WYSE MAN SOLON. 5 I
the total summe of man's life, then is produced the summe of xxv. M. cc. dayes. Truly one day is not like an other in effect, euen so Craefus I conclude, that man is ful of miferie. But althoughe your grace, feeming both in wealth, and also in multitude of men, to be a riche and mightie king, yet I cannot aunfwere fullye your demaunde, besore I fee howe well you doe ende your life : for the rich man is not more happie, because he hath long life, except to his riches fortune graunt that he lead a good and honest life. Many men be very rich, and yet for all that be not bleffed and happie : and manye that haue but meane wealth, be fortunate. He that is rich and wealthie, and therewithal not happie, excelleth him that is fortunate and happy onely in two thinges, but th'other fur- mounteth the riche man in many thinges. The two thinges where in the rich excelleth th'other be these. Th'one in satisfying his luft and affection, th'other in power and abilitie, to fufteine harde fortune and aduerfitie; and as the meane man is inferiour to the rich in these two points, which by fortune be denied him, yet he doth excell him, because he neuer hath experience of them ; he liueth in good and profperous health, he neuer feeleth aduerfitie, he doth nothing that is wicked, he is a father of good children, he is indued with sormofity and beautie, who if (befides all those thinges) he die well, it is he to aunfwere your demaunde that worthely may be called happie ; for besore he die he cannot be so called : and yet fortunate he may be termed. for to obtaine all (whiles you be a liuing man) it is impossible : for as one countrie is not able to feme it selfe with all commodities, but hauing one it lacketh an other : yet the fame countrie that hath most com modities is the befte : and as a man's bodie hauing one perfection is not perfect, because in hauing one he lacketh another : euen so he that hath most vertue, and is indued with greateft nomber of the asoresaid commodities, and so quietly departeth his life, he in mine opinion is worthy to be intitled with the name of a king. A man muft expect th'ende of euery thinge whereunto it tendeth : for God plucketh vppe by the rootes many men, to whom hee hath giuen abundaunce of wealth and treafure." Crsefus mifliking the woordes of Solon fuffred him to depart saying: " He was a soole that meafured prefent pleafures with no better regard." After
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