e
death of a vertuous man is to be lamented of all men, but the
death of a good Prince, ought to be extremely mourned: for if a
common person die, there is but one dead, but if a god Prynce
die, together with him dieth a whole Realme. I speake this (O ye
Fathers) for the rare vertues abounding in myne vncle Nerua: for
if the gods were disposed to sell vs the liues of good Prynces
already departed, it were but a small ransome to redeeme them
with teares: for what gold or syluer may be sufficient to buie
the lyfe of a vertuous man. Truely there woulde be a greate
masse of money gyuen by the Greekes for Alexander, by the
Lacedemonians for Lycurgus, by the Romanes for Augustus, and by
the Carthaginians for Annibal. But as you knewe the gods hauing
made all thynges mortall, so haue they reserued onely themselues
to bee immortall. How eminent and passing the vertue of the good
is, and what priuiledge the godly haue, it may easily bee
knowne: for so mutch, as honour is carried euen to the very
graues of the dead, but so it is not to the greate Palaces of
the wycked. The good and vertuous man, without sighte or
knowledge we loue, serue, and aunswer for him: wherein the
wycked we cannot beleue what he sayeth, and lesse accepte in
good part the thyng whych he doeth for vs. Touchynge the
electyon of the Empyre, it was done by Nerua, it was demaunded
by the people, approued by you, and accepted by me. Wherefore I
prayt the immortall Goddes that it may bee lyked of theyr
godheades: for to small purpose auayleth the election of
Prynces, if the gods doe not confyrme it: and therefore a man
maye knowe hym whych is chosen by the Gods, from him that is
elected by men, for the one shal declyne and fal, the other
shalbe vpholden and preserued: the choyse of man so vaynely
exalted doth bowe and abase, but that which is planted by the
gods, although it bee tossed to and fro wyth seuerall Wynds, and
receiueth greate aduersitye, and boweth a lyttle, yet the same
shall neuer fal. Ye know right wel (most honorable Fathers) that
I neuer demaunded the Empyre of Nerua my Soueraigne Lorde,
although he broughte me vp and was his Nephew, hauing heard and
wel remembring of my Mayster Plutarch, that honour ought rather
to bee deserued than procured. Notwithstanding I wyll not deny
but ioyfull I was when my Lord Nerua sent me the ensigne of that
greate and hygh dignity: and yet I wyll confesse that hauing
begon to tast the trauailes and cares which th