,
these in the middest of all this silence and delicacie, do
nothing but turne from side to side, it seemes still that they
heare some body, there rest it selfe is without rest. Lastly,
will you knowe what the diuersitie is betwene the most hardly
intreated prisoners and them? both are inchained, both loaden
with fetters, but that the one hath them of iron, the other of
gould, and that the one is tied but by the body, the other by
the mind. The prisoner drawes his fetters after him, the
courtier weareth his vpon him. The prisoners minde sometimes
comforts the paine of his body, and sings in the midst of his
miseries: the courtier tormented in minde weerieth incessantly
his body, and can neuer giue it rest. And as for the contentment
you imagine they haue, you are therein yet more deceiued. You
iudge and esteeme them great, because they are raised high: but
as fondly, as who should iudge a dwarfe great, for being set on
a tower, or on the top of a mountaine. You measure (so good a
Geometrician you are) the image with his base, which were
conuenient, to knowe his true height, to be measured by itselfe:
whereas you regard not the height of the image, but the height
of the place it stands vpon. You deeme them great (if in this
earth there can be greatnes, which in respect of the whole
heauens is but a point.) But could you enter into their mindes,
you would iudge, that neither they are great, true greatnes
consisting in contempt of those vaine greatnesses, wherevnto
they are slaues: nor seeme vnto themselues so, seeing dayly they
are aspiring higher, and neuer where they would be. Some one
sets downe a bound in his minde. Could I attaine to such a
degree, loe, I were content: I would then rest my selfe. Hath he
attained it? he geues himselfe not so much as a breathing: he
would yet ascend higher. That which is beneath he counts a toy:
it is in his opinion but one step. He reputes himselfe lowe,
because there is some one higher, in stead of reputing himselfe
high, because there are a million lower. And so high he climes
at last, that either his breath failes him by the way, or he
slides from the top to the bottome. Or if he get vp by all his
trauaile, it is but as to finde himselfe on the top of the
Alpes: not aboue the cloudes, windes and stormes: but rather at
the deuotion of lightnings, and tempests, and whatsoeuer else
horrible, and dangerous is engendred, and conceiued in the aire:
which most commonly taketh pleasure