twise translate, out of Latin into English, and out of English
into Latin agayne. About S. Laurence tyde after, to proue
how he proffited, I did chose out _Torquatus_ taulke _de Amicitia_,
in the later end of the first booke _de finib._ bicause that place
was, the same in matter, like in wordes and phrases, nigh to
the forme and facion of sentences, as he had learned before in
_de Amicitia_. I did translate it my selfe into plaine English,
and gaue it him to turne into Latin: Which he did, so choislie,
so orderlie, so without any great misse in the hardest pointes of
Grammer, that some, in seuen yeare in Grammer Scholes, yea,
& some in the Vniuersities to, can not do halfe so well. This
worthie yong Ientleman, to my greatest grief, to the great
lamentation of that whole house, and speciallie to that most
noble Ladie, now Queene _Elizabeth_ her selfe, departed within
few dayes, out of this world.
And if in any cause, a man may without offence of God
speake somewhat vngodlie, surely, it was some grief vnto me,
to see him hie so hastlie to God, as he did. A Court, full of
soch yong Ientlemen, were rather a Paradise than a Court vpon
earth. And though I had neuer Poeticall head, to make any
verse, in any tong, yet either loue, or sorrow, or both, did wring
out of me than, certaine carefull thoughtes of my good will
towardes him, which in my murning for him, fell forth, more
by chance, than either by skill or vse, into this kinde of
misorderlie meter.
_Myne owne Iohn Whitney, now farewell, now death doth parte vs
twaine,
No death, but partyng for a while, whom life shall ioyne agayne.
Therfore my hart cease sighes and sobbes, cease sorowes seede to sow,
Wherof no gaine, but greater grief, and hurtfull care may grow.
Yet, whan I thinke vpon soch giftes of grace as God him lent,
My losse, his gaine, I must a while, with ioyfull teares lament.
Yong yeares to yelde soch frute in Court, where seede of vice is sowne,
Is sometime read, in some place seene, amongst vs seldom knowne.
His life he ledde, Christes lore to learne, with will to worke the
same:
He read to know, and knew to liue, and liued to praise his name.
So fast to frende, so foe to few, so good to euery weight,
I may well wishe, but scarcelie hope, agayne to haue in sight._
242 _The second booke teachyng_
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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