common. But yf perhaps among all these vertues there be any thyng true, shal we accompt this to be it whiche the auc∣thoritie of Magiciens confirmeth, and the opinion of the com∣mon people establyshed vppon the same auoweth, that the A∣methist withstandeth drunkennesse? Is it then without cause, that this precious stone is meete to make cuppes of for drunken∣nesse? Nowe I iest with thee: Iestyng many tymes prouo∣keth anger▪ to wyt, in ascribyng that to one, whiche another hath deserued: vnlesse we wyl say, that this was the wyt and deuise of pleasure, that the drinkers sight might be delited together with his tast, and so the senses being tickled on al sides, the drunken∣nesse might be the more curious and merie. This, vnlesse I be deceiued, is the truest and most certayne cause of this matter, both in other, and also in this, which is specially prouided as it were a captayne agaynst drunkennesse, ouer which sobrietie onely may triumph, in vsing litle wine, accordyng to the saying of that excel∣lent counseller, & that not to be drunke for pleasure, but for profite, to abandō the infirmities of the stomacke, with a litle smal wine, I say, delayed with water, to auoyde the force and rage of strong and myghtie wynes, and to quenche and brydle them, as it were with a floodde of water, to knowe and remember that in hotte and strong wyne, and often, or to muche drynkyng of it, there lurketh muche matter of shame, sorowe, and repentaunce, that whyther soeuer thou turnest thy selfe, this is alwayes in mens eyes, and that no man of a sounde mynde can dissemble it. These be the profitable weapons agaynst that Monster. What place is there here nowe left for the Amethist, or for any pre∣cious stone? The Magiciens haue deuysed that lye, and there haue been some that haue beleeued, that by the vertue of this stone, promysyng the in sobrietie, they myght boldly quaffe with∣out

feare of drunkennesse: Falsly and impudently affyrmed by the Magiciens, as many thynges moe, and foolyshly beleeued of the common people, as al thynges els. This is therfore the summe of all, there is nothyng els that procureth vnto you this and suche lyke follies, but pleasure, prouoked and incensed with dangers, but specially pryde and forgetfulnes of your state, and an hurtful feare of mynde, which beyng such, as there is no∣thyng more hurtful to the lyfe of man, so I marueyle that there is nothing more pleasant, I say not, in that vertue, beyng so great a good, seemeth but vyle in your iudgement, but your lyfe, your health, your safetie, your ryches, and finally your pleasures, whi∣che in your iudgementes are the chiefest felicitie. All these thin∣ges geue place vnto pryde only, this aboue all other thynges ma∣keth you to couet precious stones, which are euermore vnprofi∣table, many times hurtful, and neuer necessary. By prouoca∣tion of pryde it is come to passe, that beyng alwayes busy and feareful, but delycate, the floores of your houses be lyke the Al∣tars of your Churches, golden and glytteryng with stones, and your purpled and decked sacrifices, are layed out to the furniture of your couetousnesse, and curiositie of your wantonnesse, and the residue of your brauery to pryde, al which vyces ioyntly and seuerally raigne ouer you, howbeit, pryde, as I haue sayde, claymeth the principalitie. Couetousnesse peraduenture, which the name it selfe importeth, might indifferently content her selfe with a great portion of golde, and lasciuiousnes repose her selfe in her banquettes and pleasures, pryde only neuer resteth, so long as she seeth any thyng aboue her, who at the fyrst begynnyng of al thynges, sought to make her selfe equall with GOD, and the very same enforceth you paynfully to seeke for precious stones, and curyously to ioyne or hollowe them, to the entent that when ye gooe abroade, or sytte in open places in iudgement of Courtes, or at Feastes, ye may shyne and glyster lyke Starres, and continually repyne at the beautie of heauen. And to returne to my purpose, by the meanes of this guyde, with your houses, with your ap∣parrel, with your meate and drynke, and generally with all your thynges whiche were inuented to serue eyther the neces∣sitie

or pleasure of mankynde, ye haue continually mingled some fayre and shyning danger, by encreasyng whereof, this mischiefe commeth to lyght, that of precious stones ye nowe make not only Pottes, but Basons, and Dyshes, and kettles, and Morters, and almost al maner of necessaries. Therefore reioyce pryde, that thou hast gotten the vpper hand: thou requi∣redst pottes of precious Stone, and thy ministers haue prepa∣red for thee al maner of vessel of the same stuffe. And it is nowe as common a thyng to vse precious stones to these purpo∣ses, as to plowe lande to sowe corne in: and so that is growne among you into a custome, whiche was lasciuiousnesse among your Elders.

Ioy.

I delyght to drynke in cuppes of Christal.

Reason.

Now I spare precious stones, this frosen yse excuseth them, whiche hath in it nothyng more then hath glasse, for it is assoone broken, and cannot be made whole, sauyng that it is harder to be gotten, and eyther it is brought from far, or yf it be found neerehande, it is to be dygged out of the vnpassable and frosen rockes and clyftes of the Alpes, by hang∣yng downe by a small rope, & for this cause it is the dearer, and of greater force to prouoke your desyre vnto it. And therefore, thou readest how the Emperour Nero was stroke with a suddeine report, and how among al his other great losses, he bewayled most greuously the losse of two christal cuppes, which were bro∣ken by chaunce, or rather, as I thinke the trueth of the storie to be otherwyse, that being throughly inraged with anger, and of∣fended with the age wherein he liued, and enuying the posteritie that should come after, knocked them togeather, and brake them with his owne hands, that there should neuer any man drinke out of them more. Behold the expiation of hard fortune, there was ne∣uer any thing deuised or found out, wherein this maister of mis∣chiefe might more sharply exercise his crueltie: he wreaked hym selfe vpon his Christal, whiche aboue al thynges he loued most dearely. Some man wil say, that this is an excuse for meaner men. In deede to imitate a prince it carryeth some credite, but to imitate Nero no good man wylbe wylling.

Ioy.

I take pleasure in vesselles of Christall.

Reason.

And percep∣uest thou not howe frayle and bryttle thy delyght is? But

this is your maner, ye take pleasure in thynges of your owne nature, and whereas your weakenesse ought to seeke some firme thyng, and your principal part, whiche is your soule, to behold, looke, and desyre hygh and heauenly thynges, on both sydes ye seeke after weake and base thyngs. It happened wel, that Murrhine stones are not had in pryce at this day among deynties. The incredible madnesse of your auncestours, with the same conquest whiche brought in many forraygne thynges among you, brought in these also, euen at that tyme when Pom∣peius tryumphed in Italy, and roade so royally into the Citie of Rome, brynging in with hym out of Asia an vnprofitable seede, but whiche was sowne in a fertyle soyle, and by diligent husbandmen: and it grewe vp so fast in short tyme, that a man myght see the pryce of one Murrhine stone to be at seuentie ta∣lentes, and howe the lyppe of that cuppe was greedyly bitten a∣way by the teeth of a certayne louer, by meanes of which strange effect of loue, that blemyshe muche commendyng the beautie of the cuppe, encreased both the fame and pryce thereof. In this respect therefore, neyther your lasciuiousnesse, wherein ye geue place to no age, nor your pryde, is lesse then was your fore∣fathers: but in respect of both, the matter is diminished, not only by the fallyng of the Murrhine stone to serue your turne, but also in that they are not knowne vnto you: in steede wherof a newe kynde of riotousnesse hath inuaded your myndes, the roote of the Felberd tree, beyng a woorthy wood, to make cups of, brauely set forth with knottes and skarres, a special folly whi∣che now resteth among the Frenchmen. To this purpose also are there other trees founde out, some forraigne, and called by strange names, & some knowne, some called by one name, & some by another, but al of like vanitie, & there wil more be dayly found, and there wylbe no measure of new deuises, vntyl the glorie of the Murrhine stones be surpassed by your cuppes. In this one poyne I confesse, ye haue geuen place to the madnesse of your auncestours, in that they highly esteemed of Amber cups, which scrued to no purpose, but only to haue them for wantonnes sake, & reckoned them amōgst their chiefest delightes: insomuch that it is reade, how that Nero himselfe, not only of al princes, but of

all men the cruellest, by publyshyng of certayne verses, adopted vnto hym selfe the yeallowe lockes and tresses of his yl belcued, and worse murdred wyfe, vnder this name, and by a speciall chosen title. For, a woonderous matter to thynke it, that cru∣el disposition of his was friendly to the Muses, in that he called them his, because they seemed golden. O fierce and vnfor∣tunate flatteries, O comely and commendable head, woorthy by some wycked foote to be troade downe to the Deuyl? How be it you haue Ambar cuppes, & esteeme them not, or esteeme them modestly, or regard them sparingly.