MEMB. 6. Against Envie, Livor, Emulation, Hatred, Ambition, Self-love, and all other affections.

Against those other passions & affections, there is no better remedy, then as Mariners when they go to Sea, provide all things necessary to resist a tempest; to furnish our selves with Philosophicall & Divine precepts, other mens examples, Periculum ex aliis facere, sibi quod ex usu siet: To balance our hearts with love, charity, meekness, patience, and counterpoise those irregular motions of envie, livor, spleen, hatred, with their opposite vertues, as we bend a crooked staffe another way, to oppose sufferance to labour, patience to reproach, bounty to covetousness, fortitude to pusillanimity, meekness to anger, humility to pride, to examine our selves for what cause we are so much disquieted, on what ground, what occasion, is it just or fained?

And then either to pacifie our selves by reason, to divert by some other object, contrary passion, or premeditation, Meditari secum oportet quo pacto adversam ærumnam ferat, Pericla, damna, exilia peregrè rediens semper cogitet, Aut filii peccatum, aut uxoris mortem, aut morbum filiæ, communia esse hæc: fieri posse, ut ne quid animo sit novum.

To make them familiar, even all kinde of calamities, that when they happen, they may be lesse troublesome unto us. In secundis meditare, quo pacto feras adversa; or out of mature judgement to avoid the effect, or disannull the cause, as they do that are troubled with toothach, pull them quite out.

Ut vivat castor, sibi testes amputat ipse; Tu quoque siqua nocent, abjice, tutus eris.

The Beaver bites off’s stones to save the rest: Do thou the like with that thou art opprest.

Or as they that play at wasters, exercise themselves by a few cudgels how to avoid an enemies blows: let us arm our selves against all such violent incursions, which may invade our minds. A little experience and practice will inure us to it; vetula vulpes, as the proverb saith, laqueo haud capitur, an old Fox is not so easily taken in a snare: an old souldier in the world me thinks should not be disquieted, but ready to receive all fortunes, encounters, and with that resolute Captain, come what may come, to make answer,

—— non ulla laborum O virgo nova mi facies inopinaque surgit, Omnia percepi atque animo mecum ante peregi.

No labour comes at unwares to me, For I have long before cast what may be.

— non hoc primum mea pectora vulnus Senserunt, graviora tuli ——

The Commonwealth of Venice, in their Armory have this inscription, Happy is that citie which in time of peace thinks of war, a fit Motto for every mans private house; happy is the man that provides for a future assault. But many times we complain, repine and mutter without a cause, we give way to passions, we may resist, and will not.

Socrates was bad by nature, envious, as he confessed to Zopirus the Physiognomer, accusing him of it, froward and lascivious: but as he was Socrates, he did correct and amend himself. Thou art malicious, envious, covetous, impatient, no doubt, & lascivious, yet as thou art a Christian correct & moderate thy self.

’Tis something I confesse, and able to move any man, to see himself contemned, obscure, neglected, disgraced, undervalued, left behind, some cannot endure it, no not constant Lipsius, a man discreet otherwise, yet too weak and passionate in this, as his words expresse, collegas olim, quos ego sine fremitu non intueor, nuper terræ filios, nunc Mæcenates & Agrippas habeo, — summo jam monte potitos.

But he was much too blame for it; to a wise staid man this is nothing; we cannot all be honoured and rich, all Cæsars; if we will be content, our present state is good, and in some mens opinion to be preferred. Let them go on, get wealth, offices, titles, honours, preferments, and what they will themselves, by chance, fraud, imposture, simony, and indirect means, as too many do, by bibery, flattery, and parasiticall insinuation, by impudence, and time-serving, let them climb up to advancement in despite of vertue, let them go before, crosse me on every side, me non offendunt modo non in oculos incurrant, as he said, correcting his former errour, they do not offend me, so long as they run not into mine eyes.

I am inglorious and poor, composita paupertate, but I live secure and quiet: they are dignified, have great means, pompe and state, they are glorious; but what have they with it? Envie, trouble, anxiety, as much labour to maintain their place with credit, as to get it at first. I am contended with my fortunes, spectator è longinquo, and love Neptunum procul à terra spectare furentem: he is ambitious, and not satisfied with his: but what gets he by it? to have all his life laid open, his reproaches seen; not one of a thousand but he hath done more worthy of dispraise and animadversion, then commendation; no better means to help this then to be private.

Let them run, ride, strive as so many fishes for a crum, scrape, climb, catch, snach, cozen, collogue, temporize and fleire, take all amongst them, wealth, honour, and get what they can, it offends me not;

—— me mea tellus Lare secreto tutoque tegat,

I am well pleased with my fortunes,

—— Vivo & regno simul ista relinquens.

I have learned in what state soever I am therewith to be contented, Philip. 1. 11. Come what can come, I am prepared, Nave ferar magna an parva, ferar unus & idem. I am the same.

I was once so mad to bussell abroad, and seek about for preferment, tyre my self, and trouble all my friends, sed nihil labor tantus profecit; nam dum alios amicorum mors avocat, aliis ignotus sum, his invisus, alii largè promittunt, intercedunt illi mecum soliciti, hi vanâ spe lactant; dum alios ambio, hos capto, illis innotesco, ætas perit, anni defluunt, amici fatigantur, ego deseror, & jam, mundi tæsus, humanæque satur infidelitatis acquiesco.

And so I say still; although I may not deny, but that I have had some bountifull patrons, and noble benefactors, ne sim interim ingratus, and I do thankfully acknowledge it, I have received some kindness, quod Deus illis beneficium rependat, si non pro votis, fortasse pro meritis, more peradventure then I deserve, though not to my desire; more of them then I did expect, yet not of others to my desert; neither am I ambitious or covetous, all this while, or a Suffenus to my self: what I have said, without prejudice or alteration shall stand.

And now as a mired horse that struggles at first with all his might and main to get out, but when he sees no remedy, that his beating will not serve, lies still, I have laboured in vain, rest satisfied, and if I may usurpe that of Prudentius,

Inveni portum, spes & fortuna valete, Nil mihi vobiscum, ludite nunc alios.

Mine haven’s found, fortune and hope adieu, Mock others now, for I have done with you.