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staffe another way, to oppose "* sufferance to labour, patience to reproach," bounty to covetousness, fortitude to pusillanimity, meekness to anger, humility to pride, to examine ourselves for what cause we are so much disquieted, on what ground, what occasion, is it just or feigned ? And then either to pacifie our selves by reason, to divert by some other object, contrary passion, or premeditation. + Meditari secum oportet quo pacto adverfam ærumnam ferat, Pericla, damna, exilia peregrè rediens semper cogitet, Aut filii peccatum, aut uxoris mortem, aut morbum filie, communia esse hæc: fieri posse, ut ne quid animo sit novum. To make them fa

miliar, even all kinde of calamities, that when they happen, they may be lesse troublesome unto us. In secundis meditare, quo pacto feras adversa: or out of mature judgement to avoid the effect, or disannull the cause, as they do that are troubled with toothach, pull them quite out.

Ut vivat castor, sibi testes amputat ipse;
Tu quoque siqua nocent, abjice, tutus eris."

The Beaver bites off's stones to save the rest:
Do thou the like with that thou art opprest.

Or as they that play at wasters, exercise themselves by a few cudgels how to avoid an enemie's blows: let us arm our selves against all such violent incursions, which may invade our minds. A little experience and practice will inure us to it; vetula vulpes, as the proverb saith, laqueo haud capitur, an old Fox is not so easily taken in a snare: an old souldier in the world me thinkes should not be disquieted, but ready to receive all fortunes, encounters, and with that resolute Captain, come what may come, to make answer,

"§ non ulla laborum

O virgo nova mi facies in opinaque surgit,
Omnia percepi atq; animo mecum ante peregi."

No labour comes at unawares to me,
For I have long before cast what may be.

"non hoc primum mea pectora vulnus
Senserunt, graviora tuli

The Commonwealth of Venice in their Armory have this inscription, "Happy is that citie which in time of peace thinks of war," a fit Motto for every man's private house, happy is the

Epictetus c. 14. Si labor objectus fuerit tolerantiæ, convicium patientiæ, &c. si ita consueveris, vitiis non obtemperabis. + Ter. Phor. Alciat Embl.

Nat. Chytreus deliciis Europe, Felix civitas quæ tempore

Virg. Æn. acis de bello cogitat.

e

man that provides for a future assault. But many times we complain, repine and mutter without a cause, we give way to passions, we may resist, and will not. Socrates was bad by nature, envious, as he confessed to Zopirus the Physiognomer, accusing him of it, froward and lascivious: but as he was Socrates, he did correct and amend himself. Thou art malicious, envious, covetous, impatient, no doubt, & lascivious, yet as thou art a Christian correct and moderate thyself. 'Tis some thing I confesse, and able to move any man, to see himself contemned, obscure, obscure, neglected, disgraced, undervalued, ❝left behind," some cannot endure it, no not constant Lipsius, a man discreet otherwise, yet too weak and passionate in this, as his words expresse, collegas olim, quos ego sine fremitu non intueor, nuper terræ filios, nunc Mecenates & Agrippas habeo,-summo jam monte potitos. But he was much to blame for it; to a wise staid man this is nothing, we cannot all be honoured and rich, all Cæsars; if we will be content, our present state is good; and in some men's opinion to be preferred. Let them go on, get wealth, offices, titles, honours, preferments, and what they will themselves, by chance, fraud, imposture, simony, and indirect means, as too many do, by bribery, flattery, and parasitical insinuation, by impudence and time-serving, let them climb up to advancement in despite of virtue, let them " go before, crosse me on every side," f non offendunt modo non in oculos incurrant, as he said, correcting his former errour, they do not offend me, so long as they run not into mine eyes. I am inglorious and poor, composita paupertate, but I live secure and quiet: they are dignified, have great means, pompe and state, they are glorious; but what have they with it? Envie, trouble, anxiety, as much labour to maintain their place with credit, as to get it at first." I am contented with my fortunes, spectator è longinquo, and love Neptunum procul à terrá spectare furentem: he is ambitious, and not satisfied with his: "but what gets he by it? to have all his life laid open, his reproaches seen; not one of a thousand but he hath done more worthy of dispraise and animadversion, then commendation; no better means to holp this then to be private." Let them run, ride, strive as so many fishes for a crum, scrape, climb, catch, snatch, cozen, col

f

g

me

• Lipsius Gloria comi,

h Quid

* Occupet extremum scabies; mihi turpe relinqui est. Hor. epist. quæst. 1. 1. ep. 7. Lipsius epist. lib. 1. epist. 7. tem habet invidiam, pari onere premitur retinendo ac acquirendo. aliud ambitiosus sibi parat quam ut probra ejus pateant? nemo vivens qui non habct in vitâ plura vituperatione quam laude digna; his malis non melius occurritur, quam si bene latueris.

VOL. II.

F

logue,

logue, temporize and fleire, take all amongst them, wealth, honour, and get what they can, it offends me not:

i

k me mea tellus

Lare secreto tutoq; tegat,

I am well pleased with my fortunes,

"Vivo &

regno

simul ista relinquens.

I have learned "in what state soever I am, therewith to be contented, Philip 1. 11." Come what can come, I am prepared, Nave ferar magna an parva, ferar unus & idem. I am the same. I was once so mad to bussell abroad, and seek about for preferment, tyre my self, and trouble all my friends, sed nihil labor tantus profecit; nam dum alios amicorum mors avocat, aliis ignotus sum, his invisus, alii largè promittunt, intercedunt illi mecum soliciti, hi vaná spe lactant; dum alios ambio, hos capto, illis innotesco, atas perit, anni defluunt, amici fatigantur, ego deferor, & jam, mundi tæfus, humanaeq; satur infidelitatis acquiesco. And so I say still; although I may not deny, but that I have had some bountifull patrons, and noble benefactors, ne sim interim ingratus, and I do thankfully acknowledge it, I have received some kindness, quod Deus illis beneficium rependat, si non pro votis, fortasse pro meritis, more peradventure then I deserve, though not to my desire, more of them then I did expect, yet not of others to my desert; neither am I ambitious or covetous, all this while, or a Suffenus to my self; what I have said, without prejudice or alteration shall stand. And now as a mired horse

that struggles at first with all his might and main to get out, but when he sees no remedy, that his beating will not serve, lies still, I have laboured in vain, rest satisfied, and if I may usurpe that of + Prudentius,

"Inveni portum; spes & fortuna valete,

Nil mihi vobiscum, ludite nunc alios."

Mine haven's found, fortune and hope adieu,
Mock others now, for I have done with you.

f Et omnes fama per urbes garrula laudet.

k

Sen. Her. fur.

I Hor.

The right honourable Lady Francis Countesse Dowager of Exeter. The Lord Berkley. + Distichon ejus in militem Christianum è Græco. Engraven on the tomb of Fr. Puccius the Florentine in Rome. Chytreus in deliciis.

MEMB.

MEMB. VII.

Against Repulse, Abuses, Injuries, Contempts, Disgraces, Contumelies, Slanders, Scoffes, &c.

Repulse.] May not yet conclude, think to appease passions,

or quiet the minde, till such time as I have like

wise removed some other of their more eminent and ordinary causes, which produce so grievous tortures and discontents: to divert all, I cannot hope; to point alone at some few of the chiefest, is that which I aime at.

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Repulse and disgrace are two main causes of discontent, but to an understanding man not so hardly to be taken. Cæsar himself hath been denied, and when two stand equall in fortune, birth, and all other qualities alike, one of necessitie must lose. Why shouldst thou take it so grievously? It hath been a familiar thing for thee thyself to deny others. If every man might have what he would, we should all be deified, Émperours, Kings, Princes; if whatsoever vain hope suggests, unsatiable appetite affects, our preposterous judgement thinks fit were granted, we should have another chaos in an instant, a meer confusion. It is some satisfaction to him that is repelled, that dignities, honours, offices, are not alwayes given by desert or worth, but for love, affinitie, friendship, affection, "great men's letters, or as commonly they are bought and sold. "Honours in court are bestowed not according to men's vertues and good conditions (as an old courtier observes), but as every man hath means, or more potent friends, so he is preferred." With us in France (+ for so their own countrey man relates) "most part the matter is carried by favour and grace; he that can get a great man to be his mediatour, runnes away with all the preferment." Indignissimus plerumque præfertur, Vatinius Catoni, illaudatus laudatissimo;

"servi dominantur; aselli

Ornantur phaleris, dephalerantur equi."

An illiterate fool sits in a man's seat, and the common people

Pæderatus in 300 Lacedæmoniorum numerum non electus risit, gratulari se dicens civitatem habere 300 cives se meliores. Kissing goes by favour. *Encas Syl. de miser. curial. Dantur honores in curiis non secundum honores & virtutes, sed ut quisq; ditior est atq; potentior, eò magis honoratur. + Sesellius lib. 2. de repub. Gallorum. Favore apud nos & gratia plerumque res agitur; & qui commodum aliquem nacti sunt intercessorem, aditum fere habent ad omnes præfecturas.

F2

hold

66

hold him learned, grave, and wise: "One professeth (* Cardan well notes) for a thousand Crownes, but he deserves not ten, when as he that deserves a thousand cannot get ten." Solarium non dat multis salem. As good horses draw in carts, as coaches. And oftentimes, which Machiavel seconds, † Principes non sunt qui ob insignem virtutem principatu digni sunt, he that is most worthy wants employment; he that hath skill to be a pilot wants a ship, and he that could govern a Commonwealth, a world it self, a King in conceit, wants means to exercise his worth, hath not a poor office to manage, and yet all this while he is a better man that is fit to reign, etsi careat regno, though he want a kingdome, then he that hath one, and knows not how to rule it;" a Lion serves not alwayes his keeper, but oftentimes the keeper the Lion, and as § Polydore Virgil hath it, multi reges ut pupilli ob inscitiam non regunt sed reguntur. Hieron of Syracuse was a brave King, but wanted a Kingdom; Perseus of Macedon had nothing of a King, but the bare name and title, for he could not govern it: so great places are often ill bestowed, worthy persons unrespected. Many times too the servants have more means then the masters whom they serve, which || Epictetus counts an eye-sore and inconvenient. But who can help it? It is an ordinary thing in these dayes to see a base impudent asse, illiterate, unworthy, unsufficient, to be preferred before his betters, because he can put himself forward, because he looks big, can busle in the world, hath a fair outside, can temporize, collogue, insinuate, or hath good store of friends and mony, whereas a more discreet, modest, and better deserving man shall lie hid or have a repulse. 'Twas so of old, and ever will be, and which Tiresias advised Ulysses in the ¶ Poet,

Accipe quâ ratione queas ditescere, &c." is still in use; lie, flatter and dissemble: If not, as he concludes,

Ergo pauper eris,"

then go like a begger as thou art. Erasmus, Melancthon, Lipsius, Budæus, Čardan, liv'd and died poor. Gesner was a silly old man, baculo innixus, amongst all those huffing Cardinals, swelling Bishops that flourished in his time, and rode on foot-clothes. It is not honesty, learning, worth, wisdom,

*Imperitus periti munus occupat, & sic apud vulgus habetur. Ille profitetur mille coronatis, cum nec decem mereatur; alius è diverso mille dignus, vix decem consequi potest. + Epist. dedic. disput. Zeubbeo Bondemontio, & Cosmo Rucelaio. Quum is qui regnat, & regnandi sit imperitus. Ministri locupletiores sunt iis quibus ministratur.

22. hist. 2. Sat. 5.

§ Lib. ¶ Hor. lib.

that

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