had the principall charge vnder him who put him in a golden cage and cast him on a chariot meaning to carry him to Bactria then seeing that Alexander approached caused him to bee killed with darts and Iauelins and left him dead in the midst of the way Such was the end of a king so mighty in people in possessions and reuenews who called him selfe Lord of all the world from the East vnto the West hauing raigned onely sixe yeres in all delicacies exceeding the common magnificence of Princes Which luxurious maner of liuing was cause of his vtter ouerthrow as humane things being variable haue their fatall inclination so ordained by the diuine prouidence to fall then when they are mounted highest and that the Lords thinke themselues to be most assured sleeping therefore in carelesnes and ouerweening conceits For he suffered himselfe to slide so farre into deliciousnes and superfluous riches that he slept alwaies in a chamber betweene two great chambers most richly furnished in such sort that the Kings bed being sumptuously spred in his chamber and couered with a vine of gold in manner of a grate or lettis enriched with precious stones gathered togither in manner of hanging clusters of grapes the beds head was placed towards the wal of one of the great chambers in which ther was fiue thousand talents of gold and this great roome was called the kings beds head whereunto right opposite was the wall of the other great chamber against his beds foote in the which there was alwaies three thousand talents of siluer and was called the kings beds foote which summes are esteemed after our maner to be worth thirty millions of Crownes Going to war he caried with him in his host for his pastime and delight cccxxxix women as Concubines singers dauncers and such as were skilfull in all kinde of Musicke xlvj workmen to set flowers in order and to make garlands nosegaies chapelets and other sweete smelling things cclxxvij cookes xxix potters making euery day vessels of earth to serue the kitchin xiij bakers of tarts and such other licorous and delicate bakemeates Cellerers cupbearers bruers and minglers of wines makers of spiced cupps and of all artificiall lycours and drinkes xvij of th one sort and lxx of the other Perfumers and makers of sweete smelling sauours and odours both wet and dry xl If then the king of Persia vsed so much delicacy being in warr and nourished himself with so many delights in the field what did he wheÌ„ he remained in peace at Persepoli or in Babylon a city abounding in all superfluities and in all vices that proceed of great plenty Yet notwithstanding in the flower of his fortune he being dronken with prosperity and aboundance of goods was spoyled of his riches which had bin heaped togither by many kings his predecessours losing his life and his kingdome which was clymed to the top of the worldy power and felicity where ariseth the spring of pride arrogancy ouerweening and extreme insolency And there is the slippery path whereon standeth the enuy of fortune and where soueraigne felicity falleth headlong into great calamity By this so magnificent victory ouer him ALEXANDER brought vnder his obedience almost al the countries of the East and transported the Monarchy out of Asia into Europe So the Macedonians tooke away the Empire of the East from the Persians and the Parthians from the Macedonians by the conduct of Arsaces a Captaine of an vncertaine birth but of a most approued vertue and no lesse memorable amongst them then Cyrus among the Persians and Alexander among the Macedonians by whose name they called the succeeding Kings because of the reuerence which they bare vnto him They became so mighty that for a time they ruled ouer all Asia possessing not onely the vnmeasurable plaines but also the abrupt dounfals of the mountaines and placing the bounds of their Empire where either the heate or the cold staied them with snowes or immoderate and burning heates They possessed eighteene kingdomes deuiding in this maner their prouinces as hauing respect to the two Seas that is the red Sea towards the South and the Caspian toward the North where of eleuen which were called the superiour or higher began at the confines of Armenia and at the bankes of the Caspian Sea extending euen to the Scythians Thother seauen were termed the inferiour or lower They seemed to diuide the world with the Romaines th one ruling in the East and thother the West Their dominion from ARSACES to ARTABANVS endured cccc yeres which was brought backe againe into Persia by ARTAXERXES and after cccxviij yeres was taken againe from the Persians by the Arabians or Sarazens Amongest whom the CALIPHES residing at Bagdet raigned in the East ccccxviij yeres after them the first TVRKS from the yere of Christ M.L.I. vntill M.cc.xj when the Tartarians came out of their countrey who in a little time seised on the greatest part of the north the East the south of whoÌ„ came the inuincible TAMBERLAN who made the whol habitable earth afraid And since they being retired the Persians who are reputed the ciuâ—lest people of the East being ingenious valiant and there are amongst them excelleÌ„t Philosophers Physitions Astrologers very good Artisans in all misteries occupations Their king is called SOPHI which is as much to say as wise and the Interpreter of God because that ISMAEL the first that was so named vnder the colour of expositions new ceremonies brought in by him into the religion of Mahomet got no longe time since a great Empire in the East hauing driuen away the race of Vsun-Cassanus king of Persia to whom he was allied by his mothers side and made many Princes and Lords of the East his vassals or tributaries The chiefe prouinces vnder his obedience were Armenia the great Persia Media Assyria with iiij capital or head Cities Tauris in Armenia Samach in Persia Scyras in Media Bagdet which was somtimes Babylon in Assyria There are gentlemen amongst them after the maner of Italy France Spaine which vse barded horses in the wars vnto which they go welarmed bearing great lances and good cymeters being also very good archers The Sophi is opposite on the one side to the Ottoman to the Zagathain on thother Thus haue the kingdoms of Asia of the East varied But before we go out of this quarter we must speak of the MAGES which were far different from other natioÌ„s in their religion wisdom They had no temples Images nor altars neither was it permitted by their law to make any esteeming them fools which had them accounting it impiety to inclose the Gods within wals which ought to haue al open free whose temple and house was the whol world For this cause they perswaded Xerxes warring in Greece to burne al the Temples which he should find there And when they would sacrifice they went vp into high mountaines where it was not lawful for him that
sacrificed to pray onely for himselfe but hee must also pray for the prosperity of the king and generally of all the Persians being himselfe by this means comprised in the praier Euery one of thē when they would sacrifice brought his offering into a place that was not contaminated then hauing his attire on his head made for the most part of mirtle he called on that God to whom he sacrificed They would neither pisse spit nor void their noses into the riuers but reuerenced them aboue all things They suffered their dead bodies to be bitten praied on by doggs and birds before they would bury them others anointed them ouer with waxe then put them into the earth They and the Egyptians did not burne them because the Persians said it was not fit that a God should feed on a dead man the Egyptians thought the fire to be a liuing creature eating cōsuming whatsoeuer he seased on dying with his meat whē he was ful in their Law it was not permitted to cast the dead bodies to birds and beasts to deuoure them or to any liuing Creatures and therefore they embalmed them with salt that they should not be eaten of wormes The Egyptians would neuer kill any thing that had life The Mages killed with their handes euery liuing creature sauing man whom also the DRVIDES of Gaule did not spare to kill and sacrifice diuining by southsayings as the MAGES whom they resembled in many thinges shewing themselues so cerimonious in obseruing of Magick that they seemed to haue taught it to the Persians and not to haue learned it of them as Pliny sayth These Mages gaue out that the Gods appeared vnto them and foretold them of things to come affirming that the aire was full of spirits which did subtilly insinuate themselues into mens eyes that there were two princes namely one good God which they called Herosmades and the other euill whom they termed Arinan They clothed themselues with white garments liued of herbes cheese and course bread slept on the ground caried canes or reades in steed of staues They assembled in a holy place to communicate and talke togither Their authority was so great that Cambises when he went out of Persia left the gouernment of his house to one of them who in the absence of the king conspired with a brother of his against him and went about to make himselfe king Their Magicke consisted wholy in the religion and seruice of the Gods To whom they offered praiers vowes and sacrifices as if they onely were exalted beleeuing the resurrection of men and that they should be immortall Aristotle witnesseth that they were auncienter then the PROPHETS of Egypt Clearehus affirmeth that the BRACHMANES or GYMNOSOPHISTS of India came from thē ZOROASTER without doubt was the first inuentor whom somethinke by the etimologie of his name to haue bin an obseruer of the starres and to haue vnderstood natural things Plato in his first Alcibiades saith that the Magick of ZOROASTER is a knowledge of diuine mysteries which was wont to bee taught vnto the children of the kings of Persia to th end they might learne by example of the whole worlds common wealth to gouerne their owne And in his Charmides he sayth that the Magick of ZAMOLSIS was the physick of the minde causing it to vse temperance as the other is cause of bodily health Pithagoras Empedocles Democritus and the same Plato sayled and went far to learne it and hauing learned it did celebrate it at their retourne and kept it secret and many other vertuous amongest the auncients haue trauailed carefully therein getting great authority and reputation thereby For obseruing by it the meruailes hidden in the secretes of the world in the bosome of Nature and mysteries of God they haue discouered the concords of the world and agreement of the heauen with the earth accommodating the superiour thinges to the inferiour after they had once knowen their vertues howe they agree in doing and suffering which the Greekes call Sympathies and Antipathies which hath moued Plotinus to call such MAGES making profession of naturall MAGICKE the ministers of Nature It is at this day much vsed in CHINA and CATHAY which are Countries inhabited by most ingenious and industrious people where they are not permitted to come to Offices and Honours in the Common wealth without being learned namely in this MAGICKE which signifieth to speak simply according to the auncient Persian language perfect and soueraigne wisedome and MAGVS an expounder and obseruer of the diuinity Sithence that men haue abusiuely transferred this name to inchaunters who do wickedly abuse the simple making them beleeue that they know the secret and future things by strange words by signes and characters by diuelish deceits and impostures and other superstitious obseruations of Necromantie Geomantie Hydromantie Aeromantie Pyromantie such other of long time reproued both by diuine and humane lawes Wherhence may be vnderstood that there are two sorts of MAGICK th one natural thother superstitious The natural in contemplating the vertues of celestial and terrestiall things considering the conuenances contrarieties discouereth the powers which are hidden in nature mingling th one with thother in due proportion vnder certain constellation and applying the actiue to the passiue draweth them one to another by the similitude of nature So the elements do draw th one the other so the loadstone draweth the yron to it amber the chaffe and brimstone fire the sunne many flowers leaues the Moone waters Mars the winds many herbes drawe vnto them many liuing creatures and haue meruailous secret properties by the which this Magicke naturally worketh great miracles The other superstitious Magick is by inuocation of euil spirits which is a manifest Idolatry and hath alwaies bin forbidden by wel ordered common weales Such were the MAGICIANS of PHARAO which counterfeited diuelishly whatsoeuer MOSES ARON diuinely had wrought til such time as the rod of MOSES turned into a serpent did eate vp theirs which they had tourned also into serpents Such was SIMON MAGVS and such the Pythonisse was that called vp the soule of Samuel the prophet such also was Circe such a one was Medea Plutarch writeth that the spirit of Antony being bound by magicall verses and loue drenches that his liberty being lost he was fixed in the face of Cleopatra The Euthydemus of Plato compareth Oratorie and Magicke or Enchauntery togither and sayth that as Oratory is a delighting and appeasing of the Iudges and assemblies of men so that Enchanting is an asswaging of vipers spiders scorpions other venimous and cruel beastes as also of diseases The vanity of this superstitious Magick appeared especially in the Emperour Nero who gaue him selfe to it as much as euer any man did hauing neither want of goods of power nor of vnderstanding and desiring nothing more then to command the Gods and the dead Notwithstanding after he had called vnto him Tyridates king of Armenia
persons appointed for diuine seruice POLICIE conducteth the affaires of peace and warre in the which would not be found any iustice or fidelitie without the feare of God and loue towards men which are especially commaunded in all Religions Wherfore in all Lordships both auncient and moderne the first care hath alwaies bin of Religion and diuine seruice and such as haue had the chargethereof haue alwaies bin reputed the chiefest in aucthoritie much honoured and well intertained being both they and their children exempted from subsidies and militarie labours The PRIESTS or PROPHETS of Egipt inioâ—ed a third part of the reuenew of the kingdom and had great credit both with the king with the coÌ„mon people aswel for that they had the care of diuine things were very learned and teachers of others as because they were called by the king to giue counsaile in great affairs foretelling of future things which they knew by the Sacrifices and by the starres The Roialtie was mingled with sacrificing and none could be king but he were also a PRIEST as Plato saith in his Politiks The CHALDEES in Assyria and Media had such aucthoritie as the Egiptian priests in Egipt being reputed most skilfull and expert in Astrologie by which they did prognosticate of things to come and by sooth-sayings and sacrifices turned away euill fortunes and made good to come The BRACHMANES amongst the Indians held the chiefe place to whom great honour was borne and great giftes were giuen as to men that were acceptable to the Gods and thought to know whatsoeuer was done in Hell They foretold at the beginning of the yeare droughts raines windes and diseases And they indure still at this present in those parts perseuering in the cerimonies of their auncient Religion and holding the chiefe places in honour calling themselues BRAMINS which go before the NAIRES that is to say the Nobles The King of Calecut is their high Priest and head of his Religion going for this cause before all the kings of India and being called SAMORY that is God in earth The MAGES gouerned the Religion and estate of the Persians with such aucthoritie that they interprised sometimes to vsurpe the kingdom during Cambyses his absence in his voiage of Egipt and to make one of them king It was the custome also that the king of Persia should learne their Magicke without the which he might not raigne The DRVIDES of Gaule being ministers of Religion and of iustice discoursed of the starres and of their mouings of the nature of things and immortalitie of soules as also of the diuine aucthoritie and prouidence being greatly respected of all the rest and verie well intertained At Rome the SACERDOTES ARVSPICES AVGVRES FLAMINS SODALES and virgins VESTALES which kept the eternall fire the high Priest and inferiour Priests super-intendeÌ„ts of their cerimonies sacrifices and supersticions had knowledg of the Ciuil law and managed the publike affaires The first kings of Rome were sacrificers and the Emperours to make their greatnes aucthoritie more venerable called themselues high Priests The PRIESTS both men and women ordained both in Greece and elswhere to see to the obseruation of the pagan Religion founded on Oracles were in great aucthoritie and receiued mightie offerings The Roialtie in Lacedemon was a superintendence in warre and preheminence in sacrifices The LEVITES in Iurie separated from the other Iewes to exercise sacrificing and the office of Priesthood in the race of AARON receiued dueties of inestimable value The THALISMANS PARACADIS CADIS Priests and Iudges in the Law of Mahomet MENITSSMARLS and IMANS were wel priuiledged freed from all subsidies At the beginning the CALIPHES in that religion were Kings and Priests one in Bagdet another in Caire Sithence the Sultans haue taken the royal aucthoritie and haue brought in the MVPHTIS accounted as Patriarches in steed of the CALIPHES super-intendents of the Religion and iudging soueraignly in matters of the Law by which are not onely occained the praiers and diuine ceremonies but also the politike and militarie affaires They haue power to retract the ordinances of the Sultans and sentences of their Diuans or Counsailes which are not conformable or seeme repugnant to the ALCORAN Euery Mahometan Prince keepeth one alwaies neere about him or in his principal Citie with great pension The great CHAM of the Tartarians Zauologues keepeth his at â—â—â—â—rcand The SOPHI at Tâ—â—ris There are also in Africk at Fez Caroan â—â—â—â—â—ssen and elswhere The TVRK beareth vnto his greater reuerence then to any man of his Empire The ECCLESIASTICAL persons throughout Germanie Fraunce Poland England and Hungarie hold at this day the chiefe places in the counsaile of Kings and administration of iustice Among the seuen Electors of thempire there are three Ecclesiastical Amongst the Peeres of Fraunce there are six The chiefest of the Counsaile in Poland are the Archbishops and Bishops The Emperour is confirmed consecrated by the POPE The French king consecrated by the Archbishop of Rheimes The king of England by the Archbishop of Canterbury The king of Poland by the Archbishop of Gâ—esâ—e For considering that the Archbishops and Bishops are established amongst the people as messengers of God and interpreters of the Law and will of God to their aucthoritie being great in it selfe haue bin added great honours in the common wealth to the end that the publike couÌ„sailes and constitutions should by their presence be made more venerable The POPE commaundeth ouer the temporall of the Church called S. Peters patrimonie as king and is reuerenced by the rest of the Latin Christendome as head and chiefe of the Religion in those places where he is acknowledged for such But before we make an end of this matter we will set downe the agreements and differences which were betweene the Egiptian Priestes and the Chaldees Mages Brachmanes and the Druides The EGIPTIANS and BABYLONIANS dwelling in spacious plaines and hauing nothing to hinder them from the whole view of the Heaueri bestowed great studie in obseruation of the starres in the which both th one and the other were most skilful and expert The Egiptians said that the CHALDEES came out of Egipt and had learned Astrologie of them The MAGES and BRACHMANES agreed in sobrietie and austeritie of life and the Brachmanes were thought to haue discended of the Mages There was also the like similitude betweene the MAGES and DRVIDES namely those of great Britaine that they seemed to haue deliuered Magick to the Persians and not to haue learned it of them The bodies of the MAGES when they were dead were left to the doggs and birds to pray vpon before they were buried The BRACHMANES voluntarily ended their liues by fire The CHALDEES and EGIPTIANS had faire great and magnificent Temples The MAGES had no temples altars nor images The Mages were common both to the Persians and Parthians The CHALDEES to the Assyrians and Medes The EGIPTIANS and the PERSIANS beleeued the Resurrection and that men beeing raised from the dead
below The Egiptians Babylonians Indians Mages and Druides applied themselues to such contemplation as hath bin shewed heretofore Then the GREEKS purposely obscuring their writings with numbers and figures to thend that by being too much communicated they should not be dispised of the vulgar sort or wrapping them vp in couers of fables or vsing measured verses to make them more durable by the delectation of fables and sweetnesse of verses And when as they that were skilfull in such thinges and all such as were ought seen in any thing would arrogantly be called Sophoi that is to say wisemen PITHAGORAS was the first who by singular modestie tooke the name of a Philosopher signifying a louer of wisedom For comming one day to Phliunta and hauing learnedly and grauely talked with Leon Prince of the Phliases about certaine affaires This Lord admiring the vnderstanding and eloquence of PITHAGORAS demaunded of him what Art he professed by whom he was aunswered that he was not skilfull in any Art but that he was a Philosopher Leon wondering at the noueltie of this name asked him what Philosophers were and what difference there was betweene them and others PITHAGORAS said that the life of man seemed vnto him to resemble one of those assemblies which were made at the publike playes of GREECE where some by strength agilitie and exercise of bodie or by running of horses sought the price of the victorie and the glorie proposed in races others went thither to make their profite in buying and selling but that there were some of a more generous spirite which neither sought applause nor gaine but came thither onely to see Euen so men in this life as in some famous faire comming thither and being of different nature and disposition some sought after honour others after profit and others which are the fewer and rarer sort omitting or lettle esteeming all these thinges considered diligently the nature of thinges whome hee termed louers of wisedome that is to say Philosophers And as in these assemblies it was a goodly thing to see and beholde without seeking after gaine so that in this life contemplation and knowledge is to bee preferred aboue all other occupations But PITHAGORAS was not onely the inuentour of the name but also brought first as hath bin said this learning into GREECE which he augmented and beautified much instructing his followers called after him PITHAGOREANS by whom he was singularly respected and no lesse honoured of others thorough out the worlde euen the memorye of him remaining at this present most renowmed and reuerenced thoroughout all nations and will alwaies so remaine as long as learning endureth Being borne at Samos after hee had much profited in learning he went first into Egypt after into Babylon to learne the course of the starres and the nature of the worlde And returned afterwardes by Crete and Lacedemon where he learned the Lawes of Minos and Lycurgus which were then in great veneration and finally hauing knowen all the foresaide thinges hee came to Crotona where hee withdrewe the people by his authority from luxuriousnes and idlenesse whereunto they were giuen to good maners and honest life hauing learning for the women separate from that which was for men and for children diuers from that which was for parents For he taught women how they ought to liue chast to be obedient and seruiceable to their husbands and to children how they ought to be modest and to learne knowledge and to all people he gaue counsaile to liue soberly as a thing of which all vertues had their beginning After hee had dwelled twenty yeeres at Crotona hee went to Metapont where he dyed and the inhabitants of Metapont after his decease had him in such reuerence that they consecrated his house as a temple and worshipped him as a God In this time also were those seuen which were called and reputed the wise men of Greece namely Solon Thales Pittacus Bias Cleobulus Chilon and Periander all which except Thales were either Law-makers or gouernours of states and got that renowne and reputation of wisedome for being onely well skilled in matter of gouernment and such thinges as are in the common vse of men The other learned men of this age and they also which succeeded them were Astrologers naturall Philosophers and Physicians as Democritus Heraclitus Hippocrates Empedocles Parmenides Melissus and in the same age are also reckoned Stesichorus Simonides Alceus Sapho Theognis Anacreon Archilochus Alcmeon and Epicharmus who were Poets Epimenides a deuinor of Candie Anacharsis the Scythian Charondas and Zaleucus Law-makers Daniel Aggee Zachary Ieremy and Sophonie prophets of the Hebrues SOLON gaue Lawes to the Athenians whereby he got great reputation and excelled in al knowledge especially in Poetry wherunto if he had wholy giuen himselfe he had bin no lesse reckoned of then Homer and Hesiodus or any other of the most excellent auncient Poets as Critias witnesseth in Platoes Timeus He being desirous to trauaile went into Egypt to the king Amasis and from thence came backe vnto Sardis to CRESVS the riche and mighty king of Lydia who for this cause thought himselfe the most happy man of the world But hauing caused his treasures and worldly felicity to be shewed to SOLON he asked him his opinion who without flattery aunswered him that none ought to be iudged happy before his ende Because that many in this present life after great felicities fall into extreme miseries calamities as eft soones it befel vnto Cresus who being ouercome in war and made captiue by CYRVS was bound and set on a pyle to be burnt Then he remembring the speech of SOLON named him thrice with sighing and CYRVS vnderstanding the reason thereof had remorse thinking how he being a man made an other to be burned quicke in the fire which not long sit hence was no lesse happy then him selfe So fearing the diuine punishment and considering that there is nothing stable in humain things he commaunded that the fire should be forthwith extinguished and Cresus be vnbound By this meanes came Solon to the knowledge of Cyrus and by his wife aduertisment saued the life of Cresus EPIMENIDES was a familiar friend of Solons and holpe him to make his Lawes he was excellent in inuenting of diuers new things and excelling in diuination He foretold the comming of the Persians into Greece a long time before they came and that they should retourne without doing any thing THALES a famous natural Philosopher and Astrologer was the first amongst the Greekes that diuided the yere into ccclxv daies and found out the pointes of the Solstices and Equinoxes the little beare and the starres about him He foretold the eclipse of the sunne in the raigne of Astyages the vncle of Cyrus by his mothers side and kept back his citizens the Milesians from entring into league with Cresus against Cyrus which counsail was the cause of their safety after the victory Aristotle in his Politicks writeth of him that he foresaw by Astrology the
Athens to spend there the rest of his life in learning And whereas in any one particuler science one shall hardly attaine to any excellency though he vse no other exercise all his life he excelled in whatsoeuer he would apply himselfe vnto and neuer vndertooke to intreate of anything but he brought it almost to his soueraigne perfection wherein he was much holpen by the quicknes of his wit and sharpenes of his vnderstanding his inclination to learning and perseuerance the excellent learning of his master Plato whose auditor he was by the space of xx yeres the happines of that age wherein he was borne ful of good bookes and rich in all arts and the liberality of his scholer Alexander who supplied him with goods to come to his intention Many debate who was euer of greatest vnderstanding amongst men the which is difficult to be decided Notwithstanding if we consider it wel we shall not finde any more admirable then ARISTOTLE for the excellency of the workes which he hath composed and the worthynes of the matters of which he hath intreated PLATO hath not giuē himselfe so much to natural Phylosophy as ARISTOTLE but hath bin very curious of Moral and Politick and excellent in Metaphysick Thone hath intreated of the creation of the world of the figures qualities motions of the foure elements of which the world is compounded He set downe three principles God the Idea or for me and the first matter being the nurse of all generation Thother goeth about to proue that the world is eternall setting downe also three principles yet different from thother namely matter forme and priuation He disputeth of place of voide of time of motion of generation and corruption of the foure elements of mutations happened in the aire he hath declared the birth liues figures parts inclinations affections and actions of all liuing creatures His scholer Theophrastus hath shewed the natures causes and reasons of plants other things growing on the earth Both of them haue written of the soul. But PLATO speaketh more certainly of the immortality therof then ARISTOTLE PLATO hath discoursed of a perfect common wealth of lawes and of vertues largely ARISTOTLE also hath composed many books in Morall philosophy deducing al the parts thereof euen to the Economick Moreouer he hath gathered the institutions and disciplines of the Common weales and kingdomes of his time and of such as florished before him Thone and thother haue shewed the changes which happened in them and the meanes how to remedy them As concerning Logick Aristotle attributeth to himselfe the inuention and perfection thereof He hath also spoken of Rhetorick and of Poesie so exactly that there is none found better in these professions Moreouer PLATO hath written in dialogues in the which commonly he bringeth in SOCRATES assuring nothing but disputing much of things both affirmatiuely negatiuely enquiring of all things and asking the opinion of the assistants or standers by without saying his owne or resoluing of anything Which maner of writing hath great efficacy and maketh things more intelligible as if they were then doing and were not taken from else-where obseruing the dignity of the persons introduced accomodating of apt speach vnto euery one according to the variety which causeth an exceeding pleasure In doing wherof he hath folowed an elegant maner of writing magnificent ful of maiesty and grauity both in words and sentences enriched with translations allegories and other colours of Rhetorik without obseruing any certaine methode of teaching But ARISTOTLE hath endeuoured to write methodically hee expresseth himselfe according as the matter requireth properly without any exquisite ornament of words That which he vndertaketh to treate off he pursueth it from the beginning vnto the end not digressing any waies leaueth nothing vndecyded Many haue blamed him for hauing made himselfe purposely obscure and ambiguous in many places and that he did it of craft fearing least some should handle him in such sort as he had handled others PLATO is more copious ARISTOTLE more pithy Thone hath mingled many strāge opinions in his books as of the transmigration of soules out of one body into another of the communion of wiues of children and of goods Thother hath more conformed himself to cōmon life to ciuil actiōs Th one hath chiefly stood on intelligible things thother on things sēsible Th one hath searched throughout for Ideas formes thother made but a iest therof as of the former opinions which he hath sharply reprehēded notwithstanding many haue bin of opinion that there was no differēce between thē in sentences but in words only haue assaied to reconcile them Finally the Greeks reckoned the one diuine and his doctrine hath bin much honoured both whiles he liued and after his decease Thother hath bin held for a wonderfull man of great iudgment and incomparable knowledge singularly respected and reuerenced of all that haue sithence giuen themselues to learning In briefe ARISTOTLE learned all the good which he knew of PLATO and it was a meruailous great happines vnto him to haue bin both a scholler of the most excellent philosopher that hath euer bin knowen and Master of the greatest King of the world It were not reasonable here to omit DEMOSTHENES who was a diligent hearer of Plato and a friend vnto Aristotle being so accomplished in eloquence that he is accounted the law and the rule of peroring and speaking well There is such force in his words and he hath so well disposed them that one cannot well add any thing to them or take ought from them It is not possible in those causes which he hath handled and in the Orations which he hath written wisely to inuent or subtilly to expresse any thing but he hath well vnderstood it Neither on the contrarie to find any thing more stately more graue or more beautified then that which he hath said and written For he was so studious and laborious that euen till the fiftieth yeare of his age there was neuer found any Artisan in Athens more diligent to rise early then he And although he had many imperfections of nature as being subiect to stammering in his speach short breathed and timerous he ouercame by diligence and industrie all his hinderances And vsed himselfe in such sort that there was no Oratour in his time albeit there were then many excellent that pronounced more cleanly and distinctly or spake longer and bolder then he Moreouer he was no smal personage but had while he liued great authoritie throughout Greece being feared and redoubted by the king of Macedon honoured by the great Signor of Persia who managed long the affaires of Athens where he was borne By reason whereof he well vnderstood matters of state the mutations which happen in Lordships and the causes wherehence they proceede and there is not any thing necessarie for publike gouernment but some apparance therof is found in him his counsailes tending not onely vnto profit but to honour and
himselfe with the shape of a man was borne of the Virgin and came forth of her wombe both visible Man and God inuisible promised by the Law and the Prophets the master of trueth and cleanser of Idolatrie correctour of malice and renewer of our depraued nature to th end to restore such as beleeued in him to their auncient puritie and innocencie corrupted by the forfaiture of the first man He gaue sight to the blind speach to the dumbe straight going to the lame healed incurable diseases cast out euill spirits fedd with fiue loaues and two fishes fiue thousand persons turned water into wine went safely on the waters as on the land commaunded the sea the winds and the tempests raised the dead to life and liued himselfe againe after he had bin wrongfully crucified and killed by the Iewes By which miracles he shewed himselfe to be the sonne of God establishing his Church and christian Religion in steed of the Mosaical and Pagan Which hath alreadie endured more then fifteene hundred yeares and shall neuer haue end hath passed alreadie to the Antipodes and hath bin manifested to the East and West Indians yea euen amongst the sauages lately discouered towards the South which before were vnknowen to all antiquitie and among the farthest people of the North by meanes of the Sueuians and Moscouites In somuch that at this day we may affirme that his word hath bin heard in all parts of the habitable earth as he had ordained vnto his Disciples enduing them with the grace of the holy Spirite and power to do miracles as he had done before and with the gift of tongues with perseuerance pacience and constancie against all torments and persecutions A thing indeed admirable and the like whereof neuer hapned to any King Law-maker or Philosopher Grecian or Barbarian who contented themselues to set downe and cause to be receiued in their countrie and language the institutions and Lawes which they esteemed good and profitable But Iesus Christ not as a mortall man seruing himselfe with poore fishermen for his Disciples whom he would haue from that time forward to bee fishers of men hath manifested his Gospell by them thorough out the whole world and before all people inioyning them to shew from him the true way of saluation and of beleeuing in GOD the Creatour of all thinges Such was the progresse and aduauncement which they made in their ministerie that in a little time they induced the Nations by their preaching to leaue their auncient idolatries and to receiue Christ as GOD they established schooles and auditories of the Christian doctrine and then were Temples buylt to the Apostles and Martyrs in the most famous Cities of the world at Rome Alexandria and Antioche thorough out Egipt and Lybia Europe and Asia Beginning then when the Romain power was come to his soueraign greatnes and glorie vnder Augustus the peaceable ruler of innumerable Nations when the kingdom of Egipt was extinguished which had endured almost time out of mind and the nation of the Iewes brought vnder bondage and subdued and the Lordships of the Syrians Cappadocians Macedonians Bythinians Grecians Illyrians Africans Spaniards and Gaules were vnder the Romaine Seigniorie which we must think did so fall out by the diuine prouidence of God to the end to make the same worke the more easie which otherwise must needes haue bin verie difficult if all these Nations had remained in diuision and discord But by meanes of the vnion of them vnder one great Monarchie they accomplished with lesse feare and danger their proposed enterprise God preparing them their way and brideling the harts of the superstitious by the terrour of that most mightie Empire Cornelius Tacitus writeth that such had bin the perswasion of men that it was contained in the auncient learning of the Priests that about this time the East should preuaile and that such as came out of Iewrie should raigne which was verified in the spirituall raigne of Iesus Christ whose Ghospell doctrine and religion hath bin preached thorough out the world God then seeing malice infinitely increased and the worshipping of false Gods dispersed thorough all the whole world in such sort that his name was alreadie almost out of the memorie of men and that the Iewes themselues to whom onely his diuine mysteries had bin reuealed and promises made of his holy alliance giuen ouer to vaine superstitions hauing left the true Religion whereunto they refused to returne being reprehended and admonished by the Prophets at this time ordained for the redemption he sent his sonne the Prince of the Angells vnto men to thend to diuert them from wicked and vaine worships and to induce them to know and to reuerence the true God bringing back their soules from folie vnto wisdom from iniquitie to iustice and from impietie to a right beleefe Such and so notable at this time was the mutation both in gouernment and in Religion BVT as the Romains were climed to the top of humane power and wisdome by labour industrie so were they straightwaies corrupted by riches and ouermuch libertie degenerating from the former integritie prowesse learning and eloquence Whereof I can not render any better reason then by their owne authours men of good credit and aucthoritie To thend saith Seneca that ye may vnderstand how much the witts of men do euery day decay and by I know not what iniquitie of nature and procliuitie vnto vice eloquence is gon backe All whatsoeuer the Romain eloquence hath to oppose vnto proud Greece it florished in the time of Cicero All the good wits which brought any light vnto our studies were borne then Sithence that time it hath alwaies impaired either by the loosenes of the time which is most pernitious vnto good wits or that the reward which was proposed for so goodly a thing being lost all the trauaile and paines hath bin bestowed on dishonest exercises or els by some destinie whose enuious law is perpetuall ouer all things so that being come to the highest they returne to the lowest faster then they went vp The good wits of slouthfull youth doe languish and do not applie themselues to any honest exercise Slouth and negligence and dexteritie in things that are pernitious which is worse then either sleepe or negligence haue possessed their mindes The delight of singing and dauncing holdeth the effeminate and of dressing their haire and fitting their speach vnto womanish daliances and exceeding of women in corporal delicacies and tricking themselues with vncleane cleanlynes which is the brauerie of our youth Who is there among the yong folkes ingenious or studious enough or rather man enough Being softned and effeminated they remaine of necessitie as when they were first borne corrupting the chastitie of others and negligent of their owne The Gods will not suffer so much euill as that eloquence should come to such people which I would neuer so much admire if she did not make choise of the minds on which she bestowed her selfe Cornelius
thereon it wil bee founde by true reason of Cosmography that they neuer possessed the twelfth part of the earth ZENON the first authour of the secte of the Stoickes ymagined an vniuersall forme of gouernement tending to this that all men should not liue by townes peoples and nations being separated by particular lawes rightes and customes but that they should account themselues fellow citizens and that there was but one sorte of life as there is but one world no otherwise then as if it were but one flocke feeding vnder one shepheard in common pastures PLATO also wished that there were on earth but one king as there is in heauen but one God to th end that the humaine gouernement might therein resemble the diuine which Lord of the world as a true shepheard of mankind should loue al men indifferently as his naturall subiectes maintayning them with good maners lawes iudgements and assured entercourse both by sea and lande so great a prince not bearing enuy to any person and hauing no occasion to enlarge his frontiers by ambition which would be the cause of ceasing so many enmities warres slaughters spoiles and robberies happening amongst men through the pluralitie and dissentions of gouernements Which matters being by them grauely and magnificently propounded are much more easie to bee wished then effected considering the diuersity of tongues dissimilitude of maners and customes varietie of sects and vanity of opinions that raigne amongest men and make them to lose that loue which is wished amongest them hindering the establishing of one vniuersall common wealth of all and consequently a Monarchie of people so much differing in estimation of diuine and humaine right and the religion and seruice of God One man alone can not possesse all the earth the greatest part of it being drowned by the sea and in some places where it is vncouered of waters being vnhabitable thorough excessiue heate or cold And if he should possesse it hee would straight forget himselfe in so great authoritie and libertie and become proud beyond measure waxing tyrannicall and insupportable as it happened to Cambyses to Nero to Sesostris to Attila to Tamberlan and to Alexander the great who thorough extreeme ouerweening would be accounted and called the sonne of God and for his insolencie was poisoned by his most familiar friends and as it happened to OCTAVIAN AVGVSTVS who suffered Temples to be consecrated to him and diuine honours to be giuen him in his life time Considering also that there is a certaine measure and proportion of greatnes in Townes Cities and States euen as in liuing creatures plantes and instruments which when it exceedeth loseth his nature and vse As it befell vnto this ROMAINE EMPIRE which being clymed vp to an incomparable greatnesse and inestimable wealth did fall est soones into great calamities and was finally ouerthrowen as others had bin before it which we wil compare togither setting downe their similitudes and differences A COMPARISON OF THE ROMAIN Empire with the Assyrian Median Persian Macedonian and Parthian AMongest the great auncient kingdomes the ASSYRIAN was excellent in nobility mighty in armes large in compasse of land and in continuance admirable which being augmented by Belus Ninus and Semiramis and enlarged by the spacious countries of Asia was the first that amongest all other Empires which it farre exceeded obtayned the name of an established Monarchie and for the space of a thousand three hundred and threescore yeres vnder thirtie eight kinges florished greatly After followed that of the MEDES which vnder nine kings continued CClxj yeres well gouerned in peace and warre Then raigned the PERSIANS who hauing added Egypt vnto their dominion and increased their strength and riches when they had prospered two hundred and thirtie yeres they lost their state vnder Darius their fourteenth king From that time forwarde the MACEDONIANS by the successe and conduct of Alexander obtained the rule ouer Asia which they lost one hundred and twenty yeres after giuing occasion by their ciuill dissentions to the Parthians in the East and to the Romaines in the West to increase and grow great Then the Romaines towardes the West seasing the Macedonian Seigniorie which though it were great indeed yet was but weake by the diuision of the princes who had parted it betweene them established the greatest and fairest Empire that euer was For if all the famous Monarckes amongest the straungers bee compared vnto the Romaine Emperours there will not bee founde any amongest them that haue done greater thinges either in peace or warre or that haue more enlarged their Empire and longer maintained it The AssyriaÌ„s went not out of Asia The Medians endured only cclx yeres the Persians hauing ouercome the Medes obtained almost al Asia but when they assailed Europe they little preuailed And the Persians being ouerthrowen the Macedonian Empire was greater then al the former but it endured but a whiles For incontinently after the death of Alexander being deuided into many Lordships it was easily supplanted by the Romaines And although it were very â—arge yet it went not into spacious Africk sauing where it reacheth vnto Egypt neither possessed all Europe being bounded on the north with the countrey of Thrace and towards the West with the Adriaticke sea But the ROMAIN EMPIRE extended into Europe Asia and Africk from the Orcades and Thule on the one side Spaine and Mauritania on the other euen to the hill Caucasus and the riuer Euphrates and the higher Ethiopia trauersing the countrey of Egypt and of Arabia euen to the East sea being the first and only which to this present hath made the East and West his limits and hath endured longer then any other excepting the Assyrian Touching the PARTHIAN which was at the same time when the Romain opposed against it being encreased with the ruines of the Macedonian in the East as the Romain was also in the west albeit it was very great and terrible vnto all the East as comprehending eighteene kingdomes betweene the Caspian and the red sea and being far stretched out towarde the Indies and famous by many ouerthrowes which it had giuen to the Romaines as namely by the death of Crassus and shameful retreat of Antonius yet obtained it but one part of Asia and receaued some kings from Rome which being begon by Arsaces endured only cccclxiij yeres vnder twenty and seanâ—n kings And the second PERSIAN also was of no greater circuit which was set vp by the Persian Artaxerxes hauing ouercome in three battailes and in the end slaine Artabanus the last king of the Parthians and ended cccxiij yeres after it was restored being ouerthrowen vnder Hormisdas the xxviij king by the Arabians THE BIRTH OF ROME AND CONTI nuance thereof compared to the foure Ages of mans life AS the Astrologers say that cities haue their reuolutions and prefixed times of continuance which is knowen by the situation of starres at the day of their natiuities For this cause Tarucius a Romaine in the time of Cicero and of
which they called Pilum and threw it when they began their fight Some wâ—â—te that besides their pauois they caried also a pike namely the Greek souldiers But that seemeth impossible because they must needes haue enough to do to help themselues with one of these weapons apart and to vse them both together were an vneasie and a verie difficult thing for the pike alone requireth both hands and the pauois on thother side serueth only for defence to couer themselues because it was not verie maniable And the target also could not well be handled but would be in a maner vnprofitable except at the beginning of the battaile they holp themselues with their pike hauing their target at their back and that comming so neere together that the pike serued them to no farther vse then they abandoned it to take their Target wherwith and with their sword the souldiers holp themselues in the presse The GREEKS did not lade themselues with such heauie armour as the Romains but they gaue themselues therwithall much more to carrie the pike especially the Macedonian Phalanges which carried pikes called Sarisses of ten cubites long wherwith they assaied to break the rankes of their enemies without going out of their owne But seeing that the ROMAINS conquered all the world we may well think that they were the best armed of all The fashion of this time is to arme the footman with good Curets and a cask or headpeece which seemeth to be sufficient for the defence of a manâ— and is better then the harneis of the auncients Touching weapons to offend we carrie a sword somewhat longer then theirs Our other armes are the pike the halbard partisan harquebuze and many others not so vsuall amongst souldiers and the target although there is little reckoning made thereof except it be for an assault and besides there are few that vse it but the Captaines The Harquebuze hath bin found out but few yeares sithence and is verie good so it be handled by such as are skilfull and readie yet now adaies euery one will be a harquebuzier whether it be to get the more pay or to be the lesseloden or els to fight the farther off The Halbards are a new kind of weapon lately inuented by the Switzers which are verie good if they be strong and will cut well and not light ones such as the Italians vse And in like sort are their Partisans which being stronger and better steeled then they are would serue well against naked men but against those that are armed can do no great seruice Amongst other armes which are lesse in vse are the long bow and the crosbow which may do verie great harme to men that are not well armed both by reason of their readines in shooting which is verie sodaine and also for the surenes of their blowes which are seldome in vaine Concerning the Pike if the Switzers haue not bin the inuentours therof yet at least wise they haue first brought it in vse because that they being poore at the first and desirous to liue in libertie were constrained to fight against the ambition of the Princes of Germanie who by reason of their riches and power intertained many horsemen which the Switzers could not do and for this cause made their warres on foote Then were they constrained to defend themselues against the Cauallerie of their enemies to hauerecourse to the auncient maner and therhence to chose some kind of armes for defence against horsemen which necessitie made them either to maintain or bring in vse againe the orders of the time past without which footmen are altogether vnprofitable wherefore they took pikes as verie seruiceable weapons not only to sustaine the assault of men at armes but also to ouercome them By meanes of which armes and by the affiance which they haue in their good order they haue taken on them such boldnes that fifteen or twentie thousand of them durst vndertake to stand against a world of horsemen The example of the force which these people haue showed to be in armes of footmen are the cause that sithence the voiage of king Charles the eight other Nations haue imitated them namely the Spaniards and Almaines then the Italians and Frenchmen following the order which the said Switzers keepe and the maner of the armes which they beare but for order there are few like vnto them We must labour then to gett this order or if it be possible to forme or finde out some more safe by meanes whereof we may defend vs from euery one and be preferred before all others To do this it seemeth to such as are most expert in this matter that we ought verie well to arme the bodies of our souldiers to the ende that the rankes may be so much the harder to be broken especially such as serue before in steede of a wall or vantmure and all the rest if it be possible euery one according to his weapon And it must not be thought strange that we lode these men with so much Armour for it is to arme them surely in such sort as they ought to be armed that meane to stande to it and not as they which arme them selues lightly who beeing euill couered and armed thinke rather on flying then of ouercomming taking example by the Romaines who armed their souldiers which were ordered in batalions as heauily as possibly they could to make them the firmer against their enemies and that feeling their bodies so loden with harneis they should not looke to saue themselues by flight but either to die in the place or to get the victorie Vegetius complayneth of the souldiers of his time that they went too lightly armed and followed not the Auncients which were alwaies wont to ouercome their enemies because they were euermore well armed and that such as were ill armed were ordinarily ouercome in all their battailes The souldiers also must harden their bodies vnto paine learne to helpe themselues with those armes and weapons which they beare to keepe their order in marching thorough the Countrie and the maner of encamping or lodging together in a campe which are the principall points that an Armie ought to know The Nations which heretofore haue had ordinances or companies of footmen haue alwaies made one principall number of the men which they leuied which although it hath bin diuersly named yet hath it bin euer almost equal in number because they haue all ordained it of six or eight thousand men which number by the Romains was called a Legion because they leuied their men by election of the Greekes Phalanx of the Gaules Caterue of the Switzers and Almaynes Hourt that is to say a Battalion which the Italians and Spaniards do also vse But they haue of late began to call it a Regiment The greatest disorder that they can commit which ordaine a battalion is in this that they take no heed but only to make the head strong in which they place the Captaines and all the valiantest and best armed