honours and such like bringeth not felicity but the service of God Iugera non faciunt felicem plurima frater Non Tergestini dulcia musta soli Non Tyriae vestes Aurâ—… non pondera flavi Non ebur aut gemma non juvenile decus Non dulcis nati soboles non bellula conjux Non tenuisse suâ—… sceptra superbamanu Noveris rerum causas licet astra polique Et nostro quicquid sub Iove mundus habet At mea si quaeris quae sit sententia Frater Dicam vis felix vivere vive Deo Brother not many acres make thee blest Nor the sweet grapes in Tergestine prest Not Tyrian garments not thy golden treasure Not Ivory gemmes nor all thy youthfull pleasure Not thy faire issue not thy beauteous bride Not a proud scepter with thine hand to guide To natures secrets though thy skill extend And thou the starres and poles dost apprehend With all the world doth beneath Iove containe Yet if thou ask'st of me what thou shalt gaine By these I le speake if thou wouldst make thy ' boad In heaven so live that thou mayst live to God The end of the fifth booke THE FELICITIE OF MAN OR HIS SUMMUM BONUM THE SIXTH BOOKE CHAP. I. The Creation of Man and the estate he was in at the beginning before his fall Mans alteration after his fall how he participates with the nature of brute beasts All things made to serve man rebell against him Man only of all other Creatures declineth from his originall nature The reason why God suffereth evill to be committed The means that God hath given to man by which to escape the dangers into which he is fallen Of the three faculties of the soule vegetative sensitive and understanding c. IT appeareth by that which hath bin said what manner of felicitie men may enjoy in this life which is rather an usurped name and improperly so called than so indeed Now resteth to discourse upon the true end and felicity of man or beatitude and Summum bonum When God had created this goodly frame of the world being so called of his excellent and beautifull forme replenished with such varietie of creatures and placed the earth in the middest last of all he made man after his owne image which St. Paul interpreteth to bee justiâ—… and holinesse of truth who was after called Aâ—…am of the veine of red earth whereof hee was made And when God had finished this worke and made man hâ—… ceased from creating any more things and rested in him in whom hee delighted and would for ever after communicate himselfe his wisdome his justice and his joy and gave unto him a companion for his greater comfort and pleasure This man he adorned with many goodly gifts and placed him in Paradise which signifieth the best part of the earth and that estate of men in which they should have lived without sin and death In which place appointed for their habitation are the four fountaines of the goodly rivers of Euphrates Tigris Ganges and Nilus which they water passe through and containeth almost a third part of the earth But when this man by the temptation subtill practices of the Serpent tasted of the forbidden fruit withdrew himselfe from the due obedience of his Creator he lost many of those goodly ornaments wherewith God had endowed him and fell into the punishment appointed for his transgression eternall death and damnation But the son of God bearing a singular favour to man pacified his father to satisfie his justice which was immutable he took upon him to fulfill all that obedience 〈◊〉 God required of man and restored him into Gods favour againe though not with recovery of all his lost ornaments revealed the promise of God which he had also procured to send him to be a protector of mankind against the tyranny of the Divell therefore he is called the word because he revealed this secret decree out of the breast of the eternal Father And this was the first miracle that God wrought after his creation of the world and the creatures therin contained staying them that were to dye without the second causes and without that ordinarie course of life which before hee had established Iosephus writeth that Adam set up two tables of stone in which he wrote the beginning of the creation the fall of man and the promise Now if wee consider what a worthy and beautifull creature man was before his fall the very habitation temple of God without sinne and without death wee may easily judge what an ungrateful and unhappy creature he was to revolt from God to the Divell whereby he and his posterity became subject to sinne and death For first God made him after his own image likenes that is he made him most good uncorrupt holy righteous immortall furnished him with most excellent gifts that nothing might bee wanting unto him to all blessednesse in God His understanding was wholly divine his will most free most holy he had power of doing good evil a law was given him of God which shewed him what he should doe or what he should not doe For the Lord said Thou shalt not eate of the tree of knowledg both of good evil God simply required of him obedience faith that whole Adam should depend upon him that not constrained by necessity but should do it freely he told him also the perill willed him not to touch the tree lest he dye So that he left him in his own counsell whose will was then free might have chosen whether he would have broken Gods commandment or not Neither did â—…atan in the serpent compel him to eat but perswaded the womaÌ„ with hope of a more excellent wisedome who drew on her husband willingly to bee partaker of the same by the false and lying perswasion and promise of the divel by the delectable shew sightliness of the tree the fruit whereof after the woman had first tasted she gave to her husband also to eate By meanes whereof hee lost those goodly gifts ornaments which God had bestow'd upon him which gifts hee gave to Adam upon condition that hee would also give them to his posterity if himselfe did keep them but would not give them if hee by his unthankfulnes would cast them away so that by his transgression disobedience hee was cast out of Paradise that is out of that happy estate found al the elements lesse favorable His nature condition was alter'd from goodnes holines to sin and wickednes from sincerity to corruption the influences that descend from the stars and planets which are of themselves simply good through our sinnes and corruption turne to evill so as all things made for our use rebell and conspire together against us and our sinnes are the cause of all our evill Which fall and alteration of mans nature and his ingratitude towards
ignominious a servitude who being in the field with his army there commeth to joyne with him a company of noble and gentlewomen excellently well armed that either had suffered or else feared they should suffer injury The battel grew very hote and a great slaughter on both sides when the women charged the Tyrant with such vertue and valour that they slue him and by all mens confession were the onely cause of the victory In the warres betweene the Succians Gothes and Danes there were two notable women expert and valiant souldiers in the army called Hâ—…tha and Vâ—…sna one being the chiefe Captaine the other being Standerd bearer whose right hand was stâ—…ken off in the â—…ght by the Valiant Champion starâ—… And in sea matters also women have beene nothing inferiour to men Alvilda a virgin gathered together certaine young maydes and exercised piracie in the North parts where she atchieved great matters for the which shee is registred in Chronicles to perpetuall memorie Many of these examples may bee produced out of histories of the excellencie of women and among the rest of Amalasuenta daughter to Theodoricus king of the Gothes whose vertues are exalted above the skies About three yeares past there was a Gentlewoman slaine at the siege of a Castle in Gelderland who had served the States in the warres as a souldier in the habit of a man many yeares When there was any going abroad to doe some exploit none was more forward than shee nor more valiant and hardy in fight She was not knowne to be a woman of those that were most familiar with her untill she was dead And if wee should cite examples of learning wee shall finde them in this also nothing inferiour to men Among which number was Leoâ—…cia a woman of such excellent learning that she wrote against Theophrastus the greatest Philosopher of his time reproving him of many faults in Philosophy And Corinna was of such excellent learning that she contended often with Pindarus at Thebes in veâ—…ying five times wan the victory Aretha was so excellent well learned that shee read openly in the Schooles of Athens naturall and morall Philosophy five and twenty yeares She made forty bookes Shee had an hundred Philosophers to her schollers semiramis Queene of Assyria after the death of Ninus her husband by whom she had a sonne not then at mans estate fearing how so many nations should bee governed by a boy and doubting also how shee should be obeyed if she should take upon her the government being a woman shee feyned her selfe to bee her sonne who in lincaments of face and stature of person did so resemble one another that hardly any difference could be perceived She apparelled him like a woman and her selfe like a man that the one might be taken for the other And in this sort she governed the Monarchy of the Assyrians not onely defending the countries left by her husband but increasing by conquest more nations to them the space of many yeares But Theodosia nothing fearing to shew her selfe as she was without counterfeiting another sex after the death of her husband and brother handled the matter with such prudence that she became Empresse governed with great fame in peace and prosperitie during her life Zenobia Queen of Palmarynes a woman endued with singular vertue after the death of her husband governed the East parts of the Romane Empire many yeares in despight of Galienus Claudius his successor Emperours of Rome making warre at some one time upon the Persians on the one side and defending her territories from the Romane Emperours on the other side But forasmuch as justice is the proper office of a Prince whose end after Socrates is to bring his people to felicitie and seeing authority and majâ—…stie in a Prince of all other things is chiefely to be respected as a singular gift of God which is gotten especially by these foure things by wisedome vertue felicitie and love of the people what need wee seeke for examples so farre off when wee have at this present a virgin Queene not onely equal to any of them but comparable also to the most renowned kings that have been in any age whether ye respect her rare gifts of nature multiplied by industrie or her honourable reputation gotten among forreine Princes and nations by her singular vertue and wisedome or the long continuance of her flourishing reigne and of the peaceable and happy estate with the dutifull love and obedience of her subjects who by her wise and politicke government in so perillous a time that the fire burning round about yet by Gods goodnesse in her providence feele not so much as the heat of the flame such a Queene I say as performeth not onely the part of a good Pilot in the governement of her owne ship but standeth as a lanterne in the high tower of Pharos by whose light the Princes and afflicted people round about her in this tempestuous time escape the dangerous rockes that dayly threaten their subversion and direct their course to a safe port That hath not taken occasion by her neighbours dissention and troubles after the usuall manner of Princes to enlarge her territories and dominion which she might have done to her great advantage But contrariwise to her great charge and expence and to their great benefit shee hath assisted and protected the oppressed in their just causes whose forces have daunted the pride of mighty Princes her enemies whose fame hath beene carried round about the world and will no doubt bee registred to perpetuall memorie in strange countries as trophees of her vertue O â—…mium dilecte Deo cui militat at her Et conâ—…rati veniunt adclassica venti Oh of the Gods thou over-lov'd For whom the Heavens doe warre And to whose fleete the conjur'd winds Prest and assistant are To what Prince in the world could these verses bee more aâ—…ly applyed than to her Majestie that were writen by Clandian the Poâ—…t in commendation of the felicity of Theodosius the Empetour But lest in going about to particulate the praises of this noble Queen paragon of Princes my gracious Soveraigne according to the worthinesse of her talent I should do as they that offer to shew the light of the Sunne with a candle the brightnesse of her worthy and heroicall acts and vertues shining more cleare to the world than I am able with words to set them forth I will conclude her commendations with this Danish verse Vincit opus famam â—…serma suppetit actis The worke doth much outgoe the fame Nor can weake words the act proclaime And what cause have wee to glory in the nobility of our bloud when we come by it by the vertue of our parents For the first nobility had his beginning for some vertuous act or service done to his country who for his worthinesse excelling other men was by the people ennoblized had in estimation above the rest Which title for his sake descend to his
king of Arragon who would say that he had rather lose his pearles and precious stones than any book And divers other Kings Emperors were excellently learned among which number I account by a rare example the noble Queene of England my gracious Soveraigne The Mathematicallsciences were had in such estimation for their excellencie that none might study them but Kings that they might excell others as well in worthinesse and singularitie of knowledge as in dignity of estate but now Kings children bee brought up in Machiavels schoole â—…s an Authour sufficient for their instruction Hee that will compare this time with that of former ages shall find a wonderfull Metamorphosis in mens minds and manners Vertue was never lesse in use and vice did never more abound the truth was never more knowne and never lesse regarded never better taught and never worse followed men were never lesse idle and never worse occupied worldly 〈◊〉 were never more carefully sought for and heavenly 〈◊〉 â—…ever lesse effectually thought of Men were never moâ—… religious in words and never more prophane iâ—…deeds The divell never bestirred himselfe with more dilligence to allure men to all manner of vice and men were never more negligent to make resistance nor more ready to further his labour and though hee cannot stop the utterance of the word yet hee prevaileth in that which is next to it to hinder his bringing forth of condigne fruits It happeneth to us as it did to Tantalus that though the water ranne by his mouth yet none would enter in to quench his thirst so the sound of Gods word beateth continually against our eares but it entereth not in to coole the heate of the wicked motions of our inordinate desires and to quench our thirst after worldly vanities In every place is talke of divinitie even among them that know not what belongeth to humanity Many are with their tongues blazers and talkers of vertue but all their other members they suffer to administer to vice Few men are so covetous of their owne good fame and honour as they are greedy of other mens goods and envious of others vertue Most men seeme to hate pride and yet few follow humility all condemne dissolutenesse and yet who is continent All blame intemperancie â—…nd yet none lives in order All praise patience and yet who resisteth the sweet passion of revenge He that possesseth much oppresseth him that hath little and hee that hath but little envyeth him that hath much Wee condemne Papists for their superstition confidence in their good works and we blame Puritanes for their affected singularitie and formall precisenesse and in the meane time that we may be unlike the one in grossenesse and not much resemble the other in precisenesse we neither have sufficient regard to the true devout service of God and to Christian charity nor sufficiently shew the zeale of true Christians to the sincerity of religion and least of all expresse it in our lives and conversations as though godlinesse consisted in a theoricall kinde of beleeving without any respect to the exercise of Christian charitie and vertue And when we go about to shake off the clogges wherewith our consciences are burdened by superstition to enjoy the true and Christian libertie wee fall into such a licentiousnesse of life and dissolutenesse of manners that the Poets saying may be aptly applyed to many Dum stulti vitant vitia in contraria currunt Whilst fooles shunne vices they run into contraries Some hold that God may be better served in â—…eir â—…ber than in the Church others preâ—… a 〈◊〉 or a barne before any of them both Thus doâ—… 〈◊〉 old Serpent labour 〈◊〉 sow division in mens minâ—…s and manners to 〈◊〉 â—…nour of true religion that whilst the Magistrates bee occupied in reforming these new schismes the professed enemie to the Gospel may multiply and encrease his flocke under hand But in the middest of this generall wickednesse and depravation of manners being almost as we may conjecture at the highest this comfort remaineth to the well-minded that the day of deliverance cannot be farre off When Dionysius at the time that Christ was crucified beheld with admiration the Sunne eclipsed contrary to nature the Moone being at the full and opposite to the Sunne he pronouneed these words Either the God of nature suffereth now or else the whole frame of the world shal be dissolved And as Dionysius divined rightly in the one so may he do in the other that wil behold the generalitie of all maner of vice and wickednesse of this time contrary to the nature of Christianity and opposite to the word of God which was never more plentifully taught and boldly pronounce that this generall and unnaturall eclipse of Christian manners doth presage the destruction of the world to be at hand Hee that will looke into the manners of this time shall he not find cause with trembling and feare to thinke that the time is at hand that the Prophet Ionas spake of to the Ninivites There be yet forty dayes and the world shall be destroyed but our hearts be so hardened with worldly desires that wee will beleeve nothing that feedeth not our humours and is not plausible to our inclinations And nothing is more dangerous to a Christian than to accustome himselfe to harden his conscience For in such unhappy people there is no will to be amended nor meanes to be remedied The Affricans had a Prophecie that when the Romans sent an Armie into Affrica Mundus cum tota sua prole periret the signification of which words is The world with all his issue shall perish which made them thinke that the world with all the people should be destroyed But afterward the Romanes sent an Army thither under the conduct of a Generall whose name was Mundus who in battell with his sonnes were slaine by the Affricanes and fulfilled the effect of the Prophecie and discovered the illusion of the Divell But these Heathens were not so easie to be deludâ—…d by the Divell as we are hard to bee perswaded by the true Prophets of God and Preachers of his word that the destruction of the world cannot bee farre off for the mindes and manners of men are so transformed and changed and declineth daily from evill to worse that if the men of former ages were to walke againe a while upon the earth they would thinke that this world were not the same which before it was but rather another substitute in his place Horace found this fault in his time that the age of their parents was worse than that of their grandfathers and themselves more wicked than their fathers and their children would be more vicious than they And as wee are worse than our fathers so our posterity is like to be worse than wee be if vice bee not now at the highest and the world almost at an end The Poets observed diligently and with great consideration the mutations of
to Rome and as we shal find our wiues imployed so wee shall have cause to judge of their disposition Every man allowed of the motion and taking their horses they forthwith galloped to Rome being dark-night and unawares to them went to visit their wiues whom they found feasting and passing the time in pleasures But when they came to Collatinos house they found the doores fast shut and Lucretia spinning in the middest of her maides Then was the sentence given by all their consents with Collatino they all commending the modestie of Lucretia Collatino then being victor invited them all to dinner the next day But after their returne to the campe the kings sonne being ravished with the beautie and modestie of Lucretia sought all meanes how to fulfill his lust And for that purpose comming to Rome on a time secretly in the evening he supped with Lucretia dissembling his intent lodged in her house When the d◅ad of the night was come he brake into her chamber and so craftily undermined her with threatnings of present death and perpetuall shame that abusing the simplicitie of the modest woman she suffered him to use his will When day was come and he gone she sent presently for her father her husband and kinsfolkes letting them to understand that a great misfortune had happened to her When they were come perceiving by her sad countenance that all was not well her husband asked whether all things were safe in the house shee like one in a trance stood silent unable to answere them a word But they urging still to know the cause of her heauinesse and what had befallen her after a little pause beeing come to her selfe her cheekes watered with abundance of teares What sayd she can bee accounted safe to a woman when her chastitie is lost Thy bedde my husband that hitherto hath been kept unspotted is now defiled by the kings sonne who comming to me yester-night to supper was curteously entertained of me as a guest lodged in my house as a friend altogether ignorant of his intent but when wee were all at rest he brake into my chamber and standing by my bed side with his dagger in his right hand and his left hand upon my brest hold thy peace quoth he Lucretia I am Tarquinius if thou speake any word this dagger shall be thy death Then began hee to discover his villanous minde and mingling threats with amorous words shewed me what paine and torment he had suffered for my sake But the Gods that never faile to strengthen them that carrie an honest mind gave me sufficient power to resist his treacherous temptations and by contempt of death to preferre an honest same before a shamefull life And when he perceived that I would neither bee enti◅ed with his amorous words nor terrified with his threats of death he altered his course and assured mee if I would not consent to his will hee would put a slave naked into my bedde and after he had killed us both he would make it knowne to the world that hee found us in adultery Then the feare of perpetuall shame and infamie to me and to all you my kinsfolkes prevailing more with me than the terror of death though my heart consented not my body yeelded to fulfill his lust And albeit I absolve my selfe of the fault yet I wil not remit to my selfe the paines of death lest any matron of Rome should hereafter take occasion by mine example to live when her honour is lost When shee had thus spoken and taken them all by the hand requiring them as they were men not to suffer this villany which reached also to them to passe unrevenged whilest they were cōforting of her and advising her not to take the matter so grievously seeing there was no fault where the heart consented not she tooke out a knife which shee had secretly hidden under her clothes and thrust it into her heart Then was there great cries lamentation by her husband and friends and Brutus one of them perceiving her dead drew the knife out of her body and kissing the same did solemnly sweare by the bloud of that modest woman he would not suffer that injurie to goe unrevenged nor that any king hereafter should reigne over the people of Rome whereunto when the rest condescended he carried the dead body into the market place and perswaded the yong men to joyne with him in revenge of this abhominable act and to expell their king wherunto they easily agreed armed themselves and would not suffer the king not any of his to enter any more into the citie and erected a new State translating the government from a Monarchy to a common wealth Thus by the incestuous act of this yong man Tarquinius lost his kingdome from himselfe and his posteritie By the like occasion of a libidinous desire after certaine yeares that the Romanes had changed their governement of two Consuls to ten principall men they returned it backe againe from them to two Consuls For Appius Claudius one of the ten governors was so extremely enamoured upon a yong virgin that was contracted to a yong Gentleman that when hee saw shee would not be enti◅ed with his faire promises and gifts he entered into a most odious wicked practice Hee caused a yong man that he had brought up as shee went forth of her fathers house into the towne who was then in the warres to challenge her for his slave and to bring her before him as hee sate in judgement that hee by adjudging her to him might by that meanes have his will of her This man according to his instructions claimed her openly in the Court and sayd that she was borne in his house and stolen from him and conveyed to the house of Virginius who falsely tooke upon him to be her father which hee offered to prove before him and desired justice that he might have his slave restored to him againe There was a great concourse of people to see the end of this tragedy and much murmuring against Appius whose wicked purpose they began to conjecture And as her friends desired him that for as much as her father was absent in service of the common-wealth the matter might bee stayed untill his returne Appius answered that he was contented to deferre judgement untill the next day yet so as he that challenged her might receive no prejudice which would be if he should lose the possession of her and therefore hee would take order that hee should put in sufficient suretie to bring the damsell in place againe when her father was come and then hee would judge her to him that should have best right At these words he that should be her husband pressed to come neare to lay hold upon his wife but beeing kept out by Appius commandement hee cried out upon his unjust sentence and told him hee would rather dye than suffer his wife to be taken from him and after many hot words Appius
perceiving the discontentment of the people set her at liberty untill the next day and sent secretly to the campe to some of his friends to stay her father there But Virginins friends having prevented him he came to Rome the same night The next day when Appius had sitten a while in the place of judgment before he that challenged the yong woman for his slave spake any word to demand her and before her father could come to answer for her hee adjudged her to the yong man that challenged her All men stood silent and astonished at his unjust sentence and the father exclaiming and railing upon Appius he that made the challenge offered to take her away as his slave but interrupted by the lamentable cryes of the women that were present Appius commandeth silence and a way to bee made for him to carry away his slave Then every one departed with great sorrow and anger and left the yong virgin alone with her master The father seeing his daughter left alone voyd of all foccour holdeth up his hands to Appius and desired pardon for his unreverent speech and that hee might have leave a little to speake with his wife and daughter apart to the end that if his wife would say that shee was not his owne daughter but that hee had hitherto falsly usurped the name of her father hee would be content to leave her Appius supposing he meant as he spake licensed them to goe aside Then the father taking a knife secretly in his hand There is no other meanrs my daughter sayd he to set thee at liberty but this and therewith hee thrust the knife to her heart And looking up to the judgement seate where Appius 〈◊〉 To thee Appius quoth hee and to thy heâ—… 〈◊〉 crate with this bloud Then was there great lamentatlon and outcryes among the people and the women crying Is this the comfort of bringing up our children Is this the reward of chasticie And though Appius commanded Virginius to be apprehended yet he escaped and went to the campe where the unjust sentence of Appius was so much detested and the necessitie of the fathers fact so much lamenred that they came armed to Rome deprived the ten Magistrates and altered the forme of government to two Consuls againe and cast Appius in prison where for sorrow and shame he ended his dayes Antonius a famous Captaine and one of the 〈◊〉 governours of the Roman Empire through the pleasure he tooke in the fond love of Cleopatra Queene of Egypt lost not onely his fame and rule which he had over divers kingdomes and countries but his life also and hers upon whom he was so much besotted This Antonius married with the sister of Octavian another principall governour of the Romane Empire that after was called Augustus Caesar. But the lascivious eatisements of Cleopatra made such an impression in the flexible disposition of Antonius that hee little regarding his owne wife gave himselfe wholly to the love of Cleopatra which was the chiefe cause of the ruine of them both and the advancement of Octavian to the Monarchy of the world For Octavian conceiving great displeasure against Antonius for his sisters cause gathered together a great navie to make warre upon him who had made the like provision to encounter with Octavian These two mightie potentates with two huge navies wherein were assembled the forces of all the Princes adjoyning to their aide met together with like will and power but not with like fortune For in the beginning of the fight Cleopatra who accompanied Antonius with the Egyptian 〈◊〉 fled backe againe to Alexandria from whence they came which when Antonius saw being overcome rather with the blind love of the Queene than with his enemies forces followed after her and left the victorie to Octavian who pursued them both to Alexandria where Antonius being arrived and perceiving his navie to joyne with his enemie at the same time also forsaken of his horsemen hee cryed out as hee went in the Citie that hee was betrayed to them by Cleopatra to whom for her sake hee became an enemy Which when Cleopatra heard fearing the furie of Antonius shee shut her selfe in her sepulchre which shee had before so artificially prepared that being once made fast no man could easily enter into it without the helpe of them that were within and sent word to Antonius that shee had slaine her selfe After Antonius was come to himselfe hearing and beleeving this evill newes Why stayest thou Antonie quoth he the onely cause that was left to thee to desire life fortune hath now taken from thee and so entring into his chamber and unarming himselfe O Cleopatra quoth hee I am not sorie for the lacke of thee for I will be by and by with thee but that so great an Emperour as I am should bee furmounted in fortitude by a woman Then Antonius turning to his man Eros whom hee had provided before to kill him if neede were required him to performe his promise Eros taking his sword in his hand and making as though he would strike his master suddenly turned the point to his own body and thrust himselfe through and fell downe dead at his masters feet Which when Antonius saw well done Eros quoth he thou hast aptly taught me by thine owne example that thou couldest not find in thy heart to do it thy selfe and there with he thrust the sword into his own belly cast himself upon his bed Antonius perceiving that his wound was not present death desired his servants to kill him but they refusing running forth of the chamber hee raged and cryed out like one that had beene mad untill one came that Cleopatra had sent to bring him to her When he heard that she was alive hee greatly rejoyced and was carried presently to her 〈◊〉 where the Queene with two other women which shee had â—…here enclosed with her let downe cords out of a window for the doore shee would not open and with great labour drew him up halfe dead into the sepulcher A more miserable and lamentable sight sayd they that were present was never seene When the women had drawn him into the sepulchre and layd him upon a bedde Cleopatra began to rend her garments to reare her hayâ—…e to scratch her face crying out upon her lover her Lord her Emperour and so imployed herselfe in bemoniug him that she seemed to forget her owne misery Antonius used all the meanes hee could to comfort her advising her to provide for her selfe and her own matters if she could doe it without dishonour not to mourne for these last calamities of his but rather to thinke him happy for his former felicitie that was of all other the most famous and mightiest man and that now it was no disgrace for a Romane to bee overcome of Romanes After which words Antonius began to yeeld up the ghost When Casar heard of Antonius death hee sent Proculeius presently to Cleopatra
of their pleasant instruments their sweet wine the mony also which they have in their purses commeth from thence And that they may have the fruition of these pleasures at the full they make themselves Prelates of Churches This is not sayth he to adorne the spouse of Iesus Christ but this is to risle her this is not to preserve her but to destroy her this is not to defend her but to give her to theeves for a prey The magnificence of these men was farre differing from the poore estate of Saint Peter and Saint Iohn that had not a penny to give to the lame man that asked their almes at the Church dore Which putt◅th me in minde of a pretty taunt given to a Pope by a Frier that glorying in his riches exalted himselfe above Saint Peter Pope Sixtus the fourth being exalted from a poore Franciscane Frier to that dignitie brought a Frier of the same order into his Treasurie and shewing to him his great wealth and riches sayd Looke Frier I cannot say as Saint Peter did Gold and silver have I none No truely quoth the Frier no more can you say as Saint Peter sayd to the lame and sicke of the palsey Arise up and walke The like taunt the Archbishop of Cullen received for the like pride of a poore husbandmā who as he was at plough in the fields seeing a great troupe of horse-men well armed after the manner of the Princes of Germany passing by asked of the formost company who it was that came after being answered that it was the Archbishop of Cullen this countrie fellow fell into a great laughing and being asked why hee laughed Because quoth he Saint Peter the Prince of Prelates lived poorely to leave his successours rich Word being brought to the Archbishop what this fellow had sayd hee meaning to excuse justifie himselfe Doest thou not know quoth he that I am both a Bishop and a Duke and have both the jurisdictions Thē the fellow laughed more than he did before and being demanded the cause I pray you Sir quoth hee let mee aske you this question If the Duke shall happen to be in hell where shall the Bishop be One reporteth of a Priest that used to have a net spread upon his table where he dined that he might the rather by that meanes resemble Saint Peter that was a Fisherman to whom Christ sayd when hee followed him that he should take men This Priest by his diligent preaching which hee used so long as he was kept bare was at last advanced to a Bishopricke and when he came home to dinner being a Bishop finding the net spread upon his table after his usuall manner Now take away the net quoth hee to his servant I have taken that which I fished for The world hath too many such fishers But where hath beene found in these latter ages among Prelates that contempt of worldly pompe and pride that was in that great Clerke Origen the fame of whose excellent learning and singlenesse of life being brought to the ◅ares of Alexander Severus the Roman Emperour he sent for him to come to Rome and commanded the Proyost of Egypt to furnish him with all things necessary for his journey When this Provost had provided him a ship and all things necessary and beheld him but simply apparelled he prepared for him divers garments in the most honest and comely sort that Philosophers then used But Origen would receive no part thereof not so much as hose or shooes but like as hee used alwayes to goe from his child-hood that was in a single garment of cloath and bare-foot so went he to Rome And when at his arrivall there were brought to him a Mule and a Chariot to use which hee best liked he answered That he was much lesse than his master Christ who rode but one day in all his life and that was upon a silly asse◅mare And therefore he would not ride unlesse he were sicke or decrepit so as his legges might not serve him to goe And when hee was brought into the presence of the Emperour and his mother the Emperour with most gentle countenance embraced him as he kneeled and enforced him to stand upon his feet His mother also saluted him with the like courtesie and rejoyced much to see him The Emperour beholding his native gravitie and sterne countenance judged him in his heart to bee a reverent personage Then demanded he of him what he professed And when hee answered Veritie the Emperour asked him what he meant thereby It is the word quoth he of the living God which is infallible The Emperour asked which is the living God and why hee so called him Origen answered that hee did put that distinction for a difference from them whom men being long drowned in errour did call their gods whom they confesse to be mortall once and to have died But the God whom he preached was ever living and never died and is the life of all things that bee like as hee was the creatour of them And when the Emperour had required him to declare the unitie of God the creatour hee devoutly lifting up his eyes after a short meditation with an incomparable and compendious eloquence forthwith opened that mystery in such wise that as well to the Emperor his mother as to all the standers by it seemed they were brought out of a long sleepe and then began to see things as they were indeed and that which before they honoured and esteemed were but vaine dreames and imaginations The Emperour after a little pawse sayd to Origen that hee much marvelled why men of such great and wonderfull knowledge should honour for God a man that was crucified being but of a poore estate and condition O noble Emperour sayd Origen consider what honour the wise Athenians at this present doe to the name and image of Codrus their last King for that when they had warres with their enemies who had answer made by the Oracle of Apollo that if they slew not the King of Athens they should have the victorie Codrus hearing thereof preferring the safeguard of his people before his owne life tooke to him the garments of a slave and bearing upon his shoulder a burden of stickes he went to his enemies campe and there quarelling of purpose with some of them and in the prease hurting one with his knife he was by him that was hurt striken through the body and slain which being known to the enemies they being confused raised their campe and departed And for this cause the Athenians have ever since had the name of Codrus in reverence worthily and not without cause Now then consider most excellent Prince how much more worthily with what greater reason and bounden dutie ought wee and all men to honour Christ being the Sonne of God and God who not only to preserve mankind from danger of the Divell his ancient enemy but also to deliver man out of his darke and stinking dungeon
are vexed there is no one that troubleth and disquieteth them more than ambition and desire of honour They never content themselves with that which they have gotten but their minds are alwayes imployed in devising how to get more It is a hard thing saith Saint Augustine for him that is placed in high estate not to desire great matters Alexander the Great when hee heard a Philosopher disputing of many worlds besides this fell into a weeping as though some great cause of griefe had happened to him and being asked why he wept Because quoth he I heare of many worlds and I have not yet conquered one whole world But he that hath felicity is content with that he hath and desireth no more He is free from all perturbations and unquietnesse of mind and thinketh no man in better estate than himselfe otherwise he cannot bee accounted happie Which thing was by Cineas a verie wise man aptly given to understand to King Pyrrhus that intended great warres to enâ—…ge his dominâ—… For considering with himselfe how peaceably and happily Pyrrhus might live if he could be content with his owne kingdome as they had conference 〈◊〉 about his intended enterprise to 〈◊〉 waâ—… upon Iâ—…ly If Sir quoth Cineas the gods shew us this favour to conquer Italy what good shall wee reape by the victorie Wee may afterward sayd Byâ—… with 〈◊〉 great difficultie subdue the Greciaâ—… and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that border upon that countrie When this quoth the other is done what shall we doe then Sâ—…ilia quoth Pyrrhus will not then stand against us Shall that be the end of our waâ—…res sayd 〈◊〉 Whâ—… will stay 〈◊〉 â—…ter quoth this Monarke from passing into Afriâ—… and Carthage and from the recovery of the Kingdome of Macedon that so we may command at 〈◊〉 pleasure all Greece 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 brought all this to passe what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pyrrhus beginning to smile We will quoth hâ—… my friend give our selves to rest and live as pleatâ—…ntly and merrily as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where he desired And what Sir quoth he letâ—… 〈◊〉 from rest at this present and from living in joy pleasure seeing wee have all things requiâ—… oâ—… seâ—…king it with so much effusion of bloud and an insâ—…ire number of perâ—… and dangers and 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where it is uncertaine whether we shall find it These speeches rather offended Pyrrhus that was carried away with the vehement passion of ambition than any thing diffwaded him from his violâ—…t purâ—…â—…d 〈◊〉 which in the end 〈◊〉 his own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by feeding of his ambitious humout in â—…ing 〈◊〉 hee was at last laine with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his head by a woman and so lost his life and his kingdome which hee might quietly have possessed And this is the common course of the world not onely among Princes and Potentates but also among men of meane estate alwayes to aspire and desire more according to the Emperour Charles the fifths word Plus ultra to whom sometime it happeneth as it did to Esops dogge that snatching at the shadow lost the peece of meat which he had in his mouth The ambitious humour of this King that aspired to a Monarchie of many countries and kingdomes putteth mee in mind of a pretty taunt given of late yeares to the Spaniards for the like ambition A Germane writeth a booke to his countrey-men wherein hee doth perswade them to beware they bee not entrapped by the Spaniards alledging many reasons that they aspire to the Monarchy of Germanie and that they let not openly to speake that the Monarchy of the world is due to them from God and by right One writeth in the margent Hispanis monarchia divinitâ—…s sed in Vtopia debetur A monarchy is due to the Spaniâ—…ds from above but in Vtopia There is not a more dangerous passion or affection nor that hath beene the cause of greater mischiefe than ambition and desire of honour which hath beene the utter ruine and subversion of many Kingdomes and Common-wealths and the destruction of them in whom this humour hath raigned And yet many times the worthiest men and those that are â—…ndued with excellent gifts are most subject to this passion For loftie mindes naturally have an earnest desire to excell others and to bring that to passe they forbeare not to attempt any thing whether it bee right or wrong for hee is easily â—…raen to unjust things that is deâ—…ous of glory As 〈◊〉 Casar had usually in his mouth this saying of To attâ—…ne to rule and principalitie which is as it were the subject of honour glorie there is no dutie respected nor naturall affection can beare any sway or restraine or bridle the unruly and violent passions neither betweene parents and their children betweene husband and wife nor betweene â—…thren or kinsfolke They that have suffered themselves to be overcome with this passion have made shipwrack of all godlinesse of modestie of honestie and of humanitie it selfe But meere madnesse it is to desire that honour and glory that neither contenteth the 〈◊〉 nor continueth with the possessor nor is voyd of great dangers both in this life and in the life to come and is thus threatned in the Scripture most severe judgement shal be used upon those over others The meane man shall obtaine mercie but the great and strong shall suffer torments strongly Adolphus Duke of Geldria did leade his father in the night when he was going to sleep five of their miles in the deep of Winter without shoes to a most vile prison where he kept him halfe a yeare in the end whereof for feare of the Emperour and the Pope hee let him forth And when reasonable conditions were offered by the Arbitrators which had the hearing of their cause he sayd rather than he would yeeld to those conditions hee would cast his father headlong into a well and throw himselfe after An undutifull saying of an unnatural sonne Selym the great Turke and first of that name usurped the Empire by favour of the â—…zaries upon his father Bajazet and caused him to bee poysoned and slue Aâ—…mat and Corcâ—…the his two elder brothers with all his Nephewes and others of Ottemans race saying that nothing was more pleasant than to raigne when all seare of kindred was taken away Henry the fifth deprived his father by force from the Empire and caused him to dye miserably in prison Frederiche the third after he had raigned thirty yeares was miâ—…rably slaine by Manfroy his bastard sonne who after he had committed this parricide he poysoned his brother Câ—… lawfull inheritour to â—…redericke that hee might make himselfe King of Naples salyâ—… King of the Turkes hearing the acclamations and cryes which the army made to Sultan 〈◊〉 his eldest son for joy of his 〈◊〉 from Persia jealous of his owne estate caused him to be strangled in his utter chamber and cast out to the army with these words to bee cryed aloud
under the water a long time And as soone as he was under the water the sea began to worke in the place where he leapt in of a great height as though there had bin a tempest After he had staied under the water longer than he used to do the people cryed out Thou Cynops art the onely man of the world thinking he would shew himselfe to them againe as he did before But Saint Iohn prayed to God that hee might be no more seene among men which prayer tooke such effect that Cynops could be no more seene Which when the people perceived they turned their admiration to Saint Iohn who then sayd to the three spirits I command you in the name of Iesus Christ that was crucified that ye depart and be seene no more in this Island Which words were no sooner spoken but they forthwith vanished away The fame of this art being blown abroad was the cause that a great many bookes of Necromancie in divers places were burnt This desire of vaineglory through singularity of knowledge was not wrought in the minds only of Cynops and other Infidels by the instigation of the divel whose helpe they used in aâ—…ayning the same but in our Christian Prelates also who used the like means being overcome with the same desâ—…es to what perill of their soules I leave to the judgement of others Tâ—…itemius the Abbot an excellent learned man and worthy of fame if by adding Necromancy to the rest of his learning he had not made himselfe infamous by his owne confession burned with an execâ—…ive desire of vaineglorie For saith he as I went up and downe musing devising with my selfe how I might finde some thing that never any man knew before and that all men might wonder at and layd my selfe downe to sleepe in an evening with the same cogitations there came one to me in the night that I knew noâ—… and excited me to persever in my intended purpose promising me his helpe which he performed What kind of learning hee taught him he sayd was not meete for the common sort but to be knowne onely of Princes whereof hee sheweth some examples denying the same to be done by the divels helpe but by naturall meanes to which hee will hardly perswade any man of judgment And though he would cover some of his strange feates under the pretext of nature yet his familiaritie with the Divel in many things was apparent The Emperour Maximilian the first married with Marie the daughter of Charles Duke of Burgundy whose death loving her dearely he took gâ—…evously This Abbot perceiving his great love towards her told him that he would shew him his wife againe The Emperour desirous to see her went with the Abbot and one more into a chamber The Abbot forbad them for their lives to speake one word whilest the spirit was there Mary the Emperours wife commeth in and walketh up and downe by them very soberly so much resembling her when shee was alive in all points that there was no difference to be found The Emperour marvelling to see so lively a resemblance called to mind that his wife had a little blacke spot a Mole some call it behind in her necke which he determined to observe the next time shee passed by him and beholding her very earnestly hee found the Mole in the very same place of her necke Maximilian being much troubled in minde with this strange sight winked upon the Abbot that hee should avoyd the spirit Which being done hee commanded him to shew him no more of those pastimes protesting that hee was hardly able to forbeare speaking which if hee had done the spirit had killed them all The Divell was so ready at the Abbots commandement that as hee travelled on a time in the company of a man of account who reported this story they came into a house where was neither good meate nor drinke the Abbot knocked at the window sayd adfer fetch Not long after there was brought in at the window a sodden pickerell in a dish and a bottle of wine The Abbot fell to his meate but his companions stomacke would not serve him to eate of such a Caterers provision Albertus Magnus being a notable Necromancer besides his other learning that had beene Bishop of Regenspurg and after became a Monke at Collen at such time as William Grave of Holland was chosen Emperour and returned from his Coronation at Aquisgraven to Collen with many Princes and great estates where in the night was made him a sumptuous banquet Albertus being there also to shew the Emperour and the Princes some pastime after their journey by his skill caused the chamber where they were in their sight to be like a forest the floore seemed to be ground covered with greene grasse and beâ—…bes and flowers planted with trees of divers sorts the Larke singing in the ayre the Nightingale and the Cuckow singing in the trees and haw-thorne bushes as though it had been in the middest of May. In the which pastime the Emperour tooke such delight that hee rewarded the house whereof Albertus was Monke with land priviledges thinking that no sinnefull act which was done by so famous and holy a Monke in the presence also of so many Prelats But what their reward shall be at the day of judgement the Lord onely knoweth But to excell in these prohibited sciences is not sufficient glory to these kind of men except they also leave their knowledge in writing to the prejudice of posterity which argueth their desire of glory to bee agreeable with that of the Poet that sayth Vade â—…tur felix liber long ssâ—…ma vive Tempora quumque meos tellus obduxerit artus Tu varios populos diversaq regna superstes Quaere studeque meum late diffundere nomen Goe happy booke live long and when i' th dust My bones are layd as sure I am they must Be thou still safe and wander the world round With all thy care my name abroad to sound Among the rest Pope Gregorie the seventh an excellent Necromancer by the report of the Cardinall Benno would by shaking his sleeves make sparks of fire leape out of them to the judgement of men by which strangething he sought to win an opinion of great holinesse By these examples of Popes and Prelates with the rest it appeareth how ready the Divell is to stirre up mens mindes where he seeth any inclination to the desire of vaineglory whose helpe and service they never lacke untill he hath brought them to destruction of bodie or soule These kind of men be they it should seeme to whom Beelzebub is supposed to write an Epistle reported by an old author thus Beelzebub the prince of Divels and Duke of darknesse with his guard and all the potentates of hell To Archbishops Bishops Abbots and other Prelates rulers of Churches his welbeloved friends now and for ever Infernall salutations and a league of inviolable society which can never
bull being placed not far off hearing his voyce came running to him through the presse of peoply overthrowing divers of them and layd his head in Mahomets lap having the book tyed between his horns wherein the law was written called Alcoran the people beleeving the rather by Sergius perswaâ—… that God had sent the bull with the booke of the law because about the pigeoÌ„s necke they had fastned a little schedule wherein was written in golden letters he that can put a yoke upon the buls neck let him be king Sergius fetched a yoke and delivered it to Mahomet who put it â—…fily upon the buls nocke and was of the foolish people called King and sergius a Prophet By these kind of devices hee seduced the people and after hee had reigned tenne yeare being about foure or fiâ—… and thirtie yeares old it happened that one of his 〈◊〉 proofe whether or not whether he would 〈◊〉 againe the third day after his death and 〈◊〉 up to heaven as he had ofâ—…old told them he would doe after he had reigned ten yeares he 〈◊〉 gave him poyson to 〈◊〉 which when Mahomet had drunke his colour began to change and the poyson went presently to his heart and dispatched him as hee had well deserved A just judgement of God to punish the wicked by the wicked His body was diligently watched by his disciples looking for his reâ—…rre the third day as he had said But when the third day was past and that they saw he would not rise againe that his body began to stinke they let him lye 〈◊〉 and departed And the eleventh day after his death 〈◊〉 that poysoned him came againe to see how he lay and as one Lucas reporteth hee found his body eaten with dogges And gathering his bones together he tooke them with him and buryed them in a towne called Madinaraziell When the Arabians and others perceived how he had deceived them and that he rose not againe according to his promise many of them fell from him and would no longer hold of his religion But in his life annexed to his Alcoran some of his disciples 〈◊〉 strange things of his death and resurrection and 〈◊〉 that his body of himselfe after a miraculous fort hangeth on high under a vault of the Church at 〈◊〉 where indeed it is done by art a Load-stone 〈◊〉 up the Iron Coffen wherein his body or bones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it did hang in the ayre But the Turkes and â—…hough of his sect beleeving that he hangeth there by â—…vine power goe thither yearely in pilgrimage as Christians doe to Ierusalem to the Sepulcher This was 〈◊〉 beginning and end of this glorious Apostle of 〈◊〉 whose holinesse was in his youth such that the Citiâ—… of Mecha condemned him to death for these whom now they adore for a high Prophet of God Such fruits the desire of glory wherein he put his felicity brought forth to the perpetuall torments of his owne soule and of infinite thousands besides But such an Epitaph had bin more meete for him than to be so exalted as was engraven upon the tombe of a Vice-roy of Sicilia by the people of that countrey in revenge of his tyrrannous governement Qâ—…i propter nos homines Et propter nostram salutem Descendit adinferos That is Who for us men And for our salvation Is gone downe into hell Salmoxes device to perswade the Gothes that the soule was immortall was more tolerable being done with better meaning Hee taught those people that neither himselfe nor any that lived nor they which were to be borne should dye for ever if they lived vertuously but they should goe into such a place where they should alwayes live and enjoy all good things and leade for ever a most happy life And when he had thus perswaded his followers he conveyed him secretly out of their sight into a building under the ground which he had before prepared for the purpose where hee remained three yeares leaving his followers lamenting sorrowing as if he had bin dead the fourth yere he returned to them againe they being sufficiently satisfied of the eternitie of the soule and the perpetuall reward of vertue By which device hee wan to himselfe such reputation and glory that he was accounted equall with the king who made him his companion in the governement of his kingdome But the death of Mahomet was not the end of much troubles and mischiefe that arose through his false doctrine in divers parts of the world For thereof ensued sundry sects according to the severall inclinations of the fantasticall heads of his disciples and followers in whom the Divell stirred up such a desire of glory that imitating their masters example and treading in his path some of them became little inferiour to him in riches and dominion Among the rest in our age Affrica that according to the old proverbe is accustomed alwayes to bring forth some new and strange thing raised up one of Mahomets disciples from a poore Hermit to be a Monarch of many goodly kingdomes and countries This man was borne among the famous mountaines of Atlas of very base poore parentage and became an Hermit which the Affricans call Morabuth that is a holy man This fellow began to preach his vaine doctrine in the yeare of Grace one thousand five hundred fourteene and would admit no glosse or interpreter of the Alcoran but followed simply the text He playd the hypocrite so kindly that by a counterfeit shew of holinesse and simplicity and austerity of life he was greatly esteemed and honoured And when hee saw himselfe well followed of the people of Fez Maroque where he made himselfe strong and that the multitude depended upon his word hee told them whom he best favoured that he had a desire to visit the King of Taphilletta because hee lived not according to the sinceritie of their law The cause 〈◊〉 he desired this kingdome was that if his deviâ—… tooke not that effect hee looked for it might serve him for a place of retreyt As hee travelled towards Taphilletta there was no village that hee passed by but he preached his doctrine into the great townes they would not suffer him to enter because of his 〈◊〉 and for feare of some tumult His travell was alwayes by the sea coast because that countrey was well peopled insomuch that within short time his traine resembled a huge army of above threescore thousand men strong The simple king of Taphistetta would needs heare this Hermit and talke with him of matter touching his conscience who was not so intentive in his Sermon as he was circumspect in viewing the kings forces and the meanes he had to defend himself At length he told his followers God had revealed to him that he must expell this king out of his kingdome as unworthy to reigne For confirmation whereof hee shewed them certaine false miracles By meane whereof they slue the king and made the Hermit
they be eyther oppressed or oppresse Of which things the others be free that want that imagined felicitie and the onely evill is that they thinke the lacke thereof to be evill A goodly happines no doubt when for one reputed good thing thou shalt have an infinite number of evils for the shadow of felicity a sea of troubles miseries And what be the fruits of these torments of ambition Thou art saluted in assemblies of people with caps knees art reverenced in feasts with the highest places at the table But thou considerest not that many a wicked and vicious man is ofâ—…imes preferred before thee And wherein doth that help or amend the estate of thy body or mind whereof a man doth consist Thou art of great power dominion if that should be mans end felicitie how coÌ„meth it to passe that one mans power should spring of the impotencie of infinite numbers of others how can that be accounted the greatest good which is not onely converted often into evil but also perverteth them that possess it maketh them worse But admit power dominion to be good one is adored ten thousand make courtesie one triumphs thousands follow the chariot one rules millions obey serve So that one man shal be the end of infinite numbers the felicity of a few the misery of al. But we â—…eck not now the end good of a few but of all men Neither doe these few if wee looke throughly into them possesse it Which the Courtiers themselves even the best sort of them that be in most estimation must needs confesse whose hearts bee more painefully pinched by a sowre looke or sharpe word of their Prince than their eares and eyes can bee pleased and delighted by a thousand flatteries and as many a dorations a whole day together It is not without cause said that the displeasure of the Prince is the death of the subject And Princes themselves feele many times more corzies and unquietnesse of minde by some offence taken within their own wals than any triumph or publike pastime can â—…create or make glad But felicitie is in the matter it selfe and dependeth not either upon the frowning countenance of any person or of fortune it selfe which must be also peâ—…tuall But honourable estate dyeth and is buried with the body And what is honour but a vaine admiration of the common people Ambition therefore is so farre from the right way to that good we seek that the very same thing hath cast us all downe head long from the greatest good into extreme evill and misery Insomuch that if wee desire to find that good we must be driven to seek it in our selves seeing we cannot find it with others nor in these worldly matters In vaine therefore doe wee seeke felicitie in worldly vanities which is to bee found in the service of God which was well observed by the Poet Si 〈◊〉 alies in qualibet arte quid inde Sifaveas 〈◊〉 si prosper a 〈◊〉 quid inde Si prior 〈◊〉 Abbas si Rex si Papa quid inde Si rota fortunate 〈◊〉 ad astra quid inde Annos si felix regâ—…es per 〈◊〉 quid inde Tam cito 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nihil inde Sola inde Ergo Deo servi quia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 voles in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corpore 〈◊〉 haberis If that thy house be faire and table 〈◊〉 what then If that thy masse of coyne and gold be great what then If thou hast a faire wife that generous is what then If children and great farmes and nought amisse what then If thou thy selfe beest valiant rich and faire what then If in thy full traine many servants are what then In Arts if thou to others Tutor be what then If fortune like the world shall smile on thee what then If thou beest Prior Abbot King or Pope what then If fortunes wheele raise thee beyond all hope what then If thou shouldst live a thousand years in blisse what then Since that so swift so swift times passage is that then All 's nothing only then by vertue strive That after death thy glory may survive All you that are Gods servants and good men From what 's before said learne this lesson then All these good deeds you to your death deferre Doe when y' are young so shall you no way 〈◊〉 The end of the third Booke THE FELICITIE OF MAN OR HIS SVMMVM BONVM THE FOURTH BOOKE CHAP. I. Aristotle Concerning the Summum bonum with other of the Sâ—…cks Of king Alexander and the Gâ—…rdian 〈◊〉 The excellent effects of Morall vertue Of king Agesilaus and Meneâ—…aus a vertu glorious Physician Of Marcus Regulus Decius Codrus king of Athens Of Tubero and sixe observable Frenchmen Of Marcus Curtius a noble young Gentleman of Rome Of Leonidas king of Sparia who with five hundred men put the Army of Xerxes to â—…ght which consisted of 1000000. WEe have shewed before by many examples and by the opinions and reasons of wise and learned men how much they are deceived that thinke the Felicitie of man to consist in pleasure riches or in worldly honour and glorie Now before wee come to shew what opinion is meete for a Christian to hold of this matter let us first discourse upon one thing wherein the most approved Philosophers Plato and Aristotle held that this Felicitie or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should consist that is in vertue or in the action of vertue The Philosophers entring into consideration of naturall things found that the proper action of every thing was the end for which it was created as the proper action and end of the Sun is to illuminate the earth And in naturall things there are three kindes of life vegetative or increasing which is in plants sensitive which is in beasts rationall or reasonable which is in men So that the life of plants is to grow and increase of beasts to follow the motion of their senses of men to live according to reason after the Philosophers opinion Which reason sheweth a man how to live wel but what it is to live well the Philosophers cannot agree After Aristotle and others it is to live vertuously But because a man is a sociable creature and not borne to himselfe but to be helping to others it is not sufficient for a man to have vertue in him but hee must also exercise and be a doer of vertue And because all our actions and labours bee to some end which end is taken of us to bee good for every man desireth that which hee thinketh to be good for himselfe the last of all ends to which the rest are applyed for which all our labours are and ought to bee bestowed is the most perfect and best of all things that nature desireth and therefore the thing wherein the felicitie of man consisteth For that is desired for no other thing but for it selfe Which after Aristotle is the action of vertue
pleasures and delights are and they have none other care but how they may live in this world at their ease and pleasure But howsoever they cover their wickednesse and disguise their conceipts the time will come that all shal be discovered before the face of God which was well understood of David when he sayd Lord whether shall I withdraw my selfe from thy power where shall I hide mee from thy face If I climbe up to Heaven thou art there if I goe downe to Hell thy hand is there c. What Sodome and Gomorrah suffered for their filthie pleasures is to all men knowne Aristotle counselleth men to consider of pleasures as they are going away which then shew themselves so loathsome and full of wearinesse and repentance that men the rather by that meanes will refraine to turne to them againe CHAP. III. The vanitie of Perfumes and costly unguents The miserable and fearefull effects of Adulterie made manifest in Alexander Medices Duke of Florens In the fall of the Romane Tarquins In Appius Claudius one of the Decemvirate In the Historie of Anthony and Cleopatra In Roderick King of Spaine ALI men are not given to like pleasures but some desire to please one of their senses more than the rest some other as the Poet saith 〈◊〉 sua quenque voluptas Everyman is drawne after his owne appetite and pleasure and yet everie one hath beene found sufficient to bee many times the destruction of their followers Plancus a Romane lived very delicately and tooke great pleasure to bee made sweete with perfumes and pleasant oyntments and being banished and driven to hide himselfe from them that sought him they found where he lurked by his savours and slew him Alexander Medices Duke of Florence was so intemperate in the love of women that Laurence Medices his kinseman and especiall favorite having a determination to kill him to deliver his countrey from a Tyrant as hee termed him but chiefly as it should seeme for the desire of glory could find no better meanes to bring his purpose to effect for hee was strongly guarded than to offer his helpe to win for him the favour of a gentlewoman his kinsewoman or sister with whom for her beautie and modestie he knew the Duke to be farre in love This Laurence commeth to the Duke in the night and whispering in his eare telleth him that with many perswasions and certaine promises he had at last though with great difficultie wonne this chaste woman to yeeld to his desire and that the same night she would come to his bedde upon condition neverthelesse that the matter should be kept in very great secret and that which hee had in his behalfe promised should be faithfully performed Fistula dulce canit volucrem dum decipit auceps To a sweete note the Fowlers pipe is set When he the bird betraies unto his net Which was a certaine summe of money that the Duke should lend her to help her husbands necessitie who being a merchant was fallen in decay this he fained to be the womans request to which the Duke easily yeelded as a very reasonable petition And burning in desire to satisfie his lust they went presently to a house joyning to Laurences house whither the Duke was used often to goe from whence he made him send away two of his chamberlaines that followed him lest they should finde whereabout he went Thus the Duke being brought into a chamber and layed upon a bed hee advised him thereto repose himselfe awhile untill the dead of the night were come and men at rest that hee might the more secretly and safely bring the woman to him He perswaded the Duke to put off his sword that he might lye the more easily which being done Laurence wrappeth his girdle quickly about the hilts that his sword could not speedily be drawne and then adviseth him to take his rest untill hee had made all things ready and returned againe So he draweth the canopie close about the bed and goeth his way and shutteth the doore after him When Laurence had framed all things to his purpose he calleth a yong man his servant whom the Duke had before pardoned for man slaughter and exhorteth him to helpe him as he had promised to kill a notable man and a great enemy of his that there wanted nothing but to doe it with courage and not to be terrified with his countenance there was no danger in the matter The yong man promiseth his helpe willingly to kill him whosoever hee were if it were the Prince himselfe Thou hast divined rightly quoth Laurence it is even he here we have him fast locked in this chamber asleepe hee openeth the doore softly and in they goe into the chamber with one base fellow more and finding the Prince snorting Laurence draweth his sword and thrust it into his side the Duke being terrified with the blow casteth himself to the other side and crept upon his hands and feet under the bed and as the rest stroke at him hee got forth againe and like lyon flieth upon Laurence and got his left thombe in his mouth and brake it so as Laurence was faine to call to his companion for helpe who at last killed the Duke And though there was a great noyse in the chamber and the Duke alowd called him traytor yet none of the house that heard it mistrusted any such matter because Laurence had craftily accustomed them to the like noise in playing with his companions and throwing stooles and cushions about the house purposely to deceiue them at this time Thus through the desire of this fleshly pleasure Alexander Medices was slaine by his own cousin and friend that had none other means to entrap him and he himselfe was afterward slaine at Venice Plautus saith Nox vinum mulier nihil perniciosius homini adolescentulo The night wine a woman nothing is more pernicious to a yong man One saith that there is not a more capitall enemy given by nature to a man than pleasure The Bishop of Magdeburge tooke such pleasure in dauncing that as he daunced on a time untill midnight with Ladies and Gentlewomen hee fetched at the last such a frisco that he fell downe and brake his necke and the Gentlewoman also that daunced with him the just judgement of God There is no greater hinderance to the attayning of felicitie than the desire of fleshly pleasures which hath not onely beene the destruction of many private persons but also the ruine of many States and kingdomes Tarquinius Sextus sonne to Tarquinius Superbus King of the Romanes beeing with his father at the siege of Ardea sitting at supper with divers yong Gentlemen there grew a question among them which of them had the modestest woman to his wife and as everie man preferred his owne before the rest what need these many words said Collatino husband to Lucretia when Rome being at hand wee may soone decide this controversie Let us take our horses and gallop presently