these princes had been as a Trajan[1] or a Marcus Aurelius,[2] a man might have thought that this had proceeded of an abundant goodness of nature; but being men so wise, of such strength and severity of mind, and so extreme lovers of themselves, as all these were, it proveth most plainly that they found their own felicity (though as great as ever happened to mortal men) but as an half piece, except they mought[3] have a friend to make it entire; and yet, which[4] is more, they were princes that had wives, sons, nephews; and yet all these could not supply the comfort of friendship.
It is not to be forgotten what Comineus[5] observeth of his first master, Duke Charles the Hardy;[6] namely, that he would communicate[7] his secrets with none; and least of all, those secrets which troubled him most. Whereupon he goeth on and
- ↑ Marcus Ulpius Trajanus, surnamed Dacicus and Parthicus, born about 53, died 117 A.D., Roman emperor from 98 to 117 A.D.
- ↑ Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, originally Marcus Annus Verus, commonly known as Marcus Aurelius, 121–180 A.D., Roman emperor from 161 to 180 A.D. He wrote, in Greek, a very celebrated book, entitled, The Meditations of Marcus Antoninus.
- ↑ Mought. Old form of might.
"So sound he slept, that nought mought him awake."
Spenser. The Faery Queene. Book I. Canto i. Stanza 42. - ↑ Which. What.
"Which a miracle ther befel anoon."
Chaucer. The Knightes Tale. Line 1817.
- ↑ Philippe de Comines, or Commines, or Comynes, born about 1445, died in 1519, a French statesman and historian.
- ↑ Charles the Bold (French, le Téméraire), 1433–1477, Duke of Burgundy.
- ↑ Communicate. To inform a person of; to tell. Now construed with 'to' instead of 'with.'
all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the Lord, that he had done for Israel." Joshua xxiv. 31. The quotation is from Dion Cassius Cocceianus (Cassii Dionis Cocceiani Historiae Romanae Liber LXXV. 15).
