Such kind of dreames, I hould well a man may rehearse, and heare with much pleasure and profit. Bycause they doe more resemble, the Cogitations & thoughts of an awakened minde: or better, I shoulde say, the vertue sensitive: then the visions and sights of a drowsie head. But those other dreames, without shape, fashion or sense: (which the moste parte of suche men as we are, bee wont to have) would be forgotten cleane, and lost with our sleepe. Howbeit, I doe not deny but the dreames of good men and learned, be better and wiser than theires of the wicked and more unlearned sorte.
And albeit a man would weene, there can bee nothing in the worlde more vaine then Dreames: yet there is one thing more light then they, and that are Lies. For there is yet some shadowe, and, as it were, a certaine feeling of that which a man hath seene in his dreame. But there is neither shadowe nor bodye of a trueth in a lie. And therfore we should lesse busie mens eares, and their mindes to harken to lies, then to dreames, because they bee otherwhile received for truethes. But time, in the ende, discovers suche pelfe: that liers, not only doe gaine no credite, but no man vouchesafes to harken unto them, in otherwise (as the men that carry no substaunce in their woordes) then if they had saide nothing or blowne a litle winde. And you shal understand, ther be many yt use to lie, not minding any ill purpose in it, or to make their owne peculiar proffit by it, to hurt other men or shame their neighbour: onely they doe it, for a pleasure they take to tell a lie: as men that drinke not, all for thirst: but for a pleasure they take, to taste of the wine. Other some doe tell lies, to make a vaine glorious boasting of them selves: vaunting and telling in a bravery, what wonderfull exploits they have doone, or bearing men in hand, they be greate doctours and learned men.
In Silence too, after a sorte, without speache, a man may tell a lesinge: I meane with his gestures and grace: as some you shall see, that being of meane, or rather base condition and calling, use suche a solemnitie in all their doings, and marche so stately, and speake with suche a prerogative, or rather discourse like Parleament men, setteling them selves, as it were, in a place of Judgement, proudly prying about them like Peacockes: that it is a very death to behold them.
And some suche you shall finde, that allthough they bee combered with no more wealthe then easily serves their turne: yet will they never appeare unles their neckes be laden with chaines, their fingers full of rings, their cappes beset with agletts, and every other parte bespangled, as though they would defie ye King of Castiglio. Whose behaviours be full of follies and vaine glorie, which cometh of pride, growing of vanitie it selfe. So that wee must eschew these faults, as foule and unseemely things. You shall understand, in many Cities, and those of the best, the lawes doe not suffer, that riche men should go muche more gorgeously attired, then the poore. For poore men thinke they have a wrong: when men seeme, but in countenaunce alone, as it were Imperiously to reigne over them. So that we must carefully beware we fall not into these follies.
Neither must a man boaste of his Nobilitie, his Honour or riches: muche lesse vaunt of his witt, or gloriously reherse to much of his deedes & valiant Actes, or what his Auncestors have done, nor uppon every occasion, fall in rehersall of suche thinges, as many men doe. For in suche case, a man would weene, they seeke, either to contend with the Company, (if they be, or will take uppon them to bee, as good Gentlemen, & of as muche wealthe and worthines, as they bee:) or elles to overcrowe them, (if they live in meaner condition and calling, then they doe). And as it were to upbraide them, their poore and base condition of life.
A man must neither embase, nor exalte him selfe to muche out of measure: but rather bury in silence some parte of his merits, then arrogate to muche unto him. Bycause Goodnes it selfe, when it excedeth muche, is ever envide of some. And you may be sure, they that embase them selves thus beyond measure, refusing that worship and honour that is but duely their owne of very right: shewe more pride in this contempte, then they that usurpe those things, that are not so due unto them. So yt a man perchaunce, might saye, Giotto hath not deserved those Commendations yt some beleve, in yt he refused to be called Master: being not only a master but without doubt a singular and cunning master in his art in those dayes. But be it blame, or praise yt he deserved: it is most sure, he that refuseth that which every man els doth hunt for: sheweth therin, he reproveth or contemneth the common opinion of men. And, to contemne the honour & renowne, which other men gape for so much, is but to glorie and magnifie him selfe above other. For asmuche as there is no man (without he be mad) will refuse and reject things that be deare and of price: unles hee be suche, as hathe plenty and store of those deare and deintie things.
Wee must not boast of those good things that be in us, nor set them to light: for in ye one, wee doe upbraide men their faults: In the other, wee scorne to muche their vertues. But it behoveth every man to speake his owne praise, as litle as hee may. And if occasion drive him unto it: it shalbe good, modestly to speake the truethe, as I have told you before.
And therefore, they that desire to doe men a pleasure: must needes leave one faulte, yt is to common with all men: they must not shewe them selves so afraide and fearefull to speake their mindes, when a man dothe aske their advise. For, it is a deadly paine to here them, & specialy if they be men, in ye Judgement of ye world, of good understanding and wisedome. What a fetching about is this, ere they come to ye mater? Sir I beseche you pardon mee, if I doe not say well. I will speake like a gros man as I am: & grosly according to my pore skil. And Sir, I am sure you will but mocke me for it. But yet, to obey you: & they drawe their words forth so long, & put them selves to suche paine: yt, while these ceremonies be a doing, ye hardest question yt is, might have bin determined with fewer words and shorter time: bycause they cannot get out of these protestations, when they bee in.
They bee also very tedious to men, and their conversation & maners are very troublesome: whoe shewe too base and abject a minde in their doings. And where the chefest and highest place, is apparantly due unto them: they will ever creepe downe to the lowest. And it is a spitefull buisines to thrust them up: For they will straite jogge backe againe, like a resty Jade, or a Nagge that startleth a side at his shadowe. So that, there is muche a dooe wt them, when wee meete at a doore. For they will not (for all you can dooe) in any case enter before you, but so traverse their ground, go backe, and so fray and defend with their armes and their handes: that at every thirde steppe, a man must be ready to wage battell with them: and thus they breake of, all solace and pleasure, and otherwhile, the buisines they meete aboute.
And therfore, Ceremonies, which wee name, as you heare, by a straunge terme, as lacking a worde of our owne, bycause our elders, having no knowledge of those superstitious fashions, coulde not well give them a proper name. Ceremonies, I saye, (in my Judgement,) differ not much from lies & dreames, for their own very vainesse it selfe. So that wee may couple and joine them together in this our treatise, sithe occasion serves so fitt to speake of them here. As a good man hath often shewed me: those solemnities that church men doe use at their Altars, and in their divine service bothe to God and his holy things, are properly called Ceremonies: but after, men did begin, to reverence eche other with curious entertainements, more then were convenient, and would be called masters and Lords, amongest them selves, yealding bending, and bowing their bodies, in token of reverence one to another, uncovering their heads, using highe titles and Styles of honour, and kissing their hands as if they were hollye things: some body, by like considering all these things well, and finding these newe founde curious follies without any name: thought good to Christen and call them Ceremonies, but sure in a jest as I take it: as to be mery and make good cheare, we terme it in sport, a triumph: which custome, no doubt, tooke not his being at us, but elles where, as barbarous & straunge: and not long since, from whence I knowe not, transported into Italie: whose deedes being wretched, and effects base and vile, hath gotten encrease and honor, in vaine woords alone, and superfluous titles.