I Feare some of you wyll deeme and thynke , that this my talke & discourse is not deuised and inuented by me of myne owne braine , but borowed and fetched out of the disputacions of the Stoykes .

Yet neuertheles I wil franckly say what I thinke , and in fewer wordes then so great a thinge can wel be declared . Trulye I neuer iudged nor thought that richesse , wealth , sumptuous buildings , Reuenues , Territories , Dominions , and bodely pleasures ( wherin folish worldlinges set their chiefe delighte ) were worthy to be reckened amonge such thinges as are good and expetible . For I do see , that although they haue great plentie & foyson of such transitory things , yet be they euer coueting and hunting after more , lacking aswel that which they haue , as that whiche they haue not , because their greedie desire and thirste of money and couetousnes is neuer stenched nor satisfyed . And they haue not onely an inward vexacion and disquietnes of mind by reason of the vnsaciable desire and luste that they haue to encrease and augment that Substaunce which they already possesse , but also euer stande in dreade and feare to loose the same by one casualtie or other . And in this poinct , I oftentimes finde a lacke of discretion , in our Auncestoures and predecessours , which were men of liuing most vertuous and continente , who by the bare and onely name , demed and called these vncertaine and transitory goodes and wares ( which are commutable betweene man and man in their bargaines & traffique ) to be good : whereas in verye deede , they thought farre otherwise , thenne theyr words outwardly purported . Can a thinge that is simplie good , be in an euil man ? Or can any man that is endewed & garnished with those things that be good in deede , be any other then a good and vertuous man ? But all these and such like we see to be such , that both naughtie men may possesse them , and good men by them may be hurt and damnifyed . Therefore if any be so peeuishly disposed to reprehende and mocke me for so sayinge , let him not spare , I force not . For truth and sound reason shall with mee be euer preferred before the rash iudgementes & waueringe opinions of the foolishe multitude . Neyther wil I say , that any man hath lost his good thinges , when he hath loste his Cattell or household stuffe . Neyther can I chose , but oftentimes to praise and greatly commend the wise man Bias ( as I thinke ) who was rekoned and accompted one of the seuen wyse Sages of Greece . For when his citie Priene was by the Enemye taken & ransacked , al the Inhabitaunts shifting for them selues , & conuaighinge them selues out at a Posterne gate , with bagge and baggage , as muche as they could carie , hee was aduised and counsayled by one of his frends to do semblably : I do ( quoth hee ) euen aswell as they . For I carye awaye with mee , all such goods and possessions as are mine : meaning his vertue , wisedome and learninge . But as for worldlye pelfe and transitorie goods whiche are subiecte to the variable chaunce and hazard of blind dalying fortune , he thoughte were not to bee called his owne proper goods , which we do call and terme good . What is good then ( will some say ) or what is ment therby . If what soeuer is done rightlye , honestly , and accordinge to vertue , be sayde to be done well and laudablie , then it followeth , that whatsoeuer is right , honest and according to vertue is ( as I thinke ) only good . But these thinges may seeme to bee somewhat obscure and not able to be vnderstode of euery weake capacitie , for asmuch as they are but coldly and superficially handled and disputed without any examples . Therfore to illustrate & beautifie the same with more grace and pleasauntnes , we must introduce and bryng in the liues and worthy actes of noble personages and menne for the vertues renowmed , syth they seeme to be disputed more subtillye with woordes then effectually with deedes . Well , I demaund of you , whether you thinke that those noble and excellente men which were the first founders of our common wealth , and established the same wyth good and commendable Lawes , did cast all their studye and whole minde vpon the greedy and insaciable desire of Golde and Siluer which tended onely to auarice , or vpon pleasures deuised to contente the phantasy , or vpon new fangled trickes of houshold stuffe being instruments of nycenes , or vppon sumptuous fare and belly chere being the ministers & occasions of voluptuousnes ? Set before your eyes euery one of the kings . Will you beginne with Romulus ? Or els with those valiaunte Gentlemen which deliuered our city from miserable thraldome and slauery ? By what degrees ( I pray you ) did Romulus ascend and attayne to be deified and associated to the number of the Gods ? by such vayne pleasures whiche these grosse Beetleheades call good ? or els by his valiaunt actes and woorthye vertues ? What say we to Numa Pompilius ? Do we not think that the gods were aswell pleased with his homely pots and earthen pitchers wherein he offred vp his sacrifice , as they were with the riche goblets and delicate Cuppes of others that succeded hym ? I omit the rest : for they were all egall in vertue and prowesse , one wyth an other , excepte Tarquinius superbus . But if a man should aske Brutus , what he entended or whereaboute he wente , when he expelled the kinges and restored his country to liberty , or what marke he and his felowes & confederates shot at in enterprising and aduenturing the same , can it be thought , that anye of them did it for pleasure sake , or for Richesse , or for any other purpose , otherwise then became men of approued fortitude and magnanimitie ? what caused Quintus Mutius Sceuola to hazarde hys lyfe wythout all hope euer to escape or returne in sauety , when he conuaighed himselfe into king Porsenna his campe , meaning to haue dispatched & slayne the king in his own pauilion ? What manhode and valiaunce remayned in Horatius Cocles ? What notable exploites did he when he alone defended the Bridge or passage ouer the riuer Tiber against the armed route of all hys enemies ? What violence enforced or compelled Decius the father voluntarily to vow and obiecte himselfe to death , by pressing into the middle of hys enemies hostes ? What caused Decius the younger , Sonne to hym aforesayde , to do semblably ? What pretended the continency of C , Fabritius ? What ment the homelye fare and slender cheere of M. Curius ? What say we to the two sure pillers and inuincible Buttresses of the Romaine nacion the twoo Scipioes , what worthy seruice did thei to their country in the Punique warres ? Who chose and were willing euen wyth their own bodies as it had bene with a wal or Rampiere to stoppe the passage of the army that came to ayde & succour the Carthaginians ? What entended the younger Africanus ? What desired the elder ? What coueted Cato , who liued betwene these two mens times and innumerable others ? For we haue store of domesticall examples in our owne countrey . Do we thinke that any of these were euer in that opinion , to desire or seeke for any thynge in their lyfe , but onelye that whiche they supposed and deemed to be good , vertuous & laudable ? Therfore let all suche as mocke and deride this opinion step forth and shew their faces , and let them flatly confesse and iudge themselues , whether they had leifer be like to any of these riche and fatte Chuffes , whose gorgeous houses and buildings are garnished with the finest marble stones , enameled & beset with yuory and Gold ▪ beautified and adorned with pictures and Imagery , Tables , store of plate both of Gold and siluer curiously chased and engrauen and other precious and artificiall Corinthian woorkes : or els be like to C. Fabritius , who neuer had neither would euer haue any of all these ? Notwithstanding they are not so obstinately wedded to their owne fond reasons and selfe willes , but they will sone be perswaded to relent and confesse that these mutable & vncertaine goods & wares which serue for mutuall bargayning one man with an other , are not worthy to be rekoned amonge those thynges that are good . But this poynt they do stiffely maintaine and earnestly defend , that pleasure is the greatest goodnes and the highest felicity . Which saying in my opinion semeth rather to procede out of the mouthes of brute beastes then of men .

Wilt thou therefore so much abase and cast away thy self , seing that god or nature ( being the common mother of all thynges ) hath geuen to thee a minde , then whiche there is nothinge more excellente and deuine that thou shouldest thinke no difference to be betwene thee , and a dum beast ? Is any thing good , that doth not make him that possesseth it to be better ? For as euery man is moste endued & garnished with vertue , so is he worthy of moste prayse . And there is nothinge that is good , but he that is therewith decorated , may honestlye reioyce and glory in himselfe for it . But is any of all these in pleasure ? Doth it make a man either better or more praiseable ? Is there any so shameles to extoll his owne lewednesse , or to attribute any honest praise to himselfe , for yelding & enthralling hymselfe to voluptuousnes , and lasciuiouslye liuing after hys own inordinate Sensuality ? Seing therefore that pleasure ( in defence whereof very many do stiffely stand ) is not to be accompted among good thinges , but the more that it is vsed , the more it doth alienate the minde from the state wherin it was before : Certes to liue well and happely is nothing els , but to liue vprightlye and honestly .

THe thinge ( will some man saye ) is small and of litle value : but the offence is great . For offences and faultes must bee waighed and considered , not accordinge to the chaunce & happe of the deedes , but according to the vicious intente and naughtye disposition of the parties offendinge . One offence ( I graunt ) may be greater or lesse in valew , then an other is : but as touchinge the nature of the offences and respecting them simply which way soeuer thou shiftest and turnest thy selfe , they are all one . A Pylote or chefe Mariner whiche negligentlye drowneth a shippe , whether the same be fraighted with Gold or with chaffe , is asmuch to be reprehended & disalowed for the one as for the other . For although ther be some oddes and difference in the worth and valewe of that thinges , yet his ignoraunce and vnskilfulnes is all one . If a manne to staunch his inordinate and filthy lust , do defloure a woman that is both a Stranger & also of pore estate & degre , the griefe of that villaine doth not appertaine to so many , as if he had lasciuiouslye constuprated a noble Damosel , descended of som honorable house and pedagrew . But the offence was of it selfe neuer a whitte the lesse . For sinne or offence is nothinge els but a transgressing and passinge of the lymittes & boundes of vertue . Whiche when thou hast once done , the faulte or trespasse is committed , and thou nedest not to aggrauate the same with heaping on any more , for thou hast deserued blame by comitting euen one . And whatsoeuer is vnlawful to bee done , is in this one poinct contayned , and expressely proued , in saying that it is not lawfull : Which can neyther be made more or lesse . For if it be not lawfull , it is sinne , which is alwayes one and the same : and therfore the vices that springe and proceede out of them , muste needes be equall . Also if vertues be equall one wyth an other , vices also muste be equall . But it may most playnly and easelie be perceiued and vnderstanded that vertues are all equall one with an other , forasmuch as there can not bee anye man better then a good man , nor any more temperate , then hee that is temperate , neyther anye stowter and valianter then hee that is stoute and valiaunt , nor wyser then he that is wise , wilte thou call him a good man , that whereas he mighte gayne clearly and detaine to himselfe tenne pounds of gold being committed to his keepinge and custodie in secreate without any witnesse , yet faythfully and truly redeliuereth the same to the owner therof , if he would not do semblablye in tenne thousande poundes ? Or woulde you repute and take him to bee a temperate man , whiche can brydel his affections and refraine from some one licencious lust , and lettethe go the Reynes of al disordered outerage in an other ? Onely vertue is agreable with all reason and perpetuall constancie . Nothing can be added therevnto , to make it to bee more a vertue : nothing can be taken awaye from it , but the name of vertue shall strayght wayes , be taken away and ceasse . For if thinges that bee well done , be rightly and vertuously don , and nothing can be righter then right , verily neither can anything be found that is better then good . It foloweth therfore , that vices are equal . For the naughtynesse of the mind are aptlye termed vyces . But syth vertues are equal , vertuous deedes also , ( because they proceede and come of vertue ) oughte to be equall Semblably synnes because they sprynge and aryse out of vyces , must nedes be equall . Yea Sir , ( wil some say ) you take and ground this opinyon vpon the Phylosophers doctrine . I was afrayd , least you would haue sayd , I had be rowed and gathered it of Ribauo and verletts . Socrates his vse and maner was to dispute after such a sorte . I am well apayde thereof : for auncient and autenticke hystoryes doe recorde and witnesse that hee was a profoundly learned and also a righte wyse man . But yet I demaund this question of you ( seing we do quietlye reason the matter wyth gentle wordes and not with sturdye buffettes ) whether when wee dispute of good thynges , we ought rather to seeke the mynd and opynion of rude and ignoraunt Tankerd bearers & drudging labourers , or els of the approued learned and famous Phylosophers ? especially sith ther is no sentence and opinion eyther truer or more availeable to mans lyfe then this . What power or force doth more terrefye men from committing any kind of sinful actes , then when they knowe that there is no difference in offences , and that they do offende asmuche and as heynously in laying violent handes vpon priuate persons , as they should if they did the same to Magistrates and then that be set in high authorytie ? And what house soeuer they do polute with baudry and whoredome , that the dyshonestie and shame of the lecherous fact is equall and al one . What ? is there no difference ( wyll some saye ) whether a man kyll his owne father , or els some common Seruaunt ? If you meane these twoe comparisons barely and symplye , not addyng the cause or the kyllers intente , it is hard to be iudged of what sort they be . For if it be a horrible offence of it self & simply for one to kyl his father , that Saguntines , who had leifer that their Parentes should dye being free and vnuanquyshed , then to lyue in seruitude & slauerye , were Parricides . Therfore in some case the sonne may berefe his father of his lyfe wythoute offence , and manye times a poore drudge or slaue maye be brought to his deathe , without great wronge and iniurye , And therfore the dyfference is in the cause , and not in the nature of the deede . Which being not sought for of the party actyue , but vpon vrgent consideration & respect of the other party done , it is done more redely and propēsiuely : but if the cause be a like and all one in both , the faultes also muste needes be equal . Notwithstandinge herein they do differ , that in killinge a Slaue . if it be done iniuriously , ther is but one single offence committed , but in killing and takinge awaye the life of a father , there are many fautes . for therein is an vnnaturall dealinge shewed to him that begat thee , that fostered and brought thee vp , that in structed and taught thee , that placed thee in good state to liue in the common wealth , and furnished thee with houses and necessaries . He is notorious for his offences , which taketh away from his father , that which he himselfe receyued of him , and therfore deserueth a great deale more punishmente . But in the race and course of our life we ought not to waigh and consider what punishment is mete & due for euery faulte , but to looke and perpend what is lawfull and permitted for euery man to do . To do that whiche behoueth not to be done we oughte to thinke to be an offence : but to do any thing which is prohibited & vnlawfull , we ought to iudge and accompte a detestable and cursed deede . Is this to be so precisely taken for euery light matter and small trespasse ? Yea truelye , for we cannot imagine a meane of the thynges , but we maye bridle oure affections and keepe oure mindes in a modest measure . If a Stage player do neuer so little in his gesture misse & transgresse the notes of mesure or erre in pronouncing one sillable in a verse long which shoulde be shorte or contrarywise that shorte which should be long , he is hissed at , derided , and with clapping of handes driuen away : and wilt thou say , that thou shouldest erre and offende somuche as in one syllable , in thy lyfe which ought to be more moderat than any gesture & more inculpable then any verse ? I cannot abide to heare a Poet make a fault in his verse thogh it be but in a trifeling matter , & shall I heare a citizen skanne vpon his fingers his faultes which in the societye of his life he hath committed ? Whiche if they seme to be shorter , yet how can they seme to be lighter sithens euery offence and sinne commeth by the perturbation of reason and order ? For reason and order being once broken & perturbed , there can nothinge be added , wherebye it maye seeme that the offence maye anye whitte more bee encreased .

BVt I wyll by necessarye arguments proue thee not a foole as thou art often , not a wicked villayne as thou art alwayes , but a frantike sotte and starke madde Ideot . Shall the mind of a wise man being garded and on euerye side fenced and hedged in wyth graue counsell , valiaunce , pacient bearing and suffring al such chaunces as are incident to man , contempt of fortune and finally with all the other vertues as it were with a Rampier or wal , be vanquished and ouerthrowen , which canot be so much as exiled and banished out of the citie ? For what call you a citye ? is it an assembly and conuent of sauage and brutish liuers ? Or is it a multitude of Rennagates , cutthrotes and thieues congregated into one place ? Certes you will say no. Then Rome was not to be called a citye , when good lawes were disanulled , abrogated and stode in none effecte , when Iudgementes were layd aside and contemned , when the auncyente customes of the Citie were ceassed and extinguisshed , when the Magistrates were wyth sweard and stronge hande deposed and disfraunchised , and the honorable name of Senate no more vsed in the weale publique . Was that flockyng route & hellishe rable of theeues and Ruffians , and the swarme of Robbers and murtherers whych vnder thy conduct were brought and set in the Forum , & the remnaunt of the conspiratoures whych ( escaping punishment after that the sedicious furyes and trayterous vprores of Catiline were repressed ) turned and confourmed theymselues to thy vngracious villainye and madnesse any citie ? Therfore I was not banished out of the Citie , which was then none , but I was reuoked and restored into the Citie , when there was a common wealthe a Consull , which during the time of thy vsurped rule and Consulshippe was none at all , and when the Senate bare hys wonted authoritie which while thou ruledst the roste and bare the swaye was contemned , and when the people myght francklye and freelye geue their voyces and consentes , and final : ly when the execution of iustice , lawe and equitie ( which be the linkes and bonds of the Citie ) were reuiued and had in remembraunce . But beholde howe litle I set by the bloudy weapons wherwith thou maintayneste thy murtherous and thieueshe lewdnes . I euer made accompt that thou diddest meane greate iniurie to mee , but I neuer thoughte that it euer taught or came neere to mee . Vnlesse peradventure whenne thou diddeste beate downe the walles of my house , or when thou diddest most wyckedlye set my Mansion on fier , thou thoughte that some of such things as are mine , wer spoyled ransacked and burned in the Citie . But I do recken nothing to be myne , neyther can anye man els call any thynge his owne , which may bee taken away or stollen or by any other meanes loste . If thou haddest taken awaye from mee my constantnes of mynd that I haue vsed a long time , my cares , my laborious & watchfull paynes , and my sage counsaile , wherby the State of this publique weale hath bene honourably conserued and maintayned , or if thou haddest abolisshed and blotted oute the immortall fame that shal redound to me for these worthy benefits eternally , or ( which is more ) if thou haddest bereft mee of that mind , out of which all these counsayles proceded , then woulde I confess that I hadde receiurd a wronge at thine handes . But forasmuche as thou neyther dyddeste neyther yet couldeste do this , thy iniurious dealynge towarde mee , hath made this my retourne ioyefull and gloryous , and not my departure wretched and miserable .

Therefore I was euer a Citizen , and then especiallye , when the Senate didde writte to foraine Countreyes and prouincies for my sauegarde , preseruacion and gentle intertaynmente , as for one that was both a noble and vertuouse Citizen . But thou ( althoughe thou seeme nowe to bee in thy ruffe and to rule al thinges at thy pleasure ) arte no Citizen , vnlesse peraduenture it bee possible for one and the same personne bothe to be a deadlye enemye and a freindlye Cytyzen .

Doeste thou make anye diffirence betwene a Cytizen and an Enemye by nature and distaunce of place , and not by inwarde wyll , and playne deedes of the myndes ? Thou haste commytted Murther in the Forum , thou haste intruded into the Temples and foreciblye kepte the possessions of them by meanes of thy armed Cutthrotes . Thou haste fiered the houses of pryuate menne , and holye Churches consecrated to the Goddes . Whye is Spartacus proclaymed a Rebell and Traytoure , if thou bee a Cytizen ? Canste thou bee a Citezen , sythence throughe the lewednes the Cytye was , once no Cytye ? And doeste thou call mee ( by thyne owne name ) a banyshed man , sythe there is no good manne but hee thoughte that at my departure the Common wealth was banyshed and departed also .

O thou foolyshe and srantike dolte wilt thou neuer be reclaimed to goodnes ? wylt thou neuer loke about the ? wylt thou neuer consider what thou doest and speakest ? Doest thou not know that Exile is the punishmente of wycked and scelerous dealynge ? & that this my iournaie was taken in hand for the most politicke and noble actes before by mee atchieued ? All mischeuous and naughty persons ( of whom thou doest professe thy selfe to be Captaine and Ringleader ) whom the Lawes do apoinct to be ba●ished men , are vagarauntes & banished me in deede , althoughe they neuer stirre their foote oute of their natiue countraye . And seynge by all order of the Lawes thou art denounced an outlawed and banyshed personne , wilte thou not be a banyshed man ? Shall he be called an Enemye that beareth weapon aboute hym before the Senate , and not thou , whose falchion was taken euen in the Senate ? Shal he that sleaeth a man be punished and thou escape , which haste murthered a great meignie ? Shal he that setteth fyre on the Cytie be adiudged an enemie , and thou winked at which with thyne one hande haste burned Cloysters and Churches dedicated to the Nymphes . What is to be laid to him which forcibly kepeth the Temples of the Goddes ? But thou haste pitched thy Tentes , and marshalled thy dissordered Host in the Forum . But what meane I to recoumpte and declare the common lawes , whyche are al by the so violated and transgressed , that thou arte thereby made a bannished man ? Thy very familier friend Cornificius made a priuate & special lawe for thee , that if thou dyddest presume to come into the Temple of Bona Dea , thou shouldest be sent into exile . But thou arte accustomed to make thy vaunte , that thou hast done it . Therfore seing thou arte an offendoure of so many lawes , and by the order and tenoure of them arte awarded to exile , how canst thou choose but tremble and feare this odious name of a bannished man ? But I am here in Rome ( thou wylt saye ) and therefore how cast thou proue me to be a banished man ? I say thou art ther as thou hast beene in a Hauen , wherein thou hast layne for a tyme in Harborough , for thy safegard , and yet not obedient to the Lawes of the Countrey . Therfore euery man is not inheritable to the customes & lawes of the place wher he is resiaunt , vnlesse hee be subiecte and obedient to the lawes whych ther be vsed .

DEserueth this worthy captayne to bee praysed , or to bee named and thoughte worthye to haue such an honourable name ? Howe ? or what honest freeman can he be a ruler ouer , which cannot rule his owne affections ? Let him firste brydle his sensuall lustes , let him renounce and abandon pleasures , let him qualefie his furious fumishe passion of beastly raginge anger , let him detest couetousnes , lette him vtterlye expell and driue out of his mind all corrupt and naughty vyces : and then let him begynne to exercise his rule and authority ouer others , when he himself hath ceassed to be enthralled as a bond slaue to two most vyle masters , that is to wit vglie shame & lose dishonesty , for so long as he is the bond slaue of those two , he shal not only be accompted no Emperor , but rather not so much as a fre man . And this is most excellently vsed of the most learned philosophers whose authoritye I woulde not vse & alledge , if my case so lay that I shold make this Oracion before an audience of blunte and ignoraunt personnes . But seing that I do speake vnto them that are most wyse and dyscrete , vnto whose hearinge these thinges are not straung , why should I dissimule and faigne that I haue lost al the paines and laboure whyche I haue bestowed in these studies ? Therefore right learned men do say , that no man is free , but onelye a wyse man . For what is libertie ? Leaue and power to liue as a man lust . And who liueth as he lust , but he whiche embraceth & foloweth honestye , and delighteth in the action of vertue , who dothe not liue rashlye and dissolutelye , but choseth & prescribeth to himselfe a trade of lyuinge aduisedly and forseeth the ende thereof , who is obedient to the Lawes , not for feare , but because hee thinketh it to be a thing expedient , & holesome : who doth neither say , doe nor thynke any thyng but voluntarily & freely , from whom al his counsailes and affayres that he taketh in hande do procede , and to the same are referred : neyther is any thyng of so great force wyth hym , as his owne wyll & iudgement : vnto whom fortune herselfe yeldeth and geeueth place , and hath no power or iurisdiction ouer him , which is reported to haue a mervaylous great power and to beare a great sway in all thinges wherin the sentence of the wyse Poete is verifyed whych sayth thus : Euerye man is fashioned after his owne manners : Therfore only a wyse man hath thys preminence & good chaunce , that hee doth nothinge agaynste hys wil , nothing grudgingly , nothyng by compulsion . Which thinge to be true , althoughe we must be faine to discusse and declare it in manye wordes , yet this in few wordes muste we of necessitie confesse , that no man is free but hee whiche is thus disposed and affected : and therfore all naughty persons are slaues and bondmen . Neyther is this so straunge inopinable & merueilous in deede , as is it in wordes . For the Philosophers doe not terme and call them such Slaues as serue for drudgerye and vyle seruyce beinge bounde to their Maisters by Indentures and Couenauntes obligatorye or by some order of Ciuyle Lawe : but if the vile obedience of an effeminate and abiect minde , caryed away with euery vaine puffe of foolishe affection , and lackinge any sure staye or iudgemente of himselfe , by a bondage , whoe will denye all lighte felowes , couetous persons , and finallye all naughtye folkes to bee slaues and bondmen ? Shal I thinke him to be a fre man , which is vnder the rule of a woman , submittinge himselfe to her becke and pleasure , liuinge as a suppliaunte vassell vnder her lawes , ready at an ynche when she either commaundeth or countrecommaundeth ? If she commaunde any seruyce to be done , he dare none otherwyse do , but goe aboute it , if she aske and require any thyng , he dare not to denie it her , if she cal he must come , if she cast him out of the dores , there is no remedye but to packe and trudge away , if shee storme and threaten he must tremble and quake for awe and feare . Verily I iudge the man that is in this case not only a Slaue and bondman , but a most wicked peazaunt and drudge , yea although he were descended of an honourable stocke and lignage . And as in a greate householde of fooles , some of the seruauntes thynke themselues in their owne conceypte brayuer and nycer thenne theyr other fellowes , by aprerogatiue of seruyce as being Porters & vsshers of the Hall , wheras ( notwithstandinge ) they bee but slaues and seruauntes , doltishe & foole shaken as well as thou arte : so lykewyse are they more fooles and Sottes , which set al their delight in Pictures , Tables , Plate curiouslye engrauen , Corinthian works , & sumptuous buildinges . But we are ( will they saye ) the heades of the Citie , and therfore how are we Slaues . Truly you are in no better case , neyther are you to be preferred before your owne seruauntes . But as in a great family , they which handle and goe aboute vyle offices of drudgerie , as scouring , greasing , wiping , brusshing , sweping , strawinge Rushes and floures , haue not the honestest place of seruice , but rather the vilest function : so in a City those which haue enthralled and addicted themselues to the desyres and lustes of these thinges , haue almoste the lowest and basest rowme of al in the same Citie . But thou wilt saye againe : I haue valiauntly behaued my selfe in battaile and exployed worthy aduentures in Martial affayres , and I haue had the gouernaunce & chiefe rule ouer greate Empieres and prouinces . Then if thou seeke thereby to be praysed , let thy mynd be garnished with suche vertues and qualities as be praise worthye . But thou arte bewitched with some excellent table of the handie worke of the famous paincter Echion , or els with some picture of Policletus . I omit to speake whence thou haste gotten them , or what places thou haste spoyled and robbed to come by theim . But when I see and behold the so rauished with desire to gaze and tote vpon them stil , to meruayle and muse at them , and to make exclamacions for wonder of theym , truly I must needes iudge thee to be the slaue and bondman of all dotage and foolishnes . But are not these Tables prety and trymme ? Let them be so , for we are not so blunt and groose of vnderstanding , but we can dyscerne betwene a good piece of worke and a badde . But I praye thee , repute and thinke theim faire and beautifull in such sort , that they be not made as gyeues and fetters to shakle and binde men . But be taken as the toyes and pastymes of Children . For what doe you thinke if L. Mummius should haue seene any of these men greatlye enamoured and very desirouslye delighted to handle the fyne pottes and vrynalles of Corinthian worke , wheras hee himselfe cared not for the whole Citie of Corinthe , whether would hee thynke hym to bee an excellente Citizen or els a dyligente seruaunte and carefull ouerseer of vesselles ? Lette Marcus Curius bee called to remembraunce , let the worthye fame of his noblenes be reuiued , or some of those honourable personages , which lyued well contented in their simple fermes and Countray houses : hauing therin nothing gorgeously decked , glittering and beautiful but themselues . And if he should se any man that hath borne high office in the common wealth by the election and fauour of the people to catche Barbilles and Mullettes out of a fishponde , or nycelye handle them or to reioyce in hymselues because he hath abondance of Lamprayes woulde not he iudge this man to be such a slaue that in his householde , he woule not thinke him worthy to intermeddle with any greater charge ? Doothe anye man doubte but that they are in moste beastlye state of seruitude , which for couetousnesse of monye refuse no manner of slauerye no drudgerye no bondage ? What vnreasonable bondage are the well contented to suffer , whiche doe gape for the goodes of an other manne and hope to enioye his enheritaunce after his decease ? when doth the old rich cobbe whych hath no issue becke or nodde , but they be prest and ready at his elbow to do his wil and pleasure ? They flatter and faune vppon hym , they know the right bent of his bowe , they speake nothynge but that whyche they know will please hym , what he willeth to be done , they doe it : they hold him vp with yea and nay , when hee is a litle sicke or discrased they sitte by hym . What poincte of a free man is in these ? Yea rather what poinct of a seruile and drousie drudge is not herein ? Now , the ambicion & couetous desire of honoure , principalitie and prouincies ( whiche seemeth to haue a greate shewe of Liberalitie , what a hard and rigorous Maistresse is it , howe imperious , howe stately and vehement it it ? This was it , that caused the worshipful persons of the Citie and those whiche were counted the best and most substantitiall men in Rome , to become suters , to crowch and to kneele to the wicked & ambitious Cethegus , to flatter and serue him , to send him gyftes , to come to his house in the night , to desire him to be good to theim , and finallye suppliauntly to prostrate themselues before hym and besech his fauour . What cal you seruitude & thraldome , if this may be thought to bee libertie and freedome ? What shall we saye ? whenne the rule and dominacion of affections is ceassed , there entreth in to their hartes an other heauie maister and cruell Landlorde , whiche is feare and remorse of conscience for the crymes before committed . What a miserable and hard seruitude is this ? They must obaye and folow the fancies of prating youngelinges . Al they that seeme to haue anye shadowe of knowledge and feared as thoughe they were Lords . As for the Iudge , in what subiection hath he his Clientes ? how do they which know themselues gyltie of any offence feare and dread him . Is not al kind of feare , bondage and slauerie ? Therfore to what purpose is the Oracion of the moste eloquent Crassus , wherin he bestowed more eloquence then witte ? Diliuer and rid vs out of seruitude . What seruitude is this to such an excellent & noble man ? For all feare of a faint , discouraged & abiect minde is seruitude . Let vs not be in bondage to any man . Desireth he to be restored to lybertie ? Noe. For what doth he adde afterward ? To none but onely to you all , vnto whom we maye and oughte to owe oure alegiaunce and do homage . He would but chaunge his landlord , he desyreth not to bee free . But wee , if we be endewed with a lostye & valiaunt mind , garnished & fraight with vertues , neyther ought neyther may be in seruile subiection . But say thou O Crassus , that thou canst , for whye thou canst do it , and bee as good as thy word : but say not that thou oughtest so to do , because no man oweth any thing but that which were a dishonesty not to paye . But of this hitherto . Let him take the view and suruay of hymselfe and well examine his owne conscience , howe hee can be an Emperoure , syth reasonne and truth do playnly argue and proue that hee is not so much as a free man ,