to [2290]Munster, amongst us
Christians in Lithuania, they voluntarily mancipate and sell themselves,
their wives and children to rich men, to avoid hunger and beggary; [2291]
many make away themselves in this extremity. Apicius the Roman, when he
cast up his accounts, and found but 100,000 crowns left, murdered himself
for fear he should be famished to death. P. Forestus, in his medicinal
observations, hath a memorable example of two brothers of Louvain that,
being destitute of means, became both melancholy, and in a discontented
humour massacred themselves. Another of a merchant, learned, wise otherwise
and discreet, but out of a deep apprehension he had of a loss at seas,
would not be persuaded but as [2292]Ventidius in the poet, he should die a
beggar. In a word, thus much I may conclude of poor men, that though they
have good [2293]parts they cannot show or make use of them: [2294]_ab
inopia ad virtutem obsepta est via_, 'tis hard for a poor man to [2295]
rise, _haud facile emergunt, quorum virtutibus obstat res angusta domi_.
[2296]"The wisdom of the poor is despised, and his words are not heard."
Eccles. vi. 19. His works are rejected, contemned, for the baseness and
obscurity of the author, though laudable and good in themselves, they will
not likely take.

"Nulla placere diu, neque vivere carmina possunt,
Quae scribuntur atquae potoribus."------

"No verses can please men or live long that are written by water-drinkers."
Poor men cannot please, their actions, counsels, consultations, projects,
are vilified in the world's esteem, _amittunt consilium in re_, which
Gnatho long since observed. [2297]_Sapiens crepidas sibi nunquam nec soleas
fecit_, a wise man never cobbled shoes; as he said of old, but how doth he
prove it? I am sure we find it otherwise in our days, [2298] _pruinosis
horret facundia pannis_. Homer himself must beg if he want means, and as by
report sometimes he did [2299]"go from door to door, and sing ballads, with
a company of boys about him." This common misery of theirs must needs
distract, make them discontent and melancholy, as ordinarily they are,
wayward, peevish, like a weary traveller, for [2300] _Fames et mora bilem
in nares conciunt_, still murmuring and repining: _Ob inopiam morosi sunt,
quibus est male_, as Plutarch quotes out of Euripides, and that comical
poet well seconds,

[2301] "Omnes quibus res sunt minus secundae, nescio quomodo
Suspitiosi, ad contum