So it is, and so it was, and ever will be. He that refuseth to see and hear, to suffer this, is not fit to live in this world, and knows not the common condition of all men, to whom so long as they live, with a reciprocall course, joyes and sorrows are annexed, and succeed one another. It is inevitable, it may not be avoided, and why then shouldst thou be so much troubled? Grave nihil est homini quod fert necessitas, as Tully deems out of an old Poet, that which is necessary, cannot be grievous.

If it be so, then comfort thy self in this, That whether thou wilt or no, it must be indured: make a vertue of necessity, and conform thy self to undergo it. Si longa est, levis est; si gravis est, brevis est. If it be long, ’tis light; if grievous, it cannot last. It will away, dies dolorem minuit, and if nought else, yet time will wear it out. custome will ease it; oblivion is a common medicine for all losses, injuries, griefes, and detriments whatsoever,

and when they are once past, this commodity comes of infelicity, it makes the rest of our life sweeter unto us: Atque hæc olim meminisse juvabit, the privation and want of a thing many times makes it more pleasant and delightsome then before it was. We must not think the happiest of us all to escape here without some misfortunes,

—— Usque adeo nulla est sincera voluptas, Solicitumque aliquid lætis intervenit. ——

Heaven and earth are much unlike; Those heavenly bodies indeed are freely carried in their orbes without any impediment or interruption, to continue their course for innumerable ages, and make their conversions: but men are urged with many difficulties, and have divers hindrances, oppositions, still crossing, interrupting their endeavours and desires, and no mortall man is free from this law of nature. We must not therefore hope to have all things answer our own expectation, to have a continuance of good success and fortunes, Fortuna nunquam perpetuò est bona.

And as Minutius Fœlix the Roman Consul told that insulting Coriolanus, drunk with his good fortunes, look not for that success thou hast hitherto had; It never yet happened to any man since the beginning of the world, nor ever will, to have all things according to his desire, or to whom fortune was never opposite and adverse. Even so it fell out to him as he foretold.

And so to others, even to that happiness of Augustus; Though he were Jupiters Almoner, Pluto’s Treasurer, Neptunes Admiral, it could not secure him. Such was Alcibiades fortune, Narsetes, that great Gonsalvus, & most famous mens, that as Jovius concludes, it is almost fatall to great princes, through their own default or otherwise circumvented with envy and malice, to lose their honours, and die contumeliously. ’Tis so, still hath been, and ever will be, Nihil est ab omni parte beatum,

There’s no perfection is so absolute, That some impurity doth not pollute.

Whatsoever is under the Moon is subject to corruption, alteration; and so long as thou livest upon earth look not for other. Thou shalt not here finde peaceable and chearfull dayes, quiet times, but rather cloudes, storms, calumnies, such is our fate. And as those errant planets in their distinct orbes have their severall motions, sometimes direct, stationary, Retrograde, in Apogæo, Perigæo, orientall, occidentall, combust, ferall, free, and as our Astrologers will, have their fortitudes & debilities, by reason of those good and bad irradiations, conferred to each others site in the heavens, in their terms, houses, case, detriments, &c. So we rise and fall in this world, ebbe and flow, in and out, reared and dejected, lead a troublesome life, subject to many accidents and casualties of fortunes, variety of passions, infirmities as well from our selves as others.

Yea, but thou thinkest thou art more miserable then the rest, other men are happy in respect of thee, their miseries are but flea-bitings to thine, thou alone art unhappy, none so bad as thy self. Yet if as Socrates said, All the men in the world should come and bring their grievances together, of body, minde, fortune, sores, ulcers, madness, epilepsies, agues, and all those common calamities of beggery, want, servitude, imprisonment, and lay them on a heap to be equally divided, wouldst thou share alike, and take thy portion, or be as thou art? Without question thou wouldst be as thou art. If some Jupiter should say, to give us all content,

Iam faciam quod vultis; eris tu qui modo miles, Mercator; tu consultus modo rusticus; hinc vos, Vos hinc mutatis discedite partibus; eia Quid statis? nolunt.

Well be’t so then; you master souldier Shall be a merchant; your sir Lawyer A country Gentleman; go you to this, That side you: why stand ye? It’s well as ’tis.

Every man knowes his own, but not others defects and miseries; and ’tis the nature of all men still to reflect upon themselves, their own misfortunes, not to examine or consider other mens, not to confer themselves with others: To recount their miseries, but not their good gifts, fortunes, benefits, which they have, to ruminate on their adversity, but not once to think on their prosperity, not what they have, but what they want: to look still on them that go before, but not on those infinite numbers that come after.