companie of moiners wer come togither in vaine he fained himself to be freÌ„sie and said that his dreame had neuer deceiued him vntil nowe Wherfore to auoide the present feare shame which he was like to sustain he willingly slue him selfe and lefte Nero gaping in vaine for his pray M. Cato the yonger at the request of Q Hortentius his frende gaue him Marcia his wife but after Hortensius was deade he tooke hir home to him selfe againe Wherefore afterwardes Caesar and he falling at debate Caesar by those wordes accused him to be a couetous person If quoth he he had no néede of hir why did he take hir if he had why did he let hir go but that he was disposed to make marchaundise of hir letting hir go in hir youth that he mighte receiue hir agayne when she was riche At the siege of Prenest a citie in Jtalie it hapned that in a great famine a souldier caught a mouse which he chose rather to sell for two hundreth pence than therewith to assuage his hunger But he was worthily punyshed for his couetousnesse For he whiche boughte the mouse liued whereas the couetous seller dyed of famine Vaspatian the Emperour was so vnreasonable couetous that he caused vessels to be set in the way to receyue the vrine of such as passed by and so selling it to the Dyers gotte thereby great tribute Hereof when Titus his sonne reproued him he sayde nothing vntyll that the rente hereof was brought vnto him then putting the money vnto hys nose asked him howe he lyked the smel therof wherto when he answered that he liked it well why quoth Vaspatian it commeth of pisse Also when this Vaspatian had gotten his empire a cowherd of his who had serued him al his youth now desired him to make him frée but could not obteyne his suite wherfore he exclamed this prouerbiall sentence The Foxe may change his cote but neuer will leaue his crafte Herevpon Seneca in his Prouerbs sayth that the couetous man doth nothing well but when he dyeth Wherefore Marcial in his Epigram of Sceuola who after his wealth became more couetous wryteth thus Si dederint superi decies mihi millia centum c. In Englishe thus If millions many Gods vvould giue of goodly glittering golde Should not then Sceuola be estemde and highly be extolde Oh then hovv vvould I liue quoth he vvhereat the Gods dyd smile And gaue him his request but then his ioyes he gan exile Then ragged govvne as pelting patche our Sceuola could vse VVith patche on patche as loutish lobbe he cobled ofte his shoes His table then he did neglecte and course fare pleasde him beste VVith vvorldly cares he vvas so toste that scarse he toke his reste Then must I lyue he often sayde or else the Gods me take And so vvith vvelth gan cares increase and him more carefull make The sayd Vaspatian demanding what the funerall pompe of a certayne noble man stoode in and being told 300. pouÌ„ds he cryed out giue me so muche and cast me into Tiber. Midas king of Phrigia was so desirous of golde that he made his petition vnto the gods the whatsoeuer he touched might be turned into gold wherin obteyning his request all things which were ordeined for him to eate béeing turned into gold he miserably dyed for hunger Iosephus in hys sixte Booke of the warre of the Iewes sheweth that there were some of the Iewes founde who had deuoured golde Wherefore as many of them as came into the handes of the Assirians had their bellies ripped So that in one night there were 20000. opened in hope to finde golde in their bellies and had all so bene destroyed had not Titus set foorth a sharpe edicte to the contrarie At the destruction of Salomons temple at Ierusalem when the Romanes were ascended on the temple the Iewes setting it on fire destroyed many of theÌ„ amongest whom there was one Agorius who with a loude voyce cryed vnto Lucius his fellow souldier and chamber fellow that if be woulde helpe him out he woulde make him inheritour of hys patrimonie Wherefore Lucius in hope of the promysed rewarde ranne vnto him and taking him on his backe with the weight of him was throwen down and with the falling downe of stones was presently destroyed Oclius the sonne of Artaxerses king of Persia was so vnsaciable couetous that whereas the Persian Princes were accustomed as often as they went to giue to euery womaÌ„ a pece of gold bicause he woulde giue none he neuer came there Yea for couetousnesse of a small thing he banished him selfe his countrey Alexander the great hearing Anaxarchus disputing of infinite worlds began bitterly to wéepe and béeing demaunded the cause thereof he answered haue I not good cause to wéep when as there be many worldes and I haue yet scarse conquered one Of Audacitie and boldnesse A Gesilaus béeing warned of his souldiers not to fight agaynst the Thebanes bicause that their power was greater than his answered them that he which will rule and reigne ouer many muste not be afrayde to fighte with many Fabius Max. telling Scipio who made all expedition to wage warre into Africa that nature teacheth all men first to defende his owne realme before he goe to conquere others and that he shoulde first be sure of peace in Italie before he made warre into Afrike Scipio answered that it was a greater token of courage to make warre than to defende it At Hannibals comming to Capua Perolla Calanius his sonne coulde neither by the coÌ„maundement of his father nor at the instance of Hanniball be induced to come to the banquet where Hanniball was but watching his father as he came froÌ„ supper was going into a garden he folowed him said I can tell you father a deuise which shal not only get me pardon of my offence towards you but also bring me vnto great dignitie fauour amongst the Romans for euer WheÌ„ his father demanded what deuise the was he cast of his goune and shewed his sword which was girt to his side saying now I wil coÌ„firme the Roman leage with Hanibals bloud so his father could hardly kéepe him from running Haniball through Cneâ—us Piso accused Manlius Crispus who although he were giltie in the thing wherof he was accused yet for PoÌ„pei his sake who fauored hiÌ„ he was deliuered Wherfore Piso laid al the fault on PoÌ„pei Wherefore PoÌ„pei asked why he did not accuse him theÌ„ Assure me quod Piso that thou wilt not make ciuil war if thou be provoked therto then I will aske counsell whether thou or Piso shuld lose his head When Alexander Phereus who tooke part with the AtheniaÌ„s against the Thebans promised the Athenians that he woulde bring to passe that they should haue asmuche flesh for a farthing as they were wont to pay a pound for Epaminundas hearing it said but we Thebans wil be more liberal than so for we will giue you
Mandana Astiages his daughter dreamed that she made so muche water that the whole citie was filled and all Asia ouerflowen therewith With whiche dreame Astiages was so terrified that he married his daughter vnto Cambyses a manne of a good witte but of a meane birth But the same yere he him selfe also dreamed that he sawe a vyne grow out of the priuitie of his daughter whose branches ouershadowed al Asia Wherfore he sent for his daughter who was then nere hir trauell setting some to watch the birth that assoone as it was brought foorth it might be slaine Which beeing performed assoone as the childe was borne it was broght vnto the king Who tooke it vnto Harpagus his very friende desiring straitly charging him to carie it home and kil it But when he came home he determined with him self to abstayne his handes from killing the babe wherfore he sent for Methridatis the kings shephearde and charged him in the kings name to take the infant and cast it away on the mountaynes When he had the childe he carried it home and shewed it vnto his wyfe who desired him of all loues not to caste away the childe But if he must néedes cast away one she desired him to caste away hir owne which she brought foorth that present day wherin he accomplished hir request and caste away his owne childe retayning the other in hys stede Who growing in yeares was made king of his playfellowe boyes Wherefore playing Rex amongest them when one Artembaris a riche mannes sonne had disobeyed him he caused him to be apprehended and beate him Whereof his father complayned vnto the king and caused him to be sente for When he came the kyng beholding hym sayde Arte thou the shepheardes sonne which vseth to beate the chéefe mennes sonnes of Media Yea O king quoth he and that not without a cause For the boyes made me king aboue others bicause they thoughte me fitter therefore than the rest were Nowe whereas the reste reuerenced and obeyed me thys one woulde not doo so wherefore according to his desertes I punyshed him At whiche wordes he caused the king to wonder and remembring the time of the childes exposition with the age and comelynesse of the person he feared that it was his nephue Wherefore calling Methridatis vnto him he straitly charged hym to tell the very truthe of the matter who daring doo none other wyse declared the truthe of it Héerevppon the king sente foorthwyth for Harpagus demaunding him what he hadde doone wyth the chylde who declaring all that he hadde doone the king made as though he were nothing offended herewith but shortly after bidding him to a banquet he slue his sonne and caused him vnwares to eate therof asking him after supper how he liked the meat And when he sayde very well he cōmanded his cokes to bring in the head other appurtenances of the childe and sent Cyrus his new-founde nephue vnto his parentes at Persia Who afterwardes by the ayde of Harpagus subdued hys Graundfather verified their Dreames and enioyed the kingdome Herodot li. 1. Laius king of Thebes was tolde by an oracle that it were good for him neuer to haue childe For the childe whom he should conceyue should be an occasion of great murther in their owne house Wherefore as soone as the childe was borne it was drawen out by the héeles and therof was called Oedipus and cast away But a woman chauncing to finde him brought him vp Afterwards it happened that Laius his father and he méeting bicause Laius proudly commaunded him to gyue way he slue him not knowing that it was his father Aboute that time there came to Thebes one Sphinx who kéeping a certaine bridge there put forth a riddle to them that passed by throwing thē into the water that could not reade it But this Oedipus absolued it and had for his reward Iocasta and the kingdome of Thebes ▪ The ridle was thus What Craeture is it that first hath foure féete then two fete and at last thrée féete Which Oedipus interpreted to be a man who at his birth crauleth on all foure afterwardes goeth on his two féete cōming to age leaneth on his staffe and so hath thrée féete Wherfore Sphinx was cast into the riuer and Oedipus vnawares maried Iocasta his own mother Of Felicitie or happinesse CRoesus king of Lidia the richest man that euer was sent for Solon and asked him whether any man were more happie than he Yea quoth Solon that is Telus who had very honest men to his sonnes and he him selfe manly died in defending his countrey Then Craesus asked him agayne whether nexte vnto Telus he were not most fortunate No quoth he Cleober and Brito are more happie both for the singular friendship which is betwéene them and also for the great obedience reuerence which they shewed vnto their mother But Craesus was here with offended and asked whether he had no place amōgst the fortunate No quod Solon we can not yet cal thée blessed but assoone as thou art dead and out of the danger of fortune affection then we shall sée how happie thou shalt be Wherfore Craesus was sorely displesed with him and let him go without doing him any honor But this saying of Solon was shortely after verified And Craesus béeing ouercome and taken captiue of king Cyrus and a fyre made to burne him when he shuld enter into the flame began oftesones to say O Solon Solō ▪ Wherfore Cyrus asked him what he ment by those wordes Then Craesus telling him the sum of the matter Cyrus séeing thereby the varietie of fortune and the alteration of the worlde caused the fire to be quenched and made Craesus one of his chief counsellers Ouid 4. de Ponto Of this felicitie Martiall in a certaine Epigram sayth thus Vitam quae faciunt beatiorem c. In Englishe thus The things vvhich cause mās life methinketh most full of blisse to be Are these vvhē goods frō friends do fal and vve from labour free VVhen fertile field growes fast abroade and minde is voyde of strife And merie Iohn by toasting fire may sitte vvith Ione his vvife VVhen corpse is sound and strōg withal and vvisedome rules the minde And friends in friendships faithfull knot a faythfull heart doth binde VVhen fare is good though not of cost and night vvith pleasure prest Not drousie head but merry minde doth cause a quiet rest To be as heart could vvishe or craue thy state content vvithall Not feare nor vvishe for fatall day But come vvhen come it shall Demetrius was wont to say that he thought nothing more vnfortunate than him who in al his life had no misfortune chauncing him For that suche a one either knoweth not himselfe for lacke of experience or else is contemned and ouer scaped of the Goddes as one good for nothing Sylla who for his felicitie was surnamed Felix among other his happie haps saide that two things chéefely reioyced him The one
parties wryte suche things as they would be lothe to haue accomplised Wherefore what so euer is contrary to the law ought to be accompted as a thing forged and not coÌ„sented vnto by the Prince who oughte to defend and not to infringe his lawes and customes The Lacedaemonians had a lawe that in warring with their ennimies who so fled out of the fielde shoulde be apprehended and put to deathe But it hapned that fighting agaynste the Remaynes at a fielde called Leuctria the greatest part of the Armie tooke their héeles wherefore the Captains being destitute of ayde on the one syde were loth to put so great a multitude of theyr souldiers to death on the other side were as lothe to haue their lawes infringed So that they desired Agesilaus a valiaÌ„t captain a wise ceuÌ„seller to take so me order herein wherevpon going vp into the pulpet he began in thys sorte to insinuate the people My purpose is not at this time eyther to make any newe lawe herein or to adde or diminishe any thing from your olde and commendable decrées or in any sorte to alter or chaunge the same But only thys I counsell and thinke good that the Statute in thys case enacted shall from to morrowe forewardes take date for euer hereafter to be executed And so by thys shift he defended the citie from present danger and prouided a remedie for the dangerous mutation of lawes and all this by abrogating the lawe for one daye Ex Plutarc in Laco Apotheg Augustus made a Lawe for adulterers howe they shoulde be iudged which were accused thereof and howe they shoulde be punished which were founde guiltie therein But afterwardes hearing that a yong man hadde to doe with Iulia his daughter he was so incensed with ire that he fell on hym and beate hym wyth his owne handes Wherefore the yong man cryed out O Caesar thou madest a Lawe herein but dost thy selfe contrarie to it with which words Caesar comming to himselfe and remembring howe he hadde violated his Lawe was so sorie therefore that that daye he woulde eate no meate Ethelstane sometymes king of Englande prescribed a Lawe that euerie man shoulde paye Tythes of hys increase whose wordes are these Ego Ethelstanus c. I Ethelstane King charge and commaunde all my officere through my whole Realme to paye the Tithes of my proper goods as wel in liuing and cattel as in the corne and frute of the grounde and that my Bishoppes likewise of theyr proper goodes and my Aldermen and officers and heade men shall do the same Remembring what Iacob sayd vnto the Lord Of all things that thou hast giuen me I will paye the tenthe and howe terribly God threatneth vs that if we will not paye oure tithe from vs nine partes shall be taken away and the tenth only shal be lest vs. King Alfrede his father deuised and set forthe many godly holsome lawes wherein especially by him was prouided for the extirping and abolishing of al theft and theues out of this realm So that the realme throughe his viligante care was broughte to suche tranquilitie or rather perfection at that euery crosse or turning way he made be set vp a golden brooche at least of siluer gilded through out his realme and none to be so hardie by day or night to take it downe Vitoldus duke of Lituania desirous to differ from his subiectes made a Lawe that all men shoulde be shauen and no man to haue a bearde but he But nature so impugned his vaine deuise the he had no hair growing on his face Wherfore still coueting to haue a knacke by himselfe he shaued his head and his eye-browes forbidding his subiectes to doe the like And he would say that the people should obey the lawe and the lawe be subiecte vnto the Prince The words and workes of a right impious tirante Who when he oughte to giue his subiectes example of obeying the law wold himselfe be vnruely and lawlesse and deny that in life and conuersation which he ratified in words and constitution Of Lasciuious loue lust and lecherie OVid in his booke de arte amandi saith loue is I wotte not what that commeth I wotte not whence who sent it I wotte not it ingendreth I wotte not howe it is contented I wotte not wherwith it is felte I wotte not howe ofte nor I wotte not wherefore And finally it taketh roote without breaking of the fleshe outwarde or pearsing the intrals inwarde Diogines saith that loue is a businesse to set idle persones a woorke alluding to the verse of Ouid in his boke de remedio amoris Laert. lib. 6. Quasi tollas periere Cupidinis arcus Contemptique iacent sine luce faces VVhere idle minde is not in place There Cupids craft hath lost his grace Estrasco a yong Romane that was dumb and Verone a Latin Ladie that was dumbe also sawe eche other at the mount Celioâ—te at a feast and there fell in loue eche with other And theyr heartes were as sore fixed in loue as theyr tungs were tied with woordes The yong Ladie came from Salon to Rome and he went from Rome to Salon by the space of thirtie yeares together without the witting of any persone And at last died the husbande of the Lady Verone and the wife of â—icrasco and theÌ„ they discouered their loue and concluded a mariage of whom discended the noble linage of the Scipions which were more liberall in feates of armes than their father mother were of their tongues Ex M. Aurelio Masinâ—â—â—a king of Numidia and Sapharise a Ladie of Carthage all only by one sighte as they sawe eche other on a ladder he declared his desire vnto hir and she knowing his luste breaking the ore of feare and lifting vp the Ankers of shame incontinently raysed the sayles of their hearts and with the shippes of their persons ioyned eche to other And so the knowledge of their heartes the mariage of their bodies the perditioÌ„ of their estate and the infamie of their name in one day in one houre in one moment and in one steppe of a ladder was agréed Ex M. Aurelio Paris a Troian and Helena a Greke of two straunge Nations and of farre countroys with one onely sighte in the temple their willes were so vnited that he tooke hir as his captiue and she abode his prisoner In Paris appeared but small force and in hir as little resistaunce So that in maner these two yong persons the one in procuring to vanquish the other suffering to be vanquished Paris was cause of his fathers death and Helene of the infamie of hir husbande and they bothe of their owne death losse of men destruction of Troy slaunder to all the worlde Virg. li. 2. Aenidos When Alexander would haue gyuen battayle vnto the Amazones the quéene captayne of them no lesse fayre than strong and vertuous came to a riuers side and the space of an houre
was conteyned the minte and money coyned for that countrey to the value of a great substaunce Whiche when the souldier had founde in breaking vp a house where the first grosse metall was not yet perfitly wroughte he came to the Earle declaring vnto him the treasure to knowe what was his pleasure therein To whome the valiaunt captayne answered that the house was his what so euer he founde therein Afterwardes the souldier finding a whole minte of pure siluer ready coined signifying the same to the Earle thinking so great treasure to be to much for his portion To whome the sayde Earle answered and sayde that he had once giuen him the whole house for his portion and that he hadde once giuen he would not call backe as children vse to play and if the money were thrise as muche it should be his owne Dominus Fox Ex Chro. Albanea Dionisius the elder comming to his sonnes house and séeing there greate store of plate bethe of siluer and golde cryed oute and sayde O my sonne thou haste no princely stomacke which canst kéepe all this plate to thy selfe and make friends with none of it Meaning that without the good will of the citizens he shoulde neuer aspire to be prince and hardely kéepe his kingdome if he had it But the vnskilfull yong man thoughte it better to haue a house well garnished than to haue faythfull friendes abroade in the citie Brus lib. 3. cap. 28. Iohn Patricke béeing sometimes a hardeand a sparing man as he was at his prayers on a time there appeared vnto him a comely virgin hauing on hir head a garlande of Oliue leaues which named hir selfe Mercie saying to him and promising that if he would take hir to wyfe he shoulde prosper maruellously well Wherefore after that day he became so bountifull and beneficiall to the poore and néedie that he counted them as his Masters and hym selfe as a seruaunt and stewards vnto them He vsed twyce a weeke to sitte at hys doore all the day long to take vppe matters and to sette vnitie where there was any variaunce One day it happened as he was sitting all day before hys gate and sawe no man come vnto him he lamented bicause that that day he had done no good But his Deacon standing by sayde that he had more cause to reioyce seting that he had brought the citie to suche perfection that there néeded no reconcylement amongest them An other tyme as he was reading the Gospell the people as their manner is wente foorthe to talke and iangle he perceyuing that wente foorthe aâ—â—e and saâ—e amongst them and sayd where the flock is there ought the shepheard to be Wherfore either come you in that I also may come in with you or else if ye tarie out I wil likewise tarie with you Dominus Fox ex Polly chro li. 5. cap. 10. Osevvie sometimes king of Deira in Englande was a prince of wonderous liberalitie towardes his people and no lesse deuoute and religious towardes god Who on a tyme had giuen to Adianus a Scottishe Bishop a princely horse with trappers and all that perteyned thereto This Adianus as he was riding vpon his kingly horse there méeteth him a begger crauing his almes Adianus hauing nothing else to giue hym lighted downe and giueth to him his horse trapped and garnished as he was The king vnderstanding this and not contented therewith as he was entring at diner with the sayde Adianus what mente you father byshop sayde he to giue away my horse I gaue you vnto the begger had not I other horses in my stable that might haue serued him but you muste giue away that which of purpose was picked out for you To whome the Byshopp aunswered and sayde what be these wordes O king that you speake Why sette you more price by a horse which is but the foale of a horse than you did by him which is the sonne of Marie yea the sonne of God He sayd but this and the king fell downe at the Bishops féete destring him to forgiue him that and he woulde neuer after speake any worde for giuing away any treasure of his Dominus Fox Pa. 164. Ex Hunting de hist Angli Of Mariage wyues and vvomen WHen the realme of Carthage was flourishing in riches and happy in armes they ruled the common wealth by wise Philosophers and sustayned it by discrete armies on the sea At which tyme Arminius the Philosopher was aswell estéemed amongest them as Demosthenes amongest the Gréekes or Cicero amongest the Latines Fourescore yeres he liued quietly as a baron moste peacible of minde And was as strange to women as familiar with his bookes Then the Senate séeing he was much broken with the common wealth withdrawen from al naturall recreation they desired him with gret instance to be maried that mentorie mighte be had of so wise a man in time to come But she more importunate they were the more he resisted and sayde I will not be marryed For if she be foule I shall abhorre hir If shee be riche I muste suffer hir if she be poore I muste mayntayne hir if she be faire I muste take heede of hir if she be a shrewe I canne not suffer hir And the least pestilence of all these is inough to slea a thousande menue Ex Marco Aurelio When one asked Socrates whether it were better to marrie or to liue single He answered whether of bothe thou doest it shall repente thée For if thou marrie not thou shalte liue solitarily thou shalte dye withoute issue and a straunge â–ª shall inherite thy lande on the other side if thou take a wise thou shalte haue perpetual vexation and continuall complayning Hir dourie shall be caste in thy dishe hir kinsefolkes shall bend the browes at thée and hir mother shall speake hir pleasure by thée And besides this little knoweth the father what shall be the ende of his children Brus li. 7. ca. 22. Laer. li. 2. ca. 5. When Cneius Pompeius passed the Orient on the mountaynes Rifees he founde a manner of people called Masagetes whiche hadde a lawe that euery inhabitaunte shoulde haue two tunnes or fattes bicause they had no houses to dwell in In one of them was conteyned the husbande their sonnes and their menne seruauntes and in the other the wyfe the daughters and their mayd seruaunts On the holidayes they did eate togither and once a wéeke lay togither Hereat when Pompei wondred demaunded the cause therof they answered because the Gods haue giuen vs but a shorte life for none of vs may lius aboue lx yeres at the moste those yeares we indeuour to liue in peace and tranquilitie And in hauing our wyues still with vs wée shoulde liue euer dying For wée shoulde passe the nyghtes in hearing their complayntes and the day in abyding their chidinges and braulâ—â—ges but in kéeping them this wyse a parse from vs they nourishe their children more peaceable and eschews the noyse which slayeth their fathers Ex Marco
brought before the Emperoure he iudged it more honest the place to serue to the woorshippe of God howe so euer it were than to the durtie slubbring of cookes and scullians Ex domino Fox King Alfrede alias Alurede Anno 899 king of Englande in his youthe perceyuing him selfe somewhat disposed to the vice of the fleshe and therby letted from diuers vertuous and good purposes did not as many yong Princes and Kings sonnes in the worlde be nowe wonte to doe that is to resolue them selues so all kinde of carnall licence and sensualitie running and folowing without bridle whether so euer theyr licence giuen doth giue them leaue as therefore not without cause the cōmon prouerbe doth reporte of them that kings sonnes learn nothing else well but only to ride Meaning thereby that Princes and Kings sonnes hauing aboute them flatterers which boast them in theyr faultes only theyr horsses giue them no more than to any other but if they fit not fast they will cast them But this yong king seeing in him selfe the inclination of the fleshe minding not to giue him selfe so muche as he might take but rather by resistance to auoid the temptation therof besought God that he would send to him some continuall sicknesse in quenching of that vice whereby he mighte be more profitable to the businesse of the common wealth and more apte to serue God in his calling Then at Gods ordinaunce he had the euill called Bicus till he came to the age of twentie yeres After this sicknesse being cured he fel to another which continued with him from twentie yeares of his age to 45. according to his owne petition and request made vnto God whereby he was more reclaimed and attempred from other more greate inconueniences and lesse disposed from that which he did most abhorre Also he deuided his goods into two equall partes the one appertaining to vses seculare the other to vses spirituall or ecclesiastical Of the which two principall partes the firste he deuided into thrée portions the first to the behoose of his house and familie the secōd vpon his workemenne and builders of his newe woorkes whereof he had right great delighte and cunning the thirde vppon straungers Likewise the other seconde halfe vppon spirituall vses he did thus deuide in foure portions one to the reléeuing of the poore an other to monasteries the third to the schollers of Oxford for maintināce of good letters the fourth he sent to forren churches wythoute the realme Also so sparing he was of time that he deuided the day and the night into three partes if he were not lette by warres and other great businesse the viij houres he spent in study and learning other viij houres he spent in prayer and almes déedes and other viij houres he spent his naturall rest sustinance of his body and the néedes of the realme The which order he kept duely by the burning of waxen tapers kept in his closette by certaine persones for the same purpose Nowe besides these other qualities and gifts of Gods grace in him aboue mētioned remaineth another part of his no little praise cōmendation which is his learning and knowledge of good letters whereof not only he was excellent expert himself but also a worthy maintainer of the same throughout all his dominions He translated into English Orossius pastorale Gregorij the historie of Bede Boetius de consolatione Philosophie also a Booke of his owne making in his owne tong which in the Englishe spéeche is called a handbooke in Gréeke called Inchiridion in Latin a manuell Suffring no man to aspire vnto any dignity in the court onlesse he were learned Do. Fox Next vnto this vertuous and learned prince Alfrede of all others that I could reade Maximi ian moste resembled hym in godly learning and in learned godlinesse Who was so excellente expert in the toungues but specially in the Latine stile that imitating the example of Julius Caesar he did wryte and comprehend in Latin histories his own acts and feates of chiualrie and that in suche sorte that when he had giuen a certaine taste therof to one Pycharmerus a learned man asking his iudgement how his warrelike stile in Latin did like him the said Pycharmerus did affirme and report of him to Iohn Charum the witnesse wryter of this historie that he did neuer sée nor read in any 〈◊〉 story a thing so exactly done as this was of Maximilian Moreouer as he was himselfe right learned so was he a singuler patrone and aduauncer of learning and learned men And for the maintenaunce thereof erected the excellent vniuersitie of Wittenberge Dominus Fox ex Iohanne Carione Of Pleasure KIng Lysimachus by chaunce of warre taken captiue of the Scithians in hys captiuity was so sore oppressed with thirst that he was glad for a draught of drinke to sell his kingdome But afterwardes remembring for howe shorte a pleasure he hadde solde a thing most precious he cried out and wept saying Alasse howe madde was I to sell a noble empire for the satisfying of my affection and gréedie belly The same day that Socrate shoulde drincke his deadly drench when his shakles were taken off his feete he felt himselfe maruellous light and pleasant and sayde behold how wonderously nature hath ordeyned that sorowe and pleasure goe alwayes togither and that there is neuer any perfite pleasure where there hath not bene paine and sorowe before Ex Laertio lib. 2. As Homer like a learned Poete dothe faine that Circes by pleasant enchauntments did turne men into beastes some into Swine some into Asses some into Foxes some into Wolues euen so Plato like a wise Philosopher dothe plainly declare that pleasure by licentious vanitie that swéete and pleasant poyson doth ingender in all those that yéelde them selues vnto hir foure notorious properties The first forgetfulnesse of all good things learned before The seconde dulnesse to receiue either learning or honesty afterwards The third a minde imbracing lightly the worst opinion and barren of discretion to make true difference betwixt good bad betwixt trouth and vanity The fourth a proud disdainfulnesse of other good men in all honest maters Plato and Home haue both one meaning For if a man inglut himself with vanitie or walter in filthinesse like a swine then quickly he shal become a dul asse to vnderstād either learning or honestie yet he shal be as subtil as a foxe in bréeding of mischeefe in bringing misorder with a busie hed a discoursing tōg and a factious heart alwayes glad to cōmend the worser partie euer ready so defend the falser opinion And why for where the will is giuē from goodnesse to vanitie there the minde is caryed from right iudgement to any fonde opinion in religion in Philosophie or any kinde of learning The fourth frute of vain pleasure by Homer and Platoes iudgement is pride of them selues and contempt of all others which is the very badge of all those that serue in Circes