FOR asmucheas ye did so gentely afore receiue the other litle bookes whiche I had then sent as a poore earnest penie ( suche as it was ) of my good herte & mynde towardes your grace right noble prince , & not onely your self , but also bothe your moste noble parentes did so courteously accepte the same : I haue thought good at this presente to ioyne to the saied bookes some other thyng bothe more meete for your noblenesse & also ( except I be muche deceiued ) more profitable for your studies . I haue therfore out of euerie good autour for the moste parte , chosen and gathered , that the Grekes callen apophthegmata , that is in englyshe , notable good and brief saiynges : for that I sawe none other kynde of argumente or matier more fitte for a prince , especially beeyng a young manne not yet broken in the experience of the worlde . In deede ful conueniente and meete to bee knowen are those thynges whiche the aunciente philosophiers haue lefte in wrytyng of honeste behaueour , of wel gouernyng and ordreyng a commenweale , & of kepyng warre . But what one manne emong many thousandes ( yea though he be nothyng cloggued nor letted with any publique office or ministerie ) hath so muche vacaunte tyme , that he maye bee at leasure to turne ouer & ouer in the bookes ‡ ‡ Plato wryteth al his bokes in dialogues & in the most parte of theim Socrates is one of the disputers which Socrates pretendyng echewhere simplicitee & ignoraunce did ofte tymes conuince diuerse of theim that he reasoned with all in their owne artes , vsyng to them suche kynde of reasonyng as here in the texte is recited of Plato the ragmannes rolles , and the taryers or toyes of the subtile knackes , of the drye mockes , and of the long induccions by familiar exaumples , whiche Socrates dooeth there vse ? And as for * * Aristotle wrote tenne bookes entitleed Ethica , that is , of honeste behaueour & vpright liuyng and dealyng . Aristotle , in deede he wrote largely of maners and behaueour , whiche werke he entitleeth in greke Ethica , but by the entriked obscuritee and derkenesse therof he appereth to haue wryten the same for philosophiers , that is to saie , for menne of high learnyng , and not for a prince . More clere and more plain to bee perceiued , been the werkes that the same Aristotle wrote of householdyng entitleed Oeconomica , and of ordreyng a citee or commenweale entitleed Politica , but this manne euerie where requireth a reader bothe ●eraye attente , and earnestely myndyng that he readeth , & also well at leasure . And besides this , forasmuche as he vseth no suche manier of rhetoricall style or writyng as maye moue the affectes & passions , he dooeth not so greately hold or rauyshe a mannes mynde , that is wholy bent & geuen to princely cures & buisynesse . Sembleably in the bookes of morall philosophie , whiche Marcus Tullius wrote , many thynges there been of suche sorte , as it is not muche to the purpose , nor anythyng at all necessarie , that princes knowe theim : Of whiche kynde are those thynges that he treacteth of the consummacion of good and ill ( whiche wee christian menne would call of blisse and damnacion ) with more subtilitee of reasonyng and argumentacion , than fruite to edifie in vertuous liuyng . And suche manier thynges seruen well for the purpose of theim , who all the dayes of their life dooe nothyng els but talke & dispute of honest●e . But for a manne born to bee a prince and a gouernour , it is necessarie that a readie & shorte waye to learne vertue bee quickely dispeched , and not at leasure disputed & reasoned in woordes . Now resteth the histories whiche because thei dooe represente to the yi● ( euen as in a peinted table to bee vewed ) aswell the noble actes of prowesse , as the contrarie , and that not without pleasure and delectacion : seme to bee more fitte for greate menne . But in this behalf though a prince might haue voide tymes enough to peruse the infinite multitude of bookes of histories , what manne wer hable to comprehend and kepe theim all freashe in his memorie ? But like as those persones who been dooers in the game or feacte of wrastleyng haue in a readynesse at all tymes certain suer poinctes and wayes bothe to catche holde , and also to wend out of holde , when neede is , so thei that trauaill in the busie occupacions of peace and of warre must of congruence haue in a readynesse suer rewles , by whiche thei maye bee putte in remembreaunce what is in that presente case nedefull or expediente to bee dooen , and what not . And in this behalf , we see that diuerse highly well learned menne haue assaied & taken peine by their good diligence to ease the carefulnesse of princes and noble menne , emong whiche , some haue writen lessons of vertue in brief sentences , as * * Theognis a Greke poete that wryteth in Elegeiacal vses suche morall preceptes of virtue as been in the litle treatise that is reade vnder y● nam● of Cato . Theognis , and ‡ ‡ Isocrates a greke oratour wrytyng many litle treatises in prose . Isocrates : & others haue wryten the feactes of armes , or policies of warre , & the goodly shorte saiynges of famous menne as * * Ualerius Max. a latine autoure that wrote a werk of .ix volumes whiche he entitleed , of the saiynges and actes of noble menne . Ualerius Maximus , and Sextus Iulius ‡ ‡ Sextus Iulius Frontinus wryteth also in latine .iiii. volumes , whiche he entitleeth strategematū , that is to saie of armes , or policies of warre . Frontinus , whiche Frontinus declareth the self fame thyng by diuerse other wryters before hym customeably to haue been dooen . It is a thyng of no small tyme of leasure to serche out golde in the veines vnder the yearth , or to seeke precious stones in the sande or in the sea . Suche a feloe especially aboue others to a prince with high & weightie matiers contynually embusied dooeth acceptable seruice and pleasure , whiche to the same exhibiteth & presenteth golde alreadie fyned & made in fagottes or plate , & whiche bryngeth to his hande precious stones that are chosen pieces & well poolyshed , alreadie sette in golde , or vpon cuppes of precious metalle . And this kynde of pleasure & good turne , whereas it hath of many wryters been attempted , yet ( after my mynde and sentence ) no manne hath with more dexterite● or better effecte accomplyshed & perfourmed then hath Plutarchus was a Greke philosophier & was scholemaister vnto the emperour Traianus in the citee of Roome wher he wrote in Greke many noble and excellente good werkes aswel of histories as also of morall philosophie & of vertue . Plutarchus , who after the settyng foorth of an excellente good & passyng fruitefull werke of the liues of noble menne , ( in whiche werke here & there been myngled and recited aswell the factes as the saiynges of the same ) he gathered in to one litle booke for the vse of Traianus Caesar the best commended manne of all the Emperours that before his tyme had been , the notable saiynges of soundrie renoumed persones , by whiche as in a veraye true & perfecte glasse the herte and mynde of euerie of theim is to the yie of the readers liuely and certainly represented . For in the actes & deedes of princes , a good porcion of the laude and praise the Counsaillour maye clayme and chalenge for geuyng his auise the Capitain for his chieualrie , & the souldyours for their stoutenesse . And a veraye greate porcion of the same laude and thanke dooeth ladie fortune clayme to haue , by whose conueighaunce ofte tymes wee see thynges not without high counsaill & wysedome entreprised to haue a veraye vnluckie ende , and contrarie wyse the misaduised temeritee and vndescreetenesse of some persones to haue right prosperous chaunce , and in the ende to proue veraye wel . As it is reported that Siramnes the Persian , ( a Capitain as I suppose ) saied , when he was asked why his deedes wer not aunswerable to his ioyly saiynges , for because ( saieth he ) what I wil speake , lyeth in myne owne power , but how suche thynges as I dooe , shall ende or bee taken , standeth in the pleasure of fortune and of the kyng . Albeeit honeste purposes & deuises are not therefore vtterly defeacted of their due laude and condigne praise . But the saied Plutarchus dooeth in this kynde ferre excede and passe all other wryters , not onely in choosyng the best , but also in expounyng and declaryng yesame . For these saiynges ( whiche , as afore is mencioned , the Grekes callen apophthegmata ) haue appropriated vnto theim a certain reason & marke of their owne whereby to iudge , so that thei dooe plainly expresse & sette out the veraye naturall inclinacion and disposicion of eche speaker that thei procede from , briefly , finely , quippyngly , and meryly within the boundes of good maner . And as euerie seuerall persone hath proprely belongyng vnto hym a facion of his owne wherby he is commended , and whereby his saiynges & dooynges haue a good grace orels other wyse : euen so like wyse hath euerie nacion , so that not one manier saiynges are conueniente for Alexander and for Philippus or Antigonus . One sorte are meete for Alcibiades : Again one facion agreeable for a manne of Lacedaemon , and an other for a Scythian or a Thracian : and a diuerse from that again comely for a manne of Athenes , or for a Romain . Now , in expressyng & vttreyng suche saiynges Xenophon seemeth to me somewhat weeryshe , Herodotus voide of quickenesse or life , Diodorus & Quintus Curtius ouer full of woordes , and so foorth of the other wryters , whiche I surceasse by name to speake of . Plutarchus is a perfecte feloe in all poinctes , and therefore I haue thought best the same Plutarchus to foloe principally aboue all others . Wherefore all that euer is comprised in the werke of this autour whiche he entitleed de apophthegmatibus , that is , of feacte and brief saiynges , ye shall fynd here in this werke euerie whitte of it . Wee dooe all knowe that this werke of Plutarchus hath been twis translated out of greke into latine , first by Francisce Philelphus , and afterward again by Raphael Regius , with whom I was somewhat acquainted in the vniuersitee of Padwaye . Philelphus in diuerse places had missed that cushen , whiche places Raphael dooeth restore and correcte , and yet somewhere stumbleth hymself . The truth is , thei bothe wer menne , and might erre , mystakyng a thyng that thei read . Albeit either of theim mynded to bee nothyng els but a plain translatour of the greke into latine , but I for many causes haue thought better the saied Plutarchus to foloe , than to translate , to expoune at large , then woorde for woorde out of greke onely to enterprete● first that the stile might bee the more clere & plain as beeyng lesse bounden to the greke woordes : ( For this present booke of myne is not wrytten vnto Traianus , a manne bothe in greke & latine excellentely well seen , and also in longe experience of all manier affaires gayly well broken & exercised , but to a prince beeyng yet but a young thyng , yea & by you to all chyldren and young strieplynges , that labour and sue to atteigne the knowelage of good learnyng and honeste studies : nor yet in that worlde when suche man●er saiynges and actes wer by the reporte and communicacion of the people daily talked & spoken of in baines or whotte houses , at dyners and suppers & abrode in the streetes whensoeuer folkes bee assembleed together : and secundaryly that I might h●ue free libertee to declare & expoune the fyne wittynesse of the saiyng , if any came to hand that was of sense obscure & derke , as at this presente right many there been hard to bee vnderstanded not onely of suche as haue neuer gon to schoole , but also of suche as dooe ferre surmounte the commen sorte of clerkes . And certes for myne owne parte , the geassyng and redyng what diuers● of these apophthegmes should meane or signifie , hath curstely troubleed & vexed my braines , & I cannot saie whether it hath some where beguyled me too . And in places not a fewe I haue had muche strougleyng & wrastleyng with the faultes of enprientyng in the bookes , at whiche it could not bee avoided , but that the enterpreters and translatours maugre their heddes did stumble . For it is a thyng vneth beleueable how muche & how boldely aswell the commen writers that from tyme to tyme haue copied out the bookes of Plutarchus , as also certain that haue thought theim selfes hable to countrolle and emend all mennes dooynges , haue taken vpon theim in this autour who ought with all reuerence to haue been handleed of theim and with all feare to haue been preserued from altreyng deprauyng or corruptyng . For neuer hath there been emong the greke writers , ( especialli as touchyng matiers of vertue and good behaueour , ) any one more holy then Plutarchus , or better worthie of all menne to bee read . But the veraye same thyng hath prouoked persones desirous of glorie & of lucre , to depraue & corrupte this autour , to putte in more then he wrote , and also to leaue out of that he wrote whiche ought moste of all to haue feared theim from soo dooyng . For euerie wryter the better accepted and sette by that he is , and the greater name that he hath emong learned menne , so muche the rather shall he for lucre & auauntage bee corrupted . That this autour hath been soo vsed , the veraye diuersitee of the Greeke texte not agreeyng one copie with an other dooeth right well argue and proue . For all others omitted , to speake onely of this present werke that nowe is in hand , the translacion of Philelphus hath certain thynges , whiche Raphael lefte vntouched , & Raphael likewise some thynges of whiche Philelphus maketh no mencion at all . Besides this , where Plutarchus in the preface by expresse woordes dooeth plainly testifie that in the liues he had myngleed the saiynges and actes of noble menne together th one with thother : & in this werke for briefnesse to haue lynked together onely their apophthegmes or saiynges , yet dooe wee see right many thynges admixt & putte in emong the apophthegmes whiche in veraye dede are no saiynges at all , nor any other thyng but me●e pollices of warre which the Grekes callen Strategemata . Now in the self same werke one and yesame thynges so often again and again repeated , dooen thei not openly crye this argumente and matier by some other feloe to haue been contamynated & sloubreed ? So that wee maye now pardone that in certain places an apophthegma is recited vnder the name of the persone that it was spoken to , and not of hym by whom it was spoken , as of Lysymachus & Philippus . For in this treactise of Plutarchus whiche is entitleed Collectanea , that is to saie a manual of soondrie and pretie histories and saiynges compiled together for all readers the aunswer that Philippus made vnto Lysimachus , is told and reported vnder the title or chapiter of Lysimachus . But yet it was an higher poincte of presumpcion that of one werke thei haue made it twoo . For because Plutarchus of the saiynges of Lacedaemonians , whiche been a veraye greate noumbre , had touched onely so many as for the Emperour beeyng with many matiers sore embus●ed , semed like to suffice . He , whosoeuer it was , ( at lest if it wer but one feloe & no mo that sette handes therunto ) hath assigned to the saiynges of Lacedaemonians one propre volume , and that accordyng to the ordre of the greke letters as thei stand in the alphabeete , whiche Raphael in his translacion hath turned into the ordre of the letters of the latine A , B.C. But this was of all the three euen the veraye wurst . For Ualerius and Frontinus folowen the ordre of suche sentencies as thei shewe concernyng religion , concernyng affeccion & loue to mennes countrees , concernyng trueth in keepyng promisses made , concernyng mannefull hardynesse and concernyng ●us●ice , & likewise of other matiers settyng ●che of theim in his right ordre and place . Best standyng with cunnyng and learnyng , ●s the same ordre that Plutarchus folowed , ●bseruyng and kepyng the ordre of regions and kyngdomes as thei stand in rowe , & in euerie of theim the ordre of tymes , to euery of the kynges ioynyng his owne capitaines , & to euerie of the capitaines their mates . From the Persians he cometh to the Egyptians , from the Egyptians to the Thracians , from the Thracians to the Scythians , from the Scythians to the Sicilians , from the Sicilians to the Macedonians , from thens to the Atheniense , from theim to the Lacedaemonians , folowyng in euerie of these th ordre of the tymes , and not of the letters in the alphabete . From the Lacedemonians he cometh to the Thebanes , from the Thebanes to the Romaines , so that the reader by the saiynges of a fewe persones maye familiarly knowe the ordre of the whole historie , whiche ordre that feloe hath pieteously confounded & trobleed and sette out of ordre , that soondreed and disseuered the saiynges of the Lacedemonians from the others , & yet here and there repetyng the veraye same thynges that Plutarchus had gathered afore vnto Traianus , albeit in soondrie places one thyng repeated is muche more often deprehended and openly found in the other werke of apophthegmes , but in bothe werkes so often as the same fallyng in a slumbre and forgettyng hymself cannot lyghte on Plutarchus a writer of precise diligence . More ouer , this parte hath no preface at all , and the preface that goeth before the apophthegmes vnto Traianus will not s●rue to bothe werkes . Now , what thanke suche persones are worthie to haue whiche dooe in this wyse slabre and defyle the bookes of famous autores , I will not at this tyme reason , but truely me thynketh it a veraye sacriliege . Yet of me ( except a fewe saiynges of Lacedemonians , because the self same been repeated in the other table of rehersall euerie one of theim ) is not so muche as one omitted af all that goeth abrode vnder the name of Plutarchus partely to th ende that the reader beeyng rather a gredie glutton , then a mynion deintie peece might not mysse any thyng that he would faine haue : and partely , for that I sawe nothyng there but woorthie to bee knowen , though some tyme rehersed & tould out of his right place . Neuerthelesse , all the whole werke I haue in manier made my propre owne in that I dooe more at large and more plainely expresse the thynges that bee tolde in greke , puttyng in sometymes suche thynges as I had well perceiued to bee added in other autours , addyng also out of the other werkes of Plutarchus veraye many thynges whiche wer not in this presente treactise , & eueriewhere as it wer with litle brief commentaries openyng & shewyng aswell the sense of the apophthegme as also the vse wherfore , and how it maye serue , especially in those places whiche lacked some more light & clerenesse , albeeit the same haue I dooen briefly in fewe woordes , lest I should haue clene turned awaye from the nature of apophthegmes , whiche ought not to contein many woordes . But as for the ordre is wurse broken & confused euen of me , then I found it there , for that , where at the begynnyng I had purposed to make rehersal but of veraye fewe and onely of the principall best sorte , when I was ones entreed in my warke , the veraye heate therof pricked & sette me to chaunge my mynde & to go on still a greate waye ferther , neither should I haue made any ende , had not this as ye would saie an hougemain sea of thynges stil freshe & freshe comyng to mynde enforced & driuen me to blowe retreacte & to recule backe . For as Quintilian emong the vertues & graces of a schoolemaister in grammer putteth this to bee one , that he bee in some thynges ignoraunte : so , in this kynde of argumente it seemeth to bee some parte of diligence certain thynges to passe ouer and to leaue out . Therefore , I haue thought b●tter to make at this tyme a deintie feaste th● a coumbreous or troublesome , especially for that if any thyng be in this presente supper leafte out , it maye at some other supper bee sette before my geastes after that all this shal be perfectely digested . And the incommoditee of the ordre of thynges neglected & not precisely kept I haue with a large reportorie or table redoubbed . For the title , it nothyng forceth to bee carefull or scrupleous , sens that emong those saiynges whiche Plutarchus vnder the title & name of apophtegmes hath gathered & compiled together , there bee many whiche an other manne would rather cal , scornes , tauntes , checkes , iestes , or merie conceipted saiynges to laugh at . But forasmuche as Marcus Tullius in puttyng a seueral distinction betwene eche of these kindes , hath taken earnest labour & peine , without any effecte , & forasmuche as Marsus a right wel learned manne hath in this behalf nothyng satisfied Quintilian , no , nor yet Quintilian in knowlage & litterature ferre passyng Marsus hath satisfied hymself : I haue not thought it a thyng woorthe the laboure in this behalf to bestowe muche buisie trauaill , contented & thynkyng sufficiente , here & there by the waye as occasion serueth to haue opened & shewed the kynde & the nature of the saiyng or of the merie iest● Certes in those thynges that I haue of my self added besides Plutarchus dooynges , I haue diligentely foreseen and prouided in no wyse confusely to myngle policies of warre ( hauyng no saiyng of this kynde annexed vnto theim ) and apophthegmes bothe together , and also that I would in no wyse putte in here any thyng but taken out of the best allowed and the same the moste auncyente writers bothe in Greke & Latine : not that I am ignoraunte the later wryters to haue recited many thynges sharpely & also pleasauntly spoken : but suche thynges as antiquitee hath made precious iewels and as ye would saie reliques , been of more autoritee , and meete it was that this werke should haue an ende and not bee infinite . Nor this thyng neither ought to moue any manne that one and the same saiyng is of one autour ascribed vnto the persone of one manne and of an other autour is attributed to an other manne . For it forceth not so greately of what persone a thyng is spoken , as it dooeth , what is spoken : albeit in deede a famous speaker and one that hath the fauour and hertes of menne geueth to the saiynges muche weight and grace also . This thyng more often cometh in vre , then that it needeth by exaumples to bee proued . But yet sometymes it chaunceth by reason that mannes memorie failleth , albeeit there is no cause to the contrarie , but the one and the same sentence maye procede from soondrie speakers or wryters , whether imitacion be the cause therof orels chaunce , as for exaumple , this staffe of a metre in greke , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is Tyrannes by wisemennes conuersacion , Maye soone bee brought to goodnesse and wisedome , This is well knowen to bee a verse of * * Sophocles is a Greke poete of whose writyng we haue .vii. tragedies . Sophocles , yet Plato citeth it out of ‡ ‡ Euripides also is a greke ●oete & wrote ●x tragedies whiche we haue . Euripides . Again this verse . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , I beeyng aged , as I can , Will teache the beeyng also an old manne . Wheras it is in the tragedie of Sophocles entitleed Philoctetes , yet is the same woorde for woorde found in Bacchis the tragedie of Euripides : like wise this verse . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Whether thou talke , or hold thy pece , Thou must in due season , speake or ceasse . Wheras it is in the tragedie of Aechylus entitleed Promotheus ; Aechylus is also a poete that wrote tragedies in greke . it is found also in Euripides onely twoo lettres chaunged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in steede of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Somewhyles autours agree not , neither on the mat●er not yet on the name . As he that cast in the teethe of Marcus Fabius that he had by his meanes recouered again the towne of Tarente , in Tullie is named Liuius Sal●uator , in Titus Liuius is named Marcus Liuius , in Plutarche Marcus Lucius , orels as is in the greke exemplaries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Also Fabius Philostratus sheweth that one Leo a Sophiste brought all the people of Athenes in a laughter with his bodye beeyng notable grosse and fatte , and Plutarche saieth lanke and litle . Ualerius Maximus and Plinius , in the reportyng of a certain alteracion that was betwene Cn. Domitius & Lucius Crassus in Roome , how wyde been thei the one from the other , but without all life or solle been those thynges , that in some writers are feigned to haue been the woordes of certain persones , in the fables of poetes mencioned , as in Philostratus the Sophiste , when he forgeeth and shapeth to Palamedes , to Ulysses , & to other like persones , suche tales and speeches as lusted his owne phantasticall braine to deuise and imagyn , and the same are made double dedde by euill handleyng , of whiche sorte of saiynges I dooe in this present werke medle with none at all . In the nexte degree to these been suche speeches as ar assigned to diuerse persones in dialogues , feigned & endited , not for any truthe of the matier to bee beleued , but for disporte and passetyme onely . But in the speeches of the partes , in comedies ( that is merie entreludes ) and in tragedies ( that is , sadde entreludes whiche wee call fraige plaies ) there is some more life & pith , and a greate grace thei haue beeyng sette in an apte and fitte place , albeeit the name of apophthegmes , no saiynges can haue except the speaker out of whose mouth thei dooen procede bee a persone of greate name and the woordes purposely applyed to some mater beeyng euen at that presente houre in communicacion , yea and muche the better to bee liked , if thei bee a litle disframed to an other sense or a ferther meanyng then the veraye woordes dooe purporte . As when Aristotle vnto Callisthenes talkyng with kynge Alexander more homely and frankely then was expediente , gaue a bywarnyng with this verse of the poete Homere● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . That is . My soonne , if thou bee● thus large of tongue , Thou shalt surely leese thy life ere long . Out of Herodotus I haue had no greate lust to gather any greate noumbre of saiynges , because that most parte of theim appere to haue been inuented of that wryters owne witte . Like trashe and bagguage been those saiynges that are incidente in oracions , whiche the wryters of histories ( eche as his witte serueth hym ) are woonte to attribute to menne , albeit euen those dooe muche auaill aswell to the readers iudgemente as also to make a manne hable well to frame & promptely to tell his tale . The principall best sorte of apophthegmes is that saiyng whiche in fewe woordes dooeth rather by a colour signifie than plainly expresse a sence not comen for euerie witte to picke out , & suche a saiyng , as no manne could lightely feigne by studie , and whiche the longer ye dooe considre it in your mynde , the more and more it dooeth still delite you . And all these vniuersall sorte of wrytynges as doo comprehend prouerbes , sage sentencies , and notable sa●ynges or actes , is moste fitte for Princes & noble menne , who for the vrgente causes and busie maters of the commenweale haue not leasure to spend any greate parte of their life in studie or in readyng of bookes . And these wrytynges , as thei bee learned with pleasure & delite , and dooe lightly synke and settle in the mynde , so dooe thei contein more good knowelage and learnyng in the deepe botome or secrete priuetee , then thei shewe at the first vieu . We reade that Augustus Caesar of a custome did cause as many as he could any where geat of suche good lessons to bee exemplified , and the copies therof to send into diuers places . Also wee see the chief and principall studie of the ioyly aunciente wyse menne of old tyme to haue been , that thei might with the lure of pleasaunt delectacion enplante in tendre young wittes thynges worthie & expediente to bee knowen , to th ende that the vnbroken youngth not yet full rype for the serious preceptes of philosophie , might euen with playe & dalyyng learne suche thynges as might afterward dooe theim high seruice all daies of their life . For this entente & purpose thei did as ye would saye spiece and powther Cosmographie , Astrologie , Musike & philosophie aswel naturall as morall with fables and tales preatyly and wittyly feigned . But in this booke that I haue now made shall perauenture seeme to bee somethynges that maken nothyng to honeste behaueour , but dooe onely cause laughter . Neither dooe Iesteme it a thyng worthie blame euer now and then with laughter to refreshe the mynde with cures and maters of charge ●n maner tiered , so that the matier to laugh at bee pure witte and hone●te . For such● thynges gladdeth & maketh lustie the wittes of young folkes , and dooeth passyng good helpe and fertheraunce aswell to the familiar gentlenesse of condicions as also to the pleasauntnesse of counnyng . For what thyng better sweetteh the endityng of Marcus Tullius , then that he dooeth euer now and then sauce his stile with saiynges of this sorte ? And I praye you , what been the moralles of Plutarchus , but aresse hangynges with suche like colours pictured ? More ouer those saiynges that seme moste fond thynges of all to laugh at , by well handleyng become maters of sadnesse . For what could bee a more fond thyng to laugh at than Diogenes gooyng from place to place with a candle in his hande at high noonetid saiyng still that he did seeke a manne ? But in the meane tyme by laughyng , wee learne that he is not by & by in all the haste a manne , that hath ●he figure and shape of a manne ( whiche im●ges also of wood & stone haue , ) but to fynd out a manne , the botome of the herte and mynde must bee found out . If the herte and mynde bee guyded by reason and discrecion , rather then lead by wilful appetite : than and els not hast thou found out a manne . Also what is so worthie to bee laughed at , as that Phryne ● stroumpette in Athenes byndyng by promis●e and couenaunte that euerie one of the women that satte then in coumpaignie at the table , should dooe the same thyng that she would dooe first , diepped her hande twis in the water , and putte it to hir forehedde discoueryng by this deuise the peintyng of all the other womennes faces , so that all the coumpaignie fel into a greate laughter : where as she by so dooyng appered a greate deale fairer & better fauoured ? But this laughter teacheth vs the self same thyng whiche Socrates saied in good sadnesse , that wee should applye ourselfes to bee in deede of suche sorte as wee would bee accoumpted and estemed lest that when the peintyng is pulled from our visages we haue in the ende shame and reproche in steede of glorie and renoume . It geueth vs also a lesson that wee putte not our wholle trust and staigh in thynges externall and transitorie , whiche by many dyuerse chaunces are with a trice taken awaye from a manne , but wee should acquire and purchace the veraye true rychesse of the mynde and solle , on whiche fortune hath no power ne dominacion , soo highe a poincte of serious philosophie dooeth that fond toye of the saied peuyshe harlotte Phryne , teache vs . For this consideracion Lycurgus ( although in other matiers he brought vp & nurtured his countreemenne after a veraye streicte facion : ) yet honeste myrth and ●estyng , he not onely permitted vnto theim , but also enioyned & commaunded . For he ordeined a kynde of exercise , whiche he named in greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as wee saie , gossopyng , to the whiche all the aunciente or aged menne that wer past bearyng any publique funccions , and for the respecte of their ympotencie wer discharged of that burden , resorted and assembleed pleasauntly passyng the tyme with feacte saiynges and honeste bourding , but alwayes of such● sorte , as might make either to the commendacion and praise of honestee & vertue , orels to the rebukyng of vice . He sette vp also an image vnto the god 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , laughter for that he iudged it to bee a thyng of high vtilitee and profite with sobre myrth to refreashe the lustynesse of the myndes , and to make the same cherfull to honeste trauailles and labours , because that in this worlde as the poete Ouidius saieth . Quod caret alterna requie durabile non est . What thyng resteth not , now & then emong . But still trauailleth , cannot endure long . Cleomenes also of the same Lacedemon beeyng suche a sore and rigoro●s feloe that he would not licence neither rymers , nor women that could syng or plaie on instrumentes , nor any mynstrelles to bee in the commenweale , yet allowed that all the same countree should striue their bealyes full one with an other in bourdyng or iestyng meete for honeste menne to vse , & in poynaunte checkyng tauntes . For a finall conclusion , as often as vacaunte tyme is geuen , or the case requireth hilaritee and myrth , how muche more decente is it with suche maner saiynges as these been , to passe the tyme , then to take pleasure of fables voide of honestee , voide of learnyng , and full of rebaudrie . I am of this opinion , that young children might muche more to their profecte and benefite bee exercised in the grammer schooles with themes , or argumentes to wryte on , of this sorte , then with matiers to make vpon , suche as been commenly vsed , ( whiche themes for the moste parte , as thei contein nothyng but litle trifleyng senses voide of all pith or fruite , so dooe thei nothyng open the my●teries of the Latine toung ) so that the shoolemaister dooe open and declare the rewles & wayes how that whiche is briefly spoken maye bee dilated and sette out more at large , and how that that is so fondly spoken , that the hearers or readers cannot but laugh at it , maye bee turned or applyed to a serious vse and purpose . And this one thyng will I saie more . In sermones percase it is not conueniente to miengle iestyng saiynges of mortall menne with the holy scriptures of God , but yet might the same muche more excusably bee vsed , to quicken suche as at sermones been euer noddyng , then olde wiues foolyshe tales of Robyn Hoode & suche others , whiche many preachers haue in tymes past customably vsed to bryng in , taken out euen of the veraye botome and grossest parte of the dreggues of the commen peoples foolyshe talkyng . Iulius Caesar Emperour of Roome susteinyng the burden of so many chargeable affaires of encoumbraunce and buisynesse , aswell at home in the citee when peace was , as also abrode in warrefare , vsed to drieue awaye the werynesse of takyng thought for suche thynges as he had in his hedde to carke & care for , with tauntyng woordes of bourdyng and iestyng : with whiche he was so greately delited , that he did allow and take in veraye good parte suche as wer spoken by others euen against his owne persone , so that thei wer propre feacte and well conueighed . Uneth any other of all the aunciente Emperours of Roome was either more holy and better disposed , orels more encoumbreed with buisynesse of the worlde , then was Augustus Caesar : But again , what persone in this kynde more merie conceipted ? Of Marcus Tullius , I will nothyng saie at this presente , who is of many menne thought in iestyng to haue remembred or considreed as he ought to haue dooen neither measure nor yet honestee and comelynesse . Xenocrates the philosophier was of a more soure nature , a ioyly feloe in some other respectes : but Plato moe tymes than one auised hym , with sacrifice to purchace the fauour of the Graces , that is , so to applye hymself , that his saiynges and dooynges might haue more grace and bee better accepted & taken of the worlde . zeno beeyng outright alltogether a Stoique vsed to call Socrates the scoffer , or the Hicke scorner of the citee of Athenes : because of his merie conceiptes and tauntyng , that he neuer ceassed to vse : but yet is there no manne , but he will saie that Socrates was a more godly feloe then either of those twoo whiche I named last afore . And to leaue vnspoken that no mennes saiynges are more taken vp and vsed , then those whiche bee sauced with a certain grac● of pleasaunte myrth , vndoubtedly Socrates , Diogenes , and Aristippus would serue better for teachyng and trainyng young children , then either Xenocrates orels zeno . That if the moste wyse aunciente fathers wer not deceiued in that thei thougt it conueniente , with certain knackes of pleasaunte delectacion to lure the tendrenesse of youngth vnto the loue of sage ladie Sapience , muche more is the same conueniente for one that is bothe tendre of age , and also born to bee a prince or gouernour : whom as it becometh to bee vigilaunte , and to haue in all causes a diligente yie , so it behoueth not either to haue a soure couutenaunce hymself , orels to leat any persone with an heauie looke to departe from his presence . Now , the mynde brought vp in plea●aunte and coumfortable studies of recreacion , is made more lustie and courageous to sustein the burden of all cures , & also more pleasaunte for allmaner compaignie kepyng emong menne . With these reasones I might sufficientely haue defended myself though I had gathered together nothyng but merie iestes , wheras now suche saiynges of myrth are but here and there in fewe places entremedleed emong saiynges of grauitee and sadnesse , as sauces of the feaste . That if I shall perceiue your grace herewithall to bee well pleased : it shall neuer repente me of this my labour & seruice dooyng , though ( as some persones shall percase iudge ) it bee ouer poore and base . Others dooen wryte bookes for theim that bee ferther entreed bothe in yeres and knowelage : I dooe ( as ye would saie ) feede the tendre age of a young babe of noble byrth . That if your grace hath alreadie outlearned this geare ( as with all my herte I would wyshe that ye had ) yet I knowe well it will stand with the good mynde and pleasure of the same , that the commen studies of young scholares haue been ferthreed , and haue fared thus muche the better for your sake . And I shall perhappes here after geue you thynges of more saigenesse and grauitee , when ye shall perfectely haue learned all this by herte . For these thynges must in any wyse bee cunned by herte , to th ende that ye maye haue theim euer readie at hande . Albeeit what nedeth you to haue any thynges of my makyng , ses ye haue at home in householde with you Conradus Heresbachius , a manne in all kyndes and sortes of learnyng absolute and perfecte , whom I see and perceiue to beare towardes your grace suche good herte and mynde , that ( accordyng to the dutie and parte of an especiall good schoolemaister ) he reioyceth at the comoditees and the honourable procedynges o● you his pupille and scholare , muche more highly then at his owne . And this manne like as he hath alreadie trained & instructed your childehood with learnyng , so shall he bee hable with prudente & feithfull counsaill to dooe you greate helpe and fertheraunce when ye shal bee a manne . And to me also it shal bee a thyng to dooe no lesse ioye and coumforte , then high honestee and auauncemt●te , in some behalf ( bee it neuer so litle ) to haue ferthered your moste excellente towardnesse with my industrious labour . To conclude , I beseche almightie God , that he vouchesalue to conserue , to maintein , and to encreace his giftes of grace , whiche he hath moste aboundauntely bestowed on you , to the ende that ye maye aswell satisfie the desires and wyshynges of your moste vertuous parentes , and that ye maye proue euen like well in all worthynesse as thothers of your moste noble progenie hitherto haue dooen , as also that ye maye bee an hable manne to enioye the possession of that ioyly fruitefull Seigniourie to the whiche ye are born , and appoincted to bee heire . Thus will I make an ende , after one worde more . Whyle ye bestowe your self in this geare , thynk and remembre well , that ye dooe reade the saiynges , not of Christian menne , but of gentiles and myscreauntes , so that ye must reade theim with a iudgemente . Yeuen at Friburge the .xxvi. daye of Februarie in the yere of our Lorde . M.D.XXXI .