PICO DELLA MIRANDOLA
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also that they which had barked at them were of folly and rudeness to be reproved:
which defence and all other things that he should write he committed like a good
Christian man to the most holy judgement of our mother holy church: which defence
received: & the xiij. questions duly by deliberation examined: our holy father the
Pope approved Pico and tenderly favoured him, as by a bull of our holy father Pope
Alexander the vj, it plainly appeareth: but the book in which the whole. ix. C.
questions with their conclusions were contained (forasmuch as there were in them
many things strange and not fully declared, and were more meet for secret
communication of learned men than for open hearing of common people, which for
lack of cunning might take hurt thereby) Pico desired himself that it should not be
read. And so was the reading thereof forbidden. Lo this end had Pico of his high mind
and proud purpose, that where he thought to have gotten perpetual praise there had he
much work to keep himself upright: that he ran not in perpetual infamy and slander.
OF THE CHANGE OF HIS LIFE.
But as himself told his nephew he judged that this came thus to pass: by the
special provision and singular goodness of almighty God, that by this false crime
untruly put upon him by his evil willers he should correct his very errors, and that this
should be to him (wandering in darkness) as a shining light: in which he might behold
& consider: how far he had gone out of the way of truth. For before this he had been
both desirous of glory and kindled in vain love and holden in voluptuous use of
women. The comeliness of his body with the lovely favour of his visage, and
therewith all his marvellous fame, his excellent learning, great riches and noble
kindred, set many women afire on him, from the desire of whom he not abhorring (the
way of life set aside) was somewhat fallen into wantonness. But after that he was once
with this variance wakened he drew back his mind flowing in riot & turned it to
Christ, women's blandishments he changed into the desire of heavenly joys, &
despising the blast of vainglory which he before desired, now with all his mind he
began to seek the glory and profit of Christ's church, and so began he to order his
conditions that from thenceforth he might have been approved & though his enemy
were his judge.
OF THE FAME OF HIS VIRTUE AND THE RESORT UNTO HIM
THEREFOR.
Hereupon shortly the fame of his noble cunning and excellent virtue both far
& nigh began gloriously to spring for which many worthy philosophers (& that were
taken in number of the most cunning) resorted busily unto him as to a market of good
doctrine, some for to move questions and dispute, some (that were of more godly
mind) to hear and to take the wholesome lessons and instruction of good living: which
lessons were so much the more set by: in how much they came from a more noble
man and a more wise man and him also which had him false some time followed the
crooked hills of delicious pleasure. To the fastening of good discipline in the minds of
the hearers those things seem to be of great effect: which be both of their own nature
good & also be spoken of such a master as is converted to the way of justice from the
crooked & ragged path of voluptuous living.
THE BURNING OF WANTON BOOKS.
THOMAS MORE et al.
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Five books that in his youth of wanton verses of love with other like fantasies
he had made in his vulgar tongue: all together (in detestation of his vice passed) and
lest these trifles might be some evil occasion afterward, he burned them.
OF HIS STUDY AND DILIGENCE IN HOLY SCRIPTURE.
From thenceforth he gave himself day & night most fervently to the studies of
scripture, in which he wrote many noble books: which well testify both his angelic
wit, his ardent labour, and his profound erudition, of which books some we have &
some as an inestimable treasure we have lost. Great libraries it is incredible to
consider with how marvellous celerity he read them over, and wrote out what him
liked: of the old fathers of the church, so great knowledge he had as it were hard for
him to have that hath lived long & all his life hath done nothing else but read them. Of
these newer divines so good judgement he had that it might appear there were nothing
in any of them it were unknown to him, but all thing as ripe as though he had all their
works ever before his eyes, but of all these new doctors he specially commendeth
Saint Thomas[8] as him it enforceth himself in a sure pillar of truth. He was very
quick, wise, & subtle in dispicions & had great felicity therein while he had the high
stomach. But now a great while he had bade such conflicts farewell: and every day
more & more hated them, and so greatly abhorred them that when Hercules Estensis
Duke of Ferrara[9]: first by messengers and after by himself: desired him to dispute at
Ferrara: because the general chapter of friars preachers was holden there: long it was
ere he could be brought thereto: but at the instant request of the Duke which very
singularly loved him he came thither, where he so behaved himself that was wonder to
behold how all the audience rejoiced to hear him, for it were not possible for a man to
utter neither more cunning nor more cunningly. But it was a common saying with him
that such altercations were for a logician and not meetly for a philosopher, he said
also that such disputations greatly profited as were exercised with a peaceable mind to
th'ensearching of the truth in secret company without great audience: but he said that
those dispicions did great hurt that were holden openly to th'ostentation of learning &
to win the favour of the common people & the commendation of fools. He thought
that utterly it could unneth be but that with the desire of worship (which these gazing
disputers gape after) there is with an inseparable bond annexed the appetite of his
confusion & rebuke whom they argue with, which appetite is a deadly wound to the
soul, & a mortal poison to charity. There was nothing passed him of those capicious
subtleties & cavillations of sophistry, nor again there was nothing that he more hated
& abhorred, considering that they served of nought but to the shaming of such other
folk as were in very science much better learned and in those trifles ignorant and it
unto th'ensearching of the truth (to which he gave continual labour) they profited little
or nought.
OF HIS LEARNING UNIVERSALLY.
But because we will hold the reader no longer in hand: we will speak of his
learning but a word or twain generally. Some man hath shined in eloquence, but
ignorance of natural things hath dishonested him. Some man hath flowered in the
knowledge of divers strange languages, but he hath wanted all the cognition of
philosophy. Some man hath read the inventions of the old philosophers, but he hath
not been exercised in the new schools. Some man hath sought cunning as well