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Wilt ever catch the knack,requite the pains Of poor papa, become proficient too I the how and why and whenthe time to laugh, The time to weep, the time, again, to pray, (1460) And all the times prescribed by Holy Writ? Well, well, we fathers can but care, but cast Our bread upon the waters!) These secondary charges go to ground, Since secondary, so superfluous,motes Quite from the main point: we did all and some, Little and much, adjunct and principal, Causa honoris. Is there such a cause As the sake of honour? By that sole test try (1470) Our action, nor demand it more or less, Because of the actions mode, we merit blame Or may-be deserve praise. The Court decides. Is the end lawful? It allows the means: What we may do we may with safety do, And what means safety we ourselves must judge. Put case a person wrongs me past dispute: If my legitimate vengeance be a blow, Mistrusting my bare arm can deal the same, I claim co-operation of a stick; (1480) Doubtful if stick be tough, I crave a sword; Diffident of ability in fence, I fee a friend, a swordsman to assist: Take onewho may be coward, fool or knave Why not take fifty?and if these exceed I the due degree of drubbing, whom accuse But the first author of the aforesaid wrong Who put poor me to such a world of pains? Surgery would have just excised a wart; The patient made such pother, struggled so That the sharp instrument sliced nose and all. (1490) Taunt us not that our friends performed for pay! For us, enough were simple honours sake: Give country clowns the dirt they comprehend, The piece of gold! Our reasons, which suffice Ourselves, be ours alone; our piece of gold Be, to the rustic, reason and to spare! We must translate our motives like our speech Into the lower phrase that suits the sense O the limitedly apprehensive. Let (1500) Each level have its language! Heaven speaks first To the angel, then the angel tames the word Down to the ear of Tobit: he, in turn, Diminishes the message to his dog, And finally that dog finds how the flea (Which else, importunate, might check his speed) Shall learn its hunger must have holiday, How many varied sorts of language here, Each following each with pace to match the step, Haud passibus quis! (1510) Reminds me I must put in special word For the poor humble following,the four friends, Sicarii, our assassins in your charge. Ourselves are safe in your approval now: Yet must we care for our companions, plead The cause o the poor, the friends (of old-world faith) Who are in tribulation for our sake. Pauperum Procurator is my style: I stand forth as the poor mans advocate: (1520) And when we treat of what concerns the poor, Et cum agatur de pauperibus, In bondage, carceratis, for their sake, In eorum causis, natural piety, Pietas, ever ought to win the day, Triumphare debet, quia ipsi sunt, Because those very paupers constitute, Thesaurus Christi, all the wealth of Christ. Nevertheless I shall not hold you long With multiplicity of proofs, nor burn Candle at noon-tide, clarify the clear. (1530) There beams a case refulgent from our books Castrensis, Butringarius, everywhere I find it burn to dissipate the dark. Tis this: a husband had a friend, which friend Seemed to him over-friendly with his wife In thought and purpose,I pretend no more. To justify suspicion or dispel, He bids his wife make show of giving heed, Semblance of sympathypropose, in fine, (1540) A secret meeting in a private place. The friend, enticed thus, finds an ambuscade, To-wit, the husband posted with a pack Of other friends, who fall upon the first And beat his love and life out both at once. These friends were brought to question for their help. Law ruled The husband being in the right, Who helped him in the right can scarce be wrong Opinio, an opinion every way, Multum tenenda cordi, heart should hold! (1550) When the inferiors follow as befits The lead o the principal, they change their name, And, non dicuntur, are no longer called His mandatories, mandatorii, But helpmates, sed auxiliatores; since To that degree does honour sake lend aid, Adeo honoris causa est efficax, That not alone, non solum, does it pour Itself out, se diffundat, on mere friends, We bring to do our bidding of this sort, (1560) In mandatorios simplices, but sucks Along with it in wide and generous whirl, Sed etiam assassinii qualitate Qualificatos, people qualified By the quality of assassinations self, Dare I make use of such neologism, Ut utar verbo. Of the other points that favour, leave some few For Spreti; such as the delinquents youth: (1570) One of them falls short, by some months, of age Fit to be managed by the gallows; two May plead exemption from our laws award, Being foreigners, subjects of the Granduke I spare that bone to Spreti and reserve Myself the juicier breast of argument Flinging the breast-blade i the face o the Fisc, Who furnished me the tid-bit: he must needs Play off his armoury and rack the clowns, And they, at instance of the rack, confessed (1580) All four unanimously did resolve, That night o the murder, in |
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