how they have been rewarded 119 Chap. 17. Of the envious Nature and Disposition of some men 120 Chap. 18. Of Modesty and the Shame-faced Nature of some men and women 122 Chap. 19. Of Impudence and the shameless Behaviour of divers persons 124 Chap. 20. Of Iealousie and how strangely some have been affected with it 125 Chap. 21. Of the Commiseration Pity and Compassion of some men to others in time of their Adversity 127 Chap. 22. Of the deep Dissimulation and Hypocrisie of some men 128 The THIRD BOOK CHap. 1. Of the early appearance of Virtue Learning Greatness of Spirit and Subtlety in some Young Persons 130 Chap. 2. Of such as having been extream Wild and Prodigal or Debauched in their Youth have afterwards proved excellent Persons 132 Chap. 3. Of Punctual Observations in Matters of Religion and the great regard some men have had to it 134 Chap. 4. Of the Veracity of some Persons and their great Love to Truth and hatred of Flattery and Falshood 137 Chap. 5. Of such as have been great Lovers and Promoters of Peace 139 Chap. 6. Of the signal Love that some men have shewed to their Country 140 Chap. 7. Of the singular Love of some Husbands to their Wives 142 Chap. 8. Of the singular Love of some Wives to their Husbands 144 Chap. 9. Of the Indulgence and great Love of some Parents to their Children 147 Chap. 10. Of the Reverence and Piety of some Children to their Parents 149 Chap. 11. Of the singular Love of some Brethren to each other 152 Chap. 12. Of the singular Love of some Servants to their Masters 154 Chap. 13. Of the Faithfulness of some men to their Engagement and Trust reposed in them 157 Chap. 14. Of the exact Obedience which some have yielded to their Superiours 159 Chap. 15. Of the Generosity of some Persons and the Noble Actions by them performed 161 Chap. 16. Of the Frugality and Thriftiness of some men in their Apparel Furniture and other things 164 Chap. 17. Of the Hospitality of some men and their free Entertainment of Strangers 165 Chap. 18. Of the blameless and innocent Life of some Persons 167 Chap. 19. Of the choicest Instances of the most intire Friendship 168 Chap. 20. Of the Grateful Disposition of some Persons and what returns they have made of Benefits received 171 Chap. 21. Of the Meekness Humanity Clemency and Mercy of some men 174 Chap. 22. Of the light and gentle Revenges some have taken upon others 177 Chap 23. Of the Sobriety and Temperance of some men in their Meat and Drink and other things 179 Chap. 24. Of the Affability and Humility of divers Great Persons 181 Chap. 25. Of Counsel and the Wisdom of some men therein 182 Chap. 26 Of the Subtilty and Prudence of some men in the Investigation and discovery of things and their Determinations about them 184 Chap. 27. Of the Liberal and Bountiful Disposition of divers Great Persons 186 Chap. 28. Of the Pious Works and Charitable Gifts of some men 189 Chap. 28. Of such as were Lovers of Iustice and Impartial Administrators of it 192 Chap. 30. Of such Persons as were Illustrious for their singular Chastity both Men and Women 195 Chap. 31. Of Patience and what power some men have had over their Passions 199 Chap. 32. Of such as have well deported themselves in their Adversity or been improved thereby 200 Chap. 33. Of the willingness of some men to forgive Injuries received 201 Chap. 34. Of such as have patiently taken free Speeches and Reprehensions from their Inferiors 203 Chap. 35. Of the incredible strength of Mind wherewith some Persons have supported themselves in the midst of Torments and other Hardship 205 Chap. 36. Of the Fortitude and Personal Valour of some famous Men. 207 Chap. 37. Of the fearless Boldness of some Men and their desperate Resolutions 210 Chap. 38. Of the immoveable Constancy of some Persons 213 Chap. 39. Of the great Confidence of some Men in themselves 214 Chap. 40. Of the great reverence shewed to Learning and Learned Men. 216 Chap. 41. Of the exceeding intentness of some Men upon their Meditations and Studies 218 Chap. 42. Of such Persons as were of choice Learning and singular Skill in the Tongues Chap. 43. Of the first Authors of divers famous Inventions 222 Chap. 44. Of the admirable Works of some curious Artists 224. Chap. 45. Of the Industry and Pains of some Men and their hatred of Idleness 229 Chap. 46. Of the Dexterity of some men in the instruction of several Crâ—atures 230 Chap. 47. Of the Taciturnity and Secrecy of some men instrusted with privacies 232 Chap. 48. Of such who in their raised Fortunes have been mindful of their low beginnings 233 Chap. 49. Of such as have despised Riches and of the laudable poverty of some illustrious persons 234 Chap. 50. Of such Persons as have preferred Death before the loss of thâ—ir Liberty and what some have endured in the preservation of it 237 Chap. 51. Of such as in highest Fortunes have been mindful of humane frailty 238 Chap. 52. Of such as were of unusual Fortune and Felicity 239 Chap. 53. Of the Gallantry wherewith some Persons have received death or the message of it 241 The FOURTH BOOK CHap. 1. Of Atheists and such as have made no account of Religion with their Sacrilegious actions and the punishments thereof 361 Chap. 2. Of such as were exceeding hopeful in youth but afterwards improved to the worse 363 Chap. 3. Of the rigorous Severity of some Parents to their Children and how unnatural others have shewed themselves towards them 364 Chap. 4. Of the degenerate Sons of illustrious Parents 366 Chap. 5. Of undutiful and unnatural Children to their Parents 368 Chap. 6. Of the Affectation of divine Honours and the desire of some men te be reputed Gods 370 Chap. 7. Of unnatural Husbands to their Wives 372 Chap. 8. Of such Wives as were unnatural to their Husbands or evil deported towards them 373 Chap. 9. Of the deep hatred some have conceived against their own Brethren and the unnatural actions of Brothers and Sisters 374 Chap. 10. Of the Barbarous and Savage Cruelty of some men 376 Chap. 11. Of the bitter Revenges that some men have taken upon their enemies 379 Chap. 12. Of the great and grievous oppressions and unmercifulness of some men and their punishments 382 Chap. 13. Of the bloody and cruel Massacres in several places and their occasions 384 Chap. 13. Of the excessive Prodigality of some Persons 385 Chap. 14. Of the Prodigious Luxury of some men in their Feasting 387 Chap. 15. Of the Voraciousness of some great Eaters and the Swallowers of Stones c. 390 Chap. 16. Of great Drinkers and what great quantities they have swallowed 391 Chap. 17. Of Drunkenness and what hath befallen some men in theirs 393 Chap. 18. Of the Luxury and Expence of some Persons in Apparel and their Variety therein and in their other Furniture 395 Chap. 19. Of Gaming
the Books of Aristotle's Metaphysicks forty times and thereby so fixed them in his memory that he was able to repeat them without Book 2. Anthony Wallens by the help of the art of memory in six months space learn'd by heart the whole Epitome of Pagnine with such excellent success that thereby he was enabled well to interpret any place of the holy Scriptures and to give a reason for it 3. Mr. Humphrey Burton a Gentleman of good worth in the City of Coventry being at this time of my writing this viz. Sept. 10. 167â— of the age of eighty and three besides his many and other accomplishments can by the strength and firmness of his memory give the sum of any Chapter in the New Testament and of the Chapters in divers Books of the Old Testament in a Latine Distich with as much readiness and as little hesitation as if he had directly read them out of a Book I my self have frequently put him to the trial wherein though I have observ'd no order but nam'd hâ—â—e a Chapter at the beginning then one towards the end then again return'd to the middle and so on purpose prevented any assistance he might have from an orderly succession and dependance yet could I no sooner name the Chapter and Book whereof I desired the account but he was ready with his Distich 4. Cineas the Embassadour of King Pyrrhus the very next day that he came to Rome both knew and alâ—o saluted by their names all the Senate and the whole order of the Gentlemen in Rome 5. Franciscus Cardulus a learned man was able to write two pages entire which any other man should read in the same order he read them or if any of the company had rather he would repeat them backwards 6. I have heard it from one who was present at the discourse that in the presence of a Prince of Germany when mention was made of Tacitus that Iustus Lipsius did then say that he had the Golden Volume so firm and entire in his memory that nothing had ever slipt him therein he challenged any to make a trial of what he said And go to said he set one here with a Poynard and if in repeating of Tacitus all over I shall miss but in one word let him stab me and I will freely open my Breast or Throat for him to strike at 7. The Works of Homer are his Iliads and Odysses the former consists of twenty four Books and so also the latter His Iliads hath in it thirty one thousand six hundred and seventy Verses and I suppose his Odysses hath no less and yet it is said of Iosephus Scaliger that in one and twenty days he committed all Homer to his memory 8. Antonius the Aegyptian Eremite without any knowledge of Letters yet by the frequent hearing of them read had the whole body of the Scriptures without book and by diligent thinking of them did well understand them saith S. Augustine in his Prologue to his first Book de Doctrina Christianâ 9. Hortensius who for his Eloquence was called the King of Causes of him Cicero writing to Brutus There was saith he in that man such a memory as I have not known a greater in any It 's said of him that sitting on a time in the place where things were exposed to publick sale for a whole day together he recited in order all the things that were sold there their price and the names of the Buyers and by the account taken of them it appeared that he had not been deceiv'd in any of them Cicero comparing him with Lucullus saith Hortensius his memory was the greater for words but that of Lucullus for things 10. Lucius Lucullus a great Captain and Philosopher by an admirable strength of memory was able to give so ready an account of all affairs at home and abroad as if he had had them all at once presented before his eyes 11. Pompeius Gariglianus a Canon of the Church of Capua was of so great a memory as I remember not to have known his like he was so well and throughly known in all Plato Aristotle Hippocrates Galen Themistius Thomas Aquinas and others that as an admirable instance of his memory he would upon occasion not only repeat their sentences but the very words themselves 12. Age saith Seneca hat done me many injuries and deprived me of many things I once had it hath dulled the sight of my eyes blunted the sense of hearing and slackened my Nerves Amongst the rest I have mentioned before is the memory a thing that is the most tender and frail of all the parts of the soul and which is first sensible of the assaults of age that heretofore this did so flourish in me as not only serv'd me for use but might even pass for a miracle I cannot deny for I could repeat two thousand names in the same order as they were spoken and when as many as were Scholars to my Master brought each of them several Verses to him so that the number of them amounted to more than two hundred beginning at the last I could recite them orderly unto the first nor was my memory only apt to receive such things as I would commit to it but was also a faithful preserver of all that I had entrusted it with 13. Lippus Brandolinus in his Book of the condition of humane life reports of Laurentius Bonincontrius that at eighty years of age he had so perfect and entire a memory that he could remember all that had happened to him when he was a Boy and all that he had read in his youth and could recite them in such a manner that you would think he had seen or read them but that very day 14. Aeneas Sylvius in his History of the council of Basil at which himself was present tells of one Ludovicus Pontanus of Spoleto a Lawyer by profession who died of the pestilence at that Council at thirty years of age that he could recite not the titles only but the entire bodies of the Laws Being saith he for vastness and fastness of memory not inferiour to any of the Ancients 15. Fumianus Strada in his first Book of Academical Prolusions speaking of Franciscus Suarez He hath saith he so strong a memory that he hath S. Augustine the most copious and various of the Fathers ready by heart alledging every where as occasion presents it self fully and faithfully his sentences and which is very strange his words nay if he be demanded any thing touching any passage in any of his Volumes which of themselves are almost enough to fill a Library I my self have seen him instantly shewing and pointing with his finger to the place and page in which he disputed of that matter 16. Dr. Raynolds excelled this way to the astonishment of all that were inwardly acquainted with him not only for S. Augustine's Works but also all Classical Authors so that it
there did I dictate Latin Greek and Barbarous names some significant others not so many and so different having not the least dependance one upon the other that I was weary with dictating the Boy with writing what I dictated and all the rest with hearing and expectation of the issue We thus diversly wearied he alone call'd for more But when I my self said it was fit to observe some measure and that I should be abundantly satisfi'd if he could but recite me the one half of those I had caus'd already to be set down He fixing his eyes upon the ground with great expectation on our part after a short pause began to speak In brief to our amazement he repeated all we had wrote in the very same order they were set down without scarce a stop or any hesitation and then beginning at the last recited them all backwards to the first then so as that he would name only the first third fifth and in that order repeat all and indeed in what order we pleas'd without the least errour Afterwards when I was more familiar with him having often try'd him and yet never found him speaking otherwise than the truth he told me once and certainly he was no boaster that he could repeat in that manner 36000 names and which was yet the most strange things stuck in his Memory that he would say with little ado he could repeat any thing he had instrusted with it a year after For my own part I made tryal of him after many days and found he said true He taught Franciscus Mâ—linus a young Patrician of Venice and who had but a weak Memory in the compass of but seven days wherein he had learn'd of him to repeat five hundred names with ease and in what order he pleas'd 26. Francis King of France excell'd well nigh all those of his time in the firmness and readiness of his Memory what every particular Province ought to contribute what Ways and what Rivers were most convenient for their passage out of what Winter Quarters a party of Horse might be most speedily drawn all these and the like matters even concerning the remotest Cities he did comprehend with that singular Wit and Memory that the Nobles who were improved in those affairs by daily and constant imployments thought he held them in his Memory as if they lay there in an Index CHAP. III. Of the Sight and the vigor of that sense in some and how depraved in others IN Cilicia near unto the Town of Cescus there is saith M. Varro a Fountain that hath the name of Nus the Waters whereof have this admirable quality that they render the Senses of all such as taste of them more exquisite and subtile It may be suspected that some of those who are mentioned in the following Examples had cleared their eyes with the Waters of this Fountain or some other of the like quality thereby attaining to a quick-sightedness not inferiour to that of the Lynx it self 1. There was not many years since a Spaniard call'd Lopes at Gades who from an high Mountain call'd Calpe would see all over the opposite strait out of Europe unto the Affrican shore the passage from whence as Cleonardus witnesseth is no less than three or four hours sail in a calm Sea he could â—rom the top of this Mountain discern all that was doing in that far distant Haven or upon the Land near unto it and did discover it so that by the industry of this notable spy they of Gades did oftentimes avoid those designs which the Pyrates had upon them This was told me by a person of great Honour and Dignity who there receiv'd it from himself in the presence of others and amongst other things he said of him that his Eye-brows had hair upon them of an extraordinary length 2. We find incredible examples of the quickness of eye-sight in Histories Cicero hath recorded that the whole Poem of Homer call'd his Iliads was written in a membrane or piece of Parchment in so small a Character that the whole was to be couched and inclosed within the compass of a Nut-shell 3. The same Writer makes mention of one that could see and discern out right 135 miles and saith he Marcus Varro names the man calling him Strabo Of whom he further adds that during the Carthaginian War he was wont to stand and watch upon Lilybaeum a Promontory in Sicily to discover the Enemies Fleet loosing out of the Haven of Carthage and was able at that distance to count and declare the very just number of their Ships 4. Tiberius the Emperour had eyes of an extraordinary bigness and those such which is the wonder that could see even in the night and darkness but it was so only for a small time at the first opening of them after sleep by degrees they aâ—terwards grew dull and he could see no more than others 5. Iosephus Scaliger in the life of his Father writes both of him and himself that both of them having blewish eyes they could sometimes see in the night as well as we can in the twilight and that this continued with him from his childhood to the twenty third year of his age 6. Even in our age saith Pierius I have heard Marcus Antonius Sabellicus while he studied Greek with us affirm of himself that as oft as he was wak'd in the night he was able for some time very clearly to discern the Books and all other furniture of the Chamber where he lay 7. Hieronymus Cardanus in the beginning of his youth had that in common with Tiberius and the rest that he could see in the dark as soon as he wak'd all that was in the room but soon after all that ability did desert him he says the cause was the heat of the brain the subtilty of the spirits and the force of imagination 8. Caelius having related out of Pliny the History of Tiberius his seeing in the dark saith moreover that the same thing had sometimes happened to himself calling God to witness that he spake nothing but the truth 9. Gellius writes that in the remotest parts of the Country of Albania the Inhabitants there do grow bald in their childhood and that they can see much more clearly in the night than in the day for the brightness of the day dissipates or rebates the edge of their sight 10. Fabritius ab Aquapendente relates the History of a man of Pisa who had such a constitution of the eye that he could see very well in the night but either not at all or else very obscurely in the day 11. Sophronius in his Book of Spirits tells of Iulianus a Monk that for the space of seventy years he never lighted nor had a Candle who nevertheless was used to read Books throughout in the darkness of the night 12. Asclâ—piodorus the Philosopher and Scholar of Proclus was able in the thickest of the darkness to discern
and some mens Expensiveness therein together with the woful and dreadful Consequences of it 397 Chap. 20. Of the oversights of some Persons of great Abilities and their Imprudence in their Speeches or affairs 398 Chap. 21. Of the Dangerous and Destructive Curiosity of some men 400 Chap. 22. Of the Ignorance of the Ancients and others 401 Chap. 23. Of the Slothfulness and Idleness of some men 403 Chap. 24. Of the blockish Dulness and Stupidity of some Persons 404 Chap. 25. Of the Treacherous and Infirm Memories of some men and what injuries have been done thereunto through Age Diseases or other Accidents 406 Chap. 26. Of the Absurd and strange Follies of divers men 407 Chap. 27. Of such as have been at vast expences about unprofitable attempts and wherefrom they have been enforced to desist or whereof they have had small or no benefit 409 Chap. 28. Of false Accusers and how the Accused have been acquitted 410. Chap. 29. Of Perjured Persons and how they have been punished 412 Chap. 30. Of the Inconstancy of some men in their nature and disposition 414 Chap. 31. Of the Covetous and Greedy Disposition of some men 416 Chap. 32. Of the Tributes and Taxes some Princes have Imposed upon their Subjects 418 Chap. 33. Of Cheats and the extraordinary boldness of some in their Thefts 420 Chap. 34. Of Persons of base Birth who assumed the names of illustrious persons 424 Chap. 35. Of the huge Ambition of some men and their Thirst after Soveraignty 425 Chap. 36. Of the great desire of glory in some Noble and other Ignoble Persons 429 Chap. 37. Of the intollerable Pride and haughtiness of some Persons 426 Chap. 38. Of the Insolence of some men in Prosperity and their abject Baseness in Adversity 431 Chap. 39. Of the vain-glorious Boasting of some men 433 Chap. 40. Of the unadvised Rashness and Temerity of some Persons 443 Chap. 41. Of such Persons as were discontented in their happiest Fortunes 434 Chap. 42. Of Litigious Persons and bloody Quarrels upon slight occasions 436 Chap. 43. Of such as have been too fearful of Death and over desirous of Life 437 Chap. 44. Of the gross Flatteries of some men 404 Chap. 45. Of such as have been found guilty of that which they have reprehended or disliked in others 441 Chap. 46. Of such Persons as could not endure to be told of their Faults 442 Chap. 47. Of the base Ingratitude of some unworthy Persons 444 Chap. 48. Of the Perfidiousness and Treachery of some men and their Iust Rewards 447 Chap. 49. Of Voluptuous and Effeminate Persons 451 Chap. 50. Of the Libidinous and unchaste Life of some Persons and what Tragedies have been occasioned by Adulteries 452 Chap. 51. Of the Incestuous Loves and Marriages of some men 453 Chap. 52. Of such as have been warned of their approaching Death who yet were not able to avoid it 455 Chap. 53. Of such as have unwittingly or unwarily procured and hastned their own Death and Downfal 458 Chap. 54. Men of unusual Misfortunes in their Affairs Persons or Families 459 Chap. 55. Of the Loquacity of some men their inability to retain intrusted Secrets and the Punishment thereof 461 The FIFTH BOOK CHap. 1. The Succession of the Roman and Western Emperors 463 Chap. 2. Of the Eastern Greek and Turkish Emperors 469 Chap. 3. Of the Bishops and Popes in Rome and their Succession 493 Chap. 4. Of such men as have been the Framers and Composers of Bodies of Laws for divers Nations and Countries 482 Chap. 5. Of Embassadors what their Negotiations and after what manner they have behaved themselves therein 484 Chap. 6. Of such as were eminent Seamen or Discoverers of Lands or Passages by Sea formerly unknown 486 Chap. 7. Of the Eloquence of some men and the wonderful power of perswasion that hath been in their Speeches and Orations 488 Chap. 8. Of the most Famous Greek and Latin Historians 489 Chap. 9. Of the most Famous and Ancient Greek and Latine Poets 492 Chap. 10. Of Musick the strange efficacy of it and the most famous Musicians 496 Chap. 11. Of such as by sight of the Faâ—e could judge of the Inclinations Manners and Fortunes of the Person 497 Chap. 12. Of the Painters in former Times and the Principal Pieces of the best Artists 491 Chap. 13. Of the most eminent Artists for making of Statues and Images in Clay Marble Ivory Brass c. 493 Chap. 14. Of the most applauded Acters upon Theaters and the Name Riches and Favour of Great Persons they have thereby attained unto 494 Chap. 15. Of men notably practised in Swimming and how long some have continued under water 504 Chap. 16. Of the most famous Philosophers Academicks Stoicks Cynicks Epicureans and others 505 Chap. 17. Of the most Famous Printers in several Places 510 Chap. 18. Of such men as were of unusual Dexterity in shooting with the Bow or otherwise 510 Chap. 19. Of the Hereticks of former Ages and the Heresies maintained by them 511 Chap. 20. Of the most Famous Magicians Witches and Wizards and their mutual Contests their Diabolical Illusions and Miserable Ends. 515 Chap. 21. Of the Primitive Fathers and Doctors of the Church 518 The SIXTH BOOK CHap. 1. Of Dreams and what have been revealed to some Persons therein 545 Chap. 2. Of such Presages as have been to divers Persons and Places of their good and evil Fortune also of Presages by men to themselves or others by casual Words or Actions 549 Chap. 3. Of the Famous Predictions of some men and how the Event has been conformable thereunto 554 Chap. 4. Of several Illustrious Persons abused and deceived by Predictions of Astrologers and the equivocal Responses of Oraracles 558 Chap. 5. Of the Magnificent Buildings sumptuous and admirable Works of the Ancients and those of later Times 561 Chap. 6. Of the Libraries in the World their Founders and Number of Books contained in them 564 Chap. 7. Of such Persons who being of mean and low Birth have yet attained to great Dignity and considerable Fortunes 566 Chap. 8. Of Wonderful and sudden Changes in the Fortunes and Conditions of many Illustrious Persons 569 Chap. 9. Of such as have left Places of highest Honour and Employment for a private and retired condition 575 Chap. 10. Of Persons advanced to Honour through their own Subtlety some Accident or for some slight occasion 577 Chaap 11. Of sundry Customs that were in use and force with different Nations and People 580 Chap. 12. Of the several things that the several Persons and Nations have set apart and worshipped as their Gods 584 Chap. 13. Of the manner of Food which hath been or is yet in use amongst divers Nations and People or Persons addicted to some Idolatrous Sect. 588 Chap. 14. Of some Persons that have abstained from all manner of Food for many years together 589 Chap. 15. Of such as refused all Drink or to tast of any liquid thing or else found no need thereof 591 Chap. 16. Of
than accustomed vigor his grey hairs whereof he had many falling all from his head and so continuing for seven years after CHAP. XXXIII Of such Persons as have changed their Sex NAture seems to be so in love with change that she will have nothing here in this World to rest in a continued and constant state Hence it is that Rivers seek out new Channels for themselves new Cities arise out of the ruines and rubbish of the old the tops of Olympus Aetna and Parnassus do not appear so high to us as they did to our Fore-fathers and the very Heavens themselves look almost daily upon us with different Faces But whether there have been such changes in Humane Bodies as those whereof this Chapter treats that I must rest upon the credit of such Authors as have been the Relators of the following Histories 1. It is no Lye or Fable that Females may be turned into Males for we have found it recorded in the Annals that in the year when Publius Licinius Crassus and Caius Cussius Longinus were Consuls of Rome there was in Cassinum a Maid-child under the hand and tuition of her Parents who became a boy and by the appointment of the Aruspices was consin'd to a certain Desert Island and thither convey'd 2. Licinius Mutianus reports that himself saw at Angos one named Arescon who before time had to name Arescusa and was a Maid but afterwards in process of time came to have a Beard as also the parts testifying a man and thereupon marryed a Wife 3. There was in Smyrna a Virgin call'd Philotis but in the same night wherein she was marry'd to a young man those parts which were inverted and conceal'd began to appear and she rose in the Morning of a contrary Sex 4. A marvelous thing also happened in our age saith Fulgosus when Ferdinand the First was King of Naples Ludovicus Guarna a Citizen of Salerne had five Daughters of which the two Eldest were call Francisca and Carola both which at fifteen years of age found such alteration in themselves that they chang'd their Feminine Habits and Names also the one being call'd Franciscus and the other Carolus 5. In the Town of Erguira distant some nine miles from Conimbra there liv'd a Nobleman who had a Daughter named Maria Pachecha who by a like accident with the former proving to be a young man changed her habit and call'd her self Manuel Pachecha who after made a voyage into the Indies became a valiant Soldier attain'd to much wealth and honour and returning marryed a Lady of a Noble Family but never attain'd to have Issue and his countenance continued effeminate to the day of his death saith Amatus Lusitanus Consult Medic. Cent. 2. curat 39. 6. Strange is that which is related by Antonius Torquemada not far from the City of Beneventum in Spain a Country-man of a mean fortune marry'd a Wife who because she was barren us'd her very roughly insomuch that she lead with him a very discontented life Whereupon one day putting on one of her Husbands Suits to disguise her self from knowledge she stole out of the House to seek out a more peaceable fortune elsewhere And having been in divers services whether the conceit of her mans habit or whether Nature strangely wrought in her but she found a notable alteration in her self insomuch that she who had been a Wife desired to perform the office of a Husband She marry'd a Woman in that place where she had retired her self Long she kept these things close till in the end one of her familiar acquaintance travelling by chance that way and seeing her to be so like that Woman he before knew he demanded if she were not Brother to such a man's Wiâ—e who had forsaken her Husbands House so many years since to whom upon promise of secrecy she revealed all that you have heard with the circumstances before rehearsed 7. I my self am an eye-witness saith Pliny that in Aâ—frick one Cossicius a Citizen of Tisdriâ—â— turned from a woman to be a man upon her very wedding day and was alive at that time that I wrote this Book 8. At Laodicea in Syria there was a woman called Aeteta who living with her Husband was turned into a man and her name thereupon altered into that of Aetetus Marinus was then President at Athens and Lucius Lamias and Aelianus Vetus Consuls at Rome Phlegon Trallianus the freed man of Adrian the Emperour saith he saw her 9. Q. Fabius Maximus and M. Claudius Marcellus being Consuls a woman of Spoletum became a man 10. It is manifest saith S. Augustine that in part of Campania during the Reign of Constantine the Emperour a Maid became a Man and was carried to Rome 11. At Rome in the time of Alexander a Maid upon her wedding day became a Man A woman of Cajeta that was married to a Fisherman as Antonius Panormitâ— related it to us saith Pontanus after â—ourteen years acquaintance with her Husband's Bed was changed from a woman to a man Upon which being ashamed of her self as one exposed to the derisions of men and women she altered also her course of life and entred into a Monastery in which he was known to us the rest of his life He was buried in the Church of S. Mary 13. There was a woman called Aemilia married to Antonius Spentas a Citizen of Ebulum who after twelve years marriage became a Male married a wife and when a controversie arose about the restoring of her Dowry by her Husband Masius Aquosa by the command of King Ferdinand ended the Suit adjudging her Dowry to be repayed unto her 14. Antonius Loquâ—neus affirmed unto me saith Pareus that he saw a man at Rhemes in an Inn which had a Swan â—or the sign of it Anno Dom. 1560 who was ever reputed a Female to the fourteenth year of her age at which time it fell out that wantoning in bed with a Maid that lay with her the signs of a man brake out of her which when her Parents were informed of by the interposition of Eâ—clesiastical Authority her name was chang'd from Ioan to Iohn and from thenceforth she wore the habit of a man 16. Some years since saith the same Paraeus when I was in the rotinue of Charles the Ninth at Vitriac in France there was shew'd me a man call'd Germanus Garuiâ—rus by some Germanus Maria who before having been a Woman was call'd Maria he was of an indifferent Stature a square habit of Body with a thick and red Beard He was taken for a Virgin unto the fifteenth year of his age at which time â—running after the Hogs he kept which had gotteâ— into the corn and leaping over a Ditch with great violence it came to pass that the membranâ— being broke the hidden evidences of a man suddenly descended and discovered themselves not without pain Returning to their Cottage with tears she complained to her Mother
might be truly said of him that which hath been applyed to others that he was a living Library or a third University Upon occasion of some Writings which passed to and fro betwixt him and Dr. Gentilis then our Professour of the Civil Laws he publickly confess'd that he thought Dr. Raynolds had read and did remember more of those Laws than himself though it were his Profession 17. Carmidas a Grecian or Carneades as Cicero and Quintilian call him was of so singular a memory that he was able to repeat by heart the contents of most Books in a whole Library as if he had read the same immediately out of the Books themselves 18. Portius Latro had so firm a memory by nature and that so fortified by art it was at once so capacious and tenacious that he needed not to read over again what he had written it sufficed that he had once wrote it and though he did that with great speed yet did he in that time get it by heart Whatsoever he had entrusted with his memory in this kind could never be erased whatsoever he had once pronounced without Book he still remembred Enjoying the happiness of such a Memory he needed not the assistance of Books he gloried that he wrote down all in his mind and what he had there written he ever had in such readiness that he never stumbled at the calling to mind of any one word He spake as if he had read out of a Book if any man propos'd the name of any great General such a Memory had he as to History that immediately he could recount all that he had done and would relate his exploits in such a manner not as if he repeated what he had before read but as if he read what he had newly written 19. The Memory of the famous Iewel Bishop of Salisbury was rais'd by Art and Industry to the highest pitch of Humane Possibility for he could readily repeat any thing that he had penn'd after once reading of it And therefore usually at the ringing of the Bell he began to commit his Sermons to heart and kept what he learn'd so â—irmly that he used to say That if he were to make a Speech premeditated before a thousand Auditors shouting or fighting all the while yet could he say whatsoever he had provided to speak Many barbarous and hard names out of a Kalender and fourty strange words Welsh Irish c. after once reading or twice at the most and short meditation he could repeat both forwards and backwards without any hesitation Sir Francis Bacon reading to him only the last clauses of ten lines in Erasmus his Paraphrase in a confused and dismembred manner he after a small paâ—se rehearsed all those broken parcels of sentences the right way and the contrary without stumbling 20. Petrarch speaks of a certain Soldier a friend of his and his companion in many a Journey that he had such a Memory that though he was afflicted with publick and private calamities which are wont either to destroy or at least to disturb and weaken the Memory he could yet faithfully retain all that he had seen or heard even to the observation also of the time and place wherein the thing was said or done he was most desirous of And those things which he had heard many times before if they were again spoken of and that any thing was added or diminished he was able to correct it By which means it came to pass that while he was present Petrarch was the more cautious and circumspect in speaking 21. Ierome of Prague the same that was burnt alive in the Council of Constance had it appears a most admirable Memory whereof Poggius in his Epistle to Leonardus Aretinus produces this as an argument that after he had been three hundred and forty days in the bottom of a stinking and dark Tower in a place where he not only could not read but not so much as see yet did he alledge the Testimonies of so many of the Learnedst and Wisest persons in favour of his Tenets cited so many of the Fathers of the Church as might have suâ—â—iced and been more than enow if all that time he had been intent upon his study without the least molestation or disturbance 22. Nepotianus cousin to Heliodorus the Bishop by his Sister was of that notable Memory that in disputations and familiar conference if any man cited a Testimony he could streight know from whence it was as suppose this was Tertullians this Cyprians that from Lactantiâ—s c. to conclude with continual reading he made his bosome the Library of Christ. 23. Theodorus Metochites who in the Reign of Andronicus Paleologus was an eminent person by the excellency of the Memory had attain'd to the very height of Learning If you ask'd him of any thing that was new or of Antiquity he would so recount it as if he recited it out of some Book so that in his discourses there was little need of Books for he was a living Library and as it were an Oracle where a man might know all that he had desired 24. Christopherus Longolius had such a Memory that scarce any continuance of time was able to remove those things from his mind which he had once fixed there Being often ask'd of many different things concerning which he had read nothing of many years yet would he answer with as much readiness to each of them as if he had read them but that very day If at any time a discourse chanced to be of such things as were treated on by divers and different Authors when the things were the same yet would he so distinguish of them in his discourse reciting every Author in his own words that he seemed to speak them not by heart whereby mistakes may arise but as if he had read them out of the Books themselves When he did this often he so rais'd the admiration of Auditors that they thought he made use of some Artifice and not of his natural Memory 25. In Padua near unto me dwelt a young man of Corsica of good birth and sent thither to study the Civil Law In the study of which he had spent some years with that diligence and attention that there was now raised amongst us a great opinion of his Learning He came often almost every day to my house and there going a report that he attain'd to an Art of Memory by assistance of which he was able to perform that which another could not believe unless he beheld it When I heard this I had a desire to behold these wonderful things as one that am not very credulous of such matters as come by hear-say I therefore desir'd him to give me some such kind of instance of his Art as he should think fit He told me he would do it when I pleas'd Immediately then said I and when he refus'd not all we who were present went into the next room
Soldiers that were they all alive were enough to subdue all the Barbarians round about us 10. Publius Scipio Africanus when he saw Carthage quite overthrown he wept much and being mindful of the mutability of humane affairs with tears he repeated that of Homer Iamque dies aderint quo concidat Hioningens Et Priamus Priamique ruat plebs armi potentis And time shall come when stately Troy shall fall With warlike Priam and his people all Polybius as it fortuned at that time stood by him his Guide and companion in his Studies and he enquired if he had any peculiar respect to any thing in those Verses Yes said he I mean it of Rome concerning which I cannot chuse but be solicitous as oft as I think of the inconsistency of all humane affairs 11. Titus Vespasianus at the overthrow of Ierusalem and the memory of its former Glory could not abstain from shedding tears cursing the perverseness and obstinacy of the seditious Jews who had compelled him against his will to lay in ruines so great a City and so famous a Temple as there was 12. C. Pompeius in one of his Consulships at the Dedication of the Temple of Venus exhibited in the Theatre twenty Elephants in fight encountred by divers Getulian Archers The Elephants seeing there was no way for slight began to move the compassion of the people with such unspeakable signs and lamentation that the people were so mov'd with it that they all rose up departed the Theatre bestowing many curses upon Pompey in lieu of this his Bounty and Magnificence CHAP. XXII Of the deep Dissimulation and Hypocrisie of some men MAud the Empress being besieged by the Forces of King Stephen in Oxford there happened to fall a great snow the Empress took the advantage hereof and by arraying her self and her followers in white she made her escape thence There are but too many that walk in white till their ends be attained make shew of much simplicity friendship and virtue for no other purpose than to train men within the compass of their privy snares then off goes the Angel that the Devil may appear 1. Caius Iulius Caesar was a great dissembler for whereas he pretended to be a mighty lover and admirer of Cn. Pompeius he did not only not love him but withal he privily sought to render him odious to the people by reason of the multitude of his honours When Cicero had several times taunted and reproached him he never so much as made answer to him that he might not seem to be offended with him in the least but privately he stirred up Clodius against him by whose means he got him banished from Rome And this was a quality ever inherent in Caesar that if any man had created him any trouble he would seem out of greatness of mind to despise him but then he would be revenged of him by others The same person as soon as he heard that Pompey was sled into Aegypt he also pursued him thither certainly for no other end but that in case he could any way get him in his power he might make sure of him And yet this man as soon as he saw the head of Pompeius brought unto him shed tears and said It is the Victory and not the Revenge that pleases me 2. Charles the Ninth of France was well practised in this art â—or a little before the massacre at Paris when he had invited the Admiral Coligni thither he was honourably entertained by the King who called him Father protested he would be ruled by his counsel and often averred that he loved him c. Yet shortly after he caused him to be basely murdered and unworthily insulted over him after his death 3. Richard Duke of Glocester was so cunning a Dissembler that he would accompany most familiarly and jest pleasantly with such as he hated in his heart and would pretend to refuse even the Kingdom it self when proffered whereas he had used all means to compass it and resolved to gain it at what rate soever 4. Tiberius the Emperour was also well skilled herein when Augustus was dead though he immediately possessed himself of the supreme command acted as a Prince and assured the Soldiers to himself yet with a most impudent mind he refused the Government when his Friends requested him to take it upon him he sharply took them up telling them that they knew not how great a Monster Empire was When the whole Senate entreated him and fell at his feet thereby to move him to accept it he gave them ambiguous answers and with his crafty ways of delay he left them in suspence insomuch that some grew out of patience to be thus dallied with and one in the Throng cryed out Let him take it or leave it Another told him to his face that others did slowly perform what they had promised but he on the other side did slowly promise that which he would perform At last as if he had been compelled and enforced and complaining that a miserable and burdensome servitude was imposed upon him he accepted of the Empire and yet no otherwise than as a man that pretended he would some time or other lay it down again His own words were Till I come unto that time when you shall think it meet to allow some rest and ease unto my old age The end of the Second Book of the Wonders of the Little World THE THIRD BOOK CHAP. I. Of the early appearance of Virtue Learning Greatness of Spirit and Subtlety in some young Persons URaba in Peru is of so rich a soil that the Seeds of Cucumbers and Melons sown will bear ripe fruits in twenty eight days after the Seeds of Virtue arrive to a marvellous improvement in the souls of some in a short time in comparison of what they do in others Indeed those persons who have been most remarkable in any sort of Virtue have been observed to give some early specimen and instance of it in their youth and a man that had considered of the dawning and first break might easily predict an illustrious day to succeed thereupon 1. Aemilius Lepidus while yet a youth did put himself into the Army where he slew an enemy and saved the life of a Citizen of Rome of which memorable act of his Româ—'s Senate left a sufficient witness when they decrâ—ed his young statue should be placed in the Capitol girt in an honourable Vest for they thought him ripe enough for honour who was already so forwardly advanced in virtue 2. M. Cato in his childhood bewrayed a certain greatness of spirit he was educated in the house of Drusus his Uncle where the Latine Embassadors were assembled about the procuring of the freedom of the City for their people Q. Popedius the chief of them was Drusus his Guest and he asked the young Câ—to if he would intercede with his Uncle in their behalf who with a constant look told him he would not
Lord Buckhurst was bred in Oxford took the degree of Barister in the Temple afterwards travelled into foreign parts was detained a time prisoner at Rome when his liberty was procured for his return into England he possessed the vâ—st inheritance left him by his Father whereof in a short time by his magnificent prodigality he spent the greatest part till he seasonably began to spare growing near to the bottom of his estate The story goes that this young Gentleman coming to an Alderman of London who had gained great pennyworths by his former purchases of him was made being now in the wane of his wealth to wait the coming down of the Alderman so long that his generous humour being sensible of the incivility of such attendance resolved to be no more beholding to wealthy pride and presently turn'd a thrifty improver of the remainder of his estate Others make him the Convert of Queen Elizabeth who by her frequent admonitions diverted the torrent of his profusion indeed she would not know him till he began to know himself and then heaped places of honour and trust upon him creating him Baron of Buckhurst in Sussex anno Dom. 1566 sent him Embassador into France 1571 into the Low Countries 1576 made him Knight of the Order of the Garter 1589 Treasurer of England 1599 he was also Chancellour of the University of Oxford Thus having made amends to his House for his mispent time both in encrease of estate and honour being created Earl of Dorset by King Iames he died April 19 1608. 10. Henry the Fifth while Prince was extremely wild the companion of riotous persons and did many things to the grief of the King his Father as well as to the injury of himself in his reputation with the subject but no sooner was he come to the Crown but the first thing that he did was to banish all his old companions ten miles from his Court and presence and reform'd himself in that manner that he became a most worthy and victorious King as perhaps ever reigned in England 11. S. Augustine in his younger time was a Manichee and of incontinent life he reports of himself that he prayed for continency but was not willing to be heard too soon for saith he I had rather have my lust satisfied than extinguished But being afterwards converted by the Ministry of S. Ambrose he proved a most excellent person as well in Learning as in all sorts of Virtues 12. The Ancients in old time attributed unto King Cecrops a double nature and form and that upon this ground not for that as some said of a good clement and gracious Prince be became a rigorous fell and cruel Tyrant but on the contrary because having been at first and in his youth perverse passionate and terrible he proved afterwards a mild and gentle Lord. 13. Gelon and Hiero in Sicily and Pisistratus the Son of Hippocrates were all Usurpers and such as attained to their Tyrannical Dominion by violent and indirect means yet they used the same virtuously and howsoever they attained the Sovereign Command and for some time in their younger years managed it injuriously enough yet they grew in time to be good Governours loving and profitable to the Common-wealth and likewise beloved and dear unto their Subjects for some of them having brought in and established excellent Laws in their Country and causing their Subjects to be industrious and painful in tilling the ground made them to be civil sober and discreet whereas before they were noted for a tatling playful and idle sort of people 14. Lydiades was a Tyrant in the City of Megalapolis but in the midst of his usurped Dominion he repented of his Tyranny and making conscience thereof he detested that wrongful oppression wherein he had held his Subjects in such sort that he restored his Citizens to their ancient Laws and Liberties yea and aâ—terwards died gloriously fighting manfully in the Field against the enemy in defence of his Country 15. Ceno Valchius King of the Western Saxons in the beginning of his Reign was an impious and debauched Prince whereupon he was expelled from his Kingdom and Government but at last being become a reformed man he was readmitted to his former command and he then ruled his Kingdom with great prudence justice and moderation 16. Offa King of the Mercians in the first flower of his age was immeasurable in his desires of acquiring wealth extreme ambitious of enlarging his Territories and highly delighted with the art of War and Military Discipline he was also all this while a contemner of all moral virtue but when he came to be of maturer and riper years he became famous and renowned for the integrity and modesty of his manners and the singular innocency of his life 17. Iohannes Picus Mirandula visited the most famous Universities of France and Italy and was so great a Proficient that while as yet he had no Beard he was reputed a perfect Philosopher and Divine Being ambitious and desirous of Glory he went to Rome where he proposed nine hundred Questions in all Arts and Sciences to dispute upon which he challenged all the Scholars of all Nations with a new kind of liberality promising to defray the charges of any such as should come from remote parts to dispute with him at Rome He stayed at Rome upon this occasion a whole year In the mean time there wanted not some that privily detracted from him and gave out that thirteen of his Questions were heretical so that he was constrain'd to set forth an Apology and while he studied to excuse himself of errours that were falsly objected to him he fell into others that were greater and worse for he entangled himself in the love of fair rich and noble women and at last was so engaged in quarrels upon this account that he thought it high time to forsake those youthful vanities whereupon he threw into the fire his Books of Love which he had writ both in the Latine and Hetruscan Languages and relinquishing the Dreams of prophane Philosophy he wholly devoted himself to the study of the sacred and holy Scriptures CHAP. III. Of punctual observation in matters of Religion and the great regard some men have had to it THe Athenians consulted the Oracle of Apollo demanding what Rites they should make use of in matters of their Religion The answer was the Rites of their Ancestors Returning thither again they said the manner of their Forefathers had been often changed they therefore enquired what custom they should make choice of in so great a variety Apollo replyed the best This constancy and strictness of the Heathens had been â—ighly commendable had their Devotions been better directed In the mean time they shame us by being more zealous in their Superstition than we are in the true Religion 1. Paulus Aemilius being about to give Battel to Perses King of Macedon at the first Break of Day made a Sacrifice to
concerning his Love to Truth 17. Euricius Cordus a German Physician hath this honour done to his memory It is said of him that no man was more addicted to truth than he or rather no man was more vehemently studious of it none could be found who was a worser hater of ing and falshood he could dissemble nothing nor bear that wherewith he was offended which was the cause of his gaining the displeasure oâ— some persons who might have been helpful to him if he would but have sought their favour and continued himself therein by his obsequiousness Thus much is declared in his Epigrams and he saith it of himself Blandire nescis ac verum Corde tacere Et mirare tuos displicuisse libros Thou canst not flatter but the truth dost tell What wonder is 't thy Books then do not sell. Paulus Lutherus Son to Martin Luther was Physician to Ioachimus the Second Elector of Brandenbuog and then to Augustus Duke of Saxony Elector It is said of him that he was verè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lover of liberty and freedom of Speech far from â—lattery and assentation and in all points like unto that Rhesus in Euripides who saith of himself Talis sum et ego rectam sâ—rmonum Viam secans nec sum duplex vir Such a one am I that rightly can Divide my Speech yet am no double man The virtues of this Luther were many and great yet I know not any wherein he more deservedly is to be praised than for this honest freedom of speaking wherein he mightily resembled his Father 19. When I lived at Vtricht in the Low Countries the Reply of that valiant Gentleman Colonel Edmonds was much spoken of There came a Country-man of his out of Scoâ—land who desiring to be entertained by him told him that my Lord his Father and such Knights and Gentlemen his Cousin and Kinsmen were in good health Colonel Edmonds turning to his friends then by Gentlemen said he believe not one word he says My Father is but a poor Baker in Edinburg and works hard for his living whom this Knave would make a Lord to curry favour with me and make you believe that I am a great man born when there is no such matter CHAP. V. Of such as have been great Lovers and Promoters of Peace THere is a certain Fish which Aelian in his History calls the Adonis of the Sea because it liveth so innocently that it toucheth no living thing strictly preserving peace with all the offspring of the Ocean which is the cause it is beloved and courted as the true darling of the Waters If the frantick world hath had any darlings they are certainly such as have been clad in Steel the destroyers of Cities the suckers of humane blood and such as have imprinted the deepest scars upon the face of the Universe These are the men it hath Crown'd with Lawrels advanc'd to Thrones and â—latter'd with the misbecoming Titles of Heroes and Gods while the Sons of peace are remitted to the cold entertainment of their own vertues Notwithstanding which there have ever been some who have found so many Heavenly Beauties in the face of Peace that they have been contented to love that sweet Virgin for her self and to Court her without the consideration of any additional Dowry 1. The Inâ—abitants of the Island Borneo not far from the Moluccas live in such detestation of war and are so great Lovers of peace that they hold their King in no other veneration than that of a God so long as he studies to preserve them in peace but if he discover inclinations to war they never leave till he is fall'n in Battle under the Arms of his Enemies So soon as he is slain they set upon the Enemy with all imaginable fierceness as Men that fight for their liberty and such a King as will be a greater Lover of peace Nor was there ever any King known amongst them that was the perswader and Author of a war but he was deserted by them and suffer'd to fall under the Sword of the Enemy 2. Datanes the Persian being employed in the besieging of Sinope received Letters from the King commanding him to desist from the Siege Having read the Letter he adored it and made gratulatory sacrifices as if he had received mighty favours from his Master and so taking Ship in the very next Night he departed 3. The Emperour Leo who succeeded Martianus having given to Eulogius the Philosopher a quantity of Corn one of his Eunuchs told him that such kind of largess was more fitly bestowed upon his Soldiers I would to God said the Emperour that the state of my Reign was such that I could bestow all the stipends of my Soldiers upon such as are learned 4. Constantinus the Emperour observing some differences amongst the Fathers of the Church called the Nicene Council at which also hmself was present At this time divers little Books were brought to him containing their mutual complaints and accusations of one another All which he received as one that intended to read and take cognizance of them all But when he found that he had received as many as were intended to be offered he bound them up in one bundle and protesting that he had not so much as looked into any one of them he burnt them all in the sight of the Fathers giving them moreover a serious exhortation to peace and a Cordial Agreement amongst themselvrs 5. It is noted of Phocion a most excellent Captain of the Athenians that although for his military ability and success he was chosen forty and five times General of their Armies by universal approbation yet he himself did ever perswade them to peace 6. At Fez in Africk they have neither Lawyers nor Advocates but if there be any controversies amongst them both parties Plaintiff and Defendant came to their Alsakins or Chief Judge and at once without any further appeals or pitiful delays the Cause is heard and ended It is reported of Caesar to his great commendation that after the defeat of Pompey he had in his custody a Castle wherein he found divers Letters written by most of the Nobles in Rome under their own hands sufficient evidence to condemn them but he burnt them all that no Monument might remain of a future grudge and that no man might be driven to extremities or to break the peace through any apprehension that he lived suspected and should therefore be hated 8. Iames King of Arragon was a great enemy to contentions and contentious Lawyers insomuch as having heard many complaints against Semenus Rada a great Lawyer who by his Quirks and Wiles had been injurious as well as troublesome to many he banished him his Kingdom as a man that was not to be endured to live in a place to the Peace of which he was so great an enemy 9. I read of the Sister of Edward the Third King of
who supposing the King had forgot them converted them to his own use Alphonsus dissembled the matter instead of those put on other Rings and kept on his accustomed way After some days the King being about to wash he who had received but not restored the former put forth his hand to take from him his Rings as he had used to do But Alphonsus putting his hand back whispered him in the Ear I will give thee these Rings to keep as soon as thou hast returned me those I did formerly entrust thee with and further than this he proceeded not with him 15. Sarizanarus was the Author of that Hexastick which was made of the famous City of Venice Viderat Adriacis Venetam Neptunus in undis Stare Vrbem et toti ponere Iura mari Nunc mihi Tarpeias quantumvis Iupiter Arces Objice illa tui moenia Martis ait Sic pelago Tibrim praefers Vrbem aspice utramque Illam homines dices hanc posuisse Deos. The Poet had small reason to repent of his ingenuity for as a reward of his pains he had assign'd him out of the publick treasury of that state an hundred Zecchins for every one of those verses which amounts to three hundred pounds of our money 16. When Henry of Lancaster sirnamed the Good Earl of Darby had taken Bigerac in Gascoign Anno 1341. He gave and granted to every Soldier the house which every one should seize first upon with all therein A certain Soldier of his brake into a Mint Masters house where he found so great a mass of money that he amazed therewith as a prey greater than his desert or desire signified the same unto the Earl who with a liberal mind answered It is not for my state to play Boys play to give and take Take thou the money if it were thrice as much 17. At the Battel of Poictiers Iames Lord Audley was brought to the black Prince in a Litter most grievously wounded for he had behaved himself with great valour that day To whom the Prince with due commendations gave for his good service four hundred Marks of yearly Revenues the which he returning to his Tent gave as frankly to his four Esquires that attended him in the Battle whereof when the Prince was advertised doubting that his gift was contemned as too little for so great good service the Lord Audley satisfied him with this answer I must do for them who deserved best of me these my Esquires saved my life amidst the enemies and God be thanked I have sufficient revenues left by my Ancestors to maintain me in your service Whereupon the Prince praising his prudence and liberality confirmed his gift made to his Esquires assign'd him moreover six hundred marks of like Land here in England 18. King Canutus gave great Jewels to Winchester Church whereof one is reported to be a Cross. worth as much as the whole Revenue of England amounted to in a year and unto Coventry he gave the Arm of St. Augustine which he bought at Papia for an hundred Talents of Silver and one of Gold 19. Clodoveus Son of Dagobert King of France in a great death caused the Church of St. Dennis which his Father had covered with Plates of Silver to be covered with lead and the Silver given to the relief of the Poor 20. Isocrates the Son of Theodorus the Erecthian kept a School where he taught Rhetorick to an hundred Scholars at the rate of one hundred drachms of silver a piece He was very rich and well he might for Nicocles King of Cyprus who was the Son of Evagoras gave him at once the summ of twenty Talents of Silver for one only oration which he dedicated unto him 21. The Poet Virgil repeated unto Augustus Caesao three Books of his Aeneads the Second Fourth and Sixth the latter of these chiefly upon the account of Octavia Sister to Augustus and Mother of Marcellus whom Augustus had adopted but he died in the Eighteenth year of his Age. Octavia therefore being present at this repetition when Virgil came to these Verses at the latter end of the sixth book wherein he describes the mourning for Marcellus in this manner Heu miserando Puer si qua fata asperarumpas Tu Marcellus eris Alas poor Youth if Fates will suffer thee To see the Light thou shalt Marcellus be Octavia swooned away and when she was recovered she commanded the Poet to proceed no further appointing him Ten Sesterces for every verse he had repeated which were in number twenty one So that by the bounty of this Princess Virgil received for a few Verses above the Summ of fifty thousand Crowns CHAP. XXVIII Of the Pious Works and Charitable Gifts of some men WHereas saith the Learned Willet the professors of the Gospel are generally charged by the Romanists as barren and fruitless of good works I will to stop their mouths shew by a particular induction that more charitable works have been performed in the times of the Gospel than they can shew to have been done in the like time in Popery especially since the publick opposition of that Religion which began about two hundred and fifty years since counting from tâ—e times of Iohn Wickliâ—fe or in twice so much time now going immediately before To make good this he hath drawn out a Golden Catalogue of persons piously and charitably devoted together with their works out of which I have selected as I thought the chiefest and most remarkable to put under this head only craving leave to begin with one or two beyond the compass of his prescribed time which I have met with elsewhere 1. In the Reign of King Henry the Fourth the most deservedly famous for works of Piety was William Wickham Bishop of Winchester his first work was the building of a Chappel at Tichfield where his Father and Mother and Sister Perrot were burled Next he founded at Southwick in Hampshire near the Town of Wickham the place of his Birth as a supplement to the Priory of Southwick a Chauntry with allowance of five Priests for ever He bestowed twenty thousand marks in repairing the houses belonging to the Bishoprick he discharged out of prison in all places of his Diocess all such poor prisoners as lay in execution for debt under Twenty pounds he amended all the high ways from Winchester to London on both sides the River After all this on the Fifth of March 1379. he began to lay the foundation of that magnificent structure in Oxford called New Colledg and in person laid the first Stone thereof In the year 1387. on the twenty sixth of March he likewise in person laid the first stone of the like Foundation in Winchester and dedicated the same as that other in Oxford to the memory of the Virgin Mary 2. In the Reign of King Edward the Fourth Sir Iohn Crosby Knight and late Lord Mayor of London gave to the Repairs of the Parish Church of Henworth in Middlesex forty
tells of one Cresin who manured a piece of ground which yielded him fruit in abundance while his neighbours Lands were extremely poor and barren for which cause he was accused to have inchanted them otherwise said his accuser his inheritance could not raise such a revenue while others stand in so wretched a condition But he pleading his cause did nothing else but bring forth a lusty Daughter of his well fed and well bred who took pains in his Garden also he shewed his strong Carts and stout Oxen which ploughed his Land his various implements of Husbandry and the whole equipage of his tillage in very good order He then cryed out aloud before the Judges Behold the Art Magick and Charms of Cresin The Judges did acquit him and doubted not but that his Lands fertility was the effect of his Industry and good Husbandry 2. There was one Mises who presented the great King Artaxerxes as he rode through Persia with a Pomegranate of a wonderful bigness which the King admiring demanded out of what Paradise he had gotten it who answered that he gathered it from his own Garden The King was exceedingly pleased with it and gracing him with Royal gifts swore by the Sun that the same man with like diligence and care might as well of a little City make a great one 3. The Emperour Theodosius the younger devoted the day to the Senate to military judicial and other affairs but a considerable part of the night to his studies and Books having his Lamp so made that it would pour in oyl of it self to renew the light that so he might neither lose time nor occasion an unseasonable disturbance to his Servants 4. Cleanthes was a young man and being extremely desirous to be a hearer of Chrysippus the Philosopher but wanting the necessary provisions for humane life he drew water and carried it from place to place in the night to maintain himself with the price of his labour and then all day he was attending upon the doctrines of Chrysippus where he so profited and withal so retained that industry he had while young that he read constantly to his Auditors to the ninety and ninth year of his Age others say Zeno was his Master and that wanting wherewith to buy paper he wrote memorials from him upon the bones of Cattel and the broken pieces of Pots Thus fighting in the night against poverty and in the day against ignorance he became at last an excellent person 5. St. Ierome saith that he himself had read six thousand books that were written by Origen who daily wearied seven Notaries and as many boys in writing after him 5. Demosthenes that afterwards most famous Orator of all Greece in his youth was not able to pronounce the first letter of that Art which he so affected but he took such pains in the correction of that defect in his pronunciation that afterwards no man could do it with a greater plainness his voice was naturally so slender and squeaking that it was unpleasant to the Auditory this also he so amended by continual exercise that he brought it to a just maturity and gratefulness the natural weakness of his lungs he rectified by labour striving to speak many verses in one breath and pronouncing them as he ran up some steep place he used to declaim upon the shores where the waters with greatest noise beat upon the Rocks that he might acquaint his Ears with the noise of a tumultuating people and to speak much and long with little stones in his mouth that he might speak the more freely when it was empty Thus he combated with nature it self and went away Victor overcoming the malignity of it by the pertinacious strength of his mind so that his Mother brought forth one and his own industry another Demosthenes 7. Iohannes Fernandas of Flanders though born blind and pressed with poverty yet by his sole industry attained to rare skill in Poetry Logick Philosophy and such a sufficiency in the Art of Musick that he was able to compose a song of four parts memoriter which others can difficultly do by setting all down in writing 8. Elfred a King of the West Saxons here in England designed the day and night equally divided into three parts to three especial uses and observed them by the burning of a Taper set in his Chappel eight hours he spent in meditation reading and prayers eight hours in provision for himself his repose and health and the other eight about the affairs of his Kingdom 9. Almost incredible was the painfulness of Baronius the compiler of the voluminous Annals of the Church who for thirty years together preached three or four times a week to the people 10. A Gentleman in Surry that had Land worth two hundred pounds per Annum which he kept in his own hands but running out every year he was necessitated to sell half to pay his debts and let the rest to a Farmer for one and twenty years Before that term was expired the Farmer one day bringing his Rent asked him if he would sell his Land Why said he will you buy it If it please you saith the Farmer How said he that 's strange tell me how this comes to pass that I could not live upon twice as much being my own and you upon one half thereof though you have payed rent for it or able to buy it Oh saith the Farmer but two words made the difference you said go and I said come Whaâ—'s the meaning of that said the Gentleman You lay in bed replyed the Farmer or took your pleasure and sent others about your business and I rose betimes and saw my business done my self 11. Marcus Antoninus the Emperour as he was a person of great industry himself so did he also bear so great a hatred unto idleness that he withdrew the salaries of such men as he found to be slothful and lazy in their imployments saying that there was nothing more cruel then that the common wealth should be gnawn and fed upon by such as procured no advantage thereunto by their labours 12. Ioanes Vischerus Rector of the University of Tubing when in the sixty third year of his age so dangerous a year to humane life though weak in body and thereby at liberty in respect of the statutes of the University from his office of teaching yet as alwayes before so then in the last act of his life he so followed his business that so long as he had any strength or ability so long as his voice and spirits permitted he was constant in his meditations comments and teaching And when by reason of the inclemence of the air he could not perform his part in the publick auditory of Physitians he strenuously continued to profess in private at his own house When his wife oftentimes advised and besought him that he would not do it but have some regard to his own health as a man that could
scarce speak or stand on his feet and utterly unfit to speak by an hour-glass so molested by a Cough as he was he replied That which a man doth with a willing mind is no way troublesome to him suffer me to speak and walk so long as the strength of my body will permit for so soon as I shall betake my self to my bed I shall not be pulled from thence till such time as four bearers come to carry me into the Church-yard 13. Conradus Gesnerus was a man of infinite study diligence and industry in searching aâ—ter the knowledge of all the parts of Nature but particularly he bent himself to observe those things that were delivered concerning metalls plants and living creatures and the noble Historian Thuanus saith of him most truely That to his last breath he was inflamed with an incredible desire and endeavour after the advancement of learning so that when he was seized with the plague and that his strength began to desert him he rose out of his bed not to dispose the affairs of his house and family but to set in order the papers in his study that what he could not set forth in his life-time might aâ—ter his death be made publick to the benefit of the common wealth 14. Aeleas a King of Scythia used to say that he thought himself no better then his horsekeeper when he was Idle 15. Dionysius the Elder being asked if he was at leisure and no business at present The Gods forbid said he that ever it should be so with me for a bow as they say if it be over-bent will break but the mind if it be over-slack CHAP. XLVI Of the Dexterity of some Men in the Instruction of several Creatures MAn is seldome so unfortunate a teacher as when he hath himself for his Scholar but should he employ at home that ingenuity and industry which he sometimes makes use of abroad what a wonderful proficient would he be in all kind of Virtue For there is scarce any thing that may seem so difficult but his care and constancy hath overcome as the following examples will be sufficient to account for 1. The Count of Stolberge in Germany had a Deer which he bestowed on the Emperour Maximilian the second that would receive a Rider on his back and a Bridle in his mouth and would run a race with the fleetest Horse that came in the field and outstrip them too Martial also mentions a Deer used to the bridle Hic erat ille tuo domitus Cyparisse capistro An magis ille tuus Sylvia cervus erat 2. At Prague the King of Bohemia's palace Mr. Morrison saw two tame Leopards that would either of them at a call leap behind the huntsman when he went abroad a hunting and sit like a dog on the hinder parts of the horse and would soon dispatch a deer 3. Seneca speakes of a tame Dragon that took meat from the hands of Tiberius and else where Repentes â—uter pocula sinusque innoxio lapsu dracones tame Dragons that crept up and down amongst their Cups and in their Bosomes and did them no hurt 4. Scaliger saw a Crow in the French Kings Court that was taught to fly at Partridges or any other fowl from the Falconers fist 5. Elephants have bin taught not only to dance upon the Earth but in the air also dancing upon the rope The manner of teaching them to dance is thus they bring some yong Elephant upon a floor of earth that hath bin heated underneath and they play upon a Cittern or Tabour while the poor beast lifts up his stumps very often from the hot flower more by reason of the heat then any desire to dance And this they practise so often until the beast hath got such a habit of it that when ever he hears any musick he falls a dancing Busbequius saw a dancing Elephant in Constantinople and the same Elephant playing at ball tossing it to another man with his trunk and receiving it back again 6. Michael Neander saw in Germany a Bear brought from Poland that would play on the Tabour and dance some measures yea dance within the compass of a large round Cup which he would afterwards hold up in his paw to the spectatours to receive money or some other boon for his pains 7. A Baboon was seen to play uppon the Guitar and a Monkey in the King of Spains court was very skillful at chesseplay saith Belâ—hazar Castilion de aulico 8. Cardinal Ascanio had a Parrot that was taught to repeat the Apostles Creed verbatim in Latin and in the Court of Spain there was one that could sing the Gamut perfectly If at any time he was out he would say Nova Bueno that is not well but when he was right he would say Bueno va now it is well As Iohn Barnes an English Fryer relates in his book de Aequivocatione 9. The Elephant is a creature of a very docible and capable nature to learn almost any thing they have bin taught by their keepers to adore the King saith Aristotle to dance to throw stones at a mark to cast up arms into the air and receive them again in their fall to walk upon ropes which Galba was the first that exhibited at Rome saith Suetonius And these things they learn with that care that they have been often found practising in the night what had been taught them in the day They write too saith Pliny speaking of one who wrote in the Greek tongue Ipse ego haec scripsi Spoliae Celtica dicavi I my self saw saith Aelian one of them writing Roman Letters upon a tablet with his trunk and the letters he made were not ragged but straight and even and his eyes were fixt upon the tablet as one that was serious and intent upon his work In the playes that Germanicus Caesar shewed at Rome in the reign of Tiberius there were twelve Elephants six males and six females these were cloathed in histâ—ionical habits as men and women At the command of their keeper they danced in the cirque and performed all the Gestures of a Mimick At last they were brought where they were to feast a table was covered with all kind of dainties and Gobletts of Gold with other little cups of wine plac'd and beds covered with purple carpets after the manner of the Roman eating for them to lye upon Upon these they lay down and at the signal given they reached out their Trunks to the table and with great modesty fell to eating no ravening or desire of the best or bigger part but they eat and drank as a sort of civil men would doe 10. In the time of the war betwixt Augustus Caesar and M. Antonius when there were uncommon chances and no mean rewards of the victory all the world stood at gaze which way Fortune would incline it self There was then a poor man at Rome who purposing to provide for himself against
in this 1. The Marryed Clergy of England would not hear of being divorced â—rom their Wives the Bishops therefore were fain to call in the aid of the Pope Iohn de Crema an Italian Cardinal jolly with his youthful blood and gallant equipage came over into England with his bigness and bravery to bluster the Clergy out of their Wives He made a most gaudy Oration in the commendation of Virginity as one who in his own person knew well how to value such a Jewel by the loss thereof most true it is that the same night at London he was caught in Bed with an Harlot 2. Didymus the Grammarian wrote so much as no man more it fell out that upon a time when he objected against a story endeavouring to make the vanity thereof appear as a thing utterly false one of his own books was brought to him and the page laid open before him where he had related it as a truth 3. M. Crassus gaping after the Parthian riches was leading against them a gallant Army and passing through Galatia he found Deiotarus the King thereof though in extremity of old age building a New City wondering hereat he thus played upon the King What is this said he that I see the twelfth hour is just upon the stroke with thee and yet thou art about to erect a new City Deiotarus smiling replyed Nor is it over early day with my Lord General as it should seem and yet he is upon an expedition into Parthia Crassus was then in the sixtieth year of his age and by his countenance seemed to be older than indeed he was 4. Seneca that wrote so excellently of moral vertue and the commendation thereof yet himself allowed his Scholar Nero to commit incest with his own Mother Agrippina and when he wrote against Tyranny himself was Tutor to a Tyrant when he reproved others for frequenting the Emperours Court himself was scarce ever out of it and when he reproached Flatterers himself practised it in a shameful manner towards the Empress and the Freed-men whilest he inveighed against riches and rich men he heaped together inâ—inite riches by usury and unjust dealings and whilest he condemned luxury in others himself had â—ive hundred costly Chairs made of Cedar the feet of them Ivory and all other Furniture of his House answerable thereunto 5. Pericles the Athenian might do what he pleased in his Country and therefore made a sâ—aw that no mans natural or illegitimate Son should be reputed amongst the number of the Citizens or be admitted to their priviledges it fâ—ll out aâ—terwards that all his own Sons lawâ—ully begotten dyed but he had a bastard who was yet alive him he would have to enjoy the freedom of the City and so was the first violator of that law which himself had made 6. In the reign of Theodosius the Elder Gildo was the Preâ—ect of Africa who upon the death of the Emperour seised upon that Province for his own and sought to bring Massâ—lzeres his Brother into society with him in his disloyalty but he slying the Country the Tyrant slew his Wife and Children whereupon he was sent for by Arcadius and Honorius who succeeded in the Empire to go against Gildo his Brother for the recovery of that Province He went overthrew Gildo in battel having put him to death easily regained all that was lost which he had no sooner done but he fell into the same treasonable disloyalty which he had formerly so much disapproved and he himself rebelled against the Emperour who had employed him 7. C. Licinius sirnamed Hoplomachus petitioned the Pretor that his Father might be interdicted from having to do with his estate as being one that prodigally wasted and consumed it He obtained what he desired but not long after the old man deing dead he himself riotously spent a vast sum of mony and all those large lands that were lest unto him by his Father 8. C. Licinius Stolo by whose means the Plebeians were enabled to sue for the Consulship made a Law that no man should possess more than five hundred Acres of Land after which he himself purchased a thousand and to dissemble his â—ault therein he gave five hundred of them to his Son whereupon he was accused by M. Popilius Laenas and was the first that was condemned by his own Law 9. Henry the Son of Henry the fourth Emperour in the quarrel of the Pope rose against his own Father but when his Father being dead he himself was Emperour he then maintained the same quarrel about investiture of Bishops against the Pope which his Father before did CHAP. XLVI Of such persons as could not endure to be told of their Faults DIseases are sometimes more happily cured by medicines made up with bitter ingredients than they are with such sweet potions as are more delightful to the palate but there are a sort of patients so wilful that they can be wrought upon by no perswasions to take them down A just and home reproof though not very tastfull where it is well digested is of excellent use to remove some maladies from the mind the worst of it is that there are but few to be found especially amongst the great ones who can endure to be administred to in this kind 1. Cambyses King of Persia on a time desired to be truly informed by Prexaspes his beloved favourite what the Persians thought of his conditions who answered That his virtues were followed with abundant praise from all men only it was by many observed that he took more than usual delight in the taste of Wine inflamed with this taxation he made this reply And are the Persians double tongued who also tell me that I have in all things excelled my Father Cyrus Thou Prexaspes shalt then witness whether in this report they have done me right for if at the â—irst shot I pierce thy Sons heart with an Arrow then it is false that hath been spoken but if I miss the mark I am then pleased that the fame be counted true and my Subjects believed he immediately directed an Arrow towards the innocent Child who falling down dead with the stroke Cambyses commanded his body to be opened and his heart being broached upon the Arrow this monstrous Tyrant greatly rejoycing shewed it to the Father with this saying instead of an Epitaph Now Prexaspes thou maist resolve thy self that I have not lost my wits with Wine but the Persians theirs who make such report 2. Yu King of China had a Colao who at the Royal audience would not fail to tell him freely of his faults one day whether the King had given more cause or that the excess was on the Colaos part the Audience being ended the King returned into the Palace very much offended saying he would cut off the head of that impertinent Fellow The Queen asked him the cause of his displeasure the King answered There is an unmannerly Clown that never ceaseth
he added the Estates thereof to the house of Austria He was coursely used in the Low Countries by a company of rude Mechanicks detained in Prison which he endured with patience and after nine Months freed himself with admirable prudence He was joined Emperour with his Father in his Fathers life-life-time with whom he Reigned seven years and after his decease he Reigned alone twenty five years more his Motto was Tene mensuram respice finem 97. Charles the â—iâ—th this man was the glory of the House of Austria a Puissant Prince he liked three Books especially Polybius's History Machiavel's Prince and Castalion's Courtier In fifteen Wars which he waged for the most part he was successful the last of which was by Cortez and Pizarro in the newly discovered parts of America where in twenty eight Battels he beâ—ame Master of so many Kingdoms Near home he took Rome by the Duke of Burbon captivated the French King Francis in the Battel of Pavia frighted Solyman the Turk from Vienna setled Muly Hassen in his Kingdom in Africk he defeated Barbarossa that formidable Pirat and took Tunis By the Popes continual instigations he carried a hard hand towards the Protestants whose patience and perseverance with intervenient crosses abated his edge at last Wearied at length with the Worlds incessant troubles he devested himself of all Imperial Authority and retired to a Monastery his Motto was Plus Vltra opposite to that of Hercules He Reigned thirty and seven years 98. Ferdinand the first Arch-Duke of Austria the brother of Charles King of Hungary and Bohemia elected King of the Romans by the procurement of Charles Anno 1531. upon whose resignation he was chosen Emperour Anno 1558. a compleat and judicious Prince Under him in the treaty of Passaw was granted Liberty of Conscience to the Professours of the Augustane Confession which much startled the Fathers of the Trent Council as also did the grant to the Bohemians for receiving the Supper in both kinds He subdued Iohn Sepusius Vaywode of Transylvania and strongly kept back the Turk from encroachments upon his Dominions his Motto was Fiat Iustitia pereat mundus 99. Maximilian the second the son of Frederick elected King of the Romans in the life of his Father Anno 1562. succeeded in the Empire after his decease He was constant to the Tenent that mens Consciences are not to be forced in matters of Religion In his time began the Wars in the Low Countryes chiefly occasioned by the Spanish cruelty executed by the Duke of Alva the Civil Wars in France the Massacre of the Protestants began at Paris the famous defeat was given to the Turks in the Sea-sight at Lepanto he Reigned twelve years married his two daughters to two Puissant Princes Elizabeth to Charles the ninth King of France and Anna his eldest to Philip King of Spain his Motto was Dominus providebit 100. Rodolphus the second the eldest son of Maximilian a Prince much addicted to Chymistry he granted liberty of Religion to the Protestants had great Wars against the Turks with whom in the year 1600. he concluded a Peace but being undermined by his brother Matthias was forced to surrender to him the Kingdoms of Hungary and Bohemia and to content himself with Austria and the Empire only In his time Henry the fourth King of France was stab'd by Ravilliac and the Gunpowder Treason was hatched here in England his Motto was Omnia ex voluntate Dei 101. Matthias brother of Rodolphus King of Hungary Bohemia and Arch-Duke of Austria succeeded in whose time were sown the seeds of that terrible War which had almost destroy'd the Empire the Protestants standing for their Priviledges in Bohemia were withstood by some of the Emperours Council of whom they threw Slabata and Fabritius Smesantius with a Secretary out of a Window at Prague his Motto was Concordia lumine major Having no children he declared 102. Ferdinand the second of the House of Gratz to be Emperour this Prince was more zealously affected to the See of Rome than any of his Predecessours and a great enemy of the Protestant Religion occasioning thereby that long and bloody War in the Empire of Germany The King and Queen of Bohemia forsaken of their States are forced to â—ly he is proscribed and put out of his Elâ—ctâ—rship Gustavus Adolphus King of Sweden like a tempest falls upon Germany and frâ—es divers oppressed Princes but at last was slain in the Battel at Lutzen uncertain whether by the â—nemy or the Treason of his own his Motto was Legitime certantibus 103. Ferdinand the third son of Ferdinand the second broke the great power of the Swedes who were called in for the support of the German liberty against the violent resolutions of Ferdinand the second For he overthrew them at the Battel of Norlingen This Prince is the twelfth Emperour of the House of Hapsburg anâ— the ninth of the House of Austria without intermission The cause of which is to be attributed to Charles the fifth who procured in his life-time that his brothâ—r might be chosen King of the Romans as his Successour in the Empire A Policy which hath ever since been continued by his Successours and the Germans are the more willing to hâ—arken to it because the Austrian Princes are not only Natives but also better able to back the Empire in its compleat Majesty than any other of the Nation The Motto of this Emperour is Pietate Iustitia In the Collection of these Emperours I have made use of Suetonius Zonaras Carion ....... Heylen Sympson Prideaux and others CHAP. II. Of the Eastern Greek and Turkish Emperours 1. COnstantinus aged thirty one in the year 306. took upon him the care of the Empire he overcame Maxentius and Licinius restored Peace to the Church took Byzantium and having enlarged it called it Constantinople and New Rome He died in Nicomedia Anno 337. aged sixty five Gault tab Chronogr p. 279. 2. Constantius his son succeeded him in the East he favoured the Arrians hearing that Iulianus his Kinsman conspired against him he made Peace with Sapores the Persian King and moved towards him but in his march seised with a Fevor he died Anno 361. Gaulter tab Chron. p. 283. 3. Iulianus succeeded Sirnamed the Apostate son of Constantius the brother of Constantine the Great at first a Christian afterwards a professed enemy of the Gospel fortunate in his Wars against the Almanes Franks and other Transalpine Nations whilest he was a Christian. Prodigiously slain in the Persian War when become a Persecutor aged thirty eight his Motto was Pennis suis perire grave he Reigned but one year and eight months dying he threw his blood up into the Air saying Satiare Nazarene Zon. tom 3. fol. 119. 4. Iovian or Iovinian chosen by the Army a Religious Prince made Peace with the Persian setled the affairs of the Church who being dead Valentinian one of mean birth but great abilities in War was elected Emperour he Reigned
his Tiara and Robe of State for the Bishops Miter But his Courtiers prevented him saying that he was a meer Impostor and Enchanter instead of an Ambassador All Greece made vows for his safe return from thence but he never came back again 17. C. Iulius Caesar learned of Apollonius Molon at Rhodes he is said to be admirably fitted for the City Eloquence and had so improved his parts by his diligence that without all question he merited the second place in point of Eloquence the â—irst he would not have as one that intended rather to be the first in Power and Armes Cicero himself writes to Brutus that he knew not any to whom Caesar should give place as one that had an Elegant Splendid Magnificent and Generous way of Speaking And to Cornelius Nepos Whom saith he will ye prefer before this man even of those who have made Oratory their busineCâ—ess who is more acute or frequent than he in sentences who more Ornate or Elegant in words He is said to have pronounced his Orations with a sharp voice and earnest motion and gesture which yet was not without its comliness CHAP. VIII Of the most famous Greek and Latine Historians BY the singular providence of God and his great goodness it was that where the prophetick history of the Holy Scriptures breaks off there we should have an immediate supply from elsewhere and we may almost say that in the very moment where they have left there it was that 1. Herodotus the Halicarnassian began his History who relates the Acts of Cyrus and the affairs of the Persian Monarchy even unto the War of Xerxes the Histories of the Kingdoms of Lydia Media and especially of Aegypt are set down by him An account he gives of the Ionians the City of Athens and the Spartan and Corinthian Kings excelling all prophane Writers of History both in the Antiquity of the things he treats of the multitude of Examples and the purity and sweetness of his Stile His History is continued for the series of two hundred and thirty years from Gyges the King of Lydia the contemporary with Manasses King oâ— Iudah to the flight of Xerxes and Persians out of Greece which was in the year of the world 3485. Herodotus himself flourished in the beginning of the Peloponnesian war which was about the year of the world 3540. 2. Thucydides the Athenian immediately succeeds him who imbraceth in his History the space of seventy years that is from the flight of Xerxes unto the twenty first year of the Peloponnesian war for although he professedly describes only that war betwixt the Athenians and Peloponnesians wherein himself was a General yet by way of digression he hath inserted an account of those fifty years that are betwixt the end of Herodotus his History and the beginning of this war Here he explains the affairs of Cities as the former had done of Monarchies and hath framed so illustrious and express an Image of all those things that usually happen in the government of a Common-wealth hath so lively represented the miseries that attend upon war especially a civil and intestine one hath composed his many Orations with that artifice and care that nothing can be thought more sinewy and agreeable unto all times in the world than his History 3. Xenophon the Attick Bee whose unaffected sweetness and elegancy of Stile is such that Antiquity admiring thereat said the Graces had framed and directed his Speech He beginning at the end of Thucydides hath in seven Books comprehended the events of forty years wars betwixt the principal Cities of Greece as far as to the battle of Mantinea and the year of the world 3600. 4. Diodorus Siculus hath set forth his Bibliotheque or an universal history of almost all the habitable world accurately distinguished by times and years in forty Books In the five first of which he discourses the original of the world the Egyptian Assyrian Libyan Greek Antiquities and the affairs of other Nations before the Trojan War The other thirty five contain a Series of years no less than 1138. from the Trojan War to Iulius Caesar of all these there are but fifteen Books extant his sixteenth Book almost immediately follows Xenophon in which he treats of Philip of Macedon who began to Reign Anno Mumd 3604. From thence he passes to Alexander and his Successours and in the end of his twentieth Book which is the last of his extant he reaches to the year of the World 3664. which year falls directly into the tenth Book of Livy and upon the four hundred fifty second year from the building of Rome 5. Titus Livius born at Padua was the Prince of the Latin History excelling all Latin Writers in the admirable gravity copiousness and beauty of his Speech He hath written a continued History of seven hundred forty six years from the building of Rome in the year of the World 3212. to the fourth year before the birth of Christ which was the thirty seventh year of Augustus Now although of fourteen Decades or one hundred and forty Books of Livy there are only three Decades and half a fifth left yet the Arguments of the rest of the Books and the Series of the principal Histories may easily be observed from Florus his Epitome Livy died the twenty first year after the birth of Christ. 6. Câ—esias Gâ—idius a famous Historian of the Assyrian and Persian Affairs about the year of the World 3564. in the Expedition of Cyrus the younger against his brother Artaxerxes was taken Prisoner and for his skill in Physick was received into the Kings House and Family where out of the Royal Commentaries and Records he composed the ancient History of the Kings of Assyria Babylon and Persia in twenty Books having brought it down from Ninus as far as the seventh year after the taking of Athens by Lysander 7. Plutarchus of Cheronaea flourished about the year of our Lord 100. the ample Treasury of the Greek and Latin History he wrote about fifty Lives of the principal men amongst the Greeks and Romans full of the best matter wise sentences and choice rules of life The Greek Lives he begins with Theseus King of Athens and ends with Philopoemenes General of the Achaeans who died one hundred and eighty years before the birth of Christ. The Roman Captains he describes from Romulus as far as to Galba and Otho who contended for the Empire in the seventeenth year after the birth of Christ. 8. Arrianus of Nicomedia flourished Anno Christi 140. and in eight Books wrote the Life and Acts of Alexander the Great his Affairs in India are handled most copiously by him of all other the whole is wrote in a singular sweetness and elegancy of stile 9. Dionysius Halicarnassaeus wrote accurately the Roman History the Original of the City Magistracy Ceremonies and Laws are faithfully related by him and his History continued to the beginning of the first Punick War and the four hundred eighty ninth year from
the building of the City His first eleven Books are all that are extant in which he reaches to the two hundred and twelfth year of the City He â—lourished in the time of Augustus Caesar and is said to have lived in the Family of M. Varro 10. Polybius of Megalopolis was the Master Councellour and daily Companion of Scipio the younger who in the year of the World 3800. razed Carthage he begins his Roman History from the first Punick War and of the Greek Nation the Achaeans from the fortieth year after the death of Alexander the Great of forty Books he wrote but five are left and the Epitomes of twelve other in which he reaches to the Battel at Cynoscephale betwixt King Philip of Macedon and the Romans 11. Salustius wrote many Parts of the Roman History in a pure and quaint brevity of all which little is left besides the Conspiracy of Catiline oppressed by the Consul Cicero sixty years before the birth of Christ and the War of Iugurth managed by C. Marius the Consul in the forty fourth year before the Conspiracy aforesaid 12. Iulius Caesar hath wrote the History of his own Acts in the Gallick and Civil Wars from the 696 year ab V. C. to the 706. and comprized them in Commentaries upon every year in such a purity and beautiful propriety of expression and such a native candour that nothing is more terse polite more useful and accommodate to the framing of a right and perspicuous expression of our selves in the Latin Tongue 13. Velleius Paterculus in a pure and sweet kind of speech hath composed an Epitome of the Roman History and brought it down as far as the thirty second year after the birth of Christ that is the sixteenth year of Tiberius under whom he flourished and was Questor 14. Cornelius Tacitus under Adrian the Emperour was Praefect of the Belgick Gaul he wrote a History from the death of Augustus to the Reign of Trajan in thirty Books of which the five first contain the History of Tiberius the last eleven Books from the eleventh to the twenty first which are all that are extant reach from the eighth year of Claudius to the beginning of Vespasian and the besieging of Ierusalem by Titus which was Anno Dom. 72. He hath comprised much in a little is proper neat quick and apposite in his stile and adorns his discourse with variety of Sentences 15. Suetonius was Secretary to Adrian the Emperour and in a proper and concise stile hath wrote the Lives of the twelve first Emperours to the death of Domitian and the ninety eighth year of Christ he hath therein exactly kept to that first and chief Law of History which is That the Historian should not dare to set down any thing that is false and on the other side That he have courage enough to set down what is true It is said of this Historian That he wrote the Lives of those Emperours with the same liberty as they lived 16. Dion Cassius was born at Nice in Bythinia he wroâ—e the History of nine hundred eighty one years from the building of Rome to Ann. Dom. 231. in which year he was Consul with Alexander Severus the Emperour and finished his History in eighty Books of all which scarce twenty â—ive Books from the thirty sixth to the sixty first and the beginning of Nero are at this time extant 17. Herodianus wrote the History of his own time from the death of M. Antoninus the Philosopher or the year of Christ 181. to the murder of the Gordiani in Africa Ann. Dom. 241. which is rendred purely into Latin by Angelus Politianus 18. Iohannes Zonaras of Byzantium wrote a History from Augustus to his own times and the year of our Lord 1117. the chief of the Oriental Affairs and Emperours he hath digested in the second and third Tomes of his Annals from whence Cuspinianus and others borrow almost all that they have Zonaras is continued by Nicaetas Gregoras and he by Chalcâ—ndylas 19. Eutropius wrote the Epitome of the Roman History in ten Books to the death of Iovinian Anno Dom. 368. He was present in the Expedition of Iulian into Persia and flourished in the Reign of Valens the Emperour 20. Ammianus Marcellinus a Grecian by birth War'd many years under Iulian in Gallia and Germany and wrote the History of the Romans in thirty one Books the fourteenth to the thirty first are all that are extant wherein at large and handsomely he describes the acts of Constantius Iulian Iovinian Valentinian and Valens the Emperours unto the year of Christ 382. 21. Iornandes a Goth hath wrote the History of the Original Eruptions Families of their Kings and principal Wars of the Goths which he hath continued to his own time that is the year of our Lord 550. 22. Procopius born at Caesarea in Palestine and Chancellour to Belisarius the General to Iustinian the Emperour being also his Councellour and constant companion in seven Books wrote the Wars of Belisarius with the Persians Vandals and Goths wherein he also was present 23. Agathias of Smyrna continues Procopius from the twenty seventh of Iustinian Anno Dom. 554. to the end of his Reign Anno Dom. 566. the Wars of Narses with the Goths and Franks with the Persians at Cholchiâ— wherein he recites the Succession of the Persian Kings from Artaxerxes who Anno Dom. 230. seised on the Parthian Empire to the Reign of Iustinian Anno Dom. 530. and in the end treats of the irruption of the Hunnes into Thrace and Greece and their repression by Belisarius now grown old 24. Paulus Diaconus of Aquileia Chancellour to Desiderius King of the Lombards Writes the entire History of the Lombards to Ann. Dom. 773. in which Charles the Great took Desiderius the last King and brought Lombardy under his own power 25. Haithonus an Armenian many years a Souldier in his own Country afterwards a Monk at Cyprus coming into France about the year of Christ 1307. was commanded by Pope Clement the fifth to write the Empire of the Tartars in Asia and the Description of other oriental Kingdoms 26. Laonicus Chalchondylas an Athenian wrote the History of the Turks in ten Books from Ottoman Anno 1300. to Mahomet the second who took Constantinople Anno Dom. 1453. and afterwards continued his History to Ann. 1464. 27. Luiâ—prandus of Ticinum wrote the History of the principal Affairs in all the Kingdoms of Europe in his time at most of which he himself was present his History is comprised in six Books and commencing from Anno Dom. 891. extends to Ann. Dom. 963. 28. Sigebert a Monk in a Abby in Brabant wrote his Chronicon from the death of Valens the Emperour or Anno Dom. 381. to the Empire of Henry the fifth Anno Dom. 1112. wherein he hath digested much of the French and British Affairs and acts of the German Emperours 29. Saxo Grammaticus Bishop of the Church of Rotschilden wrote the Danish History from utmost Antiquity to his
Poet. Lat. cap. 2. p. 26. Quenstedt dial p. 382. Quintil. de Instit. orator l. 10. c. 1. p. 472. 10. Publ. Ovidius Naso was born at Sulmo an old Town of the Peligni in Italy thus saith he himself Trist. lib. 4. Eleg. 10. Sulmo mihi patria est gelidis uberrimus undis Millia qui novies distat ab urbe decem He excels all others in Elegy and therefore by Dempster is called The Prince of Elegy in the judgement of Seneca he is a most ingenious Poet had he not reduced that plenty of wit and matter into childish toyes his Medaea saith Quintilian shews how much that man was able to perform had he chose rather to govern than indulge his wit he died in his banishment and is buried near the Town of Tomos he flourished Anno Dom. 4. Quintil. de Instit. orator lib. 10. cap. 1. p. 473. Voss. de Poet. Lat. cap. 2. p. 29. Senec. nat Quaest. cap. 27. p. 11. C. Valerius Catullus was born at Verona of no obscure Parentage for his father was familiar with Iulius Caesar and he himself was so accepted at Rome for the facility of his wit and learning that he merited the Patronage of Cicero as he himself acknowledges with thanks He loved Clodia whom by a feigned name he calls Lesbia Martial prefers him before himself he died at Rome in the thirtieth year of his age and that was commonly said of him Tantum parva suo debet Verona Catullo Quantum magna suo Mantua Virgilio He flourished Olympiad 180. Anno Dom. 40. Voss. de Poet. Lat. cap. 1. p. 14. Gell. noct Attic. lib. 7. cap. 20. p. 220. 12. Albius Tibullus of an Equestrian Family in Rome a Poet famous for his Elegies in which he was the first amongst the Romans that excel'd saith Vossius he was in familiarity with Horace and Ovid. He loved Plancia under the feigned name of Delia whereas he was very rich by the iniquity of the times he complains he was reduced to poverty he composed four Books of Elegies and died young for the elegancy of his Verse it is said of him Donec erunt ignes arcusque Cupidinis arma Discentur numeri culte Tibulle tui He flourished A. ab V. C. 734. Quenste dt dial p. 369. Petr. Crinit de Poet. Lat. lib. 3. p. 71. 13. Sex Aurel. Propertius was born in Mevania a Town in Vmbria as he himself somewhere saith Vt nostris tumefacta superbiat Vmbria libris Vmbria Romani patria Callimachi He complains that he was put out of his fathers Lands in that division that was made amongst the Souldiers of the Triumvirate The true name of his Cynthia was Hostia saith Apuleius We have four Books of his Elegies some write that he died in the forty first year of his age he flourished with Ovid Catullus and Tibullus Petr. Crinit de Poet. Lat. lib. 3. p. 71. Voss. de Poet. Lat. cap. 2. p. 31. 14. Cornelius Gallus born at Forojulium was an Oratour and famous Poet from a mean fortune he was received into the friendship of Augustus and by him made the first President of Aegypt when it was become a Roman Province Through his discourse in his Wine at a Feast he came into suspicion of a Conspiratour and being turn'd over to the Senate to be condemn'd for very shame he slew himself in the sixty third year of his age he wrote four Book of Elegies his Lycoris was one Cytheris a freed Maid of Volumnius most of his Writings are lost he flourished Olympiad 188. Voss. de Poet. Lat. cap. 2. p. 25. 15. Decius Iunius Iâ—venaliâ— was born at Aquinum in Italy he spent his studies in writing Satyres following the examples of Lucilius and Horace in which kind he hath gained no mean reputation amongst the learned The Prince of Satyrists saith I. Scaliger his Verses are far better than those of Horace his Sentences are sharper and his phrase more open having offended Paris the Pantomime at eighty years of age in shew of honour he was made Prefect of a Cohort and sent into Aegypt he flourished Anno Dom. 84. Quenstedt dial p. 372. Voss. de Poet. Lat. cap. 3. p. 41. 16. A. Persius Flaccus was born at Volaterra an ancient and noble City in Italy seated by the River Caecina He wrote Satyres wherein he sharply taxes the corrupted and depraved manners of the Citizens of Rome sustaining the person of a Philosopher while he severely reprehends he is instructive much he borrowed out of Plato saith Chytraeus by some he is under censure for his obscurity he flourished in the Reign of Nero Anno Dom. 64. died in the twenty ninth year of his age about the 210 Olympiad Quenstedt dial p. 322. Voss. de Poâ—t Lat. cap. 3. p. 41. 17. N. Valer. Martialis was born at Bilbilis in Celâ—iberia in the Reign of Claudius the Emperour At twenty years age he came to Rome under Nero and there continued thirty five much favoured by Titus and Domitian He was Tribune and of the Order of Knights in Rome after Domitian's death he was not in the like honour and therefore in Trajans time return'd into his own Country and there having wrote his twelfth Book of Epigrams weary of his Country and Life as being ill treated by his Country-men he deceased Voss. de Poet. Lat. cap. 3. p. 46. 18. Statius Papinius born at Naples lived under Domitian he left five Books Sylvarum twelve Thebaidos five Achilleidos Martial liked not that he was so much favoured and in his Writings never mentions him Voss. de Poet. Lat. cap. 3. p. 45. 19. Ausonius the Poet and also Consul at Rome was born in Gascony at Burdigala now called Burdeaux at he tells us himself thus Diligo Burdigalam Roman colo civis in illa Consul in ambabus cunae hic ibi sella curulis Scaliger saith of him That he had a great and acute wit he Stile is somewhat harsh he flourished Anno Dom. 420. Quenstedt dial p. 36. Voss. de Poet. Lat. cap. 4. p. 55. 20. Marcellus Palingenius wrote the Zodiack of like that is of the right way of institution of the life study and manners of men in twelve Books a Work of great Learning and Philosophical he flourished Anno Dom. 1480. Quenstedt dial p. 392. 21. Baptista Mantuanus Sirnamed Hispaniolus a Monk and excellent Poet to whom Mantua gave both birth and name he was accounted the almost only Poet in his age and another Maro he taxed with great freedom and liberty the corruption of the Roman Church the impiety and villanies of the Popes amongst others he thus writes of the Simony and Covetousness of the Popes Venalia nobis Templa Sacerdotes altaria sacra coronae Ignis Thura preces coelum est venale Deusque He wrote divers Verses in praise of the Saints and other excellent Books and flourished Anno Dom. 1494. Quenstedt dial p. 300. CHAP. X. Of Musick the strange efficacy of it and the most famous Musicians THere are four sorts of
also devised to be made with the rest covered all with her pretty wings 21. Callimachus was a Workman of great note but he was sirnamed Cacizotechnos for he would alwayes be finding fault with his own Workmanship and could never see when to make an end still thinking he had not shewed Art enough There is a dance of Lacedemonian Women of his making a piece of work which he went about also to amend and when he thought to make it better he marred it in such manner that it lost all the grace that it had before CHAP. XIV Of the most applauded Actors upon Theatres and the Name Riches and Favour of great Persons they have thereby attained unto SOme of these have been Masters of that grace and sweetness in their pronunciation and have expressed things so much to the life by their choice and befitting gesture that they have wonderfully gained upon the minds of men thereby which being observed the most famous Oratours that ever were were not ashamed to become the Scholars of such men as these and had they not so done they had never obtained the perfection of their own Art 1. Richard Burbadge and Edward Allen were two such Actors in Queen Elizabeths time as no Age must ever look to see the like and to make their Comedies compleat Richard Tarleton who for the part called the Clowns part never had his match never will have 2. Andreas Salvadorus was an excellent Scenick Poet in which it was his peculiar happiness to have Lauretus Victorius for an Actor whose praise will continue to late posterity his voice was clear sweet and loud he had a distinct and luscious pronunciation an excellent singer by all which he gave as it were something of divine to every thing he had to deal in which appeared in that when he was gone the things he had pronounc'd seemed not the same in the mouths of others 3. Polus was a famous Actor at Athens of whom it is said that when he was to play such a part as required to be presented with a remarkable passion he privily brought in the Urn and bones of his dead son whereby he so excited his own passion and was moved to deliver himself with that efficacy both in his words and gesture that he filled the whole Theatre with unfeigned lamentations and tears 4. Roscius was so incomparable an Actor that he excelled all Mimicks and Players that came upon the Stage so that whensoever any thing was frigidly or but indifferently personated upon the Theatre the Spectators would commonly cry out Roâ—cius plaies not This man with his utmost study and diligence was subservient to the eyes and ears of the people and therefore he would familiarly glory in this That he did never bring any gesture before the people which he had not well practised at home and there approved of before-hand 5. When Tullius Cicero began to plead in Causes it is said of him That he applied himself to Roscius the Comedian and Aesopus the Tragedian for instructions This Aesopus was famous in Rome for action and they say That once playing the part of Atreus deliberating upon the punishment of Thyestes he was so transported that he struck and slew a servant as he suddenly passed by with the Scepter he then had in his hand This Aesopus in this employ attained to a vast Estate which was afterwards consumed in as much vanity as that whereby it had been gotten 6. Nicocreon of Salamine and Pasicrates the Solian contended with great earnestness since in the Shews that Alexander made at his return out of Aegypt into Phoenicia it fell to their lot to exhibit such Players as were far more conspicuous for their art than any others Pasicrates stood for Athenodorus and Nicocreon for one Thessalus whom Alexander himself favoured yet he discovered not this his inclination till such time as the Judges had pronounced Athenodorus the Victor Then Alexander as he departed said He did commend the Judges nevertheless he had rather have lost a part of his Kingdom than to have seen Thessalus overcome Also when Athenodorus being fined by the Athenians for being absent from their Bacchanals had besought Alexander to intercede by his Letter in his behalf he denied his request therein but paid for him the fine that was imposed upon him 7. Callipedes an Actor of Tragedies had a celebrious name amongst the Grecians and a mighty fame amongst all men for his surpassing skill and dexterity in that faculty This man meeting with Agesilaus saluted him first and then proudly joining himself with those that were walking made ostentation of himself supposing Agesilaus would take occasion to speak familiarly to him but perceiving no notice was taken Dost thou not know me O King said he Agesilaus looking upon him Are you said he Callipedes the Dicelict so the Spartans term those that are Mimicks and the word doth signifie an Idol or Image By this means he repressed the tumour of this mans pride and met with that humour of self-admiration that he was so far over-gone with 8. Demosthenes being once exploded by the people hasted home with his head covered and his mind troubled Satyrus the Tragedian followed him to whom Demosthenes lamentably complained That whereas he was more laborious than all other Orators and that he had much empaired the state of his body in the prosecution thereof yet he could not please the people but that Drunkards and Mariners and illiterate persons held the Pulpit while in the mean time he was rejected You say true said Satyrus but I shall soon remove the cause if you will repeat me some Verses of Euripides or Sophocles without Book Demosthenes pronounced some of them which Satyrus repeated after him with such a decency of countenance and such aptness of gesture that Demosthenes scarce knew them to be the same Here it was that he first understood what an accession of dignity and grace is to an Oration by action and thenceforth he accounted a declamation a thin and vain thing where pronunciation and action was neglected 9. Hippias and Sergius were two Tragedians and Mimicks in Rome who were in such favour with Marcus Antonius that they could do with him almost what they pleased Also Cytheris a woman of the same profession was so much beloved by him that he carried her with him in his Licter as he went from City to City and no less a Retinue waited upon her Licter than if it had been that of his mother 10. Theodorus Zuingerus soon after his childhood gave instance of what his Country might expect from him for in a Play that was publickly exhibited by Thomas Platerus the Father of Foelix when he sustained the person of Cupid with his sweet variety of gesture his becoming action and pleasant pronunciation he so turn'd the faces eyes and minds of all men upon him that tears of joy drop'd from the eyes of some of the Spectators
the houses of rich men but rich men went not to theirs Because replied he those know what they want but these do not One asked him what difference there was betwixt one wise and another not so Send said he both naked where they are not known and you will soon discover it Having entreated Dionysius in the behalf of his friend and in vain he threw himself at his feet and being blamed for so doing Not I said he but Dionysius is in fault who hath his ears in his feet Many were his witty and acute sayings and replies a number of which may be found whence these were borrowed that is from Laert. lib. 2. p. 49 50. 15. Stilpon of Megara so far surpassed all others in Learning and a copious way of speaking that little wanted but that all Greece fixing its eye upon him had passed over unto the Megarick Sect. He had an unchast Daughter and when one told him that she was a dishonour to him Not so much said he as I am an honour to her He was in great favour with Ptolomaeus Soter and when Demetrius the Son of Antigonus had taken Megara he gave express order for the saving his House and caused all his goods to be restored He was commanded immediately to depart Athens by the Areopagites for having spoken slightingly of Minerva the work of Phidias certain it is that he was in such honour at Athens that the Trades-men would run out of their Shops to see him and when one said they wonder at thee Stilpon as at a wild Beast No said the other but as a True man Laert. lib. 2. p. 61 62. 16. Plato an Athenian was the Son of Ariston and descended from Solon by his Mother Perictione In matters of Philosophy that fall under sense he followed Heraclitus in things only comprehended by the mind Pythagoras and in Politicks Socrates He was of that reputation that when he went up to the Olympick Games the eyes of all the Grecians were bent upon him He got the name of Plato say some from the breadth of his Forehead Aristotle saith the manner of his Speech was a middle sort betwixt Verse and Prose He professed Philosophy in the Academy whence that Sect of Philosophers that came from him were called by him Academicks He said the soul is immortal that the seat of Reason is in the head of Anger in the heart of Love in the Liver That Matter and God are the two Principles of all things he dyed in the first year of the one hundredth Olympiad aged eighty one and was buryed in the Academy Laert. lib. 3. p. 70 71 c. 17. Spetisippus Son of Eurymedon the Athenian succeeded Plato he set up the Images of the Graces in his School he held the same Opinions with his Master Plato but was inferiour to him in his manners as one that was passionate and a lover of pleasures In his age he fell into the Palsey and then with grief being made weary of life he willingly exchanged it for death Laert. lib. 4. p. 96. 18. Xenocrates Son of Agathenor was born at Chalcedon the Scholar of Plato he was naturally dull and of a sad countenance but of singular chastity and so famous for his veracity that the Athenians received his testimony without an oath being sent with others Ambassadors from Athens to King Philip he alone returned uncorrupted with mony yet this so great a man the Athenians caused to be sold because he was not able to pay the tribute of an Inhabitant Demetrius Phalareus bought him paid the Tribute and set him at liberty He succeeded Speusippus and taught in the Academy twenty five years and dyed in the night by a fall in the second year of the one hundred and tenth Olympiad being at that time aged eighty two years Laert. lib. 4. p. 98 99. 19. Bion the Son of a Publican about Borysthenes was a man of a quick wit being asked whether a man should do well to marry If said he she be fair she will be common and if foul a torment He said old age was the haven of evils and that thereupon all things hastned unto it that it was a great evil that we are not able to bear evils that the way to the grave was easie as being found by us when our eyes are shut He was so vain-glorious that at Rhodes he perswaded Seamen to follow him in the habit of Scholars He sucked in Atheism from Theodorus and having lived impiously no wonder he was so loth and afraid to dye He fell sick and dyed at Chalcis Laert. lib. 4. p. 110. 20. Aristoteles the Son of Nicomachus was born at Stagira he stammered in his speech his legs were small and his eyes little his habit was commonly rich and he wore Rings upon his fingers he fell off from his Master Plato while yet alive and finding Xenocrates to succeed him in the Academy he walked in the Lyceum and there discoursed Philosophy daily to his Scholars from whence he had the name of Peripatetick He went thence to Philip of Macedon and became Tutor to his Son Alexander he loved Hermeas a Harlot to that degree that he composed a Hymn in honour of her and sacrificed to her after the same manner as the Athenians did to the Eleusinian Ceres for which accused of impiety he fled from Athens to Calchis and there drank Poyson or as some say dyed of a disease aged sixty three years His sayings were such as these being asked what a Lyar gains he answered Not to be believed when he speaks truth being upbraided for shewing mercy to a bad man I pitied said he not the manners but the man being asked what Hope was he replyed The dream of a waking man being told of one that spake ill of him behind his back Let him beat me too when I am absent He said the roots of learning were bitter but the fruit sweet being asked what a friend was Two souls said he dwelling in one body and what he had gained by Philosophy he answered To do that freely which others do only out of fear of the Laws he dyed in the third year of the one hundred and fourteenth Olympiad Laert lib. 5. p. 116 117. 21. Theophrastus the Son of Melanta an Eresian Fuller he succeeded Aristotle in his School he was a studious and a learned manâ— of that esteem at Athens that he had almost two thousand Scholars and accused by Agonides of impiety little wanted but that the Athenians had fined his accuser He used to say that the loss of time is the greatest expence that an ungoverned tongue is less to be trusted than an unbridled Horse that for the love of glory man proudly loses many of the pleasures of life that we then dye when we begin to live He wrote many Books and dyed at eighty five years of age having remitted something of the former course of his studies he is conceived thereby to have hastned his death Laert. lib. 5. p. 122
he had governed the Church of Alexandria forty six years full of dayes he dyed in peace in the reign of Valens though an Arrian persecutor 10. Eusebius Pamphili Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine lived and was familiar with Constantine the Emperour he refused the Chair of Antioch tumultuously made void by the Arrians for which the Emperour commended his modesty and counted him worthy to be Bishop of the whole world yet he was not altogether free of the heresie of Arrius before the Nicene Council he dyed about the year of our Lord 342. 11. Gregorius Nazianzenus born in a Town of Cappadocia called Nazianzum he was trained up in learning at Alexandria and Athens where his familiarity with Bazil began He detected the Heresie of Apollinaris and the abominations of Heathenish Idolatry under Iulian more than any other had done so peaceable that like another Ionas he was content te be thrust out of his place to procure unity and concord amongst his Brethren He had excellent gifts and flourished under Constantius Iulian and Theodosius 12. Basilius Magnus Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia he repented he spent so much time in searching out the deepness of humane learning as things not necessary to eternal life The Arrians and Eunomians who seemed excellently learned when they encountred with him and Nazianzenus were like men altogether destitute of learning when the Emperours Deputy threatned him with banishment or death he astonished him with his resolute answer The Emperors Son Galaces fell sick and the Empress sent him word she had suffered many things in her dream for the Bishop Basilius whereupon he was dismissed and suffered to return to Caesarea 13. Gregorius Nysse was Brother of Basilius and Bishop of Nyssa a City in Mysia in the second General Council the oversight of the Country of Cappadocia was committed to him Though his works are not extant yet he is renowned in the mouths of the Learned as a man of Note and remark 14. Epiphanius was born at Barsanduce a Village in Palestine was Bishop of Salamina the Metropolis of the Island Cyprus he refuted the heresies preceding his time in his Book called Panarium He had so great a regard to the poor that he was called Oeconomus Pauperum He opposed St. Chrysosthom in Constantinople and returning to Cyprus dyed in the way 15. Lactantius Firmianus was the Disciple of Arnobius in Eloquence nothing inferiour to his Master yet it is thought that he opposed errors with greater dexterity than he confirmed the Doctrine of the Truth 16. Hilarius Bishop of Poictiers in France a man constant in Religion in Manners meek and courteous he was banished to Phrygia he took great pains to purge France from the poyson of the Arrian heresie whereof he there saw both the growth and decay he dyed in the reign of Valentinian 17. Ambrosius the Son of Symmachus was Governour of Lyguria under Valentinian appeasing a Sedition at Millain he was there chosen Bishop and confirmed therein by the Emperour He lived also under the Emperour Theodosius whom he sharply reproved and excommunicated for the slaughter of the innocent people at Thessalonica and dyed in the third year of the reign of Honorius having sate at Millain twenty two years 18. Ierome was born at Stridona Town of Dalmatia instructed in the rudiments of Learning at Rome where he acquainted himself with honourable women such as Marcella Sophronia Principia Paula and Eustochium to whom he expounded places of holy Scripture His great gifts were envyed at Rome wherefore he left it and went for Palestine and there chose Bethlehem the place of our Lords Nativity to be the place of his death he there guided a Monastery of Monks he was a man of a stern disposition he dyed in the ninety first year of his age in the twelfth year of the reign of Honorius 19. Iohn Chrysosthome had been an helper to Flavianus Bishop of Antioch thence he was called by the Emperour Arcadius to be Bishop of Constantinople In Oratory he had profited in the School of Libanius and in Philosophy in that of Andragathius above his fellows His liberty in reproving sin both in Court and Clergy procured red him the hatred of Eudoxia the Empress and of the whole Clergy Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria was his great enemy by whose malice and that of Eudoxia he was deposed then banished and journeyed to death he governed the Church in Constantinople seven years 20. Augustinus in his young years was infected with the error of the Manicheans his Mother Monica with prayers and tears begged of God his conversion to the truth and God heard her for being sent to Millain to be a Teacher of Rhetorick by the Preaching of Ambrose the Bishop and the devout behaviour of the People in singing Psalms to the praise of God he was much affected Also by reading the life of Antonius the Hermit he was wonderfully moved to dislike his former Conversation He went then to a Garden where with his friend Alypius he bewailed the insolency of his past life wishing the time to be now that his soul should be watered with the dew of the converting grace of God As he was pouring out the grief of his wounded heart to God with a flood of tears he heard a voice saying Tolle lege take up and read at first he thought it to be the voice of Boyes and Girles in their sport but seeing no body he received it as a Celestial admonition he took up then the Bible he had there with him and in the opening of the Book the first place he met with was Rom. 13.13 14. Not in Gluttony nor Drunkenness not in Chambering nor Wantonness not in Strife or Envying but put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ and take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it At the reading hereof he was fully resolved to become a Christian and was baptized by Ambrose Bishop of Millain Thence he returned into Asrick and there was an Assistant to Valerius Bishop of Hippo whom he succeeded being incessant in teaching the people and confuting Hereticks the Donatists Pelagians and Manichees when he had lived seventy six years he rested from his labours 21. Gregorius the first sirnamed the Great was chosen Bishop of Rome both by the Clergy and people which Office he sought by all means to avoid he brought into the Roman Church the form of the Greek Liturgies He first stiled himself servus servorum Dei and whereas Iohn the Patriarch of Constantinople called himself Universal Bishop he said of him that he was the forerunner of Antichrist he sate in Rome thirteen years six months and ten days 22. Bernardus Abbot of Claraval born in Burgundy was respected in his Country above others though he lived in a most corrupt age yet he was found in the point of Justification He detested the corruption of manners that abounded in his time He subdued his body by
This Work cost three hundred millions of Sesterces Certainly if a man consider the abundance of water that is brought thereby and how many places it serveth as well publick as private the Bains Stews and Fish-Pools Kitchens and other Houses of Office for Pipes and little Rivulets to water Gardens as well about the City as in Mannors and Houses of Pleasure in the fields near unto the City besides the mighty way that these waters are brought the number of Arches that must of necessity be built to convey them the Mountains that are pierced and wrought through the Vallies that are raised and made even and level he will confess that there never was any design in the whole World enterprised and effected more admirable than this CHAP. VI. Of the choicest Libraries in the World their Founders and number of Books contained in them AS Treasures both publickly and privately are collected and laid up in the Republick to be made use of when necessity requires and the greater and rarer they are the more precious they are accounted So the Treasures of Learning and of all good Arts and Sciences which are contained in Books as so many silent Teachers are worthily collected by publick and private persons and laid up amongst the choicest goods of the Common-wealth where they may be made use of to all sorts of persons as their studies incline them or as necessity shall require at any time whether in peace or war The most famous Repositories of Books were as followeth 1. Ptolomaeus Philadelphus the Son of Ptolomaeus Lagus reigning in Egypt and also by the concurrent and laborious endeavours of Demetrius Phalareus there was an excellent Library founded in Alexandria the noblest City of all Egypt in the year before Christs birth 280. and of the World 3720. This Library saith Baronius was enriched with more than 200000 Volumes brought out of all places in the World with exquisite care and diligence Amongst these were also the Books of the Old Testament translated by the LXX After which Translation the King also procured so many Greek Chaldee Egyptian Books and Latine ones translated into Greek as also of divers other Notions that at last he had heaped up therein saith Gellius seven hundred thousand Volumes But alas in how short a time did the splendour of so much vertue suffer an Eclipse for in the 183 Olympiad from the building of the City Caesar fighting in Alexandria that fire which burnt up the Enemies Navy took hold also of this burnt the greatest part of the City saith Orosius together with four hundred thousand Books so that from the founding of it to its destruction there were elapsed only 224 years 2. Eumenes the Son of Attalus and Father of that Attalus who was the last King of Pergamus and who dying made the people of Rome â—is Heir was the Founder of that excellent Library at Pergamus in the year from the Creation 3810. wherein were contained above twenty thousand choice Books 3. Queen Cleopatra about the year of the World 3950. and thirty years before the Birth of Christ gathered together such Books as had escaped the fire of Caesar in Alexandria built a place for them in the Temple of Serapis near to the Port and transferred thither 200000 Books from the Attalick or Pergamenian Library 4. M. Varro by the appointment of Iulius Caesar had the peculiar care committed to him of erecting a publick Library but it had come to nothing but for the helping hand of Augustus who succeeded him It was he that erected a famous Repository for Books in the Hill Aventine adorned it with Porticoes and Walks for the greater convenience of Students and enriched it with the spoils of conquered Dalmatia this was a little before the Birth of Christ and in the year of the World 3970. Nor did the bounty of this great Prince rest there but always aspiring to greater things he opened two other little inferiour to that in the Aventine one whereof he called the Octavian from the name of his Sister and the other the Palatine from the Mount or Hill on which it was erected Over the Keepers of which by his Imperial Order was C. Iulius Hyginnius an excellent Grammarian 5. Fl. Vespasianus about the sixth year of his Empire the seventy seventh from the Birth of Christ and of the World 4050. founded a Library in the Forum at Rome and contiguous to the Temple of Peace as if he thereby intended to shew that nothing was so requisite to advance men in Learning as times of peace 6. The Emperour Trajanus in the tenth year of his Reign one hundred and eight years after the Birth of Christ and from the Creation of the World 4092. built a sumptuous Library in the Market-place of Trajan which he called after his own sirname the Vlpian Library Dioclesian afterwards being to edifie some and adorn other Baths translated this Library unto the Viminal Hill which at this day hath the Gate of St. Agnes opening upon it 7. Domitianus the Emperour erected another near to his own house which he had built upon the Capitoline Hill which yet soon after was reduced to ashes in the Reign of Commodus which happened as Eusebius Dion and Baronius witness in the eighth year of Commodus his Empire the 189. year from the Nativity of Christ and from the Creation of the World about the four thousand one hundred sixty and third 8. Gordianus Senior about the two hundred and fortieth year after Christ built a Library which contained sixty and two thousand Books the greater part whereof were left as a Legacy to the Emperour by Geminicus Gammonicus 9. Constantinus the Emperour by the testimony of Baronius erected a sumptuous Library in the Province of Thrace at Byzantium called New Rome which was enriched with an hundred and twenty thousand Volumes he called that City Constantinople in the year from the Birth of Christ 324. but through the discord of his Sons about the year of the World 4321. and from the Birth of Christ 340. to wit of Constantinus Constantius and Constance the Emperours in the deplorable declination of the Empire and much more by fire it lost its fame and name being burnt by the people in hatred of Basilius the Emperour as saith Zonaras and Cedrenus which happened about the year from the Nativity of Christ 476. but being repaired and increased by the accession of three hundred and three Volumes Leo Isaurus in hatred of sacred Images burnt both it and its Keepers who were Counsellors of great renown This happened about the year of Christ 726. as witnesseth Zonaras Cedrenus and others In this Library was as is reported the gut of a Dragon 120 foot long upon which was written Homers Poems Iliads and Odysses in Letters of Gold 10. The Sâ—ptalian Libâ—aâ—y now in the possession of Manfrâ—d Septala a Patâ—ician of Mâ—llâ—ine 1664. contains seven thousand two hundred ninety Volumes amongst which are many
solicited thereto by Eva an Anchoresse he sat three years one month and four daies 190. Clemens the fourth the greatest Lawyer in France had before his Election a Wife and three Children sent Octobonus into England to take the value of all Church Revenues he sat three years 191. Gregory the tenth an Italian held a Council at Lions wherein was present Michael Paleologus the Greek Emperour who acknowledged there the Procession of the Holy Ghost from Father and Son this Pope sat four years two months and ten daies 192. Adrianus the fifth a Genoway before called Octobonus and Legate here in England in the daies of Henry the third he died before he was consecrated in the fortieth day of his Popedom 193. Iohannes the twenty second a Spaniard and Physician though a Learned man yet unskilled in Affairs he did many things with folly enough he sat but eight months 194. Nicholaus the third first practised to enrich his Kindred he raised a quarrel betwixt the French and Sicilians which occasioned the Massacre in the Sicilian Vesper he sat three years 195. Martinus the fourth a French man he kept the Concubine of his Predecessour Nicholas removed all Pictures of Bears from the Palace lest his Sweet-heart should bring forth a Bear sat four years 196. Honorius the fourth confirmed the Augustine Friers and caused the white Carmelites to be called Our Ladies Brethren he did little more but died having sat two years and one day 197. Nicholaus the fourth preferred persons solely upon respect to their vertue and died of grief to see Church and State in a remediless combustion having sat four years one month 198. Celestinus the fifth an Hermit was easily perswaded to quit the Chair the Cardinals perswading it was above his ability so he resigned was imprisoned and died he sat one year and five months 199. Bonifacius the eighth by his general Bull exempted the Clergy from being chargeable with Taxes and Payments to temporal Princes first set forth the Decretals and instituted the Feast of Iubilee 200. Benedictus the eleventh a Lombard was a man of great humility desired to compose all Brawls but was poysoned in a Figg as some say having sat eight months and seventeen daies 201. Clemens the fifth first made Indulgences and Pardons saleable he removed the Papal See from Rome to Avignon in France where it continued for seven years he sat eight years 202. Iohannes the twenty third he Sainted Thomas of Aquine and Thomas of Hereford challenged Supremacy over the Greek Church and died having sat nineteen years and four months 203. Benedictus the twelfth a man of that constancy as by no means to be sway'd from that which he judged to be right he died in the seventh year and third month of his Papacy 204. Clemens the sixth a dreadful Pestilence in Italy was in his time so that scarce a tenth man remained alive he died having sat ten years six months and twenty eight daies 205. Innocencius the sixth a Lawyer burnt Iohn de Rupe scissâ for foretelling shrewd things of Anti-Christ he sat nine years 206. Vrbanus the fifth a great Stickler for Popish Priviledges he confirmed the Order of St. Brigitt being poysoned as 't is thought he died having sat eight years and four months 207. Gregorius the eleventh returned the Papal Chair again to Rome he Excommunicated the Florentines and sat seven years five months 208. Vrbanus the sixth Gunpowder was Invented in his time he made fifty four Cardinals held a Jubilee to gather money and died having sat eleven years and eight months 209. Bonifacius the ninth scarce thirty years old when made Pope very ignorant and a great seller of Church Livings he sat fourteen years and nine months 210. Innocentius the seventh demanded the Moiety of Ecclesiastical Benefices both in France and England but was stoutly denied he sat but two years 211. Gregorius the twelfth swore to resign for the peace of the Church but collusion discerned betwixt him and Benedict both were outed 212. Alexander the fifth a Cretan a man of great Sanctity and Learning he deposed Ladistaus King of Naples and Apulia and sat but eight months 213. Iohannes the twenty fourth of Naples by his consent a Council was Assembled at Constance where himself was deposed 214. Martinus the fifth condemned Wickcliffè burnt Iohn Husse and Ierome of Prague his Followers he sat fourteen years odd months 215. Eugenius the fourth a Venetian refused to appear at the Council of Basil who thereupon deposed him he sat sixteen years 216. Nicholaus the fifth of Genoua in his time the Turks took Constantinople he built the Vatican and died in the eighth year of his Papacy 217. Calistus the third a Spaniard sent Preachers throughout Europe to animate Princes to War against the Turks sat but three years 218. Pius the second an Italian approved of the marriage of the Clergy and turned out divers Cloystered Nuns and sat six years 219. Paulus the second exceeded all his Predecessours in Pomp and Shew enrich'd his Miter with all kind of precious Stones honoured the Cardinals with a Scarlet Gown and reduced the Jubilee from fifty to twenty five years 220. Sixtus the fourth ordained a Guard to attend his Person was the first Founder of the Vatican Library and brought in Beads sat thirteen years 221. Innocentius the eighth of Genoua much given to excess in drinking and venery he sat seven years and ten months 222. Alexander the sixth first openly acknowledged his Nephews as they call their Bastards to be his sons was incestuous with his daughter and gave himself to the Devil he sat eleven years 223. Pius the third sought to hunt the French men out of Italy but died in the interim of an Ulcer in his Leg having sat twenty five daies 224. Iulius the second more Souldier than Prelate passing over a Bridge of Tyber threw his Key into the River and brandished his sword Excommunicated Lewis of France and sat nine years three months 225. Leo the tenth burnt Luther's Books declaring him an Heretick Luther did the like at Wittenberge with the Popes Canon Law declaring him for a Persecutor Tyrant and the very Antichrist 226. Adrian the sixth a Low-Country man made shew at his entrance of Reformation but was diverted the Lutherans began to spread and the Turks to approach these and other things broke him so that he died in his second year 227. Clemens the seventh of Florence in his time Rome was Sack'd and the Pope made Prisoner by the Duke of Burbon the Popes Supremacy cast off in England by King Henry the eighth some say he died of the lowsie disease 228. Paulus the third called the Council at Trent prostituted his Sister committed incest with his daughter poysoned her husband attempted the chastity of his Neece found in the act he was marked by her husband he was a Necromancer 229. Iulius the third gave his Cardinals Hat to a Sodomitical boy called Innocentius in his time Casa
Arch-bishop of Beneventum Printed a Book in defence of Sodomy England reconciled to the Mother Church in Queen Maries daies 230. Marcellus the second an Hetruscan he esteemed the Lutherans worse than Turks and perswaded Charles the fifth and Ferdinand rather to turn their Forces against them he was Pope but twenty three daies 231. Paulus the fourth the Neapolitane a great Patron of the Jesuites and Inquisition in which had been made away one hundred and fifty thousand persons for Religion being hated for his cruelty after his death his Statue was cast into Tyber 232. Pius the fourth continued the Council at Trent and brought it to an end and thereby setled and confirmed the interest of the Church of Rome caused it to be received as Oecumenical his Legates forbid footing in England by Queen Elizabeth Venery and Luxury shortned this Popes daies and then succeeded 233. Pius the fifth a Lombard commanded the Whores in Rome to be married or whipt He had a hand in the death of Prince Charles of Spain and of our King Iames his Father and in most of the Treasons against Queen Elizabeth whom he Excommunicated by Bull he left his Seat to 234. Gregorius the thirteenth a Bononian the Massacre at Paris was by this mans procurement He altered the Kalender to his New Stile which anticipates ten daies the old account he Excommunicated and outed the Archbishop of Collen because he married would have disposed of the Kingdom of Portugal but was prevented 235. Sixtus the fifth of Marca Anconae Excommunicates and praises the Murder of Henry the third of France by Iaquez Clement blesseth the Banner of Spain against England in 88. quarrels with Spain for Naples and wiped the Jesuites of a great mass of money The Cardinal Bellarmine Dedicates his Controversies to him yet being asked his judgement of him when dead said He thought he was damned 236. Vrbanus the seventh a Genoway ascended the Chair aâ—ter him oâ— whom there is the less to be said in that he enjoyed his Popedom but a fourteenth night and then he left it to who should come after dying before his inauguration The Seat not long empty was supplied by 237. Gregorius the fourteenth of Millaine he held a Jubilee and exhausted the Treasury of the Church which Sixtus before had sealed by an Oath to be employed in the recovery of the Holy Land he cursed King Henry of Navarre as a relapsed Heretick his Bulls were burnt by the hands of the Hangman he died of the Stone before he had sat one year out 238. Innocentius the ninth a Bononian for the two months he was in he expressed an hatred against the King of Navarre and a good liking of the Jesuites one year four months and three daies made an end of four Popes and then came 239. Clemens the eighth made Henry of France turn Papist to be quiet much troubled with the Gout but eased as he saith when the Arch-duke Maximilian had kissed his gouty Toes 240. Leo the eleventh came in with this Motto over his Arch-triumphal Pageant Dignus est Leo in virtute Agni accipere librum solvere septem signacula ejus but a Fevor ended him before he had sat twenty eight daies 241. Paulus the fifth an Italian promoted the Powder-plot interdicted the State of Venice whereupon the Jesuites were banished the Oath of Allegiance to King Iames forbidden by Breves from this Pope 242. Gregorius the fifteenth a Bononian Elected by way of Adoration he instigates the French against the Protestants Saints Ignat-Loyola and quarrels with the Venetians after two years was chosen 243. Vrbanus the eighth a Florentine he advances his Kindred in his time the Arch-bishop of Spalato turned from Papist to Protestant and thence to Papist again he was a politer Scholar than most of them 244. Innocentius the tenth 245. Alexander the seventh CHAP. IV. Of such men as have been the Framers and Composers of Bodies of Laws for divers Nations and Countries IT was the saying of Plato That there was a necessity that Laws should be made for men and that they should be obliged to live according to them or otherwise men would differ but very little from the Beasts themselves The reason of this is That no man is naturally so well composed as rightly to understand what things do best conduce to the publick good of humane life or if he do yet he either cannot or will not alwaies act according to that which in his judgement is the best Hence it is that so many Nations have submitted to the wisdom of some one that hath been eminent amongst them and contended to live by the rules they have prescribed 1. Lycurgus was the Law-giver to the Lacedemonians and when by his Institutions he had brought Sparta to that form of a Republick which he had desired He then Assembled them all where he told them that in most parts the Common-wealth was so framed as it might rightly serve to the improvement both of their vertue and felicity But that there was now behind the chiefest and most important head of all which he should not take upon him to impart unto them till such time as he had consulted the Oracle That they should therefore firmly cleave to the present Laws nor should deviate from nor change any thing therein till such time as he should return from Delphos They all promised him and having taken an Oath of the Kings Senate and People to that purpose he went to Delphos where when he came he enquired of Apollo if the frame and model of his Laws were such as that his Citizens might in the observation of them be made vertuous and prosperous Apollo made answer that all was well done and that so long as they lived thereby they should be most famous This answer he sent back to Sparta which done he resolved that the Spartans should never be freed from their Oath they had given him and to that purpose he underwent a voluntary banishment and death in Crcet saith Aristocrates having before-hand besought his Host and entertainer That as soon as he was dead he should cause his body to be burnt and the ashes thereof cast into the Sea that so no remainder of him might be brought to Sparta lest they thereby pretending he was returned should disengage themselves from their Oath and attempt any change in the Common-wealth 2. Solon was the Law-giver to the Athenians and when Anacharsis did deride his endeavours in this kind that went about to repress the injuries and extravagancies of his Citizens with a few written words Which said he are no better than Spiders Webs and which the stronger will break at their pleasure Solon return'd that men will be sure to stand to those Covenants which will bring manifest disadvantages to the infringers of them Adding that he had so framed and tempered his Laws for Athens that it should manifestly appear to all of them That it was more for their concern strictly to observe than