A Very Pleasaunt Fruitful Diologe Called the Epicure | Page 5

of Christ shuld bee
most strongely warded and defended, for almost all the Prophetes, and
a great parte of the scripture beside teache them their duties, and shew
playnely what maner of men they shulde bee: Yea, and how greuously
the holy Prophetes crie out vpon false and ignoraunt priestes, the thyng
is very euident. But through the helppe of God all those that be
ignoraunt, or els learned (as they take them selues) wyll leaue of, and
repent them of their wicked and obstinate blyndnes, and bowe them
selues with all oportunitie too draw mens heartes too the holy testament
of God: consideryng, that in the terrible day of iudgement, euery mã
shall yeoue accompte of his Beliwicke, where neither ignoraûce shall
excuse vs, ne yet any worldly põpe may defêd vs. Most happye thê
shall they bee, whiche haue walked iustely in the sight of the Lorde,
and ||B.iii.|| that haue syncerely preached his testament and lyuely
woord withoute flattery or iuggelyng: Yea, and in that fearful day, all
they (as writeth S. Augustine) shal fynde mercie at the handes of god,
whiche haue entised and allured other vnto goodnes and vertue.
Weiyng this with my self, (most excellent, and vnto all kynd of vertues
most prõpt & prestãt Prince) I thought it good too translate this Dialoge,
called the Epicure, for your grace: whiche semed too me, too bee very
familiar, & one of ye godliest Dialoges that any mã hath writtê in ye
latin tong. Now therfore I most humili praie, that this my rude & simple
trãslation may bee acceptable vnto your grace, trustyng also that your
most approued gentilnes, wil take it in good part. There as I doo not
folow ye latyn, woord for woord, for I omytte that of a certaine set
purpose.
_Your humile seruaunt, Philyppe_ Gerrard, groume of your graces

Chambre.
* * * * *
The interlocutours
{HEDONIVS} {SPVDEVS}
What meaneth hit Spudeus, too applye hys booke so ernestlye I praye
you what is the matter you murmour so with yourselfe? _SPVDEVS._
The truth is (O _Hedoni_) I seke too haue knowledge of a thing, but as
yet I cannot fynde that whych maketh for my purpose. HEDO What
booke haue you there in your bosome? _SPVDE. Ciceros_ ||dialoge of
the endes of goodnes. _HEDO._ It had bene farre more better for you,
too haue sought for the begynnynges of godly thynges, then the endes.
_SPVDE._ Yea, but Marcus Tullius nameth that the ende of godlines
which is an exquisite, a far passing, and a very absolute goodnes in
euerye puincte, wherein there is contained all kynde of vertu: vnto the
knowledge ther of whosoeuer can attaine, shuld desire none other thîg,
but hold himselfe hauyng onely that, as one most fully content and
satisfied. _HED._ That is a worke of very great learning and eloquence.
But doo you thynke, that you haue preuailed in any thîg there, whereby
you haue the ||rather come too the knowledge of the truth? _SPE._ I
haue had such fruite and cõmoditie by it, that now verelye hereafter I
shall doubt more of the effect and endes of good thinges, then I did
before. _HEDO._ It is for husbãd menne too stande in doubt how farre
the limittes and merebãkes extend. _SPE._ And I cannot but muse styll,
yea, and wonder very muche, why ther hath been so great controuersie
in iudgementes vpon so weightie a matter (as this is) emongist so well
learned menne: especially suche as bee most famous and auncient
writers. _HEDO._ This was euen the cause, where the verite of a thyng
is playne and manifest, cõtrarily, ye errour through || ignoraunce againe
in the same, is soone great & by diuers meanes encreaseth, for that thei
knewe not the foundation and first beginnyng of the whole matter, they
doo iudge at all auentures and are very fondly disceaued, but whose
sentence thynke you too bee truest? _SPE._ Whan I heare MARCVS
Tullius reproue the thyng, I then fãtasie none of all their iudgementes,
and whan I heare hym agayne defende the cause: it maketh me more

doubtfull thê euer I was and am in suche a studie, that I can say
nothyng. But as I suppose ye Stoickes haue erred the lest, and nexte
vnto thê I commend the Peripatetickes. _HEDo._ Yet I lyke none of
their opinions || so well as I doo the Epicures. _SPV._ And emõgist all
the sectes: the Epicures iudgement is most reproued and condemned
with the whole consent and arbitremêt of all menne. _HED._ Let vs
laye a side all disdayne and spite of names, and admitte the Epicure too
bee suche one, as euery man maketh of hym. Let vs ponder and weighe
the thyng as it is in very deed. He setteth