C . Cornelius Tribune of Rome , during the Consulship of L. Aurelius Cotta , and of L. Manlius Torquatus : perceauing the Praetors to bee too partiall in iudging of the Nobles , enacted a Law that euery Pretor in demitting of his office should render a publicke accompt vnto the people how hee had discharged his dutie . After whose example , resoluing with my selfe to giue ouer the Tutorship of young Nobles , to saie with our Poet , — . sterilesque valete Camaenae ,

I haue penned this Institution to witnesse vnto their Parents my answerable proceeding , and to leaue it vnto my Pupils in particular , for a token of affection at my farwel , to be an vnpartial Counceller , and a faithful Admonisher of them in al their offences in my absence : perswading my selfe that none of them wil grudge that you all haue the communication of this their priuate right ; seeing it is only the more knowne to be theirs , and the benefit nothing the lesse . Herein so farre as it is possible for me , I haue essaied espetiallie to imitate our Soveraigne and Roiall Doctor , who seeketh not after those extrauagant formes of doctrine vsed by Plato in his Common-wealth , by Xenophon in the Institution of young Cyrus , by Cicero in forming his Orator , by Horace in making his Poet , or by Sr Thomas Moore in describing his Vtopian , ( which are all faire shaddowes in the aire ) but plainlie out of his owne common practise , and vsual experience hath proposed a Princely Pupil for a perfect patterne to all your imitation ; whose example I wish you rather to followe by practise , then my precepts by contemplation .

As for my selfe I permit those men , amongst whome I shal liue , to point mee out to my owne rules , and vpbraid me in my aberration and straying ther-from , as respecting more ( with Aristotle what maie be done , then what should be done . ) Yet I leaue this Institution vnto you young Nobles , non quòd acipenser iste paucorum sit hominum , or that I would debarre others , whom it shal please you to invite , as Pontius did Scipio in the Town of Laurentum : But permitting euerie man to feed , where it best pleaseth him , like Lucullus his flocke , nec suam inuidens Cyprio bovi merendam , ( as Ennius saith in his Sotadicke ) I desire only those , who cannot make that vse and profite , which I wish , to blame rather their owne fortune , then me , and to endeauour themselues to come as neare you , as their abilitie wil giue them leaue .

Which I adde , not that I thinke my advises so absolutely perfect , that they are worthy to bee obserued of all Schollers : for I protest , not after a common ceremonie of submission , but out of a true and essentiall feeling of my owne imbecilitie , that I am so farre from pleasing of my selfe , that as many times as I looke them over , so often am I vexed at them , — et scripsisse pudet , quia plurima cerno Me quoque qui feci iudice , digna lini . Neither do I propose them otherwise then those Schollers , who in Schooles publish doubtfull , and Sophisticall Questions to be disputed and canvased , not to establish any doubt , but to finde it out . As well the penning of them was my last Lents labour , so that as Philocrates sported with Demosthenes , you may not marvaile Athenians that Demosthenes & I doe differ , for he drinketh wine , and I drinke water : Non equidem hoc studeo , bullaris vt mihi nugis Pagina turgescat . And that I studie not for fine Rhetoricall termes , — veluti pueris absynthia taetra medentes Cùm dare conantur , priùs oras pocula circum Contingunt mellis dulci , flavoque liquore ; Vt puerorum aetas improvida ludificetur . The condemnation of them ( with reason ) wil bee no lesse acceptable and profitable vnto me ; then their approbation , deeming it ever absurd whatsoever I haue set down , either ignorantly , or vnadvisedly . For I acknowledge my selfe too meanely instructed , that I should take vpon mee to teach others anie longer , either by word , or writ . Wherfore as the Poet Philetas being so little and light , that the winde threw him over , was wont to vnderprop himselfe with leaden shooes ; & as the Sea-Vrchin armeth it selfe with little stons against a tempest : so haue I covered my selfe ( like another Teucer ) vnder the buckler of famous Authors to shoote my darts against Ignorance : & vt Fertur Prometheus addere principi Limo coactus , particulam vndique Desectam , & insani' leonis Vim stomacho apposuisse nostro . If I dissemble & hide of tentimes their names in vsing their reasons and comparisons , knowe ( younge Noble Reader ) that I wish you to imitate the Poet , of whom Plautus saith — Tabulas cùm cepit sibi , Quaerit quod nusquam est gentium , reperit tamen .

Also that I doe it to bridle the temeritie of those Carbiles and Aristarches , who cast only their basiliske eyes to carpe other mens honest endeavors , that they maie beat a Seneca , or a Plutarch vnawares , when they thinke they haue bitten me with their viperous tongue .

Happie I beyonde my merit , if I get onlie this portion of publike approbation , as I maie cause honest men of sound iudgment and vnderstanding to thinke , that I would make vse and benefit of my learning , if I were endued with anie ! As for those Zoiles ; & Criticks , who by nature or custome think to honour themselues in disgraceing others , and like Spiders suck venome , where bees gather honie ; taking althings with the left hand , which are offered with the right , as Ariston said , I am prouided with counter-poison , in not regarding what they say .

Therfore let them examin these my advises and exhortations , letter by letter , measure euery syllable , waigh the words , controule the points , censure the periods , and condemne the whole booke , so much as they please , without farther Apologie I request them only to serue themselues with the darknes of my ignorance , to shaddowe & set forth the liuely colours of their good wits . So doubtles you young Nobles — quibus arte benignâ Et meliore luto finxit praecordia Ti●an , wil shew your selues thankful towards them , for their rare inuention , as in the meane time I hope you wil wel accept of my good intention , knowing — In magnis voluisse sat est .

Moreover as the Tradesmen of Greece put euer some hideous thing or other in the beginning of their workes , to deturne the eie-bytings , and enchantments of the envious ; so I ( friendly Reader ) in craving pardon of my faults , and desiring that you would bear with my oversights , haue here set downe of my errours , that you may see this worke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as Philostratus saith of Aristides his . Nam cauis fest 〈…〉 s coe●●s parit cat●los .

Read then Chap. 5. for Chap. 6. pag. 25. & 269. Pupil for Pulpil . p. 55. read mutual for natural p. 125. l. 16. read feids for fends . p. 155 leaving the rest to your owne correction .

MY Honourable Lord The Title or Inscription of this Treatise needeth no other declaration , then your Lordships name Printed in the fore front , & first page of this Booke . For your perfection is the liuely image , which my thoughtes had in this Description : you are the real patterne of this verbal discourse , & the Cyrus meant in this Institution : You are the mirrour , ( as Socrates , or Bias said ) wherin I would haue all Nobles to contemplate themselues , ether to see their own beauty , if they be truly Noble , and therby to continue in vertuous and laudable actions , or to wash their spots , and amend what is amisse , if they be degenerate or ignoble . Yea since it hath pleased God to match you with such a Vertuous , Noble ▪ & Faire Lady , I iudge it most conuenient ( in Ioining the Theorie to Practise , the effect to the cause ) to submit this Preface , and first Booke vnto your fauourable construction : not as a sufficient description of your perfection , or as a recompence of your well deseruing , but as a short abridgment of your ample vertues , & a poore pledge of my bounden dutie . And seeing Nec laudare satis , dignasque rependere grates Sufficiam , referant Superi .

ACCording to the Nature of all Arist. 1. Poster . 1. discoursing doctrine , and discipline , for a more facil Introduction , I would aduise you to consider that golden Inscription fixed on the Frontispice of the Temple at Delphos , as containing a plaine and full exposition of the title or subiect of this Institution ; that you would learne to KNOW YOVR SELVES . Which is a warning Lesson , litle in wordes , but great in matter ; taught by manie Masters , but learned of fewe Schollers ; contemplated by all men , but practised by God onlie ; who continuallie beholds , considers , and well knowes himselfe : yea it is easie in the eare , but most difficult in the vnderstanding ; euerie man perswades himselfe so , that hee knowes nothing better , when he vnderstandeth nothing worse . Whence ensueth Plat. in Men●n . this Platonicall subtilitie , that neither those which know , shoulde enquire anie farther , for as much as they know alreadie ; nor they that know not ; because to enquire , it is necessarie to know what to enquire after : so that men cannot attaine to the Science of things . Euerie one is so satisfied , and thinks himselfe so sufficiently instructed in this knowledge , as Socrates taught Euthydemus ; that we maie saie well with Aristarchus , D. ●●r . In ancient time there were scarse seaven wise men found in the world , and now hardly seaven ignoraunt . Wherefore as manie diseased persons neede not only medicine to asswage their paine , but also to awake their senses , I here exhort al you Nobles , to examine seriously & trie , 1. if there be anie Noble-men . 2. Whether the Name , and 3. if the essentiall definition of a Noble man , doeth 4. rightlie appertaine vnto you , or 5. if you vsurpe onlie wrongfullie the title of Noble . Which are the fiue points of this Preamble , correspondent to the fiue thinges requisite to bee foreknowne Plat. epist. 7. Zabarel in 1. post . tex. 2. in al Sciences , as Plato saith , and the Oracle of Logicians doth comment . 1 That there are Noble men .

¶ To satisfie then the common obiection of the vulgar , who disapproue al inequalitie , in demanding

Which Boëtius concludeth thus , more formallie , Consol. phil. 3. Quià Genus & proavos strepitis ? Si primor●ia vestra , Authoremque Deum spectes , Nullus degener extat . Mortales igitur cunctos Edit Noble germen . I grant that not only in respect of our beginning , but of our ending too , we are all equals without difference or superioritie of degrees , all tending alike to the same earth from whence we sprong : vnus introitas est omnibus Gen. 3. 19. Philo in Nobil . ad vitam , vnus & exitus , as the Jew said . King and subiect , noble , and ignoble , rich and poore , al are borne and die a like : but in the middle course , betweene our birth and burial , wee are ouer-runne by our betters , and of necessitie must needes confesse that some excell & are more noble then others . For children are like their parents , and wee learne of the Cosmographers , Ptolom . that one part of our mother Earth is more noble then another . — Nonnè vides croceosvt Tmolus odores , Georg. 1. India mittatebur , molles sua thura Sabaei ? Yea in one Countrie , vnder one climate , one peece of ground is better then another : Hic segetes , illic veniunt faeliciús vnae .

And to descend vnto another kinde of our mothers Iob. 17. ospring ; is there not an Eagle among the birds , and a Lion amonge the beasts ? Yea in each kinde , doth not one excel another ? as among horses , is not one more generous then another ? Whie then among men , for whose vse al thinges were created , is none more excellent and noble then another ? Doubtlesse Plutarch saide wel , that there is greater disparitie between man and man , then betweene beast and beast : for wee maie euidentlie obserue a greater difference betweene this man and that man , to saie more then Plutarch , Teren ● Phor● . 5.

( Hem vir viro quid praestat ! ) then betweene that man and this beast . Let ignorant people saie , or thinke what they please in the contrarie ; there is surelie great odds betweene a Menelaus and a Paris , betweene Vlysses and Thersites , Achilles and Automedon , and in a word betweene a Noble man and a Peasant ▪ so of necessitie Boëtius , and his clients must acknowledge the truth , as Mopsus doth in Virgil.