is written in the liues of the fathers that a young man seruing an Hermet being sent of his maister vnto a village harde by where a certen great Usurer and a vicious man being dead was caryed honorably and buried with solempnitie with the Bishop of that Diocesse which when the boy saw hée wept out that so euyll a man so wicked an Usurer should haue such solemne buriall and returning whom hée founde his maister deuoured of a Lion which so mooued him almost to bée beside him selfe saying The wicked Usurer dieth with greate honour and is buried with great pompe that liued all the dayes of his life in sinne and wickednesse My maister being fifty yeres in the wildernesse an Hermet is eaten vp and deuoured of a Lion whiche studied and traueyled to fight with sinne and with the deuyll An angel appeared vnto the boy saying The deuyll can no more hurt thy maister for hée hath done his worst and now thy maister hath conquered the deuyll The deuyll spared the Usurer in his life time that hée might possesse him after his death SOcrates therefore dying héeing constrayned for that hée refused their gods and sayd that hée would rather worship a Dogge than the gods of Athens and to drinke his last draught perceyuing that his wife wept demaunded the cause of her wéeping his wife aunswered and sayd the innocencie of Socrates death is the cause of my wéeping Nay rather sayde Socrates laugh and reioyce at that and wéepe at him that deserued death The like examples haue wée of King Antigonus and Anaxagoras the Philosopher hearing both that their sonnes dyed in the warres the one sayd I knowe I hadde my sonne borne to die the other without vexation or chaunge of countenaunce made him be buried out of hand saying It is no straunge thing to heare of death aswell vnto Princes as vnto poore men happened A Great King being admonished by his Phisitions of death began to lament much his state saying Alasse Myser that I am howe many princelye Pallaces regall Courtes howe manye Kingdomes and countries must I depart from and go vnto those quarters I know not where Howe manye Princes coulde I commaunde to come with mée anye where Howe many Noble men might I cause to go before to prouide my places and seates and nowe not one poore man in all the worlde will beare mée company to my graue saying thou worlde enimie of my soule ¶ THE DEATHES OF CERTEN Noble Princes in english verse ¶ Alexander the great his death WHat sounde assurance is of man what certaine lotte of life When Atrop cuts which Lachese spinnes with cruell cursed knife Hée yesterday renowmed Prince and King of Kinges so braue To daye in mouldred mossie mire layde in his fatall graue Yesterdaye the sonne of Ioue might all commaunde at will To day starcke naked in the earth with wormes his belly full ¶ Iulius Caesars death I Long that ruled Rome at will in middest of Rome am spilde And in the Senate house amongst the Senators I am kilde Who Countries Kingdomes Castles strong who Europe all did quell To Brutus hande and Cassius snares vnwares I Caesar fell With Bodkins Daggers Swordes and Staues I Caesar there was slaine Of fostered foes which friendeshippe fainde as Abel was of Cain ¶ Cirus King of Persea his death WHat Kesar King or Prince thou art that passes here this way Suffer Cirus seauen foote to rest his Corpes in clay Whose gréedie minde and raging race whose fortune frowning wild That Cirus shoulde be in Scithia slaine by Tomyris Quéene in fielde Whose heade was off and bathed in bloode to whome the Quéene spake first Drinke cruell Cirus bloode ynough that long for bloode did thirst ¶ Agamemnon his death WHome tenne yeares warres in Phrigian fieldes nor Troyans force subdue Who me winde nor Seas nor tempest hurt this Clitemnestra slue This famous Prince and Capitaine graunde of all the Géekes in fielde Whome fame in Phrigia so aduaunced his onely spouse him kilde Thus fortune friendly flowed fast and fauored fame to sounde Till frowning fortune foylde the state which fawning fortune founde ¶ King Pirrhus his death HEre Pirrhus Prince of Epire lyes whose force Tarentum knew At Argos was by a woman slaine with a Tilestoone that shée threw ▪ Whom thousande Princes coulde not hurt nor Romanes all annoy Whom shot of Gunnes ne dreadfull dart might Pirrhus Prince destroy This seconde souldier counted was to Alexander King A sielie Argiue woman lo to graue did Pirrhus bring ¶ Hanibal his death THe fostered fame the glory great that was in Carthage coast The honour long that Lybia had againe in time was lost He that was the scurge of Rome and Romanes oft offend He that saued his natiue zoile and Carthage did defende The same at last to Siria fled to craue Antiochus ayde Unto Bithinia thence he went to Prusias King dismayde And there to voyde Flaminius force he poyson dranke did die Thus hauty Hanibal ended life and there his bones do lye ¶ Pompeius death POmpeius fléeing Pharsalia fieldes from Caesar life to saue Whome then Photinus fayned friende to Egypt soyle did laue And there by slaightes of faythlesse frindes for golde and siluer loe Pompeius heade was sent to Rome to Caesar for to shoe His bodie left vnburied lieth in Egypt slimy sandes Who sometime King of Pontus prest and all Armenia landes ¶ Cicero his death WHome Cicero saued off from death the same did Cicero kill Pompilius prowde to please the rage of Mar. Antonius will Whos 's heade was sette in sight to sée Antonius minde to please Whose tongue did Fuluia pricke with pinnes Hir stony heart to ease Who when hée was for Clodius sake exiled Rome to raunge Twentie thousande Romanes mournde in mourning wéedes the chaunge Hée thrée times Consul was in Rome now in Caieta slaine Whose noble name and lasting fame shall styll on earth remaine ¶ Demosthenes death THe sugred sappe the solace long the guyde of Athens then That stoute withstoode king Philips force in spite of Philips men Of whome king Philip in his warres was forcde to say at length Hée feared more Demosthenes tongue then all the Athinians strength Such is the ende of mortall wightes such is the miserie of men That howe to die the time the place he knoweth not where nor when ¶ Achilles his death THe hope of Gréece and countries care Achilles strong of force Like stoute Alcides fought on foote like Mars himselfe on horse But last that ruled Goddes sometimes did then Achilles mooue To walke to Troye to féede desire for Priamus daughters loue Who by a Dart that Paris driude Achilles had his ende Whose worthy actes and marshall feates in Homer well is pende ¶ Hectors death HEctor stoute whose strokes full sterne the Gréekes did girde so grim And foyled foes in Phrigian fieldes death happened thus to him In spoyling of Patroclus king Achilles faythfull friende Came strong Achilles to the place to sée Patroclus ende Then
poore and therefore I feare no manne who séeth not the daunger of the one and the surenesse of the other for Arison was wont to saie that pouertie was as it were a Lantarne to beholde the wickednes of the worlde for pouertie is the true Nourse of all good vertues Licurgus beyng demaunded of certaine Citizins of Sparta howe might men auoide their enemies hee answered by pouertie wherefore Licurgus made lawes and decrees amongest the Lacedemonians that no Soldiers should spoile the enemies though they were dead in the filde for he feared lest wealthe should bee the distruction of Sparta For wealthy men are enuied at and hated and euery where sought by snares to be destroied whiche pouertie escapeth That wise Greke Solon was wont to saie that wealthe was the mother of excesse excesse the mother of luste luste the mother of violence and violence the mother of tyrannie Therefore saieth Pithagoras that wealth muste bee ruled with wisedome as the wild horse is tamed by the bridle Simonides when he was demaunded which was better wealth or wisedome he saide after this sorte I doubte muche said he for I sée so manie wise men frequentyng the riche mannes companie that I knowe not whiche ¶ Of Death DEATH is the laste line of all thyng the discharge of all couenauntes the ende of all liuyng Creatures the onelie wishe of the good and the verie terrour of the wicked And for that the life of man is diuers so is Death variable of sonderie sortes and fashions as by experience seen and knowen in all Countries Nothyng is surer then death nothyng more variable then Death For Pindarus that wise and sage kyng of the Liricans beeyng demaunded of certaine Beotians what might beste happen vnto manne in this worlde euen that saied he whiche chaunced vnto Trophoniuâ— and Agamedes meanyng Death For these men after thei had builded a newe temple vnto Apollo demaunded of God Apollo the beste reward that he could giue vnto them thei thinkyng to speede of some dignitie or some worldly substaunce were rewarded within seueÌ„ daies after with death The like we reade in the firste booke of Herodote where the mother of Biton and Cleobes twâ—o yong menne of Argos kneelyng before the Image of Iuno besoughte the Goddesse to bestowe some excellent good thyng vpon her twoo soonnes for their paine and trauaill that thei shewed toward their naturall mother in drawyng the Chariot tenne miles in steade of horses but the Goddesse willyng to shewe the beste thyng that could bee giuen vnto manne the nexte night followyng quietly in bedde as thei slepte died Wherefore very well did Aristippus aunswere a certaine manne whiche asked how Socrates died Euen in that order that I wishe my self to die â–ª Giuing to vnderstande that any death is better then life That noble Philosopher Plato a little before he died as Sabellicus doeth write did thanke nature for thre causes the firste that he was borne a manne and not a beast the seconde that he was borne in Greece and not in Barbarie The thirde that he was borne in Socrates tyme who taught hym to die well Hermes that great Philosopher of Egipte euen diyng so embraced death that he called vpon that diuine spirite whiche ruled all the heauens to take mercie vpoÌ„ hym beyng right glad that he passed this toilyng life Suche is the snare of death that some in halfe their daies in middest of their fame and glorie die As Alexander the greate in Babilon Pompeius in Egipte and Marcellus whiche beyng a yonge man of greate towardnesse and soonne by adoptioÌ„ to the Empire of Rome died Euen Albius a Romaine knight in flourishyng yeres ended his race And M. Caelius one of Ciceros scholers a very eloqueÌ„t Oratour and of greate fame beyng in a maner a boie died It is straunge to see the shiftes of death in how diuers and sondrie fassions it happened vnto Princes alwaies that some merie in their bankettes and drinkyng wer slaine As Clitus of Alexander the greate beyng his sisters brother and his chief frende Ammon of Absalon being bidden vnto a banquette was slaine of his owne brother yea all the Embassadours of Persia were coÌ„maunded to bee slaine euen drinkyng at the Table by kyng Amintas soonne of Macedonia Some ende their liues wantonnyng with women and plaiyng in chambers as that renoumed Greke Alcibiades beeyng taken in Uenerie with Timandra was slaine of Lisander EueÌ„ so Phaon Speusippus the Philosopher died likewise Some bathyng theim self were choked by their owne wiues As Agamemnon that famous Greke by his wife Clitemnestra And Argirus Emperoure of Rome by his wife Zoe Diuers in prison as Captiues died as Aristobulus Emnenes Aristonicus Marius Cleomenes Iugurth Siphax famous and renowmed Princes Diuers in Iacques slain as that beast Heliogabolus whom Rome so hated that he fledde vnto a Iaques and there was killed and after drawen thorowe the streates and throwen vnto the Riuer Tiber Gneus Carbo a manne of great dignitie and power of Rome was commaunded that he should bee slaine as he was sitting on his stoole of ease by Pompeius in the thirde tyme of his Consulshippe in Rome Thus shamfull diuers died and thus famously others died The snares of death the hookes of tyme the ende of manne was alwaies vnknowen Patroclus knewe not that he should bee slaine of Hector Hector neuer thoughte he should bee killed of Achilles Achilles neuer doubted his death by Paris Paris neuer iudged that he should be vanquished by Pirrhus Neither Pirrhus was certaine that he should bee ouercomed by Orestes so that no manne knoweth his ende where howe and when he dieth and yet all menne are certaine and sure that thei haue an ende that thei muste needes die The feare of death hath muche ouercome the stoutest and worthiest souldiour â–ª Wee reade that Asdrubal of Carthage a noble and a famous Capitaine a longe tyme and yet at length beyng conuicted by Scipio he for feare of death kneled before Scipio embracyng his feete and so fearefull that his owne wife was ashamed of his doynges Yet had this noble Capitaine rather bee a laughyng stocke vnto the Romains a bonde manne vnto Scipio runnyng a foote like a lackie before his triumph then to die manfully in the behalfe of his Countrie whiche valiauntly for a tyme he defended Perpenna likewise a famous Romaine beyng taken in Spaine after Sertorius was deade by the Souldiours of Pompeius in a wooddie place full of Groues fearyng leste at that instante he should be slaine by Pompeius souldiors made them beleue that he had diuers thinges to speake vnto Pompeius that the enemies had in hande to bryng to passe against Pompeius rather had Perpenna betraied his frendes and his fellowes yea and all his Countrie vnto his enemie PoÌ„peius then that he should bée in the feare of death A greater feare of death we read in that booke of
their answeares vnto diuers questions vnto them propounded Bias dwellyng in the Citie of Prienna after the citie by Nutinenses was destroied Bias escaped and went to Athens whose Poesie was Maximus improborum numerus he willed all yong men in their youth to trauaill for knowledge and commaundeth oulde men to embrase wisedome This Bias beeyng demaunded what was the difficulst thing in the worlde he saide to suffer stoutly the mutabilitie of fortune beyng demaunded what was the infamoust death that might happen vnto man to bee condempned saide he by lawe beyng asked what was the sweetest thyng vnto manne hope saide he what beast was most hurtfull amongest wild beastes a Tyraunt saide Bias and amongeste tame beastes a flatterer and beyng demaunded what thyng it was that feared nothyng in all the world good conscience saide he And againe in the second Olimpiad the Philosophers demaunded other Questions as who was most infortunate in the world the impacient man saide Bias What is moste harde to iudge debates betwéene frendes what is most harde to measure he answered tyme that hauyng fully answered to diuers other questions Bias was allowed one of the seauen wise men of Gréece Chilo the second of the Sages beyng borne in Myâ—tilena beyng asked what was the best thyng in all the world answered euery man to coÌ„sider his owne state And againe beyng demaunded what beast is most dangerous he saide of wilde beastes a Tyraunt of tame beastes a flatterer beyng asked what is most acceptable vnto manne he saide tyme and beyng asked of the Gréeke Myrsilas what was the greatest wonder that he sawe he saide an olde man to be a Tyraunte these with diuers other questions was he asked of the Greeke his Poesie was Nâ— quid nimis The thirde was Chilo the Lacedemonian beyng demaunded what was a difficult thing to man to dooe he answered either to keepe silence or so suffer iniuries what was most difficulst being asked of hym he saide for a man to knowe hym self and therfore he vsed this Poesie Nosce teipsum This Chilo beyng of Aesopus demaunded what did Iupiter in Heauen he saide he doth throwe doune loftie and proude thinges and hee doeth exalte humble and méeke thinges Solon the Athenian had this shorte Sentence in his mouthe Nosce teipsum knowe thy selfe for in knowyng and consideryng what we are how vile we are wee shall haue lesse occasion ministred vnto vs to thinke well of our selues for there is nothyng good nor bewtifull in man as Solon beyng asked of kyng Cressus sittyng on his Stoole of state with princely Robes bedect with Pearles and Precious stones whether euer he sawe a more bewtifull sight then Kynge Cirus sittyng in his maiestie at that tyme to whom Solon answered and saide that he sawe diuers birddes more gaie to beholde then Cirus and beyng demaunded of Cirus what birds were they Solon saide the little Cocke the Peacocke and the Feasaunt whiche are dect with naturall garmentes and bewtified with naturall colours This Solon was wonte to saie I waxe dailie olde learnyng muche hee noted nothyng so happie in manne as to liue well that the same might die well appliyng the cause vnto the affect as to liue well then to die well If I shoulde molest the reader with the sage saiynges of Cleobulus Thales Periander and others tending onely for the amendmente of life and readines of death I should seme tedious here were a place to induce diuers and sundrie examples of death HAd Greke Calisthenes silence kept had Neuius spared speache Had Theocritus busie braine offended not his leache Calesthenes had not loste his life nor Theocritus died Ne in Maetellus wrathe so long had Neuius poet abide The soundst reward the surest gifte should Memmius haue in th ende Had he to Caesar nothyng saied that Caesar might offende But as I feare Chirilus stripes and dreade Aristos draught So with Antilochus to write I am to some Lisander taught Some carpyng Crete some peuishe Pan and some of Colax kinde Some of Gnatho schoole will scanne some flaâ—trie here to finde I will not haulte with Clisophus I loue not Curiâ— stile I hate Philoxenus forged faithe Aristippus phraise to file But with Sinaetes persean poore with Cirus water craue Her princely pardone on my knee with Cirill Poete haue Who to auoide Charibdis gulfe I fall in Scillas bande To seeke to shunne Semphlagades I sinke in Sirtes sande With wearied winges of Icarus with Phaoetons charge in hande Moste like Actaeon bounde before her noble grace I stande No Momus maie Minerua saile no Phaaeton Phebus charge No wilfull winges of Icarus maie Dedalus flight discharge Therefore yea Goddes that guide the globes the glisteryng glaryng skie The whirlyng spheares the firmamente and poales of heauens hie You starrie states and imps of Ioue your graces thre attende Approche in place Pierides my vaine in verse to bende Eche pilgrime Prince in prose is paste eche Quene must now in vearse Haue honour due and fame deserude the heauens hie to pearce Whose praise shall pearce the clusteryng cloudes and skale the empire skie Whose thunderyng clanges of bruted fame on yearth shall neuer die Eche passyng pearles Prince in place from stooles of states redounde Whom birdes abrode on brakes doe bragge their praise in skies to sounde WhoÌ„ whirlyng windes and whispering woods whoÌ„ brauling brokâ— aduauÌ„ce Whose ecchos shrill of fliyng fame through surging seas doe launce Who ruled people proude and fierce and nations stoute subdued That widdowes were and virginâ— Quenes with wisedome greate endued Who readeth not Zinobias fame who doeth not Mesa knowe Who heareth not of Sabas name that any where doeth goe What worthie actes what famous feactes what vertues rare were sene When noble Kyng Mausolus died in Artemesia Queen The noble Quene Semiramis Kyng Ninus famous wife Did rule Assiria saffe and sounde when Ninus loste his life When Constant Emperour died â–ª his wife no lesse ther loue did lâ—ue Then pearle Penelope had in Grece or Romaine Lucrece haue Emongest the Illireans to Teuca then suche worthie name did chaunce â–ª As in Arcadia Atlanta did her noble fame aduaunce Quene Dido ruled Carthage coste Helerna Tibur braue As sometyme did Cloelia the Romaine scepter saue Why seeke I thus to shunne the snares and shifte with verses ofte Sithe praise of force must presse the place where wisedome rules a lofte A Prince of porte in silence kepte that doeth expecte the ende Whose rule and roiall race by course nedes not in bookes be pende In whom the Muses builde their bowres the graces make their forte With whom Sibilles sages sitte and sacred Nimphes resorte Who Iudith like with threatnyng swearde Holofernus mates to spoile A seconde Susan sure she is all Iudges false to foile An other faithfull Sara sadde with Aesters mace in hande In prinsely place Rebecca like to rule her natiue lande She in triumphant seate doeth sitte with Laurell leaues bee decte With Oliue braunches braue on heade that doo his fame detect This
with another much more might be spoken I meane not those fonde foolishe and fantasticall fables fostered by women and olde men sitting at the fire where often the ydle braâ—â—e is occupied but those wise and prudent fables of Poets which containe wisedome in sence though they séeme light in wordes which durst not be opened playne in those daies for the tyranny of Princes which then woulde not haue theyr faultes toucht in anye but that learnedly with fables poeticall As the fable of Sphinx of Cirses of Tantalus of Acteon and of others ¶ Of Eloquence PYrrhus King of the Epire and defender long of the Tarentines was woont to say of Cineas his Oratour that hée wanne more victories thorowe the eloquence of Cyneas then he through the force and puissaunce of all his Epirotes besides for through eloquence woulde Cyneas make the stout enemies to yéelde and by eloquence woulde Cyneas mooue the cowardly souldiers to victorie Valerius a noble and an eloquent Romane at what tyme the Kinges of Rome were expelled and their names quite banished and nowe the populer state hauyng such liberty thereby that the whole Citie through sedition and late sprong libertie was like to come to ciuile warres betwéene them selues had not I say Valerius appeased the furie of the people being redie in heartes to become enemies vnto their countrey finding them triumphing much and reioysyng within them selues deuiding one from another to maintaine discorde He reduced them not onely through his eloquence vnto peace and quietnesse but also vnto such state brought them that where Rome was like then to fall to ruine Rome at that time beganne to florish prosper Great was the force of eloquence in Marcus Antonius which with his sugred and swéete perswasions turned the furious rage and tyranny of the souldiers of Marius and Cinnanus beyng sent of these two cruell Captaynes to kyll him vnto such lenitie and mercie that hauing their swordes naked drawen redie to accomplishe promise with Marius hauing hearde Antonius his eloquence as men conuicted with wordes coulde neuer kéepe promise with Marius though they had great rewardes appointed nor coulde of them selues though enimies they were vnto Antonius finde in their heart to kyll hym Pericles wanne such renowme in Athence by his eloquence which sometime was scholler vnto Anaxagoras that he had the gouernment and rule of Athence commited vnto him as vnto one the people reposed more credite or trust in Pericles wordes then they had in the force and strength of Athence beside Insomuch that when he woulde speake any thing vnto the people such mellifluous wordes and sugred sentences procéeded foorth of his mouth that they were amazed or astonied to heare him willyng alwayes neuer wéery of his counsel We reade that the eies did water to sée him the eares allured to heare him y e hart conuicted to yéelde vnto him Cowardes are made couragious stout tyrauntes are made gentle and mercifull Cities preserued victories gotten and all by eloquence What is it but man is able through comely gesture and apt pronunciation bring to passe What coulde escape Cicero in Rome What might haue auoyded Demosthenes in Athence whose knowen eloquence whose learned perswasions whose swéete and sugred wordes coulde aswel mooue enimitie in Athence towarde King Philip as it coulde kindle loue in Rome towarde Pompeius Such is the excellencie of eloquence that it mooueth aswell men to the sight for the gesture countenaunce and pronunciation as it doth enforce men to heare for the maiestie and swéetnesse of wordes For Hortensius was not so eloquent in wordes but he was as comely in gesture and so excâ—llent in either of them that when he spake before the people Senatours and Citizens of Rome they were no lesse enamored with his sight then they were allured and entised with his wordes for he laboured no lesse outwardly to please night became very darcke all the souldiours of Paulus yea Paulus himselfe being their Generall and Captain were dismayde and quite discomfited thinking it had bene some prodigious showe to prognosticate mishappe to come and readie to yéelde in heart and courage vntyll Sulpitius began to perswade the rude Souldiours with reason opening the causes vnto the souldiours and declaring the effectes of the superiour bodies so eloquently that then being readie to yéelde for feare they were readie to fight valiauntly by eloquence of Sulpitius and where through feare of that sodaine sight and chaunge of the Moone they were readye to yéelde as Captiues to King Perseus they were stirred mooued by the eloquence of Sulpitius to become conquerours and victours ouer King Perseus in the same selfe night The lyke Pericles sometime amongst his souldiours of Athens at what time the Sunne so darckened that great terror and feare came vpon the souldiours hée eloquently perswaded his souldiours and toulde them euen as he hearde of his Maister Anaxagoras the cause thereof and quight expelled feare from the souldiours by reason and made them boulde againe through hys eloquencie In Africke there was in the time of Anascarimis a philosopher named Afranio being demaunded what he did learne all the dayes of hys life aunswered to speake well the seconde time being asked what hée taught vnto others aunswered likewise to speake well at the last he was demaunded what he knewe in anye science he sayde I knowe nothing but to speake well so that this olde Philosopher Afranio learned nothing taught nothing nor knew any thing but to speake well and most certaine it is that he that consumeth all the dayes of his life to learne to speake well and knoweth nothing else but to speake well spendeth his time very well ¶ Of those that had their pictures and Images for a shovv of their deserued fame erected THE greatest honour that both Gréekes Gentiles vse towarde those that deserued well in the coÌ„mon wealth was to aduaunce them by pictures painted images gorgeously grauen thinkyng thereby either to enflame them further to do good or else to discourage them againe in doing euyll by banishing and neglecting their pictures which wheÌ„ Fauorinus the Philosopher hearde that the Citie of Athence had reiected his picture because Adrian the Emperour was angry with him sayde I am right glad therof for better sayd he had it béene for Socrates to haue had his brasen picture broken and throwen away for some shewe of displeasure by the Athenians then to be depriued of his lyfe for nothing by the Athenians for the surest state of all is not to be knowen Agesilaus therefore King of the Lacedemonians vnderstanding that the inhabitants of euery countrey in all Gréece had decréed to put vp the picture of Agesilaus for a memorial of his vertuous and noble actes to be as monumentes of his life after death Returnyng then from Egipt vnto Gréece beyng verye sicke a little before hée dyed wrote letters vnto Gréece that they shoulde make no pictures no Images
man thou betrayest no bodye thou deceyuest no friende Phillippides a noble man of Athens which for his singularitie of learning and dexteritie of witte King Lisimachus made most account of most desirous to please him most readie to aduaunce hym vnto honour willed him to aske what he would and he should haue it Philippides most humbly knéeling vpon his knées be sought Lisimachus the king in any wise not to open his secretes and councell vnto him The king demaunded the cause thereof of Philippides bycause sayd hée I know not whether I am able to kéepe councell or no. Howe much it repugneth the nature of man to kéepe silence Cicero in his booke of Offices doth manifest the same for were it possible sayth hée vnto man to ascende vp the skies to sée the order of the bodies superiours and to vewe the beawtie of the heauens vnswéete were the admiration thereof vnlesse he myght shewe it vnto others And againe he sayth There is no such case vnto men as to haue a friende to whome a man may speak as vnto himselfe letting to vnderstand the griefe of silence and that nature loueth nothing which is solitarie It may séeme that silence one waye is not so benificiall as it is another way most gréeuous as prooued by the historie of Secundus the Philosopher who hauing companye with his owne mother in the night time eyther of them most ignoraunt of the other his mother in proces of time hauing knowledge therof for very griefe and sorrowe slue hir selfe The Philosopher likewise hauing vnderstanding of his mothers death knowing the cause thereof knewe not what to doe for that he was ashamed of the filthie act one waye and most sorrowfull for the sodaine death of his mother another waye to dye to hange to burne to drowne him selfe he though it to short a torment for so heynous a fact knowing his mother being a woman stayed not nor feared not to kill hir selfe to ease hir sorrowfull heart but he being a Philosopher stoode him vppon to finde out the painefullest torment in all the worlde to plague him iustly for his grieuous offence he vowed vnto God neuer to speake one worde during lyfe such plague or torment hée thought was most odious and painefull vnto nature and thus by silence to consume life Sith silence is such a burning disease so heauy in the heart of man so harde to kéepe in so daungerous to vtter out how worthy of commendacions how merite they the fame prayse that can rule theyr tongues and kéepe silence Therfore a noble Senator in Rome sometime brought his eldest sonne named Papirius vnto the Senate house to heare the councell pleading the sage Senators determining lawes charging him what euer hée shoulde heare in the house amongst the wise Senators to kéepe it in silence for the order was in Rome that the young men should saye nothing vnlesse he were a Consull a Tribune a Censor or such lyke office whereby hée might speake This young Papirius on a time being sore set on of his mother and charged him of her blessing to tell the cause and businesse that the Senators had so often to come togither Thus the younge man being threatened waying his fathers charge to auoyde wordes one way and his mothers displeasure to kéepe silence another waye sayde Sith you are so importunate Mother to knowe the secret of the Senate you must kéepe councell for I am charged therewith There is a harde holde and a great election in the Senate house to agrée on this conclusion whether it be more expedient for one man to haue two wiues in the Cittie of Rome or one woman to haue two husbandes and most lyke it is that the election goeth with the men Straight waies she went into the Citie certefied the Matrones and women of Rome what the Senators were about to consult appoynted certaine of them to accompanye hir the next morning vnto the Senate where when she came as one dismayde began to declayme agaynst the purpose and decrées of the Senators prouing what inconuenience might rise for a man to haue two wiues laying before them the dissention that shoulde be in that house where two women were maried vnto one man and what comfort and consolation were it for one woman to haue two husbandes the one to be at home in Rome to sée his children brought vp and to sée the Cittie defended when the other shoulde bée farre from whom at the warres in other countreys The Senators being amazed at hir talke not knowing what it ment and all the whole Senate astonied at the womens presence young Papirius demaunded licence to speake which being graunted he declared orderly the cause of hir comming howe and after what sort as before mencioned The Senators commendid much Papirius wit aswell for his obedience to his mother as for silence towarde the Senate they recompensed his silence and secret wisedome with a Consulshippe of Rome Silence was so obserued in Rome and honored of Romanes that Demetrius the Philosopher woulde often saye that the birdes can flée where they will and the Grashoppers sing where they will but in the Citie we may neyther doe nor speake Euripides a learned Gréek being obiected that his breath did stincke aunswered nippingly the partie saying so manye thinges haue so long hidden in my hart that being putrified they stinke I would all men had such a breath that by long kéeping of silence it might taste thereof Cato the wise Romane perceyued the commoditie of silence to be suche that it was one of the thrée thinges as hée him selfe woulde say that most repented hym to tell his councell vnto another Plini doth commende of all men one man named Anaxarchus Of all women he praysed one woman named Leaena which the tiranny of Nycocreon with all the tormentes and punishmentes that this tyraunt coulde deuise myght make them both to speake that out which they thought good it shoulde bée kept in which Anaxarchus had rather die by torments than to breake concealde wordes saying and spitting in the tyraunt Nicocreons face spare not Anaxarchus carkas thou troublest no part of my minde Epicharis amongst other Conspiratours against that cruell Nero shée beyng diuerslye tormented to shewe and to open the treason against Neros person woulde by no meanes breake councell as Laaena for all that tyranye vsed towardes hir shée woulde not betraye the secretes of Harmodius and Aristogiton which onely was the cause that she had hir picture erected in Gréece Euen so Pompeius the great being sent as an Embassadour from the Senators being charged by the King named Gentius who preuented Pompeius in his message to declare him y e secret of the Senators councell of Rome he stretching foorth his arme held his finger in the flame of the candle saying when I drawe my finger from the candle I will breake the councell of the Senators that so stedfastly he helde hys hande
liued a hundred and odde yeares Metellus of lyke age called to the like function and administration of common welth being an olde man What should I speake of Appius Claudius of Marcus Perpenna of diuers other noble Romanes whose age and time was the onlye occasion of their aduauncement vnto honour dignity What shoulde I resite Arganthonius who was thrée score yeres before he came vnto his kingdome and after ruled his countrey fourescore yeares vnto his great fame and great commendations of age To what ende shall I repeate Pollio who liued in great credite with the people vnto his last yeres a man of worthy prayse of renowmed fame which liued a hundred and thirtie yeres in great aucthoritie and dignitie To speake of Epimenides whome Theopompus affirmeth that hée liued a hundred and almost théescore yeres in great rule and estimation small it were to the purpose to make mention againe of Dandon amongst the Illirians which Valerius writeth that he was fiue hundred yeres before he died and yet of great memorie and noble fame Nestor which liued thrée hundred yeres of whom Homer doth make muche mention that of his mouth proceeded foorth sentences swéeter than honey in hys latter dayes yea almost his strength corespondent vnto the same That renowmed Prince Agamemnon Generall of all Gréece wished no more in Phrigia but fiue such as Nestor was which with their wittes and with their courage hée doubted not but in short time he were able to subdue Troye Swéete are the sayinges of olde men perfite are their councelles sounde and sure their gouernaunce Howe frayle and weake is youth How many Cities are perished by young councell Howe much hurt from time to time haue young men deuised practised and brought to passe And againe of age how full of experience knowledge prouision painful studious vnto the graue as we reade of Plato that noble Philosopher which was busie and careful for his countrey writing and making bookes the verye yere that hée died being fourescore and two Of Isocrates which likewise being fourescore and fourtéene compiled a booke called Panathenaicus of Gorgias which made the lyke studious carefull to profite his countrie I saye a hundred and seuen yeres was altogither adicted to his bookes to his studie So of Zeno Pithagoras and Democritus might be spoken men of no lesse wit trauaile and exercise than of time and age For as Cicero sayth the gouernement and rule of common wealthes consisteth not in strength of bodye but in the vertue of the minde wayghtie and graue matters are not gouerned with lightnesse of the bodie with swiftnesse of the foote with externall qualities but with authoritie councell and knowledge for in the one saith he there is rashnesse and wilfulnesse in the other grauitie and prudence As Themistocles Aristides who though not friendes then at Athens both rulers yet age taught them when they were sent Embassadours for the state of Athens to become friends to profite their countrie which youth coulde neuer haue done That sage Solon was woont often to bragge howe that he daylye by reading learning and experience waxed olde Apelles that approued painter and renowmed Gréeke in his age and last time woulde haue no man to passe the daye ydle without learning of one line Socrates being an olde mar became a scholler to learne musicke and to playe vpon instrumentes Cicero being olde himselfe became a perfite Gréeke with studie Cato being aged in his last yeres went to schoole to Enneus to learne the Gréeke Terentins Varro was almost fourtie yere olde before he tooke a Gréeke booke in hande and yet prooued excellent in the Gréeke tongue Clitomachus went from Caâ—thage vnto Athens after fourtie yeres of age to heare Carneades the Philosophers lecture Lucius as Philostratus doth write méeting Marcus the olde Emperour with a booke vnder his arme going to schoole demaunded of the Emperour whether he went lyke a boye with his booke in his hande the aged Emperour aunswered I go to Sextus the Philosopher to learne those thinges I knowe not O God sayde Lucius thou being an olde man goest to schoole now like a boye and Alexander the great died in thirtie yeres of age Alphonsus King of Cicilia was not ashamed at fiftie yeres olde to learne and to trauayle for his knowledge and least hée shoulde lose the vse of the latten tongue hée occupied him selfe in translating Titus Liuius vnto hys vulgar tongue though he was a King I doe not holde with age in diuers men which for want of discretion and witte waxe childishe againe but of perfite men in whome age séemed rather a warraunt of their doinges For euen as he that playeth much vpon instrumentes is not to be commended so well as he that playeth cunningly and artificially So as all men that liue long are not to be praysed as much as he that liued well For as apples béeing gréene are yet sowre vntill by time they waxe swéete so young men without warraunt of time and experience of thinges are to be misliked If faultes be in olde men sayth Cicero as manye there bée it is not in age but in the life and maners of men Some thinke age miserable bicause eyther the bodie is depriued from pleasure or that it bringeth imbecilitie or weakenesse or that it is not farre from death or quite called from due administration of common wealthes these foure causes sayth Cicero make age séeme miserable and lothsome What shall wée saye then of those that in their olde age haue defended their countries saued their Cities guided their people and valiauntly triumphed ouer their enimies as L. Paulus Scipio and Fabius Maximus men of woonderfull credite in their olde yeres What may be spoken of Fabritius Curius and Coruncanus aged men of great agilitie of famous memorie in their last dayes Howe might Appius Claudius be forgotten who being both olde and blinde resisted the Senatours to compounde with king Pirrhus for peace though they and all the Consulles of Rome herevnto were much enclined If I shoulde passe from Rome a place where age was much estéemed vnto Athens amongst the sage Philosophers if from Athens to Lacedemonia where age altogither bare swaye and rule if from thence vnto the Aethiopians and indians where all their lines are ruled and gouerned by olde men if from thence vnto any part of the worlde I shoulde trauile I might be long occupied in reciting the honour and estimation of age Herodotus doth write that the Aethiopians and Indians doe liue most commonly a hundred and thirtie yeres The people called Epeij doe liue in the countrey of Aetolia two hundred yeres naturally and as it is by Damiates reported Lictorius a man of that countrey liued thrée hundred yeares The kinges of Arcadia were woont to liue thrée hundred yeres The people of Hyperborij lyued a thousande yeres We reade in the olde
Rome Hée hauing his two sonnes in Illyria at warres the one by the wrath of Iuno slaine the other by her pleasure plagued and tormented vnto death hauing newes hereof dyed for sorowe and gréefe And the Senators knowing the cause restored to the Marble Tiles with Embassadours vnto Lacinia againe The wrath of Iuno was the cause of the vnhappy successe of that noble Consul Varro in the warres of Canna Hercules forgot not to reuenge the contempt and despising of his ceremonies and lawes by Pontitius which once hée and his name receaued as their god but by Appius perswaded who then was Censor in Rome to neglect him was destroyed hée and all his name which was in number aboue thyrtye and Appius for his counsell made blinde Thus the Gentiles and Heathens thought that nothing coulde escape vnreuenged of their gods This made Masinissa king of Numidia to sende back the Iuory téeth that the Maister of his shippes brought from the Temple of Iuno in Meleta vnto Meleta againe This made the Senatours of Rome to sende back againe the money whiche Pleminius the messenger of Scipio tooke away from the Temple of Proserpina vnto Proserpina againe fearing the anger and displeasure of the gods Thus were the people blinded with vaine ceremonies of the Priests Bishops Magistrates Thus were the rude people deceaued by dissimulations of the potentates as Numa Pompilius and the first idolaters that was in Rome would make the people beléeue that hée had warnings and admonions of the Nimph Aegeria to whom hée sayde hée had accesse in the night time to bée instructed in the ceremonies of Rome Licurgus a law setter amongst the Lacedemonians perswaded the people that what lawe soeuer hée made it was done by the oracle of Apollo Zaleucus made the Locresians beléeue that his doinges and procéedinges was done by the counsell of Minerua Pisistratus deceaued the people of Athens through dissimulations by a woman named Phia whom hée dressed like Pallas hée was brought often times by this woman vnto the Castle of Pallas which the rude people thought that shée was Pallas her selfe and iudged therby that Pisistratus might do what hée woulde and haue what hée craued of Pallas Minoes king of Créete was woont euery ninth yere to go vnto a secrete place by him selfe and there a long time staying to consult with Iupiter what law hée shoulde make vnto the people of Créete as hée enformed the people deceaued them craftily Thus wée sée how Licurgus amongst the Lacedemonians Zaleucus amongst the Locresians Pisistratus amongst the Athenians Numa amongst the Romanes and Minoes in Créete haue deceaued the ignoraunt people with counterfaite talking with goddes making them to beléeue that the gods councelled them and warned them to do all things that they did then Thus by craft they inuented false goddes framed ceremonies and obserued vaine orders Sertorius that famous Sabin and Ruler long in Rome was woont vppon the hye Rockes of Lusitania to consult with a white Hart of whome hée was warned to auoyde thinges and to doe thinges to take thinges and to refuse thinges insomuch to blinde the people he woulde attempt nothing vntill he woulde consult in the rocke with this white Hart. L. Silla when at any time he went vnto warres woulde in open sight of the Souldiours embrace a certaine remembraunce a signe which he brought from Delphos with him vnto Italy requiring that to kéepe promise as Apollo had cōmaunded him Scipio would neuer take any publicke affayres in hande before he had gone vnto the Capitoll vnto the secret aulter of Iupiter and there continued a while to deceyue the people Thus were they thought to be the ofspringes of Goddes of the common souldiours which they deceiued with false showes and to this effect that the people woulde flatter and obey them in all thinges And as Liberius did vse to féede Iulius Caesar with flatterie saying that mortall men ought to denie nothing vnto those whome the Goddes doe graunt all so did these fornamed Princes hunt for such honour as Caesar or Alexander had Mahomet a great Prophet amongst the Iewes and a mightye God amongst the Gentiles whose lawes vntill this daye the most part of the worlde obserue had his beginning as aforesayd dessembling with the people that two Dooues that hee taught to come euerydaye vpon his shoulders to féede on certaine graynes of wheate which he alwayes dyd beare in his eares were the holy Ghost and perswading the people that his doings and lawes were appointed by the holie Ghost which dayly came to consult and to make orders amongst the people We reade in dyuers places of the scriptures that the men of Iuda dyd buylde aulters and make ydols vpon euery hie hill and vnder bowes of trées The ydolatrie of the people of Israell with the daughters of Moab vsing their sacrifices and worshipping their goddes that GOD the true Mesias did loath and abhorre Suche ydolatrie I say grewe amongst the Israelites that Ieroboam commaunded two Golden Calues to be made and to bée worshipped saying Beholde ▪ O Israell beholde thy goddes which brought thée out of the lande of Egypt These were they that God most estéemed and they lest regarded it these were his owne people and yet they sought other Gods saying vnto Aaron Make vs gods to go before vs. Manasses king of Iuda erected and made vp aulters vnto Baal to go before him Holofernus sayd that there was no God but Nabuchadonosor Nabuchadonosor commaunded that all people tribes and nations shoulde knéele and worshippe the goulden Image Salomon hauing great wisedome of God that no prince in Israell had the like fell in his latter yeres to ydolatrie to worshippe the Goddes of straunge women Antiochus commaunded ydols to bée worshipped aulters to be erected temples to be made swine to be sacrificed and his owne children to be vncircumcised Thus was ydolatrie maintayned that Calues Dragons Serpentes Sunne Moone all the Starres of heauen were honored and worshipped as Goddes Insomuch that when Saint Paule went to Athens and sawe the Cittie so addicted vnto all kind of ydolatrie his spirite was troubled therein Thus they made vnto themselues Goddes most like vnto those that made them For as they hearde not the true God and sauiour of the world perswading them vnto amendement threatning them of correction Euen so their fayned Gods hauing eares hearde not hauing eyes sawe not hauing handes felt not hauing nostrels smelled not for all the worshipping sacrifices knéeling that they did vnto them O miserable man to forsake him which is the onely sauiour and redéemer of man and to worshippe those gods which worke the onely confusion of man I doubt least some with y e rich glutton make their bellies their gods I feare least some with Simon make money their gods naye I doubt most of all least some make themselues goddes with Lucifer or with Darius king of
black garments at the buriall of their fréendes but I burne candle in the day time to write of such infinite ceremonies that the Gentiles had at their burials Therfore better to ende with few examples then to wéery the reader with too many histories for this cause sith all men knowe that all people haue their seuerall maners as well liuyng as dying for coÌ„tinuaunce of time and distaunce of ground alter the same ¶ Of Spirites and visions SUndrye and many thinges happen by courses of nature which timorous and fearfull men for want of perfection in their sences suppose to bée spirites Some so féeble of sight that they iudge shadowes beastes bushes and such like to bée spirites Some so fearefull of hearing that they thinke any sounde noyse whistlings and so foorth to bée some bugges or deuyls Hereby first spread so many fables of spirites of gobblins of bugges of hagges and of so many monstrous visions that olde women and aged men schooled their families to beléeue such things who iudged it sufficient aucthorities to aleadge the olde tales tolde by their parentes in their aged yeres The Gentiles because they were giuen much vnto idolatry and superstition did credite vaine and foolish visions which oftentimes by suggestion of deuils and by fonde fantasies conceaued did leade their liues by perswasion of spirites either in attemptyng any thing or in auoyding any thing for Suetonius doth write that when Iulius Caesar stayed in a maze at the riuer Rubico in Italy with waueryng mind musing what were best to passe the water or no there appeared a comely tall man piping on a Réede vnto whome the souldiours of Caesar flocked about to heare him and specially the trumpetters of whom hée sodainely snatched one of their trumpettes and leapt foorthwith into the riuer Rubico and straight sounded out with a lustie blast a larum wherewith Caesar was mooued and sayde good lucke mates let vs go where the Goddes doe warne vs. It is written in Plutarch where Brutus was determined to transport his armie out of Asia vnto Europe being in his tent about midnight he saw a terrible monster standing fast by him without anye wordes wherewith he being sore afrayde ventured bouldelye and demaunded of hym what hée was vnto whome he aunswered and sayde I am thy euill ghost which at Philippos thou shalt sée againe where when Brutus came being vanquished by Augustus Caesar remembring the wordes of his forséene vision to auoyde the hands of his enimies slue himselfe to verifie the same The like happened vnto C. Cassius which by the like sight was enforced to kill himselfe for he was warned that the murther of Caesar shoulde bée reuenged by Augustus his Nephew Sightes were so séene amongst the Gentiles and so feared and estéemed that all the actions of their liues were thereby ordered Tacitus as Fla. Vapiscus reporteth when it was tolde him that his fathers grâ—â—e opened of it selfe and seing as he thought his mother appering vnto him as though she had bene aliue knew well that he should shortly after die made himselfe redy thervnto There appeared vnto one Pertinax as I. Capitolinê° â–ª reporteth thrée dayes before hée was slaine by a thrust a certen shadow in one of his fishepondes with a naked sword in hand thretning to kill him Neyther may we so little estéeme the authoritie of graue and learned men in diuers of their assertions concerning sightes and visions though diuers fables be aleaged aduouched for truth with simple and ignorant men We reade in the sacred scriptures diuers sights séene diuers visions appearing and sundrie voyces hearde Wée reade that King Balthasar being in his princely banquettes sawe a hande writing vpon the wall ouer against where he sat at table what his ende shoulde be It is reade in the thirde chapter of the seconde of the Machabes that a horse appeared vnto Heliodorus which was seruaunt vnto Seloucus king of Assyria as hée was about to destroye the temple at Ierusalem and vpon the horse séemed to bée a terrible man which made towards him to ouercome hym and on eche side of him were two young men of excellent beautie which with whippes scourged Heliodorus The like appeared vnto Machabeus a horseman in shining armoure all of golde shaking his speare to signifie the famous victorye that Macabeus shoulde obtain Many such like visions in scriptures we reade of but lette vs returne vnto the Athenians who thought when Miltiades addressed his people against y e Perseans hearing terrible noyse with sight of certen spirites before the battayle to haue victorie ouer the Perseans iudging those sightes and visions to be the shadowe of Par. Likewise the Lacedemonians before they were vanquished in the battayle at Leuctris their armour mooued and made excéeding great noyse in the Temple of Hector so that at that time the doores of the Temple of Hercules being faste shutte with barres opened sodaynely of theyr owne accorde and the armour which hong fastened on the wall were founde lying vppon the grounde Plini writeth in the warres of the Danes and Appianus affirmeth in the warres at Rome what signes and woonders what miserable cryes of men clashing of armour running of horses were harde in so much that the same day that Caesar fought this battayle with Cn. Pompeius the crye of armie the sounde of trumpets were hearde at Antioch in Syria but I wyll omit to speake of such things and take in hande to entreate of spirites which were both séene and hearde of wise and learned men and of visions supposed of the wisest to be the soules of dead men for Plutarch writeth in the life of Theseus that diuers and sundry men which were in the battayle of Marathonia against the Medians affirmed that they saw the soule of Theseus armed before the host of Gréekes as chéefe generall and captaine running and setting on the barbarous Medians which the Athenias afterward for that cause onely honoured him as a God It is reported by historiographers that Castor and Pollux haue béene séene often in battayles after death ridyng on white Horses and fightyng against their enemies in campe in so much Plutarch testifieth that they were séene of manye in the battayle againste Torquinius Hector besought Achilles after hée was slaine by him not to throw his carkasse to bée deuoured of dogges but rather to deliuer his body to bée buried vnto his olde father Priamus and his mother Hecuba Euen so King Patroclus appearing in like maner after death vnto Achilles desired him to bestow vpon his body all funeral solemnities Virgil testifieth how Palinurus and Deiphobus appeared vnto Aeneas the one being his shipman the other his brother in law There wandryng ghostes neuer ceassed vntyll suche exequies were done vnto them as Aeneas had promised It is thought that the Witch Phetonissa of Endor raised the soule of Samuel at the commaundement of King Saul to foreshew the successe
hée onelye ought to die They both striuing which of them shoulde die the murtherer in déede béeing in place séeing the perfit amitie of these two young men merueyling muche thereat was compelled of loue to confesse the murther and that hee kilde the man The Iudges musing much at the amitie of these men pardoned them all thrée A Young man passing through wildernesse where wilde beastes were hired a skilfull felowe which promised suche amitie that he woulde bring him safe and sounde without perill of limbe and life being in the middest of the woode a Beare came towardes them the fellow that profest him friendeshippe tooke his féete and ranne and climmed vp to the top of a hye trée The straunger perceyuing that his friende was fledde and that he himselfe as not able to escape fell downe vnto the grounde vpon his bellye for it is sayde that the Lion or the Beare will spare their yéelded praies and specially the Beare if a man hold hys breth as though he were deade This man taking vpon him to die the Beare felt and smelt about his mouth and his eares whether any breath were in him or no perceyuing at last that he was deade the Beare went awaye The other that was in the toppe of the trée asked him when he came what did the Beare speak vnto him in his eare when hée came vnto him Marie sayde hée that I shoulde not trust such a Knaue as thou art to go with in companie where daungers were ¶ Examples of flattery KIng Zerxes marching towarde the Gréekes with a huge army of souldiers called his counsellours vnto him demaunded of them what was chéefely to bée feared in that iourney one of them sayde I feare most of all that when the Gréekes do heare of your power force and magnanimitie that they wyll flée and not abide your bande The seconde sayde that ho doubted most that all Gréece was not able to lodge them or to receyue them vnto their Citties The thirde sayde that he feared most the Ocian seas was not ynough for his nauies to passe ouer The fourth feared that the ayre had not rome ynough for their arrowes that they would shoote off The King being puffed vp with pride hearing his councellers pleasing him so well demaunded at last of a certen Philosopher named Damaserê° which he caried with him what he doubted most in that wars I feare chiefely sayd the Philosopher lest you be shamfully deceyued by these filthie flatterers ¶ Examples of gluttonie KIng Cirus going vnto Scithia where Quéene Tâ—myris raigned vnderstanding the pouertie of that Countrie and the beggerie to be such that he caused all his souldiours to flée from their tentes leauing their meate and victualles behinde them vnto the Scithians which for gréedinesse more vnto the meate then desirous to pursue King Cirus applyed their bellies so much that Cirus being in ambushement for the nonce knowing how well that it shoulde come to passe came vppon them sodainelye as they were eating and drinking and slue and murthered them like Dogges Exampels of rape and spoyle DIonides a Pirate vpon the Sea being taken by Alexander the great and asked of the same why he robbed vppon the Seas aunswered in this sort why robbest thou vpon the landes I bycause I am a young Pirate vpon the Seas am called a théefe and thou which dooest robbe lande and seas art called a king and a Conquerer I steale a little in the night time thou spoylst all things in the night and day time I am enforced to steale to liue and thou doest willingly steale to destroy Dionides cannot haue worse fortune nor Alexander cannot haue better for that I hope daylie better and better and thou hast néede to feare worse and worse A Certen poore woman came vnto a couetous Iudge to demaund iustice at his hande complayning a long time very pitteously at length the Iudge sayde that he was deaffe the poore woman hauing a supplication made the next time came againe to tender the same vnto the Iudge vnto whom the Iudge sayde I am blinde the woman perceyuing his minde came the thirde time and brought twentie Florentine Counters in hir hande saying softlie My Lorde sayde shée I praye you shewe me fauour here is twentie Crownes for you to by a saddle The Iudge as soft as shée sayde it hearde hir and stretching foorth his hande receyued the Counters which assone as hée sawe hée sayde that they were no golde but Counters My Lord sayde the woman nowe I knowe well that there is great vertue in Golde that can make deaffe Iudges to heare and blinde Iudges to sée A Byshoppe passing through a great Citie â–ª a poore man begged one pennie of him for Goddes sake which he coulde not obtaine the poore man perceyuing that he coulde haue neuer a pennie at the Byshoppes hande desired the Byshoppe to blesse him The Byshoppe straight vp with his hande and blessed him A woman séeing howe franke the Byshoppe was of his blessing and how harde hée was of a pennie sayde merilie Alasse poore man saide she if his blessing had béen worth a pennie thou hadst not had it but bicause it was nothing worth thou hast it ¶ Examples of mercie TIgranes King of Armenia béeing vanquished and taken by Pompeiê° the great when that he came in place before Pompeius hée threwe downe his Crowne vnto the grounde and knéeled at Pompeius féete saying Mercie I craue straight Pompeius tooke him vp by the hande and put his Crowne on his head and sayde I take it more honorable to make a King than to destroy a King ¶ Examples of Loue. A Poore scholler begging his dombe at a Noble womans gate besought the Porter for the loue of God a péece of meate The Porter hauing shewed vnto his Lady that a poore scholler was at the gate begging some meate for Goddes sake The Lady sayd he shoulde haue nothing there for his sake The scholler then desired for our Lordes sake some meate hée was againe denied The thirde time hée prayed to haue some meate for his owne sake The Ladie then commaunded hir Porter to bring the Scholler vnto hir chamber which when shée perceyued him to be ragged and not séene of hir before shée asked him why hée was so boulde to aske meate at hir gate for his owne sake which was not knowne of no man bycause sayd the scholler you haue denied me for Goddes sake being the Creator of all thinges I thought to aske for mine owne sake being the simplest wretch of all men A Young Uirgin refused to haue a welthie husbande which hir parentes had ordayned hir being demaunded the cause why shée so young a mayde denieth to leade hir life in mariage sayd when I am maried my husbande and my children will clayme that loue at my hande then which nowe God onlye hath at my hande and therefore I will not mary Surelye in my opinion that was perfect loue to the Creator aboue any creature ¶ Examples of death IT
as by experience we see all things to haue a care of his owne life The Lion when he feeleth hym self sicke he neuer ceaseth vntil he féedeth vpon an Ape whereby he maie recouer former health The Gotes of Creet féedyng on high vpon the mountaines when any of them is shot through with an Arrowe as the people of that countrey are most excellent archers they seeke Dictamum and hearbe assone as they eate any thyng of the same the arrowe faleth downe and the wound waxeth whole incontinent There are certen kyndes of Frogges in Aegypt about the floud of Nilus that haue this perseueraunce that when by chaunce they happen to come where a fishe called Varus is whiche is a greate mourtherer and a spoyler of Frogges they vse to beare in their mouthes ouerthwart a long réede which groweth about the bankes at Nilus whiche when this fishe doth gape thinkyng to feede vpon the Frog the réede is so long that by no meanes can he swallowe vp the Frogge and so saue their liues If the Gotes of Creet If the frogges of Aegypt haue this vnderstanding to auoide their enemies how muche more ought men to be circumspect of his life which hath I saie millions of enemies nether séen nor knowen We reade in the first boke of Aelian that the rude swine if at any tyme by chaunce they eate of that hearbe called Hioscyamus which draweth by by the vaines together that skant thei can stirre yet they striue for remedie sake to goe vnto the water where they feede vppon yong Crabbes to recouer health In the same booke ye maie reede of a Sea Snaill whiche from the water doth come vnto lande to breede and after she hath egged she diggeth the yearth and hideth her egges and retourneth vnto the sea again and there continueth .xl. daies and after .xl. daies she commeth vnto the same self place where she hidde her egges and perceiueth that thei are ready to come out of the shell she openeth the shell and taketh her yong ones with her vnto the sea And thus haue they care charge not onely of their owne states and liues but also of others and by some shewe of sence thei amende that which is most daungerous and hurtfull for the sely and simple mise haue this kynde of fore knowledge that when any howse waxeth olde and ruinous they forsake their olde dwellyng and creepyng holes they flee and seeke refuge in an other place The little Antes haue foresightes that when penury and want of relife draweth nier they waxe so painefull and laborious toilyng and trauailyng in gatheryng together victualles as maie serue them duryng the tyme of famine If these smale crepyng wormes seely and simple beastes prouide for them selues what shall wee saie of man the kyng and ruler ouer all beastes who hath not onely a bodie to prouide for but also a soule to saue More happie are these wormes and beastes in their kinde then a nomber of Princes are For that they by nature onely are taught their foes to auoide neither we by nature neither by God the cause of all goodnes can loue our frendes Therefore verie well it is saide of the wise man that either not to be borne or els beyng borne streight to die is the happiest state that can chaunce vnto man For liuyng in this vale of miserie wee sée the Pilgrimages and trauell of life to be such that better farre it were be a poore quiet man then a busie proude Prince And sith death is the last line of life aswell appointed for princes as for poore men who in reading the liues of Emperours Kinges and Princes the nobles of the worlde seeth not their vnhappie states whiche commyng vnto the worlde naked and departyng from the same naked yet like proude pilgrimes busie one to destroye another not coÌ„tented with countries and kingdomes go from one place vnto another from one couÌ„trie vnto another like Pilgrimes to bee acquainted with miserie and to seeke death Alexander the great conquerour takyng his voiage from his kyngdome of Macedonia vnto India to destroie all the worlde hee was in the citie of Babilon preueÌ„ted by Antipater and Iola his taster and kinsman with poison and there he died Philopomen a greate Emperour sometyme in Greece beyng in prison in Messena taken in the warres and beyng so cruelly handled that he besought Dinocrates whiche then was Prince of that countrie and conquerour ouer hym one draught of poison he coulde not be coÌ„tent to be Emperour and ruler of Greece but moued to seeke death in a straunge countrie amongest his foes Ladislaus kyng of Apulia endeuouryng to subdue the Florentines and séekyng to bee kyng ouer the Florentines he loste the kingdome of Apulia For by them was hee at length poisoned and so berefte from his owne kingdome and life with this vnhappie kinde of death wer many princes preuented no lesse thretened are these princes of their owne houshold frendes then of foren foes no lesse do their childreÌ„ their wiues brethren and kinsmen studie to destroie them sometyme for the kingdomes sake some tyme for hatered hidden and most ofteÌ„ prouoked of these to spoile them as it is written that Claudius Caesar an Emperour of Rome was poisoned of his owne wife Agrippina Antiochus king of Siria was poisoned of his Queene Laodice for that hee was in loue with Berenices Kynge Ptholomeus sister Constantine the Emperour the soonne of Heraclius beeyng but one yere a ruler of his empire was poisoned by his mother in lawe named Martina The verie cause of the Emperour Conradus death whiche was Frederikes soonne was the Empire and rule of Rome whiche Manfredus his successour made the phisicions for money to poison him that then hee beyng the successour of the empire might beare rule O vnhappie state of Princes whose liues are desired of frende and foe How sore was L. Vectius set on of Caesar to betraie Pompeius the greate whiche for the loue and zeale that Pompeius had in Rome Caesar began to malice Lucullus Curio Cato and Cicero for their priuate loue towarde Pompeius no lesse daunger it is to be in fauour with princes sometime then perilous to bee princes wee reade of a Quéene named Rosimunda the doughter of kyng Cunimunda of Gepida after that she poisoned Albonius king of Longobardes hir first housebande she maried a prince of Rauenâ—a named Helinges which likewise she thought to poison but beyng warned in y e middest of his draught he caused his wife to drinke the reste whiche drinke was the cause of both their death howe manie noble Princes in the middest of their Pilgrimages died that death as Diocletian the Emperour of Rome Lotarius kyng of France Carolus the eight of that name with diuers others as Hanibal prince of Carthage Aristobolus king of Iuda and Lucullus Emperour of Rome Princes and noble men doe sometyme poyson theimselues lest they should
Marcus Antonius was conuicted by Augustus Caesar the Emperour she had rather to bee ouercomed with Serpentes then subdued by Caesar. With this death was Opheltes Lycurgus sonne kyng of Menea vanquished Again some of wilde Bores and ragyng Lions perished as Anceus kyng of Sâ—mos and Paphages kyng of Ambracia perished in the like miserie the one by a Boore the other by a Lion Some by Dogges as Linus Apollos sonne Plini in his seuenth booke maketh mention of a Quéene in Bythinia named Cosinges kyng Nicomedes wife whom her owne dogges slue and tare in péeces Euripides that learned Greeke commyng in the nighte tyme from Archelaus kyng of Macedonia with whom he had béen at supper was by an ill willer of his mette named Promerus whiche set his dogges to mangle hym vnto death EueÌ„ so were Heraclitus and Diogines bothe Philosophers by dogges likewise deade I maie not forget so greate a Prince as Basilius the Emperour of Macedon which in huntyng emongest his lordes and nobles yea emoÌ„gest thousandes of his Commons he onely meetyng a Harte in the chase was prickt in the legge and so died As for Seleucus kyng of Siriae soone vnto Antiocus surnamed the GOD and Bela kyng of Pannonia thei were bothe throwen by their horses and so died If these mischaunces happen vnto princes in the middest of their glorie and state what is it then but miserie of mortalitie and pilgrimages of Princes sithe nothyng expelleth fate nor can auoide death Some so wearie of life some so fearfull of death that thei threwe them self vnto waters to be drouned others for all diligente feare watchyng for death were moste shamfully notwithstandyng by death preuented Fredericke the Emperour marchyng towardes Ierusalem after that he had taken Cities and Tounes in Armenia in passyng through a little riuer he was drouned Decius that noble and stoute Kyng enforced to take his flighte from the Gothes with whom he then was in warres was drouned in the Marishe grounde Marcus Marcellus after that he had been a Consull in Rome three tymes before the thirde warres betwixte the Romains and the Carthagians was likewise by a shipwracke cast awaie Howe many noble Princes were drouned with Pharo kyng of Aegypte in the redde sea we rede in the sacred scriptures How many again that seas and waters spoiled from life wee reade of whiche altered the names of the seas and waters when thei were drouned with their owne names As by Aegeus kyng of Athens death the sea Aegeum was called By Tirrhenus death king of Lidia the sea was called Tirrhen And so kyng Tyberinus altered the riuer named Aelbula by his death to be the Riuer of Tiber. Againe the Sea HellespoÌ„t by a woman named Helle. The sea Hesperides by the maides called Hesperides So by Icarus and Myrtilus the sea of Icarus and the Sea Myrton were spoken To many wer by waters spoiled as we se daily by experience As for honger diuers Princes againe died yea compelled to eate their owne fleshe as Erisicthon and Neocles a Tyraunt of Scycioma whiche for his cruell tyrannie vnto Athens he tasted of the same feaste hym self It is written in Curtius that Queene SysigaÌ„bis kyng Darius mother died of honger Who so readeth Chronicles shall finde diuers mischauÌ„ces happen vnto princes from tyme to tyme for that thei bee enuied at for Vlixes the Greke leste any ofspryng of Hector should rise in Phrigia to reuenge the falle of Troye and his countrey caste Hectors sonne Astianax ouer the walles a liue EueÌ„ as somtime Lycurgus king of Thracia was of his owne Subiectes throwen headlong vnto the sea for that he first mingled water with wine How many famous and noble princes were stoned and by stones deade as valiaunte Pyrrhus kyng of the Epirotes beyng in warres with Antigonus was slaine by an olde woman with a Tile stone at Argos PyraÌ„der at what tyme the Athenians warred against Eumolpus for that he feared famine hidden the wheat from his souldiours was therefore of theim stoned to death Euen so was Cinna the Romain at the warres betwixte the FreÌ„chemen and Rome for the like thing stoned vnto death stoute Cebrion king Priamus sonne was slaine by a stone of Patroclus at the siege of Troy so was Cignus of Achilles at the same time O vnstedfaste Fortune that little stones should ende so many famous liues of Princes O vnprudente Princes that knowe not how nigh alwaies ye are vnto death How many did God punishe and plague with sodaine death for their offences and misliuyng as Mythridates kyng of Pontus Nicanor the soonne of Parmenio kyng of Macedonia as Curtius in his v. booke dooe write died sodainly Sertorius was slaine sodainly at a banquette by Vpenna The Emperour Heliogabalus was killed vpon his stoole at his easemente and throwen vnto Tiber Carbo a noble Romaine after that sorte while he was easyng hym self vpon his stall was commaunded to bee murthered by Pompeius That renowmed and famous Conquerour Iulius Caesar was in the middest of the Citie of Rome where he was Emperour yea in the Senate house murthered and maÌ„gled of Brutus and Cassius Diuers Consuls in Rome died this death as Fabius Maximus Gurges the Senatour and Manlius Torquatus eueÌ„ at his supper died presently Thus some with Thunderboltes did God likewise punishe as Prince Capaneus slaine at the warres of Thebes Tullius Hostilus kyng of Rome was with a Thunderbolt for his insolencie and pride â—laine Zoroastes king of the Bactrians the firste inuentour of Magique was likewise by that kinde of death ouer taken Pride in princes was the onely cause of their falles in so muche the Poetes faine that the greate monstrous and huge Giaunt named Euceladus for his proude enterprise againste Iuppiter was throwen with a Thunderbolte vnto the bottome of Aetna a fierie and flamyng Mountaine The vncertaine state of Princes the flattrie before and the enuie behinde is seen and tried by their death Who liueth so shorte a tyme as a Prince Who dieth so straunge a death as a prince Who liueth in care Who dieth liuyng but a prince was not Sergius Galba and Commodus the sonne of Marcus surnamed Anbilius twoo Emperours of Rome the one by Otho strangled in the Markette place of Rome the other by Marcia his owne Concubine after he ruled Rome xiij yeres Was not I saie Lentulus beeyng taken in conspiracie with that wicked Cateline slaine and mangled at the commaundement of Cicero who then was CoÌ„sull at Rome Likewise Cethegus Gabinius Ceparius and Stabilius for that thei rebelled with Catelin were appoincted by the Senatours to bée strangled in prison Nothyng so vncertaine as the state of princes nothing more deceiptfull then princes again as well proued by histories For Minoes kyng of Crete trauailyng after Daedalus vnto Sicilia was there of his great freÌ„de kyng Cocalus as
cause is the Greeke virgine Marina and Euphrosina a maide of Alexandria worthy preferred before Cleocritus Clisthenes for that they wente in the apparell of men to liue in the wildernesse to auoide luste and sensualitie the others wente in the apparel of women to begile women Caelius doeth report certaine women as Mantinea Lasthenia Axiothea and Phliasia would come in their apparell like men to heare Plato reade Philosophie in schoole The cause of their dissimulations was vertue and honeste life The cause of the others craftes and dissembling feates was vice and ill life so that dissimulation is either good or bad For wee reade at what tyme the launcyng laddes of Grece had determined to fetche home againe faire Helene Menelaus wife from Troie where she was rauished by Paris kyng Priamus soonne that then Achilles the stoutest and worthieste of all the Greekes while yet he slepte in the tente of Chiron his mother Thetis which the poetes fain to be a Goddesse sodainly tooke hym frō Chirons house chaunged his apparel like a woman appoincted where he should hide hym self with the doughters of kyng Lycomedes where he got of one of theim with childe whiche was Pyrrhus which was Deidamia soonne and commaunded hym to betraie him to no man for she knewe that her sonne Achilles should die in Troie if he would goe thether There Achilles a long while at the commaundement of his mother Thetis was vntill the oracle was giuen that the citie of Troie should neuer bée destroied without the helpe of Achilles Vlixes beyng moste subtile and craftie tooke vpon hym to seeke out Achilles tooke a little coffer full of fine wares meete for women and a strong bowe and arrowes which when Vlixes came vnto kyng Lycomedes doughters knowyng Achilles to bee there but because he was in the apparaill of a woman he knewe hym not and therefore shewed his fine ware vnto the kynges doughters a stronge bowe bente by hym while Deidamia and the reste of her sisters viewed the glisteryng ware of Vlixes Achilles stepte by and tooke Vlixes bowe in hande and drewe it whereby Vlixes straight perceiued by the drawing of so strong a bowe that he was Achilles and thus one crafte beguileth an other one deceipte deceiueth an other and one dissemblyng manne findeth out an other for by this meanes of craftie Vlixes was the dissimulation of Achilles knowen I might haue iuste occasion here to speake of those that were muche giuen vnto softe clothyng gaie apparaill and delicate fare as Aristotle the Prince of Philosophers delited to go braue in gorgious apparell with chaines and ringes and had herein greate felicitie Demosthenes and Hortenfius twoo famous and noble Oratours the one of Athens the other of Rome went so trimme and fine in their clothes with suche neate and wanton gesture that L. Torquatus would often call Hortensius Dionisias soonne for that she had greate pleasure in dauncyng and gestures of bodies but I will omitte suche and speake of dissemblyng persons whiche thought to hurt others destroied theim selues as that stronge Golias contempnyng all Israell in force and strength Iudith a selie woman ouercame hym Hammon was hanged vpon that galowes that he prepared for Mardocheus euen Absalon goyng about to destroie his father kyng Dauid hanged by the heares of his heade by Gods appoinctement ¶ Of Famine CICERO in his firste booke of Tuscilane questions doeth note the saiyng of Socrates that hounger was the beste sauce for meate and thurste the beste occasion to drinke Wherefore Kyng Dionisius the tyraunt hearyng muche report of the Lacedemoniās fare and specially of their Poddage whiche was called Ius nigrum the blacke Poddage bought a Cooke of the countrey as her seruaunt to diet hym in the ordinarie fare of the Lacedemonians whiche after muche paine taken of the Cooke in makyng these foresaid Poddage was had he broughte a measse thereof vnto the kyng whiche sore longed for it whiche assone as he tasted of it he powred it againe out of his mouthe verie angrie vnto the Cooke saiyng Is this the famous fare and Princely Poddage that the Lacedemonians so muche bragge of my dog should not said Dionisius eate this the Cooke perceiuyng the glottonie and excesse fare of the kyng saied O Dionisius when so euer thou eate of this Poddage thou must bring fit sauce for this meate whiche is Lacedemonians stomacke for the Princes of Sparta haue more pleasure in this kinde of fare then euer kyng Midas had in his golden banquettes What maketh any meate sweete hounger Or what causeth man to féede pleasauntly hounger What causeth any drinke pleasaunte thurste For at what tyme Darius enforced of meere thurste to drinke of a lake all defiled with stinkyng carkases of deade souldiors beyng then in warres and cōpelled then to take his flight he saied after his draught that he neuer dranke sweter drinke in his life Though this king was a proude prince ouer the Persians and had all kinde of wines at commaundement yet his excesse and aboundance then his want and penurie now his small stomacke then his thurstie stomacke nowe was the onely cause of this noble drinke whiche he so muche commended and preferred before all the wine that euer he dranke before Euen so reported kyng Artaxerxes in his warres when his victuales and all were spoiled by the enemies of fewe drie Figges of a peece of a Barley loffe vpon whiche he fedde so hongerly that he spake after this sorte O good Lorde of how greate a pleasure haue I been this while ignoraunte Lisimachus like wise beyng in warres in Thracia Domicianus the Emperoure where he and all his souldiours were kepte so longe without drinke vntill he was so thurstie that he was enforced and all his hoste to yelde as captiues to the Emperour Domitianus and nowe beyng in captiuitie hauyng a draught of drinke of the Emperour he saied O GOD that I should make my self from a king to be a captiue from a noble prince of Grece to bee a bonde slaue vnto the Romains for one draught of drinke Se what honger and thurste is how it hath made kynges to yelde princes to be vāquished Yea hath made Kyng Ptholomie in his owne kingdome and countrey kingdom of Aegipte to cōmende a peece of bread which was giuen him in a poore cottage to saie that he neuer eate better meate nor more comfortable cheare in his life thou that peece of bread was It was the very order of that noble Emperoure Iulius Caesar in all his warres more with famine then with sworde to vanquishe his enemies For this famous warrier would often saie that euen as the Phisicion would vse his paciētes so would he vse the enemies The rule of y e phisicion is to make his paciente faste to recouer his healthe The order of Caesar was to kepe the enemies from victuall to make theim yelde
one of the conspiratours and beeyng digged vp teared his bodie in smale péeces and beyng torne in péeces gaue it to the birdes of the aire Suche anger was in Marcus Antonius towarde Cicero that he was not contented of Ciceros death but commaunded his heade to bee sette before hym on the Table to feede his wrathfull harte and gréedie eyes and his wife Fuluia shewed her anger pulled out his toungue pinned it vnto her Bonnette and weare it on her heade in token and open shewe of her cruell and Tigrishe harte The noble romaine Maetellus was muche inflamed for to shewe suche hatred and anger vnto Pompeius for at what tyme Pompeius the greate was appointed by the Senatours of Rome to succéede Maetellus in his office of proconsulship in Spaine Maetellus perceiuyng that he was discharged and Pompeius charged they brake for verie anger all the furnitures of warres he destroied all the victualles he famished the Elephantes he permitted his Souldiours te doe what iniurie they coulde againste Pompeius so muche was his anger againste Pompeius that to hinder onely Pompeius he iniuried his natiue citie of Rome The propretie of anger is to hurte diuers in seekyng to offende one As hee is not wise that can not be angrie so is hee moste wise that can moderate anger The fame and renoume that both Themistocles and Aristides in vanquishyng their anger one towardes an other for beyng sent both as embassadours for the state of Athens trauailyng ouer a high hill like wise men that subdued affection and conquired anger Themistocles saide vnto Aristides shall we both burie our anger in this hill and go as frendes and not as enemies and there though the cause was greate at Athens they became frendes one vnto an other forgetting and forgeuing one anothers fault Anger and wrath are the only poisons of the words wher hidden hatered doeth proceade for to norishe the one is to feede the other Therfore it is written that hidden hatered priuate wealth and young mennes counsell hath been the verie cause of diuers destructions Manlius Torquatus after he had conquered Campania and triumphed ouer the Lateus retournyng vnto the Citie with noble fame and renoumed victories though the Senatours and Elders of the Citie mette hym in a triumphe and honour of his victories yet the younge men of Rome more disdainefull then courteous more odious then louyng more willyng to haue his death then desirous of his life kept them rather his enemies lurkyng in Rome towardes hym then frendes the cause is knowen in Valerius Hidden hatered whiche beare swaie in diuers places enuie and malice whiche procede from anger and maintained with hidden hatered is all the mischief of the world I wil omit to speak of Caligula whose anger and hatred was suche that he wished Rome but one necke that with one stroke he might strike it of Neither I will recite Heliogabalus whiche emoÌ„gest writers is named the beast of Rome and not the Emperour of Rome The histories of Catelin Silla and Appius for their hatered and anger towardes their countrey and natiue citie are extante in Plutarch and Salust by this anger and wrath proceded inuectiues and decleratioÌ„s and then enuie and malice beganne to builde their bowers by their chief CarpeÌ„ter anger then one mischief and vengeaunce doeth alwaies depende of the other And because anger is the onely cause of all euill and mischief I will speake of those two monstrus Gorgons as thinges incident and alwaies hidden in anger I meane enuie and malice and therfore I applie to Enuie and Malice whiche might be spoken here ¶ Of Periurie and Faithe and where either of these were honored and esteemed SIthe Faithe is the foundation of Iustice and Iustice the chiefe meanes as Aristotle saieth to preserue a publique weale for we se after muche fomyng and frettyng of seas after clustryng cloudes after longe lowryng lookes there doe often appere calme weather cleare aire and gentle countenaunce whiche to obserue and to maintaine Iustice is the worker therof and to note how faithfull and iuste some haue been and how wicked and false others shewed them selues for the commoditie and benefite of that one and for the discommoditie and iniuries of the other good it were to shewe the examples thereof There are not so many vertuous in one but there bee as many vices in an other For some from foes become frendes as Clodius and Cicero twoo greate enemies a long tyme and yet in tyme twoo faithfull frendes Tiberius likewise and Affricanus from mortall foes grewe to bee suche perpetuall frendes that Affricanus gaue his onelie daughter Cornelia in marriage vnto Tiberius Euen so some again from frendes became foes yea from tried frendship vnto mortall enemitie as Dion of Siracusa of his moste assured frende as he thought with whom alwaies before he founde frendshippe and faithe was slain and cruelly killed of Callicrates Polimnestor likewise though kyng Priamus supposed greate trust and confidence in hym that he committed his owne soonne Polidorus vnto his custodie yet falsely slue hym and murthered hym though beside frendshippe he was his nigh kinseman How well saieth Socrates that faithefull frendes doe farre excell Gold for in daunger faithe is tried and in necessitie freindes are knowen Suche is the secrete force of Faithe and suche is the hidden subtiltie of falsehode that the praise and commendations of the one shall bee seen and proued in a historie of Sextus Pompeius soonne and heire vnto Pompeius the Greate the slaunder and shame of the other shall bee manifestly knowen by Hanibal Arâ—â—lâ—ar sonne of Carthage The Faithe and Iustice of Pompeius at what tyme he had appoincted a banquette for Augustus Caesar â–ª and Marcus Antonius vpoÌ„ the seas was well tried for beyng moued of diuers at that tyme to reuenge his fathers death Pompeius the greate and specially often stirred by his frende â–ª and Maister of the Shippe Menedorus to requite olde malice for killyng of Pompeius to destroie Caesar and Antonius whiche Sextus in no waies would suffer saiyng that Faithe and Iustice ought not to bee tourned vnto periurie and falshed for as it is periurie to omitte faithe and promise made vnto these Emperors so this is tyraÌ„nie and not iustice to reuenge my fathers death vpon innoceÌ„cie And true it was that Augustus Caesar was then but a boie brought vp in Schoole in Apulia when his vncle Iulius Caesar vanquished Pompei And as for Marcus Antonius rather a freinde he was vnto Sextus Father then a foe and therefore no lesse Faithfull was Sextus in performyng then iuste in waiyng innocencie Farre vnlike vnto falâ—e Haniball whiche vnder pretence of peace with the Romaines sente Embassadours vnto Rome to entreate thereof where thei were honourablie receiued but well requited he the courtesie of Rome toward his Embassadours For wheÌ„ that noble Romain Cornelius came from Rome as an Embassadour vnto Haniball his welcome was suche â–ª
that comparisons bee odious emongeste equalles and certaine more odious is it emongst vnequalles as betwene the riche and the poore But sithe the state of man is so diuers that some is contented with little and some neuer with muche Some toilyng and tramplyng hauing all thinges as though thei had nothing And some againe quiete and carelesse hauyng nothyng as though thei had all thynges consideryng that contentation of mynde and quietnesse of harte is the chief felicitie and soueraigne good of the worlde waiyng beside that pouertie is sure and saufe euery where and riches vnsure and dangerous at all tymes And that pouertie is carelesse and wealthe carefull I see not but by comparyng of the liues of Emperours Kynges and Princes of the worlde vnto selie poore menne But the state of the poore is better then the state of the riche as by Apollos Oracle proued of one Aglaus a poore manne in Arcadia preferred for his contentation before Kyng Cressus of Lidia whiche tooke hym self the happiest manne in the worlde for his wealth What profited kyng Darius to vanquishe the Persians and to be Kyng of Babilon and to haue out of Asia fiue hundred thre score and fiftene thousande Talentes yerely paied of tribute for he loste not onely all his wealthe but also his life for his wealthes sake by Alexander the great What profited Alexander again after that to haue the wealth of Persia the substaunce of Macedonia yea to haue all India and Asia and almoste the whole worlde in subiection and yet to bée poisoned of Antipater and lefte vnburied without regarde thirtie daies in Babilon for wealth was the chief cause of his death Was not poore Plautus and simple Cleanthes more happie in life then these two famous Kynges thei quietely with bakyng and bruing and appliyng their bokes liued a long tyme saufe and sounde These Princes were neuer at reste vntill one destroied an other in their youth and prime tyme. Kyng Xerxeâ— and Cirus gotte suche aboundance of wealthe by warres suche substaunce suche treasures that beeyng thereby disquietted and puffed vnto Pride to take enterprises in hande through perswasion of wealthe that the one after he thoughte to spoile and robbe all Grece was slaine by Artabanus the other thinkyng to subdue all Scithia was vanquished by Tomiris Queene of Scithia a woman and so bothe these proude Princes of wealth loste wealthe life and gooddes Was not Philemon and poore Acaetes which liued vnto the laste course of Nature quiete at reste more wise happie then thei If quietnesse of mynde if longe yeres if sauftie and soundnesse of life if perpetuall healthe maie perswade felicitie of life â–ª If poore Faustulus a Shepherd whiche somtyme founde in Romulus lefte of all men forsaken of his parentes hated of his freindes and nourished hym This Faustulus liued more mery yeres in keping of his Shepe a Shepherd then Iulius Caesar did in rulyng of Rome an Emperor For this Shepherde ended his life in old age this Emperour was murthered in the Senate house within fower yeres after he was elected Emperoure Was not Codrus a poore Poete and his wife Procula more luckie and happie to ende their daies after long life quietly then kyng Ninus and his wealthie Quene Semiramis that killed her housebande for the kyngdome of Assiria and after she likewise was slaine by her owne soonne Ninus for the obtainyng of the wealthe and substaunce thei had lefte was loste Examples are to many for the proofe hereof Solon a wiseman of Grece did preferre before riche and wealthie kyng Cressus Biton and Cleobis brethren twoo poore menne of Argiâ—e The poore familie of one Aelius in Rome where there were seuentene brethren hauyng but one poore fielde for their heritage liued longer proued happier and died more godly and liued more coÌ„tentiuely then the familie of Caesar. What was the cause that the Indians Babilonians Arabians and Lidians were spoiled destroied and murthered their greate substauÌ„ce â–ª treasures and wealthes of the Countreis If we examine well the doubtes and daungers of wealthe and waigh likewise the sauftie and surenesse of pouertie we must nedes preferre the quiete state of poore menne if thei be wise before the state and Fortune of Princes The worste lucke that can happen vnto a poore manne is to become riche for then he commeth from sure life to hasarde him with death And the beste that can happen vnto a riche manne is to become poore thereby is his life saued though his wealthe bee spoiled Howe Fortune dealeth in this poincte it is in diuers places of this booke mencioned The worst thyng that could happen vnto Demosthenes and Cicero was that they were aduaunced from their sounde state vnto honour and dignitie Wherby their liues wer lost the one beyng a consul of Rome the other the patron of Athens The worst thyng that could happen vnto Tullius Hostilius and vnto Torquinius Priscus was that thei wer aduaunced the one from a Sheparde the other from a banished straunger to be kynges of Rome If I should rehearse in this place howe many poore menne by callyng theim vnto wealth and honour haue been banished afterward slaine and imprisoned both in Rome in Gréece and in all the world I might séeme well vnto the reader more tedious then delectable If on the other side I should repeate how many Princes haue escaped death by loosing their Crownes and Scepters I were no lesse werie then fruictlesse Therfore I saie there is care and daunger in wealth and ther is quietnesse and safetie in pouertie The pleasure that Lucanus had in this worlde was nothyng elles but a poore Garden wher alwaies in his life he vsed to solace him selfe and when he died he commaunded his Graue to be made there where beyng dead he was buried Mecoenas had suche a Garden in Rome where all his feli-Citie was the Emperour Octauius might in no wise allure Mecoenas out of his Garden no more then Alexander the greate could moue Diogenes to forsake his Tunne to become wealthy here againe might bee brought those wise men that refused wealth and substaunce fled from honour and dignitie to liue quietly in pouertie but bicause I meane to be brief in all thinges I will omitte prolixitie Plinie doeth reporte that Protogenes a poore Painter was content to liue al the daies of his life in a little cottage that he made hym in his garden Plutarche likewise in the lief of Nicia doth write that Lamachus was so poore that when the people of Athens would make hym their king he wanted I saie Shues on his feete and yet had rather be poore Lamachus in safetie then to be kyng of Athens in danger For when a poore man named Hilarion met with certen Robbers and Theues and being demaunded of the Theues how chaunced that he feared not to walke alone in the night bicause saied hee I am