FLattery saith S. Auslē, Tom. 10. Hom. 20. is fal­laci laude sedu­ctio, a thing that w^th ouer much praising deceiues vs, and causes an ouerliking of our selues, by our selues. And Flatterers are they that defile the soules, and [Page 2] make a spoyle of the goods of those that haue to doe with them, such as both in word and deede apply themselues to ano­thers will; that conformi­tie of theirs beeing falfe and fained, not faithfull and true, but with the onely intent to deceiue, or receiue, & make some profit to thēselues: whom Chrysostome thus defines. Adulatores sunt qui colunt aliquem vt auferant ab eo aliquid boni Temporarij. Hom. 6. ad Philip. 5. For when wee praise any for that hee deserues not to bee praised, or more then he desires to be prai­sed, [Page 3] for some priuate end to our selues, that is Flat­terie, which is Excessus de­lectandi alios verbis vel fa­ctis, An excesse in pleasing both in wordes and acti­ons, to the end to winde our selues into the fami­liaritie of those, out of whom we meane to make a cōmoditie to our selues. This flattery is a sweete poyson, a thing that na­turally is very pleasant to vs, to heare our selues cō ­mended. And the humo­rist that in this must please our aymes, but be blandus, a smooth enemy, a wolfe in sheepes cloathing, and [Page 4] therefore the more dan­gerous, and more need of looking to; for their baite is mel venenatum & vene­num mellitum. This flat­tery, saith one, is nothing else but false friendship, fawning hypocrisy, disho­nest ciuility, base mer­chandise of words, a plau­sible discord of the heart, and lips: he is bleare-eyed to ill, and cannot see vi­ces, & his tongue walks euer in one tracke of vn­iust praises, and can no more tell how to discom­mend, then to speake truth. His speeches are wondering interiections, [Page 5] all his titles are Superla­tiue, & this very seldome but in presence, and to ve­ry few but such as out of whom he may sucke some commodity. I may there­fore say of them as Dioge­nes did to Aristippus: Quòd diuitum sunt Asseclae. I dare warrant those that haue wealth, haue little want of such: For they are shamelesse creatures, and so base, that they are more neere the nature of beasts then men: and therefore Diogenes knew no fitter E­pithet to giue Aristippus then canis Regius the kings Dog. For men (I might [Page 6] say beasts) of that kind are more fitly to be compared with the fawning nature of Dogs, then worthy to be honored with the title of men. This is that which the Prophet calleth in the Psalmes, Oleum peccatoris: for saith he, Emendabit me iustus & arguet me, oleum autem Peccatoris non impin­get caput meum. Meaning therby that he had rather be seuerely corrected, and reproued by the iust man, then praised & commen­ded by the flatterer, who as Isay saith, [...]ap. 3. Felices vos di­cunt, & in errorem vos mit­tunt. You see our Prophet [Page 7] will haue no dealing with these kind of people, but by all means auoid them. Now for such as are made proud by these Sycho­phants and Flatterers, it may well be said of them, Creuit caput, for Impingua­tum est oleo peccatoris. And of this vnction, one saith very well, Quid est adulato­tis vnctio nisi Domorum emunctio? Quid commen­dationis allusio, nisi eorum, delusio? Quid laudis arrisio, nisi eorum derisio? They vse much dissimulation, and there is a great difference, betweene their counte­nance, and there wil, their [Page 8] words, and their mindes, their speech, and their meaning. For abroad and in their presence, they giue great applause to all their actions with great respect, but secretly they mocke and abuse they with great derision out­wardly they shew them­selues with the face of friendship, within they haue more malice and ve­nime then the stinges of Scorpions. Abroade they seem to be sowers of peace, but are priuatly the closest breders of mischief malice, and detraction in the world. They are like [Page 9] a certaine great man that was very eloquent, and spake well, but was more in words thē performāce, more flattering thē boun­tifull: of whom it was said Quod bene loqueretur, & male faceret, he spake well, but did ill. And this in­deed is flattery where the tongue and heart doe not agree: whose flattering faction and disposition is excellently well painted out vnto vs by Martiall,Lib. 12. in Pontilianū. in this Epigram.

And Terence likewise paints vs out his fashion [Page 12] of life,Eunuch Act. 2. Scen. 2. and meanes of li­uing as followeth.

But by what meanes? He tels you.

Lib. 7. cap. 2 Pliny writes that there are a kind of creature cal­led Androgyni, of a double nature, resembling both sexes, male and female Flatterers are of a double shape as well as these though not in their bodie yet in their mindes. Fo [...] sometimes they are valiant, sometimes cowardly sometimes Philosophers sometimes fooles: sometimes pleasant, sometime [...] sad: sometimes friendes sometimes enemies. For [Page 15] as the parties with whom they deale doe change, or as their fortunes doe change, so doe they. Ca­risophus Dionysius his flat­terer, was of this kind, who seeing Dionysius in com­pany, laughing, and very merry, hee laughed too, though he knew not the cause. Dionysius percei­uing it, asked him why he laughed, because said he, I thinke that which moues you to laughter is worth laughing at. And this for the most part is the signe of a flatterer. Sometimes also it is the marke of a foole. This [Page 16] flattery is the sweet baite of enuie, the cloake of ma­lice, the great pestilence of the world, a monster vgly to behold if it might be seene: very dangerous to trust, if it might bee knowne. It hath as many heads as Hydra to inuent wickednesse: as many hands as Briaraeus, to com­mit euill: as many eyes as Argos to behold ven­geance: as swift legs as Thalus to goe to naugh­tinesse, entring into euery mans house, with a toung as sweete as hony, hauing his heart as bitter as gal, of whom the old Prouerbe [Page 17] is spoken, Mel in ore ver­ba lactis, fel in corde, frausin factis. This flatterer is one as Ouid saith, that denieth with the negatiue, and af­firmeth with the affirma­tiue: weepeth with him that is sad, and laugheth with him that is mery. As somtimes Clisophus when his master Philip king of Macedonia, and father to Alexander the Great, hal­ted, because hee had the gout, hee would halt like­wise: and when the King was merry in his drinke, Clisophus would not bee sad: and whatsoeuer Phi­lip did take in hand Cliso­phus [Page 18] would maintaine. Aristippus the Philoso­pher could better please King Dionysius with adu­lation, then Dion the Sira­cusan could pleasure him with Philosophy & truth. Cleo could better accom­plish the desire and lust of Alexander with forged flattery, then Calistenes his counseller, could preuaile with him by his counsell: Who could moue Caesar to any thing so much as Cu­rio the Parasite? not Pom­peius his sonne in law, nor his onely daughter Iulia, nor all the Senators of Rome might make Caesar [Page 19] friend or foe so much as Curio. These kind of men deale with vs, as Achabs false Prophets dealt with him, for they assured him of great lucke, and good fortune to come, but it fell out otherwise: euen so, they vse to flatter vs, and put vs in hope of verie good fortune & successe to come, and in the meane while they passe with si­lence the truth present. Adulatoris verba, saith one, sunt iniquitas & do­lus, The words of a flatte­rer, are wickednesse, and deceit, it is a cancred dis­ease, and such a one as [Page 20] groweth vpon vs, and though at the first it seeme but little, yet for all that it taketh deepe hold, and payes vs home at the lat­ter end. These are the Si­rens, that with their sweet inchaunting musicke, cause some to fall vpon Scylla, some vpō Charib­dis: These are the whores daughters of Megara, soo­thing men in their faults, as they did the daughters of Proserpina. These are the infernall Priestes dis­swading from all good proposed, and from all right intended, and from any thing that is pleasing [Page 21] to God: But contrarily perswaders of all vnclean­nesse, wickednesse, obscoe­nitie and iniustice, and as one saith well, Incipiunt â placebo, sed in fine sepeliunt in peccatis. There are of this wicked crew some sorts, who so they may please, care neither why nor what they praise. Sa­lomon counts these no fit Company for vs. The wounds of a louer are faith­full, Pro. 27. v. 6. but the kisses of an ene­mie are to be shunned. He also telles the flatterers their reward,Pro. 27.14. He that prai­seth his friend with a loud voyce, rising earely in the [Page 22] morning, it shall be counted to him as a curse. And these flatterers for the most part vse this trade eyther for hope of fauour or gaine, and therefore you shall finde thē most common­ly in the company of such men as are in dignitie, and place: wherefore, as one saith well, These sort of flatterers are worse then crowes, for they feede onely vpon dead carrion, but these vpon liuing men. For as no vermine will breede where they finde no warmth, no vulture sleepe where there is no prey, no flies swarme where there [Page 23] is no flesh, no pilgrime creepe where there is no Crosse, so there is no Pa­rasite, or flatterer wil lurke where he findes no gaine. And in these flatterers you may obserue two great faults: The first is, whatsoeuer they praise, say, or do, they do it ficte, non vere, fainedly not from the heart, and there­fore they are a dissem­bling & vnthankful kind of people. Secondly what­soeuer they say or do, they doe it not to the glorie of God, or good of their neighbour, but to their owne priuate ends: and in [Page 24] this respect they are ser­uile. And certainly, these kind of people are most hurtfull & wicked: where­fore I could wish that all men were of Achilles mind who as Homer reportes, Hated not the gates of Hell so much as he did them that spake otherwise then they thinke. But what minde soeuer we are of wee had need thus to hate them: for they are of this nature that though they be re­iected they will please; though they be thrust out of doores they will be re­ceiued againe: they are such as hang vpon vs, [Page 25] while our fortunes bee good, but if they change then they leaue vs, and therefore they are vn­profitable, and wicked companions. Of this sort were the Eunuches of Ie­zabel, who whilst she was in prosperity,2 King. cap. 9. vers. 35. serued and followed her with great diligence & care; but whē she was in aduersity, King Iehu had no sooner said the word, Cast her downe, but they cast her downe. They are most di­ligent obseruers of the time, then to vent their flatterie when men are most likely to giue eare [Page 26] vnto them, and therefore then aboue all times wee need to be most watchfull ouer them, for if they take but the least hold, they will hardly loose againe. Dolus (saith S. Augustine) duplicat cor, adulatio dupli­cat linguam, Tom. 10. hom. 20. deceit makes a double heart, flattery makes a double tongue: these two in this vice can not bee separated, for where the tongue saith one thing and the heart thinketh another, when the heart thinks one thing & the tongue speaketh an other, or as one saith wel, When the thoughtes goe [Page 27] West, and the tongue East, there is the disease. There­fore flattery cannot con­sist without dissimula­tion, nor dissimulation without flatterie. Now seeing flatterers are so smooth and false a kind of people to deceiue, and intrappe vs, wee neede to bee verie care­full in the choyse of our companie, our friendes, and our Counsellers, and to choose such as are Timentes Deum, & veritatem amantes, Fearers of GOD, and louers of the truth, such as so de­sire to please their friends [Page 28] that they may be thereby profited, and not hurt: such as with the Apostle, Had rather please God then men. Gal. 1. v. 10 And seeing is is hard to find out such a one, let vs follow the counsel of a wise man,Actione in Verre ter­tia. Amici tibi sint multi, consiliarius autem vnus, though our friendes be many, let our counsel­lers be but few. And let them be such as are haters of this detestable vice, which Diogenes calleth Lethale mulsum, poyson in a cup of Gold: a beauti­full whore faire without, but foule within: and which Tully cals Mercena­rium [Page 29] praeconium. Simoni­des compares these kinde of men to cookes, who do sweeten with sawces those kind of meats w^ch of themselues be bitter & sharp: euē so flatterers verbis coquinarijs (that I may vse the prouerb) do sooth vs in those things which indeed ought to be rebu­ked and reprooued, and with their well cooked and drest words, doe as it were make vs to haue so good an opinion of our selues, that wee count those things to be vertues in vs, which indeed are vi­ces, and worthy of much [Page 30] reproofe: for it is a nurse to sinne, and the practi­sers of it are hatefull, ser­uile, & base. Quintus Cur­tius saith, that more kings and kingdomes are ouer­throwne by this close flattery then by publike enemies. It is a poyson dangerous to euery particular person, but indeede farre more dangerous, to the per­son of a king and state. It is worse then false witnesse, for that cor­rupts not the Iudge, but deceiues him only, cau­sing him to giue an ill sentence against his will and iudgement; but this [Page 31] corruptes the iudgement, inchauntes the Spirit, and make vs vnapt to be further instructed in any good. If the cor­ruption of this vice, once take footing in any great man, this mischiefe ne­cessarily followes, that all that liue about him, if they desire to bee in grace and fauour, must necessarily be flatterers, it being a thing as per­nicious as truth is ex­cellent, for it is the corruption of truth, and a base vice as ill be­seeming a man, as im­pudencye a woman.

[Page 32]O sucking Serpent of cankred malice, whose best fruit is death & dan­ger. If king Antigonus had knowne the flattery of his fained friend Apollophanes he had not bene deceiued as hee was: if king Astyages had throughly knowne Harpages his seruāt, he had not beene so shamefully murdred amongest the Parthians. How did Ae­neas the Troian Prince deceiue Queene Dido, but with flattery? How did Demopon the Graecian beguile Queene Phillis, but with adulation? And how many such Kinges, [Page 33] Queenes, and great per­sons haue bene allured by this faire speech & flattery we haue it recorded: and that in such it still runnes the same current experi­ence wil shew. Who mur­thered Caesar that worthy Emperour in the Senate house at Rome? Brutus and Cassius those flatte­rers that he loued most. Who poisoned that migh­ty conquerer Alexander in midst of his triumphes at Babylon? Those that flattered him most, his owne cupbearer Iola & his kinsman Antipater. Who betrayed that famous Ro­mane [Page 34] Cicero vnto his great enemy Marcus Antonius? euen Popilius, whom be­fore Cicero had defended & saued from death. And finally, who betrayed Christ both God and man vnto the Scribes and Pha­rises? His own purse bea­rer that flattering Iudas, embracing & kissing him as flatterers vse to doe. This flattery was the first vndoer of vs al, and the di­uell the serpent, put it in vre to deceiue Eue: for where is there greater de­ceit practised, then where courtesie is most tendred? where more falshoode [Page 35] tried then where trust is most reposed? This is our domesticall enemy, and it hath a poyson, though the poyson be hid, for it hurts most where it is least fea­red. These flatterers are the greatest nuslers vp of pride that can be; these be they that go vnder the name of friends, & there­fore should be a meanes to withdraw vs from vice, whereas by their flattring praises they increase & set­tle them in vs, like those that Ezekiel speaks of, who sowe pillowes vnder our armeholes, Cap. 13. vers. 18. and with their faire words and flattering [Page 36] speeches so please vs that we may sin more sweetly. To these as the Prophet saith,Cap. 13.18. so say I, Woe vnto them: for as oyle cause th [...] fire to flame, so this flat­tery doth minister nou­rishment & food vnto er­rours. Wherfore it is very dangerous to beleeue a flatterer: for vnder the person of a sweete friend he is a most bitter enemy, who increases all vices, & settles them in vs, either by consent, approbation, or extenuation▪ as calling anger seuerity▪ fury: zeale, rashnesse: boldnesse: pride, fortitude: pusillanimitie, [Page 37] humility: couetousnesse, parcimony, or the like. These are the chaffe that God will separate from the good corne at the lat­ter day: and these kind of men we need carefully to auoid as hypocrites, de­ceiuers, and impostures. These are the diuels An­gels that can transforme themselues into Angels of light; such as onely haue the outward shew of good, but are most vile, and dangerous. This flat­tery hath onely in the frontispice of it, the name of friendship for it is onely outwardly in [Page 38] shew, not inwardly, in the heart. And it is a com­mon practise amongest them, rather to counter­fait, thē not to imitate the vices of those men with whom they haue to doe. And as tyranny is hidden in the secret bowels of enuie, so is enuie cloked vnder the filed phrase of flattery, and therfore may be very well compared to the Crocodile of Nilus, or to the Syrens of the Seas, the one weping & mour­ning, the other singing & laughing: the one with mone: the other with mirth studie how to an­noy [Page 39] vs: still conforming themselues to that which they take, to be most plea­sing vnto vs. And of this kinde were King Xerxes flatterers, who marching towards the Greeks with a huge armie of soldiers, called some of this sort vnto him; and demaun­ding of them what thing was most to be feared in his iourney; One saith, I doe feare that when the Greekes do heare of your power they wil flie & not abide your band: another said, he doubted all Greece was not able to lodge nor receiue them into their [Page 40] Cities: A third said he feared most that the Ocean was not enough for him to passe ouer: A fourth feared the aire had not room en­ough for the arowes, w^ch they woulde shoote off. The King by this being extremely puffed vp with pride, demanded at last of a certaine Philosopher na­med Damaserus, what he doubted most in that war. The thing that I most feare (saith he) is this, thath these flatterers wil deceiue you. And this indeed is most certaine, for his base mind is well matched with a mercenary tongue, which [Page 41] is a willing slaue to a­nother mans eare: and cares not how true, but how pleasingly he speaks: his art is nothing but de­lightfull cosenage, whose tales are smothed & gar­ded with periury, whose scope is to make mē fools in causing them to ouer­throw thēselues, still tick­ling his frēd til death. This mā is a porter of all good tales, and mends them in the cariage, one of fames best friends and his owne, that helpes to furnish her with those things that may aduantage her selfe. Honestly to him his nice [Page 42] singularity: Repentance, superstitious melancholy: grauity, dulnesse: and all vertues an innocent con­ceit of the base minded. In short he is the mouth of liberall mens coates, the earewig of the migh­tie, the bane of Courts, a friend and slaue to the trencher, and a good for nothing, but to be a factor for the diuell: one compa­reth those flatterers vnto Wolues, for as they by tick­ling and stroking of Asses doe vse to deuoure them, so flatterers by their tick­ling & smoothing of men in their humours, do draw [Page 43] them into many dangers & mischiefs. Others com­pare him to the scorpion, & some to the Bee. To the Scorpion thus: as hee goes creeping low & softly, but strikes with his taile; euen so do al flattering, & mali­tious persons, who before our faces seem to be low­ly & seruiceable, but when time and occasion comes they strike vs with their taile, in doing vs all the mischief that in them lies, in laying vs open to our enimies, & in disclosing those secrets which they by their glosing flatterie haue drawne from vs, and [Page 44] the like, and to the Bee they may be thus compa­red, for as hee hath mel in ore, in aculeio caudae vul­nus, so they will sweeten their mouth with faire words, when their heart is stuft with the poyson of malice: which Salomon well notes saying,Pro. 26.25. A false tongue hateth the afflicted, and a flattering mouth cau­seth ruine. For as Actaeon was murdred by his own Dogge, euen so they who nourish and make much of Flatterers are by them vndone & ouerthrowne. Wherefore let vs followe Salomons counsell,Pro. 26.29. Though he speake fauourably beleeue [Page 45] him not, for their are seuen abhominations in his heart: for then this there is no­thing more dangerous: es­pecially in the Courts of Princes, for it works deep­ly vnder the slewe of friendship: therefore as of this said a father, so may I, Blanda est sed Aspera, dulcis sed Amara. And where Flatterie beares the sway, honestie hath no being: It was the onely cause why Pythagoras that noble Phi­losopher forsooke his countrey Samos: the one­ly occasion that worthy and learned Solon fledde from Athens: The chiefest matter that made Lycur­gus [Page 44] [...] [Page 45] [...] [Page 46] to renoūce Lacedaemo­nia: and the greatest cause that made Scipio Nasica to forsake Rome. Where­fore this is most, certaine where flattery is esteemed there truth is banished, where flattery is aduan­ced, there truth is oppres­sed, and where flattery findes friendship, there truth findes hate: and see­ing this is the chiefe cause of so many eminent mis­chiefes, and dangers that befall vs, let vs endeuour all our meanes to auoid them; and pray with Da­uid, Psal. 28.3. Not to be drawen away with the wicked and wor­kers [Page 47] of iniquity that speake friendly to their neighbors, when malice is in their hearts. Therefore where flattery beares the sway, there expect nothing but danger: for the world is more dangerous when it flattereth, then when it threatneth, and more to be feared when it allureth vs to loue it, then when it enforceth vs to contemne it. For euen as Iudas by a kisse betraied his Master, so the world is a very Iudas it means most falsly when it embraceth most kind­ly. And yet now it hath gotten so much the vpper [Page 48] hand of the world, and is a vice so common, that he who cannot Flat­ter is either thought to bee Enuious or Proude. But we if we did well, we should bee so farre from desiring to bee Flatte­red, that wee shoulde thinke it farre better to bee reprehended by any then commended by a Flatterer, for you shal neuer finde any honest man feares to bee blamed for the trueth, but this take for a general rule that Flatterers seeke to confirme and set­tle you in errorus: And [Page 49] besides this his false praysing, dissembled loue & affection, he doth quite subuert nay subdue our mindes from the loue of trueth; whereby wee may finde Saint Augu­stines saying to bee true,August. in Psal. 69. tom. 8. Quod plus persequitur lin­gua Adulatoris, quam manus persecutoris: Which agreeth well with Salo­mon, who sayeth,Pro. 28.23. Hee that rebuketh a man, shall finde more fauour at length, then hee that Flattereth with his tongue; But now the times are come to that ill passe, that as the comicall Poet doth say, [Page 50] Obsequium amicos, Terent. Andria. veritas odium parit. Flattery pro­cures friendship, but truth hatred. But be sure of this that by their flattering, and deceitfull speeches, they very much corrupt you, and make you haue a maruellous good con­ceipt and opinion of your selues, for those thinges which rather deserue reproofe, then praise: and yet wee by reason of our weake na­ture are easily taken with these praises; neuer truly cōsidering with our selues what wee are, but what we seeme to be to others. [Page 51] Neglecting the truth and carried away with the self opinion of our selues; see­king as it were testimony of our good parts, not from our owne consci­ences, but from others reports. And though our owne consciences doe tel vs, that those things for which we are praised de­serue no praise, yet this is so great an aduersary to a good conscience, that when she is about to play her iust part of accusation, he stops her mouth with good termes, and well neare strangles her with shifts; with well painted [Page 52] and dissembled perswasi­ons, for poison is not gi­uen vs but in a sweet po­tion: We like well to be praised, but it would bee farre better if wee would seek to deserue those prai­ses. What was it that made Ptolemaeus to put on the masque, or as it were the habit of a piper? What was it that caused Nero Caesar, to mount vp the stage & act Tragedies with a visard on his face, and buskins on his legs? was it not the praise of Flatte­ries? If he be drunken you honor him with the name of Bacchus, the God of [Page 53] wine: and if he doe but wrastle or try any feats of actiuity, they stile him with the glorious additi­on Hercules. What thinke you? are you not perswa­ded that by this grosse flattery, men are brought to great dishonour and shame: yes certaine, it is the only way to cast vs head-long into mischie­uous, sinfull, and ridicu­lous actions: for we suffe­ring our selues to be flat­tered, & that once taking hold of vs, our estate is so dangerous, that wee are made certainly to beleeue and make account of our [Page 54] chiefest vices, as our grea­test vertues: and account vertue to be vice: so that it is vnpossible for any good man to winne his fauour; from whence as I said before, this Prouerbe comes: Obsequium amicos, veritas odium parit. The reason is this, by reason that now we for the most part do seek such as please our humors and blame vs least, & contemne the o­ther, for he alwaies praises his Lords vice with re­semblance of some ver­tue neare vnto it: but the true friend neuer seeks to smooth vp our faults, but [Page 55] laies them open vnto vs, thereby that wee might more easily see our vices, and amend them. Happy are they that haue such friends, and they most vnhappy that giue eare vnto these false deceauers: Wherefore we neede to withstand it in the begin­ning, for it is so dangerous that whomsoeuer is wil­ling to be soothed vp, it hurts not only for the pre­sent, but leaues the relikes and remainder of it in our minds, that although they be gone from vs, yet still the ill remaines with vs, like them who heare Mu­sicke, [Page 56] though that be en­ded, yet carry with them the harmonious sweetnes of the sound, that takes impression in their minds euen so the wicked and flattering praises of flatte­rers, remaine longer with vs then the time of our hearing them: and as it is not easie to put out of our minds a sweet and plea­sant sound, and although sometimes wee forget it, yet oftentimes it comes into our head againe: so fareth it with flatterers, wee should therefore bee deafe to their ill voices, & auoide them in the begin­ning. [Page 57] We had all need to bee carefull of this, both fathers and children: for they waying the old age of the one, and youth of the other, present to both by their lewd & wicked coū ­cell, an ineuitable baite, namely pleasure, where­with for the most part they are sure to be caught: and seeing that if it once but take hold, it is so dan­gerous, and if so dange­rous to all, then in a farre greater measure more dangerous to youth: ther­fore all fathers need to be most carefull in the bring­ing vp of their children, [Page 58] to keepe such out of their society and company; for there are no kinde of men doe more hurt to them then these flatterers. Fa­thers exhort their sonnes to sobriety: these to drun­kennes: Fathers perswade to labour & trauell; these to play and idlenesse: Fa­thers perswade chastity & cōtinency: these prouoke lust and loosenesse of life: Fathers perswade sparing & thriftinesse: these spen­ding & wastfulnesse: And thus you see how Fathers good hopes are bereaued by these wicked and cur­sed generation; Hypo­crites [Page 59] pretending friend­ship, but full of false and deceiptfull dealing▪ those as sooth & flatter the rich, contemne and despise the poore: such as are so base that though they bee free borne, yet choose volun­tarily to be slaues: There­fore all fathers shall doe well to keepe their chil­dren from these, who are enough to corrupt, mar, and spoile the best natures in the world: a people that are hurtfull and dan­gerous to al sorts of men, deceiuing the credulous, & back biting the absent. They are the only snare [Page 60] that wisemē are deceiued w^th al; I now speak not of the palpablest sort of flat­terers, but they who make lest shew of it to them are most dangerous: Such as cloke their flattery vnder shew of friendship, as in prouocation of mirth, of­ficiousnes in our busines, & in conformity of man­ners: all which in a true friend are tokēs of friend­ship and loue, but in him are only the shadowes of friendship and loue, that he may thereby the more cunningly and craftily de­ceiue those he hath to do withall. These kinde of [Page 61] men are like the Dog of a certaine sheepheard, who was set by his Master to keepe sheepe, and before him seemed to bee very carefull in the looking to them, and therefore by the sheepheard was kept very well to the end hee should not neede to feede vpon his sheepe, and by him was put only in trust: and yet for al this the dog at his fittest time killed, & stale the sheep; The sheep heard at last found it out, and threatned to kill his dog; who thus pleaded for himselfe, saying, you will not hurt, me for I am [Page 62] one of your houshold ser­uants, you should rather be reuenged of the wolfe, that cōtinually doth you this hurt and dammage: Nay (quoth the sheepe­heard) I thinke you more worthy of punishment then hee, for he professes open warre vnto me, but you vnder pretext of loue and friendship, continu­ally decrease my flocke. By this fable you may see that they farre more de­serue to be punished, who hurt vs vnder shew of loue, then they who de­nounce publike enmity vnto vs: the one we know [Page 63] his ill mind vnto vs, but the other we take for our friend, though indeed he bee farre otherwise, and comes no more neare it, then like glasse a thing of no regard, which resem­bles christall a matter of great worth; so he by his flattery which is vile and wicked, only imitates friendship which is preci­ous and deare: and now the reason why flattery is so hardly discerned is this because that in euery mo­tion of the mind it is glo­singly entermingled with friendship, though if you truly vnmaske him they [Page 64] haue no resemblāce. And yet for all this it is strange to see how wonderfully wise and great men are o­uercome by this and de­ceiued. As for example Nero, who whē Tyridates his enimy and Prince of Armenia, was conquered by Corbulon, and brought vnto him; Hee falling downe vpon his knees, said, I Tyridates nephew of Arsacus, & brother to King Vologesus and Pacorus am your seruant & came hither to worship you my Lord and God as the Sunne: for you are my fate and fortune. This his flattery did so far [Page 65] worke with Nero, that he did not only restore him to his former Kingdome, but also sent him away la­den with many giftes, which as my author saith, amounted to the summe of two million of crownes. Xiphilinus. Thus you see that these flatterers as they are hurt­full to all, and profitable to none, yet of all sorts of men most dangerous to Princes, and yet by them chiefly accepted. For these great men, it now a­daies being such a means to get credit and prefer­ment, shall haue their kinsfolkes, friends, and [Page 66] principall officers, who professe this mysterie, and such as they could not well auoid if they would. By such as these was A­lexander that great King and Philosopher decei­ued, for by these they are so assaulted, that though they withstand it, yet it pleaseth, and though they oppose themselus against it, yet they cā hardly shut it out of doores, Vnde sae­pe exclusa nouissime recipi­tur: but now these great persons are so farre from auoiding it, that whatso­euer they do they will do it vncontrouled, & what­soeuer [Page 67] comes into their heads, they will headlong goe through with all, and whatsoeuer they doe by these flatterers, you are sure to be soothed vp, so that these are his only cō ­panions, councellors and friends, & none but these or such as these, custome hath brought him to that habit, that he will endure to haue about him: who vnder the shape of huma­nity beare sway and rule, for who is now more made off then hee that ought least to bee estee­med? Who is now more trusted then he that decei­ueth [Page 68] soonest? VVho is heard more at all times, then he that ought least to come in sight at any time? who hath more of all men then hee that de­serues least of all men? and to conclude, who is more beloued in euery place then hee that ought most to bee hated in all places. The Medes and Persians, who kneeled vn­to Alexander, and made him the sonne of Iupiter, were more esteemed for their flattery, then the no­bles of Macedonia for their truth. These kind of men are not only dangerous [Page 69] to great men, but women also had neede to haue an antidote against them: for to them this is excee­ding dangerous, and no more ordinary way to corrupt their chastity thē by this means, by feeding and entertayning them with the commendation of their personage, beau­ty, behauiour, discourse, or the like: for they by their naturall inclination are full of vanity, and de­sirous of praise. Moreouer what hath done greater hurt to commonwealths, then these flatterers? ther­fore these generation of [Page 70] vipers ought to be extir­ped and rooted out. The Citty Troy which Aga­memnon, in ten whole yeares could not subdue, poore Sinon with his flat­tery allured the minde of King Priamus, deceiued the Nobles, and intised the Cittizens by his a­dulation, to their vtter confusion and ruine: That auncient and renowmed Citty of Babylon, when King Darius with all the power of Persia, lōg wars, losse of men & his owne strength & force, was not able to vanquish any part of it, then Sopyrus a Cit­tizen [Page 71] borne, through for­ged faith and filed flattery, betrayed the Citty vnto king Darius; That famous Citty of Olinthus which the puissant Prince Philip of Macedon, could neuer destroy, yet Lasthenes with flattery ouercame & gaue them to their enimies hands King Philip. To speake of the most ancient Lacedemonians for their wars, the most famous and worthy people of the world, whom neither Medes, Persians, Macedo­nians, nor all Greece, could vanquish before, are now deceiued by the flattery [Page 72] of Phrenitius. The people of Samos were deceiued by false Apollonius: Me­nelaus was beguiled by the flattery of Paris: Dion of Syracusa was slaine by his flattering friend Cali­crates: Thus you may see how flattery and adulati­on is to Princes, and Pro­uinces, vtter ruine, deso­lation, and decay. By flat­tering of the Prince, they leade and keep him in his vices and errors, to his great shame: by flattering of the people they make themselues popular, and so by that meanes striue to deuise a way, to set [Page 73] themselues vp, by the de­posing of their lawfull Prince: Therfore Princes neede to be very carefull, neither to suffer flatterers about themselues: nor al­low any to make them­selues popular by flatte­ring of the people. VVhat a shame was it thinke you to Edward the second, to suffer such a base fellow as Pierce Gauestone, wholly to rule and gouerne him? what credit was it for the same King to suffer him­selfe to be led away to all wickednesse, by two lewd & wicked fellowes, Spen­cers, both the Father and [Page 74] the Sonne? But Princes must haue a double care, not only to keepe them­selues from being flatte­red, but their people also: and to obserue who seeke popularity of their peo­ple, for this is a true max­ime, that whatsoeuer sub­iect doth seeke popularity doth neuer desire it with any good and honest in­tent. VVhat was Absolons meanes in his treason a­gainst his father, was it not his making himselfe popular, by flattering of the people? if you reade the story you will say so: 2. Samuel cap. 15. From the second Verse to the sixth. Vers. 2. And Absolon rose [Page 75] vp early and stood hard by the entring in of the gate, and euery man that had any matters came to the King for iudgement. Him did Absolon call vnto him and say, Of what Citie art thou? And he answered, thy ser­uant is of one of the Tribes of Israel. 3. Then Absolon said vnto him, See, thy mat­ters are good and righteous; but there is no man deputed of the King to heare thee. 4. Absolon said moreo­uer, Oh that I were made Iudge in the land, that euery man which hath any matter or controuersie, might come to me, that I might doe him [Page 76] iustice. 5. And when any man came neere vnto him and did him obeysance, he put forth his hand, and tooke him and kissed him. 6. And on this manner did Abso­lon to all Israell that came to the King for iudgement: so Absolon stole the hearts of the men of Israell. What was it that raised Caesar to that great height and dig­nity that he was in? Sue­tonius reports, that it was by his exceeding great popularity, in winning the hearts of the people. What was it that set vp Henry Bullingbrooke in stead of the lawfull King? [Page 77] Was it not his flattering and soothing vp of the people? What was it that set vp Richard the third, that Tyrant and vsurper? Was it not his flattering, & pleasing of the people? the like being done by his friends, the flattering Ora­tion of the Duke of Buck­ingham, and a Sermon of Doctor Shawe.

Thus you see you shall hardly finde any treason eyther against Prince, or State, but this was the chiefe way and meanes: and this being so dange­rous; as I said before, so I say againe, euery King [Page 78] that desires his safetie, neede to be as carefull as he can, not to suffer any subiect to make himselfe popular, by flattering of the people. How dange­rous this is to all estates, Prince and people, Coun­trey and Citie, man and woman, it hath already beene shewed: therefore we had all neede to take very good heede in auoy­ding them; which if wee haue an open eare, is hard to be done, for then wee are sure to bee catched. And of this indeede wee need to be most carefull: for,Ouid. Eleg. as the Poet saith, Vile [Page 79] poyson lurketh vnder the sweetest Honie. And if we doe not auoyde them in time, they wil so encrease vpon vs, that when wee would wee cannot: and yet for al this, we stil loue to be flattered, and stil are more desirous of com­mendations by others praises, then to deserue them in our owne con­science. And if yet wee will not leaue these flat­terers, we shall in time be made such fooles, as to thinke our selues worthy of those praises vhich are so vniustly laid vpon vs. And therefore by howe [Page 80] much the greater we bee, the more neede wee haue to looke into and auoide these Flatterers, and with a deafe eare to saile be­sides their songs, as the entisements or daunger­ous Rockes of Syrens, which ascrib those things vnto vs that wee neither ought to take nor deserue, then which there can bee nothing more pestiferous to great men: wherefore wee should rather heare those that admonish vs of our duetie, and put vs in minde that wee are but men, which is the part of a true friend, then to lend [Page 81] our eares to such impost­ors & deceiuers as these, who as Salomon saith,Pro. 20.19. Go­eth about as a slanderer, and discouereth secrets, there­fore meddle not with him that Flattereth with his lips; We had need follow this counsell of Salomons, for their onely Art and cun­ning is to deceiue the rich, and contemne the poore. Now they who for all this will still take delight to heare them­selues Flattered, I can say of such no otherwise then Saint Ambrose speakes of them, Ignauiae videtur, Off. lib. pr. cap. 42. it shewes they are of slug­gish [Page 82] and effeminate spirit. But now aboue all times wee neede to bee most carefull in taking heede to them, for they are come to that excellency in their profession, that they will colour their Flatterie so with the shew of friend­ship, they will vsurpe the Offices, the voice, nay e­uen carie the name and counterfeit of Amitie so artificially, that you will say it is the same they stu­die to content and please, to honor, commend, and accōmodate themselues to the humours of men; nay it takes vpon it the [Page 83] highest part of friendship, free reprehension. Hee will seeme to exceede in loue to him he flattereth, whereas indeede there is nothing more opposite to loue, not iniurie, not professed enmitie, not de­traction, it is the plague and poyson of true amity, and therefore auoide it: it hath with it these compa­nions, hatred, deceipt, trecherie, lying, couse­nage and hatred of hone­stie. Wherfore we should haue our cares shutte to these Flatterers, and as the ancient wise men did barre such from the com­panie [Page 84] of Princes; so wee should barre them our companie, and follow S. Ambrose his counsell,Offic. lib. 1. Ne­que adulantes nos, nec adu­landos cuiquam exhibere, alterum enim calli ditatis est vanitatis alterum. Let vs neither Flatter, nor suffer our selues to be Flattered. For the one is signe of craft, the other of folly, and what a happie man is he that neither Flattereth nor is Flattered, deceiues nor is deceiued; neither doeth hurt, nor receiues hurt? Happy indeede shal we bee if wee vnderstand this, more happie if wee [Page 85] repell it, most happy if we be of Saint Austines mind, not to thinke those hap­piest, who haue most prai­ses, but those who deserue those praises. But nowe that we doe not in seeking to auoide Flatterers, re­iect friends, or in hoping to get a friend entertaine a Flatterer, Let vs consi­der how they may bee dis­cerned the one from the other. The first thing, the Flatterer doeth is this, to insinuate himselfe into the councell and affaires of him whom he Flatter­eth, and as much as lies in his power, to keepe him [Page 86] from being inward with any other, and to haue none about him, but such as are of his own stampe, voyde of all honesty: and then as a shadow fol­lowes a man continually, whatsoeuer hee doth, so will he follow and affect, whatsoeuer it be that his Lord applies himselfe vn­to. He hath salues for e­uery sore, to hide them, not to heale them, Com­plexion for euery face, Sinne hath not any more artificial Broker, nor more impudent Baude, there is no vice hath not from him, his colour, his al­lurement. [Page 87] And his best seruice is either to further guiltinesse, or smother it. If he grant ill things inex­pedient, and to be er­rours, hee hath yeelded much. Let his friend say it is hot, hee wipes his forehead and vnbraceth himselfe; if cold, hee shi­uers and cals for a war­mer garment: when hee walkes with his friend hee sweares to him, that no man else is looked on, no man talked off. That whomsoeuer hee vouch­safe to looke and nod to, is graced enough, & that he is ignorant of his owne [Page 88] worth lest he shold be too happie; Whatsoeuer hee saith he yeeldes, giue his consent and approbation, though it bee to things that are out of his owne beliefe. Thus by all these things before specified, you may find him to be a Flatterer, who as Suidas saith, is full of deceipt, a­uarice, and a great enemy to all Religion, and espe­cially to Christianitie: and that you may the better discerne him, doe but ob­serue, first whether those he commend bee present, or absent; you shall finde him alwayes pleasing be­fore [Page 89] your face, neuer com­mending the absent, but for the most part backe-biting & slandring them. Secondly, do but obserue whether those thinges which hee approues so much in vs, hee allow in himselfe, or not; if you set any other then your selfe to aske him, you shal find that he is of a cleane contrary minde, vnlesse he know that he be set on by your appointment. Thirdly, obserue whether the praises they bestow vpon you, for such, and such things, they onely giue to you & no others, [Page 90] or to you and all others; you shall finde that those things they commend you for, they will discom­mend in others, and those things they commend in others, they will dislike in you. Fourthly, obserue whether whatsoeuer wee say or doe, they holde the same opinion; and for that giue vs praises and commendations, and you shall finde that let vs now say or doe one thing, we shall haue their praise and commendation for it; and sometime after let vs be of a quite contrary opinion, or doe quite contrarily, [Page 91] wee shall still haue their commendations: And lastly, but looke into your owne consciences, you shal find that those things for the w^ch they so hig­ly extoll you, are vile and wicked, and such things as, notwithstanding their commendations, you of­ten repent and are asha­med of.

Moreouer these Flat­terers vsually set them­selues to followe such as are great in the time, with such you shall finde him alwayes: and though per­haps before he were a fol­lower of this mans grea­test [Page 92] enemie, yet if hee see this mans fortune to goe higher and that any thing is to be gotten by leauing his olde friend, he will not only leaue him, but turne to his enemy, and do him all the mischiefe that hee can: but for his new great Master, whatsoeuer he ei­ther likes or dislikes, ap­proues or disauows, loues or hates, he is of the same minde. Againe, at any publicke Assembly, where many are to speake of some one matter, what­soeuer the flatterer spea­keth, it is to please some priuate person, not for the [Page 93] publicke profite; making sure that his great Master shal haue first spoken, that he may be sure not to dif­fer from him, but that whatsoeuer he hath spo­ken, be it good or badde, may by him bee applau­ded: and if that in any thing that he hath spoken before, any thing hath slipt from him that hath not pleased, he thanks his Reformer, and his note is quite changed; and as it were out of his great loue will extoll this man be­yond measure, for things that peraduenture deserue reproofe: and do like him [Page 94] that went about to per­swade Iustinian the Em­perour, that he should ne­uer die, but be carried to heauen with his naturall bodie in the flesh. Or like Varus Seminꝰ the great O­rator, who amongst many other his flattering spee­ches to Augustus, said, that they who called him Caesar ▪ knew not his great­nesse; and they that cal­led him not Caesar, were ignorant of his humanity. This man you shall al­waies find to be in a vni­formity with al your con­ditions; do you but some­times alter your course in [Page 95] shew, you shall finde him to goe as the winde doth lie; and if you change in­to formes neuer so con­trary, he will change too; for he hath no vniforme aequality in all his actions and intentions, because he hath no permanēt seat of his manners, no setled opinon in any thing, be­cause he hath wholly set himselfe ouer to content and please others; no vni­forme course of life, be­cause he is neuer like him­selfe, but variable and changeable from one forme to another. But this is somewhat open [Page 96] and plaine flattery, and therefore doth the lesse hurt, because it is sooner found out and auoyded. But there are other flatte­rers more cunning, and therefore more dange­rous. For plaine flatterie is easily discerned, as plainely to affirme or de­nie, according as another doth the same; so that a­ny may see this fellowe plainely, when perhaps he cannot discerne the other, who when hee flatters seemes to reproue, and when hee most flatters seemes to be most oppo­site against it: therefore [Page 97] this fellow we had neede to be most carefull of, and to search narrowly into all his shifts, and deuices, lest he deceiue vs. Of this sort was Agis Argiuus, a cunning flatterer, who seeing Alexander to be­stow great gifts and re­wards on a certaine ridi­culous fellow, exclaimed that it was a very absurd thing for Alexander to be­stow giftes on such a fel­low as this; Alexander hearing his voyce, de­manded what he said? In­deede (saith hee) I must needs confesse, that I can­not endure to see, that all [Page 98] yee that are descended from Iupiter should be so much delighted and taken with flatterers. For as Iu­piter had Vulcan for his foole, and Hercules Cer­copes, and Bacchus tooke great delight in Syllanus, euen so, such as these are in account, and respected by you. Tacitus also re­cites a very good exam­ple of a flatterer in this kinde:Tacitus. Tiberius the Em­peror comming into the Senate, there rose vp a certain flatterer, who said, it was fit that euery one should speake freely, and in things belonging to [Page 99] the Republique, no man ought to hold his peace. Tiberius and all the rest expected what he should say; Heare (saith he) Cae­sar, a thing that we much blame in you, though none dare confesse it o­penly: you spend your selfe too much for vs, wearing your bodie with daily and nightly labors, in cares for the Repub­lique, neuer respecting your owne health and safety, but our good and profite. This kind of flat­terie, which comes so neere to the colour of franckenesse and liber­tie [Page 100] of speech, is indeede most dangerous. For who knowes not that franknesse and liberty of speech is a remedy against flattery? and it that which should be remedy against it, be vsed as a meanes to flatter withall, it cannot bee but very dangerous, and these that doe thus, if they finde out any petty faults, they keepe a great coile, and cry out against vs for them, but if wee haue neuer so many great & grosse faults those they winke at. Which kind of flattery as Plutarch saith,Plutarch. may very well be compa­red [Page 101] to Hercules in a play with his great club, which shewes to bee heauy and massy, though indeede it be but light & filled with nothing but wool, or such like stuffe. Euen so this kind of free speech which a flatterer vseth, will bee found to bee light and of no force to giue a blow: as for example, if your clothes be not of the new fashion, or your beard not of the new cut, your band not stiffe enough, your pecadill ill made, your cloke not brusht, or the like, here they wil find great fault with you, for [Page 102] neglecting your self, that haue so handsome & pro­portionable a body, being so carelesse to set it forth. But say that a man should set nought by his parents, neglect his children, abuse his wife, despise his kin­red, spend wastfully and consume his goods, none of all these would touch or moue him, here hee is mute & hath not a word to say, these hee will take no knowledge of nor re­proue: and amongst these sort of flatterers they are most cunning, who re­proue men for the con­trary vices to those that [Page 103] are in them, and so still feede them in their owne: as to a miser, if they can by any meanes spie any sparke of spending, for (as the Prouerbe saith) Whose feast so great as a misers? presently with great feruēcy they blame him, for his great spen­ding and prodigality, and for that hee hath so little care of his owne estate. To a slāderer whose plea­sure & delight is (through spite and enuy) to backe-bite and wrong his neigh­bour, if so bee that at any one time he chance to cō ­mend some worthy per­son, [Page 104] they presently in a great seeming rage say thus vnto them, This is a fault you euer haue, to cō ­mēd persons of no worth: why should you cōmend him, what good haue you euer receiued by him, or what good parts doe you know in him? and the like; againe, if there be any va­riance betweene friends, brethren, or kinsfolkes, they seeke not to appease or remedie it, but still stir the coles, saying thus, It is well enough, you will neuer see nor know who you are, you are the cause of all your selfe, selfe doe, [Page 105] selfe haue, you were al­wayes so plyable and so submisse toward them, that you are nowe but right serued. And thus af­ter this manner, those vi­ces that wee haue inhabi­tant within vs, they seeke to ingraffe and settle for euer remouing. There are some other flatterers as cunning in their kinde as these, some will not praise a man himselfe, but inuēt some good thing, which he faines hee heard some body speaking of him a­broade, which he will say he was very glad to heare, herein imitating the Rhe­toricians, [Page 106] who many times in their Orations vse the third person for the first; another will in­uent some ill which hee faines he heard spoken of you, which when hee tels you, you knowing it to be vntrue, and denying it, then hee takes liberty to praise you, falling into your commendations, shewing how farre you e­uer were from such and such vices, as hee reports you were taxed withall; others if a man bee giuen to any vices, they will not commend them, but ap­proue them by discōmen­ding [Page 107] the cōtrary vertues, as calling temperance ru­sticity, and such as liue within their estates mi­sers; and so forward to­wards the maintayning of any vice, they thinke a man hath a mind to. One that is well conceipted of himselfe and his owne iudgement, thus they as­saile. They will make an errand to him for his coū ­saile in some waighty af­faires or busines of theirs, as esteeming his wit and iudgement farre aboue their owne, and his opini­on being heard, be it what it will, he will fall into ad­miration [Page 108] of him, prefer­ring his counsaile & opi­nion before any that hee hath heard. But if a man suspect this in any one, the way to finde him out is this, to giue him some ab­surd counsaile, & he shall finde he comes prepared to commend it whatsoe­uer it be. Therefore, all these flatterers let vs a­uoide, and bee carefull in the choise of our friends, lest in stead of an honest friend, we find a false flat­terer, and that we be not deceiued, let vs obserue the difference betwixt them both. Friendship [Page 109] takes no pleasure to bee imployed in ill and disho­nest actions, but in any thing that may be for the profit and good of his friend, none so willing as hee. But the flatterer is quite contrary, whose friendship is farre worse then open enmity, for from them we may get or gaine somthing, but from the flatterer nothing is to bee gotten, but reproch, mischiefe, and dammage. Therefore, it is not good to keepe such friends as shall raise themselues by our fall & hurt, nor such as loue our meate and [Page 110] meanes in a higher de­gree then they loue our selues; for none of these sort lōger then our purse perswades them, will bee your friends. But he that is a true friend hath his af­fection grounded vpon loue and vertue, and no waues of contrary ill for­tune will alter or stir him; Where as the flatterer leaues vs in the lurch, flies to our aduersaries, and commonly is the chiefe cause of our ruine and de­struction. Againe, a true friend imitates not all he seeth his friend doe, nor commends any thing but [Page 111] that which is good, wher­as a flatterer contrariwise like a Camelion that can turne himselfe to all co­lours but white, can frame himselfe to any thing but good. A friend orders & frames all his actions to the good of his friend, but a flatterer bends all his a­ctions to his own proper good. A true friend mo­destly blames his friends vices in his presence, and praises his vertues in his absence; but a flatterer al­waies exaltes him in his presence, rather for his vices then his vertues, & behinde his backe blames [Page 112] him, and defames him, makes his vaunts that hee only possesseth him, go­uernes him at his pleasure and makes him doe what he will. The true friend serues for a healthfull me­dicine, but the flatterer is as a sweet poison. A true friend preserues a man in his estate and wealth, but a flatterer precipitates him to ruine and destru­ction. Flattery for the most parte respectes it owne particular benefit, and thereby is knowne, but friendshippe seeketh not the good of it selfe. The Flatterer is diuers in [Page 113] his iudgements, like waxe or a looking Glasse that receiues many formes, he is a Camelion, a Polypus, faine to praise, or dis­praise, alwayes commo­dating himselfe to the mind of him hee Flatter­eth; A friend is firme and constant, a Flatterer vex­eth himselfe too violently in all that hee doth in the viewe and knowledge of him hee Flattereth, euer praising and offering his seruice, Non imitatur ami­citiam sed praeterit, he hath no moderation in his out­ward actions, and contra­riwise inwardly hee hath [Page 114] no affection, which are conditions quite contra­rie to a true friend. A flat­terer alwayes giues the vi­ctorie to him he Flatters, alwayes applauding ha­uing no other end then to please, whereas a true friende respectes not so much, how he may please as how hee may profit: A friend alwayes respectes, procures, and attempts that which is reason, ho­nestie and dutie. The flat­terer that which belongs to passion, and pleasure, and that which is already a malady in the minde of him that is flattered, ther­fore he is a friend to licen­tiousnesse, [Page 115] and an enemie to all plaine dealing and honesty. Euery man by nature hath these two parts within him, the one part is giuen to truth and honestie, the other to vn­truth and withall passio­nate, the true friend euer assisteth the better part in giuing counsell and com­fort, the Flatterer apply­eth himselfe to the other part, which is voide of reason, and full of passion, still feeding and pleasing it by deuising some vici­ous and dishonest plea­sures, that they quite di­uert it from the rule of [Page 116] reason, and they are like some kind of meat, which neither breedeth good blood, nor engendreth spirits, nor addes vigor nor strength to any man, but all the good they doe, is either to prouoke lust, or breede some fogges & rotten humours, that are neither fast nor sound: So if a man looke narrowly to a Flatterer he shall ne­uer find any good to com from him, but find them to be sowers of dissensiō, breeders of enuie, exaspe­raters of men to lewdnes, nursers of prodigalitie, perswaders to diffidence, [Page 117] and distrust in our friends, to base and seruile timidi­tie, alwayes making vs worse, and apt to con­ceiue ill, still soothing vs vp in our owne ill hu­mors. Art thou angrie with one, punish him saith he; hast thou a minde to a­ny thing, buy it and no more a doe: Desirest thou this or that wench, spare no cost for her saith hee, winne her and weare her. Suspectest thou any thing beleeue it confidently saith he: And thus he be­haues himselfe still soo­thing vs in those things, that we haue but the least [Page 118] inclination vnto. For the Office which a Flatterer seemeth to performe, hath in it nothing true, no­thing iust, nothing sim­ple, nothing liberall: for it desires onely to be em­ployed in shamefull and dishonest actions; friend­ship only in honest ones; a Flatterer seekes to plea­sure vs in those thinges that are vniust: And thus you see a man cannot both be a friend and a flat­terer, that is as much as if I should say a friend and no friend, for one friend is to stand to another, to assist him in doing & not [Page 119] in misdoing; in consulting and not in complotting & conspiring; In bearing witnesse with him of the trueth, and not in circum­uenting one of falshood: to take part with him in suffering calamitie, and not to beare him compa­nie in doing of iniury. But before I go farther I must answere two Obiections: The first is, whether it be vnpossible to praise with­out Flatterie, and whether it necessarily followes, that all praysers conse­quently must bee Flatte­rers. The second is, an answere to an Obiection [Page 120] to those who think it law­full to Flatter, because they thinke it is no sinne, and if they should aduan­tage themselues and sinne not they see no reason why they should not vse it. But first to the former Obiection, whether it be vnpossible to please with­out Flatterie: This is my opinion; that if we truely and moderatly commend any for those things w^ch iustly deserue praise: our praises tending to the glo­rie of GOD: or good of him that is praised: that the vertue for which he is commended may increase [Page 121] in him: or for the encou­ragement of those that heare to the like vertues: and not for any priuate end or profit to our selus: He I say that praises thus and with these cautions cannot bee termed a Flat­terer: For thus Saint Paul commendes the Thessalo­nians, Colossians, Philippi­ans, and Ephesians; And as Saint Paul did it to their good and Gods glorie. It was Charitie, not Flatte­rie, it was the marke of true friendship, and not of fained loue. The second is to resolue the Question whither it bee a sinne or [Page 122] no: for if it were one, why doth S. Paul say, Giue no of­fence, &c. euen as I please all men in all things. 1. Cor. 10.32.33. Seeing that to please all men in al things, cannot be without Flatterie: and if it bee not a fault to dispraise an ill man, why is it not good to cōmend a good man? To these it may bee an­swered, that neither to praise nor to please in thē ­selues are Flatterie, but may bee made so by their ends and circumstances, and so S. Paul expounds himselfe in the latter ende of this verse, meaning that hee would haue vs [Page 123] please all men in euerie lawfull thing, seeking not thereby our owne glorie and profit, but the glorie of God, and good of our neighbour: And if we do thus neither pleasing nor praysing can bee called Flatterie, more then the iust reprehension of him that is faultie, can bee cal­led detraction. And now to return againe as I haue said before, that nothing is more dangerous to a Prince and State then these deceiuers, it will not be amisse a little to shewe vnto you the curiositie of wise men in ancient time [Page 124] for the abandoning and punishing of these Flatte­rers, to the intent that they might be safe, & for the safetie of their Coun­tries and states. Where­fore I would all Princes and Potentates woulde saye vnto Flatterers as Christ did to the diuell, A­uoide Sathan, so they, A­uaunt Flatterers. And to proceede to tell you how many great & good men had diuersly vsed diuers meanes to auoide these, it would aske a farre larger discourse, but a few I will now name to encourage others by their example [Page 125] to do the like; Some haue punished them by banish­ment, so did Augustus Cae­sar, and Alexander Seue­rus, who were so strict a­gainst Flatterers, that if any (though hee did but extraordinarily bow him­selfe) or vsed the least flat­terie towards them, they were by them presently commanded to bee bani­shed, and thrust out of doores.

The Lacedemonians no lesse strict in this point, so much feared flattery, that they banished Archilogus for his eloquence, onely in a booke he had made. [Page 126] This vice also was so hate­full in Rome that Cato the Censor expelled thence certaine fine Orators of Athens, lest with faire speech and flattery, they should annoy the State of Rome. Sigismond the Emperour to one that extremely flattered him, gaue a boxe on the eare. Why smite you me, saith the flatterer? Why bite you me, saith the Empe­ror? There was a certaine Nobleman of Moscouia, who for some crime be­ing imprisoned, in hope of his pardon and deliue­ry, fained that he dreampt [Page 127] the King of Poland to be taken prisoner, & brought captiue to the Duke of Moscouia. The Duke hea­ring of this, and knowing it proceeded from his in­tention to flatter him, commaunded he should bee kept more close pri­soner, til he saw the euent of his dreame. Suetonius reports, that Caligula cal­ling home a certaine man banished in Tiberiꝰ time, giuing him his liberty, de­manded of him what hee did all the time of his ba­nishment? I did nothing (saith hee) but pray that Tiberius might die, and [Page 128] you succeede. For this his flattery the Emperour commaunded, he should presently be put to death. After this sort Dauid pu­nished the yong man that brought news of Saul and his childrens death; who desiring to flatter King Dauid, was by him com­maunded to bee put to death. Wherfore if Prin­ces will auoide these their vndoers, let them shewe how little they desire their prayses, and what small confidence they put in them; as Canutus King of this Iland did; who, as Polidor Virgil reportes,Lib. 8. [Page 129] walking not farre from Southampton, and hauing his souldiers about him, they applauded him, cal­ling him King of kings, commander both of Sea and land: the King ama­zed at this flattery, and being willing to shew how litle he was addicted thereunto, commaunded himselfe to be stript, and sate downe close to the water, saying vnto the waues, I charg you touch not my feete; they after their ordinary course, beat vpon the shoare, and washed him. He presently came backe, and said, You [Page 130] call me King of kings, and Lord of Sea and land, and yet I cannot commaund these waues from touch­ing me. Wherefore you see it is no mortall that deserues that title, but on­ly God, by whō all things are gouerned: Wherfore him alone let vs worship and praise, who is indeed King of kings, Lord of Heauen, and Earth, and Sea, and euery thing, and let vs confesse him alone to be, & besides him pro­fesse no other. To such as these Homers verse would be a good Antidote: ‘Nullum ego sum numen. [Page 131] quid me immortalibꝰ aequas?’

For indeede if wee ob­serue the end of a flatte­rer, hee neuer cares how falsly or vniustly he pray­ses you, so he may please and gaine well. Such as these were the flatterers of Alexander the great, who perswaded him, that he was the sonne of Iupi­ter: but one day in his wars, being hurt, he said, Omnes iurat me esse Iouis filium, sed hoc vuluus me hominem esse clamant. You all sweare that I am the sonne of Iupiter, but this wound shewes, that I am but a man. We know­ing [Page 133] this, it may be a great remedy, if we to keep our selues that we be not prai­sed, doe but consider how false and deceitefull they are, euen in this respect; that for those things that deserues greatest repre­hension, they attribute most commendation: and when they should blame vs for ryote, they cōmend our temperance; when we deserue to bee blamed for folly, they praise our wit: and if we wel obserue how many of our wicked­est actions they applaud for vertues, our own con­science will tell vs, that [Page 132] they are but Impostors and deceiuers. And if we will be free from them, let vs say to such, as Seneca counsels, Vos dicitis me esse prudentem ego autem scio quam multa inutilia concu­piscam, nocitura optem, you call me wise, but it is o­therwise; for I finde that I couet many things vn­profitable, and wish for many thinges that are hurtfull. And this will be a great remedy against it, if wee can but perceiue how they flatter vs, ma­king our vices vertues, and commending vs for such things, as deserue no [Page 134] no cōmendations. Wher­fore let vs be carefull in the obseruance of those things they praise vs for, whether they be in vs or no, or whether they speak to humor vs, & not from our desert, or whether they praise vs for such things as deserue truely to be praised, or for their owne profite.

Therefore consider well thy selfe with thy selfe, & let vs not bee such fooles as to iudge of our selues by the opinion of others, within thy selfe behold well thy selfe, and if thou wilt know what thou art [Page 135] then giue no credence to others, follow Apollonius counsaile, who being de­maunded howe a man should quietly enioy him selfe, answered; Si paucis credideris, if you trust but few: but let your owne conscience be your owne praiser, and be not so sim­ple as to be carryed away with things that are not, and take heed you be not to partiall in the iudgmēt of your selfe, but as your owne conscience telleth you, may bee iustly attri­buted to you and no fur­ther, and this is the safest way, for as Seneca saith: [Page 136] Si vera sunt coram magno teste laudatus es, Nat. quaest. l. 4. Praefat. si falsa sine teste derisus es. Now if we will auoide this Gorgon, repell this monster, exile this murtherer, let vs loue, desire, and alwaies be cō ­tent with the hearing of the truth, and then wee shall bee sure for euer ta­king delight in being flat­tered: and moreouer let vs put our full trust and confidence in God, for they that loue to bee flat­tered neuer doe so. For if they did, then surely they would neuer seeke ap­plause for their wickednes from men, but rather [Page 137] thinke with themselues, whether that they did were permitted by God or no. Therefore if wee wil haue a remedy against flattery, let vs not put our trust in men, but in God and in him only. Againe, let vs be very carefull lest the cloake of friendship, or friendly carriage, giue some colour to the insi­nuation of flatterers, but these if you well looke & search into, will be found to be like false gold, that only hath the representa­tion of true, and such as if they were tryed, will hardly abide the touch; [Page 138] these let vs auoide, but of true friendship let vs make great account, and much esteeme. Counting them like the salt that was com­manded in the ancient sa­crifices, and flatterers like the honny forbidden in them, for the salt of repre­hension is good and profi­table, but the honny of flattery is vile and abho­minable. Againe, if you will auoid this, being flat­tered, wee must not trust our selues to much vpon the prosperity of this trā ­sitory life, for this is the greatest way maker for flattery that can bee: for [Page 139] wee extremely flatter our selues, whilest wee whol­ly rest vpon the prosperi­ty of this transitory life. This was the cause of the ruine and destruction of the Sodomites, who though they liued in all wickednesse, yet had an o­pinion that they were in the right way, still conti­nuing their ill course of life in pleasure and ease, whilest their arraignment was a making in heauen. And now to conclude, if we can master our selues and our owne affections, that our selfe louing incli­nation doe not cause vs [Page 140] desire to be flattered, then wee shall bee able to ma­ster these vnmatchable monsters: for to whō is it so dangerous, as to such as are desirous of praises, & willingly receiue such as commend them? but if indeede we will haue a re­medy against them, let vs be deafe to all these, and suppresse our owne selfe loue which is the greatest aduantage to a flatterer that can be: for we are so much enamoured with our selues, that wee are easily taken with those things, which tend to our owne praise, and so much [Page 141] addicted to this good cō ­ceipt and opinion of our selues, that nothing so much delights vs as to heare our selues praised, and cōmended for those vertues, of the which we were neuer guilty, but most impatient to heare our selues blamed for any vices, though wee know them to bee inhabitant within vs: and this most commonly is the nature of high spirits, & haugh­ty mindes, not guided by iudgment and reason, but lifted vp with the fa­uours of fortune, or No­bility of birth, which doth [Page 142] flatter vs within, and pos­sesseth our minds before hand, whereby we are ex­posed and lye more open vnto flatterers, finding vs thus prepared, and so rea­dy to worke vpon; but if wee haue any desire to a­uoide this, that it should not intrap nor endanger vs, let vs looke into our selues, and search into our owne natures, where wee shall find an infinite num­ber of defects, vanities, im­perfections, and faults; mixed in our wordes, deedes, thoughts, and passions, and so wee shall finde out their false dea­ling [Page 143] in praising and soo­thing vs for those things we so little deserue: And as I noted before, Adu­lationis vnctio to bee Do­morum emunctio, commen­dationis allusio, eorum delusio, Laudis arri­sio eorum deri­sio.