Iustice is the third well of nobilitie,Iustice a no|ble vertue, wherwith this erle was indued. it is a con|stant and a perpetuall will to giue euerie man his owne. This is a diuine vertue, pretious, and com|mendable in all men, and especiallie in the nobilitie, who by reason of authoritie may doo iniurie without remedie for the same. We sée by experience that great is the number of them that would oppresse, if they had authoritie: we see also the iniuries that are doone dailie by them that haue colour of authoritie, be it neuer so simple. But examine the life of this earle who will, and I beléeue there is no man liuing that can iustlie complaine of anie iniurie or wrong doone by him.The bishop reporteth of the earles iu|stice vpon his owne know|ledge. I once in my time heard him not a litle offended with one of his men that was complained vpon; saieng that his seruant could doo him no grea|ter dishonor, than by pretense of his authoritie to doo anie poore man wrong. Iob in the time of his autho|ritie & wealth, was commended to be a iust & a righ|teous man. And in the explication of part of that iustice Iob hath these words, Fui oculus caeco, Iob. 29, 15. vice pedum claudo, &c: I was the eies to the blind, and I was the féet to the lame, I was a father to the poore, and when I knew not the cause I sought it out diligentlie, I brake the chawes of the vnrighteous man, and pluc|ked the preie out of his téeth.The paterne of a good earle indéed. Here we find that who soeuer will doo iustice, must not onelie doo no wrong, but must also with all his might, succour and comfort the helplesse and oppressed. In this part of iustice there was neuer noble man more forward than this good earle. He was the comfortable refuge of all such as were in aduersitie, or oppressed by power.

Of Titus Uespasianus emperor of Rome we read, that he answered one of his freends, admonish|ing him to hold his hands, and not to make his libe|ralitie and gentlenesse common to all men, saieng; Suetonius. that it becommeth not a prince to let anie man part EEBO page image 1265 from him with a heauie hart. This worthie erle was of like mind:The huma|nitie, courte|sie, affable|nesse, and other ver [...]ues of this earle. for he was so full of humanitie and compassion, that he would be loth to let anie distres|sed part from him without some comfort and ease. In so much that in him (if euer in anie man) this adage, Homo homini Deus, A man a god to man, was as true|lie performed, as in tyrants the contrarie adage, that is, Homo homini lupus, A man a woolfe to man. Wee read in chronicles of emperors, kings, & noble men, which for their bountifulnesse, gentlenesse, affabilitie, and goodnesse, deserued some honorable addition to their names; as amongst the emperors Antoninus pi|us, Anthonie the vertuous; amongst the British kings, Elidorus pius, Elidor the godlie; and amongst noble men, in the time of king Richard the second, sir Thomas Montacute the good earle of Salisburie; and in the time of king Henrie the sixt, sir Thomas Beuchampe the good earle of Warwike. This no|ble earle for the verie like qualities hath trulie deser|ued to be called, the good earle, the vertuous earle, and the valiant earle of Essex.

Temperance, a noble vertue wherewith this erle was indued.Temperance is the founteine of nobilitie; it is a vertue whereby a man obserueth a moderation, & a reasonable meane in the vse of all things perteining to bodie & mind: it is the mother of all other vertues, without which, the rest are blemished and disgraced. In the Dutch chronicles that tell of the liues of em|perors, the first qualitie that is noted, is temperat, or not temperat, as an argument of the rest of his life and dooings: for he is thought vnworthie to rule others that can not rule himselfe. This noble earle had a speciall grace, and an excellent gift of God in obseruation of this vertue, whether you respect diet, or the suppression of all vicious affections.The bishops report of the earle vpon his owne know|ledge. I haue di|uerse times noted in him, when vnderstanding was brought vnto him of some Thrasonicall contumeli|ous word, spoken by some glorious inferior aduersa|rie against him, he would neuer be stirred to anie perturbation of mind thereby, but with graue wise|dome and magnanimitie contemne it and smile, de|riding the vanitie and waiwardnesse of that canke|red stomach that vomited such sowre rotten infecti|on: for he did effectuallie consider that it became no better a noble hart to take in & receiue wranglings, brallings, chafings, and anger, than it is conuenient to dawbe a golden piller with mire and claie. Salo|mon was of that mind, Eccles. 7.9. and therefore saith; Be not thou hastie to be angrie, for anger resteth in the bo|some of fooles. I haue had occasion by that I noted in his lordship to call to remembrance this saieng of Christ; Luke 6.45. A good man out of the good tresure of his hart bringeth foorth good things: & the euill man out of the euill treasure of his hart bringeth foorth euill things. For though occasion were ministred, yet should you neuer heare him vtter anie opprobrious words, no not against his aduersarie, so pure & immaculate did he studie to preserue the nobilitie of his mind.The earle could not a|waie with swearing, cha|sing, nor anie disordered dealing, &c. There be some that count themselues worthie honor & esti|mation, when they teare God in péeces with chafing and horrible oths: which this noble earle detested and abhorred, as a matter not onelie vndecent, but also repugnant to the nature of true nobilitie, attribu|ting due reuerence to the name of the Lord, & there|by proouing the founteins of his nobilitie to spring out of the hill of the feare of God.