d swelling gowte, or any other like disease, for if they
may be such as may be either easily discerned or quickly cured, they be
ill to dissemble and doo halfe handsomely serue the turne.

But it must be either a dry dropsie, or a megrim or letarge, or a fistule
_in ano_, or some such other secret disease, as the common conuersant can
hardly discouer, and the Phisition either not speedily heale, or not
honestly bewray? of which infirmities the scoffing _Pasquil_ wrote, _Vleus
vesicae renum dolor in peno scirrus_. Or as I haue seene in diuers places
where many make themselues hart whole, when in deede they are full sicke,
bearing it stoutly out to the hazard of their health, rather then they
would be suspected of any lothsome infirmity, which might inhibit them
from the Princes presence, or entertainment of the ladies. Or as some
other do to beare a port of state & plentie when they haue neither penny
nor possession, that they may not seeme to droope, and be reiected as
vnworthy or insufficient for the greater seruices, or be pitied for their
pouertie, which they hold for a marueilous disgrace as did the poore
Squire of Castile, who had rather dine with a sheepes head at home &
drinke a cruse of water to it, then to haue a good dinner giuen him by his
friend who was nothing ignorant of his pouertie. Or as others do to make
wise they be poore when they be riche, to shunne thereby the publicke
charges and vocations, for men are not now a dayes (specially in states of
_Oligarchie_ as the most in our age) called somuch for their wisedome as
for their wealth, also to auoyde enuie of neighbours or bountie in
conuersation, for whosoeuer is reputed rich cannot without reproch, but be
either a lender or a spender. Or as others do to seeme very busie when
they haue nothing to doo, and yet will make themselues so occupied and
ouerladen in the Princes affaires, as it is a great matter to haue a
couple of wordes with them, when notwithstanding they lye sleeping on
their beds all an after noone, or sit solemnly at cardes in their
chambers, or enterteyning of the Dames, or laughing and gibing with their
familiars foure houres by the clocke, whiles the poore suter desirous of
his dispatch is aunswered by some Secretarie or page _il fault attendre,
Monsieur_ is dispatching the kings businesse into Languedock, Prouence
Piemont, a common phrase with the Secretaries of France. Or as I haue
obserued in many of the Princes Courts of Italie, to