this worlds-frame to be my Schollers choise-booke. [Footnote:  Book of examples] So many strange humours, sundrie sects, varying judgements, diverse opinions, different lawes, and fantasticall customes teach us to judge rightly of ours, and instruct our judgement to acknowledge his imperfections and naturall weaknesse, which is no easie an apprentiship:  So many innovations of estates, so many fals of Princes, and changes of publike fortune, may and ought to teach us, not to make so great accompt of ours:  So many names, so many victories, and so many conquests buried in darke oblivion, makes the hope to perpetuate our names but ridiculous, by the surprising of ten Argo-lettiers, [Footnote:  Mounted Bowmen.] or of a small cottage, which is knowne but by his fall.  The pride and fiercenesse of so many strange and gorgeous shewes:  the pride-puft majestie of so many courts, and of their greatnesse, ought to confirme and assure our sight, undauntedly to beare the affronts and thunder-claps of ours, without feeling our eyes:  So many thousands of men, lowlaide in their graves afore us, may encourage us not to feare, or be dismaied to go meet so good companie in the other world, and so of all things else.  Our life (said Pithagoras) drawes neare unto the great and populous assemblies of the Olympike games, wherein some, to get the glorie and to win the goale of the games, exercise their bodies with all industrie; others, for greedinesse of gaine, bring thither marchandise to sell:  others there are (and those be not the worst) that seek after no other good, but to marke how wherefore, and to what end, all things are done:  and to be spectators or observers of other mens lives and actions, that so they may the better judge and direct their owne.  Unto examples may all the most profitable Discourses of Philosophic be sorted, which ought to be the touch-stone of human actions, and a rule to square them by, to whom may be said,

    —–­quid fas optare, quid asper
     Vtile nummus habet, patriae charisque propinquis
     Quantum elargiri deceat, quem te Deus esse
     lussit, et humana qua parte locaius es in re.
     [Footnote:  Pers.  Sat. iii. 69.]
     Quid sumus, aut quidnam victuri gignimur.
     [Footnote:  Ib. 67.]

     What thou maiest wish, what profit may come cleare,
     From new-stampt coyne, to friends and countrie deare
     What thou ought’st give:  whom God would have thee bee,
     And in what part mongst men he placed thee. 
     What we are, and wherefore,
     To live heer we were bore.

What it is to know, and not to know (which ought to be the scope of studie), what valour, what temperance, and what justice is:  what difference there is betweene ambition and avarice, bondage and freedome, subjection and libertie, by which markes a man may distinguish true and perfect contentment, and how far-forth one ought to feare or apprehend death, griefe, or shame.