if he had any
wytte at all. _HED._ Nor you wyll not denye this, that God
is the chiefe and especiall goodnes, then who there is
nothyng fayrer, there is nothyng ameabler, ther is nothing
more delicious and swetter. _SPVDE._ No man wyll deny thys
except he bee very harde hearted and of an vngentler nature
then the _Ciclopes_. _HED._ Nowe you haue graunted vnto
me, that none lyue in more pleasure, then thei whyche lyue
vertuouslye, and agayne, none in more sorowe and calamytie
then those that || lyue vngratiously. _Spu._ Then I haue
grauted more the I thought I had. _He._ But what thing you
haue ones cofessed too bee true (as _Plato_ sayth) you
should not deny it afterward. _SPV._ Go furth with your
matter. _HEDO_ The litle whelpe that is set store and greate
price by, is fed most daintely, lieth soft, plaieth and
maketh pastime continually, doo you thinke that it lyueth
plesautly? _SPV._ It dooeth truely. _HEDO._ Woulde you wyshe
to haue suche a lyfe? _SPV._ God forbyd that, excepte I
woulde rather bee a dogge then a man, _HEDO._ Then you
confesse that all the chief pleasures arise and spring
fro the mynd, as though it were from a welspryng. _SPV._
||C.iii|| That is euident ynough. _HE._ Forsoth the strength
and efficacy of the minde is so great, that often it taketh
away the felyng of al externe and outward pain & maketh that
pleasaunt, which by it selfe is very peynful. _SPV._ We se
that dayly in louers, hauyng great delight to sytte vp long
& too daunce attendaunce at their louers doores all the
colde wynter nyghtes. _HEDo._ Now weigh this also, if the
naturall loue of man, haue suche great vehemency in it,
which is a comune thyng vnto vs, both with bulles and
dogges, howe much more should all heauenly loue excell
in vs, which cometh of ye spirit of Christ, whose stregthe
is of suche power, that it ||would make death a thig most
terrible, too bee but a pleasure vnto vs. _Spu._ What other
men thike inwardly I know not, but certes thei wat many
pleasures which cleaue fast vnto true and perfect vertue.
_He._ What pleasures? _Spu._ Thei waxe not rich, thei optein
no promotio, thei baket not, thei dauce not, thei sing not,
thei smell not of swete oyntmetes, thei laugh not, thei
play not. _He._ We should haue made no mention in thys
place of ryches and prefermente, for they bryng wyth them
no pleasaunt lyfe, but rather a sadde and a pesiue. Let vs
intreate of other thynges, suche as they chiefely seeke for,
whose desy