is one of the best bonds both of chastity and obedience in the wife, if she thinks her husband wise, which she will never do, if she find him jealous. Wives are young men's mistresses, companions for middle age, and old men's nurses; so as a man may have a quarrel to marry when he will. But yet he was reputed one of the wise men, that made answer to the question-when a man should marry? "A young man not yet, an elder man not at all.” It is often seen, that bad husbands have very good wives; whether it be, that it raiseth the price of their husbands' kindness when it comes, or that the wives take a pride in their patience. But this never fails, if the bad husbands were of their own choosing, against their friends' consent; for then they will be sure to make good their own folly.

Of Envy.

THERE be none of the affections, which have been noted to fascinate or bewitch, but Love and Envy. They both have vehement wishes, they frame themselves readily into imaginations and suggestions; and they come easily into the eye, especially upon the presence of the objects, which are the points that conduce to fascination, if any such thing there be. We see likewise the Scripture calleth Envy an evil eye; and the astrologers call the

evil influences of the stars, evil aspects: so that still there seemeth to be acknowledged in the act of Envy, an ejaculation or irradiation of the eye. Nay, some have been so curious as to note, that the times when the stroke or percussion of an envious eye doth most hurt, are, when the party envied is beheld in glory or triumph; for that sets an edge upon Envy: and besides, at such times the spirits of the person envied do come forth most into the outward parts, and so meet the blow.

But leaving these curiosities, (though not unworthy to be thought on in fit place,) we will handle, what persons are apt to Envy others, what persons are most subject to be Envied themselves, and what is the difference between public and private Envy.

A man that hath no virtue in himself, ever envieth virtue in others. For men's minds will either feed upon their own good, or upon others' evil; and who wanteth the one, will prey upon the other; and who so is out of hope to attain to another's virtue, will seek to come at even hand by depressing another's fortune.

A man that is busy and inquisitive, is commonly envious for to know much of other men's matters cannot be, because all that ado may concern his estate; therefore it must needs be, that he taketh a kind of play-pleasure in looking upon the fortunes of others; neither can he that mindeth but his own

business, find much matter for Envy: for Envy is a gadding passion, and walketh the streets, and doth not keep home: "There is no man who abounds in curiosity, but the same is also a malevolent man."

Men of noble birth are noted to be envious towards new men when they rise: for the distance is altered; and it is like a deceit of the eye, that when others come on, they think themselves go back.

Deformed persons, and eunuchs, and old men, and bastards, are envious: for he that cannot possibly mend his own case, will do what he can to impair another's, except these defects light upon a very brave and heroical nature, which thinketh to make his natural wants part of his honour; in that it should be said, that an eunuch, or lame man, did such great matters, affecting the honour of a miracle, as it was in Narses the eunuch, and Agesilaus, and Tamerlane, that were lame men.

The same is the case of men that rise after calamities and misfortunes; for they are as men fallen out with the times, and think other men's harms a redemption of their own sufferings.

They that desire to excel in too many matters, out of levity and vain-glory, are ever envious; for they cannot want work, it being impossible but many in some one of those things should surpass them; which was the character of Adrian the em

peror, that mortally envied poets, and painters, and artificers in works wherein he had a vein to excel.

Lastly, near kinsfolks and fellows in office, and those that have been bred together, are more apt to envy their equals, when they are raised: for it doth upbraid unto them their own fortunes, and pointeth at them, and cometh oftener into their remembrance, and incurreth likewise more into the note of others; and Envy ever redoubleth from speech and fame. Cain's Envy was the more vile and malignant towards his brother Abel, because when his sacrifice was better accepted, there was nobody to look on. Thus much for those that are apt to Envy.

Concerning those that are more or less subject to Envy first, persons of eminent virtue, when they are advanced, are less envied for their fortune seemeth but due unto them; and no man envieth the payment of a debt, but rewards and liberality rather. Again, Envy is ever joined with the comparing of a man's self; and where there is no comparison, no Envy; and therefore kings are not envied, but by kings. Nevertheless, it is to be noted, that unworthy persons are most envied at their first coming in, and afterwards overcome it better; whereas, contrariwise, persons of worth and merit are most envied, when their fortune continueth long. For by that time, though their virtue be the same,

yet it hath not the same lustre ; for fresh men grow up that darken it.

Persons of noble blood are less envied in their rising; for it seemeth but right done to their birth. Besides, there seemeth not much added to their fortunes; and Envy is as the sun-beams, that beat hotter upon a bank or steep rising ground, than upon a flat. And for the same reasons, those that are advanced by degrees, are less envied than those that are advanced suddenly, and per saltum," at a jump."

Those that have joined with their honour great travels, cares, or perils, are less subject to Envy : for men think that they earn their honours hardly, and pity them sometimes; and pity ever healeth Envy: wherefore you shall observe, that the more deep and sober sort of politic persons, in their greatness, are ever bemoaning themselves, what a life they lead, chaunting "How many evils we endure!" Not that they feel it so, but only to abate the edge of Envy. But this is to be understood of business that is laid upon men, and not such as they call unto themselves: for nothing increaseth Envy more than an unnecessary and ambitious engrossing of business; and nothing doth extinguish Envy more, than for a great person to preserve all other inferior officers in their full rights and pre