curious and more absolute then at any tyme heretofore in what age so euer Concernyng which matter Quintilian giueth some rules not lesse worthie to bee obserued as also the learned Erasmus in his booke of good and perfect pronunciation But of this kinde of hande writyng will I onely speake by the sole meanes of whiche as hath the said Erasmus certaine blinde menne haue learned orderly to write Thei did to bee made a table of Porphire of bone or otherwise of mettall in whiche was ingraued euery the letters as a. b. c. c. then tooke thei in hande some small and pretie instrumente at the poincte very fine sharpe and subtile suche and so well fined that with ease thei might drawe it through euery the aboue saied letters their handes at first by some other wel directed whiche thyng by long practise thei shall in the ende conceiue hauyng the true forme of eche letter in minde folowyng it still with continuall vse and industrie by little and little shall in the ende growe so perfecte that afterward thei shall bee able to frame them on any other matter where though thei some tymes faile yet commonly and for the moste parte thei shal doe it well And thus in fine thei maie write in paper by iuste order and proportion what so euer either offereth it self to the minde or phantasie Of the first Libraries that euer were in the worlde and how the men of that tyme vsed to haue the Images or purtraites of the learned in theim Chap. 3. IT is to be thought that the firste bookes and libraries that euer were in the worlde were in the beginnyng among the Hebrues for as it is euideÌ„t that letters were there first knowen and the perfect vse of theim so is it to be supposed that they also had some care to kéepe and preserue that which they at any time had committed to writing That whiche is as well verified by the aucthoritie of Iosephus here after alleaged as also by that wee reade in holy write Isidorus reporteth that after the Chaldians hadde burned the library of the Hebrues with all and euerie their bookes of the lawe the Hebrues being retourned backe againe into Hierusalem the prophet Esdras illumined by the holy ghoste remedied this harme writyng againe these bookes and reducing theim into the number of twentie two which was the precise number of the letters of their Alphabet Whence it is manifest that after Moyses had written the Hebrues incontinently framed to theim selues a library for the better conseruation of the saied bookes of their lawe as well these I meane that wee presently haue of the olde Testament as also the others of which we before remembred among whiche was the booke of Enoch alleaged or sited by sainct Iude the Apostle in his Epistle aboue specified the boke of the warres of our sauiour wherof mentioÌ„ is in the twenty and one chapiter of the booke of Numbers the booke also of the true seruauntes of God vouchte in the seconde booke and firste Chapiter of the kinges the booke of Samuel the prophet remembred in the last Chapiter of Paralipomenon the booke of Nathan the Prophet with many others which all séemed to haue bien brunt or other wise consumed So that it appeareth euidently that the Iewes had their libraries and that those of the Gentiles were after theÌ„ and later The Gréekes report that the firste that euer ordained any publike library was Pisistratus tyranne of Athens whiche after was augmented and inricht by the Athenians whither when as Xerxes after warde came he remoued the library thence into Persia where it was diligently and carefully preserued vntill longe tyme after that Seleucus named Nicanor gatte them thence and brough theim backe againe to Athens These thinges are reported of Aulus Gellius and Isidorus whiche both affirme that this library grewe daily after this to be verie riche of all bookes of what sort so euer How be it the library of Alexandria in Egypte whiche king Ptolomiâ— by his onely meanes framed was assuredly the moste excellenst of all others in the world for that there in was founde all the olde Testament the other scriptures also of the seuentie two interpreters with infinite others famous and learned workes Pâ—inie not withstandyng againe reporteth that the kynge Eumenes in contempte of Ptolomie did an other to be erected in the Citie of Pergama A. Gellius and Am. Mercellinus writte that in the library at Alexandria in Egypte were at one tyme seuen hundren thousande bokes Seneca in like sort on the number accordeth with theim whiche althogh it might seme almoste incredible yet who so hath redde of the sumptuous larges and excessiue profutioÌ„ of the kinges of Egypte as well about sepulchers Piramides temples as also other common buildyngs and shippes with infinite suche others of inestimable price some parte of the whiche Budeus in his annotations on the pandectes verie well remembereth vs and Lazarus of Baif in hys booke intituled ars naualis reporteth that this librarie séemed nothing to hym impossible From euery parte and corner of the worlde bookes were daily brought to the better furnishyng of this library written also in all tongues what so euer then knowen of which none had any charge but suche as were beste learned Some for the poetes some for histories others some also for the others of other faculties and sciences whiche all were wasted and consumed with fier by the impacable fury of the Soldiours of Caesar whiche euen thether followed and pursued the great and mighty Pompe ouerrunning also at that same tyme the force of Ptolomie brother to Cleopatra Concerning that other so riche of bookes and so famous by the paine and labour of Eumenes in Pargama Plutarche in the life of Marcus Antonius saieth that he thether had gathered two hundred thousand volumes euery one from other of sundrie and diuers matters As touchyng the library in Grece Strabo affirmeth that Aristotle was the first that euer gathered or brought together any bookes in Athens where in he lesse accordeth with other historiogriphers whiche attribute the commendation of that so honest a dimerite onely to Pisistratus whiche was as is euident many yeres before Aristotle wherefore we muste in this place vnderstande that Strabo mente his wordes of a meane and priuate personage and not of king or prince as was in effecte Pisistratus Howbeit very likely it is that Aristotle herein was aided by the busie paine of Alexander After all these an other was erected in Rome both publike and common by Asinius Pelion But the first that euer brought greate store of boakes thether was Paulus Emilius after the conqueste of Perseus And after hym againe L. Lucullus which he brought among other thinges as a praie out of Pontus Iulius Caesar againe with like care inrichte thys library committyng it to the charge or kéepyuge of M. Varro whiche afterwardes with some others in Rome was brunte destroyed by meanes of the often sackyng and subuersion
prosperously succéede with hym that busily adored or reuerenced this fortune but vnto hym that sacrificed not ne appeased her by offerynges all thynges should goe amisse where he so theim attempted And of all these abuses the deuell hymself was auther to that intent onely thei should repose their whole hope and affiaunce still in him as happened some times for proofe therof to Galba who for that he had taken awaie a coller of Golde from this Image of Fortune to dedicate the same or offer it to Venus as is reported in sundrie good histories fortune the saied night immediatly then folowyng appeared vnto hym with dreedfull wordes minasing wherof he also died or many daies expired The vanitie of this people was suche then and so aucthorised that they yet had also an other Image of fortune semely bearded imaginyng all those that had her in especiall adoration shoulde haue verie faire beardes well coloured and well growen but those that disdained her or none at all or the contrarie All these thinges did they for diuersitie of respectes and considerations in her and withall to signifie her omnipotēcie or power which they déemed all she had purtraiyng her in sundrie and diuers sortes a goddesse The philosopher Cebes depainted her in the shape or figure of a woman but as furious with al blinde and with out féeling mounted on a roūde stone denotyng her instabilitie Vupal was the firste in Gréece that framed any shape or purtraite of fortune in the toune of Smirna which he depainted with a veale vpon her head hauing in her hande a horne of abūdance The Scithians purtraied her a woman without feete hauyng not withstandyng both handes and winges Others some fashioned her with the stearne of a shippe in one hande as also with the foresaied horne of abundance in the other thence inferring that shee had dominiō ouer all disposing all thinges throughout the worlde as was to her roiall maiestie best séemyng Some others againe of fine and brittle glasse because she was so fickle with out all holde or staie Others also depainted her turnyng of a wheele on the highest parte of which some presently were placed some also were climbyng as thoug they would get vp some also fallyng into ruine and dispaire One also resembleth her not vnaptly to a Commedie in whiche some enter at tymes with countenance of kinges and greate Personages and streight againe chaungyng their habite or apparell put on the faces or countenaunces of bondmenne for that in this life wée haue none other suretie to daie to liue in pompe to morowe in rācke beggerie Socrates compared her to a common place or theater without order where commonly it happened the worthiest in déede to be eftsones worst placed Others some againe purtraied her all blinde and to this purpose Apuleus hath these woordes in his golden Asse For iust cause did our elders depainte Fortune blind for continually she giueth to the lesse vertuous and vnhoneste neuer for his demerites preferryng any persone voide of all election or distinction of menne for vertue aduauncyng the ribaulde and the gracelesse tretcherer whom if she had iyes to beholde or to consider she then would flie in haste from these her accursed dearlynges Infinite is the number of aucthorities that might be alleaged concernyng the names or titles that haue béen of many assigned vnto Fortune Valerius and Claudian letted not to call her dispitefull and enuious Ouidius in fastis right mightie and puissaunte but in his Epistles accursed and dispitefull Iuuenall in his Satires froward and peruerse Lucian traiterous and periured Siluius Italicus false and subtile Virgill in one place nameth her omnipotēt and almightie but in others again inconstaunte vnfaithfull and disloiall Cicero of whom we also aboue some thing remembred who also then accoumpted her a Princes moste of might and guide also to them that would or did liue iustly saieth that nothing is so contrary to reason and to constancie as is thesame Fortune And yet for all this the vanitie of the auncient Romaines was suche and so greate that thei stil adored her whom thei knewe to bee blinde falce instable and inconstaunte dedicatyng to thesame bothe sumptuous and costly Temples vowyng theim selues so busily to these superstitions that the Emperours theim selues had euermore the Image of Fortune in their sleapyng chambers But when any of theim died the same was then transported into the chamber of his successor The firste that framed a Temple to Fortune in Rome was Seruius Tullius as recordeth Liue the sixte kyng by order and iuste accoumpte of the Romaines though Plutarche in his booke of the fortune of the Romaines affirme that it was Marcius the fowerth kyng there whiche framed as is euidente a Temple to virill Fortune Seruius notwithstandyng gaue Fortune all these names to witte of valiaunte Fortune little Fortune prosperous Fortune aduerse Fortune triumphaunte Fortune with others more suche to these the like and semblable to euery of whiche he dedicateth a parte a riche a faire and asumptuous temple The first of virile or rather valiaunte Fortune stoode nigh vnto Tyber where all yonge maidens that were of age mariagable came to offer their presentes with all reuerence and deuotion in whiche Temple thei also did of all their apparell all naked saue their smocke before this Idoll of Fortune discoueryng their me heames and eche their deformities if thei had any priuie imperfection immaginyng that this Idoll would assuredly conceale it and so for theim woorke by some secrete vertue that those thaut should marrie theim should neuer at all perceiue it that whiche Ouide reporteth in his Fastis And as this Empire grewe still to be more greate and puissaunte so grewe this fonde deuotion throughout emong the Romaines erectyng to her Temples accordyng to the difference or diuersitie of her names and this not onely in Rome or other tounes aboute it but in euery the partes what so euer of all Italie In fine then must we thinke that all these vanities with many others the semblable whiche maie in this place bée remembred to this purpose was a plain illusion and deception of men walkyng in darkenesse affiyng and trustyng in their owne proper wisedome For what so euer is dwellyng in this worlde in heauen I meane in yearth or els belowe in hell thei still are and procede from the inscrutable prouidence and wisedome of GOD neither is it Fortune chaunce or aduenture for that all in him haue cause of their beyng by hym thei also holde their course and eke their order And againe though many of vs bee founde of so grosse a féelyng or vnderstandyng that wee either hardly or not at all perceiue the increase or successe of thynges not to be of Fortune but that what so euer is or any waie multiplieth the same to issue and procede from the principall firste and chief cause God maker creatour and gouernour of all whiche for an assured veritie we muste acknowledge and imbrace that would or doe desire to be
dooen well in makyng common these bookes of Philosophie by thee composed sor how in thine owne iudgement maie I now surpasse others if this now whiche thou some tymes didste teache me by thy meanes become common and well knowen vnto all men Knowe assuredly that I more affecte to ercell others in learning then in any the riches or kingdomes of the worlde Whiche thing as sone as it was ones vnderstoode of Aristotle he aunswered that his bookes whiche he then had printed were so intricate obscure and difficill that it was impossible for any man to profit by theim if hymself did not firste of all expounde and interprete them Pirrhus an excellente capitaine and kyng of the Epirotes whiche long liued in armes at deâ—â—aunce with the Romaines who also at tymes discomfited and vanquishte theim not onely busied hymself in the often readyng of the Sciences but also published certaine bookes of whiche some were written of the policies or preceptes of warre That whiche alsoin our tyme hath doen that worthie personage Gulielmus de Bellai seigniour of Langei What shall we also write of Iulius Caesar the firste Emperour and beste capitaine that euer ledde souldiar he no lesse profited in the studie of letters then of armes who firste was a studente before he would be a souldiar and after as occasion or tyme mighte serue hym would visite the schooles or Vniuersities of Poetes and marchyng still or trauaillyng would write or reade some thyng On a tyme beyng at Alexandria in Egipte the better to saue hym self beyng in mernailous daunger skilled in swimmyng committed hym self to the water through whiche he carried in one hande the bookes whiche he had written giuyng others to vnderstande that he no lesse helde theim deare to hym them his life hauyng no lesse care to saue the one then the other and what he had profited in the studie of good learnyng his commentaries whiche he hath lefte vs sufficiently witnes And not onely Caesar but all th' other Emperours verifie the same whiche we here haue reported whiche also were for the moste parte good capitaines and gouernors who also when so euer thei were inricht with children acquainted them straight and out of hand with their bookes prouidyng them excellente maisters and learned men out of Grece Very fewe knowe what men the twoo Catoes were how valiant in Martiall exploites what graue and wise Philosophers Censorinus the greate so vowed hymself to studie that what he was and how he profited his writynges yet dooe witnes he was an worthie Oratour and well skilled in histories vniuersally learned in all studies and scieÌ„ces the Greke tongue he beganne in his olde and stoopyng age The other surnamed Vticensis though he were in deede lesse subtile and sharpe witted yet soughte he to haue with hym suche as he could finde any where the beste learned emong whom he retained the Philosopher Antipater and so gaue hym self totally vnto his studie that as Cicero reporteth in his bookes de finibus he hardely might be drawen at any tyme from his papers in suche sorte that he neuer entered into the Senate without some booke to busie hym self if he happely might haue there so muche leasure Scipio Africanus that triumphed ouer Hanniball was so inamored with the study of good learnyng that he neuer lefte to haue the Poete Ennius with hym and after all his warres and triumphant victories gaue hymself moste earnestly to continuaunce of reading Hannibal his coÌ„petitor though he were in déede of Africa had not withstandyng his bookes in his tentes continually with hym neither would he in tyme of war intermit or leaue any tyme fitte for studie but in what place so euer he came yea though some daungers were imminent yet would he retain with hym still Silan and Sasilas all bothe Lacedomoniens by meanes whereof he became right learned in the Greke We haue also tofore saied that Denis the tyranne retained with hym the diuine Plato for maister and that he also helde with hym many others well learned Who after he was banished and chast out of his countrie one in derision boldly bourdyng with hym demaunded in what stéede his Philosophie sometyme learned of Plato now stoode hym To whom he answered that it very well then serued him patieÌ„tly to supporte and indure that his aduersitie Themistocles also that excellent capitaine had in armes and in studie like and equall pleasure he continually conferred with Anaxagoras the Milesian Epaminondas with these others capitaines of Grece were all very studious and eloquente Oratours Mithridates in all his warres whiche by the space of fourtie yeres he had continually with the Romaines neuer lefte or forsooke by meanes of any the force or furie of his enemies his wonted pain or labour in studie He also as the others had sunderie Philosophers with hym Octauian Augustus assigned to hymself certaine howers in the daie for his studie neither lefte he that his wonte in the tyme of warre leadyng with hym to that purpose sundrie excellent personages as Apollodorus of Pergama the Philosopher Asperarius Asimius Polion Valerius Messala Virgil Ouide and many suche others Before this Emperour was Lucius Lucullus a moste excellent and famous capitain whiche neuer lefte or abandoned in tyme of warre his studie and in tyme of peace gaue intertainment to greet troopes of the learned Paulus Emilius that subdued the kyng Persius besides that hym self was in good letters moste excellente did his paine to the vttereste that his children should be like hym so that at his incessant and moste earnest sute he obtained in the ende Metrodorus of the Athenians a maister to instructe and bryng vp his children But to what ende name I so many here by order Pompeius Q. Fabianus the greate M. Brutus Traianus Adrianus M. Antonius were all very studious whose bookes letters and orations yet ertante witnes what the men were of what iudgement and learnyng In fine therefore if I nothyng be deceiued fewe good capitaines euer were there that were not addicted to the studie of good letters How bee it twoo there were of whose learnyng wee nothyng canne finde or reade any where to weete Caius Marius and Marcus Marcellus Marcellus neuer the lesse as some recorde loued fauoured and defended eche where the learned so that wée maie presume that he also was lettered though in deede as is saied we no suche thyng haue yet founde written and yet of parte it well appereth that he throughly was not vnlearned by his wise defence of Archimedes at the sackyng of Siracusa although in déede he yet suffered not without the greate grief and sorrowe of Marcellus Let then the capitaines of this our age saie what them beste liketh and that to be wel lettered is a thing lesse necessarie but I to them will saie and to suche as that maintaine that thei obstinatly seke to couer their foule defaulte and ignoraunce Wee reade againe that oure elders in no respecte lesse estemed the bookes of the learned then the
dombe shall speake and laude his name freely and againe somwhat before with fiue loaues and twoo fishes he shall fede fiue thousande menne in the deserte and that whiche shall remaine shall also refreashe the hungerie nede of others The seconde by report was borne in Libya of whom mention is made by Euripides in his Prologue of Lamia The thirde hight Themis and was surnamed Delphica for that she was borne in the Citée Delphos of whom remembreth Chrysippus in his booke of Diuination Vnto this woman the Romaines erected an Image whiche was as recordeth Plinie before the destruction of Troie so that Homere in his workes hath sundrie and diuers of her vearses as is euident Diodorus Siculus saith that this was Daphne the doughter of Tiresias whoÌ„ when the Grekes had subdued Thebes thei sent her foorthe immediately and without staie to Delphos where she after became a prophetesse in the Oracle of Apollo so that she thence as he supposeth and not otherwise gatte the name of Delphica The fowerth had to name Cumea or Italienna and not Cumana Amaltea she was borne in Cimeria a toune of Campania adioinyng vnto Cumae whose prophesies are written as well by Neuyus in his bookes Punici as also by Pison in his annalies and briefly remembred by Lactantius by Virgil also in his Eglogue this beginning Scicilides musae The first was that famous Erythrea whiche by the especiall grace of God so plainly prophesied of the greateste misteries of our religion wherefore as hath Lactantius the Gentiles in the ages paste supposyng it impossible that a virgine should heare a childe as also other thynges supernaturall whiche thei in like sorte wrote remembred as well by old Poetes as also in aunciente histories accompted of these vearses none otherwise theÌ„ of light vain and fonde matters Apolodorus writeth of this Sibyll that she fore saied to the Grekes that thei assuredly should sacke and ouer runne Troie whence moste suppose she was before the destruction thereof How be it Eusebius contrariwise thinketh that she liued in the tyme of Romulus Strabo againe in the daies of Alexander Of this Erythrea were these woordes recited by Eusebius whiche in order translated sounde in Englishe this muche Iesus Christe the soonne of God and Sauiour Whiche was in deede no lesse straunge then meruailous Others also wrote she whiche Sainct Augustine gathereth in his eightenth De ciuitate dei which dooen by hym into Latine maie in our tongue saie this muche The yearth shall sweate an assured signe of iudgemente from heauen shall come a kyng whiche shal be kyng continually but cladde in mannes fleshe to the intente he maie iudge the worlde so shall the incredulous see aswell as shall the faithfull and with their iyes shall boholde God hymself aduaunced in the middle of his angelles and in the ende of this worlde the soules of men shall appeare with their owne proper bodies whiche all hym self shall iudge presente then in persone at whiche tyme the yearth shall bee brused and disordered Menne shall then destroie bothe Images and Idolles their iuels eke and treasures shall thei not accompte of he shall goe doune into helle and breake vp the infernall gates then to the iuste shall ioye and peace bee lotted and fire shall tormente still the reprobate and impious All secretes shall in this daie bee discouered euery man shall knowe the thoughtes of an other God then shall laie open the hartes and consciences of all fleshe there shall bee weepyng and gnashyng of teethe the Sunne and the Starres in that daie shall bee darkened the heauens them selues shall breake and the Moone shall lose her lighte the mountaines shall fall doune and the valies shall lie euen with the swellyng hilles nothyng in the whole worlde shall higher bee then other bothe mountaines and valaies shall be reduced into plaines eche thyng hauyng in that daie his endyng the yearth shall be skorchte vp and brought then to pouder bothe riuers and sprynges shall in that daie burne and with that fire also the yearth it self the sea and the aire shall be consumed a trumpette then from heauen moste terriblie shall sounde at which voice the yearth incontinentely shall open discoueryng the obscure and disordered face of helle the paines eke and the smartes of the damned soules therein By this Sibyll these and many others were written at large in vearse plainly declaryng Christe hym selfe incarnate with the resurrection of the dedde and the finall iudgemente But these thynges before thei came to passe in déede of fewe might or could in any wise bee vnderstode reputed for meare follie of the Panimes and the Gentiles Notwithstandyng Erithrea well knowyng what was to come lefte not this muche to saie in like sorte of her self vaine shall thei accoumpte me a light and liyng dame But when these thynges shall bee accomplished then shall thei remember me againe not as a detyng or as a senslis wight but as a true southsaier or prophetisse of the higheste From this Sibyl Erithrea the Romaines at tymes receiued many vearses whiche Fenestella with silence passeth not in his fiftene Forces saiyng that by ordinaunce of the Senate thei sente Ambassadours vnto her onely to haue if it so might please her of her prophesies whiche froÌ„ her brought backe papers in greate number whiche were bothe carefully and curiously reserued in the Capitoll emongste others some whiche thei also had receiued before This womaÌ„ was of Erithrea a toune of Ionyum in the Prouince of the lesse Asia adioinyng vnto Caria whiche I would the reader should certainlie vnderstande for that many other tounes are also of this name as one in Libia an other in Boecia the third in Locris the fowerth in Cyprus but to assure vs that she was of this Erithrea in IonyuÌ„ Strabo maie onely in this place suffice The sixt Sibyll was of PhytoÌ„ a toune in the Isle of Samos inuironed with the sea Egeum borderyng on Thrace or as others some suppose in that other Isle of Samos coÌ„passed with the saied sea right against Ephesus for which cause she had to name Silia Samia of which remembreth Eâ—atosthenes The seuenth was Cumana otherwise Amaltea how bee it some others gaue her to name Demophila Suidas termeth her Hierophila neuer the lesse Cumana was she called for that she bothe dwelt and prophesied in the toune of Cumas in Italie not farre of from Baias Of this woman writeth Dyonisius Halicarnasleus Solinus Aulus Gellius Seruius she brought to be sold to Tarquine the proude kyng of the Romaines nine bookes though Suidas otherwise suppose that it was to Tarquimus Priscus for whiche she demaunded three hundred Crounes or other peeces of golde suche as might be or was in Rome at that tyme moste currante but for that the kyng thought her therein vnreasonable he refused vtterly these her offered marchaundises by meanes whereof incontinently she did three of theim in his presence to be burned not leauyng therefore to aske
againe the whole price for the other sixe whiche thyng the kyng disdainyng more then then at the firste began to deride her chargyng her with follie whence she again taketh others three and as the first so burned them immediatly demaunding for the remnante the whole price of the nine where at and at whose constancie the kyng then muche amased imagining that thei contained some straunge and hidden misteries bought these three at the price of all the others whiche afterwarde were laied vp and reserued in the Capitoll in meruailous honour and reuerence of all the people Plinie writeth that she had but thre in all of whiche she burned as he reporteth twoo receiuing notwithstanding for the third the value of theÌ„ all but how so euer it were it sufficeth that these bookes were had in suche greate reuerence so kepte and reserued with these of the other Sibylles For as M. Varro alleageth out of Lactantius the Romaines with incessant paine sought throughout all Grece and Italie thorowe Asia also and euery parte thereof for all bookes vearses or prophesies whatsoeuer that might or could be founde any where of these Sibylles and especially emoÌ„g the others of that excellent Erithrea for accomplishemeÌ„t whereof and more expedite gatheryng of these foresaied papers fiftene menne of honour were charged with this busines none medlyng or dealyng besides them in these matters Fenistella recordeth that wheÌ„ the Capitoll was burned the Senate sente backe againe to Erithrea humblie requestyng her to inriche them ones again with her bookes if it so â—…ight please her Whence it maie be presumed that thei had not Cumanaes verses onely but euery the prophesies of eche and al the others and that that Sibyll of whiche Virgil maketh mention in the beginnyng or entrie of his sixt of Aeneydos which then dwelt or continued in Cumas where he affirmeth that Aeneas imbarkte hym self should bee some other Cumana not this of whiche we now haue spokeÌ„ by common accompt and reckning the seuenth of that order for it hardly may be thought that Virgil knew of any Sibyll at that time when Aeneas firste entered into Italie ne yet that she liued in the daies of the fifte kyng of Rome And Seruius interpretyng thesame place saieth of necessitie it nedes muste be that she that solde these bookes should also bee called Cumana though in trothe her name were nothing so at all this woman also died in the said toune of Cumas The eight was borne within the territorie of Troie in the toune of Marmisa suche and so auncient that as Heraclides Ponticus writeth she liued in the tyme of Solon the Philosopher and of that greate and mightie Cyrus The ninthe was borne in Phrigia and Prophesied dwellyng in the toune of Ancira The tenthe hight Albunea borne at Tibur sixtene mile from Rome whens also she is called some tymes Tiburtina So these Sibylles lefte many bokes and verses in whiche thei Prophesied of sundrie thynges to come but principally of the prosperous or aduerse state of Rome so that the Romaines in euery their affaires diligently perused and with reuerence all their bookes or papers orderyng and directing them selues continually by theÌ„ And as when we would be credited and be thought to speake a truthe we vsually will saie it is written in the Gospell so also saied thei in like sort of the Sibylles suche was their affiaunce or greate truste in these women For proofe whereof Iuuenal passeth such a vearse Credite me vobis folium recitare Sibyllae whiche he so saied for that these women gaue foorthe their Prophesies written in leaues of trees as Virgil well witnesseth in his sixt of his Aeneydos Cicero with great reuerence speaketh also of them especially in his booke De diuinatione where he thus muche saith as we tofore haue saied that out of their firste greate letters of euery vearse senteeÌ„ces of weight great matters stil were drawen Among other thinges manie eche one of theim haue spoken of our faithe and of the Christian religion of the birth the life and of the death of Christe as we eftesones tofore haue also specified as among the others the Sibyll Delphica also saide A Prophete shall be borne of a woman not knowyng man and an other this he that yet is to come shall here after come he shall raigne in pouertie his greate mightie force shall he to fewe discouer out of a virgines woumbe shall he also bée borne Iosephus againe a Iewe though he were by race and eake by his profession speakyng of the tower of Babilon this much reporteth that a certaine Sibyl rememberyng when firste men spake but one language saithe that thei builte to theim a proude and haute Tower as if by the same thei should haue entered in to heauen but God sente fourth greate windes to rase to subuerte it as also diuers tongues the spring of deuision and discord among the people whence this Tower gained the fitte name of Babilon These thinges and others the semblable writen by these Sibylles haue well been recorded by Christians Iewes and Gentiles whiche the Gentiles repleate with sinne colde neuer yet vnderstande but the Christians as soone as these Prophesies came to their handes as well recorde Lactantius Firmianus Eusebius and Saincte Augustine with others gathered thence greate fruict and comforte immediatly the Panym and the Gentile neglectyng theim to their confusion Besides these were yet some others that also were called Sibylles reputed as fore shewers or fore saiers of thinges to come as Cassandra the doughter of Priamus Campusia Celofonia the doughter of Calcas Manta Thessalica the doughter of â—iresias the Thebane but all histories onely accorde on the aboue saide tenne Wherefore sleepe by nature was geuen vnto man and that to sleape to muche is bothe noisome and domageable Chap. 3. SLéepe was geuen man for his preseruation for that nothing hauing life is ther that sleapeth not Aristotle saith that al creatures hauing bloodde take their repose and sleape in whiche place he proueth by reason and by experience that fishes also at tymes as other thinges dooe sleape Sléepe is a surcessing of all the senses from trauaile whiche is or is caused by certaine euaporations and fumes rising of our meate and sustenaunce receaued mountyng from the stomake immediatly vnto the braine by whose greate coldnes these vapors warme are tempered castyng into a slumber euery the forces or senses exteriour at whiche tyme the vitall spirites retiryng to the harte leaue all the members of the bodie in a sleape vntill suche tyme againe as these saide vitall spirites whiche are the onely instrumentes by whiche the Soule bothe gouerneth and ordereth the whole bodie recouer newe force and streangth to theim againe and so these vapors or ceassyng or diminishynge maÌ„ againe awaketh or retourneth to himself more apte then to his busines then at any tyme tofore Of these occasions of sleape Aristotle is long in his booke De somno vigilia and Plutarche