Montaign is very necessary not only as half-witted men use to report how many yards the Church of Sancta Rotonda is in length or breadth or what rich Garments costly Stockings or Garters such a great Lady weareth or as some do nicely to dispute how much longer or broader the face of Nero is which they have seen in some old ruines of Italy than that which is made for him in other old Monuments elsewhere But they should principally observe and be able to make a certain relation of the Humours and Fashions of those Countries they have seen that they may the better know how to correct their own Wits by those of others Certainly nothing can be more pleasant or profitable than to behold variety of new Objects and to propose to ones self the diversity of so many other mens Lives Humours and Customs As it is more pleasant to Travel up and down ones own Country than always to remain in ones own Parish so is the pleasure no less heightned in Travelling into other Countries for which purpose he that can shelter himself under the protection of an Embassador as one of his Retinue will Travel the safest cheapest and have more respect shew'd him upon all occasions Concerning this subject see those two admirable discourses in the Lord Bacon's Essays and Mr. Osborn's Advice to his Son 3 Rhetorick is nothing else but an Artificial help call'd by some the Mystery of Flattery by others downright Lying whereby they endeavour what they cannot gain by Truth to effect by the flourishing varnishes of fine Languagâ—â— in so much that Pliny reports of Carneades that whilst he discours'd it was hard to discern what was true and what not Whether Rhetorick be an Art or no remains to this day a dispute amongst the Learned Socrates in Plato demonstrates it to be neither an Art nor a Science but a certain kind of Subtlety neither noble nor honest but low illiberal and servile Flattery which made the Lacedemonians altogether refuse it believing that the speech of good men ought to proceed from sincerity of Heart and not from the hypocrisie of studied Artifice The first who ever taught or wrote of Rhetorick were Thisias Coraces and Gorgias however there were many others among the Ancients who through the strength of their natural parts became very famous for Eloquence whereof the chief were these Antiphon Isocrates Demosthenes Aeschines Lysias Demades Cicero Marcus Seneca Petronius Arbiter Hermogenes Quintilianus Lucianus Aelianus Aristides Symmachus c. The force of Eloquence may be proved by sundry Examples whereof this one may suffice concerning Hegesias the Cyrenian who representing the miseries of this Life made so deep an impression upon the hearts of his Auditors that many of them cast away their own Lives voluntarily in so much that King Ptolomy aâ— Valerius informs us forbad him to dispute any longer upon that subject We read that Thucydides being ask'd by Archidamus King of Sparta whether he or Pericles was the best Wrestler made answer Your question Sir is very hard to be decided for if in wrestling with him I give him a fall with his fair words he perswadeth those that saw him on the ground that he never fell and so getteth the Victory Ariston doth wisely define Rhetorick to be a Science to perswade the common people wherefore if we observe it succeeds so much no where as in Commonwealths and those Governments wherein the ignorant vulgar people have had the greatest Power like that of Athens Rhodes and Rome in which places few arrived to any Grandeur without Eloquence Pompey Caesar Crassus Lucullâ—s Lentulus Metellus have taken their Rise from hence However it was found by experience that these Orators were very pernicious to the Government in so much that that most wise Roman Marcus Caâ—â— prohibited those three Athenian Orators Carneades Critholaus and Diogenes to be admitted to publick Audience in the City being men endued with such acuteness of wit and eloquence of speech that they could with great ease make evil good and good evil For this reason Cicero was at Rome call'd King because he ruled and guided the Senate which way he pleas'd by his Orations For my own part I confess my self to be a great enemy to all long formal Speeches which seldom have wit or fancy sufficient to make amends for the tediousness of the Discourse For Brevity is always good be it or be it not understood Hudib We read in Dion Cassius of an Orator who was allow'd two hours to plead in behalf of a Prisoner his Clyent whereof the first hour he spent in lamenting his want of time to plead in such a Cause the second hour he spent in his Exordium ad captandam benevolentiam and so the time being expired before he came to the merits of the Cause the Council was suffer'd to speak no longer and his Clyent fairly hang'd Most of these Orators do so much study words that they little at all regard either sence or matter Nor can any thing be more insipid and impertinent than such a Sir Formal Trifle who is at best but the stately figure of a Fool The most eloquent of these Discourses are like our Syllabubs little else but froth Whenever I hear any Author of a Book or Orator spend much time in complaining of his own weakness I always take him at his word and so listen no more to what he says Rhetorick presents all things by a false light when like the magnifying Glass it makes small things appear great When I hear a Physician thunder out his Terms of Art I always suppose him an ignorant Quack however it gives them a Reputation with Women which made Pliny observe that Physicians get their Living by Rhetorick Montaign says That Rhetorick is little better than a Chamber-maids Tittle-tattle when like fine Cloaths upon a Monkey Orators do generally endeavour to repair the deformity of a bad Cause with multiplicity of words This Art of Rhetorick saith Diodorus was first invented by Mercury however Aristotle declares that Empedocles was the first Author of it 4 Aegis See my Notes upon the foregoing Chapter 5 Tyana call'd heretofore Thoanau a City of Cappadocia lying almost in the middle between Caesarea and Tarsus This place is chiefly famous for the Birth of Apollonius from whence he is call'd Tyaneius Ostendit adhuc Tyaneius illic Incola de Medio vicinâ—s corpore Truncos Ovid Metam 8. 6 Cappadocia so call'd from the River Cappadox is a spacious Countrey in Asia the Less otherwise named Leucâ—syria Amasia or Genech and anciently Moga This Countrey is exposed to the Euxine-Sea between Galatia and Armenia also to the Confines of Cilicia being separated by the Mountain Taurus wherein the most eminent Cities were Trapezus Comana Pontica Comana Cappadociae and since Amasea Caesarea Tyana and Sebaste or Satala This Countrey was ever esteem'd famous for its Breed of Horses Terra ejus ante alias Nutrix Equorum as both Solinus and Isidore
hoarded it up that so it might be sold adulterate out of the Country Whereupon a great number of people of both Sexes and of all Ages flock'd to the Governour and carrying Fire along with them threatned to burn him alive notwithstanding he were fled to the Emperor 10 Tiberius's Statues which were a more reverend and a safer Sanctuary than those of Jupiter himself in 11 Olympia in so much that one was thought to be impious because he beat his own Servant who had about him a Silver drachm signed with the Image of Tiberius Wherefore Apollonius coming to the Governour made signs to him to know what was the matter The Governour answer'd he had done nothing unjustly but was unjustly wronged together with his people and that unless he had reason done him both he and his people should be destroyed Vpon this Apollonius turning himself to those that stood about him and admonishing them by his Becks to hear what their Ruler could say for himself they not only kept silence but also deposited the Fire upon the Altars that were there Then the Governour taking courage said It is this and that man naming several of the Citizens who are the Authors of this Famine by hoarding up the Corn some in one place and some in another The Aspendians hearing this and encouraging one another to fall upon their Farms Apollonius prevail'd with them by signs not to do that but rather to summon those who were accused and receive Corn from them of their own accord Wherefore they being come to him he had much ado to forbear relating his resolution of Silence by perswading them with an Oration to do what he would have them For he was exceedingly moved with the Tears of Women Children and Old men who bewailing their misery complain'd that they should speedily perish with hunger Nevertheless Apollonius holding firm to his resolution of Silence dictated in a Writing-Table this Reproof which he deliver'd to the Governour to be read Apollonius to the Aspendian Corn-Merchants sendeth Greeting The Earth is the Mother of all for she is just but ye being unjust have made her to be your Mother only So that unless you desist I will not any longer suffer you to continue upon her Being affrighted at these things they replenish'd the whole Market with Corn whereby all people were relieved Illustrations on Chap. 11. 1 NOtwithstanding Monsieur Morellus in his Latine Translation of Philostratus places this Letter of Apollonius to the Corn-Merchants in the succeeding Chapter yet finding it related more particularly to the subject of this 11 th Chapter I thought it most proper to insert it here and since upon the perusal of Monsieur Viginere's French Translation of the same I â—â—nd he hath done the like 2 He began to practice Silence this Doctrine of Silence he learnt from the Principles of Pythagoras who enjoyn'd it with so much rigour to his disciples as an Art whereby to procure himself the more respectful attention or rather as Clemens Alex says that withdrawing themselves from things sensual they might the more clearly and innocently contemplate upon God Strom. lib. 5. of all Creatures they had the greatest respect for Fish by reason of their silence says Athenaeus 20. That Pythagoras received this Principle from the Egyptians see Caelius Rhodig Lect. Ant. lib. 15. ch 23. The Government of the Tongue saith Iamblicus is of all most difficult lib. 1. ch 31. wherefore Apuleius writes That the first founder of Philosophy first taught his disciples to hold their peace and his first meditation in order to the procuring wisdom was to bridle the Tongue and keep our words within the wall of our Teeth c. Apul. Florid 15. Quintilian Declam 19. says he thinks there is no Virtue more difficult than that of Silence Laertius tells us that the Pythagorean Novices kept silence five years only hearing Pythagoras's discourses but not seeing him till they were fully approved of and then they became of his Family which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Systeme Laert. lib. 8. also Servius on Virgil Aen. 10. However Aulus Gellius lib. 1. ch 9. writes that this five years silence was not required of all but of some more of some less yet that none were enjoyn'd less than two years silence as none more than five The like Apuleius in his Florid tells us that some were silent for a lesser space especially such as were more Grave but those who were more Talkative were enjoyned a quinquennial silence The Pythagoreans for this their silence continued in great honour even to Isocrates's time who in his Busiris says That men more admired the Pythagoreans who held their peace than others who had obtain'd the greatest glory by speaking Furthermore Pythagoras enjoyn'd his disciples some kind of perpetual silence for he taught 1. That we ought to be silent or to speak things better than silence and 2. To comprehend many things in few words and not few things in many words whence Zeno blamed such who instead of being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lovers of Learning were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lovers of Words 3. and lastly Pythagoras forbad his Scholars declaring his mysteries to others Theoph. Gale Court of the Gent. lib. 2. ch 6. This Pythagorean silence answers that of Iob ch 6.24 Teach me and I will hold my Tongue Pythagoras held this to be the first rudiment of Wisdom meditari condiscere loquituri dediscere as Pancirollus hath it Tit. 10. de Horolog Cardan speaking of Pythagoras's silence wonders at the occasion of it nisi dixit ut intelligeremus nihil esse nocentius lingua unless saith he we should thereby understand that nothing is more mischievous than the Tongue Tom. 2. l. 2. ch 8. de Mut. Nulli tacuisse nocet nocet esse locutum How many men for one word speaking have incurr'd banishment imprisonment poverty disgrace the ruine of themselves and their Families the anger of their Prince the imputation of foolish wicked impudent or dishonest and sometimes the loss of their very Lives Nay Princes themselves as the Lord Bacon well observes have sometimes given Fire to Sedition by witty and sharp speeches which have fallen from them Caesar did infinitely prejudice himself by that speech Scylla nescivit literas non potuit dictare for it did utterly cut off that hope which men had entertain'd that he would at one time or other give over his Dictatorship Galba undid himself by that speech Legi à se militem non emi which put the Souldiers out of hopes of the Donative Probus likewise by that speech Si vixere non opus erit amplius Romano imperio militibus gave great despair to the Souldiers And many more of the like I could instance in so much that I may safely say of all those that are killed for private Quarrels excepting such as dye in the Wars there is hardly one in four that suffers for any other cause but words inconsiderately spoken Simonides used to say that
floribus Orat. 73. Seneca in Medea Sylvas trahit Ovid Eleg. 1. lib. 4. Trist. cum traheret sylvas Orpheus and Horace insecuâ—ae Orphea sylvae 3. Of his taming wild Beasts Euripides ibid. amongst the things that Orpheus subdued enumerates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 feras sylvestres Dio Chrysost. Orat. 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 feras mansuefecit Saeva feris Natura redit metuensque Leonem Implorat Citharae vacca tacentis opem Claud. 4. Of his attracting Stones speaks Seneca in Medea saying Qui saxa cantu mulcet also Ovid in his Arte Amandi lib. 3. Saxa ferasque Lyrâ movit Rhodopeius Orpheus and lib. 3. Amor. Duraque percussam saxa secuta Lyram 5. Of his moving Rocks and Mountains Orpheus himself speaks in Argon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cassius Parmensis Convulsosque suis scopulos radicibus egit And Sidonius Apoll. in Panegyr Anthemii Aug. writes Qui cantu flexit scopulos 6. Of his charming the Infernal Furies in Hell Virgil Georg. 4. Quin ipsae stupuere domus atque intimâ— Lethi Tartara caeruleosque implexae crinibus angues Eumenides tenuitque inhianâ— tria Cerberus ora Also Silius Italicus Pallida regna Bistonius vates flammisque Acheronto sonantem Placavit plectro fixit revolubile saxum Again 7. Of his altering the motion of the Stars Sil. Ital. writes Tunc silvas saxa trahens nunc sidera ducit And 8. Of his stopping the current of Rivers Ars quae praebuerat fluminibus moras Seneca Lastly Of his charming the Gods Auditus superis Auditus manibus Orpheus Sil. Ital. lib. 11. This Orpheus was an excellent Philosopher as well as Musician being the first that recommended a solitary Life and abstinence from Flesh wherefore Plato calls a solitary harmless life entertain'd by Herbs and Roots 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was the first that introduced the Bacchinalia into Greece call'd by some for that cause Sacra Orphica Horace in his Arte Poetica tells us that Sylvestres homines sacer interpresque Deorum Caedibus victu foedo deterruit Orpheus Dictus ab hoc lenire Tigres rabidosque Leones Dictus c. He was the first that in Thracia caused men to live under Laws and Government reducing them from their rude and barbarous Life to a more gentle and civilized Some say that he prophecied of the Worlds continuance and that Aetate in sexta cessabit Machina Mundi 6 Datis drawing Naxos and Artaphernes besieging Eretria Darius Hystaspes in his Expedition against Greece having taken away Mardonius's Commission by reason of his unprosperous Voyage near the Mountain Athos bestow'd the same upon this Datis a Mede and Artaphernes his Brothers Son creating them two Admirals in chief as well as Generals at Land To these Darius gave in charge to lay waste Athens with Eretria and bring the Inhabitants thereof Prisoners into his presence In their passage they burnt Naxos took some Forces and Hostages out of those Islands and then Landed their Horse upon the Coasts of Eretria Herodot lib. 6. Naxos was one of the Cycladian Islands in the Aegean Sea heretofore call'd sometimes Strongyle and sometimes Dia its name of Naxos it takes from one of their Captains of the same name but at this day it 's called Nicsia and is seven miles distant from Dâ—los This Island is famous for the delicate white Marble it produces Pliny very highly magnifies the fertility of this place either in respect of its Wine or Women for besides the great plenty of Vines it bears there is also a Fountain that is said to run nothing but Wine and their Women go but eight months with Child 'T was in this Isle of Naxos the Poets feign that Ariadne being left by Theseus was married to Bacchus where after having receiv'd her Crown she was translated up amongst the Stars Bacchatamque jugis Naxum viridemque Donysam Virg. Aen. 3 7 Victories of King Xerxes this Xerxes was the Son of Darius Hystaspes of whom we have spoke before His first Victory was over the Egyptians his Army was so numerous that it drank up whole Rivers one day as Xerxes was upon the Bridge which he had erected over the Hellespont looking back upon his vast Army he fell a weeping and being ask'd the cause why he did so his answer was That it was upon the consideration of Man's mortality to think that of so many hundred thousand Valiant men not one of them would be left alive once in an hundred years Xerxes with weeping eyes survey'd his numerous Host Thinking by deaths surprize how soon they would be lost Concerning this King Xerxes I have written at large in my foregoing Chapter 8 Thermopylae a Mountain in Greece where Leonidas King of Sparta only with 400 men defeated 100000 of the Persians 't is call'd at this day Scelos 9 Mount Athos a Mountain lying between Macedony and Thrace the shadow whereof reacheth unto the Isle of Lemnos This Mountain lies upon the Aegean Sea through which Xerxes cut a Channel for his Fleet to sail through Cum Medi pepererâ— novum mare cumque Iuventus Per medium classi barbara a novit Atho Catull. This Mountain was once famous for the great number of Hares bred in it which makes the Poet say Quot Lepores in Atho quot Apes pascuntur in Hyblâ Ovid. 2. Art Amand. CHAP. XIX Apollonius being enter'd into Babylon would not worship the Kings Golden Image His words to the Kings Officers and how he was brought before the King as also concerning the Kings dream WHen therefore Apollonius had made his entrance into Babylon the Officer that guarded the great Gates having heard that he was come only to see the City presented to him the 1 Kings Golden Image which if any one refused to worship he might not be admitted entrance only those that came Embassadors from the Roman Emperors were exempted from this Ceremony But with that Barbarian if any one came only to view the Country it was an affront for him not to worship the Image so foolish Customs have great Officers set over them among the Barbarians Apollonius therefore beholding the Image asked who it was and when they told him it was the King Apollonius reply'd This man whom ye worship in this manner if I commend him as appearing to be a good and virtuous person it shall be a great honour to him And having thus spoken passed thorow the Gates but the Officer admiring at the man followed him and taking him by the hand asked him by an Interpreter what was his Name his Family his Employment and the cause of his coming into those parts Then setting down Apollonius's Answer in a Writing-Table together with his habit and feature he bad him stay when running to the men that are called the Kings Ears he describeth Apollonius to them telling them that he would not worship the Kings Image and was unlike to other men Whereupon they commanded the Officer to bring him
there was no sign of Rain came into the Stadium with a furr'd Garment and presently after there succeeded a vehement Shower Likewise foretelling that a certain House would fall to the ground he was in the right for it fell Also predicting that the day would be turn'd to night and that 4 Stones should fall down from Heaven about the River 5 Aegos he told true And yet they who have ascribed these things to the Wisdom of Anaxagoras will not allow Apollonius to foresee things by Wisdom but say that he did such things by Magick Art Wherefore thinking it convenient to remove so great ignorance out of the minds of many and to search diligently of this Man both the times when he said or did any of these things as also the kind of Wisdom by which he acquired to himself the reputation of so divine a Person Now whatever I here propose to write concerning him is collected partly from those Cities which entertain'd him partly from the Writings of those Priests with whom he had convers'd or rather from those Temples whose Rites he had restored and partly from those things which others have reported of him He wrote also Epistles to Kings Sophisters and Philosophers at 6 Elea 7 Delphos 8 Aegypt and India concerning their Gods Customs Manners and Laws among whom he reform'd whatsoever was done But the most certain I have thus collected Illustrations on Chap. 2. 1 SElf-love is so predominant in mankind that no person how good or how just soever can be exempt from partiality to himself and his profession 'T is that which renders Mahumetanism so odious to Christians and Christianity so contemptible to the Turks as also Popery to the Protestants and the Protestant Religion to the Papists This made Hierocles the Heathen so much extol Apollonius above Christ and Eusebius the Christian so highly prefer Christ before Apollonius Apollonius is by many accused of Magick and so was Christ himself by Celsus and others Therefore whether one both or neither did justly merit such accusation ought to be impartially examined without any regard either to Interest or Religion since whatever person tryes matter of fact by his own Catechise gives the same reason to his enemies Negative as to his own Affirmative and so leaves the contest in statu quo prius Therefore he who would indifferently judge between both must consider three things 1. Their Doctrine 2. Their Miracles And 3. Their Evidence After which if you find them equal in all three points then how to prove that one acted by a diviner spirit than the other is a work too difficult for any but he that can remove Mountains which grain of Mustard-seed I pretend not to Nor do I need it for that I am satisfi'd in Christ's preheminence Most men are apt to flatter their own Party calling that Religion in themselves which in others they term Irreligion or Superstition how often have I heard a pretended Zealot call the same passion Love in himself and Lust in another the same noise chiding in himself and scolding in others Concerning this Partiality we have frequent Examples in ancient History as well sacred as prophane For instance how mightily can Tertullian inveigh against the Heathens for persecuting a few Christians but never exclaim against Vespasian for murthering so many hundred thousand of the Iews and why because whoever is our enemy we also make him to be God's enemy that we may have the better pretence to kill him Again Tertullian in his Apology denies the Divinity of the heathen Gods because says he had they had the power of making themselves they would never have been born men and subjected themselves to mortality when they might have enjoy'd so much a more excellent condition which Argument is not only partial but dangerous when the wicked Heathens urge the same Objection even against Christ himself saying How then was he a God who subjected himself to far more miseries both in life and death than ever any of the heathen Gods underwent which according to his Rule he must never have done had he been a God Tertull Apol. chap. 11. Furthermore Tertullian in the same Chapter speaking of the heathen Deities says He knows not what need God has to communicate himself to men that 't were an injury to the Divinity to require the assistance of any person living much lâ—ss that he should imploy to so excellent an end the ministry of dead men c. which Argument the wicked Pagans are too apt to retort So that nothing can be of a more pernicious consequence than such an over-active and partial zeal which snatching up all weapons to defend its Cause most commonly lights upon one with a double edge If you believe the Monks such as Suidas and others Lucian was torn in pieces by Dogs which scandal they rais'd upon him for being an enemy to their Religion notwithstanding other Historians tell us he died in much honour being Procurator of Egypt They will also tell you that Iudas was blear-ey'd hump-shoulder'd and crook-legg'd because he betray'd Christ Again that the Iews notwithstanding their mixture with other Nations renders it impossible have a particular ill savour because of their aversion to Christianity not distinguishing whether a Iew converted or a Child begot between a Iew and a Christian shall retain its ill scent if such an one there be Thus like some of the primitive Christians with their piae fraudes many do still propagate their Religion and Interest with lyes Dare we not say a Thief is handsom if he really be so or that a Woman hath a good Breath because she is dishonest or that a Lawyer pleads well because he is for my Adversary Many are so zealous to help their Prophet into the Saddle that they endanger tumbling him over and breaking his Neck Will you says Iob talk deceitfully in God's Cause and tell a lye for his sake No we mistake 't is not for God's sake but for their own I have heard the Heathens object it as a stumbling-block that David who murther'd his Friend Vriah and then lay with his Wife should be accounted a man after God's own heart whereas say they if one of us had done so we should have been counted worthy of death here and damnation hereafter And when I told them of David's Repentance they reply'd that so much was usual in all Malefactors at the hour of condemnation But to conclude this Discourse we must have great care lest like Esop's Ape when we too much commend our selves we procure that laughter at our selves which would otherwise never have happen'd For 't is a great mistake to think that our own Opinions or the custom of our own Countrey is always infallibly the best and it betrays a narrowness of fancy in us when our Party infects our understanding 2 Of Socrates â—s Genius I have spoken more at large in another place See the Index 3 Anaxagoras the Philosopher Son of Hegesibulus was born in
to Gods and from Gods to Men c. Plato's Symbolum Also Apâ—leius in his De Deo Socratis And St. Aug. Civit. Dei lib. 8. ch 24. 5 By Iupiter The manner of Swearing in old time was thus He that should swear took a Stone in his hand and said If I wilfully deceive you may Iupiter banish me out of all good mens company as I now caâ—t away this Stone from me Polyd. Virg. lib. 4 8. Pliny writes that it was not lawful for any man to bear an Office five days unless he were sworn as amongst us at this day such Officers are obliged to take such and such Oaths before they are admitted into any Office of Trust in the Government The Emperor Iustinian first appointed that men should swear by the Gospel and now adays all that swear lay their hand on the Book and kiss it saying So help me God and the holy Gospel because as the Gospel of our Religion and Faith may for no cause be violated so neither ought an Oath to be broken However considering the dull apprehensions of the Vulgar I could wish that some more execrable form of words were inserted in our Oaths which might I am perswaded more terrifie the unthinking Crowd than the phrase we now use I have my self known a silly old Woman that having taken her Oath in one of the Courts of Westminster and being afterwards asked by the Judges whether she was sworn told them no ignorantly believing that those words You shall swear the Truth and nothing but the Truth were only preparatory and in order to some horrid Execration which she was afterwards to take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Oath the Son of Eris and yet the end of all contention was of two sorts viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the greater and the less The greater Oath was either of Men by the Gods or the Gods themselves by the Stygian Lake Hesiod Epist. ad Heb. 6.16 Wherefore some fetch the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Oath from Orcus Hell This Oath was then invented by Iupiter and prescribed by him to the rest of the Gods when he had the assistance of Styx and his Sons against the Tytans or when he drank of the Water to quench his thirst in the Fight Servilius says out of Orpheus that if any God had sworn false or broken his Oath when he swore by Styx he was to be punished for it in Hell nine thousand years Which Order even Iupiter himself submitted to and therefore took the more care how he sware as Minutius says Destinatam enim sibi cum suis cultoribus poenam praescius perhorrescit Also sometimes it was their custom to add an imprecation of some evil wherewith he knew them able to punish him if he swore false as Telemachus doth in Homer saying By Iove and the sorrows of my Father Iupiter was the proper Custos Iuramentorum however they swore by many of the other Gods as also by their own men lately dead as we see Demosthenes swore by those that valiantly died in the Battel of Marathon Some swore by the Name of Hephaestion and C. Caligula esteem'd Drusilla to be the most sacred Name he could swear by Sueton. in Calig ch 24. The Lacedemonians used to swear by their own two Gods Castor and Pollux and some by the whole Jury of Gods But in the Marker-place in buying or selling they commonly swore by Mercury When they took any great Oath in publick they used to lift up their hands as Apollo in the Poet bids Lachesis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Ceremony Menelaus in Euripides demanded of Helena Helen v. 834 Also at the time of their Swearing they sacrificed either a Boar â— Ram or a Goat and sometimes one of each Aristoph in Lysist The Romans at the confirmation of any League or Truce used to sacrifice Pigs because Iupiter was nursed by a Sow Now the Flesh that was used to be eaten at other Sacrifices was not at this unless it were by the Worms or the Fish for either they buried it in the ground or else threw it into the Sea as Talthybius did the Sow which was sacrificed at Agamemnon's Oath Aristoph in Lysist and Eustat in Hom. Il. Radamanthus the justest man that ever lived had expresly forbid them to swear by the Gods but instead thereof allowed them the use of a Dog a Goose a Ram or such like Creatures Sometimes they swore by the Ground as Hippolytus does in Euripides vers 1025. Sometimes by their Head as he does in Virgil Per Caput hoc Iuro per quod Pater ante solebat Ecc. lib. 2. which was the reason says Athenaeus why they esteem'd the Head holy and sacred Now as well amongst the ancient Heathens as Christians he that made conscience of swearing right was esteem'd Religious whereas on the contrary they express'd a wicked man by the Name of perjurious Both Minutius and Tertullian write that they esteem'd it a more hainous crime to swear false by their Kings than by their Gods and were more severely punish'd for it St. Augustine tells us that it was a custom amongst the Christians of the Primitive Church to decide matters in controversie by Oaths at the Tombs of Martyrs August Ep. 137. which makes me wonder at the Quakers who with their Yea and Nay refuse all lawful Oaths before a Magistrate when at the same time in a godly manner as they call it they speak less truth than other men Some desire to trade with men of that perswasion before any other but for my own part I have never met with greater Fourbs than those Quaking Saints who cheat by the Spirit One of that Sect I knew who was a notorious Lyar and always began his Lyes with a Verily verily I say unto thee We read amongst the Gentiles that Witnesses used to be examined upon Oath and that Xenocrates was the only person whose bare word was accepted Tantae Authoritatis fidei fuisse Xenocratem ut quantumvis alios ad Testimonium dicendum nemo absque juramento admittendus fuit The ancient Romans as well their Senate as Magistrates were most exact and punctual in the observation of Oaths and Promises even to their very Enemies for the regard they had not only to Justice and to their own Reputation but also to the consequence of their good Example in the Commonwealth To which purpose we may alledg the Example of that worthy Consul Marcus Attilius Regulus who being taken Prisoner by the Carthaginians and dismissed upon his Oath promising either to procure the delivery of certain Prisoners or to return himself to Carthage was sent back by the Senate with his own consent they being unwilling either to release the Prisoners or to retain the Consul contrary to his Oath The like may be also cited of T. Veturius and Spurius Posthumus Consuls likewise of T. Mutius and Q. Aemilius Tribunes of the people who werâ— deliver'd Prisoners to the Samnites
as also his Eyes drawn awry with squinting at Heaven his Nose shrivled up with speaking the godly Dialect is the true Character of the peoples Favourite who think Gravity and Goodness always go together This made not only Philostratus but also the wise Florentine Secretary write that nothing is more conducive to appease a popular Tumult than some grave person of Authority appearing amongst them and so sings Virgil Tum pietate gravem ac meritis si forte virum quem Conspexere silent arrectisque auribus adstant If in their Tumults a grave man appears All 's hush'd and nothing stirring but their ears He therefore who commands in a mutinous Army or seditious City and desires to appease either the one or the other ought in my judgment to present himself with the most grace and advantage that he can adorn'd with all the ornaments of his dignity and whatever else may render him venerable to the people Thus in the year 1505. Pope Iulius the 11th marching unarm'd into Bologna being accoutred with all his Pontifical habits accompanied by his Cardinals array'd in scarlet and carrying along with him the holy Sacrament did with that Formality and Ceremony overcome the wickedest of men Iohn Pagolo Baglione who had been guilty both of Parricide and Incest for notwithstanding his Guards were sufficient to have resisted the Pope yet were not his resolutions strong enough to withstand the solemnity of that Ceremony because as Machiavil observes Men are as seldom perfectly bad as perfectly good Machiav discours lib. 1. ch 27. 7 A City oppress'd with Famine it is no easie matter to appease c. The Causes of Seditions and Tumults saith the Lord Bacon are Innovation in Religion Taxes alteration of Laws and Customs breaking of Priviledges general Oppression advancement of unworthy persons Strangers disbanded Souldiers Factions grown desperate and Dearths or Famines Bacon's Essays ch 15. Now of all these Famine is the most prevailing Motive and that is occasion'd three ways either by War Weather or ill Government First By War when an Army or City through a long siege is reduced to that scarcity of Provisions as necessitates them to feed upon Dogs Cats Rats Mice man's Flesh and the like as we read of the City of Ierusalem when besieged by Titus wherein a bushel of Corn was sold for a Talent and Sinks raked to find old dung of Oxen to eat Also of a certain Noblewoman that sod her own Child for meat Of which you may read more at large in Iosephus de bellâ— Iud. lib. 6. ch 7 8 9 10 11. Also of the Famine amongst the Carthaginian Army Titi Livii Decad. 3. lib. 9. The Famine amongst the Africans Câ—s. Câ—â— lib. 1. The Famine in Câ—esar's Army Câ—es Comment lib. 7. The Famine of the Roâ—ans besieged in the Capitol Livius lib. 5. And many others as well ancient as modern such as was at the siege of Colchester in our late Civil Wars wherein I have heard a great Officer say he once dined at an Entertainment where the greatest delicacy was roasted Horse-flesh a Starch Pudding and a dish of fryed Mice to so great extremities does War oftentimes reduce Secondly Unnatural Seasons or Weather does often produce a scarcity of Bread-Corn even to a Famine In King Numa's Reign the Poet assures us that the Earth answer'd not the labour of the Husbandman but miscarried sometimes by reason of an excessive drought and at other times by reason of too much wet Rege Numa Fructu non respondente Labori Irrita dâ—câ—pti vâ—ta colentis erant Nam mâ—dâ— siccus erat gelidis Aquilonibus annus Nunc ager assidua luxuriabat aqua Ovid. lib. 4. Fast. During the Reign of Valentinian there was so sharp a Famine throughout Italy that Fathers were forced to sell their Sons Vt discrimen mortis effugerent Nov. Titl 11. apud Cod. Theod. Under the Emperor Honorius so great was the scarcity of Victuals even in Rome it self that the cry of the Market was Ponâ— pretium huâ—anâ— Carni Set a price upon man's Flesh. Zozimus 6. Annal. lib. 4. And long before when L. Minutius was first made Overseer of the Corn Livy reports Multos è plebe ne diutinâ fame cruciarentur capitibus oâ—voluâ—is sese in Tyberim praecipitasse What a miserable Deâ—rth was that in Aegypt held by the Ancients to be the Granary of the World when for want of Bread their greatest Noblemen were forced to sell not only their Estates but themselves and become Bondslaves to Pharaoh Gen. 47.23 How universal was that which Agabus predicted and came to pass under Claudius Caesar whereof both Dion and Suetonius bear record with St. Luke Acts 11.28 Also here in England though being an Island Droughts can never much hurt us yet have excessive Rains produced as ill effects for A. D. 1314 about the beginning of Edward the Second's Reign there was so universal a Dearth over â—his Land that a Parliament was fain to be summon'd on purpose to moderate the prices of Victuals and upon St. Laurence-Eve there was scarcely Bread to be gotten for the King 's own Family Also the year following it increas'd so violently that Horses Dogs yea Men and Children were stolen for Food and what was more terrible the Thieves newly brought into Goals were torn in pieces and presently eaten half alive by such as had been longer there Thomas de la Moor. Likewise in the year 1317. in the 10th year of the same King as well the Famine as a general Murrain amongst all kind of Cattel continued no less violent than before Sam. Daniel But to conclude this Tragical Discourse the third and last thing which produces a Famine and scarcity of Victuals is many times the ill Government wherein Monopolies are suffer'd by which means some few rich men engrossing all the rest are left to perish for want as was the case of the poor Aspendians mention'd in this Chapter Wherefore above all things care should be taken that the Treasures Moneys and Manufactures of a Kingdom be not gather'd into a few hands for otherwise a State may have a great Stock and yet starve for Money like Muck is not good except it be spread Now this is done by suppressing or at the least keeping a strait hand over the devouring Trades of Usury Ingrossing great Pasturages and the like Bac. Essays ch 15. 8 Aspendus the third mosâ— eminent City of Pamphylia suâ—ated upon the River Eurymedon was built by the Argives The Inhabitants of this City used to offer up Swine in Sacrifice to Venus because Mopsus at his arrival there vowing to offer up the first thing he met it happen'd to be a Sow Stephanus as also Dionysius vers 851. write that this Town was founded by one Aspendus from whom it derives its Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cannot signifie Maritimum as Hen. Stephens renders it unless there be manifest in the Poet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For
Gibraltar I say in all that lyeth betwixt the Moâ—â—tain Atlas and the Mediterranean Sea now term'd Barbary excepting Morocco and â—here and there some scatter'd remnants of the old Africans in the Inland parts the Arabick Tongue is become the vulgar Language although somewhat corrupted and varied in Dialect as among so many several Nations it is unpossible but it should be And although I be far from their opinion who like Postellus write that the Arabian Tongue is in use in two third parts of the inhabited World or more yet I find that it extendeth very far and especially where the Religion of Mahumed is prosessed for which cause over and besides the parts above mention'd wherein as I said it is the native Language moreover in all the Northern part of the Turkish Empire lying Northward from the Mediterranean Sea as also among the Mahumetan Tartars though not the vulgar Tongue yet is it familiar with very many both because the Alcoran and all their Religion is written only in that Language and for that every Boy which goeth to School is taught it as amongst us Latin and Greek in so much that all the Turks write their own Language in Arabick Characters Ioseph Scaliger Annotat in Euseb. Chron. writes that neither this Language the Hebrew or Syrian are capable of Geometrical Measures by quantities of Syllables Now this Arabick Tongue is to be esteem'd not only for its Extent but also for its Antiquity Elegancy and Profitableness 1. For its Antiquity whereof St. Ierom testifies in his Comment upon Isa. as likewise Erpenius in his first Orat. Ling. Arab. 2. For its Elegancy whether we consider the plenty of words and force of signification or the sweetness of the Phraseology or the facility and gravity of the whole Language Mr Greaves saith it exceeds both the Greek and Latin in number of words also he commends it for its facility as having no Dialects turnings of Elections nor Anomalies 3. and lastly It is a profitable Language since he that hath the knowledge thereof may without an Interpreter travel almost all over Africa and Asia There are many words in the Hebrew Bible and in the Chaldee Translation of it with sundry manners of speaking whose signification and sence cannot be had but out of this Language Neither are the Opinions of Mahomet to be faithfully learnt without it Moreover this Arabick Tongue gives great light to the Syriack Aethiopick Persian and other Languages as also to the Mathematicks they having invented Algebra and having amongst them Mathematicians more accurate than Ptolomy also to Physick Avicenna Mesua Serapio and Rasis were famous Arabian Physicians Neither will that Platonist Avicenna or that Aristotelian Averroes appear less eminent in Philosophy to them who shall consult their two Tracts de Anima which I have with much satisfaction perused not to mention their larger Volumes Likewise many famous Poets and Historians have they had amongst them as Mr. Greaves in his Oration informs us Finally Mercer Ioseph Scaliger Rophelengius Isaac Causabon Iunius Tremelius Clenard Golius and our Pocock and Greaves did highly prize this Arabick Language and promote the study thereof Sixthly The Aethiopick or Indian Language is so near saith Bibliander de Rat. Ling. ch 2. to the Hebrew Chaldee and Arabick that there is scarce any Diction which is not found in some of them The Aethiopians write from the left hand to the right This Language which differs only in Characters from the fore-mention'd Tongues is used very much through all the Kingdom of Aethiopia and Africk which is of great extent Some think the Prophets were written in the Aethiopick Tongue from the times of our Saviour Christ and his Apostles also that the Eunuch who was Treasurer under the Queen of Candace read it by which Eunuch all Aethiopia was afterwards converted to the Faith of the Gospel Seventhly The Persian Language saith Bibliander is of all others the most easie There are many footsteps of this Language in the Scripture especially in Esther as Ahasuerus Esther Hammedatha Phur or Phurim Gaza Susa Zeres Mordochai and others Mr. Greaves saith that at this day the Persian Language is much used throughout all Asia but more especially in Eastern Princes Courts by the Grandees and better sort as amongst us the French is Eighthly The Armenian Language is the most difficult of all others as Bibliander writes Agrippa saith 't is a corruption of the Chaldee Sixtus Senensis informs us that St. Chrysostome being by the Emperor's Decree banish'd into Armenia he did there translate the holy Scriptures into the Armenian Tongue which Translation is at this present in solemn use amongst them they likewise exercise their common Divine Service in the Armenian Tongue But of this see more in a late Treatise publish'd upon this Subject by Mr. Paul Ricaut Ninthly and lastly The Copticks or Christians of Aegypt in their Liturgy use the Chaldaean Language but read the Gospel in the Arabian And thus much for the Oriental Tongues In the next place being to speak of the Occidental I shall begin with the Grecian First then The Greek Tongue came in esteem by its Elegance Sweetness and Richness as also by the Philosophy Arts and Sciences which hath therein been handled it hath likewise been propagated by the Navigations Commerce and Colonies of the Athenians as well as by Macedonian Arms which ruling in Asia Syria and Aegypt made their Language known in many Countreys Likewise the New Testament being first written in Greek did not a little promote it It would be too prolix and tedious here to insert the many Provinces and Countreys that were acquainted with this Language therefore in that matter I refer you to Breerwood's Enquiries chap. 1. only in general I must acquaint you that Cicero declares in his time the Greek Tongue was read almost in all Nations Now in this great glory and splendor continued the Greek Tongue in the Eastern parts till by the inundation of the Saracens of Arabia it came to ruine in those Provinces about 640 years after the Birth of Christ in the time of the Emperor Heraclius when the Arabians introduced their Language together with their Victories into all the Regions they subdued even as the Latin Tongue is supposed to have perish'd by the inundation and mixture of the Goths and other barbarous Nations in the West So that at this day the Greek Tongue is very much decay'd and that not only as touching the largeness and vulgarness of it but also in the purity and elegancy of it Now the greatest part of the corruption of that Language haâ—h been bred at home and proceeded from no other cause than their own negligence or affectation As for Example First By mutilation of some words pronouncing and writing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Secondly By compaction of several words into one as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉