or pitie) is not so
decent in a man: and therefore all high minded persons, when they cannot
chuse but shed teares, wil turne away their face as a countenance vndecent
for a man to shew, and so will the standers by till they haue supprest
such passion, thinking it nothing decent to behold such an vncomely
countenance. But for Ladies and women to weepe and shed teares at euery
little greefe it is nothing vncomely, but rather a signe of much good
nature & meekness of minde, a most decent propertie for that sexe, and
therefore they be for the more part more deuout and charitable, and
greater geuers of almes than men, and zealous relieuers of prisoners, and
beseechers of pardons, and such like parts of commiseration. Yea they be
more than so too: for by the common prouerbe, a woman will weepe for pitie
to see a gosling goe barefoote.

But most certainly all things that moue a man to laughter, as doe these
scurrilities & other ridiculous behauiours, it is for some vndecencie that
is found in them: which maketh it decent for euery man to laugh at them.
And therefore when we see or heare a natural foole and idiot doe or say
any thing foolishly, we laugh not at him: but when he doeth or speaketh
wisely, because that is vnlike him selfe: and a buffonne or counterfet
foole, to heare him speake wisely which is like himselfe, it is no sport
at all, but for such a counterfait to talke and looke foolishly it maketh
us laugh, because it is no part of his naturall, for in euery vncomlinesse
there must be a certaine absurditie and disproportion to nature, and the
opinion of the hearer or beholder to make the thing ridiculous. But for a
foole to talke foolishly or a wiseman wisely, there is no such absurditie
or disproportion.

And though at all absurdities we may decently laugh, & when they be no
absurdities not decently, yet in laughing is there an vndecencie for other
respectes sometime, than of the matter it selfe, Which made _Philippus_
sonne to the first Christen Emperour, _Phillipus Arabicus_ sitting with
his father one day in the theatre to behold the sports, giue his father a
great rebuke because he laughed, saying that it was no comely countenance
for an Emperour to bewray in such a publicke place, nor specially to laugh
at euery foolish toy: the posteritie gaue the sonne for that cause the
name of _Philippus Agelastos_ or without laughter.

I haue seene forraine Embassadours in the Queenes presence laugh so
dissolutely at so