Cuddies Embleme.
Niuno vecchio,
Spaventa Iddio.
Embleme.
This embleme is spoken of Thenot, as a moral of his former tale: namelye,
that God, which is himselfe most aged, being before al ages, and without
beginninge, maketh those, whom he loueth like to himselfe, in heaping
yeares vnto theyre dayes, and blessing them wyth longe lyfe. For the blessing
of age is not giuen to all, but vnto those, whome God will so blesse:
and albeit that many euil men reache vnto such fulnesse of yeares, and
some also wexe olde in myserie and thraldome, yet therefore is not age
euer the lesse blessing. For euen to such euill men such number of yeares
is added, that they may in their last dayes repent, and come to their first
home. So the old man checketh the rashheaded boy, for despysing his gray
and frostye heares.
Whom Cuddye doth counterbuff with a byting and bitter prouerbe, spoken
indeede at the first in contempt of old age generally. for it was an old
opinion, and yet is continued in some mens conceipt, that men of yeares
haue no feare of god at al, or not so much as younger folke. For that being
rypened with long experience, and hauing passed many bitter brunts and
blastes of vengeaunce, they dread no stormes of Fortune, nor wrathe of
Gods, nor daunger of menne, as being eyther by longe and ripe wisedome
armed against all mischaunces and aduersitie, or with much trouble hardened
against all troublesome tydes: lyke vnto the Ape, of which is sayd in Æsops
fables, that oftentimes meeting the Lyon, he was at first sore aghast and
dismayed at the grimnes and austeritie of hys countenance, but at last being
acquainted with his lookes, he was so furre from fearing him, that he would
familiarly gybe and iest with him: Suche longe experience breedeth in some
men securitie. Although it please Erasmus a great clerke and good old
father, more fatherly and fauourablye to construe it in his Adages for his
own behoofe, That by the prouerbe Nemo Senex metuit Iouem, is not
meant, that old men haue no feare of God at al, but that they be furre from
superstition and Idolatrous regard of false Gods, as is Iupiter. But his
greate learning notwithstanding, it is to plaine, to be gainsayd, that olde
men are muche more enclined to such fond fooleries, then younger heades.