ALTHOVGH I DID not dout but that both many messengers and also fame it self should by her swyftnes preuente my letters , and that thou shuldest sooner here tell of others that the thyrde yere was added to our desier & to thy labour : yet I thought it necessary that I shuld also send thee a message of this trauayle . For as for the former letters not in one but in many , when as now other men had despered of that matter , yet I did put thee in hope that thou should shortly depart , not onely that I myghte comforte thee as longe as it myght be , with a pleasant opinion and persuasion : but also because I did not mistrust but that the matter might be brought to passe , for so muche as bothe I my self and also the pretors were so earnest in the cause . But now because it is so come to passe that neyther the Pretors wyth theyr riches nor we wyth our diligence can doe any good , it is a very hard matter not to be grieued therewith : but yet it is not meete that our courage whych is exercised in doing and suffering great things shoulde be broken or cast downe with sorrowe . * * Men shuld be most sory for that which commeth by their own faute . And because men oght to be most sorowful for those thynges which are come by theyr own faut : ther is good cause why it shuld more grieue me then the , for it came to passe by my faute otherwise then thou thoght , both when thou tokest thy iourney and afterwarde where by letters thou diddest go about that a succsessor shoulde not be deteined to thee the firste yere . The which matter whiles I loke to the sauegard of our confederates whiles I resist that impudency of certen merchants & whiles I desire that our glory shuld be augmented by thy vertue I wrought nothing wisely , & specially seing the I haue committed this faute that the second yeare shuld also bring the third . Tyhe which thing because I confesse it to haue ben my faut , it belongeth to thy wisdom & humanitie to prouide & to bring to passe that this which was vnwisely done of , me shuld by thy diligence be corrected . Now if thou do rase vp , thy selfe more earnestli and diligently of all sides to get a good name so that thou do not now striue with others but with thi self and if thou do stirre vp thy whole mind care thought & * * Desire of glory ouer commeth al. desire of glorye which ouercometh all things sureli this one yere whiche is added to thy trauell shall bothe bring vs the ioy of many yeres & also make our posterity glorious wher fore first I desire this of the that thou be not dyscoraged nor discomforted and that thou suffer not thy selfe to be ouer whelmed with ouer great businesse as it were wyth a floode but contrariwise that thou rayse vp thy selfe and resiste it and also that thou wyllyngly set thy shulders agaynst the weyght of thine affayres : For thou doest not rule that parte of the common wealth wherein fortune hath muche power but that part whych may be gouerned chiefelye by reason and diligence . And yf I dyd see that thy dominion and authoritie had ben prolonged to thee whilest thou wast occupyed by some great and dangerous warre my heart woulde quake : to consider that the power of Fortune at the same tyme also shoulde be prolonged agaynste vs . But nowe synce that parte of the common wealth is committed to thy charge in the which Fortune either hath small oir els no parte of rule at all : euen that which semeth vnto me wholly to consist in thy vertue & moderation of minde . I thyncke we nede not feare any priuy traynes of enemyes , any open war , any rebellion and falling away of our felowes and confederates , any lacke of wages or prouision for corne , nor finally any sedicion of the army , which haue often chaunced to moste wise men : that as * * The Magistrate is compared to a ship-maister . shypmasters be thei neuer so connyng can not resist the force of the tempest so they cold not withstand the violence of fortune But to thee is geuen the greatest peace and tranquillitie taht can be , so that it is of force inough to ouerwhelme a shypmaister that slepeth but a wakyng gouernour woulde be delited therewith . For first the prouince doeth consist of such confederates as are of al kind of men most gentle : and secondly of such kind of citezins as either because thei are publicans ar ioined vnto vs by very great frendshyp , or els because thei ocupy marchandise are very riche and iudge that by the means of our consulshippe their riches are in safetie . ( But it may be said ) that euen amongest this kind of men there are greate controuersies many wronges are done and waighty contentious a rise . As though I shoulde thinke that thou haddest nothing to do . Yes I know that there is greate matters to do and suche as neede greate aduisement . But remember that I do attribute som thing more in this busies to aduisement then to fortune for what bysynes shal it be to bridle them which are vnder thy gouernaunce if thou cābridle thy selfe ? But let that be a greate & hard matter vnto others as it is very hard : yet to thee both it hath bene allwaies very easye yea & in dede oght to haue bene so seing that thy nature is such as seme that it wold haue ben moderat without learning : but now suche learning is ioined with the good nature as were able to bring into order and beautify the worst disposition that euer man had . Thou truely thy self shalt withstand the greedy desire of mony of pleasure and of all other things as in dede thou dost : & then shalt thou haue any greate to feare lest thou be not able to represse a wicked marchant or a couetous publicane ?

As for the Grecians when they se thee so they wil haue the in such admiration as they are wonte to haue som noble man mencioned in their chronicles or els thy wil thinke that thou so diuine a man , art come downe from heauen into the prouince .

Whyche thynges I wryte not as thoughe I exhorted thee to doe them but that thou shoulde reioise that thou doest , and hast doone them allready :

For it is an honorable thynge to haue hadde greate power in Asia for the space of thre yeares and so to haue behaued thy self that no olde monument , no painted table no precious vessell , no riche apparell , no notable bondman , no beautie of any person and finally no bargen of mony of which things there is greate store in thys prouince could euer bring thee from the pathe of exacte integritie and continence . And surely what can be more notable or more to be desyred then that thys vertue thys temperaunce and moderation of mind , shuld not be hid in the dark but be set forth in the broad lyght of Asia and in the eies of a moste noble prouince and in the eares of al people & nations : * * The presence of a good officer oght not to be terrible but comfortable . in so much as they are not made affraide by they iourneys : they men art not burdened with charges nor troubled with receiuing thee : but rather where so euer thou comest there is incomparable ioye bothe publikly and priuatly . for so much as the citie wher thou entrest dothe seme to haue receiued a defender and not a tyrant : the house were thou lodgest , a gest and not a robber ? But as for these motters , vse it self hath taught that it is not inough that thou thy selfe shoulde haue these vertues but that thou ought to loke about diligently that in the preseruation of this prouince not onely thou but also all the ministers of thy dominion shulde be haue them selues after the same sort both towards our fellowes & citizens and also to all the common welth . Howbeit thou hast such embasadours as will haue regard of their own worship : of whom Tubero is the chiefe both in honour dignitie & age : who I think ( chifely because he wryteth an history ) maye chuse many men out of hys owne chronicles which bothe he will and also may follow . But halenius is our owne bothe in heart and good will and also in following our kind of lif . And what nede I speake of Gratidius ? Whom I know of a suerty so to care for his owne estimacion that for the brotherly loue towards vs he careth also for ours . Thou haste also a questor which was not chosen by thine owne iudgement but such a one as was giuen by lot . Whom it behoueth both of his owne accord to be moderate : & also to obey to thy wyll and commaundement . Of whome yf paraduenture any were some what couetous thou shuld beare so long wyth hym vntill he of his owne head did violat those lawes to the whych he is bounde not permitting that he shuld abuse to lucre and gayn that power which thou haddest committed to him for honour : for surely it pleaseth me not ( chiefly seing that the maners of this time are so muche declined vnto so great lightnes & ambition ) that thou shouldest searche out all filthines and examin euery one to the vttermost but to commit so muche to euery one of them as he may be trusted wythal . And amongst those whom the commonwelth it self hath appointed to be as fellowes and helpers with thee thou shalt be aboue them only in those points which I haue * * That is to giue euery man that which he may be trusted withal heretofore prescribed . As for them whom thou hast wyth thee either of thy householde or of the necessary messengers whom men vse to call as it wer of the pretors band both the deds and also the words of these men * * The magistrate must answere both for the words and dedes of their families and train which they chuse to haue aout them . must be performed by vs . But thou haste those men with thee whome thou shalt haue occasion to loue doyng wel , or els yf they haue not respecte to thy honour thou maist easely correct . Of whome because thou wast vnexpart it semed that thy good nature might easely haue bene deceiued : * * The berter a man is the soner is he begyled for the better a man is , the lesse he suspecteth another to be euil But now this third yere hath as much integritie as the two former , yes & by experience is made more ware and diligent .

* * The cares of a magistrate . Let thyne eares be suche as may be taught to heare those things which they heare in dede , not such as men mai whisper in salfely and faynedly for lucre sake .

* * The ring and signets Let not thy ring be an instrument not regarded but as thou thy selfe : Not a minister of another mans pleasure but a witnes of thy wyll .

* * the sergeant & purseuant . Let the Purseuant also be in that degree in which our aunceters wold haue him which did giue the office not as a benefite but as a labour & charge and dyd not rashly commit it to any , but to them whom they had brought to libertie , ouer whome yet they had authoritie litle lesse then ouer their seruaunts .

Let the Sergeant be a mesenger not of hys but of thy gentlenes : * * the mases . and let them beare those mases & pollaxes rather for a sign of dignity than of power . * * The loue of subiects Finally let it be known to al the prouince that the sauegard of the families good name & substance of al men ouer whom thou bearest rule are moste deare vnto thee . Yea & let them thinke on this , that * * Bribe giuers and bribe takers . thou wilt not only be an enemye to them which take bribes , but also to them that giue bribes if thou know it . And surely no man will giue bribes when he doth once perceyue that nothing can be obteyned of thee by their meanes which make a shewe as thogh they could do much with thee . Neither do my words tend to this end that I would haue thee ether to rigorous or suspicious against thy officers : * * Of trusty officers . For if there be any whiche for the space of two yere were neuer suspected of thee to be couetous ( as I hear of Cesius Cherippus & Labeo , & because I know them I beleue it ) there is nothing which I thinke thou maist not be bolde to commit to them or any other of like fidelitie . But if there be any in whom thou hast spied or of whom thou hast perceiued any thing : trust him with nothing nether commit to hym any parte of thine honor . * * Of newe frendes . And if thou hast found any man in the prouince it selfe , which is all together become thy familier frende which was afore vnknowen vnto vs : loke diligent how much thou may truste hym : not but the ther may be many good men in the prouince : but this mai be hoped for to iudge it , it is dangerous . For the disposition of the nature of euery man is cloked with many foldes of dissemblyng and couered as it were with certayne veales : the forehead the eyes and countenaunce wyl deceyue a man often , * * The tonge of man . but the tong oftnest of al. wherfor how canst thou find such men as being drawne with the lust of many would lack all those things from the which we cannot be seuered and that should hartily loue thee being a strunger and would not rather seme to beare the good wil for ther owne profit sake ? It semeth to me a great matter specially since those men do allmoste loue no priuat men yet that they shoulde loue all they pretors . Of whiche sort if thou haste knowen any whiche loued thee more then the time ( for so it might be ) reken him gladly amongest thy friends . But if thou shalt not be sure of that thee is no kind of men whose familiaritie thou oght more to * * Beware of money men . beware of because they know al the shiftes of mony and do all things for mony yea and care not for his estimation wyth whom they intend not to leade their life . yea & amongest the Grecians som familiarities must be auoided except of fewe men which follow the maners of old Grecia . But many of them are so deceitfull and vnconstant & by their longe bondage haue lerned to muche flattery . Whom I would all to be liberally enterteined but a fewe of the best must be chosen for hospitalitie and frendshippe . Their great familiaritie is not to be trusted ( for they dare not be against our wils ) yet they enuy both our contry men & their owne . But now since I will be so ware and so diligent in such things wherein I am afraid lest I be to hard : how thinkest thou I would haue seruants ordred ? Whom as in all places so chiefly in the prouinces we oght well to gouerne . Of which kind many things may be spoken : but this is both shortest and may easily be kepte in memory that they do so behaue them selues in these iourneis in Aslya as though they were trauailing in the hye way called Appia And let them think the ther is no difference whither thei com to Tralles or to Formie . And if there be any of thy seruants very faithful * * the charg of seruants let him haue the ouersight of thy house hold & priuat busines . But as for such thinges as do apperteine to thy office & autority or to ani part of the common welth let him not once medle therewith . For many thinges wherewith faithful seruants may be trusted yet for aduoiding of the speeche of people & ill report oght not to be committed to them . But I cannot tell how my folke is fallen to a kind of instruction wher as in the beginning I did purpose no such thing . For what shuld I instruct him whom I know in this matter to be as wise as mi self & by reason of vse mroe wise ? But I though that if the auctoritie of my counsell were ioyned to those things which thou dost thi self thei shoulde be more pleasant to thee .

* * The foundacion of true honor & dignitie Wherfore let these be the foundacion of thy dignitie first thy continence & integrite secondly the sham fastnes of all them that are with thee ( yea & loke thou very wearly and diligently haue choise of familiarities as wel of men of the prouince as of the Grecians ) & last of all a graue & constant order of thy house . Which things seing they are comely in these our priuat & daily orders : in so large a dominion which hath so corrupte maners & in a prouince that so easily corrupteth others thy must needes seme diuine & heauenly . This gouernement & order mai vphold the seueritie in makinge statutes and decrees whiche thou haste vsed in those thinges by the which we haue purchased certein priuy grudges whereof I am very glad : Vnles thou think that I am moued with the complaints of one Paconius whom I knowe not what he is who is not so good as a Grecian but rather a Mysian or Phrygian or els with the words of Tuscenius a vile and mad man out of whose filthy mouthe thou hast gotten with great equitie a most shameful lust . But we cannot snsteine these and other things which thou hast decreed in this prouince ful of seuerity with out great temperance of life . Wherfore loke the there be great seuerity in iudgments * * Let not fauor peruert iudgement . so that it be not chaunged for fauor but that it be kepte equall and vpright . But surely it shal litle preuil if thou do iustice vprightly and diligently vnles the same be done of thy compartners to whom thou hast granted some parte of that office . And surely me think there is no great diuersitie of busines in gouerning Asia but that it doth only consist in giuing iust sentence in the which the fashion how to gouerne a prouince is euident . * * Constancy Grauitie . Constancy also & grauity muste be added which maye resist not only fauor but also suspicion .

* * Loue . Humanity Diligence . Whereunto must be ioined promptnes to heare gentilnes in discerning & finally diligence bothe in making and giuing answer & also in reasoning . For these things friende was not lightly wont neither without a cause to lay out of his hands for ther is no deinty of a diligent & moderat gouernement in them omitted . If Cyrus who knew he shulde neuer be a priuat man so diligently obserued these things with what care oght they to kepe & obserue them which beare rule with this condition that they must depart from it againe and returne vnder obedience of those lawes by order of the which the goueruaunce was committed vntothem ? * * The felicitie of the subiectes is the ende of gouernement . And surely me thinketh that thys oght to be the end of all things that the rulers shuld do . Namely that they which be vnder their dominion maye be as happy as is possible : which thing is greatly commended both by true report & also by all mens talk the thou dost chiefly esteme it & hast so euer sence thou camest first into Asia . And it is surely that office not only of them which beareth rule ouer the confederates and citizens of Rome but also of him which hath the charge of seruants yea and of dome beastes to care for the profit & vtilitie of them ouer whom he beareth rule . And I perceaue the all men doe agree that in such kind of things thou art as diligent as may be & that the cities are charged with no new debte nor impost but that many townes ar by thee discharged of their old debte which was both great & greuous yea the many which were fallen in decay & almost desolat are by thee restored of whom there is one most citie of Ienia & an other of Caria Samus & Halicarnassus : & that ther is no dissension nor discord in the cities : & that thou dost prouide that the cities be ruled by the counsel of the nobles : that the robberies of Mysia are taken away & murders in many places are stopped & caused to cease & that peace is established in the whole prouince & not onely the those theftes which were committed by the way side & in the fields arceased & put away but also many mo & greater theftes & murthers which were committed in cities : & that false accusation which is the most cruell seruant of the pretors couetousnes is taken away & remoued from the same & from goods and from the welthy quietnes of riche men : that the costes & tributs of the cities are equally susteimed of all which inhabut the borders of the said cities : the one may easely haue acces to thee that thy eares are open to the complaintes of all men the no mans pouerty or misery is not only not shut out from the common assemblies & from thy iudgement but not so much as from thi house and priuy chamber : & finally the in thy hole dominion ther is nothing greuous nothing cruell and that all things are full of clemency meknes & humanity . And surely how great a benefite is it the thou haste deliuered Asia ( thogh we susteine great grudge ) from the iniust & greuous tribut for & publike buildings ? for if one noble man doe complain openly that thou haddest taken from him two hundred . M. pence because thou haddest commaunded that mony shuld not be appoynted for common places : how much mony then shuld be paid if mony shuld be laid out for all them which make plaies at Rome the which thing was also ordeined ? Howe be it we haue suppressed these complaints of our citizens moued with this counsell which I cannot tell how it is praised in Asia but at Rome it is had in no smale reuerence : because that where as the cities had decreed mony for our churche and monument which thing thei had doone of their owne accorde both because of my great desertes and also for thy great benefytes : * * The magistrate may take mony of the subiectes for the building of temples and monumentes . yea & the law dyd specially except that it shoulde be lawfull to take for a church or a monument and because that whyche was giuen should not perishe but shoulde remaine in the ornaments of the church so that it should haue semed to haue bene giuen not so much to me as to the people of Rome and to the immortall Gods ? yet I thought that that in the which the dignity that law yea and the will then which did it , did consist , ought not to be receaued bothe for other causes and also that they to whome it was not dewe nor lawfull might beare it more willingly . * * The gouernour must be careful both for religion and iustice to make the people blessed . Wherfor labour with all thy mind and diligence to kep the trade which thou haste as yet vsed that thou liue & by al meanes defend them and study that they be as blessed as may be whom the senat & the people of Rome haue committed to thy power & fidelitie and of whom they haue giuen thee charge . And if so be that by lot thou haddest ben made ruler of Africa or of Spaine or of france which are fearce and barbarous people : yet it were a part of thy humanity to prouide for their commodity & to loke to their health and profit . But since we beare rule ouer that kind of men in whom not only humanity to selfe is but also from whom it is thought to haue proceded to others we oght specially to shew humanitie to them of whom we receiued it for I will not be ashamed to say this ( chiefly in that maner of life and in those noble actes in which there can no suspicion of sluggishenes or of lightnes remaine ) that we haue obteined these thynges which we haue gotten by those artes and studies which were giuen vs by moniments and doctrines of Grecia . * * Practise humanitie to wards then of whom we learne it . Wherefore besides the common loyaltie & fidelitie which is due to al men we seme to owe it chiefly to these men that by whose precepts we haue bene taught among them we shoulde set forthe those things which we haue learned of them . And surely Plato the prince both of wit and learnng thought * * When shal realmes be blessed & happy . that then common welthes shuld be happy when either learned and wise men beginne to gouerne them or els when they which did gouerne them did bestow all their study in learning and in wisdome . For he thought the thys ioining to gether of auctoriti and wisdome was the preseruation of cities which thing perchance happened to all our common welthe but nowe surely it is chaunsed to this thy prouince that he shoulde beare chief rule therein , who had bestowed much time and diligence euen from his youth in learning vertue and humanity . Wherfore see that this yere which is added to thi labor may also seme to haue ben added to the welthe of Asia : for Asia was more happy in reteining thee than we were in leading thee of thy iourney from vs but bring thou to passe that oure earnest desire mai be mitigated with the ioyfull remembrance of the prouince : for seing thou hast ben more diligent then any man in deseruing that so great honours shuld be giuen thee , as I know not whither they were giuen to any besides , thou must nedes be a greate deele more diligent in mainteining these hounours . Howbeit I wrote to thee heretofore what I did iudge of this kind of hounors . * * The right iudgement of honors . I thought them allwais yf they were common to be vile : yf they were rodeined by necessitie of time light : but if they wer giuen for thy deserts ( as it is come to passe ) I thought that thou oghtest to be very diligent in mainteining of them : wherefore seing in those cities thou hast the chiefe rule and power in the which thou seest the vertues consecrated and set in the nomber of the goddes thou must remember in al things which thou doest ordeine , which thou dost decree , and what soeuer thou dost what thou owest to so gret hope which men haue conceiued of the , likewise tot he iudgements of men and finally to so gret honours . The which office is such that thou mist care for all men that thou geue remedies for the discommodities of men and prouide for their wel th , as thou woldest both be called and counted the parente of Asta. But to this thy will and diligence the publicanes are a greate hindrance : whom if we resist we shal seperate from oure frendship that company whiche hath doone very muche for vs and whiche by vs is ioined to the common welthe and not onely from our frendship but from the common welthe also : but if we do in all points suffer them we shall suffer them vtterly to perishe for whose sauegard not only , but also for their profite we oght to care . This is the onelye difficulty , if we wil wey it a right that is in all thy dominion : for a man to be continent to bridle all his lustes to kepe vnder his owne housholde and to obserue equitie in iudgement to shew himself readie to consider sutes to heare men and to admit to his speach is more glorious then harde . For it consisteth not in any labor but in that a man can finde in heart to do it . * * The publicans and tolle gatherers are commonly extorcioners . As for that busines of the Publicans how greuous it is to our felowes we vnderstand of the citizens which in pleding that the tole shoulde be taken out of Italy dyd not so much complayn of the tole as of certain iniuries done by the tole gatherers . Wherefore I am not ignorant what doeth chaunce to our felowes in those far countreys , since I haue heard in Italy the complayntes of our citizens . In this case so to behaue thy selfe that thou mayst both satisfie the publicans ( specially seyng the thinges of the common wealth are but lately recouered ) and not suffer our felowes and confederates to perish requireth a diuine vertue whiche is thine . And first of al as for that which is most greuous to the Grecians that thei are tributaries ought not to seme so greuous forsomuch as before they were subiect to the people of Rome by their own ordinances thei were so . As for the name of a publican thei can not reiect it seing that without a publican thei cold not pay the tribute which Silla did equaly apoint them . Yea & it mai be wel knowen that the grecians are no gentler in gathering of their tributs than our publicans by this the al the Caunians now of late fled out the iles , which wer assigned of Silla to the Rodians , to ask helpe of the senat desiring rather to pay tribute to vs then to the Rodians : wherfore nether oght they to abhorre the name of publicans which wer alwais tributaries : nor thei reiect it which cold not of them selues pay tribute : nor thei refuse it which dyd require it . Yea & let Asia remember this thing that if it wer not holden vp with this gouernmet that it shuld lacke no miserie which can com either by war with farren nacions or that comethby inwarde discordes . * * wherfore tribute is geuen . But seing that this gouernment can not be retained without tribut let her willingly be content for a litle part of her fruts to redeme perpetual peace & quietnes . And if so be that thei can willingly abide the name & companye of publicans all other things which thou dost by counsel & wisdom shall seme more easy to them : yea & thei mai in making oft their berges haue respect not to the law of the Censors but rather to the commoditie of doing their : busines & to the deliuerance from grief , yea & thou maist do that which thou also hast done very wel & at this time dost , to wit , that thou tel them what dignity is in the publicans & how much we are dound to that company that settyng asyde authoritie and force of powre & scepter thou maist ioyne the grecians and publicans together in fauour & authoritie . Yea & desire this of thēfor whom tho haste done so much , & which are bound to thee in all thinges that they byt their gentlenes woulde suffer vs to kepe & preserue that frendship which we haue with the publicans : but what do I exhort to thee these thinges which thou canste not onely of thyne owne accorde do without any mans teaching but also hast for the most part already done them ? For most honest & the greatest felowships doe not cease dayly to thanke vs : the which thing was therefore more pleasant to me because that the grecians do it . But it is a hard matter to ioyne those things together in one accord which are diuers in commodities in profite & almost by nature . And surely I haue written those things which are written aboue not to teach thee ( for thy wisdom nedeth no instruction of any man ) but the rehearsal of thy vertew when I wrote dyd delyte me : Althoughe I haue longer in these letters then I woulde or then I thought I shuld haue bene There is one thing which I wold not cease to commaunde thee nor will suffer thee so much as in me lyeth * * A prayse with an . exceptation . to be praised with an acception : for all that come out of thy prouince do so report of thy vertue integritie & humanitie the in thy greatest prayses they except , only wrathe : the which vice as it semeth * * Wrathe the signe of a light mynde . to be the point of a light & vnstable minde in a customable & priuate kinde of life : * * Nothing is more vncomely than to ioyne bitternes of nature to authoritie . so nothing is more vncomely then to ioyne bitternes of nature to hie authority : wherfore I wil not now vndertake this to declare vnto thee those things which are spoken of most wise men concerning wrath both because I wil not be ouerlonge & also because thou maist easly know it by many mens writings . Neither thinke I that we ought to let passe that which is the propertie of a letter , to wit , that we let him to whom we write know those things whereof he is ignorant . Yea and al bring vs word of this that there is none more pleasant then thou when angre is absent : * * wrath . banisheth all humanrte . but if any mans wickednes and peruerse maners doe moue thee then thou art so angry that all men find lack of humanity in thee : wherfor seing we ar com into this kind of liuing not so much for desire of glory as by the thing it self & by the course of fortune that the posteritie shulde alwais talk of vs : let vs beware as much as in vs lieth & asmuche as we can do that no notable vice be reported to haue ben in vs . Neither yet go I about this ( which as in al ages so especially in our age it is a hard matter ) to change the mind & if any thing be thorowly growne in our maners suddenly to pluck it away : * * A remeady agaynst wrath . but I do admonish thee here of that if thou canst not altogether auoide this vice because angre doth take place in thy mind before the reason can prouide for it : that thou shuld afore prepare for thy self & euer more remember that thou must resist wrath : & when as it doth moste moue thee then thou oghtest most diligently to * * Rule thy tonge . bridle thy tonge : whiche semeth somtimes to be no les vertue then not to be angrie at al , for to be angrie is not only a point of grauity but somtime also of gentlenes : but to temper the mide & talke when a man is angrie or les to kepe silence & to hold in thine own powre the mocion of thi mind & grief , although it is not that point of perfit wisdom it is a point of no final wit : & herin thei bring word thou art much more easly & gentle : nether do we hear of any more greuous mocions of that minds or despitful words which ar both far distant from lerning & humanitie & also contrary to auctoritie & dignitie for if the wrath can by no meanes be appeased it is to great bitternes : but if it mai be easely entreated it is great lightnes * * Of two euils the lesse is to be chosen . which for al the ( as choise mai be in euill things ) * * It is better to be to gentle then to cruell . ought to be chosen before bitternes . But because in the first yere there was muche talke of this I thinke because that the iniueries of men their couetousnes & pride did chance contrary to thine opinion & did seme intollerable : & the seconde was much more gentle because that both custom & reason & ( as I thinke euen my letters ) did make thee pacient & gentle : * * An olde officer muste so growe in vertue that he must be altogether fauteles . as for the third yere it oght so to be amended that no man maye haue occasion to rebuke the least thing that may be . But now I do not handle the matter with thee by the way of exhortacion & precepts & teaching but by brotherly prayers that thou wouldest set thy whole minde care & thought to gather & win the praise & commendation of all men on euery side . Now if so be that our matters stode in ani mean state of talk & commendation : I would require no notable thing norani thing of thee aboue the common custom . But now because of the dignity & greatnes of those things in the which we haue ben occupied vnles we get wonderfull great praise of this prouince I can not se how we can auoide wonderful great rebuke and shame , for such is our state that al good men do both fauour it & also require & loke for al diligence and vertue at our hands : but al wicked men because we haue taken in hand a perpetuall battell against them wold be content vpon very smal occasion to put vs to rebuke . Wherfore since that this stage wherevpon we stand is filled with the celebrity of al Asia , & in quantity is the greatest in iudgement , the best learned , & by nature so far soundyng that the voices & signes ar broght to rome I besech thee labour & do thy diligence that thou may not only seme to haue ben worthy those things but also to haue ouercom al things by thy cunning . And because that I among other kinde of officers haue obteyned the administration of the common wealth in the citie , and thou the gouernaunce in a prouince , although my parte do geue place to no man , yet loke that thy part ouercome all other : remember that we do not striue of the glory that remaineth & is loked for , but for that that is gotten already which was not so necessary to haue bene desyred as it is mete it should nowe of vs be mainteined . And if so be that I might be seperate from thee in any thing I wol desire no more then this state which I haue already obteyned . But nowe the matter goeth so that vnlesse all thy wordes and dedes doe agre with the thynges which we do . Here I shall thynke my selfe to haue gotten nothyng by my so great labours and so greate dangers of all the which thou haste bene partaker . But seyng thou aboue all others hast helped vs to get great renowne : surelye thou ought to labor aboue all others to preserue the same . For thou must not only haue the estimacions and iudgements of those men which ar now liuing , but also of them which shal be hereafter . * * We iudge more equally of them that are departed because towardes them enuy ceaseth . How be it their iudgement shal be more right seing it is fre from slaunder & il wil. Finaly thou ought to thinke thus that thou doest seke glorye not only for thy selfe : the which thyng though thou diddest yet thou wouldest not contemne it , especiallye seyng that thou hast consecrated the memory of thy name amongest wonderful great monuments . But this thy glorye must be communicat with me , yea and deliuered to our children . Wherin thou must beware lest if thou be negligent thou doe not only seme to haue cared lytle for thy self , but also to haue enuied thy frends & kinsfolk . Nether do I say this that my words shuld seme to awake thee which afore diddest slepe but rather to haue pricked thee forward which afore didst run for thou wilte always do that which thou haste done , that al men may prayse thy iustice , temperancie , seueritie and integritie .