Loue and liue.
Amen.
Amongste the wise (right Honorable) whose sentences (for the moste parte) tende either to teache the attayning of vertue or eschuing of vice,Plotinus.Plotinusthat wonderfull and excellent Philosopher hath these wordes: The property of Temperaunce is to couet nothing which may be repented: not to excede the bands of measure, & to kepe Desire vnder the yoke of Reason. Whiche saying if it were so well knowen, as it is nedefull; so well embraced, as is[53]wished; or so surely fixed in minde, as it is printed in his workes: then certis many Christians might by the instruction of an Ethnicke Philosopher, shun great and daungerous perils. For to couet without consideration, to passe the measure of his degree, and to let will run at randon, is the only destruction of all estates. Else howe were it possible, so many learned, polliticke, wise, renoumed, valiaunt, and victorious personages, might euer haue come to such vtter decay? For example, wee haue[54]Quintus Curtius.Alexanderthe Great,Cæsar,Pompey,Cyrus,Hannibal, &c. All which (by desier of glorye) felte the reward of theire immoderate and insatiable lustes: for ifAlexanderhad beene content with Macedonie, or not beene pufte vp with pride after his triumphes, hee had neuer beene so miserably poysoned. IfCæsarandPompeyhad beene satisfied with theire victories, andhad not fell to ciuill discention, the one had not beene slaine in the senate with daggers, nor the other abroade, by their frendes procurement.Iustinus lib. 1.IfCyrushad beene pleased with all Persia, and Media, and not thirsted for bloud, hee had neuer com to so infortunate a fall.Plutarchus.So ifHanniballhad not so muchLiuius.delited in glorye of warfare, his countrey had neyther fell in ruine,Polibius.nor hee bene miserably forced to poyson himselfe. But you will say, desire of fame, glorye, renowne, and immortalitie (to which all men well nighe by[55]nature are inclined, especially those which excell or haue any singuler gift of fortune or[56]the body) moued them to such daungerous, great, and hardy enterprises, which must needes be confessed[57]as an infallible veritie: and therefore I suerly[58]deeme those Princes aboue specified (considering their[59]fortunes, fame, and exploytes) had neuer come to suche ende, but for wante of temperance. And now[60]sithe there are three other Cardinall vertues which are requisite in him that should bee in authoritye: that is to saye, Prudence, Iustice, and Fortitude, which so wonderfully adorne and beautifie all estates (If Temperaunce bee with them adioyned, that they moue the very enemies with admiration to prayse them) some peraduenture (as affection leades) will commende one, some another:Arist.Cicero.Prudence.as[61]Aristotlethe Prince of Philosophers names Prudence, the mother of vertues, but[62]Cicerodefines her the knowledge of things which ought to bee desired and followed, and also of them which ought to bee fled and eschewed; yet you shall finde that for want of Temperaunce, some which were counted very wise[63]fell into wonderfull reproche and infamy. But[64]Iustice that incomparable vertue, (as the auncient Ciuilians define her) is[65]a perpetuall and constant willwhich giueth to euery man his right, yet if shee be not constant, which is the gifte of Fortitude; nor equal in discerning right from wrong, wherein is Prudence; nor vse proportion in iudgement and sentence, which pertayneth to Temperaunce: shee can neuer bee called equitie or iustice, but fraude, deceite, iniustice and iniurie. And, to speake ofFortitude. Cicero.Fortitude, whichCicerodefineth, a consyderate vndertaking of perills, and enduring of labours; if he whome wee suppose stoute, valiaunt, and of good courage, want Prudence, Iustice, or Temperaunce, he is not counted wise, righteous and constant, but sottish, rude and desperate. ForCicero. Temperance.Temperaunce (saythCicero) is of reason[66]in lust and other euel assaultes of the minde, a suer and moderate dominion & rule. This noble vertue is deuided into three[67]partes, that is Continency, Clemencie, and Modestye, which well[68]obserued and kept (if grace bee to them adioyned) it is impossible for him that is endued with the aboue named vertues euer to fall into the infortunate snares of calamity, or misfortune. But Ambition which is immoderate[69]desire of honour, rule, dominion, and superioritie, (the very distruction of nobility and common weales, as among the Romanes; Sylla, Marius, Carbo, Cinna, Cateline, Pompey, and Cæsar, are witnesses) hath brought great decay to[70]our contrey, and countreymen. Which Master Baldwin hath so touched[71]in his Epistle of the laste[72]volume of this booke, that I nede not therewith deale any further.[73]I haue here (right honorable) in this booke[74]only reproued foly in those which are heedelesse: Iniurie in extortioners, rashnes in venterers,[trecherie in traytours, riote in rebelles,][75]and excesse in such as suppresse not vnruly affections. Now[76]I truste you will so thinke of it (althoughe the style deserue not like commendation) as you thought of the other parte. Which if you shall, I doubt not but it may pleasure some; if not, yet geue occasion to others which can do better, either to amend these, or to publish their owne.[77]And thus wishing you Prudence to discerne what is meete for your callings, Iustice in the administration of your functions, Fortitude in the defence of your Countrey, and Temperaunce in moderation of all your affections, with increase of honours, and euerlasting felicity: I bid you in Christ Iesu farewell.[78]At Winceham the vii. day of December.
1586.
Your most humble inthe Lord,Iohn Higins.[79]