would change him for a Kingdome?  “No surely, my Liege (said he), yet would I willingly forgot him to game a true friend, could I but finde a man worthy of so precious an alliance.”  He said not ill, in saying “could I but finde.”  For, a man shall easily finde men fit for a superficiall acquaintance; but in this, wherein men negotiate from the very centre of their harts, and make no spare of any thing, it is most requisite all the wards and springs be sincerely wrought and perfectly true.  In confederacies, which hold but by one end, men have nothing to provide for, but for the imperfections, which particularly doe interest and concerne that end and respect.  It is no great matter what religion my Physician or Lawyer is of:  this consideration hath nothing common with the offices of that friendship they owe mee.  So doe I in the familiar acquaintances that those who serve me contract with me.  I am nothing inquisitive whether a Lackey be chaste or no, but whether he be diligent:  I feare not a gaming Muletier, so much as if he be weake:  nor a hot swearing Cooke, as one that is ignorant and unskilfull; I never meddle with saying what a man should doe in the world; there are over many others that doe it; but what my selfe doe in the world.

     Mihi sic usus est:  Tibi, ut opus est facto, face
     [Footnote:  Ter.  Heau. act. i. sc. i, 28.]

     So is it requisite for me: 
     Doe thou as needfull is for thee.

Concerning familiar table-talke, I rather acquaint my selfe with and follow a merry conceited [Footnote:  Fanciful] humour, than a wise man:  And in bed I rather prefer beauty than goodnesse; and in society or conversation of familiar discourse, I respect rather sufficiency, though without Preud’hommie, [Footnote:  Probity.] and so of all things else.  Even as he that was found riding upon an hobby-horse, playing with his children besought him who thus surprized him not to speake of it untill he were a father himselfe, supposing the tender fondnesse and fatherly passion which then would posesse his minde should make him an impartiall judge of such an action; so would I wish to speake to such as had tried what I speake of:  but knowing how far such an amitie is from the common use, and how seld scene and rarely found, I looke not to finde a competent judge.  For, even the discourses, which sterne antiquitie hath left us concerning this subject, seeme to me but faint and forcelesse in respect of the feeling I have of it; And in that point the effects exceed the very precepts of Philosophie.

     Nil ego contulerim jucundo sanus amico.
     [Footnote:  Hor. 1. i.  Sat. vii. 44]

     For me, be I well in my wit,
     Nought, as a merry friend, so fit.