f the Philosopher Appolonius.
For truelye it is a greater felicity for a Prince to chaunce
vpon a good and faythfull man, to be neare about him, than to
atchieue a large realme and kingdome. Thou sayest (Plutarch)
that thou shalt receiue great contentation, from henceforth, if
I be such a one now as I was before, or at lestwise if I be no
worse. I belieue that which thou doest say, bicause the Emperour
Nero, was the first fiue yeares of hys empyre good, and the
other nine yeares exceedyng euill, in sutch wyse as he grew to
be greater in wickednesse, than in dygnity. Notwithstanding, if
thou thinke that as it chaunced vnto Nero, so may happen vnto
Traiane, I besech the immortall Gods rather to depriue me of
life, than to suffer me to raigne in Rome: for tyrantes bee
they, whych procure dygnytyes and promotyons, to vse them for
delighte and filthye luste: and good Rulers bee they which seeke
them for profite of Common wealthe: and therfore to them whych
before they came to those degrees were good, and afterwardes
waxed Wycked, greater pity than enuye ought to be attributed,
consideryng specyally, that Fortune did not aduaunce them to
honour, but to shame and villany: beleue me then (good maister)
that sith hitherto I haue ben reputed vertuous, I wyl assay by
God's assistance to aspire to be better, rather than to be
worsse. And so the Gods preserue thee.

_The Letter of the Emperour Traiane to the Senate of Rome, wherein
is conteined, that honour ought rather to be deserued than
procured._

Cocceius Traiane Emperour of the Romanes, euer Augustus, to our
sacred Senate health and consolation in the gods of comfort. We
beinge aduertised here at Agrippina of the Deathe of the
Emperour Nerua, your soueraigne Lord and my predecessour, and
knowing it to be true, that you haue wept and bewailed the losse
of a Prince so noble and ryghteous, we likewise haue felt like
sorow, for the death of so notable a father. When children lose
a good father, and subiects a good Prynce, eyther they muste dye
wyth them, or else by teares they must rayse them vp again, for
so much as a good Prince in a common wealth is so rare, as the
Phoenix in Arabia. My lord Nerua broughte me out of Spayne to
Rome, nourished me vp in youth, caused mee to bee trained in
letters and adopted me for his sonne in mine olde age: which
graces and benefits truly I can not forget, knowyng that the
ingrate man prouoketh the Gods to anger, and men to hatred. Th