SUSPICIONS amongst thoughts, are like bats amongst birds, they ever fly by twilight. Certainly they are to be repressed, or at least well guarded: for they cloud the mind; they leese friends; and they check with business, whereby business cannot go on currently and constantly. They dispose kings to tyranny, husbands to jealousy, wise men to irresolution and melancholy. They are defects, not in the heart, but in the brain; for they take place in the stoutest natures; as in the example of Henry the Seventh of England. There was not a more suspicious man, nor a more stout. And in such a composition they do small hurt. For commonly they are not admitted, but with examination, whether they be likely or no. But in fearful natures they gain ground too fast. There is nothing makes a man suspect much, more than to know little; and therefore men should remedy suspicion, by procuring to know more, and not to keep their suspicions in smother. What would men have? Do they think, those they employ and deal with, are saints? Do they not think, they will have their own ends, and be truer to themselves, than to them? Therefore there is no better way, to moderate suspicions, than to account upon such suspicions as true, and yet to bridle them as false. For so far a man ought to make use of suspicions, as to provide, as if that should be true, that he suspects, yet it may do him no hurt. Suspicions that the mind of itself gathers, are but buzzes; but suspicions that are artificially nourished, and put into men's heads, by the tales and whisperings of others, have stings. Certainly, the best mean, to clear the way in this same wood of suspicions, is frankly to communicate them with the party, that he suspects; for thereby he shall be sure to know more of the truth of them, than he did before; and withal shall make that party more circumspect, not to give further cause of suspicion. But this would not be done to men of base natures; for they, if they find themselves once suspected, will never be true. The Italian says, Sospetto licentia fede; as if suspicion, did give a passport to faith; but it ought, rather, to kindle it to discharge itself.
Suspicions among thoughts are like bats among birds. They always fly at twilight. Certainly, they must be suppressed, or at least carefully controlled. They cloud the mind, lose friends, and interfere with business, preventing it from proceeding smoothly and steadily. They lead kings toward tyranny, husbands toward jealousy, and wise men toward indecision and melancholy. They are faults of the mind, not the heart, for they occur even in the bravest people. Henry VII of England was an example. No man was more suspicious, and none was braver. In people of this kind, suspicions do little harm. Such people usually accept suspicions only after examining whether they are likely to be true. But in fearful people, suspicions gain ground too quickly. Nothing makes a person more suspicious than knowing little. People should therefore counter suspicion by learning more, rather than keeping their suspicions bottled up. What do people expect? Do they think those they employ and deal with are saints? Surely they expect others to pursue their own interests and be more loyal to themselves than to anyone else. The best way to moderate suspicions is therefore to prepare as though they were true, yet restrain them as false. A person should use suspicions only to take precautions, so that even if they prove true, they cause no harm. Suspicions that arise in the mind itself are merely buzzing insects. But suspicions deliberately encouraged and planted by other people's stories and whispers have stings. Certainly, the best way through this forest of suspicions is to discuss them frankly with the person suspected. This will reveal more of the truth than was known before. It will also make that person more careful not to give further grounds for suspicion. But this should not be done with dishonorable people. Once they find themselves suspected, they will never remain loyal. The Italian saying is, Sospetto licentia fede, meaning that suspicion releases loyalty from its obligations. Instead, suspicion ought to spur loyalty to fulfill its duties.