unce of
that vaine honor weighes, what those reuerences cost them, and
how dearely they pay for an ell of those rich stuffes: who knewe
them well, would neuer buy them at the price. The one hath
attained to this degree, after a long and painefull seruice
hazarding his life vpon euery occasion, with losse ofttimes of a
legge or an arme, and that at the pleasure of a Prince, that
more regards a hundred perches of ground on his neighbours
frontiers, then the liues of a hundred thousand such as he:
vnfortunate to serue who loues him not: and foolish to thinke
himselfe in honor with him, that makes so litle reckening to
loose him for a thing of no worth. Others growe vp by flattering
a Prince, and long submitting their toongs and hands to say and
doe without difference whatsoeuer they will haue them: wherevnto
a good minde can neuer commaund it selfe. They shall haue
indured a thousand iniuries, receiued a thousand disgraces, and
as neere as they seeme about the Prince, they are neuertheles
alwayes as the Lions keeper, who by long patience, a thousand
feedings and a thousand clawings hath made a fierce Lion
familiar, yet geues him neuer meate, but with pulling backe his
hand, alwayes in feare least he should catch him: and if once in
a yere he bites him, he sets it so close, that he is paid for a
long time after. Such is the ende of all princes fauorites. When
a Prince after long breathings hath raised a man to great
height, he makes it his pastime, at what time he seemes to be at
the top of his trauaile, to cast him downe at an instant: when
he hath filled him with all wealth, he wrings him after as a
sponge: louing none but himself, and thinking euery one made,
but to serue, and please him. These blinde courtiers make
themselues beleeue, that they haue freends, and many that honor
them: neuer considering that as they make semblance to loue, and
honor euery body, so others do by them. Their superiors disdaine
them, and neuer but with scorne do so much as salute them. Their
inferiors salute them because they haue neede of them (I meane
of their fortune, of their foode, of their apparell, not of
their person) and for their equalls betweene whome commonly
friendship consistes, they enuy each other, accuse each other,
crosse each other; continually greeued either at their owne
harme, or at others good. Nowe what greater hell is there, what
greater torment, then enuie? which in truth is nought else but a
feauer _Hectique_ of