THE BAREFOOTED GODDESS. 197 



thine unhappines. Because the worste that the good man 

 can feare, is the best that the evyll can wishe for : whiche 

 is the destruction of the soule in death. But as he ought 

 not to hope thereof, so should not the other feare it. 

 For God the eternal father hath sent us into this worlde 

 as children and heyres of hys kingdome, and secretly 

 beholdeth how we fighte and defend our selves, against 

 our sences, the world and the Devyll. And who so in 

 this battell, valyantly fighteth, shal bee called and placed 

 among the Prynces of heauenlye kingedome. And who 

 so slothfully or cowerdly behaueth himself, as a slave in 

 featres shall for evermore be bounde. 



" This worldly stage was purposely prepared, that God 

 the father might secretlye beholde us. Such foolishe 

 children then, as in his sighte wantonlye, slouthfully, and 

 sediciouslye lyve, shoulde they not thinke he doth be- 

 holde them. When so ever therefore thou haste taken 

 that last leaue of Life 1 , thy soule like unto a lover 

 embracinge his death, shall enjoy e that sweteness and 

 security, whyche we can neither wryte of nor conceive. 

 For sith these worldlye lovers (amongest whom be many 



1 In Cardan's words the succeeding image is expressed more strongly 

 than by the translator. " Cum itaque stremum agonem anima supe- 

 raverit, tarn quam amans amanti copulata, ea dulcedine ac securitate 

 fruitur, quam nee scribere, nee cogitare possumus," &c. p. 132. To the 

 brief account of Cardan's books on Consolation given in the text, it 

 will perhaps be well specially to add, that although in some parts 

 occupying the same ground, they do not resemble, or equal, the five 

 books of Boethius on the Consolations of Philosophy. 



