Of Revenge

REVENGE is a kind of wild justice; which the

more man' s nature runs to, the more ought

law to weed it out.  For as for the first wrong, it

doth but offend the law; but the revenge of that

wrong, putteth the law out of office.  Certainly, in

taking revenge, a man is but even with his enemy;

but in passing it over, he is superior; for it is a

prince's part to pardon.  And Solomon, I am sure,

saith, It is the glory of a man, to pass by an offence.

That which is past is gone, and irrevocable; and

wise men have enough to do, with things present

and to come; therefore they do but trifle with

themselves, that labor in past matters.  There is no

man doth a wrong, for the wrong's sake; but

thereby to purchase himself profit, or pleasure, or

honor, or the like.  Therefore why should I be

angry with a man, for loving himself better than

me? And if any man should do wrong, merely out

of ill-nature, why, yet it is but like the thorn or

briar, which prick and scratch, because they can

do no other.  The most tolerable sort of revenge, is

for those wrongs which there is no law to remedy;

but then let a man take heed, the revenge be such

as there is no law to punish; else a man's enemy is

still before hand, and it is two for one.  Some, when

they take revenge, are desirous, the party should

know, whence it cometh.  This is the more gener-

ous.  For the delight seemeth to be, not so much in

doing the hurt, as in making the party repent.  But

base and crafty cowards, are like the arrow that

flieth in the dark.  Cosmus, duke of Florence, had a

desperate saying against perfidious or neglecting

friends, as if those wrongs were unpardonable;

You shall read (saith he) that we are commanded

to forgive our enemies; but you never read, that we

are commanded to forgive our friends.  But yet the

spirit of Job was in a better tune: Shall we (saith

he) take good at God's hands, and not be content to

take evil also? And so of friends in a proportion.

This is certain, that a man that studieth revenge,

keeps his own wounds green, which otherwise

would heal, and do well.  Public revenges are for

the most part fortunate; as that for the death of

Caesar; for the death of Pertinax; for the death of

Henry the Third of France; and many more.  But

in private revenges, it is not so.  Nay rather, vindic-

tive persons live the life of witches; who, as they

are mischievous, so end they infortunate.