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the Proverbe, That the Divell is full of knowledge, because hee is olde. And therefore they ought to bridle their SECOND over rashe tongues, and to use chiefly silence in steede of BOOKE medicine, imprinting in their heartes this saying, That a young man shoulde hardly speake in his owne cause, though he bee in a manner urged unto it.

Guaz. It is a common saying, that a young man is to be blamed, which will talke like an olde man, and a woman which will speake like a man.

ANNIB. Young men ought chiefely to keepe this silence when they are amongest olde men, whose companie is marvellous avayleable unto them.

GUAZ. It is so much behoofull to them, as it is for the most part hatefull to them, by reason of the diversitie of complexions, fancies, and conditions, so that they flye from it so much as possibly they may, that they may injoy the companie of their equals.

ANNIB. Men ought to conceive so much the better opinion of those young men, which willingly associate themselves with old men, for that they seeme to prevent age, with vertue and beginning by time to be wise, they continewe so a long time. Whereof it commeth, that easily, and before the tyme, as it were, with the good report they have wonne, and the good deedes they have done, they come to honour and preferment. And therefore in my opinion, those young men which eschue the companie of old, hyde their woundes, and make them to fester inwardly. And contrariwyse, those which followe it, lay open their imperfections, and thereby receive guerison.

GUAZ. It is much better to acknowledge our imperfections in our youth, then in our age, for as the Poet sayth,

In youth to doe amisse, it is the lesse reproche.

ANNIB. There is no doubt of it, but that young folke learne of old, by reason of their authoritie and wisedome, to moderate their burning desires, to acknowledge their wavering inconstancie, and to correct their other naturall imperfections. And as, having occasion of farre travayle

THE into unknowen Countries, wee addresse our selves to some SECOND one whiche knoweth the way to give us certaine instructions BOOKE of it: so likewise in this pilgrimage wee have to make in

this doutfull and deceitful life, wee can not doe better, then to bee informed of those which have happily, as it were, reached to their journies ende, to knowe what wayes wee ought to forsake, and what to take to come safely to the ende of our voyage: whiche is most daungerous to young folke, as the wise man sayth, who, to the uncertaine flight of the Egle in the ayre, of the ship on the sea, and of the serpent on the rocke, addeth, as most uncertaine, the way of a yong man in his first yeres. Yong men therfore are to folow the companie of olde, and to make their account, that hee which frequenteth the wise, becommeth wise, and to imitate the youth of Rome, which had age in such reverence, that every one did honour to his elder, as to his parent. And contrariwise it was counted a thing worthy punishement, if a yong man did no reverence to an olde, or a childe to one at mans state. *Yea in some Countries, it is not lawefull for a young man to beare witnesse against his elder.* And in truethe it is reasonable that eche one make reverent account of those whiche doe surmount them in age and understanding. And as they see their youngers honour them in respect that they are more auncient, so mooved by that example, they ought to reverence those whiche are their elders. But after other medicines meete for young mens health, I will for conclusion adde this, that as hee ought to avoyde bolde presumption, so hee ought in companie to bee indued with suche a modest shamefastnesse, that his cheekes may nowe and then bee dyed with Vermilion, whiche will become him, and is a token of a good nature, and a signe that he wil come to goodnesse.

Guaz. I coulde never lyke of a young man that is im pudent. For besides that hee is ill thought of, in that he wanteth the vertue of modestie, whiche hee ought to bee indued withal, it seemeth to prognosticate that he wil come to some ill end.

ANNIB. I thinke wee have spoken sufficiently of yong folke, so that I thinke good that we turne our eyes from the East to the West, and consider what belongeth to old folke even in whom there breake forth many maladies, as wel of mind as of body.

GUAZ. I know not how you can heale those old festred soares which are so hard to be cured.

ANNIB. Olde soares are in deede hardly healed, but al soares are not festred in old folke. I count those old and festred which have taken deepe rootes, and which began to growe even from youth forward, but those I count not old which old age for the most part bringeth with it. As to be severe, churlish, covetous, whining, etc. Which are diseases wherof some old folke may be cured, by giving place to reason.

GUAZ. Albeit perchaunce they may bee cured of those diseases, yet in my fancy it is not well done to goe about it. But it is better rather to followe their humour, like as we doe to those whiche are past recoverie, in every thing which they demaunde, following the common saying, that wee must not adde affliction to the afflicted.

ANNIB. The right olde men (to wit the wise) the neerer they approch to their ende, the more delight they take in knowledge and vertue. Touching this, I would have you call to minde the saying of him, whiche sayde that if hee had one foote within the grave, yet hee woulde still bee learning somewhat. For that hee was not ignorant that the things whiche wee knowe, are but the least part of the things wee knowe not. Yea wee may say, that a man never beginneth to knowe, until by age wee drawe towardes the ende of our life. Which a certaine philosopher sheweth very wel, who with lamentation complaineth of nature, for giving a very long life to many reasonles creatures, using great liberalitie towards them, and dealing very hardly with man, who is deprived of life, then when he beginneth to live, that is, to understand, and then when hee ought to injoy the fruites of his labours. But I meane not heere to discourse unto olde folke, what is requisite for them to

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sustaine the burthen of age, and to arrive safely at the SECOND haven and ende of misery and sorrowe: For that were to BOOKE perswade my selfe foolishly that Cato had not spoken of that matter largely and eloquently. But I wil say unto you, that many olde folke complaine without cause, that their age is smally regarded or reverenced, and perswade themselves, for that they have a whyte beard, for that they are bald, bleareyed, toothlesse, crooked, trembling, and sickly, that therfore al honor shoulde be due unto them, and many of them see not how voide they are of understanding, vertue, and wisedome. And therefore they ought to consider, that olde age is not to bee respected or reverenced for the number of their yeeres, but chiefly for the merite of their good conditions and Vertue: and thereuppon it is sayde, that to bee hoare heared, is a signe of yeeres, not of knowledge. And if I may say, that an old man without knowledge and vertue, is worthy no honour at all, for that it is a signe hee hath spent his youth in nothing that is commendable. Whiche is confirmed by this saying, that three sortes of men are odious to the world, a poore man proude, a riche man a lyar, and an old man a foole. Now touching conversation, I woulde advise old men to temper alwayes their talke with gravitie and wisedom, and for the most part to speake of those things which serve for example and instruction of life.

GUAZ. No doubt, it is alwayes the use to attribute much to old age, and their words are ever of more force then yong mens.

ANNIB. Thereof it commeth, that as yong men beeing asked their age, make themselves yonger then they are, to conserve the ornament of youth, and to make others thinke they have that force and sufficiency in them, which is incident to youth: so likewise old men alwayes make them selves older then they are, to injoy the preheminence and authority which is given to age.*

GUAZZO. This is very true for the most part, yet now and then wee see some olde doating fooles, who notwithstanding they feele their legges feeble and trembling under

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them, and see in their glasse their whyte heares, whiche exhorte them to change of life, and manners, yet for all SECOND that they wil not yeelde themselves, but will take uppon them to play the souldiours, and the lovers, little esteeming that saying, that

It is not meete for age,

to sue the slippery traine

Of Venus or of Mars, both which

pay labour but with paine.

So that they will not onely not confesse their age, but make themselves yonger then they are.

ANNIB. Those whom you speake of are very offensive, for that by their evil example they imbolden young men to doe ill. And therefore I account him to be of great wisedome which can conforme his manners to his age, having an eye to the saying of the Apostle, when I was a childe I spoke like a childe, but being man growen, I cast away al childish tricks. But you say nothing of those, who not content to yeelde to the course of nature, desire to seeme young, and goe another way to woorke to hide their age, that is, by pulling of their white heares, or else seeking to convert their silver heares into golden ones, the simple soules not perceiving that this their transformation or rather deformation is no more seene then a nose in a mans face.

GUAZ. There was one olde graybeard, who perceived this well ynough, but too late and with repentance. For having been denied a suite which hee craved at his princes handes, he went and dyed his bearde and his head, and perswading himselfe he should not be knowne, returned twoo dayes after to the prince, preferring his former suite, who spying his crafte, making as though he perceived it not, answered him, I cannot with mine honour graunt it to you, for that I have alredie denied it to your father, who twoo dayes since requested the same thing at my handes.

ANNIB. Let us nowe make an ende of this matter, advising olde men to suffer their minde to waxe olde together