ey borne on the highest Alpes? they seeke to scale heauen.
Haue they subdued all the Kings of the earth? they haue quarels
to pleade with God, and indeuour to treade vnder foote his
kingdome. They haue no end nor limit, till God laughing at their
vaine purposes, when they thinke themselues at the last step,
thunderstriketh all this presumption, breaking in shiuers their
scepters in their hands, and oftentimes intrapping them in their
owne crownes. At a word, whatsoeuer happines can be in that
ambition promiseth, is but suffering much ill, to get ill. Men
thinke by dayly climing higher to plucke themselues out of this
ill, and the height wherevnto they so painefully aspire, is the
height of misery it selfe. I speake not heere of the wretchednes
of them, who all their life haue held out their cap to receiue
the almes of court fortune, and can get nothing, often with
incredible heart griefe, seeing some by lesse paines taken haue
riches fall into their hands: of them, who iustling one an other
to haue it, loose it, and cast it into the hands of a third: Of
those, who holding it in their hands to hold it faster, haue
lost it through their fingers. Such by all men are esteemed
vnhappie, and are indeed so, because they iudge themselues so.
It sufficeth that all these liberalities which the Deuill
casteth vs as out at a windowe, are but baites: all these
pleasures but embushes: and that he doth but make his sport
of vs, who striue one with another for such things, as most
vnhappie is he, that hath best hap to finde them. Well now, you
will say, the Couetouse in all his goodes, hath no good: the
Ambitious at the best he can be, is but ill. But may there not
be some, who supplying the place of Iustice, or being neere
about a Prince, may without following such vnbrideled passions,
pleasantly enioy their goodes, ioyning honor with rest and
contentment of minde? Surely in former ages (there yet remayning
among men some sparkes of sinceritie) in some sort it might
be so: but being of that composition they nowe are, I see not
how it may be in any sorte. For deale you in affayres of estate
in these times, either you shall do well, or you shall do ill.
If ill, you haue God for your enemy, and your owne conscience
for a perpetually tormenting executioner. If well, you haue men
for your enemies, and of men the greatest: whose enuie and
malice will spie you out, and whose crueltie and tyrannie will
euermore threaten you. Please the peop