The Cardinal Virtues.

most bound , & oweth his full obedience . The auncient Civilians say , Iustice is a will perpetuall and constante , which giueth to euery man his right . In that it is named constant , it importeth Fortitude : In discerning what is right or wrong , prudence is required . And to proporcion the sentence or iudgment in an equality , belongeth to Temperance . All these together conglutinate and effectually executedmaketh a perfect definition of Iustice . And Tully

, differeth not much from the same difinition of Iustice , * where he saieth , it is alwaies occupied , eyther in preseruing the felowship of men , giuing vnto euery body that which is his owne , or keeping a faithfulnesse in contracts . He saieth also , that the foundation of perpetual praise and renowne , is Iustice , without the which nothing may be commendable : which sentence is ' verefied by daily experience . For be a man neuer so gentlebounteousvaliantor

, , , liberall , be he neuer so wise , familiar or courtuous , if he bee once seene to exercise Iniustice , or to do wrong , it is the wel noted , and often remembred ; yea , all vertues ( where Iustice faileth ) lack their commendation . I hard of late , as I traueled by the way , a Gentleman praised for sundrie vertues which were in him , as that he was gentle and meeke , pleasant and faire in words ,

wise , well learned , modest , and sober : but I hard no remembrance made of his Iustice . For immediatly one present in the companye reported him to be an vsurer , a person deceiptefull , couetous , an oppressor of the poore , and no keeper of hospitalitie , yet hauing foure or flue Farmes in his hands or more , that he was a decayer of houses and husbandrie , a rerer of rents , and a cruell taker of fines . These vices did deface al his other vertues : for as Tully saietbt it is the part of Iustice to offer men no violenceto vse them soberl

, , y and skilfully with whom we bee conuersat , not to be tempted with niony , but to study by all means to profit euerie man . Iustice despiseth , ancl noughte regardeth those things , whereuuto most men enkendeled with greediues be haled . It is iust also in euerie matter of barganing , buying , selling , hyring , or letting ,: true in euerie couenant , bargaine or promise , plaine and simple in all dealing : And that simplicitie is properly Iustice . And where any man

of a couetous or malicious minde , will digresse purposely from that simplicitie , taking aduantage of a sentence or worde , which might be ambiguous or doubtful , or in some thing either superfluous or lacking in the bargayne or promise , where he certainly knoweth the truth to be otherwise , this in my opinion is damnable fraude , being as plaine against Iustice , as it were enforced by violence : for Iustice will helpe all men , and wittingly offend

none . % She is of all vertues the Ladie and Queene : keeping the sound and expresse forme of the Law , hating and abhorring all stealing , aduoutrie , poysoning , falsehead ,

disceite , briberie , giftes , rewardes , couetousnes , false witnes , oppression , murder , extorcion , and periurie . The which vices and crimes , by no meanes may be ioyned to the perfect vertue named Iustice , which is the chiefe of all vertues more wonderfull then the bright starre Hesperus and Lucifer . And here

at this time I leaue to speake any more of that most Royal and necessarie vertue , called Iustice . The most proper vertue belonging to a man is Fortitude , called Manlynesse , which is wel defined of the Stoiks , where they say it is a yerbvi , propugriatem , pro equitate , thatfighteth in defence of equitie . Wherefore no man ,