sayd Alphonsus had rather saue many by lenitie and gentlenesse then loose any by cruelnesse and tyranny This King being mooued to warres against the Uenetians and Florentines people very stout in Italy and redie from Naples to marche forwarde to méete his enemies certen Embassadours in that tyme commyng from the Florentines to entreate of peace with Alphonsus vpon humble suites and conditions No conditions sayde Alphonsus that noble prince but to them that séeke peace But frankly and fréely to graunt the same his humanitie was such that the Embassadours were not so redie to aske peace but he was as redy to graunt peace Herodotus doth write that there was a lawe amongst the Perseans that no man shoulde be punished for one 〈◊〉 but first they woulde examine whether his good deâ—des were to bée rewarded or his euill life to bée punished The clemencie of a prince the singuler wisedome of a noble minde doth foresée the cause that sometime subiectes offende their prince therein Nicanor the Macedonian after hée vsed yll speache euerywhere against Philip Alexanders Father hée was complayned of vnto the King When the King knewe thereof hée aunswered gently that pouertie caused Nicanor to speake that against King Philip therefore hée did sende him money to ease his minde and pardoned withall his offences How worthy of memory is Theodosius Iunior after hée was perswaded by his fréendes to reuenge those backbiters that spake yll of him to aunswere in this sort A Prince ought not to bende him selfe to reuenge faults but redy to pardon offences saying moreouer Woulde God that Theodosius were able to make his enemies alyue againe And to prooue that a Prince ought not to reuenge Adrian the Emperour shewed a noble example thereof he hauing great enimitie with a certen worthy Romane and being in great hatred towardes this man before he became Emperour the selfe same day that Adrian was made Emperour of Rome méeting his enemie in the stréete sayde loude to him before all the people Euasisti thou hast wonne the victory meanyng that he then being a Prince elected might in no point reuenge the wronges that he receaued before O passing humanity and clemency in Princes It was Alexander the greate his saying â–ª as Pontanus in his firste booke affirmeth It was more méete for a Prince to do good for euil then to adde euyll for euyll Wée reade that cruell Nero in the beginnyng of his Empire was so gentle that hée wished often that hée coulde not reade because hée shoulde not put his hande according vnto the custome of Rome to the libels for the punishment of the offendours And Domitianus in the beginnyng dyd so abhorre tyranny cruelnes that hée woulde forbyd to kyll any beast for sacrifice though they in the latter yeres forget this natural clemency What a noble vertue is humanity in a Prince what excellency in a noble man what an ornament in a gentleman what commendation in all men insomuch that the Snakes of Syria the Serpents of Terinthia the Scorpions in Arcadia want no due deserued praise of Plini for their gentlenesse and sparyng of their natiue soyle though they waxe cruell in others What humanity was in Scipio hauyng taken captiue Hasdrubal King Masinissa his nigh kinsman to restore him whom againe without raÌ„some What clemency vsed Demetriê° to Cilla a Captaine of King Ptolome euen as before Ptolome shewed to Demetriê° him selfe being taken prisoner y e like shewed hée to Cilla Such hath béen y e lenitie of some princes y t therby they augmented fame purchased great honor won victories such hath béen the tiranny of others that thei haue defamed them selues won hatred lost their estates in fine destroyed themselues For this purpose was Philip king of Macedonia woont to instruct his sonne Alexander to behaue him curteously with the Macedonians to vse lenitie and clemencie vnto his equales and to shewe him gentle vnto all men while his father Philip yet liued that he might the better in that season winne fauour and finde friendeshippe with his subiectes for then some came by heritage some by the sworde and the most came by election Nothing sayth Plutarch doth stablishe the state of a common wealth as the clemencie of a Prince towardes his subiectes and the loue of the subiectes towardes their Prince the one is neuer séene without the other King Darius therefore vnderstanding that his subiectes were taxed sore with Subsedies blamed his councell reuoked their lawe and made an open Oration vnto his commons to signifie howe loth he was to molest his subiectes and that hée was as loth to take any from his poore commons as hée knew them to be willing in giuing all that they had to pleasure theyr prince his care therein shewed his spéech so affable his good will so opened with suche curtesie and lenitie tendered vnto his subiectes enflamed such beneuolence kindled such a loue caused such a redinesse and made them through gentlenesse so benificiall that both goods landes and liues were at Darius commaundement Plutarchus in the life of king Antigonus doth recite a famous historie concerning the alteration and chaunge of Antigonus who with tiranny a long while fomed in bloode delighted in murther giuen altogither to wickednesse of lyfe spoyling at all times euery where sparing no place at anye time that at length hauing obtayned the kingdome of Macedonia became so gentle so méeke so liberall so quiet towardes his subiectes that being of all men woondered at for his sodaine chaunge from so cruell a Tirant to be so gentle a Prince from a spoyler of all places to be a sparer nowe of his subiectes Being demaunded the cause thereof aunswered Then I trauayled for the Kingdome of Macedonia which was to be wonne with warres and tiranny and nowe I labour to get the good will of my subiectes which is to be gotten with gentlenesse The onelye remedie the sure waye to winne good will at the subiectes is alwayes for Princes to be curteous and gentle Pittie in a Prince causeth loue in the subiectes Such pittie was founde in that gentle Emperour Aurelian when hée woulde haue entered vnto the Citie called Tiaena the gates being shut against him he did send his Herauldes to signifie vnlesse the gates should be opened he would not leaue one dogge aliue within the Cittie The Citie more stoute then wise refused to open theyr gates vntill with force of warres the walles were battered downe and the Citie in the hande of the Emperour to doe what it lyked him The souldiours gréedie of the spoyle were by the gentle and mercifull Emperour charged not to meddle with any within the Citie vntill they had licence The Emperour being charged by the souldiers of promise to kill and to spoyle all and not to leaue a dogge aliue Kept promise being a Prince destroyed all the dogges of the Cittie and restored againe the Citie vnto the inhabitauntes thereof This noble Aurelian had rather his souldiours shoulde
weepyng and sobbyng before Antonius requiryng on his knees one graunt at Antonius hand to sende his Souldiours to kyll hym vpon the graue of his frende Lucullus and beyng dead to open Lucullus graue and to laie hym by his frend Which beyng denied of the emperour then went and wrote vpon a little peece of paper caried it in his hande vntill he came wher Lucullus was buried and there holdyng fast the paper in one hand and with his dagger in the other hande slue hym self vpon the graue holdyng the paper close beyng dead where this sentence he wrote Thou that kneweste the faithefull freÌ„dship betwixt Volumnius Lucullus ioyne our bodies together being dead as our mindes were alwaies one beyng a liue The like historie is written of Nisus when his faithfull frende Eurialus was slaine in the warres betwixt Turnus and Aeneas he hauyng vnderstandyng therof vnknowen vnto Aeneas and vnto the reste of the Troians wente vp and doune the fielde tomblyng and tossyng dead carkeses vntill he founde out Eurialus bodie whiche after longe lookyng and embrasyng of his deade frende drewe out his swearde and heald it in his hande a little while saiyng as my bodie shall neuer departe from thy bodie so shall I neuer feare to folowe thy ghoost and laiyng the Pommel of his swearde on the grounde fell vpon his swearde hauyng the bodie of his frende Eurialus betwixt his armes This loue was greate betwixt Princes whiche might liue honorably to die willingly A strange thing for men that so loue their frendes to waie their deaths more then their one liues Orestes faithe and frendship towarde Pylades was suche that beeyng come vnto a straunge Region named Taurica to diminishe the dolors to asswage the grief and to mitigate the furious flames of Orestes bicause he slue his mother Clitemnestra and beyng suspected that they came only to take awaie the Image of Pallas their goddesse in that countrey The kyng vnderstandyng the matter made Orestes to be sente for to be brought before hym to haue iudgement of death For Pylades was not mencioned nor spoken of but onely Orestes he it was that should steale their Goddes awaie vnto Gréece Orestes therefore beyng brought and his felowe Pylades with him The king demaunded whiche of theÌ„ both was Orestes Pylades that knewe his frende Orestes should die sodainly steapt forth and said I am he Orestes denied it and said he was Orestes Pylades again denied that and saide that it was euen hee that was accused vnto the kyng thus the one deniyng and the prouyng either of theim moste willyng to die for the other The kynge dismaide at their greate amitie loue pardoned their faultes muche extemed their companie and greatlye honoured their naturall loue and faithe so many like histories vnto this there be that then Princes woulde die for their frendes euen that greate conquerour Alexander would haue died then presently with his frend Haephaestion had not his counsell letted hym he loued aliue so well that he was called of all men an other Axander in so muche so estemed his frende when SisigaÌ„bis king Darius mother had saluted HaephaestioÌ„ in stede of Alex. being therewith angrie with her error he said blushe not to honour Haephaestion as an other Alexander What was it that Anaxogoras waÌ„ted that prince Pericles could get for him Whether went Aeneas that Troian duke at any tyme without Achates with him was ther nothing that Pomponius had but Cicero had part of it Scipios freÌ„dship neuer wanted vnto Cloelius Though Rome could alter state though fortune could change honor yet could neither Rome nor fortune alter faithe or chaunge frendes After the Senators had iudged Tib. Gracchus for diuers seditions in the citie to die his frend Blosius hauyng knowledge thereof came and kneled before the Senators besought Laelius whose counsaill the Senators in all thinges folowed to be his frende saiyng vnto the reste after this sorte O sacred Senate and noble counsailers if yet remaine in the citie of Rome any sparcle of iustice if there be regard vnto equitie let me craue that by lawe which you iniuriously applie vnto an other and sithe I haue committed the offences and factes of Gracchus whose coÌ„maundement I neuer resisted whose will to accomplish I will duryng life obaie lette me die for Gracchus worthely whiche am moste willyng so to do let him liue iustly whiche so ought moste truly Thus with vehement inuectiues against him self crauing death most earnestly vnto Blosius and life worthely vnto Gracchus made the Senatours astonied with his rare desire of death saiyng the Capitoll had béen burned by Blosius if Gracchus had so commaunded but I knowe that Grachus thought nothyng in harte but that whiche he spake by tongue vnto Blosius and that which hée spake by tongue vnto Blosius that Blosius neuer doubted to doe and therefore I deserue rather death than hée The faith and loue betwixt Damon and Pythyas was so woondered at of King Dionisius that though hée was a cruell Tiraunt in appoynting Damon to die yet was he most amazed to sée the desire of Pithias the constant fayth the loue and friendeship professed in Damons behalfe striuing one with an other to die enforced in spite of tiranny to pardon Damon for Pythyas sake Theseus and Perithous became such faythfull friendes that they made seuerall othes one vnto an other neuer during life to be departed neyther in affliction paine punishement plague toyle or trauayle to be disseuered insomuch the Poetes faine that they went vnto the kindome and region of Pluto togither I will not speake of the great loue of that noble Gréeke Achilles toward King Patroâ—lusâ— Neyther will I recite the Historie of that worthy Romane Titus towarde Gisippus In fine I will not report Palemon and Arceit Alexander and Lodowicke whose ende and conclusion in loue were such as are worthy of memorie famous in writing ¶ Of enuie and malice and so of tiranny AS malice drinketh the most part of her owne poyson so enuie saith Aristotle hurteth more the enuious it selfe than the thing that it enuieth Like as the slouthfull in warre or Darnell amongst Wheate so is the enuious in a Cittie not so sad of his owne miseries and calamities as hée lamenteth the hap and felicitie of others Wherfore the wise Philosopher Socrates calleth enuie serram animae the sawce of the soule for that it cutteth the hart of the enuious to see the prosperitie of others For as it is a greefe to the good and vertuous man to see euyll men rule so contrarily to the euil most harme is it to sée the goodman liue Therfore the first disturber of common wealth and last destroyer of good states the beginning of all sorowes the ende of all ioyes the cause of all euyll and the onely let of all goodnesse is enuie How prospered Gréece how florished Rome how quiet was the whole world before enuie began to
the King in talke at his returne hée was beheaded â–ª Euen so Euagoras for that hée called Alexander the sonne of Iupiter was punished vnto death The Lacedemonians feared flattery so much that they banished Archilogus onlye for his eloquence in a Booke that he made Flatterie was so odious in Rome that Cato the Censor gaue coÌ„maundement to expell certen fine Oratours of Athens out of Rome least with fayre speache and flattery they might annoy the state of Rome what is it but flatterie can compasse what may not sugred Oratours mooue what coulde not Demosthenes doe in Athens what might not Cicero perswade in Rome King Pirrhus was woont to saye of Cineas his Philosopher that hée won more Citties Townes and countries through the flattering stile of Cineas than he euer subdued with the strength and force of all the kingdome of Epire. But to auoyd two much iarring of one string which as Plutarch sayth is tedious to the reader for nature is desirous sayth Plantus of nouelties Leauing flatterye as counsaylour vnto Princes hayle fâ—llowe with noble men chamberlaine with Ladies chiefe gouernour of the common people To speake a little of those that fledde flatterie it was the onely cause that Pithagoras that noble Philosopher forsooke his countrie Samos the whole occasion that worthy and learned Solon fledde from Athens the chiefe matter that made Licurgus to renounce Lacedemonia and the onely cause that made Scipio Nasica forsake Rome for where flattery is estéemed there truth is banished where flatterie is aduanced and honored there truth is oppressed and vanquished In fine flatterie findeth frindeshippe when truth getteth hatred as prooued in the histories of Senica and Calisthenes two famous Philosophers the one Maister vnto Nero Emperour of Rome â–ª the other appoynted by Aristotle to attende vppon Alexander the great King of Macedonia which Philosophers bycause they would not féede the corrupt natures insolent mindes of these prowde Princes with adulation and flatterye they were both put to death Seneca by Nero for his paine and trauell taken with the Emperour in reading him philosophie while Nero was young Calisthenes by Alexander for that he inueyed against the Meedes and Perseans who vsed suche flatterie that Alexander commaunded all men to call him the sonne of Iupiter Euen so of Cicero and Demosthenes the one the soueraigne Orator and Phaenix of Rome the onelye bulwarke of all Italie the other the sugred Anker the patron of Athens and protector of all Gréece After they hadde sundrie and diuers times saued these two famous Cities Rome and Athens the one from the pernicious coniurations and priuie conspiracie of that wicked Catelin and his adherentes the other from the prowde attemptes and long warres of that most renowned warriour Phillip King of Macedonia yet were they after many vertuous actes done in their countries and for their countries from their countries quite banished and exiled Cicero for Clodius sake Demosthenes for Harpalus which the Romans tooke so heauily that twentie thousande ware mourning apparell with no lesse heauinesse in Rome than teares for Demostenes in Athens Flatterye then was of some so hated that noble Phoceon and learned Athinian was woont to say to his fréende Antipater that he woulde take no man to be his fréende that hée knew to bée a flatterer And most certen it is that hée at this day that can not flatter can get no fréendship according vnto that saying of Terence obsequium amicos c. For euen as Aristides of Athens for his manifolde benefitâ—s vnto the Athenians was by flattery preuented and for trueth banished so likewise was Thucidides being sent as an Embassadour from Athens vnto Amphipolis a Cittie betwixt Thracia and Macedonia whiche King Philip kept by force by flattery preuented and exiled True seruice is often rewarded with anger and wrath of Princes as Thrasibulus a noble captaine and famous for his truth was banished out of Athens Lentulus the defender of Italy exiled from Rome Dion of Siracusa hunted out of his countrey by Dionisius euen that renowmed Hanibal the long protector of Carthage compelled after long seruice to range abrode like a pilgrime euery where to séeke some safegarde of his life Too many examples might be brought of Gréeke and Latin histories for the proofe hereof The chéefest Ancker and the strongest bulwark of common wealth saith Demosthenes is assured faith without flattery and good wyll tryed in the Commons plainnesse without deceit boldnesse and trust in the nobles Flattery is the only snare that wisemen are deceyued withall and that the Pharisées knew well when that they woulde take our Sauiour Christe tardie in his talke they began to flatter him with faire wordes saying Maister wée know that thou art iust and true and that thou camest from God Euen so Herode willyng to please the Iewes in kyllyng Iames the brother of Iohn in prisoning Peter in pleasing the people with flatterie that when Herode spake any flattering phrase the people straight cryed out saying this is the voyce of God and not the voyce of man so swéete was flatterie amongst the Iewes The flattering frindes of Ammon knowing the wickednesse of his minde and his peruerse dealing toward Mardocheus did not perswade Ammon from his tiranny but flattered with fayre wordes and made him prepare a huge Gallowes for Mardocheus where Ammon and hys children were hanged Likewise the young man that came to flatter king Dauid saying Saul and his children are deade was by Dauid for his flatterie commaunded to die Tertullius wheÌ„ he was brought to dispute with Paul first he flattered Faelix the President of the Iewes because with flatterie he thought to win the heartes of the hearers In fine flatteres will as the false prophetes sometime that did perswade Achab king of Israell of great fame and luck in the warres to come I saye they euen so will flatter their friendes of all good successe to come and passe with silence the truth present ¶ Of Pride PRide is the roote of all euill the sinke of all sinne the cause of all wickednesse the auncient enemy to the seate of GOD before man was made it did attempt the angels The outwarde pompe and vaine ostentations of shiftyng shewes from tyme to tyme from age to age maie be a suffient profe how prone howe bent and howe willyng we bee to honour pride Eusebius doth reporte that Domitianus the Emperour by an order of lawe charged al men to call him Dominum Deum Domitianum That is to name hym Lorde and GOD Domitian certenlie to heigh a stile though he was an Emperour to be called a God Likewise wee reade of a certen king in India named Sapor whiche would be called kyng of kynges brother vnto the Sunne and Moone felowe vnto the starres Aelianus a Gréeke historiographer in his 14. boke entituled of diuers histories doeth write of one Hanno borne in
oute of the towne came and offred his schollers vnto Camillus saying by this meanes you maye doe what you will vnto Philiscus for here be theyr children whome I know to redéeme they wyll yéelde vp the towne Camillus hauing regarde to the fame of Rome and loathing much to shewe villanye rewarded the Schoolemayster after this sort hée did set him naked before his schollers fast bounde with his handes on his backe and euery one of the schollers with a rodde in his hand saying vnto the boyes bring him home to your parentes and tell your friendes of his falshoode and the poore boyes hauing a good time to requite olde beatings were as gladde as he was sorrowfull laying on loade girckt him with so manye stripes as loytering Treuauntes maye best be boulde to number vntill they came vnto the Citie where they toulde their parents the cause thereof which wayde the clemeccie and humanitie of Camillus to be such that they gladlye and â–ª willingly yéelded themselues and theyr Citie vnto the handes of Camillus knowing well that he that woulde vse them so being hys enimies and foes coulde not vse them yll by yéelding all vnto his courtesie who might haue had all by tiranny Nowe sith this vertue was often séene in diuers Quéenes Ladies Gentlewomen and others I may not omitte the pilgrimage of their liues We reade of two Quéenes of the Amahones a countrye of Scythia Penthesilaea the first and Hippolite the second the one so valiaunt against the Gréekes at the destruction of the noble Citie of Troy that in open fielde she feared not to encounter face to face with that valiaunt Gréeke Achilles the other so hardye that shée shrinkt not at the force and stoutnesse of that renowmed Champion Theseus which being conuicted by Theseus for hir singuler stoutnesse and courage maried hir whiche certainelye had happened vnto Penthesilia had shée not béene conuicted by Achilles Camilla likewise Quéene of the Volskans beside hir princely profession of sacred virginitie which she vowed vnto Diana was so famous for hir magnanimitie that when Turnus and Aeneas were in wars for the mariage of Lauinia King Latinus daughter she came bellona lyke vnto the fielde resisting the violence and puissaunce of Troyans with the Rutiles as an ayde vnto Turnus That noble Zenobia the famous Quéene of the Palmireians a Princes of rare learning of excelent vertues of most valiaunt enterprises after that hir husbande named Odenatus had died tooke the empire of Syria and attempted the magnanimitie of Romanes that a long time shée withstoode in warres that noble and renowmed Emperour Aurelian by whome the Emperour was woont to saye when it was obiected vnto him that it was no commendacions for a prince to subdue a woman that it is more valiaunt to conquer a woman being so stout as Zenobia than to vanquishe a King being so fearefull as Zerxes The auncient Gréekes as Herodotus doth witnesse were much amazed at the magnanimitie of Artimesia Quéene of Caria after that the king hir husbande died did shewe such fortitude against the inhabitauntes of Rhodes that being but a woman she subdued their stoutenesse shée burned their Nauies wasted theyr wealth vanquished and destroyed the whole I le entered into the Citie of Rhodes caused hyr ymage to be made and set vp for a monument of hir chiualrie and pertuall memorie of hir victorie O renowmed Ladies O worthye women that with feaminine feates merited manlye fame Howe famous Teuca Quéene of the Illiryans gouerned hir subiectes after the death of hir husbande king Argon which being warred on diuers times by the Romanes infringed theyr force broke theyr bonds discomfited their armies to hir perpetuall fame commendacion shée gouerned the people of Illeria no lesse wisely then she defended the puissaunt force of the Romanes stoutly shée liued as histories report as soberly and chastly without the company of man as shée gouerned hir countrie wisly and stoutelye without the councell of man it were sufficient to repeate the auncient histories of two women to prooue fullye an euerlasting prayse and commendacion vnto all women the one written by Herotus in his first booke of Queene Tomyris of Scythia the other mencioned by Valerius and Iustine of Cleopatra quéene sometime of Aegipt The first after that Cirus had trespassed muche in hir kingdome of Scithia killing destroying and burning without regarde to princely clemencie or respect vnto a womans gouernement yet vnsufficed though hée slue the Quéenes owne sonne named Margapites thirsted more and more for bloude that then the valiaunt Quéene being muche moued to reuenge Margapites death waying the gréedie rage of Cirus came Lion lyke to fielde eyther to loose hyr owne life or else to reuenge hir sonnes death prest vnto Cirus more lyke at that time to a grimme Gorgon than to a sillie Scythian slue him in the fielde haled him vp and downe the field cutte of his heade and bathed it in a great Tunne full of bloudde appoynted for that purpose saying Nowe Cirus drinke thy belly full of that which thou couldest neuer haue ynough this valiaunt Tomyris reuenged tyranny requited the death of one Scythian Margapites with the death of two hundred thousand Persians The other Quéene Cleopatra after that Iulius Caesar was murthered by Brutus and Cassius and that Marcus Antonius being by Augustus warred on for his periurie fasâ—oode shewed vnto his Uncle Caesar shée I saie Cleopatra hauing the most part of Arabia and Siria confederated with hir friende and louer Antonius against Augustus being then the seconde Emperour of Rome that shee ayded him a long time vntill that she perceyued that Augustus preuayled and that Antonius was vanquished then least shée shoulde be conquered by Augustus shée conquered hir selfe yéelding rather hyr bodye a praye vnto Serpentes than a subiect vnto Augustus Hanniball could no more but to poyson himselfe rather then to yéelde to Scipio Well let Semiramis with hir valiaunt force and stoutnesse be commended at Babilon where shée raigned fortie yeares a wydowe after King Ninus hir husbandes death Let noble and famous Atalanta with hir Bowes and Speares and feates of armes be praysed in Archadia â–ª Let Hipsicratea that followed hir husbande Kinge Mithridates vnto warres as a Lackie vnknowne be extolled in Pontus Let Helerna Ianus daughter with all hir fortitude be spoken of in Latine And let Delbora be famous amongst the Isralites These women were no lesse famous for theyr pilgrimage then the worthye Conquerours and Champions of the world they were in no point inferiour vnto men in diuers poyntes farre excelling Princes and Kinges eyther the worlde then was very weake or slender or else women then were valiant and stoute And to omitte perticulerly to touch women I will open and declare the nature of Countries the women of Lacena woulde togither with their husbandes go vnto the fielde yea they went souldiour lyke vnto Missenios to fight in
Suetonius that hée suffred in frée Cities townes frée tongues Philippe King of Macedonia when certaine Embassadours of Athens came to him he requiring them if he might stande in any stéede to Athens to certefie him of the same to whome Demochares one of the Ambassadours aunswered that the greatest pleasure that he coulde do to Athens was to hange himselfe The King most pacient in such skoffes and tauntes sayde The reprochefull sclaunder of the Athenians doe make King Phillippe better able to reuenge theyr malice by warres then to mooue him to aunswere theyr backebiting in wordes A Prince not onely pacient in hearing but also wise in aunswering As sometime the Emperour Alexander Seuerus in Rome when it was signified vnto him after Antonius was dead that the barbarous nations were ready to enter the Citie of Rome and that he was muche rebuked of the people and blamed of the Senators for the slender care he had vnto the Citie hée as Herodianus affirmeth aunswered that it belongeth to Princes to reuenge the good and not to aunswere the euill for wisemen will speake euill of no man in the beginning least they shoulde be iudged fooles in the ende where into all thinges are directed and whereby all thinges are prooued So pacient was Anaxagoras when it was toulde him that his sonne was deade to aunswere merily I knowe my sonne was mortall So pacient was King Antigonus being certefied of his sonne Alcionus death to aunswere I lookt no other than for his death So pacient was Pericles when he hearde that both his sonnes dyed in one daye to kéepe his countenaunce merrie his chéere vnchaunged and his businesse about the state of his countrie not delayed But Harpalê° was of passing patience being bydden of Astiages King of Persea to supper where he had two sonnes of his readye drest and laye in a siluer dishe before him on the table to be eaten of their owne father The king nay the tyraunt marked the countenaunce of Harpalus perceyuing him not to be mooued much at the matter asked him howe hée liked his supper he without alteration of colour chaunge of countenaunce framed himselfe to aunswere the King merily commending much the supper as one that knewe that patience was the onely remedy in tirannie A second Iobe in pacience he passed Iobe for Iobe knewe how his God did suffer Satan to punish him for loue he had to Iobe but Harpalus perceyued that this tyraunt did this to him of tyrannye and euill will farre from christianitie for in this vale of misery wée count him wise and certayne we may call him most wise that can in prosperitie be gentle and in aduersitie be pacient Both these examples were séene in one man in one daye at Rome Paulus Aemilius hauing his two sonnes the hope of Rome and comfort of the father the one deade foure dayes before the triumphs of Macedonia the other thrée daies after y e triumph returning from Macedonia with that noble victory with such triumphes vnto Rome that no man coulde finde in his heart to tell this noble Romane of the heauinesse in Rome and of the death of his childreÌ„ a ruthfull thing it was to ioyne to such great ioyes victories and triumphes such wofull chaunce sadnesse and mourning but fortune accompanieth the one with the other This noble Romane perceyuing the people of Rome to be so sadde and he so merrye they so heauy with sobbes and sighes hée so glad of his triumphes and victories demaunded the cause but being at length knowne he then comforted them that shoulde comfort him saying I thanke the Goddes more to gyue me victories ouer my enimies to the glorye and fame of Rome then I accuse fortune to spoyle me of my children which by nature were borne to dye though much it be to my gréefe yet wish I the gods to tender y e like to the father as they did to the sonne so that the like conquest and glorie happen to Rome In this was both magnamitie and patience Some men are pacient in thinges as in a corporall paine some in tormentes another is pacient of iniuries done I commende them both but to be pacieÌ„t in al kind of afflictions aduersitie heauen earth commendeth him That is a kinde of pacience which Plini applyed to Anarchus saying Of all men one man Anarchus Augustus most patient in tormentes Of all women Laena to kéepe silence So were the Egyptians people of great patience they had rather die in tormentes with patience than to betraye any man The Gimnosophistes of India were so patient that from Sunne rising vntill night vpon the hote sande without meate and drinke sayth Plini from one seate to another to beholde the heauens the Sunne the Moone c. The Lacedemonians most pacient in trauayle payne winde weather and warres The people of Sparta at what time certaine men of Chios come to pilgrimage vnderstanding the wise men of Sparta called Ephori to be in all things most pacient to mooue them to anger they vomited before them and then went where Ephori sat in iudgement and vsed it as a coÌ„mon stoole to discharge and â—ase nature When they came to Chios againe they sayde that the wise men of Sparta were fooles and blockes that they could not mooue them to be angry but not so angrie as they were beastly In this kinde of patience was Mithridates King of Pontus was Agesilaus King of the Lacedemonians was Masinissa king of Numidia most pacient So pacient was that Emperour Augustus that he suffered a younge man of Sicilia to aunswere him as bouldly as he had demaunded merily that where the Emperour asked him being lyke in countenaunce and preportion whether euer his mother had béene in Rome meaning thereby that he might be his father if she had bene there but the younge man perceyuing the sleight of Augustus aunswered boldely and sayde My mother was neuer in Rome but my father hath béene diuers times in Rome meaning that the Emperour might be his brother rather that way then he to be his sonne the other way by his mother Bicause pacience is better knowne by reading of diuers Princes anger and wrath I will them to reade the chapter of anger where they shall sée what hurt was done what wickednesse was committed by impaciencie which might haue béene redressed and saued by patience wherefore auoyding prolixitie it shall be spoken in the one what wanteth in the other reade sayde he that seueritie waxed vnto tyranny and tyranny in a Prince worketh his destruction and that lenitie is the most soundest state in a Prince who séeth not the experience thereof Certenly Nero Caligula and Heliogabolus were neuer so cruell as these thrée noble Emperours Augustus Trâ—ian and Seuerus were gentle and méeke Alphonsus the great king of Aragon geuyng care a long wâ—ile to his fréendes to finde fault with his often pardonyng and forgeuyng those that offended much his owne person
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
to be so famous in Gréece his liberality amongst nigardes hée onely counted liberall and all Athens besides couetous whereby he deserued renowne and glorie amongst so many nippers of money hée onely to shewe him selfe franke and liberall What caused Flaminius to bée so much spoken of amongst the Romanes his liberall giftes amongst so many gréedie takers his open benifites amongst theyr priuate wealth and hidden hatred What mooued the Agragentines to honour soo much that man Gillias to aduance his fame to extoll his name His liberalitie Such couetousnesse then was in Athens Rome and Agrigente that then worthie were these of admiration and prayse to auoyd the cankered state of auarice Thus from the golden worlde it came vnto the siluer worlde and then to that harde mettall Iron worlde for the couetous people can neuer be sufficed The gréedinesse of this age the restlesse estate of this time can neuer be satisfied The young Partriche by nature is readie to flee as soone as shée commeth out of the shell the wilde Duck to swim the Lion to go and man onely borne ready to séeke and trauell for money Where might a man finde out such a man as Aristides was in all Greece nowe who was so liberall that hauing all the state of Athens vnder hys gouernement gaue all to the poore Citizens saue that scant that brought him vnto the ground Where should one méete with such a one as Pelopidas in all Sparta being blamed of his friendes and councellers for hys large giftes and liberality exhorting him to make much of money considering howe necâ—ssarie money is to Princes yea sayde Pelopidas to such Princes as Nicomedes a lame man both dumbe and deafe Where shoulde a man séeke in Thebes for suche a man as Epaminondas who when he hearde that hée which caried his Target after him had taken money for the dimission of certaine prisoners taken in the warres giue me sayde hée my Target and go you to kéepe an Inne for if you loue monie you are not fit to cary Epaminondas Target Euery man is liberall in talke but fewe franke in giuing all men speake against enuie and malice and yet one hate another wée exclayme against tyranny and yet we are mercilesse wée despise pryde and yet we loue not humanitie wée abhorre gluttony and dronkennesse and yet we are alwaies feasting and bibbing wée disprayse Idlenesse and yet wée are slothfull wee thunder against slaunderous tongues and yet we can not speake well of no body in briefe we speake against all vices and yet we can not be acquainted with any vertue Euen as Diogines a Philosopher nipt a certaine Lacedemonian which vsed often to repeate in a place a Gréeke verse of Hesiodus the Poet that an Oxe or no beast else shoulde perish vnlesse euill neyghbours be the cause of it Diogines demaunded of him howe happened it that both the people of Messena and all their goodes and cattelles did miscarye and you béeyng their nigh neyghbours in Sparta So maye it be spoken to these glorious talkers how is it that men loue auarice so well and yet commende liberalitie so often ¶ Of age and the praise thereof BYon that wise man woulde say often that age was the Hauen of rest for that it was the ende of miserie the gate of life the perfourmaunce of all pilgrimages And sith age is wished of all men what folly is it to hit any man in the téeth with that which hée chéefly desireth Wherefore when King Archelaus had appoynted a great feast for his fréendes amongst other talkes then at the Table Euripides declared what great loue he bare vnto Agathon an olde tragicall Poet. Agesilaus demaundyng why shoulde an olde man bée so well estéemed of Euripides hée sayde Though the Spring time be pleasaunt yet the Haruest is fertile though flowres and hearbes grow gréene in the Spring yet waxe they ripe in Haruest The ages of man is compared vnto the foure seasons of the yere his growing time vnto the Spring his lusty time vnto the Sommer his witty time vnto the Haruest and his olde time vnto the Winter which doth make an ende of all thinges Frederike Emperour of Rome after he had appointed an olde man to rule the Cittie of Scadmenna was often mooued that hée for his age was not méete to gouerne such a Citie consyderyng the multitude and number of people that were within that Citie they thought that a young man shoulde better discharge the office But the wise Emperour perceauyng howe bent and prone were the youth of that Towne to haue a young man to rule ouer them aunswered them after this sort I had rather sayde hée commit the gouernaunce of the Citie vnto one olde man then the gouernaunce of so many young men vnto the Citie Better it is an olde man to rule the Citie than the Citie to rule the young menne meaning no otherwise then the aged men shoulde only be admitted rulers in Cities for that it belongeth vnto them experience of thinges and care of youth Suche was the homage and reuerence which was amongst the young Romanes towarde the Senators or olde men of the Citie as both heade and legge did acknowledge the same in doing duetie vnto age They hadde this confidence in age that no man might be chosen vnto the number of the Senatoures before he shoulde be thréescore yeares of age The like custome had the people of Chalcides that no man before he were fiftie yeres shoulde eyther beare office within their Cities or be sent Embassadour out of their countrie Amongst the Perseans no man coulde be admitted to be one of the sage rulers which they called Magi vnlesse perfite age had brought him thereto perforce Amongst the Indians their wise men which ruled their countrey which were named Gymnosofistae were aged and auncient for time giueth experience of gouernance Amongst the Egyptians the like credite was giuen vnto olde men that youth méeting them in the waye would go out of the way to giue place vnto age so that their Counsellours which were called prophetes were men of much time experience Euen so the Babylonians elected their sage Chaldeans the auncient French men there wise men called Druydes In fine noble Géekes did obserue the like order in choosing their Rulers and Councellers of aged men as before spoken The Lacedemonians youth were by the lawe of Licurgus no lesse charged to reuerence age than theyr owne parentes The Arabians in all places without respect of person honour dignitie or fortune preferred their olde men before The people called Tartesij had this lawe to honour age that the younger might beare no witnesse against the elder The reuerence sayde Chylon that shoulde be shewed vnto age by young men ought to be suche that they then being young doing obedience vnto age might clayme the like when they waxed olde of youth Agesilaus King of Sparta being
with simplicitie and slauerye The Carthaginean false and deceitfull The Babilonian wicked and corrupted The Persean a drunkarde and a glutton The Sycilian warye and trustye so the cruelnesse of the Caspians the filthinesse of the Lesbians the dronkennesse of the Scythians the fornication of the Corinthians the rudenesse of the Boetians the ignoraunce of the Symmerians the beastlinesse of the Sybarites the hardinesse of y e Lacedemonians the delicacie of the AtheniaÌ„s and y e pride glory of the Romanes Thus we reade that the Spaniards be the greatest trauellers the greatest despisers The Italian prowde and desirous to reuenge The Frenchman pollitike and rashe The Germain a warriour The Saxon a dissembler The Sweuian a light talkatiue person The Brytaine a busie bodie The Cimbrian sedicious and horrible The Boemian vngentle and desirous of newes The Vandall a mutable wrangler The Bauarian a flouter and a scoffer Thus much are incident vnto the aforesayd nations by nature But bicause in this place it were somewhat vnto the purpose to delare the glorie and state of Româ— which of al the world we estéemed feared And for that Rome had more enimies than all the whole worlde beside to shewe briefely how they florished how theyr fame spreade and their glorie grew I thinke it expedient not medling with the antiquitie thereof in the time of Ianus and Cameses but touching their fame by doing of wars in the time of Romulus which being begotten of Mars of Rhea a Uestall Uirgin was the first builder of that Citie also King thereof This king Romulus warred on the Sabins after he had elected a hundred Senatours to discerne and iudge causes of the Citie to defende Iustice and practise the same and to punish vice wronges according to the law of Plato who willed euery common welth to be gouerned with reward vnto the vertuous and punishement vnto the vicious Againe he appoynted certaine souldiers vnto the number of one M. to be in a redinesse alwaies to defend the Citie After Romulus succéeded Numa Pompilius the seconde King a man very religious and pitifull hée in his time made lawes to obserue rites sacrifices and ceremonies to worship their gods He made Bishops and Priestes he appointed the Uestal Uirgines and all that belong thervnto Thirdly came Tullius Hostilius to bée king in Rome whose felicitie was onely to teache the youth of Rome the discipline of warfare stirred them woonderfully to exercise and practise the same Then fourthly succéeded An. Martius with the like industry and care for the further and surer state of the City in raising the hie walles of Rome in a Bridge vpon the riuer Tiber in amending and beautifiyng all the stréetes in Rome The fift King was Torquinius Priscus which though hée was a straunger borne of Corinth yet hée encreased the pollicy of the Romanes with the wit of Gréece hée triumphed ouer the people of Tusk and enlarged the fame of Rome much more then it was To this came next Seruius Tullius which was the sixt and Torquinius superbus the seuenth and last King of Rome who for his misgouernment and lust in the Citie against the chaste matrones for the pride and infringement of the libertie hauing withall rauished Lucrecia Collatinus wife was at length after long rule and gouernment banished Rome The first alteration and chaunge of state was then after these seauen Kinges gouerned Rome two hundred yeres and a halfe which was the first infancie of Rome Then Collatinê° and Brutus after these kings were exiled a iust reuengement of their libertie and honest life were the first Consuls in Rome they I say altering the gouernment of the Citie from a Monarchy vnto a kinde of gouernment called Aristocratia which continued in Rome from the time of Brutus and Collatinus vntyll the time of Appius Claudius and Quintus Fuluius which was two hundred yeres In this season during this two hundred yeres was Rome most assailed of all kinde of enimies stirred vnto wars of all nations for the space of two hundred yeres and a halfe Then Appius Claudius forgetting the law that he him selfe made in Rome against fornication forgetting the rauishment of Lucrecia and the banishment of Torquinius for breaking of the same against all right and reason willyngly and wilfully rauished Virginia the daughter of Virginius which after that hir owne father slue hir in the open sight of Rome the cause being knowen vnto all the Citie the power of Virginius and the populer state which alwayes had the gouernment of Rome vnder them with straight in armes to reuenge the wronges and iniuries against lawes committed and to defende likewise the lawes Euen as the Kinges before named were exiled and banished Rome for the rauishment of Lucretia so now the tenne Commissioners called Decemviri were likewise excluded and reiected for the rauishement of Virginia ¶ Of the straunge natures of vvaters earth and fire IN diuers learned Histories wée reade and specially in Plini of the woonders of waters and of the secrete and vnknowen nature of fire which for the rare sight therof and for that it doth degenerate from things knowen therein are noted thinges to bée marueyled at as certen water in the countrey of Campania where if any mankinde wyll enter therein it is written that he shall incontinent bée reft of his sences And if any womankinde happen to go vnto that water she shall alwayes afterwarde bée barren In the same countrey of Campania there is a lake called Auernus where all fléeing Fowles of the ayre that flée ouer that lake fall presentlye therein and die A Well there is in Caria called Salmacis whose water if any man drinke therof he becommeth chaste and neuer desireth the company of a woman The riuer Maeander doth bréede such a kinde of stone that being put cloase vnto a mans heart it doth straight make him mad There are two ryuers in Boetia the one named Melas whose water causeth staight any beast that drinketh therof if it be white to alter colour vnto blacke the other Cephisus whiche doth change the black beast vnto a white beast by drinking of the water Againe there is in India a standing water where nothing may swimme beast birde man or any liuing creature else drowneth this water is called Silia In Affrica on the contrary part there is the water named Apustidamus where nothing bée it neuer so heauy or vnapt to swimme that drowneth but all kinde of thinges doth swimme leade or any heauy mettall doth swimme in that lake as it is in the Well of Phinitia in Sicilia Infinite waters shoulde I recite if I in this woulde be tedious in repeating their names whose strange natures whose secrete and hidden operation whose force and vertue were such as healed diuers diseases as in the Isle of Auaria there was a water that healed the collicke and the stone By Rome there was
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
vision warned to make himselfe readie to die at Philippos where hée was enforced in the wars betwéene Augustus Caesar and him to kill himselfe Thus â–ª were they alured and entised by shifting dreames to order and rule all their dooings for as the Poet Aeneus sayth what they studied and pondered in the daye time the same dreamed they in night time Dreames mooued them vnto tyranny for L. Silla the firebrande of Italy his owne countrey was warned in sléepe by Bellona the goddesse of warres to murther kill and destroye all that euer hée might finde in his waye giuing him in his hande fire in token he shoulde burne and ouercome Rome and Italy Likewise Eumanes King of the Lacedemonians hauing warres with Antipater King of Macedonia was fully perswaded by a dreame to obtaine victory for hée dreamed that two Alexanders were with great host and armie of men readie in fielde to fight the one hauing the goddesse Minerua as a leader the other hauing the goddesse Ceres as their Capitaine which after long conflictes and much murther of both parties hée thought that the souldiours of Ceres had the victory and that they were crowned with the eares of corne in the honor of Ceres which is the goddesse of corne and bicause the countrie of Lacedemonia was more fertill than Mocedonia the wise sages opened the dreame said that Eumenes should haue the victory ouer Macedonia Besides these dreames they had a kind of credite in Fowles of the ayre in beastes of the fielde in winde and weather and in diuers other things where soothsaying oracles and consultations were had When Zerxes the great king of Persea with so many miriades of men had purposed and decréed with him selfe to destroy all Gréece vntyll a Mare a stout and a proude beast had brought foorth a Hare the fearefullest thing out whereby it presaged the flight of Zerxes from Greece with shame and reproche And afterwarde purposing againe before hée woulde lay siege vnto Athens to destroy Sparta and all the countrey of Lacedemon a straunge warning hapned vnto this Prince at supper for his wine before his face was conuerted vnto blood as it was filled in the Cuppes not once but twise or thrise Whereat hée being amazed consulted with wise men of whom hée was then admonished to forsake his first entent and to geue ouer the enterprise which hée tooke in hande against the Gréekes Midas being yet in his cradle the Antes were séene to carye greynes and victuals to féede him withall whose parentes being desirous to know the effect therof were certified by the soothsayers that hée should bée the wealthiest and richest man in all the worlde hée shoulde bée the most monyed Prince that euer shoulde raigne in India Plato that noble and diuine Philosopher while hée was an infant in lyke sort in his cradle the Bées with hony fed his sugred and swéete lippes signifiyng the eloquence and learning in time to come of Plato They were not Bées of mount Himettum where honye as writers thinke was first founde but rather of Helicon where the Muses and Ladyes of learnyng delighted to dwell This was that Plato of whom his maister Socrates before hée knew him dreamed of that hée helde fast in his hande a young Swanne which fledde from him away and mounted the Skies whose swéete voyce and songes as a woonderfull melody and harmony replenished the whole Skies They thought it a sufficient admonition to sée any thing happen betwéene birdes or beastes as a sure and certaine shewe of their owne fortune to come M. Brutus when he was in campe against Caesar and Antonius and sawe two Eagles fighting togither the one comming from Caesars tent the other from his owne Hée knewe well when his Eagle tooke flight and was vanquished that he should loose the victorie Cicero vnderstanding well ynough his death to be at hand when the Rauen heald him fast by the hem of his gowne and made a noyse and euer pluckt at hym vntill the souldiers of M. Antonius came vnto the very place where he at that time was beheaded by Herennius and Popilius For in the night before Cicero dreamed being banished from Rome that he wandred diuers straunge countries where Caius Marius a noble Romaine as he thought mette him demaunding of Cicero why and what was the cause of his sadde countenaunce and wherfore he trauailed such straunge countries the cause being knowne vnto Marius hée tooke him fast by the right hande and brought him to the next officer where hée thought in his sléepe hée should haue died So that Zerxes by a Hare hadde warning King Mydas was by Antes admonished Plato by Bées Brutus by an Eagle Cicero by a Rauen Themistocles by an Owle of death Pericles by the head of a Ramme was fully perswaded taught by the soothsayers that hée should win the people of Athens from Thucidides with whome then he was in controuersie And was not Agamemnon and his brother Menelaus with all the Princes of Gréece certefied by the Dragon that climmed a trée where hée slue a shée Sparrowe and eyght young ones beside signifiying that they shoulde be nine yeares in wars with the Troyans and that the tenth they should destroye and quite vanquish Ihon. And was not Iulius Caesar admonished of his wife Calphurnia by a dreame that if he woulde vnto the Senate that daye hée should dye And was not that mightie Monarch Alexander warned by a vision to take more regarde vnto hys life then he did to take héede of Antipater who afterward poysoned him And was not Alcibiades that noble Gréeke certified by a dreame of his miserable death howe he and his hoore Timandra might diuers times sée before what after folowed if they had had so great a desire in folowing good things as they were bent and prone to séeke euyll Such prodigious sightes such straunge miracles were séene that might well allure them to more perfect life The Sunne the Moone the starres and all the hostes of heauen wrought great miracles to reduce Princes from euill enterprises and to giue warning vnto others to auoyde the tyranny of wicked Princes For the heauens appeared blouddy at that time when Philip king of Macedonia with tiranny inuaded Gréece At what time Augustus Caesar after his vncle Iulius was murthered â—ame vnto Rome as the second Emperor there were séene starers wandering about the circle of the Sunne great lightnings strange impressioÌ„s like men fighting in the skies yea and birdes fell downe deade in the Citty of Rome and Liuius writeth that an Oxe spake vnder plowgh these woordes vnto the plowman that not only corne should want â–ª but also men should perish and therefore said the Oxe thou â—egest me in vaine to trauell and his horse abstayned from foode When that wicked tyraunt Nero began his Empire in Rome trées pastures medowes and certen grounde about the Citie a straunge miracle altered places
which his predicessor had hidde made his prayer vnto God that he might neuer die before he hadde spent all that money which he founde The Couetous gathereth not for him selfe but for an other which he knoweth not A Couetous man musing and studying alwaies how he might liue being constrayned to mooue from one bedde vnto another for payne and toyle hée tooke in mind his wife demaunding the cause of his restlesse state to whome he sayd Wife I studie how I maye ende this yeare and I sée that I haue sufficient for all the yeare sauing for one daye and for that daye onely I vexe and molest my selfe to know how I may discharge that day his wife comforted him with all meanes shée coulde but he coulde not be at reste At length he founde this sleight calling his wife vp vnto him priuily sayde what I haue determined to doe thou shalt vnderstande wife that daye which I haue tolde you of I will take vpon mée to die that thereby with wéeping and sadnesse without meate and drinke we will escape the charges thereof which being done of his wife and layde vnder the Table the seruauntes and the familie comming fro the fielde astonied at the sodaine chaunce saying their Pater noster after long sadnesse at length called for meate the wife wéeping aunswered them that they shoulde mourne that daye for their mayster but hungrie seruauntes gréedie of vittayles woulde néedes haue meate the man heauing his heade vp and putting by the Carpet to sée whether they were at meate one of the seruauntes espied him and supposing him to be the Deuill that was with his Maysters corpes hée tooke a great staffe and brainde his Mayster in stéede of the Diuell the good wife cryed and sayde that he had killed hir husbande he denied and saide it was the diuell The matter being brought before the Iudge who vnderstanding the life of that couetous man was perswaded that the Diuell watcht with the bodie and that the good wife was deceyued ANother being sicke of the palsey and like to die was admonished of his kinsmen and fréendes to receyue the sacrament and to thinke of his soule the sicke man being so weake coulde not speake nor make no signes vnto his freendes for all that they could do At length one of the house which well knew his nature sayde that if any life were in him hée woulde make him either speake or geue signes tooke the Keye from his beddes head and went about to open his Coffer which stoode at his beddes foote full of money the couetous sicke man with head féete and with all his body made tokens and signes that his soule was there and that if his money shoulde be taken away hée shoulde presently dye THe like examples of another couetous man whiche when the priest according vnto the custome in those dayes woulde annoint him being sicke and like to dye he perceyuing scant that hee was touched for his imbecilitie and weaknesse his minde more occupied on his purse then on his sicknesse was woont to say féeling the Priestes hande Who toucheth my purse ANother great Prince was so couetous that being besieged in a certen Citie called Baldac of a strong King hauing money sufficient wealth substaunce abundant within the Cittie for very desire hée had to kéepe the money he lost the Citie and being taken captiue was demaunded of the King why he suffred his citie to be subdued his souldiours slaine and himselfe to be taken hauing so much wealth within the Citie as might defende the Cittie saue the men and kéepe himselfe from Captiuitie he being not able to aunswere the cause helde his peace The King perceyuing hys couetous minde to be the cause of all destruction sayde Come tell me where thy money is and being brought to a huge tower where he caried his money to saue shewed the King where the money was The King tooke the keye and lockt him fast with his money in the hie Tower saying I will neuer do thée that iniurie to take thée away from that which thou louest better than thy life commaunding no man vppon paine of death to beare him eyther meate or drinke and so most wretchedly suffred him to die for hunger hauing golde and siluer ynough lying by him Examples of hearing VAlerius reciteth a History of a certen young man of Athens named Polemus giuen much to â—anqueting and drinking being allured vnto all pleasures hauing his felicitie in eating and drinking and fine clothing comming vnto the schoole of Anaxagoras being so well charged with Wine and so braue in apparell that the schollers of Anaxagoras stomaked him for his dronkennesse to come there but Anaxagoras perceyuing the case of Polemus left to speake of that which he then hadde in hande and turned his talke to speake of that temperancie and sobrietie which when Polemus hearde so learnedly and skilfullye hée threwe downe his Garlande from his heade hée chaunged hys countenaunce wayled his former life and from that time forewarde Polemus liued honestly VLisses willing to auoyde the swéete songs of flattering Cirses fearing lest the like shoulde happen vnto him as it did vnto diuers others stopt his eares and his seruauntes with waxe and so auoyded the danger thereof So to heare good and holsome things with Polemus it is fruitefull and to heare flatterie lette all men stoppe their eares with Vlisses ¶ Examples of discorde IN a certen I le there dwelt some Hermettes which for discorde and inwarde contention the Mise of the I le consumed their victualles that they were enforced to make agréement of them selues in so much Apollonius willing to trauell in making some friendes that were foes one of the parties sayde that hée had rather die than to be made friendes Well sayde Apollonius and die thou shalt and thy graue shall be the bellies of wilde beastes and flying foules and euen that night hée died sodainely and was deuoured of beastes as Apollonius sayde for his Tigrishe and cruell minde ¶ Examples of friendshippe THere were two friendes the one an Egyptian the other a Citizen of Baldac this Egyptian making much of his friende and so well loued him that nothing which he hadde wanted him By fortune this Egiptian waxed poore and so néedie that he was enforced to come vnto the Cittie Baldac to knowe what his friende woulde doe for him and being ashamed of his poore estate watching a conuenient time to present him vnto his friende went all night vnto a Barne to sléepe that night a murther was committed and a man slaine caried by chaunce into the Barne where being founde in the morning this poore Egyptian was accused before the Iudges that hée murthered the man and being iudged to die his friende being on the bench calling to minde that it was hée that made much of him in Egypt forthwith rose and sayde that it was not that man that slue the man but euen hée himselfe The other denayed affirming that he was iustly condemned and that
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
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
practize with malice two daughters of tyranny neuer séene but hidden in the hartes of flatterers Then I say Gréece was glorious Rome was famous their names were honoured their prowisse feared their policie commended their knowledge knowen their fame spread ouer the whole worlde but when enuie began to soiorne in Gréece and malice to builde her bower in Rome these sisters like two monsters or two grimme Gorgons oppressed Castles destroyed Countreys subdued kingdomes depopulated cities in fine triumphed ouer all Gréece and Italie Hanibal of Carthage Iugurth of Numidia Pirrhus of Epire most valiaunt puissaunt and mighty Princes with long warres and great slaughter withall Their force and powers might not then hurt Rome halfe so much as hidden hatred betwéene them selues in Rome Againe Alexander the great valiaunt Cirus famous Zerxes most mightie conquerours with all their strength of warres coulde not annoy Gréece halfe so much as inwarde enuy betwéene the cities of Gréece What caused Iulius Caesar to war against his son in law Pompeius Enuie What made Adrian the Emperor to despise y e worthy fame of Traian Enuie What mooued Cato surnamed Vtica to kil him self Enuie vnto Caesar hidden hatred working for priuate gaine and rash counsell of flatterye which is harde most often in the enuious mouth haue destroyed kingdomes Enuie entred firste into the heartes of Princes arrested the worthyest conqueror of the world waded the bowels of the wyse blusht not to attaint the learned Philosophers in the mydst of Athens Hercules in killing the great Dragon Priapus that watched in the garden of Hesperides in destroying the rauening birdes Stimphalides in conquering the raging and furious Centaures in vanquishing terrible monsters as Gereon Cerberus and Diomedes in ouercomming the Lion the Boore and the Bull in ouertaking the gilded Hart and last for his conquest of the huge and prodigious Hidra in the seruice of Lerna won no lesse enuie of some than iustly hée deserued fame of others Theseus to imitate the hauty attempts of Hercules ouercame Thebes slue Minotaurus in the dennes of Labirinthus subdued Creon the tiraunt with diuers other large enterprises as one more wyllyng to enuie the fame of Hercules then desirous to deserue fame by lenity and quietnesse So might I speake of Iulius Caesar that enuied Alexander the great and Alexander likewise that enuied Achilles And thus alwayes enuie was fostered with Princes With the wise and learned enuie bare great sway as betwixt Plato and Zenophon the best and grauest Philosophers in their time betwixt Demosthenes and Aeschines betwixt Aristotle and Isocrates one despising the other Such slaughter grew of enuie that one brother kylled another the sonne the father and the father likewise the sonne as Romulus slue his brother Remus of enuie lest he might hée king in Rome Cambises King of Persea killed his brother Mergides as Herodotus doth write of enuie Enuie caused Anacharsis the Philosopher to bée slaine of his own brother Caduidus King Iugurth murthered both his brethren Hiempsalis Adherbales that he only might raigne King in Numidia Cain did kyll his brother Abel the scripture doth testifie that his sacrifice was once accepted Thus enuie was séene and known to bée betwixt brethren betwixt the parentes and their childreÌ„ the like we reade that enuy committed horrible and terrible murther aswell betwixt the husbande and the wife as the children towarde their Parentes as in short examples verified Clitemnestra slue hir owne husbande Agamemnon and shée againe slaine by hyr sonne Orestes Quéene Semiramis kilde likewise hir husbande king Minus and shée kilde euen so by hir son called Minus Agrippina murthered hir husbande Tiberius and shée was euen so murthered of hir sonne Nero. O cruell tiranny that enuie shoulde euer cause such vnnatural murther as one brother to kill another the Father to destroy his sonne the sonne to slea hys father the husbande to murther his wife the wife to make awaye hir husbande Wée reade in Plini of a certen king in Thebes named Athamas that gaue both his sonnes the one named Learchus the other Euriclea to be deuoured of ramping Lions So many monsterous tirauntes brought vp in the schoole of enuy so many deformed Centaures that all countries haue béene full of them When Antiphiles sawe Apelles in great fauour with King Ptholeme hée so enuied the matter that hée tolde the king of spite vnto Apelles that Apelles was the verie cause of the long warres betwéene the Tirians and Egypt to discredite Apelles for verye enuie that hée was great with the King but the matter being knowne and his enuie wayed Appelles was rewarded of the King with a hundred Talentes and Antiphiles for his enuie commaunded afterwarde all the dayes of his life to be the slaue and bondeman of Appelles Themistocles was so gréeued to sée Miltiades so honored for his great conquest and triumph in Marathea that being demaunded why hée was so sadde hée aunswered Miltiades triumphes will not suffer Themistocles to be ioyfull There was no countrie but enuie bare swaye there was neuer no great vertue but it was accompapanied with enuie Caesar was enuied in Rome by Cato Turnus was enuied in Rutil by Drances Vlisses was enuied in Gréece by Aiax Demetrius was enuied in Macedonia after king Cassander dyed what enuie bare M. Crassus towarde Pompeius it is knowne what hidden hatred hadde Pollio towarde Cicero it is read in Brusonius the third booke the 7. chapter where Pollio saith to Messala that hée might not abide Ciceros voice The like we reade of Aristotle who enuied Isocrates so much that hée was woont to saye it were a shame vnto Aristole to holde his peace and lette Isocrates speake For as thereis no light sayth Plini without shadowe so is there no vertue or glory without enuie The wauering state of the vulgar which ruled alwayes Rome and Athens was so mutable and so vncertaine that after wise and sage Socrates was condemned to die bâ—ing deade the Athenians repented his accusers were banished and Socrates now being deade had his pictures erected which being aliue the rude and vncertaine people estéemed nothing â–ª Euen so was Aristides and Themistocles banished vnto Persea Iphicrates vnto Thracia Conon vnto the prouince of Corporos Chabrias vnto Egypt and Cares vnto Sigeum men of excelent vertues of noble seruice of renowmed fame yet by the enuious people banished their owne countries to raunge abrode the worlde Againe Homer was enuied by Zoilus Pindarus by Amphimanes Simonides by Timocreon yea learned Maro and Horas were most enuied and backe-byted by Maeuius and Suffenus What doe I to speak of enuie why waste I time to write of enuie wherefore séeme I so sounde to touch a speciall matter being so common with all men being so nourished in all countries being knowne from the beginning of the worlde and being first practized by the Diuell who enuying mans state