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1

V. THE ORDRE OF LERNYNGE THAT A NOBLE MAN SHULDE BE
2TRAYNED IN BEFORE HE COME TO THAIGE OF SEUEN YERES.

3
4    Some olde autours holde oppinion that, before the age
5of seuen yeres, a chylde shulde nat be instructed in
6letters; but those writers were either grekes or latines,
7amonge whom all doctrine and sciences were in their
8maternall tonges; by reason wherof they saued all that
9longe tyme whiche at this dayes is spente in understandyng
10perfectly the greke or latyne. Wherfore it
11requireth nowe a longer tyme to the understandynge
12of bothe. Therfore that infelicitie of our tyme and
13countray compelleth us to encroche some what upon
14the yeres of children, and specially of noble men, that
15they may sooner attayne to wisedome and grauitie than
16priuate persones, consideryng, as I haue saide, their
17charge and example, whiche, aboue all thynges, is most
18to be estemed. Nat withstandyng, I wolde nat haue
19them inforced by violence to lerne, but accordynge to
20the counsaile of Quintilian, to be swetely allured therto
21with praises and suche praty gyftes as children delite in.
22And their fyrst letters to be paynted or lymned in a
23pleasaunt maner: where in children of gentyl courage
24haue moche delectation. And also there is no better
25allectyue to noble wyttes than to induce them in to a
26contention with their inferiour companions: they somtyme
27purposely suffring the more noble children to vainquysshe,
28and, as it were, gyuying to them place and
29soueraintie, thoughe in dede the inferiour chyldren haue
30more lernyng. But there can be nothyng more conuenient
31than by litle and litle to trayne and exercise
32them in spekyng of latyne: infourmyng them to knowe
33first the names in latine of all thynges that cometh in
34syghte, and to name all the partes of theyr bodies: and
35gyuynge them some what that they couete or desyre, in
36most gentyl maner to teache them to aske it agayne
37in latine. And if by this meanes they may be induced
38to understande and speke latine: it shall afterwards be

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39lasse grefe to them, in a maner, to lerne any thing, where
40they understande the langage wherein it is writen. And,
41as touchynge grammere, there is at this day better
42introductions, and more facile, than euer before were
43made, concernyng as wel greke as latine, if they be
44wisely chosen. And hit shal be no reproche to a noble
45man to instruct his owne children, or at the leest wayes
46to examine them, by the way of daliaunce or solace,
47considerynge that the emperour Octauius Augustus
48disdayned nat to rede the warkes of Cicero and Virgile
49to his children and neuewes. And why shulde nat
50noble men rather so do, than teache their children howe
51at dyse and cardes, they may counnyngly lese and
52consume theyr owne treasure and substaunce? Moreouer
53teachynge representeth the auctoritie of a prince:
54wherfore Dionyse, kynge of Sicile, whan he was for
55tyranny expelled by his people, he came in to Italy, and
56there in a commune schole taught grammer, where with,
57whan he was of his enemies embraided, and called a
58schole maister, he answered them, that al though
59Sicilians had exiled hym, yet in despite of them all he
60reigned, notynge therby the authorite that he had ouer
61his scholers. Also whan hit was of hym demanded
62what auailed hym Plato or philosophy, wherin he had
63ben studious: he aunswered that they caused hym to
64sustayne aduersitie paciently, and made his exile to be
65to hym more facile and easy: whiche courage and
66wysedome consydered of his people, they eftsones
67restored him unto his realme and astate roiall, where,
68if he had procured agayne them hostilite or warres, or
69had returned in to Sicile with any violence, I suppose
70the people wolde haue alway resysted hym, and haue
71kepte hym in perpetuall exile: as the romaynes dyd the
72proude kynge Tarquine, whose sonne rauysshed Lucrece.
73But to retourne to my purpose, hit shall be expedient
74that a noble mannes sonne, in his infancie, haue with
75hym continually onely suche as may accustome hym by
76litle and litle to speake pure and elegant latin. Semblably
77the nourises and other women aboute hym, if it

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78be possible, to do the same: or, at the leste way, that
79they speke none englisshe but that which is cleane,
80polite, perfectly and articulately pronounced, omittinge
81no lettre or sillable, as folisshe women often times do
82of a wantonnesse, wherby diuers noble men and
83gentilmennes chyldren, (as I do at this daye knowe),
84haue attained corrupte and foule pronuntiation.
85    This industry used in fourminge litel infantes, who
86shall dought, but that they, (not lackyng naturall witte,)
87shall be apt to receyue lerninge, whan they come to
88mo yeres? And in this wise maye they be instructed,
89without any violence of inforsinge: using the more
90parte of the time, until they come to the age of vii
91yeres, in suche disportis, as do appertaine to children,
92wherin is no resemblance or similitude of vice.
93
94

VI. AT WHAT AGE A TUTOUR SHULDE BE PROUIDED, AND WHAT
95SHALL APPERTAINE TO HIS OFFICE TO DO.

96
97    After that a childe is come to seuen yeres of age, I
98holde it expedient that he be taken from the company
99of women: sauynge that he may haue, one yere, or two
100at the most, an auncient and sad matrone, attendynge
101on hym in his chambre, whiche shall nat haue any
102yonge woman in her company: for though there be no
103perille of offence in that tender and innocent age, yet,
104in some children, nature is more prone to vice than to
105vertue, and in the tender wittes be sparkes of voluptuositie:
106whiche, norished by any occasion or obiecte,
107encrease often tymes in to so terrible a fire, that
108therwith all vertue and reason is consumed. Wherfore,
109to eschewe that daunger, the most sure counsaile is, to
110withdrawe him from all company of women, and to
111assigne unto hym a tutor, whiche shulde be an auncient
112and worshipfull man, in whom is aproued to be moche
113gentilnes, mixte with grauitie, and, as nighe as can be,
114suche one as the childe by imitation folowynge may

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115growe to be excellent. And if he be also lerned, he is
116the more commendable. Peleus, the father of Achilles,
117committed the gouernaunce of his sonne to Phenix,
118which was a straunger borne: who, as well in speakyng
119elegantly as in doinge valiauntly, was maister to Achilles
120(as Homere saith). Howe moche profited hit to kynge
121Philip, father to the great Alexander, that he was
122deliuered in hostage to the Thebanes? where he was
123kepte and brought up under the gouernance of Epaminondas,
124a noble and valiant capitaine: of whom he
125receiued suche lernynge, as well in actes martiall as in
126other liberal sciences, that he excelled all other kynges
127that were before his tyme in Grece, and finally, as well
128by wisedome as prowes, subdued all that countray.
129Semblably he ordayned for his sonne Alexander a noble
130tutor called Leonidas, unto whom, for his wisedome,
131humanitie, and lernyng, he committed the rule and
132preeminence ouer all the maisters and seruantes of
133Alexander. In whom, nat withstandyng, was suche a
134familier vice, whiche Alexander apprehending in childhode
135coulde neuer abandon: some suppose it to be fury and
136hastines, other superfluous drinking of wyne: whiche of
137them it were, it is a good warnyng for gentilmen to be
138the more serious, inserching, nat only for the vertues,
139but also for the vices of them, unto whose tuition and
140gouernance they will committe their children.
141    The office of a tutor is firste to knowe the nature of
142his pupil, that is to say, wherto he is mooste inclined or
143disposed, and in what thyng he setteth his most delectation
144or appetite. If he be of nature curtaise, piteouse,
145and of a free and liberall harte, it is a principall token
146of grace, (as hit is by all scripture determined.) Than
147shall a wyse tutor purposely commende those vertues,
148extolling also his pupill for hauyng of them; and therewith
149he shall declare them to be of all men mooste
150fortunate, whiche shall happen to haue suche a maister.
151And moreouer shall declare to hym what honour, what
152loue, what commodite shall happen to him by these
153vertues. And, if any haue ben of disposition contrary,

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154than to expresse the enormities of theyr vice, with as
155moche detestation as may be. And if any daunger
156haue therby ensued, misfortune, or punisshement, to
157agreue it in suche wyse, with so vehement wordes, as
158the childe may abhorre it, and feare the semblable
159aduenture.
160
161

VII. IN WHAT WISE MUSIKE MAY BE TO A NOBLE MAN
162NECESSARIE: AND WHAT MODESTIE OUGHT TO BE THERIN.

163
164    The discretion of a tutor consisteth in temperance:
165that is to saye, that he suffre nat the childe to be
166fatigate with continuall studie or lernyng, wherwith the
167delicate and tender witte may be dulled or oppressed:
168but that there may be there with entrelased and mixte
169some pleasaunt lernynge and exercise, as playenge on
170instruments of musike, whiche moderately used and
171without diminution of honour, that is to say, without
172wanton countenance and dissolute gesture, is nat to be
173contemned. For the noble kynge and prophete Dauid,
174kyng of Israell (whom almighty god said that he had
175chosen as a man accordinge to his harte or desire)
176duringe his lyfe, delited in musike: and with the swete
177harmony that he made on his harpe, he constrayned the
178iuell spirite that vexed kynge Saul to forsake hym,
179continuynge the tyme that he harped.
180    The mooste noble and valiant princis of Grece often
181tymes, to recreate their spirites, and in augmenting their
182courage, enbraced instrumentes musicall. So dyd the
183valiaunt Achilles, (as Homere saith), who after the sharpe
184and vehement contention, betwene him and Agamemnon,
185for the taking away of his concubine: wherby he, being
186set in a fury, hadde slayne Agamemnon, emperour of the
187grekes armye, had nat Pallas, the goddesse, withdrawen
188his hande; in which rage he, all inflamed, departed
189with his people to his owne shippes that lay at rode,
190intendinge to haue retourned in to his countray; but
191after that he had taken to hym his harpe, (whereon he

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192had lerned to playe of Chiron the Centaure, which also
193had taught hym feates of armes, with phisicke, and
194surgery), and playeng theron, had songen the gestes
195and actis martial of the auncient princis of Grece, as
196Hercules, Perseus, Perithous, Theseus, and his cosin
197Jason, and of diuers other of semblable value and
198prowesse, he was there with asswaged of his furie, and
199reduced in to his firste astate of reason: in suche wyse,
200that in redoubyngredoublyngEdition: redoubyng his rage, and that thereby shulde nat
201remayne to him any note of reproche, he retaynyng
202his fiers and stourdie countenance, so tempered hym
203selfe in the entertaynement and answerynge the
204messagers that came to him from the residue of the
205Grekes, that they, reputing all that his fiers demeanure
206to be, (as it were), a diuine maiestie, neuer embrayded
207hym with any inordinate wrathe or furie. And therfore
208the great kynge Alexander, whan he had vainquisshed
209Ilion, where some tyme was set the moste noble citie
210of Troy, beinge demaunded of one if he wold se the
211harpe of Paris Alexander, who rauisshed Helene, he
212therat gentilly smilyng, answered that it was nat the
213thyng that he moche desired, but that he had rather se
214the harpe of Achilles, wherto he sange, nat the illecebrous
215dilectations of Venus, but the valiaunt actes and noble
216affaires of excellent princis.
217    But in this commendation of musike I wold nat be
218thought to allure noble men to haue so moche delectation
219therin, that, in playinge and singynge only, they shulde put
220their holle studie and felicitie: as dyd the emperour
221Nero, whiche all a longe somers day wolde sit in the
222Theatre, (an open place where al the people of Rome
223behelde solemne actis and playes), and, in the presence
224of all the noble men and senatours, wolde playe on
225his harpe and synge without cessynge: And if any man
226hapned, by longe sittynge, to slepe, or, by any other
227countenance, to shewe him selfe to be weary, he was
228sodaynly bobbed on the face by the seruantes of Nero,
229for that purpose attendyng: or if any persone were
230perceiued to be absent, or were sene to laughe at the

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231folye of the emperour, he was forthe with accused, as
232it were, of missprision: wherby the emperour founde
233occasion to committe him to prison or to put hym to
234tortures. O what misery was it to be subiecte to suche
235a minstrell, in whose musike was no melodye, but
236anguisshe and dolour?
237    It were therfore better that no musike were taughte
238to a noble man, than, by the exacte knowlege therof,
239he shuld haue therin inordinate delite, and by that
240be illected to wantonnesse, abandonyng grauitie, and
241the necessary cure and office, in the publike weale,
242to him committed. Kynge Philip, whan he harde that
243his sonne Alexander dyd singe swetely and properly,
244he rebuked him gentilly, saynge, But, Alexander, be
245ye nat ashamed that ye can singe so well and connyngly?
246whereby he mente that the open profession of that crafte
247was but of a base estimation. And that it suffised a
248noble man, hauynge therin knowlege, either to use it
249secretely, for the refreshynge of his witte, whan he hath
250tyme of solace: orels, only hearynge the contention of
251noble musiciens, to gyue iugement in the excellencie
252of their counnynges. These be the causes where unto
253hauinge regarde, musike is nat onely tollerable but
254also commendable. For, as Aristotle saith, Musike
255in the olde time was nombred amonge sciences, for
256as moche as nature seketh nat onely howe to be in
257busines well occupied, but also howe in quietnes to
258be commendably disposed.
259    And if the childe be of a perfecte inclination and
260towardnes to vertue, and very aptly disposed to this
261science, and ripely dothe understande the reason and
262concordance of tunes, the tutor's office shall be to
263persuade hym to haue pricipallyprincipally in remembrance his
264astate, whiche maketh hym exempt from the libertie
265of usinge this science in euery tyme and place: that
266is to say, that it onely serueth for recreation after tedious
267or laborious affaires, and to shewe him that a gentilman,
268plainge or singing in a commune audience, appaireth
269his estimation: the people forgettinge reuerence, when

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270they beholde him in the similitude of a common seruant
271or minstrell. Yet, natwithstanding, he shall commende
272the perfecte understandinge of musike, declaringe howe
273necessary it is for the better attaynynge the knowlege
274of a publike weale: whiche, as I before haue saide,
275is made of an ordre of astates and degrees, and, by
276reason therof, conteineth in it a perfect harmony: whiche
277he shall afterwarde more perfectly understande, whan
278he shall happen to rede the bokes of Plato, and Aristotle,
279of publike weales: wherin be written diuers examples
280of musike and geometrye. In this fourme may a wise
281and circumspecte tutor adapte the pleasant science of
282musike to a necessary and laudable purpose.
283
284

VIII. THAT IT IS COMMENDABLE IN A GENTILMAN TO PAINT
285AND KERUE EXACTLY, IF NATURE THERTO DOTH INDUCE HYM.

286
287    If the childe be of nature inclined, (as many haue ben),
288to paint with a penne, or to fourme images in stone
289or tree: he shulde nat be therfrom withdrawen, or nature
290be rebuked, whiche is to hym beniuolent: but puttyng
291one to him, whiche is in that crafte, wherin he deliteth,
292moste excellent, in vacant tymes from other more serious
293lernynge, he shulde be, in the moste pure wise, enstructed
294in painting or keruinge.
295    And nowe, perchance, some enuious reder wyll hereof
296apprehende occasion to scorne me, sayenge that I haue
297well hyed me, to make of a noble man a mason or
298peynter. And yet, if either ambition or voluptuouse
299idelnes wolde haue suffered that reder to haue sene
300histories, he shuld haue founden excellent princis, as
301well in payntyng as in keruynge, equall to noble artificers:
302suche were Claudius, Titus, the sonne of Vaspasian,
303Hadriane, both Antonines, and diuers other emperours
304and noble princes: whose warkes of longe tyme remayned
305in Rome and other cities, in suche places where all
306men mought beholde them: as monuments of their

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307excellent wittes and vertuous occupation in eschewynge
308of idelnes.

parameters for this division: #elyot_classification_1

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309

VIII. THE THRE PRINCIPALL PARTES OF HUMANITIE.

310
311    The nature and condition of man, wherin he is lasse
312than god almightie, and excellinge nat withstanding
313all other creatures in erthe, is called humanitie; whiche
314is a generall name to those vertues in whome semeth
315to be a mutuall concorde and loue in the nature of man.
316And all thoughe there be many of the said vertues,
317yet be there thre principall by whome humanitie is
318chiefly compact; beneuolence, beneficence, and liberalitie,
319which maketh up the said principall vertue called
320benignitie or gentilnes.
321    Beneuolence, if it do extende to a hole contraye or
322citie, it is proprely called charitie, and some tyme zele;
323and if it concerne one persone, than is it called beneuolence.
324And if it be very feruent and to one singuler

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325persone, than may it be named loue or amitie. Of that
326vertuous disposition procedeth an acte, wherby some
327thinge is employed whiche is profitable and good to
328him that receyueth it. And that vertue, if it be in
329operation, or (as I mought saye) endeuour, it is called
330than beneficence, and the dede (vulgarly named a good
331tourne) may be called a benefite. If it be in money
332or other thing that hath substaunce it is than called
333liberalitie, whiche is nat alway a vertue as beneficence
334is; for in well doinge (whiche is the right interpretation
335of beneficence) can be no vice included. But liberalitie,
336thoughe it procede of a free and gentill harte, wyllinge
337to do some thinge thankefull, yet may it transgresse
338the bondes of vertue, eyther in excessiue rewardes,
339or expences, or els emploienge treasour, promotion, or
340other substaunce on persones unworthy, or on thynges
341inconuenient, and of small importaunce. All be it some
342thinke suche maner of erogation nat to be worthy the
343name of liberalitie. For Aristotle defineth a liberal
344man to be he whiche doth erogate accordinge to the
345rate of his substance and as oportunitie hapneth. He
346saieth also in the same place, that liberalitie is nat
347in the multitude or quantite of that whiche is gyuen,
348but in the habite or facion of the gyuer, for he gyueth
349accordinge to his habilitie. Neyther Tulli approueth
350it to be liberalitie, wherin is any mixture of auarice
351or rapyne; for it is nat properly liberalitie to exacte
352iniustly, or by violence or craft to take goodes from
353particuler persones, and distribute them in a multitude;
354or to take from many iniustly, and enriche therwith
355one persone or fewe. For as the same autour saieth,
356the last precept concerning benefites or rewardes is,
357to take good hede that he contende nat agayne equitie,
358ne that he upholde none iniurie.
359    Nowe will I procede seriously and in a due forme to
360speke more particulerly of these thre vertues. Nat
361withstandinge there is suche affinite bitwene beneficence
362and liberalitie, beinge always a vertue, that they tende
363to one conclusion or purpose, that is to saye, with a

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364free and glad wyll to gyue to a nother that thinge which
365he before lacked.
366
367

IX. OF WHAT EXCELLENCE BENEUOLENCE IS.

368
369    Whan I remembre what incomparable goodnes hath
370euer proceded of this vertue beneuolence, mercifull god,
371what swete flauour fele I persing my spirites, wherof
372bothe my soule and body to my thinkinge do conceyue
373suche recreacion, that it semeth me to be in a paradise,
374or other semblable place of incomparable delites and
375pleasures. Firste I beholde the dignitie of that vertue,
376consideringe that god is therby chiefly knowen and
377honoured both of aungell and man. As contrarie wise
378the deuill is hated and reproued bothe of god and
379man for his malice, whiche vice is contrarious and repugnaunt
380to beneuolence. Wherefore without beneuolence
381may be no god. For god is all goodnes, all
382charite, all loue, whiche holy be comprehended in the
383saide worde beneuolence.
384    Nowe let us see where any other vertue may be
385equall in dignitie with this vertue beneuolence, or if
386any vertue remayneth, where this is excluded. For
387what commeth of prudence where lacketh beneuolence,
388but disceite, rauine, auarice and tyranny? What of
389fortitude, but bestely crueltie, oppression, and effusion
390of bloode? What iustice may there be without beneuolence?
391Sens the first or chiefe porcion of iustice (as
392Tulli saieth) is to indomage no man, onelas thou be
393wrongfully vexed. And what is the cause hereof but
394equall and entier loue; whiche beinge remoued, or
395cessing, who endeuoreth nat him selfe to take from a
396nother al thyng that he coueteth, or for euery thinge
397that discontenteth him wolde nat forthwith be auenged?
398Wherby he confoundeth the vertue called temperance,
399whiche is the moderatrice as well of all motions of
400the minde, called affectes, as of all actis procedyng

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401of man. Here it sufficiently appereth (as I suppose) of
402what estimation beneuolence is.
403    Nowe wyll I, accordynge to myne accustomed maner,
404endeuore me to recreate the spirites of the diligent reder
405with some delectable histories, wherin is any noble
406remembrance of this vertue beneuolence, that the worthinesse
407therof maye appiere in a more playne declaration;
408for in euery discipline example is the beste instructour.
409    But firste I will aduertise the reder, that I will nowe
410write of that beneuolence onely whiche is moste uniuersall,
411wherin is equalitie without singuler affection or
412acceptaunce of personagis. And here it is to be noted,
413that if a gouernour of a publike weale, iuge, or any
414other ministre of iustice, do gyue sentence agayne one
415that hath transgressed the lawes, or punissheth hym
416according to the qualities of his trespas, Beneuolence
417therby is nat any thing perisshed; for the condemnation
418or punisshement is either to reduce hym that erreth
419in to the trayne of vertue, or to preserue a multitude
420from domage, by puttynge men in feare that be prone
421to offende, dreding the sharpe correction that they
422beholde a nother to suffre. And that maner of seueritie
423is touched by the prophet Dauid, in the fourthe psalme,
424sayinge in this wise; Be you angry and loke that you
425sinne nat. And Tulli saith in his first boke of Officis, It
426is to be wisshed, that they, whiche in the publike weale
427haue any autoritie, may be like to the lawes, whiche
428in correctynge be ladde only by equitie and nat by
429wrathe or displesure. And in that maner, whan Chore,
430Dathan, and Abiron moued a sedition agayne Moyses,
431he praied god that the erth mought open and swalowe
432them, consideryng that the furye of the people moughte
433nat be by any other meanes asswaged, ne they kepte in
434due rule or obedience.
435    Helias the holy prophete of god dyd his owne handes
436put to deth the prestes of the Idol Baal, yet cessed he
437nat with fastynge, praying, longe and tedious pilgrimages
438to pacifie the displeasure that god toke againe the
439people of Israhel. But to retourne to beneuolence.

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440    Moyses beinge highly entretayned with Pharao kynge
441of Aegipte, and so moche in his fauour by the meanes
442of the kynges suster, that, (as Josephus saithe), he
443beinge made capitaine of a huge armye, was sente by
444Pharao agayne the Ethiopians or Moores, where he
445made suche exploiture, that he nat only atchieued his
446entreprise, but also had giuen unto him, for his prowesse,
447the kyngs daughter of Ethiopia to be his wife, with
448great abundaunce of riches. And also for his endeuour,
449prowesse, and wisedome, was moche estemed by Pharao
450and the nobles of Egipte; so that he moughte haue
451liued there continually in moche honour and welth, if
452he wolde haue preferred his singuler aduaile before
453the uniuersall weale of his owne kynred or familie.
454But he inflamed with feruent beneuolence or zele
455towarde them, to redeme them out of their miserable
456bondage, chase rather to be in the daungerous indignation
457of Pharao, to committe his persone to the chaungeable
458myndes of a multitude, and they most unstable,
459to passe great and long iournaies throughe desertes
460replenisshed with wylde beastis and venimous serpentes,
461to suffre exstreme hunger and thirste, lackynge often
462tymes nat onely vitaile but also fresshe water to drinke,
463than to be in the palice of Pharao where he shulde haue
464bene satisfied with honour, richesse and ease, and all
465other thinges pleasaunt. Who that redeth the boke
466of Exodi shall finde the charitie of this man wonderfull.
467For whan almightie god, being greuously meued with
468the children of Israhel for their ingratitude, for as moche
469as they often tymes murmured agayne hym, and uneth
470moughte be kepte by Moyses from idolatrie, he said
471to Moyses that he wold destroye them utterly, and make
472hym ruler of a moche greatter and better people. But
473Moyses brenning in a meruailous charite towards them
474said unto god, This people, good lorde, haue mooste
475greuouslye sinned, yet either forgyue them this trespas,
476or, if ye do nat, strike me clene out of the booke that
477ye wrate. And diuers other tymes he importunately
478cried to god for the saulfe garde of them, nat withstanding

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479that many tymes they concluded to haue slayne
480hym, if he had nat ben by his wisedome, and specially
481by the powar of god, preserued.
482    But perauenture some, which seke for sterting holes
483to mainteine their vices, will obiecte, sayinge that
484Moyses was a holy prophete and a persone electe by
485predestination to deliuer the children of Israhell out of
486captiuitie, which he coulde nat haue done, if he had
487nat bene of suche pacience and charitie. Therfore let
488us se what examples of semblable beneuolence we
489can finde amonge the gentiles, in whom was no vertue
490inspired, but that only which natural reason induced.
491    Whan a furious and wylfull yonge man in a sedicion
492had striken out one of the eies of kyng Licurgus, wherfore
493the people wolde haue slaine the transgressour, he wolde
494nat suffre them, but hauyng him home to his house, he
495by suche wise meanes corrected the yonge man, that he
496at the laste broughte hym to good maners and wisedome.
497Also the same Licurge, to the entent that theffecte of his
498beneuolence towarde the commune weale of his countray
499mought persist and continue, and that his excellent
500lawes beinge stablisshed shulde neuer be alterate, he dyd
501let swere al his people, that they shulde chaunge no part
502of his lawes, untill he were retourned, faynynge to them
503that he wolde go to Delphos, where Apollo was chiefly
504honoured, to consulte with that god what semed to hym
505to be added to or minisshed of those lawes, whiche also
506he fayned to haue receiued of the said Apollo. But
507finally he went in to the Isle of Crete, where he continued
508and died, commaundyng at his deth that his
509bones shulde be cast in to the see, lest if they were
510brought to Lacedemonia, his countray, the people shuld
511thinke them selfe of their othe and promise discharged.
512    Semblable loue Codrus, the last kynge of Athenes,
513had to his countray. For where the people called Dores
514(whom some thinke to be nowe Sicilians) wolde aduenge
515their olde grudges agayne the Atheniensis, they demaunded
516of some of their goddes, what successe shulde
517happen if they made any warres. Unto whom answere

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518was made, that if they slewe nat the kynge of Atheniensis
519they shulde than haue the victorie. Whan they came
520to the felde, straite commaundement was gyuen amonge
521them that, aboue all thinge, they shulde haue good
522awaite of the kynge of Athenes, whiche at that time was
523Codrus. But he before knowyng the answere made to
524the Dores, and what commandement was giuen to the
525army, dyd put of his princely habite or robes, and in
526apparaile all ragged and rent, carieng on his necke a
527bundell of twigges, entred in to the hoste of his enemies,
528and was slayne in the prese by a souldiour, whom he
529wounded with a hooke purposely. But whan it was
530perceiued and knowen to be the corps of kyng Codrus,
531the Dores all dismayed departed from the felde without
532proferynge bataile. And in this wise the Atheniensis,
533by the vertue of their most beneuolent kynge, who for
534the saulfgarde of his countray willingly died, were clerely
535deliuered from bataile. O noble Codrus, howe worthy
536had you ben (if god had bene pleased) to haue aboden
537the reparation of mankynde, that, in the habite and
538religion of a christen prince, ye mought haue showed
539your wonderfull beneuolence and courage, for the saulfegarde
540of christen men, and to the noble example of other
541princes.
542    Curtius, a noble knighte of the Romanes, had no lasse
543loue to his countray than Codrus. For sone after the
544begynnyng of the citie there hapned to be a great erth
545quaue, and after there remayned a great dell or pitte
546without botome, whiche to beholde was horrible and
547lothsome, and out of it proceded suche a dampe or ayre,
548that corrupted all the citie with pestilence. Wherfore
549whan they had counsailed with suche idols as they than
550worshipped, answere was made that the erth shuld nat
551close untill there were throwen in to it the moste
552precious thinge in the citie; whiche answere receiued,
553there was throwen in riche ieuels of golde and precious
554stone; but all auailed nat. At the laste, Curtius, beinge
555a yonge and goodly gentilman, consideryng that no
556riches throwen in profited, he finallye coniected that the

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557life of man was aboue all thinges moste precious; to
558thentent the residue of the people mought be saued
559by his only dethe, he armed hym selfe at all pointes,
560and sittyng on a courser, with his swerde in his hande
561redy drawen, with a valiaunt and fierce courage enforsed
562his horse to lepe in to the dell or pitte, and furthwith
563it ioyned to gether and closed, leuynge onely a signe
564where the pitte was; which longe after was called Curtius
565lake.
566    I passe ouer the two Decius, Marcus Regulus, and
567many other princes and noble men that for the weale
568of their contraye died willingly. And nowe wyll I speke
569of suche as in any other fourme haue declared their
570beneuolence.
571    Xenophon, condisciple of Plato, wrate the life of Cyrus
572kyng of Persia most elegantly, wherin he expresseth the
573figure of an excellent gouernour or capitayne. He
574sheweth there that Craesus, the riche king of Lidia,
575whom Cyrus had taken prisoner, subdued his countray,
576and possessed his treasure, saide on a tyme to Cyrus,
577whan he behelde his liberalitie, that suche largenesse as
578he used shulde bringe hym in pouertie, where, if he
579lysted, he mought accumulate up treasure incomparable.
580Than Cyrus demaunded of Croesus, What treasure suppose
581ye shulde I nowe haue, if durynge the tyme of my
582raigne I wolde haue gadred and kept money as ye
583exhorte me to do? Than Cresus named a great some.
584Well, said Cyrus, sende ye some man, whom ye best
585truste, with Histaspa my seruaunt; and thou, Histaspa,
586go about to my frendes and shewe them that I lacke
587golde towarde a certayne businesse, wherfore I will they
588shal sende me as moche as they can, and that they put
589it in writinge and sende it sealed by the seruant of
590Cresus. In the same wise Cirus wrate in a letter, and
591also that they shulde receiue Histaspa as his counsailour
592and frende, and sent it by hym. Histaspa, after that
593he had done the message of Cyrus and was retourned
594with the seruant of Cresus, who brought letters from
595Cyrus frendes, he saide to Cyrus, O sir, from hensforthe

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596loke that ye take me for a man of great substaunce. For
597I am highly rewarded with many great gyftes for bringing
598your letters. Than Cyrus, at the houre appointed,
599ladde with hym kynge Cresus in to his campe, sayinge
600to hym, Now beholde here is our treasure, accounte,
601if ye can, how moche money is redy for me, if I haue
602nede of any to occupy. Whan Cresus behelde and
603rekened the innumerable treasure, whiche in sondry
604partes were laide aboute the pauilion of Cirus, he founde
605moche more than he said to Cirus that he shuld haue
606in his tresure, if he him selfe had gadred and kept it.
607And whan all appiered sufficiently, Cirus than said,
608Howe thinke you, Cresus, haue I nat tresure? And ye
609counsailed me that I shulde gadre and kepe money, by
610occasion wherof I shuld be enuied and hated of my
611people, and more ouer put my trust to seruantes hyred
612to haue rule therof. But I do all other wise; for, in
613making my frendes riche, I take them al for my tresure,
614and haue them more sure and trusty kepers bothe of me
615and my substance, than I shuld do those whom I must
616trust only for their wagis.