=The defect hereof, so far discrepant as it is, from the steadie kind of gouernment hereby throughout concluded vpon, needeth not I thinke in the framing of this our |Secretory|, to be anie further forewarned, who by shaking from his own person anie part of the vilities that in others may seeme chieflie to be discommended, is herein to be ascertained, that in nothing so greatly can the excellent vertue or condition of any man shine, then in not first committing anie action that may appeare vile, or hardlie to bee borne withall, and next in suppressing so much as in him is, whatsoeuer commendation or liking dulie to bee annexed to his owne proper deseruing, wherein |humility| fréede from all maner of base and seruile purposes, shall then sufficientlie instruct him, that |curtesie| is a vertue, |lowlinesse| a thing annexed vnto |gentility|, to bee |proud| is a vice, to be |contemptuous| a filthines, |simplicity| is found, |deceipt| to be abhorred, |Loyalty| a matter in estimation, |Flattery| to be held abhominable. I will not here dispute how much excellent and néedfull it were vnto their estates, that the neerest attendance of honourable personages, were with men of such vertue and knowledge in this sort frequented, neither carping at sundry enormities, would I therby deuise, to draw forth vnto you a man vnmatchable in qualitie, and whereof the worlde or anie heauen besides, scarce yéeldeth either shadow or propertie, but proposing the worthiest partes which of euerie one absolutelie are fittest to be acquired, I do only endeuour to laie down no other matter or ground, then wherewith men that be speciall are at this date helde to be endued, and such as in all ages heretofore haue been thought meetest to be followed.=
=What should I lade this discourse with numbred examples vnto you of the great estimate and regard of those, who to kéep their faiths inuiolable to their Lordes, haue some of them beene so iealous of their honours, as for the safegard thereof, haue by great aduisement made a voluntarie aduenture of their dearest liues: some againe with great loue and fauour, entertained and reputed of by their Lordes, and not able in their seruices as they thought, during their life times sufficiently to compense the loue and especiall zeale they beare vnto their Honours, haue afterwards vnto their children beeing in great disgrace with the state present, so fully effected the fruits of their welwishing, as that by the tender accompt, reuerance and loialty to them proposed, they haue right well declared that not vnto times alone of estate & fortune, when little regard of such things might be at their hands expected, their vertues haue been limitted, but chieflie in extremity and times of want, wherin their sundry fruitions, haue bin in most aboundant maner supplied. Others likewise charged on the death bed with the secret affaires of their L. to be kept in speciall care and reckoning from the knowledge of other men, could not by multitudes of fauors, by threatnings, or other large offers whatsoeuer, bee so far seduced, (as when the dead was quite passed and gone out of the world, whereby they néeded not at all to haue doubted) they would yet be led in the least iote of al, to defraud the trust in them reposed, but haue kept the same inuiolable to their vndoubted commendation, and further increase afterward of good liking to a far greater credit.=