The.ix. Chapter. The litle comoditie of fame being desired but for vvorldly pleasure

Antony. LEt vs nowe consider good name, honest estimaciō, and honorable fame. For these thre thynges are of theyr owne na[…]ure, one, and take […]heyr difference in effect, but of the maner of the comē speache in diuersitie of degrees. For a good name maye a man haue be he neuer so poore, honest estymacyon in the common taking of the people belo[…]geth not vnto any man, but him that is takē […]or one of some countenaunce and behauour, and amonge his neyghbours had in some reputacion. In the worde of honorable fame, folke conceiue the renowme of greate estates, muche and farre spoken of by reason of theyr laudable ac[…]es. Nowe all this geare vsed as a thing pleasaunt and commodious for this present life, pleasaunte it maye seme to him that fasteneth his fantasy therin, but of the nature of the thinge it selfe, I perceiue no greate commoditie that it hath: I saye of the nature of the thing it selfe, because it maie be by chaunce some occasion of commoditie, as if it happe yt for the good name ye poore man hath, or for ye honest estimaciō that a man of some haue our & substaunce standeth in amonge his neyghbours, or for the honorable fame wherewith the greate estate is r[…]nowmed, yf it happe I saye that anye man beatinge them better, wyll doe them therfore any good.

A[…]d yet as for that, lyke as it maye sometyme so hap, (and somtime so happeth in dede:) so may it hap sometime on the other side (and on ye other side so it sometime happeth in dede) that such folke are of some other enuyed and hated, and as readely by them that enuy them and hate them take harme, as they take by them that loue them, good. But nowe to speake of the thing it selfe in hys owne proper nature, what is it but a blast of another mannes mouth, as sone passed as spoken, whereupon he that setteth his delite, fedeth hym selfe but wyth wind whereof be he neuer so full, he hath lytle substaunce therein.

And manye tymes shall he muche deceyue hym selfe. For he shall weene that many prayse hym, that neuer speake worde of hym, and they that doe saye yet much lesse than he weeneth, and farre more syldome too. For they spende not all the daye he may be sure in talkyng of hym alone, and whoso commend hym mostewyll yet I weene in euerye, xxiiii. houres, wynke and forgeatte him once. Besydes thys, that while one talketh well of hym in one place, an other sytteth and sayeth as shrewdelye of hym in an other. And finally, some that prayse hym in hys presence, behynde hys backe, mocke hym as faste, and lowde laughe hym to scorne, and sometyme slylye to his owne face too: and yet are there some fooles so fedde with thys fond fantasye of fame, that they reioyse and gorye, to thinke howe they be contynuallye praysed all aboute, as thoughe all the worlde dyd nothynge elles daye nor nyghte, but euer sytte and singe, Sanctus, Sanctu[…], Sanctus. vpon them.