theyr fingers the Bracelets of theyr armes the Pearles from theyr heades the collers from theyr necks theyr brooches from theyr brests the girdles from their middles and borders of theyr gownes Whereby there was enough not only to performe the said vow but also to prosecute the warre against theyr enimies Fuluius Torquatus being consul in the warre against the Volseos the Knightes of Mauritane brought a wilde man to Rome that had but one eye whome they had taken in hunting in the desertes of Egipt And the matrones of Rome were at that time as sadde and sober as theyr husbandes were valiant and vertuous Amongst others was the wife of that saide Torquate who was great with child and neare the time of hir deliuerance A woman so honest for the sober solitarinesse that shée kept in Rome that shée had no lesse glory in the citie than hir husbande had abrode in the warres For in the fourtéene yeare that hir husbande was in warfare in Asia frō the first time the he went thether shée was neuer séene at the windowes gasing out nor suffred man childe aboue the age of eight yeares to come within hir gates Yea where shée had left with hir thrée sonnes the eldest of whom was not aboue the age of three yeares assone as they came to the age of eight yeares shée sent them away vnto theyr graunde father to the intent that vnder the coloure of hir owne children no others should enter into hir house Those yeares passed after the good olde Torquate was returned home the saide Wilde man with one eye went by the doore of the sayde Torquate and one of hir maidens tolde hir that it was a maruell to sée him Wherefore shée hadde great desire to sée him and bicause there was no body to shewe him hir shée lost hir lust and dyed for sorow choosing rather so to doe than eyther to goe abrode or to gaze oute of the windowes to sée him wherfore shée had this glorious Epitaphe Heere lieth the vvife of Torquate the chaste Matrone That did aduenture hir life to assure hir Fame Ex M. Aurelio Almaricke king of Ierusalem who destroyed Babylon hadde a sonne named Baldewine and a daughter called Sibilla Baldewine from the beginning of his raigne was a leapre and therefore not able of bodye all be it valiant in harte to rule that function Sybilla his sister was marryed to one VVilermus of the mounte Ferat by whome shée hadde a sonne called also Baldevvinus After him shée was married to an other husbande named Guido de Lizimacho Earle of Joppa and Ascalon Vppon thys it befell that the sayde Baldevvine the Leapre sonne of Amaricke béeing thus féeble and infirme as is saide called his nobles togither with his mother and the Patriarche declaring vnto them his inhabilitie and by theyr consentes committed the vnder gouernment of the Citie to Guido the husbande of Sybilla his sister But he being founde vnsuffiente or not luckie in the gouerning thereof the office was translated to a nother named Raimundus Earle of Tripolis In the which time the Souldans with the Sarazens mightely preuailed againste the Christians and ouer-ranne the countrey of Palestina In the meane time Baldevvine the leaprous king departed whereby the kingdome fell next to Baldevvinus the sonne of Sybilla by hir first husbande But hée also dying in hys minoritie the succession thereof by discente fell to Sybilla the wife of Guido aboue mentioned To whome the Péeres and Nobles of the Realme iayning togither in Counsell offred vnto the sayde Sybilla as to the lawfull heyre vnto the Crowne to bée theyr Qúeene wyth thys condition that shée should sequester from hir by lawfull diuorcement the foresayde Guido hir husbande But shée refused the kingdome offred vnto hir on that condition till at the laste the Nobles with the Magistrates in generall graunted vnto hir and by theyr othe confirmed the same that whome so euer shée woulde choose to be hir husbande all they woulde take and obey as theyr king Also hir husbande Guido amongste the rest wyth like petition humbly requested hir that the kingdome not for his sake or for his priuate losse mighte be destitute of gouernement At length shée with teares consenting to theyr intreatie was contented and solemnly was crowned for theyr Quéene who after the manner againe receyued theyr fidelitie by theyr othe Wherupon Guido without all hope of kingdom and wife departed home quietly to his owne house This done the Quéene assembling hir states and Prelates together entred talke with them about the choosing of the king according vnto that they had promised and sworne vnto hir and to obey him as theyr king whome shée shoulde nominate the Quéene wyth a loude voice sayde vnto Guido that stoode amongst them Guido my Lord I choose thée for my husbande and yéelding my selfe and my kingdome vnto you openly I protest you to be the king And woorthy no doubte was shée to be commended and extolled bothe for hir singular vertue of chastitie and high prudence so tempering the matter that both shée obtained to hir husband the kingdome and retained to hir selfe hir husband Dominus Fox Ex bibliothaeca Cariensi Licurgus made a lawe amongste the Lacedemonians that the father that died shoulde giue nothing to hys Doughter And that neither liuing nor dying he should giue any thing to marie hir with to the intent that none should marry hir for hir riches but for hir goodnesse and vertue And whereas nowe some be vnmarried bicause they are poore so then they abode vnmaried bicause they were shamefull and vicious Ex M. Aurelio Of Magistrates and Officers CLeobulus sayde that that common wealth was most fortunate and best ordered wher the Magistrate was more afearde to be euill spoken of than to suffer the penaltie of the lawe Bias sayde that that common wealth was happiest where men stoode more in feare of the law than of the Magistrate And Pitticus counted that realme in best case where the wicked do beare no sway nor authoritie Antisthenes being demaunded howe they oughte to order them selues that come to be Magistrates in the common wealth answeared they muste doe as men that doe come to the fire that is they must take héede least they stand to neare for burning theyr shinnes nor yet stand to farre of least they be a cold still Ex Stob. serm 43. Agasicles being asked howe a manne mighte rule wythoute a garde to defend him Answeared if he do so rule his subiectes as a father dothe his sonnes Meaning that if he were gentle and amiable vnto his Citizens there can be no surer defence than they will be vnto him Ex Plutarcho in Lacon When Cleon shoulde take in hande to administer the common wealthe he called all his fréendes vnto him and dissolued his olde knot of amitie and frendshippe as a great stay to kéepe him from equitie and iustice Therefore also when Themistocles shoulde be made Magistrat he denyed it saying
quoth she wyth a goodly Boye And is it like me quoth he as like as maye be quoth she For as soone as he was borne he called for a sword and a buckler Phryne desired a Caruer that was in loue wyth hir to gyue hir one of the best Images he had the whiche thing the louer promised to do but the craftie Harlot thinking that he woulde not lette hir knowe whiche was the beste suborned her man to set his shop on fire wherfore when moste parte of his Images were brent and yet some of the beste escaped the caruer cryed out Alas if Cupide and my Satyres had bene brent I had bene vtterly vndone And so by this diuel she pollicie she vnderstanding that the Image of Cupide was more worth than the reste required to haue it for hir rewarde Ex Eras li. 6. Apoth Theodora a passing strumpet talking with Socrates of hir great haunt made hir beste that she could call away more of his schollers than he coulde of hirs No maruell quoth Socrates for thy wayes séeme pleasaunt and easie but the way to vertue séemeth full of brambles and briers Recitatur apud Xenophon Telia li. 13. de varia histo Gnathena a queane séeing two yong men fighting for hir comforted him that had the worse in this wise Be merie good felowe for this game was not for glorie but for spending of money Meaning that in other games he that had the beste had some rewarde for his paynes But héere he that had the best must pay some money or else should go without hir And so it was better for him to go without the cōquest than haue it Ex Er. l. 6. Ap. Of Humanitie and Gentlenesse DEmonax sayde that we ought not he offended with men when they offende vs but to correct and amend their faults imitatin herein good phisitians which are not offended with mē bicause they are infirmed but indeuour to cure their disease And as it is proper to man to offende so is it the maner of God and of suche men as desire to be like vnto God to forgiue their offences Ex Eras li. 8. Apoth Certen tospottes chaunced to fall in company with Pisistratus wise who hauing dronken more than they had bled began to shewe their lasciuious maners abundantly towards hir But on the morow whē they came to them selues and remēbred what they had don they went to Pisistratus and besoughte him wyth teares to forgiue their follie To whome Pisistratus sayde take héede hereafter that you behaue your selues more soberly But as for my wyfe I can beare hir record that she was not out of my gates yesterday of all the day Shewing great humanitie in forgiuing the sily soules and no lesse wisedome in defending his wiues honestie Ex Plut in Grae Apoth When one told Agisipolis that Philip king of Macedonie had in a shorte tyme destroyed the citie Olirthius he answered but it would be a good while ere he woulde builde suche an other Meaning that it were far better with gentlenesse to preserue suche a citie than with suche austeritie to destroy it Ex Plut. in La. Theodocius the younger was of suche and so wonderfull humanitie that when his friends demaunded him why he dyd not behead suche as had conspired hys death he aunswered I had rather restore suche as are dead to lyfe than to put to death suche as are alyue Aboundauntly herein declaring the ductie of a good Prince who oughte to be gentle and ready to forgiue suche as offende priuately agaynst him selfe but yet to be austere and sharpe to punishe such as offende generally agaynst the common wealth When Ouileus Camillus a Romans Senatour meaned to rebell and purchase vnto him selfe the Romane Empire Alexander Seuerus hearing therof sent for him and thanked him that he was so willing to take so great a charge in hande And in the Senate house called him sellowe Emperoure curteously intertayned him into his palace caused him to be apparelled with his imperiall robes and when he went in progresse tooke him as his companion to ryde with him And when he him selfe wente on foote he woulde cause him to ryde on horsebacke And finally when by the lawe he was condemned to dye he gaue him his life and forgaue him his fault Traianus the Emperour which succeded Nerua did so surmount his predecessours in humanitie and gentlenesse that when his friends blamed him and saids he was too gentle vnto his subiectes he answered that he behaued him selfe towardes them as he woulde wishe that they should do towards him Sigismunde the Emperour sayde that those Princes of all others were moste happie and fortunate which expel from out of their courte the malicious and proude and retayne suche as be mercyfull and gentle Aeneas Siluius de dictis Sigismun Impe. Alexander hauing taken Porus king of Indio captiue offered to giue him his request in any thing that he shoulde reasonably demaunde Wherefore king Porus desired him that he might be vsed lyke a king At which words Alexander smiled and sayde I meaned so to doo albeit thou haddest not desired it though not for thy sake yet for my owne honor and honestie Ex Bruso li 3. cap. 13. When one had solde gems of glasse vnto Galenes Aurelius Ceasars wyfe making hir be léeue that they were right gemmes she afterwardes perceyuing that she was so deluded desired hir husbande to haue him punished for his disceite Whervppon the Emperour commanded that be should be taken made him beléeue that he should be deuoured of a lyon Then béeing put into a caue and all men looking when a ramping lion should come to deuoure him on a sodayne he caste in a sily capon And when all men maruelled at so ridiculous a thing he caused the crier to cry he offended in deceit and with deceite lo he is punished Ex Trebellio pollio This Aurelianus the Emperour comming to besiege Tira and finding the gates shut agaynst him said in his chafe that he would not leaue a dog aliue in al that citie Which voyce of his greately encouraged his souldiers hoping therby to get some great pray and when they had nowe subdued the citie they desired the Emperor according to promise to suffer them to ransacke the same Go to quoth he I remember in déede that I sayde that I woulde leaue neuer a dogge in all the citie Wherfore go your ways and kil them al. And so he accomplished his promise and yet gētly intreted his einmies Ex Flauio Vopisc At the siege of Caieta when the inhabitants had for want of vittaile expelled out of their citie all the yong frie olde people and all other that were not mete for warre Alphonsus king of Arragon who came to subdue them gently receyued them into his campe Whereof of when certayne of his souldiers blamed him and sayde that if he had not receyued them the Caietanes woulde haue yéelded vnto
came vnto Athens with great plentie of golde where when he had intised many vnto him through his great gifts be sent also 70. talentes vnto Photion Who turning him about vnto the bringers away quoth he you naughtie-packes with this geare and tell Harpalus in my name that it shall be to his great gréefe and paine onlesse he abstaine his handes from corrupting the citie Diomedon Cizecenus promised Artaxerxes the great king of Persia that he woulde corrupte Epaminundas with money and so béeing well furnished therewith he repaired to Thebes where when he hadde corrupted Michitus a yong man he thoughte likewise to haue dealte with Epaminundas But he answeared Diomedon it was néedelesse for thée to bring me this money For if the kings pleasure tende to the weale publike I promisse thée I will doe it francke and fréely if not no worldlye wealthe shall cause me to accorde thereto And as for thée Diomedon bicause not knowing me thou déemedst me like thy selfe I forgiue thée but I charge thée gette thée hence leaste that when thou canste not preuaile with me thou corruptest others Héereat when Diomedon gan to feare that he shuld not escape Epaminundas willed him not to feare For I will quoth he dismisse thée safe not only for thy sake but also for my owne honestie least some suppose that whereas I would not take the mony of thée I should now take it from thée When Aetolis sawe earthen vessels on Q. Tuberius table at his retourning home he sente him plate of siluer but Tuberius neglecting suche pompe sente them vnto him againe The Ambassadors of king Alexander bringing vnto Xenocrites 50. talentes which in those days specially amōgst the Atheniens was coumpted a greate summe of money Xenocrites broughte them to supper into the colledge intertaining them homely and with his ordinarie fare On the morowe they asked him who shuld receiue the mony wherto he answeared why did you not perceiue by yesterdays supper that we lack no money At which woordes when he sawe them sory he tooke of them thirtie poundes to the intent they shoulde not thinke that he despised the kings liberalitie and so dismissed them When Alexander hadde taken king Darius wife captiue albeit shée wer the fairest Quene liuing yet he neuer medled with hir But shutting hir and hir daughters in the Temples he suffered them to liue vnséene of any and woulde say in iest that the Persian damsels were eyesores Xenocrates Plato his scholler was a man of wonderous continencie In somuche that whereas Phryne a passing faire strumpet had laide a wager with certain yongmen that shée would allure him vnto hir pleasure shée coulde by no whorishe trickes prouoke him thereto But when the yongmen required the wager shée answered that hir wager was laide of a man and not of an image Valentinus the Emperor at the houre of his death sayd that one conquest only reioyced him and being asked what that was He answered that nowe I haue subdued my fleshe the wickedst greatest enimie that euer I had S. Ierome telleth of a certaine yongman which by the commaundement of Decius Valerianus was laide in a pleasant garden and there brought vnto him a faire faced harlot who with hir dalying indeuored to prouoke him to sinne but such was his continencie that when shée went aboute to kisse him he bitte of his tong and spit it in hir face As Alexander trauailed by the way and thereby had gotten a great thirst it happened that one presented vnto him a helmet full of water who receiuing the helmet in his hande and beholding his horsemen aboute him he bowed downe his head beheld the drinke and restored the drinke not tasting thereof but sayde vnto his chéefe men if I alone shoulde drinke all these would be a thirst Remembring well the Ouidian verse Est virtus placitis abstinuisse bonis Great vertue t' is from present pray mans fansie to refrayne When Pompei was sicke and therby had no appetite vnto his meat his Phisitian commaunded them to dresse him a thrushe but such either was the time of the yere or else the scarcitie of things that for money none could be had only they tolde him that Lucullus had one in his cage but he would none of him saying and can I not liue onlesse I haue Lucullus his wanton toyes Of accusing and speaking euill of others A Certayne Sophist called Zoilus indyted many rayling commentaries which he presented to Ptolomie king of Egypt hoping to haue had some greate rewarde of the king for his paynes but when the kyng gaue him nothing he was so néedie that he procured some to demaunde the kinges liberalitye whereat the king had greate wonder that Homer so many yeares after his death could féed so many thousand men and Zoilus who professed him selfe better learned than Homer shoulde stande in so great néede And on that occasion caused him to be punyshed for hys labour Memnon a capitayne of Darius fighting agaynst Alexander and hearing one of his souldiers rayling agaynst the king his enimie stroke him with his speare and sayde I kéepe thée to fight agaynst Alexander and not to rayle on him When Antigonus his souldiers reuiled hym not thynking that he was present he opening his tente with hys rodde sayde go further to rayle on vs or else it shall be to your payne But Seneca in his third booke of Ire sayth that he sayde Stande further sirs least the king heare you Also the same king Antigonus hearing his souldiers curse him bicause that in a darke nighte he had broughte them into suche a mierie place that they could hardly go out he came him selfe they not knowing him and holps them euery one out And now quoth he curse Antigonus which broughte you into the mire but pray for him which pulled you out When a certaine drunken gest had railed on the crueltie of Pesistratus king of Athens and his frends willed the king to punishe him therefore he answered that he was no more offended with him therefore than he woulde be if a blindefolde man shoulde vnawares runne against him Pirrhus the king hearing that some wihtoute cause had railed on him he caused the parties accused to be sent for demaunding them whether they had saide of him as the reporte wente they did Wherto one of them answeared yea O king and should haue said muche more had we had more wine to haue prouoked vs thereto Whereat king Pirrhus laughing suffred thē to depart in peace It was tolde Augustus that Aemilius spake euill of him who turning him aboute vnto the accusers as thoughe he were in a great chafe sayd I would you could proue it on him Aemilius shoulde then knowe that I haue a tong too For I would say as muche of him Philip king of Macedome being railed on by one Nicander beganne to bestowe many giftes on him after this Nicander changing his note began now as faste to praise him Wherefore Philip turning
Mandana Astiages his daughter dreamed that she made so muche water that the whole citie was filled and all Asia ouerflowen therewith With whiche dreame Astiages was so terrified that he married his daughter vnto Cambyses a manne of a good witte but of a meane birth But the same yere he him selfe also dreamed that he sawe a vyne grow out of the priuitie of his daughter whose branches ouershadowed al Asia Wherfore he sent for his daughter who was then nere hir trauell setting some to watch the birth that assoone as it was brought foorth it might be slaine Which beeing performed assoone as the childe was borne it was broght vnto the king Who tooke it vnto Harpagus his very friende desiring straitly charging him to carie it home and kil it But when he came home he determined with him self to abstayne his handes from killing the babe wherfore he sent for Methridatis the kings shephearde and charged him in the kings name to take the infant and cast it away on the mountaynes When he had the childe he carried it home and shewed it vnto his wyfe who desired him of all loues not to caste away the childe But if he must néedes cast away one she desired him to caste away hir owne which she brought foorth that present day wherin he accomplished hir request and caste away his owne childe retayning the other in hys stede Who growing in yeares was made king of his playfellowe boyes Wherefore playing Rex amongest them when one Artembaris a riche mannes sonne had disobeyed him he caused him to be apprehended and beate him Whereof his father complayned vnto the king and caused him to be sente for When he came the kyng beholding hym sayde Arte thou the shepheardes sonne which vseth to beate the chéefe mennes sonnes of Media Yea O king quoth he and that not without a cause For the boyes made me king aboue others bicause they thoughte me fitter therefore than the rest were Nowe whereas the reste reuerenced and obeyed me thys one woulde not doo so wherefore according to his desertes I punyshed him At whiche wordes he caused the king to wonder and remembring the time of the childes exposition with the age and comelynesse of the person he feared that it was his nephue Wherefore calling Methridatis vnto him he straitly charged hym to tell the very truthe of the matter who daring doo none other wyse declared the truthe of it Héerevppon the king sente foorthwyth for Harpagus demaunding him what he hadde doone wyth the chylde who declaring all that he hadde doone the king made as though he were nothing offended herewith but shortly after bidding him to a banquet he slue his sonne and caused him vnwares to eate therof asking him after supper how he liked the meat And when he sayde very well he cōmanded his cokes to bring in the head other appurtenances of the childe and sent Cyrus his new-founde nephue vnto his parentes at Persia Who afterwardes by the ayde of Harpagus subdued hys Graundfather verified their Dreames and enioyed the kingdome Herodot li. 1. Laius king of Thebes was tolde by an oracle that it were good for him neuer to haue childe For the childe whom he should conceyue should be an occasion of great murther in their owne house Wherefore as soone as the childe was borne it was drawen out by the héeles and therof was called Oedipus and cast away But a woman chauncing to finde him brought him vp Afterwards it happened that Laius his father and he méeting bicause Laius proudly commaunded him to gyue way he slue him not knowing that it was his father Aboute that time there came to Thebes one Sphinx who kéeping a certaine bridge there put forth a riddle to them that passed by throwing thē into the water that could not reade it But this Oedipus absolued it and had for his reward Iocasta and the kingdome of Thebes ▪ The ridle was thus What Craeture is it that first hath foure féete then two fete and at last thrée féete Which Oedipus interpreted to be a man who at his birth crauleth on all foure afterwardes goeth on his two féete cōming to age leaneth on his staffe and so hath thrée féete Wherfore Sphinx was cast into the riuer and Oedipus vnawares maried Iocasta his own mother Of Felicitie or happinesse CRoesus king of Lidia the richest man that euer was sent for Solon and asked him whether any man were more happie than he Yea quoth Solon that is Telus who had very honest men to his sonnes and he him selfe manly died in defending his countrey Then Craesus asked him agayne whether nexte vnto Telus he were not most fortunate No quoth he Cleober and Brito are more happie both for the singular friendship which is betwéene them and also for the great obedience reuerence which they shewed vnto their mother But Craesus was here with offended and asked whether he had no place amōgst the fortunate No quod Solon we can not yet cal thée blessed but assoone as thou art dead and out of the danger of fortune affection then we shall sée how happie thou shalt be Wherfore Craesus was sorely displesed with him and let him go without doing him any honor But this saying of Solon was shortely after verified And Craesus béeing ouercome and taken captiue of king Cyrus and a fyre made to burne him when he shuld enter into the flame began oftesones to say O Solon Solō ▪ Wherfore Cyrus asked him what he ment by those wordes Then Craesus telling him the sum of the matter Cyrus séeing thereby the varietie of fortune and the alteration of the worlde caused the fire to be quenched and made Craesus one of his chief counsellers Ouid 4. de Ponto Of this felicitie Martiall in a certaine Epigram sayth thus Vitam quae faciunt beatiorem c. In Englishe thus The things vvhich cause mās life methinketh most full of blisse to be Are these vvhē goods frō friends do fal and vve from labour free VVhen fertile field growes fast abroade and minde is voyde of strife And merie Iohn by toasting fire may sitte vvith Ione his vvife VVhen corpse is sound and strōg withal and vvisedome rules the minde And friends in friendships faithfull knot a faythfull heart doth binde VVhen fare is good though not of cost and night vvith pleasure prest Not drousie head but merry minde doth cause a quiet rest To be as heart could vvishe or craue thy state content vvithall Not feare nor vvishe for fatall day But come vvhen come it shall Demetrius was wont to say that he thought nothing more vnfortunate than him who in al his life had no misfortune chauncing him For that suche a one either knoweth not himselfe for lacke of experience or else is contemned and ouer scaped of the Goddes as one good for nothing Sylla who for his felicitie was surnamed Felix among other his happie haps saide that two things chéefely reioyced him The one
the death of his sister and so good successe he hadde herein that all the kings of Syria yéelded them vnto him But whylest he was thus occupied in Syria his owne subiectes rebelled in Aegypt Wherfore he was fayne to rayse his siege and departe home Then Seleucus thinking to be reuenged on the Syrian cities which tooke parte agaynst him prepared an armie to inuade them But so it fell out that the greatest parte of his nauie were drowned on the sea and he with a small power ariued at the citie and there when the citizens submitted them selues vnto hym he receyued them to mercie And gathering a new armie he renued the warre agaynst Ptolome of whome he was subdued and compelled to flée to Antioche as one with whome fortune was disposed to make a playgame Bruso lib. 2. cap. 37. When Timotheus Conous sonne had subdued many cities vnto the Athenian kingdome certayne persons enuying him and ascribing all his prowesse vnto fortune paynted him a sleepe and fortune subduing cities for him But he offended so to loese the glorie of his valyaunt attemptes the nexte tyme that he had obteyned a conqueste he sayde vnto the Athenians that in all the victories that euer he gotte fortune coulde rightely chalenge none of hys glorie Wherevppon fortune was so offended with him that after that tyme he neuer atchéeued any notable acte but had euill successe in all the affayres he wente about and in the ende loste the fauour of the people and was banished his countrey Brus lib. 2. cap. 37. When tidings was brought to king Phillip of sundrie good fortunes which happened vnto him at one instaunte as that Tetrippo his sonne had wonne the pryce at Olimpus Dardenio had got a greate conqueste on the sea and Olimpia hys wife had broughte him foorth a man childe he helde vp his handes to heauen and sayde And O fortune I beséeche thée for so many and so greate benefites of thyne suffer but some small myschiefe to lyghten vppon mée Knowing hir manner to be suche that on whome shée meaneth to worke some greate myschiefe on them shée firste she weth a fauourable and fauning face as playnely appeareth in the storie of Polycrates Simonides the Philosopher was inuited to a banquet of Paulanias the king Who in the banquet desired him to tell them something out of his Philosophie that mighte be a lesson for them whylest they lyued Well then quoth hee remember Pausanias that thou arte a man For séeing Pausanias by reason of hys happie estate to thinke well of him selfe he thought good by those wordes to putte hym in mynde of his duetie But albeit Pausanias contemned thys sage saying of the Philosopher yet afterwardes béeing taken captiue and lyke to bée famyshed he was forced to allowe and commende hys wordes and to appostrophate vnto hymselfe in thys sorte O guest guest I sée nowe there was greate weighte in thy wordes but I reposed suche confidence in myne owne fickle fortune that I thoughte them of no force Wherefore now I muste dye a miserable death Of Fortitude and Manhoode IF Antisthenes sawe any woman goe gayly apparelled he woulde straightwayes goe vnto hir husbandes house and byd him shewe his horse and his harnesse and if he thoughte them sufficient he woulde suffer his wife to goe at hir pleasure bicause she had one at home to defende hir But if he lyked not of it he woulde persuade hir to leaue of hir gay clothes least some bodye woulde come and steale hir away Ex Laer. li. 6. cap. 1. Archilomida Brasidas mother hearing that Brasidas hir sonne was slayne in warre the firste question shée demaunded was whether he dyed manfully of no Yea quoth the Thrasisians For amongest all the Lacedemonians there was none in prowesse and vertuous qualityes comparable vnto hym You knowe not sirs quoth shée what felowes the Lacedemonians are I thinke in déede Brasidas my sonne was a good honest yong manne but yet not so good but that there be many better amongest the Lacedemonians Whiche aunswere of hirs is greatly to be commended aswell for hir wisedome and fortitude in so reioycing at the honest deathe of hir sonne as also for hir modestie and naturall affection vnto hir countrey which could not abyde that hir sonne shoulde be so highely praysed that his prayse shoulde any thing derogate from the true commendation of hir natiue soyle Plutar. in Lacon Apoth When a certayne Athenian made a funerall Oration in the prayse of them whome the Lacedemonians hadde slayne in the warre a Lacedemonian standing by sayde If these were suche iollie felowes which were slayne what thinke you of our men which slue them Alexander the sonne of Mammea hearing that Artaxerses king of Persia was comming with an huge armie to inuade the Romane Empire saide vnto his souldiers that strong and valiaunt men oughte to wishe the beste in all thinges but yet to be content and to suffer if any thing happen contrary to their expectation And neither to waxe proude in prosperitie nor to dispayre in aduersitie Herodian lib. 6. When Publius Crassus sonne had a long time manfully fought agaynst his enemies and was in fine slaine of them they fastned his head vpon a speare and therewith approched nye vnto the Romane armie and greatly triumphing that they had him they asked the Romanes of what stocke that yong man came saying that it was impossible that so valiaunt a sonne shoulde come of so cowardly a father But Crassus was nothing troubled with this heauy sight but ranne among the Roman souldiers and sayde this losse is mine ye Romanes this calamitie is mine and I onely haue cause to be sorie for this but in your health and prowesse consisteth the publike welth and glorie of the whole citie Plut. in N. Crass When Xerxes made warre agaynste Greece the Athenians sent a spie to view Agiselaus Themistocles brother Who comming into the host slue one Mardonius Xerxes Courtier thynking to haue slayne the king him selfe Wherefore he was apprehended and sacrificed on the aulter of Sol and there stoutly endured all the torment not once sighing for all the payne And when he was losed he told them that al the Atheniens were such fellowes and if you beléeue me not burne my left hand also Of Friendes and Friendship SOcrates was wont to say that no possession is so good as a true and a faythfull friende and that nothing is so pleasant and profitable as is suche a friende Wherefore they go a contrarie waye to worke which are more sorie for the losse of their money than for their friend and thinke that they haue lost much if they bestowe a benefit on any man without some present profite whereas in déede they gayne thereby a friende whyche maye by the fruitfullest gayne possible Erasm Lib. 3. Apo. When it was tolde Dion whiche afterwardes expelled Dionisius out of his kingdome that Calixtus his friend whō aboue all others he trusted moste wente about to
he woulde neuer sitte in that seate where he mighte doe no more for his fréendes than for his foes Ex Plutarcho in Lacon Chrysippus being demaunded whye he woulde beare no office in the common wealth Answeared bicause that if I rule not well I shall displease God but if I rule as I shoulde doe the people will be offended Brusonius Lib. 3. cap. 5. Socrates was wonte to saye that it was a shame to sée that wher as in handy craftes no manne taketh anye thing in hande wherein he hathe not benetraded yet in administration of the common wealth oftentimes many are made officers whiche wotte but very little what belongeth thereto Ex Eras lib. 3. Apoth Antisthenes willed his Citizens to set Asses to ploughe and when they aunsweared that Asses were not apt to that laboure what matter is that quoth he For you make many Officers in the common wealth which neuer learned the manner thereof and yet when you haue made them they serue the turne wel inough Meaning that it was a thing muche more absurde to make an vnskilfull man a magistrate than to sette an Asse to ploughe Brusonius Lib. 6. cap. 5. Ex Laertio Lib 4. Cap. 1. When the regall Diademe shoulde be sette on Antigonus his head before it was put on he sayde these woordes O noble though vnhappie crowne if a mā knewe howe full of trouble and misery thou arte he would not take thée vp albeit he founde thee lying in the streate Max. Valerius lib. 7. cap. 2. Ex Stobaeo serm 46. Alphonsus the mightie king of Arragon vsed to say that Magistrates oughte as muche to excell priuate personnes in life and conuersation as they d ee in dignitie and vocation Meaning that the life of the subiects shal best be reformed when Princes and others giue others example of theyr godly and vertuous liuing As by this story folowing may appeare Ex Panorm lib. 6. Cato being Censor in Rome was so seuere a punisher of transgressoures and so feared for his good and vertuous liuing that like as children in the schole hearing their master comming runne vnto their bookes so when he wente through the citie euery one ranne vnto his businesse Who when he tooke any euill doer he strayghtewayes imprisoned him and in steade of examination the first thing he tooke hold of was their hands which if they had bene laborious and full of harde knots though his crime were very gréeuous yet his chastisemēt was mitigated and made more easie but if the vnhappie prisoner chanced to haue idle hands that is softe and smoothe he shoulde for a small faulte haue greeuous punishment For the Romanes had this prouerbe he that hath good hands muste néedes haue good conditions Ex Marco Aurelio The sayde Alphonsus also called effites and dignities touchstones to try the natures and dispositions of men which can in nothing be so well perceiued as in promotion and dignitie Ex Panormita de rebus gestis Alphonsi li. 6. Of Misfortune and miserie of man. CRates sayde that what state soeuer man follow he shall be sure to finde bitternesse therin In the field labour at home cares in a strange countrey feare if he haue ought in youth folly in age weaknesse in mariage vnquietnesse in lacking a wife sollitarinesse If a man haue children he shall haue cares if he haue none he is halfe maymed so that one of these two sayth he is to be wished either not to be borne or quickly to dye Xerxes séeing Helespontus swimming with his ships and all the playnes therabout mustring with his mē said that he was a right happie man therwith began bitterly to wepe Which soden alteratiō Artabanus his vncle espying wondred and demanded the cause therof Oh quod Xerxes now I remember howe short transitorie mans life is For sée of so great a multitude as here is within this hundred yeres there shal not be one man aliue Ex Plut. in Rom. Apoth When Philip king of Macedonie had subdued Cheronea a citie of Athens and thereby hadde purchased innumerable wealth he began to be hautie and high minded saying that fortune hadde no power to doo him harme But afterwardes béeing aduertised that his pride woulde haue a fall and howe vayne a thing man was he kepte a boy euery day to come to hys chamber doore and with a loude voyce to cry Remember Philip thou art a man. Also his sonne Alexander as he was at the siege of a certayne citie viewing in what place the walles thereof were moste weakest was wounded in the legge with an arrowe But at the first not séeling the smarte thereof procéeded in the siege vntill in fine his legge waxed so sore that he was compelled to take his horse and leaue the fielde And then he sayde Euery one telleth me that I am immortall and sonne to Iupiter but thys wounde playnely sheweth that I am a myserable mortall manne Ex Plutarch in vita Alexand. When flatterers came about Canutes sometimes king of Englande and began to exalte him with highe wordes calling him a king of all kinges moste mightie who had vnder his subiection bothe the people the lande and the sea Canutus reuoluing this matter in hys minde whether for pride of his heart exalted or whether to trie and refell their flattering wordes commaunded his chaire to be broughte to the sea side at what time it should begin to flowe and therein sitting downe charged and commaunded the floudes rising to goe backe and not to touche him But the water kéeping his ordinarie course growing higher and higher began to wash him welfauouredly Wherfore the king starte backe and sayde Lo ye call me a mightie king and yet I can not commaunde this little water to stay but it is like to droune me Dominus Fox Ex Polli li. 7. Hunting li. 6. A scholer of Zenons comming honie to his father was of him demaunded what profite he had attained by his long studie in Philosophie who answered that he would tell him and saying no more his father was offended and thinking his coste caste away he began to beate him Which thing his sonne paciently suffred Then his father demaūded him agayne to she we some experience of his learning to whom his sonne answered Lo this fruite haue I gotten by my Philosophie thus paciently to endure my fathers displeasure Ex Era. l. 8. A poth When one stroke Socrates with hys héeles and his friends sayde that they wondred howe he could put vp so great an iniurie he aunswered them what and if an asse should kicke you woulde you go to laws with him for it Another tyme when one gaue him a blowe he was nothing offended but sayde it was great pitie that menne coulde not tell when to doo on their helmets Ex Eras Pericles béeing rayled on and brawled with of a brabling marchaunt saide nothing but went his wayes home and when the other folowed him incessantly