of his sicknes, and not the fault of his meate, that he doth not savourly taste what he eates. So Reason, which of it selfe is sweete and savourie: seemes bitter in taste unto us, though it have no ill taste in dede. And therfore as nice & deintie felowes, we refuse to make any taste of her: & cover our grosnes, w^t saying that Nature hath no spurres nor raines y^t can prick her forth, or hold her backe. Where sure, if an Oxe or an Asse, or a Hogge, could speake: I beleeve, they could not lightly tell a more fowle & shamefull tale then this. We should be children still all the time of our riper yeares, & in our extreame age: and waxe as very fooles with gray hoary heads, as when we were very babes: if it were not that reason, which increaseth in us with our yeares, subdueth affections in us and growen to perfection, transformeth us from beastes in to men. So that it is well seene, shee ruleth our senses and bridleth our willes. And it is our owne Imperfection and not her faulte, if we doe swarve from vertue, goodnes, and good order in life. It is not then true, that there is not a bridell and Master for Nature, Nay, she is guided and ruled by twaine: Custome I meane, and Reason. But, as I have tould you a litle before: Reason without Custome and use, cannot make an uncivile bodie, well taught and courtious: Which custome and use, is as it were, bred and borne of time. And therefore they shall doe well, to harken betime unto her, not only for that, by this meanes, a man shall have more time and leasure to learne to be such as she teacheth, and to become as it were a houshould servaunt of hers, and one of her traine: but also bycause The tender age, as pure and cleane, doth easily receave all Impressions, and reteineth more lively, the colours wherewith she is dyed: then when a man comes to riper yeares: And also, bycause The things wherein wee have byn nourished and trained from our youth, doe ordinarily please us, above all other things. And for this cause, it is said that Diodato, a man that had a singular good gift & grace of utterance, would evermore bee the first that came fourth uppon the stage to shewe his Comedie: allthoughe they were all but counterfets unto him, whosoever they were that should have spoken before him. But he would not his voice should occupie other mens eares, after they heard another man speake. Although, in respect of his doings, it were a greate deale Inferiour to his. Seing then, I cannot agree my workes and my wordes together, for those causes I have shewed you before, as Maestro Chiarissimo did: whoe had as good a skil to do it, as he had knowledge to teache it: let it suffice that I have tould in some part what must be done, by cause I am not by any meanes able to doe it in dede. He that liveth in darkenes, may very well Judge what comfort it is to enjoy the benefit of light. And by an over long silence, we knowe what pleasure it is to speake: so