ALl thinges in the world ( good reader ) be made for some vse , & end : which end is more worthe , than all , that dothe seruice therunto : and where bothe the end is good , & whatso serues therto : there the holle doing is likewise good . In vs the best ende is , to vse ourselues well , and worthyly : who in the order of naturall thinges ar of the best , and worthyest kinde . For what is ther , that can vse itself : onlesse it bee enfourmed with reason , and vnderstanding ? Dumme creatures , and liuelesse of other bee vsed : but themselues can they neuer vse . Beastes endewed with life , and sense , maye seeme to haue some semblaunt herof : in that , they vse theyr feeding , lodging , & other necessaries : yet therbi they obtein neither praise , nor dispraise : seeing they do it not of any free choyse : but onely by the motion of kinde , & as theyr appetite draweth them . But we , who haue the greate gift of witt , & reason , must not most of all sticke still in the appetite : to gett nothing els , but pleasure , & profit : but ensewing the heuenly guyde of our nature , must be ledde to the desire of trouth , honour , & seemlinesse : wherwith the more that we bee decked , adourned , & beautified : that ●…rder we bee from the brutishnesse of beastes , and the nerer approche we to the nature diuine .

In as much then as euery thing is borne to do that , which to his kinde is moste agreable : & vs it beseemeth moste to vse ourselues : our parte withoute doute , & our dutie shall wee do best : if we employe the vsing of ourselues to deedes , that be honest , & commendable . Other things when we vse : as lande , howses , armour , horses , howndes , money , clothes , or stuff : we can not yet vse them at all times : and with them we must enforce , and bysie ourselues also : whereas the vsing of ourselues is in euery place at hand , and at no season to seeke .

For whether we be doing somwhat , or at rest : whether wee abide in the countrey , or in the citie : whether we be occupied in ernest , or in game : no pawse ther is at all , but night & day●… we vse ourselues continually .

Which thing sithe in euery portion of a mans life it hathe place : if it bee well , and wisely , and conueniently done : we shall be wealfull , and in a blessed case : if vngraciously , & fondly , and wickedly : wretched shall we be , and in a wofull plight . This ar we taught to much , by the common life of men : who for defaulte of skyll , how to behaue themselues , be confounded in deepe derknesse of errour , and ignorance : and wanting the right rule , they take chalk for cheese , as the sayeng is : they can not frame theyr affections , nor keepe them in temper . But such maner clowdes be clerely dissolued , by the beames of Philosophie : which setts before our yiesight the verie endes , and markes , that self nature hath appointed vs .

For in this worlde here beneath , ar thre kindes of liuing wightes : wherof somme haue nomore , but life : as plants , herbes , and trees , growing oute of the grounde : some haue not onely life , but senses also : as sheepe , oxen , & other beastes : the third comprehendeth bothe these : and ouer life , & senses , hath the souerain ruler , Reason : as in the nature of man we see them all conioyned . It remains therfore , and meete it is for him , such doings to practise : as may bothe seuerallie agree with eche of these parts , and generallie with them alltogither . To the parcell inferiour ( by which we receiue our norishment , our growing , & the state of our bodie ) wellfare is appointed the vttmost ende : wherin the thing consisteth , that we call profitable : which concernes the getting , maintayning , or recouering of helth . Of the soule , or life endewed with senses , pleasure is the end , that it would enioye . The third nature , which is partener of reason , hathe this pricke to shoote at ( if you consider it by itself alone ) science , and knowledge of trouth : if you beholde it with the other two accōmepanied : it hathe honestie , worshipp , and honour .

These bee the verie endes , wherto mannes life , and nature must endeuour to attein : hither dothe Philosophie promise to bring a man , by her information . For when she hathe tolde in a generaltie , what is honest , commely , vaylable , praiseworthy , and in euerie pointe conuenient : then may men , by intelligence perceiuing the trouth , truly expresse the same in euerie particular deede .

Wherfore seing reason conteins the holle life of man : and to it , as to theyr captein , the other parts bee obedient , or at leste wise ought to bee●… : first , marke we the peculiar propertie of reason : then , how with the other powers it exerciseth man : afterward , the commely behauiour , and dutiefull dealing in the open resorte , & feloushipp of men .

Mannes minde is contented , and satisfied with nothing somuch , as the clere vnderstanding , and the vndeceauable science of soothe . Chiefly standeth his minde in contemplation of immortall , & perdurable thinges : therto , in suche as fade , and fall , it teacheth , ordeineth , appointeth , commaundeth . Wherupon the order , course , figure , light , influence of sonne , moone , and ●…erres it obserueth : conceiueth intelligences , aungels , soules , and fourmes immaterial : procedeth from them , and so mounteth vp to the verie author , and prince of this worldes vniuersitie : whome it knoweth , and knowledgeth to be one , the best , the mightiest , the thetru●… , the moste righteous , and euerlasting . Yet is the selfsame minde by the felouship , and companie of the senses , and desires , many a time called awaie from that principall office , to consider these vnstable , and mutable thinges : and sōmtime to cast in conceite fourmes disseuered from the mater , mathematically : & sometime to view things sensible , that can in no wise bee sondered from the materiall substance : as eleme●…es , beastes , herbes , trees , metalls , stones , and such like : all the which must needes be fensed , & fortified with the trade of debating doutes , and discerning of trouth from vntrouthe : which is the art of Logik , the verie rule of reason , and instrument of all discourse .

Now , to speake of the vsing of the holleman : by the continuall tenour , and stedfast rate of bodies celestiall , and naturall , the minde of man lerneth order , obedience , and concorde . For like as god gouerneth thinges manyfolde , moueable , and falling awaye , beyng himself but one , vnremoouable , and euerduring : so reason within vs ought to rule raunging lusts , & rash motions of the minde , and the other vnworthyer , and weaker parts : beeing itself stedfast , sage , principall , and strongly established .

In case a man loue any one parte of himself to much : or sewe after y● end therof by a wronge waye , and clene oute of fashion : he shall not leade a life all euen , and streyght , but hoked , and croked : nor easie , and quiet , but miserablie distempered . For whoso bee ouermuch enclined to paumpering , and pleasing of the vitall portion : thei be all bent to gather good , and holly giuen to gaine . They , that alonely serue theyr senses , and sett theyr delite to feele the pleasures of the same : be excessiue eyther in ryotting , & banketing , or in outragious 〈◊〉 or in other such pa●…aunces , as bee sensuall . They , which holde them content to leade a life contemplatiue , hauing no regarde , ne respect to y● forenamed ꝑcels : do proue sowre , sowring , blockish , rusticall , & farre from all ciuilnesse of life . He , in whome reason ●…oynes with the senses , for to do them seruice : will enforce himself to win worldly glorie , and soueraintie . He , that can comprise in his thought no large commepasse , nor deepe consideration : but is faynt , feeble , wauering , and full of infirmitie : will showe forthe himself chieflie with appareling , or with some outward bragge , to supplie his want within .

To such sortes of annoyaunce , and disconuenience , light , and moderation is brought by morall doctrine : the which , Marcus Lullius Cicero , in these bookes of duties , professeth . This lerning teacheth , somuch to graunt the vitall parte , and the netherest : as will be suffisant to preserue the life in helth , and wellfare . It willeth also the feeling portion so to take fruition of pleasures : that neither it defraude the lower parte of the profits therto appropriate : nor with importune egging annoye the minde , which aspireth vnto veritie of opinions , and vprightnesse of maners .

Withoute mo wordes , it assigneth that for to reigne , which is borne to reigne : & that to be obeysaunt , which is franied for obeysaunce .

Now , when a man is so enstructed with philosophie : that he can full conueniently liue sole , & at pointe deuice by himself : he must be brought forth abrode into the face of the worlde : to the intent he may procure , not onely that becommes himself to do , but also the welth of other folke . He must remember the three folde state , & diuersitie , that he hathe espyed , & practised in himself : and must trans●…erre thesame to the gouernaunce bothe of his housholde priuatlie , and of the holle commons openly . So shall the meanest sorte , like the vitall parcell in man , bee occupied aboute the moste seruile , and needfull workes : men of middle degree , like the sensiue soule , shall attend to affaires , and sciences more liberall : the nobilitie in the common gouernment , like reason in the nature of man , shall rule all the multitude . That thing also dothe Lullie touche in this treatise : and showeth men in authoritie theyr duties , bothe in warr , and peas : wherby thei may make themselues , and theyr subiects happy , and fortunate .

And not onely them , but all sortes of men he admonisheth : what thei haue to do , thorough out their life : according to theyr age , trade , and estate : with respect to the circumstaunces of times , places , and persones .

In the first boke , he first diuideth dutie into the perfit , and the meane : leauing the one ( which belongeth to the end of good , & is in it self right ) to men of perfection : and prosecuting that other , in certein rules , & preceptes : so that therby euery man may frame , and order his life . Then he leades vs to the fynding oute of duties , by taking aduisement aboute the choise of honest thinges , and refusall of the vnhonest . Afterward he setts for the the originall causes , and the chiefe parts of honestie , with theyr duties , & properties . At the last , he warneth vs to discerne the more , or most honest thing from the lesse , or le●… : & allwaies , in the vse therof , to preferr the greater . In the second , rehersing profitable , & vnprofitable thinges : he showeth , how to attein , and to vse the profitable , & how to eschewe the contrarie : and in the end , makes a comparison of profits : teaching to preferre the greater before the smaller , or the mo before the fewer .

In the third , he compareth profit with honestie , & with euerie parte therof : not as if ther could indeede bee contrarietie bitweene them : but hee means the profit , which semeth not honest , & the honestie , which seemeth not profitable : or of eyther of them the apparaunt showe : and hee tells vs , what is to be done , when these seeme so to striue , one with an other : that honestie allureth vs one waye , and profit calleth vs an other waye .

Thus the holle mater is referred , and applied to honestie , and profit , two principall pointes of good : the third ( which wee call pleasure , and is placed by the Peripatetiks in the noumber of good thinges ) Tullie , like a Stoik , dothe but briefly ●…ouche , as a thing impertinent .

But of the other two places , conteining all the doings of men , Cicer●… hathe tolde his minde , and left it vs in this boke : euen as fully , as in his lifetime he conceiued it in his hed .

For who euer sawe in so few leaues so much morall doctrine , and politicall , set out with so many conning castes , and feates oratoriall ? What a sort of stories be there so notable of themselues , so handsomly applied , so elegantly tolde ? You shall not lightly reade the like , within so litle commepasse , in any historian , that of purpose dothe nothing els .

How finely , & featly be the poets verses alledged ? With what a discretion ar some auncient writers reproued ? With what subtilitie , & fynesse of wit be certein controuersies debated ? Either of the chief philosophie , or of all humanitie what pointe is ther lacking ? Aristotle artificiallie hathe written of maners : but , what for the lightsomnesse , & eloquent handeling of y● treatise , what for the latine tong , which we do vse more than the greeke : ●…llie is aboue him . Panetius wrote of dutiefull demeanour : but though his worke in some points was Tullies pattern : yet in all points , by all their iudgemets , that euer saw them both : Tullie is aboue him . 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 wrote of dutie : but seeing diuers Grekes , who ar Tullies inferiours , wer as good as he : certesse Tullie is aboue him . Posidonius , a Khodiane , meddled with the same mater : but nothing to Tullius . So did Hecato : but nothing to Tullius . And many other mo of later time : but , lorde , how farr be thei from Tullius ? Tullius , in his graue yeres , after he hadd herde a noumber of lerned men : after he had redde the moste approued authors : after he had endyted so many volumes : and his style was woxen ripe , his witt sage , his 〈◊〉 full , his iudgement perfit : enterprised to drawe this draught , & made it of such excellence : as we may well wonder at in viewing , & yet not attein in folowing . Tullius , hauing done many glorious acts , in a state of gouernment most triumphante , lerned the most part of these lessons by experience . Tullius out of the Greeke authors , of whome also some had been gouer●…ours in florishing empires : translated a greate deale . Tullius to Marcus , his wellbeloued sonne , abyding euen at Athenes , among the best philosophers , was not afraid to send this parcell of philosophie . Nodoute , as welcom it was to y● lerned Athenians : as y● Greeks doings were to the Romanes : or as now adayes , the French , & Italians welframed writings be to those English men , that vnderstand then : yea and somuch the more wellcōme : as it was a rare thing then , to see that kinde of knowledge expressed in pure latine . But in Rome , in Italie , in Europa , in all quarters , where latine speche had place : O , so it was embraced at all times , of all men , in euery degree , order , & estate . Rulers haue here founde much witty policie , apperteining to the gouernaunce of realmes . Householders , & parents haue pyked oute of these bokes vertuous instructions for theyr children , & theyr seruauntes . Doctors , & diuines haue here mett with morall sentence , and ensaumples verie excellent . Ciuil lawyers haue espied , touching iustice , and equitie , bothe rules appointed , and cases discussed . Schoolemen haue taken herehence problemes , and questions , to debate at large : and haue fetched from hence philosophicall conclusions , with reasons , and argumentes to proue , and to disproue . Oratours haue been well furnished hereby , with sondry graces , and ornaments of speeche : and in the like maner of mater , haue marked , how to bestowe their style . Rhetoricians , who for their exercise , do vse declamations : haue taken oute of this , common places , like large feldes , where men may walk at libertie . Schoolemasters neuer wist of fyner phrases , for to make theyr scholars acquainted with the verie veine of the latine language . At few wordes , all men , that of wisdome be studious , may gett sommewhat herein to sharpe the witt , to store the intelligence , to feede the minde , to quicken the sprite , to augment the reason , to direct the appetite , to frame the tounge , to fashion the maners : moreouer to rule , to obei , to dispute , to determine , to teache , to persuade , & to euery needfull purpose in a mans life . Onlesse theself thing witnesse as much , as I saie , let me not be credited : but incase bothe the boke speake for it self : & to my testimoniall I am able to adioyne princely peres , wellbeknowne , and well approued : then shall bothe the worthynesse of the worke , & also the weyght of the authoritie winne credit , & assente . Tullies duties when Cesar August us had redde ouer , still standing on his feete : as he againe deliuered them to his neuiew , of whom he had them : Eloquent ( quoth he ) was this man , eloquent he was indeede : & one , that loued well his countries . Tullies duties had Seuerus , the noble emperour , in so greate price , and reputation : that of all the Romanes bokes , to reade them , he thought him best apaide . Tullies duties haue I knowne good clerks , and well lerned men beare aboute in theyr bosōmes : layeng it full neare theyr herts , that they woulde haue lodged in theyr heades : and entirely louing Tullies heuenly commepanie , which waye so euer they went . Tullies duties did Erasmus , the Roterodame , so greatly commend : that in making mention of them , hee could not choose but breake forthe into thes●… wordes . What ? wryteth an ethnike all this to ethnikes ? a profane man , to the profane ? Yet in his preceptes of conuersation , O lorde , what an equitie ? what an holinesse ? what synceritie ? what verite ? How well dothe all togither accorde with nature ? how is al framed euen by good reason ? What a conscience requireth hee of such , as gouern that state ? How plainly sets he before our yies the maruailous , & the amiable beauty fulnesse of vertue ? How much , how religiously , yea how like a diuine dothe he teache of helping , & releeuing other men ? of getting , and maynteyning of loue , and frendship ? of the contempt of those vanities : for which the common sorte of Christen folke will eyther do , or suffer , they care not what ? Finally , he deemeth them full worthy , & full meete both for schoolemasters in theyr scholes to reade vnto the youthe : and also for olde men again and againe to vse , and to peruse .

These richesse , & treasures of witt , and wisdome , as Cicero transported oute of Greece into Italie : so haue I fetched from thence , & conueied them into England : and haue caused also Marcus Tullius ( more , than he could do , when he was aliue ) to speake English . Maruailous is the mater , flowing the eloquence , ryche the store of stuff , & full artificiall the enditing : but how I , in our maner of speche , haue expressed the same : the more the booke bee perused , the better it may chaunce to appere . None other translation in our toug haue I seen , but one : which is of all men of any lerning so well liked : that thei repute it , & count it as none : yet if ye list to compare this sōmwhat with that nothing : perauenture this somwhat will seeme somwhat the more . How be it looke , what rule the Rhetorician giues in precept , to bee obserued of an Oratour , in telling of his tale : that it bee short , & withoute ydle wordes : that it be playn , and withoute derk sense : that it bee prouable , and withoute anye swaruing from 〈◊〉 trouth : the same rule should be vsed 〈◊〉 examining , & iudging of 〈◊〉 . For if it be not as brief , as the verie authors text requireth : whatso is added to his perfite style , shall appeare superfluous , & to serue rather to the making of some paraphrase , or commentarie . Therto , if it bee vttered with ynkhorne termes , & not with vsuall words : or if it be phrased with wrasted , or farrefetched fourmes of speche : not fine , but harsh , not easye , but harde , nor naturall , but violent it shall seeme to bee . Then also , in case it yeeld not the meaning of the author : but eyther folowing fansie , or misledde by errour , forsakes the true pattern : it can not bee approued for a faithfull , & sure interpretation : which ought to be taken for the greatest praise of all . These points as I haue studied to perfourme : so where I haue not allwaies atteined vnto them : I shall desire you , gentle reader , gentely to consider bothe the excelence of the author , who is a perfit oratour : and also the greatnesse of the mater , which is profounde philosophie .

Neuerthelesse , such as bee exquisite in bothe the languages allredy : may ( and that with some profit , & pleasure ) trye , what I haue done , & what they can do , all vnder one : if , layeng my translation aparte , they will set the latine before them , & so assay theyr owne veine . Eyther they shall like themselues the better : when they conferre it with my poore workmanship : orels perchaunce conne me the more thank , for attempting , folowing , & accomplishing of this enterprise . Be it so , one hathe neyther the latine , nor the english eloquence : yet , by the benefite of nature , sythe a man may do much : namely if he therto adioyne vse , & exercise : here is for him occasion bothe to whet his wit , & also to fyle his toung . For allthough an English man hath his mother toung : & can talk apace , as he lerned of his dame : yet is it one thing to title tattle , I wott not how , or to chatter like a iaye : & an other , to bestowe his wordes wiselye , orderly , pleasauntly , & pythiely . Such as haue english meatly well , & but a smattering , or small taste in y● latine : which noumber is great , among the scholars of this realme : may hereby fail into such acquayntaunce , and familiaritie with this most excellent latine man : that neither shall his deuise seme hard , nor his art obscure , nor his style straunge . I dare well saye , if this worke happe into a good students hand : hee will not think it ynough to runne ouer it once : as we fare with trifles , and toyes : but aduisediy , and with good leasure , thre , or foure , or fiue times , he will reade it , and reade it , and reade it againe : first , by the principall points , by the definitions , and the diuisions : to see , what is treated , how farreforthe , in what order , and with what varietie : then , to mark the precepts , reasons , conclusions , & common places : after , vnto the sayd places to referre all the stories , with the verses poeticall : finally , as well in the english , as the latine , to weygh well properties of wordes , fashions of phrases , and the ornaments of bothe . Moreouer , many clerks haue I knowne , eare this : which could conceiue , & vnderstand full well : whose toung neuerthelesse in vtteraunce , and vse of speche , was in a maner maymed : yea and some , that could also speake latine redyly , and wellfauordly : who to haue done as much in our language , & to haue handeled thesame mater , would haue bene half blank . What neede mo wordes ? I desire , my tranail none otherwise to be taken in worthe : than the diligent peruser shall in effect fynde frute therof .

Now therfore , good reader , fare you well : and remember , how vnfyt ( as Aristotle sayeth ) and vnprofitable hearers of morall science yongmen be : as long as eyther they folow their youthly affections : or do continue vnskylfull , and rude in y● deeds , that of dutie belonge to mannes life . For , all the whyle , they yeelde themselues to be ledde awaie of their mad moodes : if you talke to them of vertues , and of maners , ye do but sing the deaffe a song . And how shall they be able to iudge , what is discreetly , rightfully , valiauntly , moderately , & worthylie done : who neyther haue any such qualitie , nor vnderstand by experience any pointe of the same ? Yet forasmuch as it of necessitie be knowne , what is vertue , & vice : before a man can well , & wisely liue , embracing the one , and eschewing the othe●… : eyther to make sounde the sick●… minde ( incase it be miseased , & hath a will to bee relieued ) take this doctrine , as a medicine : orels to confirme the holle : that is to mean : incase you haue been well , & honestly trayned vp : more perfitely to perceiue the path of good maners : wherin you may walk with entire delite , and comme to the honour of a laudable life . Thus haue I holden you , good reader , with my homely tale : now will I not borowe your pacience anye lenger : but , for your gentlenesse , and studious disposition , will streightway send you from the scholar to the master : and from me , to the speche of this di●…ine oratour , and worthy philosopher .