I had rather downe you than you should drowne mee also further saying se non posse virtutes diuitias simul possidere that hee could not possesse vertue and riches together Bias Prienaeus a learned man of Grece seeing his countrie taken by enimies fled other men taking with them such goods as they might beare but he caried nothing with him and being afterward demanded why he tooke not his riches and treasure with him but left it as a pray for the enimie Made this answere saying Omnia mecum porto I carie all mine with me meaning vertue and doctrine reputing the goods of fortune none of his saying further I am but ouersharplie reuenged on my foes in leuing that behind mee which wil so sore trouble molest thē In like case the wise and learned Philosopher Democritus when he returned to Athens gaue his possessions and riches to the weale publique which was very great to bee as maintenance and reliefe to the poorest Citizens sauing a little garden which he reserued to walke in for recreation sake Also when he beheld the Citie of Athens he continually laughed at their foolish diligence which spared no paines to get authoritie and riches that they were not sure to keepe which also laboured to get their children great possessions who either died before their fathers or ouerliuing them shortly spent away all their fathers left them But the Athenians being angrie therwith sent Hippocrates to Democritus to demaund what he meant by his foolish laughing thinking him to be mad But Hippocrates when he perceiued what he meant returned againe to the Athenians saying Surely Democritus is not mad but truly I rather think those mad whom he laugheth at On a tune a certaine man demaunded of Agesilaus King of Lacedemonia why he being so mightie a Prince did liue no richer fare no better and lie with no more estate than he did Who answered It doth my friend saith he become a King to excel in moderate and temperate liuing and not in delicacie and after a superfluous manner Neither saith he doo I meane by my spare liuing to hoord vp treasure to purchase the heauens but rather to giue example to my subiects to liue and continue in contentment Then no doubt if princes ought to excell in temperance but that their subiects ought much more to imitate those good Princes considering by the aforesaid examples that superfluitie of wealth is an enimie alwaie repugnant as well to vertue as to the quiet state and gouernment of man Anthenodorus a Stoicke Philosopher was wont to say Thou maist thinke thy selfe free frō couetousnesse when thou art come to this poynt that thou wilt desire nothing of GOD but that thou maiest openlie craue Thinking although the heart of man were neuer so couetous of inordinate wealth yet his tung durst not openly pronounce it then according to this opinion if man would not wish priuely for more than he would openly craue for his credite no doubt then man would not bee unsatiable but manie Princes haue been so vnsatiable themselues and their subiects so rightly and iustly haue imitated and followed their proceedings that it is grounded with sure hold and roote in man I am surely perswaded that ther are more in these our daies which haue more rightly followed the Romane Emperour Vespasianus than haue imitated Agesilaus the Lacedemonian King which is before spoken of for Vespasianus the Emperour gaue himselfe to such immoderate coueting that he preferred to dignitie those that were wonderfull couetous to this end that when they had by their vnsatiable appetites whoorded vp much treasure hee might cauill and quarrell against them and take their goods frō them which they had gotten by vile extortion He also ordeined a tribute or taxe to be paid him of the quantitie of stale made in euerie house for which because it was euil spoken of his sonne Titus would haue disswaded him earnestly from that filthy and stinking gaine to whome at that time Vespasianus said litle But when the mony of the taxe was next brought in he taking his handfull of the money calling his sonne Titus vnto him held it to his nose saying Doth this money sauor well or no He answered It sauoured well Why said he and this commeth of the vrine and pisse wherefore thou maist see that the sauor of gaine is sweete whereof soeuer it commeth But such sweete may soone turne to sower and sodaine haps may fall to the coueting minde as fell on Brennus Captaine of the Galles who builded the Citie Brennon by Venice which now is called Verona who beeing not contented with a rich pray and bootie but gaped after more lost all in the end For hauing ouercome the Citie of Rome and caused the youth of the noble men to flie into the Capitoll hauing also ouerthrowen the whole Armie of the Romanes before at the riuer Allia now hauing closed the chiefe of the Romanes in the Capitoll or Castle of Rome conditioned that for a great summe of money hee foorthwith would remoue his siege and depart the Romans graunted therevnto and as they were a weighing the money he pulled foorth his sword and commaunded them also to counterpoise that with golde but the Romans refused that as a matter vniust and Brennus stoode in controuersie with them In the meane time Camillus a banished Roman that was made Dictator in his absence had gathered a company of them that fled out of the Citie before and then sodenly set vpon the Galles Brennus then vpon the sodaine being abashed flet and left the whole treasure behind him Camillus not resting vntill hee had fréeed Italy of them whereat Brennus chafing at the losse receiued by his own folly thought to recouer as much money in some other place before he would dismisse his army insomuch that he thorough his desparate minde set on the Temple of Apollo at Delphos to haue spoyled it for the great treasure therein for which attempt of sacrilege he was sharpely punished with great extremitie his people slaying ech other and himselfe at the last was slaine by his owne hand Then consider what perill and daunger man dooth runne into by striuing to get those goodes and mucke of the earth which being gotten is more perilous in possessing and kéeping than is danger in getting which falleth out oft with the losse of life for enioyeng of a mount of money or a masse of treasure with great abundance of worldly wealth dooth often make the mind of man so haughty and proude that he will not know his inferiour nay the mind of man is in those prosperities to make the whole earth to stoupe and be obedient to his wil and not fully contented with that in the end snatcheth after the very heauens and as it were despising the earth as a place vnwoorthy of them causing themselues to bee called gods and honoured amongst all nations and people as their most principall chiefest gods
virrute propria ascenderunt non inferiorem laudem merentur quà m qui nobilitate maiorum superbise iactant Maior enim est gloria virtutibus proprijs niti quà m alienis intumescere They which are borne but of meane and base Parents and rise to high honour by their owne proper vertues deserue or merite no lesse praise when they which brag and boast of their right noble Progenitors Therefore far better is that baunt to sticke and cleaue fast to their own proper vertues than ouermuch to swell with the pride of another mās glorie But Iuuenalis reporteth of this mans father otherwise saying Plebeius ab officina gladiorum fuit He was free of the Cutlers and liued by that trade Which also was farre from the credite and calling of his sonne Demosthenes Fa. It is very true indeede such vaunting vanitie remayneth in many but it is very hard to finde such a one as is risen to great honour and dignitie in his Countrey being descended from meane and base parentage to vaunt and brag in causes of controuersie of his poore Progenitors much lesse ought he who is descended and sprong from the stocke of generositie being poore or in base estate ouer proudly to vaunt thereof for that either his fall was by the vicious vice of his predecessors wherof he ought rather to blush than brag Or els it proceedeth of his owne lasciuious or licencious vanitie whereof he ought greatly to be ashamed Well let this suffice that vertue maketh a Gentleman and the want thereof causeth the stock and graffe to wither and fall downe And whereas we haue alredy sufficiently touched the misdemeanors and bad behauiours of noble Peeres and high estates and what they gain by such disordered gouernment now againe we will shew and make manifest how much good gouernment is commended what praise it deserueth and what perpetuall memorie it registreth to the eye of immortall fame and also how farre clemencie courtesie humilitie and mercie in Princes and high estates auayleth and is of force where neither cruelty tyrannie or other rigorous dealing can preuaile First concerning modestie and the fruites thereof Demetrius the sonne of Philip king of Macedon being sent by his father to Rome to answere the greeuous cōplaint of the Grecians who made a great hainous complaint against him to the Romans for certain abuses which he had offered them in Greece when this Demetrius was in the Senate of Rome hearing his father greeuously complayned on would forthwith haue executed the office for which cause he came wherefore he stoode vp and began to answere to the accusations which they so vrgently obiected against his father But the Ambassadors of Greece so vehemently interrupted and interturbed his speach with vnpleasant babbling and rayling insomuch that the young Gentleman could not be heard by reason of their great importunacie for which cause the yong Demetrius being greatly abashed with blushing chéekes in most modest manner sate him down being greatly ashamed at their outragious railing pleaded his cause with silence because he would not be troublesome to the graue Senators he gaue the Ambassadors his aduersaries leaue to scolde and rayle their fill Which when the graue Bench of the Senators perceiued they also commaunded the antragious Grecians to silence and dismissed them the Senate suffering them to returne home to Grece without reformation of their wrongs pardoning the offence of the yong mans Father sending letters into Macedon to this effect Philip King of Macedon we the Senatours of Rome pardon thine offence remit the trespasses of thee done against the Cities of Grece not for thy sake Philip but for the modest behauiour of Demetrius thy Sonne shewed heere in the Senate of Rome before vs to the great wealth and good of thy Countrey and to his perpetuall remembrance What praise and commendation also did yong P. Cornelius Seipio otherwise called Scipio Africanus purchase by his singular clemencie notable curtesie and bountifull liberalitie for at such time as he had taken the Citie of newe Carthage in Spaine with a number of prisoners captiues and also great quantitie of riches and iewells there at that time also was taken among the rest a virgine of rare singular beautie who with diuers other were brought before Scipio after whom the people wonderfully thronged and thrusted delighting to sée her for the rarenesse of her beautie But the noble Scipio enquiring of her of what Countrey she was and of what kindred she was descended and perceiuing by her that shee was betroathed or made sure to a yong Prince of the Celtiberians whose name was Luceius Whereupon when he had committed the other Matrones and Maides to right worthie honest persons to the intent their chastitie might be both honestly and carefully preserued he presently sent for the said yong man and also for her parents At whose comming knowing that the yong Prince was sore enamored of her he thus said to him Sir I being a yong man haue sent for you that are also a yong man to come to me the cause is for that when this yong maide being fianced or ensured to you was brought to me by my souldiers I heard say that you entirely loued her as her beautie witnesseth you had good cause so to doe If I might lawfully enioy her pleasant loue were not otherwise occupied in my minde about the affaires of the Common wealth I could perchaunce beare her my loue and desire to enioy the same But now I will beare fauour to your loue that of right ought to haue her She hath been here with me as well and honourably kept and her virginitie as carefully preserued as though she had dwelled still with her owne parents To this intent I might make of her a present to you most acceptable and also for the preseruation of mine honour And for this my gift I require of you but onely this one reward that is that you from hencefoorth become a louing true and faithful friend to the Romanes and if you esteeme me to be a good and honourable man as my father and vncle before me were reputed to be then thinke that there are in the noble Citie of Rome many like vnto vs and trust me neuer if any people this day can be found on the earth that you will be more glad to haue the loue and friendship of or that you would be more sory to haue the displeasure of The young man after great thankes geuen to him prayed the Gods to reward him for all his goodnes where his power sufficed not Then were the parents of the mayd called foorth who had brought with them a great summe of golde for the raunsome of their childe But when they perceiued that the noble Scipio had geuen her fréely to her husband then they desired him to take and accept a parte thereof as of their gift for the better declaration of their good hearts towards him affirming that his receiuing therof should
Tyrant Phalaris who alwayes tooke pleasure in tormenting and persecuting his poore Subiects wishing rather to bee feared than loued coueting to rule and gouerne his Weale publique by cruell and tyrannous meanes for which his vnsatiate and bloudthirstie intemperancie he felt the desert of his owne folly Therefore Sir I right well perceiue that the Prince ruleth with more safetie as you said before in a thinne and single wastcoate than in strong armour much more auayling by gentle and curteous meanes ouer their louing Subiects than with a bloudie and tyrannous hand which oftentimes turneth them to hate not to loue preferrring him to death not to life And whereas you haue shewed examples what great honour and renowme falleth to the share of such Princes which haue shewed both mercifull pitie gentle courtesie and manly clemencie on poore distressed creatures in time of victorie and also what loue they gate euen of their enemies for the chast preseruing of Matrones and Uirgines for their gentle courtesie in entertaining them and for their liberall hearts in voluntarily fréeing and dismissing them beeing such hurtlesse captiues noting contrariwise the deserued ruine of such as haue vniustly tyrannized ouer their innocence for of such Tyrants falls all Histories are full It is certainly reported that Dionysius Iunior in his victories vsed great crueltie by abusing of Matrones rauishing yong Uirgines and deflowring of Maidens for when on a time he came to the Locreans he tooke vp possessed occupied vsed or rather abused the greatest largest fairest houses that were in all the Citie strewing them with damaske roses lauender sauorie and such like odoriferous flowers swéet smelling hearbs sending for the yong Damsels of the Locreans to come to him with whom he had fleshly pleasure and delight past all shame honestie or regard of chastitie Which filthines most loathsome offence abounding in him escaped not vnpunished for when his kingdome was rent and torne from him by Dion the Locreans rewarded like with like dealing carnally with the Wife and Daughters of Dionysius inforcing vpon them for his offence most abhominable fornication without anie intermission or ceasing and such specially as were of the linage consanguinitie and kinred of those young maydes and virgins whom Dionysius defloured were most eager and fierce to be so reuenged After they had satisfied and staunched the lust of their flesh with the bodies of Dionysius his wife and daughters they tooke needles and thrust them into their fingers and toes vnder the naples in such lamentable order murthering them and stamped their bones in morters from the which they had launced and cut collops of flesh offering the gobbets to be eaten whereof who so refused to tast such they abused most villainously and handled worse than helhounds The remnant of slaughtered and dismembered carcases was cast into the sea there to be consumed with whirling waues or to be deuoured by monstrous fishes and as for Dionysius himselfe after he had endured manifold mischances and sustayned sundry distresses of life and estate at Corinth being pinched with extreme néede he became a starke begger and went from place to place playing on a Timbrel and Flute and singing Ballades in the companie of such as hyred him and gaue him for his labour going also into Barbers shops to iest and to make the people mery and pleasant when they came thether to be notted shauen This was the end of Dionysius and after this sort hee finished the course of his life in no lesse beggery than infamie who no doubt was but plagued according to his desert Fame Now doe I right well perceiue that our conference doth much profit you and that you haue wel noted and marked the tenor of my purpose in going about to discipher the difference betwixt vertue and vice which you sufficiently discerne and are able to geue examples to the contrary therefore I nothing repent me of my paine and labour herein but will with willing minde procéede to pleasure you in what I may and whereas now in this my last speech I shewed vnto you what honor and renowme was purchased and obteined thorow mercy and clemencie and also what noble fame and eternall praise remayneth to those who doo shew both manly pitie gentle courtesie and mercifull fauour to the conquered to those who are vnder their power to dispose at their pleasure Contrariwise you haue declared what inconuenience doeth often fall to those who séeke to rule and raigne thorow tyrannie and by bloudie meanes and also what miserie hapneth oft to those who haue had neither regard of their owne honestie the preseruation of chastitie nor any pitifull consideration of them in aduersitie Well now againe I will procéed beginning where last you interrupted me which was where Princes tendered carefullie loued their subiects and welfare of their commonwealth there also what a duetifull care and obedient mind the subiects ought to haue for the preseruation of their so good a Prince happie weale publique for that commonwealth which is gouerned by a wise and prudent Prince cannot chuse but be called and tearmed right happy and fortunate The wise and learned Philosopher Plato was woont to say Tum demùm beatum terrarum orbem futurum cum aut sapientes regnare aut reges sapere caepissent Yet at length a happy blessed time shall fall on the earth when either wisemen begin to raigne orels Kinges begin to waxe wise For there saith he the Common wealth is on all parts blessed Then hauing such a wise Prince and setled Commonwealth the Subiectes ought to haue a speciall and duetifull care in mainteyning defending vpholding and preseruing both Prince and Countrey to the vttermost of their power yea if it were with the losse of their liues in the iust quartell and good cause of their Prince and Countrey Cicero saith Non nobis solùm nati sumus sed etiam pro patria We are not onely borne saith he to pleasure our selues but also to the profite and commoditie of our coūtrey For at such time as Attilius Regulus a noble Consull of Rome hauing oftentimes vanquished the Carthaginians was at the last of them taken prisoner by a certaine subtile sleight yet notwithstanding because the Romanes had also taken certaine prisoners of the Carthaginians and those most noble and valiant Captaines and Souldiers wherefore Regulus was sent home to Rome to make exchange for the other prisoners But when this ancient Father was come to Rome he called a Conuocation of the Senators and there in the Senate before them all he thus began Most learned graue fathers whom I right well know haue alwaies wished well and tendered the welfare cōmon good of our coūtrey knowing also that at this time you are not ignorant of my late chaunce and mishap which now being past remedy is not to be sorowed and also that you haue here in the citie certaine prisoners of the Carthaginians being both expert actiue
in examples I am content in this point to be short referring it to your owne iudgement and consideration Scho. Not so Sir I beséech you for then should you offer me great discontentment in naming the princes which shuld be examples in our aforesaid conference referring them to my iudgement and consideration who as yet am altogether ignorant and vnacquainted either of their liues or endes contentment or discontentment wherefore my consideration herein can be but to small effect vnles I knew the certaintie And although it would séeme tedious and troublesome to the eares of those who before doo know their histories sufficiently yet notwithstanding because of mine ignorance herein for the better perceiuing of the aforesaid difference I am verie desirous to heare you and shall haue great pleasure thereby rather than trouble and let those who are alreadie perfect herein stop their eares vntill you conferre of other causes which shall please and content them better Fa. With verie good will my good friend being also glad that you will not plead perfectnes wherin you are ignorant nor refuse the name of a Scholer to learne further experience for the wise Plato being demaunded how long he would bee a Scholer and learne So long said he as I repent not to be wiser But to our purpose I will procéed according to promise first beginning with the most renowmed Caius Iulius Caesar a most victorious Romane who liued 40. yeres before the Incarnation of Christ and in 10. yeares space made manie mightie Nations submit themselues first winning the whole Countries of Spaine Gallia and Germanie conquering also the Heluetians the Latobrigians Tulingians Sedutians Harudes Tribockes with the Kauratians the warlike Boyans he also ouercame the Marcomans the Sueuians Nemets Seduns Veragrines Ambiliats Venets Diablinters Digerons Farbels and the Naunets in like manner he vanquished the Osisenes Tarrasats Vocats Pretians Flustrates Garites Garumnes with the famous Ansians the Sibusites Cocasats Aulerkes and compelled the stout Viridouix to yéeld himselfe slaying also an infinite number of the Morines Treuites Mennapians Lexobians he also slew the strong and valiaunt Captaine Indutiomares with his owne hand he subdued the Belges the Neruians the Aduatickes with Occo the great Prince of the Senons he beate downe the Condrosces Segemes and Eburons he also overcame the Britons with Cassibelan their King made them become tributaries vnto him Scho. Sir by your patience let me cause you to stay there a while vntill I be certefied in this one poynt the Britones whom Caesar conquered with their King Cassibelan I take to be the English Nation now which at the first time of his comming and inuading their Land if ancient Records may challenge credite gaue him a shamefull repulse and slewe a number of his men causing him also to flie the Land with great spéede into Gallia to saue his life where amongst the Galls hee practised by treacherous meanes to obtaine their Land Which in the ende he easily atchieued for hauing corrupted their Nobles and chiefe States he entred the Land the second time and made a conquest thereof But at his first comming the Britons so fiercely encountred with him that he was caused perforce to flie the Field and therefore where as he was wont to certefie the Senat of Rome by his letters briefly saying and concluding Vt veni vidi vici So soone as I came I saw and I ouercame Thus for breuitie sake certifying the Romanes of his prosperous succes and good fortune meaning thereby that no people or nation did or would withstand him himselfe being present but yéelded themselves to his mercie at his verie first comming Notwithstanding hee was at this time deceiued and caused to stay his letters from Rome for he could not say So soone as I saw I ouercame for the Britons at his first comming had driuen him out of their Countrey ioyning battaile with the Romanes and draue thē back with great slaughter and in the same conflict a Britaine named Nennius matched hand to hand with Caesar and chased him in the field with great hazard and peril of his life for catching the impoysoned sword of Iulius Caesar in his target with the which he caused him to flie the field as a hare before the hound to saue his life but Nennius not preuayling because of the wonderful swiftnes of Caesar retired into the battaile againe and slew the chiefe friend and Legate to Caesar whose name was Labienus with y e sword which he had taken from his Master Also by the reports of Caesars owne pen in his Commentaries that he neuer got Land with more difficultie than he did the Britaine Ile chiefly praysing the Kentishmen both for their courtesie manlinesse and constancie in the aforesaid Commentaries which were written with his owne hand Fa. I must needs confesse it is true yet notwithstanding he was called the victorious Caesar for that he vanquished in the ende whomsoeuer he warred against After the conquest of the Britones he forced the great Catiuulcus to poyson him selfe subduing the noble Lytauicus taking at the same time the great Citie Genabum and the Cities Valundunum Noniodunum battering downe to the verie ground Auaricum and slew in the same Citie 40000. people also he vanquished Theutomatus Camalogeus and slewe Eporidouix where in the same fight Cotus and Canarell were taken prisoners Sedulius prince of Lemnouix was by him slaine at Alexea he tooke a liue Vergasilaunus with three score baners and foure and thirtie thousand prisoners with many a noble man he ouercame Drapes Surus Suturuate and chased so narrowly the noble Prince Luctarius that hee miserably dyed by famishment The great king Etorix also hee made to bee brought by his owne People to him as Prisoner he ouerthrewe great Pompey the Romane Prince in many a battel discomfiting in one day al his power at Pharsalia and caused him to flie in poore aray out of the campe into Aegypt afterward displacing the king of Aegypt and placing his sister Cleopatra in his stead whome he dearely loued Iuba king of Africa and Pharnaces king of Pontus he made submit themselues to his will The sounes of great Pompey which came to reuenge their fathers quarrell in like sort he put to shamefull foile Thus highly fortune fauored him that he marched Conqueror through out all Europa For the hautie minde of Caesar as the auncient Romanes report could abide no equall neither could Pompey abide or tolerate any péere or superior whereby the whole world was troubled by their dissention and strife not onely with the losse of manie thousands of souldiors but also with a great number of woorthy valiant and noble men of great fame and renowme After these great victories huge slaughters of so many thousands Caesar marched home to the gates of Rome with the conquest of 300. seuerall nations and 800. stately townes at the least yet not cōtented with the proy of his victorie nor filled with so many blodie slaughters
spared not but beate down the stately walles of his owne natiue Citie Rome because his countriemen fearing his crueltie at the first would not open the gates of the Citie vnto him for which cause hee made the Romans yéelde themselues on their knées to become his faithfull and true subiectes making himselfe Emperour ouer the Romane State which was neuer subiect to Emperour before his time Thus did the pride of his minde still clime for dignitie not béeing satisfied but catching at the verie heauens if his power had extended so farre being fleshed with so manie bloudie broyles and animated with such lordly statelinesse that no Roman péere or potentate might stirre or speak against his wilfulnes Therfore true is the saying of Tully who saith Quem metuunt oderunt quem quisque odit perijsse expetit Whom they feare they hate whom euerie man dooth hate his death is wished for Which saying was truly verefied in him for he grewe in such detestable hate dayly amongst the Romanes that they continually wished and heartely desired his destruction and confusion which came thorough his great pride and in that he would so much be feared Neither was it vnknowen to him that by his aspiring minde and stately behauior he was growen into deadly hate amongst the Romanes for which cause fearing the destruction of expected hap he made a law and instituted a decrée that no Romane should come into the Senate house with anie weapon at all vnder paine of death which was where he most commonly sate in iudgement and where the States of the Romanes assembled themselues together to conferre and determine of causes yet notwithstanding in the end Cassius Brutus extreamely hating the vnquenchable pride of his aspiring minde brought priuely into the Senate in their pockets and sléeues small bodkins little kniues and such other fit instruments for their purpose and sodainely in the Senate house set vpon him vnlooked for stabbing him into the bodie most miserably vntill he died This was the end of mightie Caesar which happened through the default of Temperance which gift if he had possessed he had not so died Scho. O good God what meant the vnsatiable Caesar by his inordinate coueting and by the vncessant climing for vaine superioritie had he delight and pleasure in such cruell slaughters and miserable murders of so many destressed people was his gréedie appetite so hungrie after honour that his minde could neuer be satisfied would not so manie pitiful murders so manie lamentable chances so manie cruell acts so manie hard escapes in his warres which he both beheld in others also felt himselfe mollifie and abate the hautie pride and loftie courage of his aspiring minde wherein he might haue perceiued himselfe as mortall as the rest Surely I much meruaile how hée could register and set downe with his owne pen the whole discourse of his warres and victories compiled in a volume called Caesars Commentaries without blushing chéeks wonderful shedding of teares and déepe sighes from the heart to thinke that for his owne vaine glorie and pride of heart so manie Nations were subdued so manie stately Townes beaten downe sacked so manie people slain and murdred most lamentably that all Europa stood floating with y e blood of his slaughters He might haue considered the nature of man by the disposition of himself for before their Countrey should be sacked spoyled robbed and destroyed by the inuasions and forces of forreign enemies they will most willingly venter life and runne with desperate minds to death in defence of Countrie and libertie but the wise Cato saith Sic facias alteri quòd tibi vis fieri So doo vnto another as thou wouldest thy self be done vnto Euen such measure as he gaue to others such measure was heaped to him againe For when he had depraued diuers kings of their kingdomes spoyled them of their liues wrested from them their goods in the ende as it séemeth he was in one houre depraued of his Empire which he had made firme to himselfe perforce despoyled of his princely regiment and most miserably murdred by the hands of his owne subiects O most vnhappy end Fa. If wee shall goe forward according to promise it is not conuenient to stand long vpon this one example but to procéed Alexander the Great who was the sonne of Philip King of Macedonie in like manner was one whome fortune highly fauored for being but twentie yeares old when first he began his raigne at which time hee set forward to conquere the whole World and at the first subduing the Athenians Getes Lacedemonians Argeans Thalants with all the whole countrey of Greece from thence he went to Hellespont where he conquered all the countries there about marching from thence into Asia where at the first hee slew in one day of Persians 20200. causing also many Cities and strong townes in the same country to yéelde to his mercie as Sardis Lydia Magnesia Phrygia Ephilos Pamphilia Caria Pysidia Lysia Gordin Helicarnus Melyton Selenas Aucyre Paphlagony Solos Malon Lernesus Islon Sebestus with strong Castabulon Then passing to the large country Cilicia where he tooke prisoners the mother and wife of King Darius putting him to flight sleying of the Persians 100000. compelling also Strato the great King of Arade with all the Kings of Syria to yéeld themselues on their knées to his mercie he put to sacke the stately and strong Citie Tyre that neuer before since the beginning of the World had been conquered then sayled hee into Aegypt and so ouer the riuer Nilo where he subdued all the country marching forward to Araby where hee slew the mightie King Darius with manie thousand of his people from thence he passed to the great Citie Babylon which was presently yeelded to him then he conquered the whole countrey of Armenia Atrapine Persepolis Paralacen marching to the huge Nation of the Mardons where he vanguished the Medes Parthians Spartans Thracians Acabians Boetians Cannians Besyrians Nisans Pisides with many more vntill he was letted by the Caspian seas the countrie of Amazon he also subdued and vtterly destroyed the great Prouince of Dranga compelling their King to flie into India to saue his life he ouercame the whole land of Aracosia sacking the Cities Acadera Bactria Cyroposis Scythia Bubacen Basannes Duhanes and the Maurians from thence hee conueyed his armie into India that neuer was inuaded by any one before but by Hercules passing ouer and conquering the high and stéepe Mountaines of Meroae and Dedala with rich Amzaga Mount Arum hee long besiedged and in the end gat it which Hercules before him could not subdue making the Kings of India Omphis Abiazaris and Gamaxus to yeeld themselues on their knees then passed he ouer Hidaspis streames where he vanquished the great King Porus and slewe all his armie still marching to the Sabians Sugdrians and Mallians which he also conquered then to the Oxidricans whome hee vtterly ouerthrew marching on to the vttermost
being wonderfully beloued of the Romanes and honoured excéedingly for his happie successes in his warres grew in the ende so proud that he disdained anie superiour which ambitious minde caused his shamefull destruction First being but a youth he entered into Africke committing there most horrible slaughters of the Africans subduing their Countrey to the Romane Empire returning to Rome from thence he spéedely marched into Spaine where he ouercame in Battaile the most valiaunt Captaine Sertorius beeing then an Exile in Spaine and before inuincible He also vanquished the great king of Pontus called Mithridates with a mightie number of people For which great victories he triumphed in Rome twise not being filled with these great conquests and murders of distressed people nor satisfied with his stately triumphs but forthwith inuaded and conquered these realmes and nations as Armenia Cappadocia Paphlagonia Media Cilicia Mesopotamia Iudea Arabia Colchis Iberia Albania and Syria for the which also he triumphed in Rome In these warres he gathered a mightie masse of treasure whereby he both inriched the common treasure-house of Rome and also himselfe the gold which he brought to Rome from the spoiles of these wars was 2000. talents which amounteth of our mony to 28026600. pounds beside that which he gaue to euery priuat souldior which was sixe pounds to euery man therefore it is to be thought that in so great an hoast as pertained to the cōquests of so many countries must needs extend to a wonderfull summe of money If then the summe which was preserued did amount to such a mightie masse It is also to be supposed the priuat spoiles and booties of the common souldiors did arise to a great quantitie which was not openly declared Wherefore it is to be considered how that Pompey thorough his vnsatiable appetite did spoile and sacke on infinite number of statelie Cities and rich towns with the sheding of huge streams of bloud in the gathering together of this mucke for which cause also manie thousands of his people lost their liues Returning to Rome with the rich spoiles his haughtie pride much more increased in somuch that no Romane in what office soeuer might be his péere no nor scant his equall and to establish his estate the better he married Iulia the daughter of Iulius Caesar a mightie Roman but this friendship not long continued for Iulia died then coulde not Caesar and Pompey agrée for the stately pride of the one could not brooke or digest the haughty mind of the other whereby there grew amongst the Romans great controuersie and debate insomuch that in the ende it came to bloudie blows and mightie slaughters as wel of Romans themselues as of infinite thousands of strange nations and forren people but at the last Pompey was vanquished and forced to flie priuily by sea into Aegypt where by the conduct of king Ptolomeus he was slaine in a bote his head being stricken off and his body cast on the stround where it was but poorely buried Thus died Pompey when he had liued thrée score yeares spending his time in sheding bloud whose proude minde in his aged time would not suffer his body to rest but in striuing and contending for superioritie he most shamefully lost his life Thus good friend it is manifest what aspiring mindes gaine in the end For further proofe whereof it might more sufficiently be prooued by the fall of diuers other kings and princes which at this time I omit hoping that these few examples shall as well suffice as if I had more amply related or apparantly expressed them by further examples Scho. Sir for your great courtesie herein I yéelde you most hartie thankes not being willing to trouble you any further in these examples for you haue most plainely manifested the reward of discontentment the incident ende of aspiring mindes the imminent perill which doeth dayly hang ouer the climers for superioritie so that first from the beginning being certified of the state of man wherein is shewed that he holdeth nothing proper of himselfe but borroweth what he hath of others by reason of his nakednesse then also what an vncertaine thing life it selfe is in this naked bodie of man so that man being of this bare and base mettell ought not to thinke himselfe immortall then also what was more necessary to gouerne the fraile life and naked bodie of man than temperance showing the quietnesse and happie state to the possessors thereof And now in like sort in these your last examples what troubles vexations perilles and vtter confusion dooth happen and fall consequently to the wanters of the afore saide gift therefore as you haue orderlie begun so my request is that you will accordinglie procéede forward Fa. Truly friend there are many enimies to the life of man which for their pleasantnesse at the first are taken as deere friends for the nature of man is to account that a friendlie pleasure which fullie satisfieth his lewde vaine and gréedie appetite although after it shortly turneth him to destruction The wise Marcus Cato finding out and perceiuing that worldlie muck as heapes of gould and siluer which is but mettle of the earth was one of the chiefest enimies and aduersaries to the quiet state and peaceable rest of man when hee came from the conquest of Spaine hauing gathered a great masse of treasure together First considered to himselfe what inconuenience this money and coyne might purchase either to himselfe or to any of his friends which might possesse too great a quantitie thereof also fearing that if he should bring it into the tresurie of Rome it would trouble and disquiet the whole bodie of the Senat who hauing sufficient before as Cato thought might therewith purchase the death and destruction of many thousands of Romans and other people for as he thought if they had such a huge masse of treasure they would haue prouided to conquer the world if it had bin possible for them Which thing he might well conceiue for that he at that time was commanded and sent by the Senat to make a cōquest of Spaine but wise Cato foreséeing all these euills and expected harmes at his retourne out of Spaine towards Rome gaue to euerie one of his Souldiers which were a mightie number a pound waight of siluer because hee would dissolue and seperate the suspected mischiefe knowing also that the monie was vnreuocable againe out of so many holders hands saying better it were that many should returne to Rome with siluer then a few with golde which as Cato supposeth is one of the most speciallest enimies to the quiet state and gouernement of man bréeding trouble and vexation to the minde which otherwise would be in quiet rest In like manner Crates a Philosopher perceiuing what vnquietnesse the goods of this world bred to the mind of man threw his riches and treasure into the sea because they should neither molest or trouble himselfe nor otherwise infect his friends with auarice saying Packe hence you vngratious appetites
should bee a table prouided and set by it selfe in a place seuerall and that a cubbord should be furnished with dew preparation and swéet perfumes tempered burned and scattered against the comming of the said Menecrates all which costes was expended and laide out to pleasure the fine nosed gentleman who sat solitarie and alone at a side boorde by himselfe whilst all the companie that were bidden guests tasted of the toothsome cheere and sumptuous feast which wanted no varietie of delicates but nothing was serued vnto the table where he sat by himselfe notwithstanding hee held him content for a season and greatly delighted in the worship and honour which was exhibited to him being in a manner regall sauing that he was kept fasting which was after a sorte seruile But after that hunger griped his guts and appetite whetted his stomack insomuch that his téeth watered at the cates he saw brought in and none fell to his share then was he taught by experience that hée was not Menecrates Iupiter but Menecrates mortalis and foorthwith he arose from the table and went his way complayning on the iniurie which he suffered being a bidden guest to that banquet whereof hee not once tasted thus did Philip cut Menecrates his combe and detected the mad mans vanitie with a notable flout King Herod because he stood still to shew himselfe to the people when they magnified him as a God was wonderfullie slaine for his proud minde for when on a time hée had made a certaine oration in the hearing of a number of people he so pleased the companie by his eloquence that they made a great showte and crie saying It was the voyce of a God and not of a man by reason whereof hée was so eleuated and lifted vp with stately pride that he stoode vaunting himselfe before the multitude taking himself to be no lesse than they had termed him For which proud follie the liuing God to shew that he was but man did strike him in the presence of them all in so much that hee died with most grieuous paines liuing wormes issuing out of his body to the great terror of all the beholders thus dooth the immortal God reuenge himself on those mortall earthly gods to make them knowe they are but men and soone shall turne to dust Yet notwithstanding although they are taught by experience and daylie do sée most plaine and euidently that man is mortall both from the Prince and Péere to the poorest people yet for al that when they doo perceiue their mortall carkasses must néeds to the ground perforce they couet to leaue behind them at least their name and fame to be immortall for which cause they striue mightely in their life time And truly so in princes it commeth oft to passe for they are long time remembred either for their vertue liberalitie courtesie patience and constancie which no doubt but is both to the pleasing of God and drawing on of their successors to imitate folow their vertue But if their immortall fame bée purchased by their great tyrannie cruelty vnsatiable appetites dronkennes monsterous pride or such like horrible vices no doubt but they haue registred themselues to euerlasting ignomie and perpetuall infamie But diuers so that they may after their death attaine to perpetuall remembrance care not by what meanes they purchase that immortalitie For Herostratus a priuate Citizen liued not contented for that no man talked much of him wherefore he thought that after his death he shoulde be buried in the graue of obliuion and fully be forgotten In so much as whē he heard the dayly fame of worthy men set forth some for vertue some for valure yea and againe some dayly spoken of for their great crueltie auarice dronkennes and such like vices whose fame be also perceiued to liue after their death grew in the end himselfe so desirous of perpetuall remēbrance that his name might come in question to be as much noted in the Citie as the rest were But when he had long time studied and could not bring to passe any notable thing worthy to be talked of at the last he went priuily and set on fire y e stately temple of Diana in the Citie and vtterly consumed it downe to the ground Thus when the most sumptuous gallant temple was so vilely defaced great inquisition was made in the Citie who should doe that notorious fact talking much of the matter but none did know the mā For which cause Herostratus much repining in himselfe that although the matter was spoken of in euery part of the Citie yet notwithstanding his name was in no admiration amongst them Wherfore he went presently to the Citizens detected himselfe For which cause be foorthwith was most cruelly put to death Then in trueth he was therfore wonderfully spoken of and is in remembrance at this day Scho. In mine opinion he hath very well deserued perpetuall remembrance who was of that mad minde to register such meere folly to his euerlasting reproach and ignomie which is worthie to be noted throughout all ages But it séemeth that the vices of men doe much longer continue and are of more ancient antiquitie than their vertues For a few speciall vices do dimme and ouershadow a great number of good qualities and shall longer be remembred to their reprochfull infamie than the other to their praise and merite We also read of diuers notable Princes who by a few inordinate follies haue drowned a number of their especiall vertues as most plainly appeareth in your last examples For what good vertues are to be picked out of the liues of those that for their madde pride would be accounted as Gods on the earth although indéede diuers good qualities and examples of vertue procéede from them before Yet notwithstanding this most monstrous pride obscured and blotted out their meritorious remembrance shadowing as it were with a thick and darke veile their notable vertues from the face of the earth Therefore I beséech you to vnfold and lay open part of those monstrous vices which are such enemies and so repugnant to vertue which suffereth not the worthie fame of man to rise and flourish but croudeth and thrusteth it downe into the darke graue of obliuion wherein is drowned his worthie merites by the ouerflowing of his foolish follie Fa. There is remaining in man my good friend manie notable vices and sundrie misgouernments which are altogether repugnant to vertue as the vnsatiable pride of the minde which is alreadie spoken of as the most monstrous folly and vice in man The filthie vice of drunkennesse is also most odious detestable and a great enemie to the quiet gouernment of man it bringeth also with it manie vexations troubles enormities great incōueniences being a disturber daily breaker of peaceable amitie and friendly tranquilitie purchasing both reproachfull rebukes and sharpe reprehensions in their life time and also perpetuall infamie euerlasting ignominie after their death For as
my patrimonie which my Father left me but be contented therewith and leaue it to my sonne as it was left me Wherewith the king being not content went home sorowing remaining verie pensiue and heauie for that he could not lawfully or without great shame take away the vineyard of Naboth but when Iezabel fully perceiued the cause of the Kings sorowing and heauines she directed letters to y e Rulers of y e place wher Naboth dwelt making them priuie of her bloudie practise wishing and commaunding them to proclaime a fast in their Citie and then to hire and suborne two witnesses that should falsely accuse him before the Iudges and presently therevpon to lead him out of the Citie and stone him to death which cruel doome and execrable murder was forthwith accordingly executed But notwithstāding although for a time reuengement was deferred yet could she not scape vnpunished for so soone as Iehu was annointed King he was straightly cōmanded from the verie mouth of God to persecute the house of King Ahab with great crueltie and not to leaue anie one liuing that should pisse against the wall wherefore he presently warred on the Citie of Iezrael and spoiled the house and frends of Ahab vntill he came where Iezabel lodged who was most cruelly vsed in consideration of her former trespasse for she was throwen and tumbled downe headlong from a lofty window to the hard pauements of the stréete wherewith her bloud sprong about the postes and walles of the stréet so that dogges came and licked vp her bloud and eate her flesh the rest being troden to durt with horseféete and marching souldiers insomuch that there remayned no more vnspoyled and defaced but onely the palmes of her hands Thus was Iezabel most cruelly slaine and miserably vsed by the very commaundement of God for the murdering and sheading of innocent bloud Also Olimpias wife to Philip the Macedonian king and mother to Alexander the great cōmitted diuers most horrible shamefull murthers namely first it was suspected and layd to her charge the consenting to the murther of her husband king Philip who was slaine by the hande of Pausanias For after this Pausanias had trayterously slaine the king her husband had receiued iust punishment for his villanie she openly mourned for the death of the said murtherer And also it was well knowē that she had prouided horses ready against the deede was committed to the end the slayer of her husbande might the better escape Further when his body did hang on the galous she came thether the first night and crowned the dead head of Pausanias with a crowne of gold taking also the carkasse from the trée burying it most nobly and made a famous Tombe in the same place for his remembrance Which causes being thorowly considered can import no otherwise than an accessary and guilty mind This Olimpias after the death both of Philip her husband and Alexander her sonne in the time that the Macedonian Princes and successors to her sonne Alexander did contend and striue for the superioritie and regiment of their dead master came down into Macedon with a great power to warre on Philip king thereof and Euridice his wife who at that time were lawfull inheritors of that kingdome and gaue them battaile In which conflict she tooke the King prisoner and all his whole familie But Euridice his wife fled for her safetie into the Citie Amphipolis where not long after she also was taken Then seised Quéene Olimpias into her hand all the whole Realm of Macedon howbeit she very vngently entreated these her prisoners For first she caused the king and Euridice his wife to be put into a straite prison that they could hardly turne themselues within and had their meat geuen thē in at a little hole but after they had béen there awhile thus miserably dealt withall Olympias perceiuing that the Macedonians for very compassion they had of the said captiues greatly maliced and hated her wherefore she caused King Philip by certaine souldiers of Thrace to be slaine after he had reigned king sixe yeares and foure moneths And for because that Euridice not well digesting her shamefull crueltie in so treacherously betraying her dead husband and also somewhat insolently spake said that she had better right and title to the crowne and realme of Macedonia than Olympias had she therefore either without regard of the late dignitie royall that the sayd Euridice had béen in or yet the common mutability variety of fortune sent her three liberall gifts to make her choyse thereof which was a sword a halter and poyson to end her life withal who of necessitie was forced to take one Thus whē the wofull Queene had receiued this present of Olympias seeing no remedie but that needs she must take and accept of one she said The Gods graunt like choyce to this cruell Olympias and that she may receiue like guerdon for her liberalitie heerein Thus when she had adorned the bodie of her husband Philip slaine in her presence and stopped vp the wounds to couer the deformitie of them then refusing the aforesaid presents of the curteous Queene in the best manner she could with her own girdle strāgled her selfe and so died Yet was not Olympias satisfied with these lamentable and execrable murders but soone after she had thus shamefully put them to death she made Nicanor Cassanders brother to be slaine and spitefully defaced the tombe of Iolas his other brother Ouer and besides this she picked weeded out an hūdred noble men of Macedonie which were frends to Cassander and caused their throates to be cut for which cruell and barbarous deed Cassander being moued gathered an Armie minding to reuenge himself on the Queen for her great crueltie and draue her at the last to the Citie Pidue where hee besieged her long vntil such time that vittaile failed her yet notwithstanding she would not yeeld although both her company and the Citizens dyed wonderfully by famine and greeuous plagues which chanced to them by reason of the dead bodies which lay in the town diches vnburied most horribly stinking insomuch that there dyed daily in the towne through these two causes aforesaid verie many citizens and soldiors Being also forced thorough extreame and miserable hunger to feed on the dead carkasses of the pined men The townesmen seeing theyr lamentable estate yeelded vp the Citie against Olympias will and humbled themselues willingly to the mercie of Cassander Then after this Queen was taken prisoner Cassander caused all the friends of them whom she had murdred to accuse her in the common place of iudgment before the assembly of the Macedonians Which thing they accordingly did where the Macedonians in the absence of Olympias hauing there neither any patrone or aduocate to defend her vniust cause condemned her to death For execution wherof Cassander sent 200. of his trustiest souldiers to kil her which entered her Pallace where she was Streightway so soone as she perceiued them
and valiant captaines whom they craue to haue againe by way of exchange and so may you haue me againe here at libertie in Rome notwithstanding first for my auncient authoritie in this our commonwealth then for my approued good wil towards my coūtrey and last in respect of my graue and aged yeares and here by the vertue and dignitie of my place in the Senate house I am to determine causes confer about the good of our weale publique and to haue as great a care for the preseruation both of our Citie and Countrey in as ample manner as the rest of you my fellowe Senators therefore most honourable Fathers being thus strongly warred vpon by so mighty a people who seeke daily to subuert our state throwe down our citie and spoyle our commonwealth the cause is therefore wisely to be considered on First for mine owne part as you all do know I am old decrepite and of little force of body not like long to continue Againe the Captaines whom you holde of the Carthaginians are both lustie valiant and couragious gentlemen likely to perfourme and doe great seruice against you to the great hurt of the Commonwealth Therefore Fathers conscript by the vertue of may aforsaid authorities I wil neuer consent to the redeliuering or redeeming of such perilous enemies but will with a willing heart returne to the Carthaginians from whence I came to saue both the honor of my countrey and the credite of my name from perpetuall infamie lest that we should be hereafter by the Carthaginians our enemies accounted and reprochfully tearmed the confringers of martiall rights Thus the graue Senators by no meanes could perswade the good old man to make such exchange as the Carthaginians offered but would néedes return for his countreis sake although he knew he went to present death and cruel torment Thus went Attilus Regulus to the enemie who after they had bound him cut of his eye lids and set him in a hollow tree vpright filled full of sharp and pricking nailes there continuing in most horrible paine vntill he died Thus did he carry a faithfull heart and noble courage in his countreis cause willing to lose his life for the profite and welfare of his weale publique In like sort Gobrias a Persian holding in his armes by force in a dark chamber him who was a traytor to his countrey insomuch that when one of his fellowes came to his ayde to help to slaye the traytor he cryed out to his friend saying Stay not thy blowe but thrust him thorow although thereby thou doest kill me also so that he escape not from vs to the further hurte of our Countrey therefore presently run thy sword thorow him and so shall our Common-wealth be freed from a wicked traytor Thus Gobrias esteemed not his life in deliuering his countrey from an enemie Codrus king of Athens for the sauegard of his publick weale went to present death willingly and with a valiant courage For at such time as there was warres betwixt him and the Dorians the Dorians went to the oracle of Apollo at Delphos to know who should be victors in that war begun to whom this answere was made That they should be coquerors if they killed not the king of Athens Then was proclamation made in all the Dorian campe to spare and preserue aliue the Athenian king But Codrus hearing of the answere of Apollo and being aduertised of their proclamation did foorthwith change his garmēts in most deformed maner with a wallet full of bread on his shoulders and went priuely to the campe of the Dorians and wounded a certaine od fellow among their Tentes with a sharpe hooke or sickle which hee had prepared for the nonce In reuenge whereof the wounded fellowe slewe Codrus the king but after when the body was knowen the order of his death the Dorians departed without battaile remembring the diuine answere of the Oracle wherby the Athenian king freed his countrey frō peril which otherwise had béen in great danger It is also reported that Lycurgus after he had made diuers good lawes to be obserued kept of his coūtreimē fained that they were made by the cōsent of the Oracle at Delphos And when he perceiued that these lawes statutes were to the great benefit of his countrey fayned that he would go to Delphos for further counsel And to the intent they should kéep those lawes vntill he returned from thence firme and sure he made the whole body of the commonwealth to sweare binde themselues by oath to keepe vnuiolated and vnbroken those lawes which then he had set downe vntill such time that he returned againe from Delphos but because he would haue those statutes remaine and be of force for euer in his Countrey hee went the next way to Créete and not to Delphos where he liued in exile banishing himselfe from his Countrey so long as he liued and at his death because his bones should not be caried into his Countrey whereby his Countreymen might think themselues discharged of their oathes and full fréed from their vowe he caused his bones to be burned and the ashes thereof to be throwen into the sea to the intent that neither he himselfe nor any part of him being left should be brought backe into his Countrey by which meanes he caused his Countreymen perpetually to kéepe those good and holesome lawes to the vnspekable profit of the Commonwealth Zopirus a nobleman of Persia also tendering his Prince Countrey insomuch that when the great Citie of Babylon rebelled against Darius his Lord and king to the great trouble vexation of the whole commonwealth and could by no meanes be subdued he then in fauor of his prince and countrey priuily and vnawares went and cut off his owne nose lips eares and in other deformed maner pitifully mangling his body fled into the City of Babylon saying that Darius his master and certain other of his cruell Countreymen had so shamefully disfigured and martyred him because saith he I perswaded him to haue peace with your citie Which when they heard greatly pitying his distressed case and in recompence thereof made him chiefe captain and gouernor of their towne by which meanes he yéelded vp the rebellious Babylonians to his soueraigne Lord the king to the great good quieting of his countrey Did not Sceuola that noble Roman whē the citie of Rome was besieged by the mighty Porsena king of Tuscane willingly run to desperat death to purchase liberty to his countrey for he apparreled him selfe in beggars cloathes came foorth of the citie by night and ranged in the enemies campe till he had found out the Tent of Persena the king minding to slay that mighty Tuscane who then so strongly compassed and enuironed their citie But he mistaking the king slewe his Secretary and missed his marke who being thereupon presently taken and his pretended purpose further knowen Porsena the king caused a great fire to be made to burne
with the subtile and wilie Hanniball chiefe General of the hoast of the Carthaginians who came marching to the very walles of Rome conquering the Romans staying their Consuls and beating downe their strongest powers whose force and policie made the citie of Rome to shake for feare the Senators graue fathers to tremble in despaire the noble matrones and young damsels to cry out and lament most pitifully as if the Citie euen then shoulde haue beene sacked knowing not how by any meanes to repell the enemie being in this distresse and ready to be spoyled by their mortall foe when all their flourishing young Gentlemen were almost slaine and their chiefest Captaines and most noble warriors put to the sword Now in this great extremitie the noble Scipio required leaue of the sorowfull Romans to reuenge their iniuries on the bloody minded Carthaginians not doubting but that with a lusty courage and circumspect care to encoūter the power and policie of fierce Hanniball Thus when the graue Senators and the rest of the distressed Romanes did see such willingnes in the noble youth Scipio knowing that both his father and vncle were slaine in the same warre before also seeing such inuincible courage in the braue minded Gentleman they all with willing consent made him gouernour almost ouer their conquered band requiring him with lamentable teares hanging about his necke that at this time he would remember their miserable and distressed estate and seek to hold vp and maintaine their wauering Common wealth which was nowe ready to fall into the hands of their cruell enemie Thus Scipio hauing taken his Countreys cause on him with a noble heart marched against the hardie Hanniball and draue him as well by policie as by force out of the borders and confines of Italie ouercomming him in diuers notable battailes in Spaine getting also the whole Countrey of Spaine againe which the Carthaginians had lately woon from the Romanes not resting vntill he had chased and driuen Haniball back into his owne countrey of Affricke yea and in the end penned him vp hard to the very walles of Carthage which was his chiefest defence and refuge where was fought a cruell and bloudy battaile betwixt two of the most noblest captaines of the world contending in that fight for the Empire of the whole world watching to whō now it should fall For the pride of these two empires of Rome and Carthage could neuer digest or brooke the statelines of each other which first was the cause of this bloudy warre but now at this time it was turned to a whole Monarchie for Scipio in this battaile ouercame the Carthaginians and caused stately Carthage to be yeelded to his mercie Now when Scipio had finished this perilous war he returned with the conquest of Affrica and Spaine making the stout captaine Hanniball to fly for his safetie causing the hautie Carthaginians to yeeld them selues on their knees to the mercie of the Romanes returning into Rome with the Empire in a māner of the whole worlde to the great ioy and euerlasting fame of the Romanes Surely a great and sodain change to see the Romans raigne as victors when that not long before the dreadfull Captaine Hanniball had ranged all Italie ouer and driuen the Romanes into their citie of Rome who euery day expected the destruction of themselues and their Citie and now not onely to be Lordes againe ouer their owne Empire but also ouer the stately Carthaginians who before had sought their subuersiō and confusion which hapned by the wise gouernment and valiant courage of noble Scipio The Romanes being now fréed from all miseries and calamities and againe ruling as kings ouer the whole worlde could not chuse but defile themselues with notable ingratitude and spot themselues with wonderful vnkind dealing for Scipio who had thus pleasured his countrey because the world had him in great honor and admiration comming dayly from far to the citie of Rome to behold and doe honour to so valiant and fortunate a Gentleman who had so manfully defended his countrey and gotten such peereles prayse to the Romanes wherfore the Romanes disdayning that the honour of Scipio should dayly so increase repining and grudging at him séeking by all meanes possible to hunt him from the citie because they would not acknowledge themselues to be beholding vnto him for his noble actes despising that any one should liue amōg them that should be accounted the preseruer or vpholder of their common wealth which was by reason of their intollerable pride therefore they sought by all meanes to banish and exile him from the Citie which was by his meanes preserued as the world at this daye can wel witnesse inuenting against him strange and diuers accusations First hee was charged with the olde matter betwixt the Locrenses and Pleminius wherein as they say he being Consull was corrupted with mony and therefore ministred not true Iustice. Againe they layd to his charge that his sonne being prisoner to Antiochus their enemie was deliuered to him without raunsome which they thought was verie suspitious For these small causes he was called before the Senate to answere to their obiections which were but of small importance euen as if he had béen a meane man base person vrging causes against him with extremitie without fauour or hauing anie respect to his noble actes done for the Common wealth which ingratitude he tooke so displesantly that he departed from the Court and went into the countrey to the towne of Lytarne where he dwelled as long as he liued exiling himself frō Rome for euer and at his death he commaunded his bodie to bee buried there also that his bones might not rest in that vnkind Citie The most worthie Captaine Hannibal was also banished Carthage by his vnkinde country men when he had done wonderfull exploytes in his Countreys cause and although he was in the ende conquered by Scipio yet was he well knowen to bée the most famous and worthiest Captain liuing in the world at that time notwithstanding Fortune fauoured him not Thus we sée that diuers are most vile hardly recompenced by theyr vnkinde countrey men for their good seruice done Fame Yet notwithstanding my good friend although diuers Countreys haue béen vnkinde and vngrateful to their noble Countrey men it is no consequent that anie Country man should be vntrue to his natiue soyle and Commonwealth for the fault is much more hainous and farre more gréeuous for the man to be vntrue to his Common wealth than for the coūtrey to shewe an vnkinde part to the man although it be bad in both But now againe to our purpose though wee haue somewhat digressed from the matter in shewing what man ought to doo for his Countrey and with what willingnesse hee ought to hazard life for the preseruation thereof it shall not séeme vnfitt to retire againe to our former conference concerning the gouernment of man which altogether ought to bee grounded on temperance as our former speach hath hetherto
to their owne authoritie But Ninus hath béen so rightly imitated and iustly followed that at this day warre increaseth of trifling causes to most bloudie battaile Did not the cruell warre of the Persians growe of a small occasion and grudge betwixt Menāder Samius and the Athenians Also the bloudie conflict called Praelium sacrum began about the exaction of the iudgement of the Amphictions the Cheronean warre bred of a light occasion betwixt Philip the Athenians Which warres although they sprang but of friuolous causes could not be ended without great slaughters Therefore it is an easier thing to begin war than to end it wherefore a man ought first to haue a care howe to finish that which he taketh in hand or else he runneth blindly to his enterprise hauing also consideration that whosoeuer shal first begin warre sounding the trumpe of defiance vpon small occasions doth as it were open his gate to be spoyled as well of the forren as domestique enemie such misgouernment disorder there is in warre for the rude and vnbridled rascall doth gape after so fit an opportunitie to deuoure spoyle and rob the honest and true subiect boystrously intruding himselfe into the houses arrogantly challenging to be partakers of the goods substance of the quiet people which they haue long time trauelled for with great paines and carefull toyle so that he who cannot be content to enioy and possesse his owne proper goods priuately with quietnes let him proclaime open warre hee shall soone be rid of that griefe Who is so prone to bloudie broyles as such as haue by euillhusbandrie as they terme it spent their lands goods and substance in vaine pleasures and vile follies Was not Rome in great perill to haue béen spoyled by a notable crue of bankrupts For Lucius Sergius Cataline a noble mā of Rome when hee had by riot spend his patrimonie beeing altogether vnable to maintaine his prodigalitie and wanton vaine in immoderate spending went about to spoile sack and destroy his owne natiue citie and countreymen associating to him in this his greeuous conspiracie such outlawes and bankrouts as either stoode in feare of a law or els such vnthrifts as himselfe as had wantonly and most vainly spent and consumed their goods and possessions which presently were as soone allured as himselfe was ready to entise hoping to be made rich by the spoile of their owne countreymen when they had vnthriftely wasted their owne This rable rout of vnbrideled riotors had wrought their mischieuous purpose to such effect that their wicked enterprice had taken place if by the prouident wise foresight of Cicero it had not beene preuented neither was it knowen that any one Roman of good gouernment or any one that liued orderly in the commonwealth without riot or other bad and lewd conuersation was found culpable or gilty in this dangerous conspiracie although diuers principall and chiefe men at the first were suspected notwithstanding they were in the ende cleerely defended and apparantly freed from that slaunderous reproach and ignomie by their owne Citizens Did not Brennus in like manner leade and conduct a mighty huge bande of Gaules who had before spent their goods by ryot prodigalitie and disordering themselues in many bad and vile misdemeanors spoyling and robbing most vnmercifully the countreys as they marched committing sacriledge with a number of most vile villaines to recouer againe their former vaine expēces Did they not in the end after many cruell acts vnsatiable spoyles and shamefull robberies most miserably perish to the wonderfull example of such spoyling outlawes What was the cause that the Troyans inuaded Italie making such hauock and spoyle in what countrey soeuer they arriued but their greedy couetous mindes to recouer their vnthriftie losses For when they had by their own vnfaithfulnes greatly abused their frends the Greekes with a most shamefull abuse the Greekes in reuengement thereof sacked and spoyled their citie slaying and murthering the vnfaithfull Troyans sauing certaine which afterward made warres in Italie which were saved at the destruction of Troy for betraying their king and citie into the hands of the Grecians this remaine of the disloyall Troyans so scoured and pilled the coastes of diuers countreyes to get and take perforce whatsoeuer they could finger arriued at the last in Italy where they made sharp warre spoyling the people and wasting the Countrey vntill such time as they had taken the whole region from the lawfull inhabitors thereof Thus it is most euident that first warre is begun and set forward either by the vnsatiable person or els by the rebell bankrout or outlaw the one to satisfie his vnbrideled appetite plaguing diuers for his owne priuate gaine the other for his misgouernment and disobedience both to Prince and law to whom warre is swéete and most pleasant to answere their gréedy expectation withall But war to the contented person and quiet subiect is a hell and the very scourge of God the name whereof is most odious and terrible to the quiet minde for it bringeth all miseries and calamities to man as namely plague pestilence sodain death murther bloudy battaile cruel slaughters miserable destruction of many towns ouerthrow of stately cities sword fire and famine with a thousand miseries incidert to man by such a spiteful guest The olde prouerbe saith Dulce bellum inexpertis sed acerbum experientibus Warre is sweete and pleasant to the vnskilfull and ignorant but bitter and vnsauerie to the skilful Yet notwithstanding although war be most fierce and cruell yet is it stoutly to be maintained against the vnsatiable and inuading enemie and with might and maine to be folowed to the beating downe and suppressing of such spitefull foes as are euer ready prest and bent to disturbe a quiet and peaceable kingdome being blinded with auarice doe right soone consent to lamentable slaughters and effusion of bloud it is much more easier to defende a kingdome being already possessed and to repell the aduersarie than to inuade other regions or conquere forraine countreis for it is to be thought that the people will fight more couragiously both for their prince coūtrey libertie wiues and children house and familie than the proud inuading enemy who fights to satisfie his vainglorious minde and vnsatiable appetite Was not Xerxes king of Persia when he inuaded Greece with such an innumerable power who also perceiuing the strēgth of his multitude commanded both sea and laud to obey his pleasure driuē back out of Greece by a small companie of the defending Grecians causing him to flie with spéede home to his owne Countrey againe to his great shame and dishonor Was not such inuading the very chiefe and originall cause that the Romanes subdued Carthage for if the proud and vnsatiable Carthaginiās had not first inuaded Italie and the Romanes their owne Citie and commonwealth could neuer haue béene ouerthrowen and subdued For when first the Carthaginians entered Italie minding to make a whole conquest
els farre greater spoiles of Rome shall come to Carthage Whereunto the graue Hanno made this sober answere I was determined saith he Fathers conscript at this time in your so great and common ioye to haue spoken nothing which might haue béen displeasaunt to you but I can now doo no lesse but answere the rash Senator that enquireth whether the warres begun against the Romanes forethinke me or no To him I answere that I still forethinke it and blame our victorious Captaine vntill I sée the warre taken vp and finished by some tollerable condition neither shal anie other thing cause me desist from desiring our ancient peace saue onely a newe league confirmed betwixt vs. This newes which Mago hath blazed abroad are verie ioyfull to Hamilco and other of Hannibals friends and seruants and to me also if we take our good fortune while it is offered but if we let it passe and the time also in which we may be thought rather to grant peace than craue it I doubt lest this ioy wil deceiue vs come to nothing With these and such like speaches by him vttred in the Senate he quietly made an ende but Hamilco and the rest of the Senators gaue no regarde to his Oration for that they thought it either procéeded of méere mallice betwixt Hanniball and him or els to holde downe or kéepe vnder the glorie and renowme of flourishing Carthage which in déede was not anie thing so Thus for the true meaning of Hanno he was openly checked in the Senate by the vainglorious Senatours who afterward but not in time remembred his counsaile beléeuing nothing that hee said at the first vntill experience had made them throughly féele their owne folly On the other part after diuers great ouerthrowes and bloudie slaughters of the halfe vanquished Romanes the distressed Senators did choose for their chief Captaine to fight against Hannibal and the Carthaginians Q. Fabius Maximus a most noble and prudent Senator also at that time with him a young Gentleman of Rome named Minutius who was in like sort by the Senate made master of the horsemen being a hotspur an ouer desperate youth which afterward turned the Romanes to much displeasure and miserie Now Fabius being thus vnequally paired with a wilful fellow marched forward toward the Carthaginians and had alway a circumspect care least that he should committe any thing ouer rashly being not willing desperately to hazard his charge and the whole state of the Roman Empire at the first brunte or in one battaile with so valiant a Captaine and worthy souldier as Hanniball was wherefore he led his army by easie iorneyes and good espies into the field against his enemie pitching his campe in the high places of the high hilles not farre from the Carthaginian campe whereupon Hannibal seeing anew captaine of the Romanes thought good also to offer him present battaile to welcome him at his first comming brought his men foorth into the fields in order of battaile and good aray to fight but wary Fabius all the day kept him selfe close in his Campe and would not suffer his men to fight for that he knew Hanniball went about to proue him if in case he might find him rash and vnaduised as he had found the other captaines before therfore in like case by holding his men from battell he went about to trie and proue the patience of Hanniball which indeede hee right wisely found out for Hanniball when he perceiued that Fabius would not rashly venture battaile he foorthwith retired out of the field into his campe againe fearing greatly in his minde the sobernes of the wise Romane Captaine being in his iudgement a man much vnlike to Sempronius or Flaminius whom before he had ouerthrowen by their rashnes and desperate follie But Minutius master of the horsmen when he had espied the Carthaginians marching in order of battaile would needes haue issued out on the brauado and geuen them downe-right battaile in this his rash and desperate moode hazarding all at one time had not the wise Fabius withholden and perswaded him to the contrarie For which cause he openly exclaimed on and dispraysed the slacknes of Quintus Fabius sending worde to Rome what a coward they had placed in office Yet notwithstanding for all the inuentions of Minutius who had so earnestly maligned and inueied against him both openly by Orations in the Campe and also by letters sent to Rome on set purpose spitefully to worke him displeasure at home with the Senators He folowed still his wise course and procéeding in following the enemie from place to place camping alwais him selfe as neere to Hanniball as conueniently he might to waite on him at all assayes Which thing was as vnpleasant to Hāniball his foe as to Minutius his fellow For he right well did know that vnlesse the Romanes would venture battaile hee could not long remaine In Italie which thing also the wise Fabius diligently heeded and noted But nowe although Fabius had saued many thousād of the Romans from the cruell slaughtering hand of Hanniball by his great wisdome in abstayning from battaile and in dayly preuenting of the enemie from their purposes which otherwise woulde haue turned the State to great dammage and perill neuerthelesse it was thought at Rome that his heart fayled him and that he trifled out y e time onely to the intent his honor and dignitie might the longer continue and that he cared not what coste the Citie was at so that he still might be in office and liue with honor Thus by his prouident wisdome and carefull foresight he had gotten many enemies at Rome and especially by the meanes of this young hotespur Minutius insomuch that he departed from the camp and went to the Citie to answere the ouer-light beleeuing Senators who so hardly had conceiued of him It so fortuned at that time when he was in Rome that word was brought to the Senat from Minutius who gouerued the armie in the absence of Fabius that he by his valour and pollicie had geuen Hanniball a great ouerthrow which indeede was partly true for the wily Hanniball had gotten certain knowledge by his espials how the case stoode betwixt Fabius and Minutius and also that Fabius was now in some displeasure at Rome by the meanes of Minutius their young Captaine wherfore he began to practise wholy to thrust Fabius whom he feared into vtter hatred and displeasure with the chiefe Senators and gouernours of Rome By which meanes the Romanes peraduenture might committe the whole armie to the gouernment of Minutius and so displace Fabius whose wisdome and policie alway made the enemie to feare and dread him Wherefore the subtile Hanniball knowing that already the Romanes had conceiued a very good opinion and good liking of their young couragious Captaine if now therefore he should geue in the absence of Fabius some small victorie to Minutius that then the Romanes would be in further liking of him insomuch that they would repose further trust in him
by which meanes he hoped soone to be the Lorde ouer all Italie With these considerations Hanniball brought foorth his armie for he knew full well that Minutius would presently fight which fell out accordingly Hanniball had in that fight slaine sixe thousand men and so gaue grounde and retired into his Campe before the fierce pursuing Minutius Notwithstanding it was no great victorie to the Romanes for they lost in the same fight fiue thousand But Minutius being right ioyfull of this his good fortune foorthwith sent vaunting word thereof to Rome that they might perceiue this hée had done in the absence of Fabius and greater exploites hee would haue done if he had not beene hindered heretofore by the slacknes of Fabius By meanes of these his boasting letters the whole Citie was much comforted notwithstanding Fabius when all the Citie was merry and in common ioy would nether credite the newes nor beleeue the letters At the last he said If all were true that was reported hee rather greatly feared their prosperous and fortunate aduenture than any way reioyced therein For he was assured of he said and very well knewe the subtile sleightes and pollicies of craftie Hanniball For which words he was euen in the Senate house among them all openly rebuked by Marcus Metellus who saide and affirmed That he kept his Souldiers and men of warre in their Campes more like Captiues and Prisoners than men of warre And especially it was not to be suffered that hee himselfe their chiefe gouernour and Generall being present amongst them would not onely permitte and suffer any thing to be done valiantly against the enemies but now also being absent held against the thing that was well done by the master of his Horsmen Fabius at that time answered fewe wordes for he thought they would be euill heard but this he said Whereas two yeares past the Citie had sustayned great harmes and losses thorowe the foolish hardines of the desperate gouernors that nowe hee doubted not but if he might beare rule and haue his minde without controlment he would make it euident and manifest to all men that Fortune could little doe or worke against a good Captaine but that Wisdome and Reason shoulde haue the dominion ouer all her chaunces Yet for all that the Senates determination at that time was that Minutius who had so nobly behaued himselfe gouerned the army in his absence should be halfe ruler of the hoast with him and the whole gouernance thereof to be parted betwixt them both This fell out right to the expectation of Hanniball but a heauie and lamentable hap to Fabius who tenderly fauoured the welfare of the Roman Commonwealth and although he could very willingly haue yeelded and resigned vp the whole armie and his authoritie there withall to the Romanes who had offered him this disgrace yet notwithstanding the duetifull care which he had ouer his countrey and the present perill which hee sawe the whole armie to stand in caused him to take and accept the half hoping to preserue them at the least But Minutius perceiuing himselfe to be had in such estimation at Rome as well of the common people as of the Senators themselues wherefore he was not a little proude he then began to take much more on him prowdly boasting and vaunting on himselfe saying That in their great heauines and calamitie he alone was found out a Captaine able to match with couragious Hanniball Now fell Quintus Fabius and Minutius to cōference about the gouernment of the armie committed to both their charges Minutius would haue it so parted that he might beare rule one day or one weeke and then Fabius to take place the like time accordingly But this order liked not Fabius for that he knew how the sequele would fall out which he might easilie coniecture by the vnequalitie which was betwixt wilfull Minutius wilie Hanniball therefore Fabius would needes haue it deuided betwene them saying That if in case he could not by his counsell saue the whole hoast yet he would assay to saue and preserue halfe thereof as well as he might Minutius possessing halfe the Armie according to their agreement disdained to Campe néere to the Campe of his fellow Fabius but Fabius although he made as light account of Minutius yet notwithstanding he alwaies carried a vigilant eye whereabout his rash fellow went that he might be readie if néede should be for he thought he would soone néede his helpe which foorthwith accordingly fell out for Hāniball being thoroughly certefied of these things presently conceiued a double ioy one was for that he thought to vanquish the foolish hardines of Minutius euen as he would himselfe the other was for that halfe the power and strength of Fabius was minished by reason of parting the hoast Wherefore he neglected no time to intrap and insnare this ouer venterous Youth who had béen fleshed before with a final victorie knowing that he could no sooner offer but Minutius wold he ready to attēpt Whereupon when he thought that Fabius had bin far inough from his fellow so that he could not aide him on the sodaine he trained foorth to battaile the rash and desperate youth compassing him round about in places of great disaduantage to the Romanes minding there to giue an vtter ouerthrowe to Minutius which indéed he had done if present succour had not bin Now Minutius séeing himselfe in great danger thinking it vnpossible that he should scape that present perill also séeing his men slaine on euery side so that the field was vtterly lost on his part had not this happie chance hapned as followeth Fabius was not so much displeased with the ouerthwart dealing of Minutius but that he carried a watchfull care to the welfare of his Countrey for when he espied his fellow and the Romanes in such daunger and distresse he said Fortune hath caught their follieno sooner than I feared she would now he that is ioyned with Fabius in the Empire hath found Hannibal ouerhard for him both in power and also in fortune but it is not now time said hee to chide I will referre that till more opportunitie Then presently caused hee his men to display his Banners behinde a hill for neither his fellowes nor the Carthaginians déemed that he had béen so néere them comming sodainely to the aide of his despairing fellowe and the Romanes whereof some were fled some slain and other some flying to saue themselues in great distresse so that they all thought hee came as it were a man sent from heauen to their succours and before hee coulde ioyne battaile with the Carthaginians Hannibal called backe his men from chasing anie further the enemie that fled being so afraid at the present approaching of Fabius Insomuch that hee sodainly withdrew himselfe into his Campe saying That hee had ouercome Minutius but that hee was also ouercome by Fabius Then some of the dispersed Romanes ran to the campe of Fabius and the rest that fled before went to
Certaine Stratagems and politike practises of worthy warriours and expert souldiors BY as Priennius when the Citie of Priennia was besieged by the mighty Aliattes vsed this Stratageme or policie when the towne could not holde out any longer for want of vittaile for their men and forrage for their horses he turned out of the Citie into the enimies Campe certaine horses and mules which were wonderfull fat for they were for the nonce fed for that purpose whereby the enemy might think and know that they in the towne had sufficient forrage prouender for their horses insomuch that when Aliattes the Captaine of the enemie did see this he thought indeede that the citizens had plenty of all things sending a spie priuily into the City to viewe their abilitie in all respects Which when Byas had intelligence of he caused great heapes of sand to be piled vp together and poured thereon wheat and other grain to make a shew of plenty giuing further commandement that no man should trouble or molest the spie nor make as once they suspected him but let him haue liberty to passe repasse at his pleasure the spie hauing well viewed all things soone returned to his Captaine shewing him of their great plenty and abundance of all things which so soone as Aliattes heard hee presently remoued his siege and departed thinking it a thing vnpossible to get the towne before their vittaile fayled knowing that hee should want for his companie before those heapes of corne were spent in the City therefore he with speed marched from the towne which in short time might haue beene taken by reason of the great scarcity in the City for the people dyed very fast by famine crying out dayly to Priennius to yeeld the City and saue their liues but by this subtile pollicy they were clearely fréeed to the wonderful ioy of the distressed Citizens Also when Quin. Fabius Maximus had wisely enclosed the wily Hanniball within the straits of Formiana keping the mouth of the strait passages so surely that Hanniball could not passe out the coūtry also being stony and barren not able to relieue his army long fearing least that if he shuld spend y t prouision which he had alredy he might perish with y e whole hoast before he could get any more in that place Hanniball seing himself in such extremity knowing that he could not giue battel to y e Romans without hazarding his whole power for that their enemies lay so strongly on the hill tops being so well backed with fresh supplies if occasion serued wherfore he was forced to vse this slight and mockerie to beguile and deceiue the Romans hauing gathered a great quantity of dry rotten stickes wyth rubbish thornes and such other stuffe fit for his purpose commanding his men to fetch into the campe so priuily as they coulde that the enemie might not perceiue whereabout they went al the oxen and lusty beasts that they coulde finde Now hauyng brought into their campe the number of two thousand lusty beasts they wyth speede fastned vnto their hornes the aforesaide dry stickes keeping them priuily vntill the darke night so that their inuention by no means might be espied being once very darke he caused his armie to be in a readinesse marching circumspectly vp toward the straights which were strongly kept by the Romanes making as little noise as they could being come neere where the enemy lay hee caused those fagots which were on the oxe horns to be set on fire stil driuing them before towards the strait which fire so mightily incresed by the swift running of the beasts for feeling the heat to come so neere the quicke they ran forward as if they had been starke mad puffing blowing making such a noise flinging and tossing the flame and sparks after a most terrible maner so that it was a wonderfull strange and fearfull sight The frighted Romans beholding such a miraculous wonder being much amased on the sudden for that they suspected no such Stratageme began to bussel run for feare because that horrible sight came stil furiously on them insomuch that they were dispersed scattred abroad by the great fright feare therof leauing the narrow places wide open without any force or garde at all so that Hanniball comming after in good order did with great ease passe thorow without any resistance which when the Romans perceiued they could in no case pursue him for that their men were so disordered by running away thus at last but too late they knewe how they were deluded and mocked by the craft of wily Hanniball Also Hanniball vsed this policie to bring the wise Captaine Q. Fabius Maximus in mistrust with the Romans for that he perceiued the sobernes of Fabius did much indamage him who before had tyred and wearied him with daliance committing nothing ouer rashly to fortune which wise dealing of Fabius séemed to Hanniball displeasant altogether repugnant to his nature wherfore at such time as he knew very well the Romans did beare no great good liking to Fabius by reason of the ouerthrowe which Minutius had giuen to Hanniball in his absence knowing also that hee was openly condemned in the Senate either that hee durst not fight wyth Hanniball or else that he did beare goodwill and fauour to the Carthaginians and therefore to bring him in further cause of mistrust with the Romans that also the Senat might easily thinke there were some conspiracie or confederacie betwixt him Hanniball he vsed this craftie practise sending out a great number of soldiors to spoile rob the Countrey of Italie in diuers places straitly commaunding them that they should spare and not once touch the goods cattells and landes which were knowne to be the possessions of Fabius but spoyling and wasting round about them they should leaue them whole vnminished to the end that the Romans should cōceiue such displeasure against him as that they might in no case permit or suffer him to deale in their affaires which thing woulde beene most pleasant to Hanniball And surely this subtile practise sounded much to the discredite of Fabius and had taken further effect if he by his wise policy had not somwhat qualified their hard conceit by this means presently thereupon he sent his sonne into the country to sell make away those lands and goods which Hannibal had spared for litle or nothing despising to possesse any thing which Hannibal preserued which deed made the Romans somwhat better to think of him Notwithstanding though Hanniball was the wisest captain that in those dayes liued mocking and deceiuing the Romans at his pleasure yet in the ende hee himselfe was kindely flouted by a Roman Captain suspecting no stratagem or policy at all to be practised insomuch that on a time when he had long besieged the great city Cassilinum could by no means take the Town he assayed to famish them make the city perforce yeeld to his mercy not suffering any
necessaries to be brought them Gracchus then captaine of a band of Romans which lay thereabout waiting if Hanniball would remooue his siege seeing what great extremitie they suffered receiuing letters daylie from them which signified in what lamentable case they stoode and what mortalitie was in the city for want of sustenance so that they were faine to eate their boots and other straps and thongs of leather being much moued with these great miseries also seeing the Citizens to stand on the walls to the end that some dart shot or other weapon might abridge and shorten their griefe yet for all this hee might not fight with Hanniball although hee surelie thought hee might wyth ease haue rescued the Towne for that hee was commaunded to the contrarie by the Dictatour nowe seeing the Citie in such distresse and that he might not fight for their succours he gathered certaine corne and put it into barrels and hogsheads sending priuie word to the towne that the next night he would sende them downe the riuer with the tide willing thē to be ready to receiue the barrels as they came for the riuer came close to their citie Thus at diuers times he beguiled Hanniball vntill at last the craft was bewrayed and then againe the citie disappointed of vittaile Which when the cownesmen perceiued they then had no other shift but secretely to steale out of the towne and get grasse and rootes such as they could finde and bring it in for their reliefe Which Hanniball had soone espied therefore hee caused the ground thereabout to be plowed vp to preuent them of that hope also Then the Citizens séeing there was no way to hold the towne and saue their liues from the fury of the enemie sent word to Gracchus that they perforce must yeelde the citie to Hanniball Whereat Gracchus seeing their great necessitie requested them to haue patience yet for two or three dayes also shewing them that it in case they would follow his his aduice and counsell he doubted not but shortly to free their citie and set them at libertie willing them to take parsnipseede and sowe it on the plowed ground without the Citie defending themselues manfully for that time if need should be They all being willing to try what effect this could worke sowed a great quantitie of parsnipseede on the ground which was plowed vp about the citie Of which thing when Hanniball was aduertised hee foorthwith remoued his siege and departed from the towne saying What shall I stay here vntill these seedes bee rootes that will I not for ten such Cities as Cassilinum is Thinking that they had sufficient in the towne to relieue them in the meane time or els they would neuer haue beene so fonde to sowe their seede Thus was subtile Hanniball drylie flouted himself who in sēblable sort had often beguyled others for the citie could not haue indured the siege foure dayes longer at the vttermost Yong Pub. Cornelius Scipio being made somwhat wise by the subtile sleights that Hanniball had vsed before in Italie remembring the craftie policie which was put in practise to bring Q. Fabius into mistrust with the Romanes by Hanniball now in the end plagued him with such like practise For when the Carthaginians were driuen out of Italie and lost their owne Empire of Affrica and Hanniball their chiefe captaine forced to flie to Antiochus who then had prepared a great armie to warre on the Romanes At the same time this young Scipio was sent by the Senate to Antiochus to know why hee prepared himselfe to warre on the Romanes his friends and being there arriued he perceiued that it was much by the instigation and pricking on of Hanniball their auncient enemie who already had gotten full graunt to leade and conduct halfe the power of Antiochus against the Romanes both for his great wisdome and policie and also for his approued experiēce as well in the countrey of Italie as of the Romanes themselues Which thing yong Scipio diligently noted fearing least the Romanes should be againe troubled with such a cunning warrior and approued Captaine as Hanniball was To preuent which cause he practised this meane He would often frequent the companie of Hanniball falling into friendly conference about the battailes fought betwixt them before in Italie and Affrica feeding and pleasing the humor of Hanniball least that hee might leese his companie and so faile of his purpose for his meaning was by priuie speech and communication with him to bring Antiochus in mistrust of him to the ende he should not committe his power into his hand Thus dayly Scipio vsed the companie of Hanniball comming priuely to his lodging secretly talking and conferring with him making as though Antiochus or his companie should not once suspect him wherfore he would most commonly come in the night yet he woulde euer chuse and picke out such a time that he would be seene by some of Antiochus his friendes to the ende the cause might the more be suspected and also if in the day Hanniball and hee had beene in any conference of causes so soone as he had espied either Antiochus himselfe or any other of his friendes then hee foorthwith would holde his peace sodainly depart as though he woulde not haue them to heare what conference they had which indeede was nothing but what they might haue heard very well without offence This inuention of last fell out accordingly and happy for the Romanes for Antiochus grewe greatly to suspect their priuie meetings and secrete whisperinges fearing least there were some compounded trecheries agreed vpon betwixt them And further for that Scipio had alwaies so praysed the wisdome policie and circumspect carefulnes of Hanniball openly to be both the wisest captaine carefullest Leader and valiantest man that then liued saying Happie were the Souldiers that marched vnder his conduct Which thing Antiochus liked not well of thinking that Scipio did it for this purpose that he should cōmit his armie into the handes of Hanniball and then to be betrayed as their secrete meetings argued Wherfore he would not that Hannibal should bear any charge of his being so cōuersant with his enemie saying he was glad he had so found out their practise before it took effect and that yet it rested in him to preuent their inuention By this stratageme Scipio set frée the Romans from such a politike captain that had so spoyled their coūtrey before which otherwise by quarreliing against him coulde neuer haue been brought to passe but would haue turned y e Romanes to much sorow Also Hasdruball vsed this subtiltie to escape the hands of Appius Claudius the Roman Consal for being inuironed with difficult passages the mouth easiest way whereof the Romanes held and possessed so that Hasdruball his army could not escape out any way without great danger of losing his whole hoast Wherefore he sent to Appius shewing him that if they could agrée vpon certaine articles he would be content to depart the countrey and
render into his hands other townes and castles which he had in kéeping Which thing pleased Claudius well hoping to free that countrey without battail from so dangerous a foe Wherefore he willingly consented to the parle appointing time and place for their méeting where there were bookes and articles drawen betweene them for the assurāce of both their promises Their méeting thus continuing thrée or foure dayes together Appius Claudius suspecting no craft for that the motiō came first by Hasdruball himself thinking that all things were plainly and simply meant without fraude or deceite Now Hasdruball in the meane time euery night sent part of his armie with their grosse cariages ouer certaine straite and perillous places which could neuer haue beene passed if the Romanes had knowen thereof himselfe euery day came foorth of the Campe to meet Claudius where they argued of waighty causes and were at a full composition sauing that their agreements were not confirmed and sealed which Hasdrubal shifted off in this sort saying that he would be so bold with Claudius as to conferre with his frendes the next day in his Campe which day also he sayd was euer kept holy among the Carthaginians and therefore he craued such like fauour at the hands of Appius with this knot also that they might be suffered quietly to peruse and conferre on those couenants agreements without any skirmish or battaile offered for that time promising the like for his part that his armie should neither inuade the Romanes nor trouble any of their frends as that day of truce protesting further that the next day his determination shoulde bee plainly declared to Appius and the Romans Now was Appius well quieted in his minde for that he hoped euery thing woulde effectually fall out yet for all that he gaue no great trust to the promise of Hasdruball for not inuading his men the next day Wherefore he caused watch and warde with good order to bee kept circumspectly in his campe to be ready if neede should require But Hasdruball minded nothing lesse than to inuade the campe of the Romanes but rather sought how to deliuer himselfe and his people out of that dangerous place therefore hee neglected no time in folowing so waightie a cause Insomuch that the same night he stole out of his campe with the rest that remayned behinde as close and priuely without noyse as they might ayding and helping one another ouer those harde passages which was wonderfull difficult to them by reason of the darkenes of the night But in the ende they well escaped the danger and were by the daylight safe inough from the Romanes Appius hauing intelligence in the morning of the escape of Hasdruball did then presently pursue after him but all in vain seeing himselfe thus flouted by Hasdruball then hee thought full well that he might cancell the agreements and burne the bands repenting his follie too late in suffering his enemie so easily to scape out of such a perillous straight L. Silla in the warres against Archelaus Mithridates lieutenant at Pirea perceiuing his souldiors had little courage to fight he so wearied them with continual labour that they were glad to desire to fight that the warres might be ended Also Cyrus king of Persia in the wars betwixt him Astyages king of the Medes minding to stirre vp the minds of his souldiors fiercely to giue battaile to their enemy vsed this policy he wearied them with paineful labour all one day in hewing downe a certaine wood and on the morrow after hee made a plenteous feast for them demaunding in the feast time which day liked them best and when they all allowed the pastime of the day present and yet quoth he this pleasure must be obtained by the other dayes paine for except ye first ouercome the Medes yee can neuer liue in fréedome and at pleasure whereby they tooke great courage to fight When Agesilaus had pitcht his field not farre from Orchomeno a City that was in league wyth him and perceyuing that many of the army had their treasure and cheefe riches in the Campe he commanded the townesmen to receyue nothing into the Towne belonging to his army to the intent his Souldiours might fight the more fiercely knowing they should fight both for their liues goods Gelon king of Syracusa entring warre against the Persians after he had taken many of them brought forth the weakest and most vncomely persons naked in the sight of all his army to persuade them that their enemies were but wretches and men worthy to be despised Epaminondas being ready to giue battell to the Lacedemonians seing the courage of his souldiours began somewhat to quaile he vsed this meane to animate their mindes furiously to fight pronouncing in an oration to them how that the Lacedemonians had determined if they gate the victory to slay all their men to make their wiues and children bond-slaues for euer and to beate downe the City of Thebes flat to the ground With which wordes the Thebans were so mooued and agreeued that at the first brunt they ouercame the Lacedemonians Thus we sée oftentimes that subtile policy auaileth where force and strength can hardly resist therefore it is both conuenient and necessarie that the Stratagems of warre be exercised and studied against néedefull times but in my opinion the force of mony is great in causes of warre and winneth by corruption strong castells and inuincible townes insomuch that the wise Erasmus seeing the wonderfull force of money so strong and auaileable sayth thus thereof Porrò nihil est iam sanctum quod non violari nihil tam munitum quodnon expugnari pecunia possit Nothing sayth he is so holie and sacred but by money it may be violated neither is any thing so strong but by the corruption of mony it may be taken and subdued Philip king of Macedon hauing by practise and experience found out the vnincounterable force thereof at such time in his warres as he minded to take a certaine Citie perforce it was tolde him that the passage thereto was very difficult and hard and the towne by common iudgement inuincible An praesidium tam esset difficile accessu rogauit vt asinus auro onustus accedere non posset Wherevnto he demanded this Whether or no is the way or straight so difficult in passing that an asse being loden with golde cannot passe and enter in making then a trifle of it when he heard that there were but such sufficient passage accounting all things possible enough to be won where onely there were but place for money to passe For sayth he Pecuniae obediunt omnia All thinges are obedient to money Yet notwithstanding it is to be wished that whosoeuer wil violate or breake sacred rites or betray things committed to his charge on trust by corruption of mony or for auarice sake that we had as the olde saying is his skinne full of angells The miserable murders and deadly debates that happened betweene
the successors of Alexander with the vtter desolation of their state ALexander surnamed the Great lying very sicke on his death bed at Babylon was asked of his friends in the very extreame and last article of death to whome he would leaue his realme and royall dignities whereunto he answered to the most worthie of the gouernment thereof which answere caused great dissension to arise betwixt the successours insomuch that open hostility and warre was presently proclamed among them euery one thinking himselfe as worthie as the rest the one thorow his stately pride would not suffer himselfe to be subiect or inferiour to the other so that the whole Captaines and péeres being commonly called the successours of Alexander fell to cruell warre the one against the other vtterly spoyling and bereuing ech other both of life and goods not ceasing vntill they had rooted out the whole stocke line of Alexander their master and also thorow gréedy auarice murdred and consumed themselues But first it is necessarie that we orderly procéed in the historie for the better vnderstanding of the Reader Alexander now being dead the Princes presently vpon his decease fell to sedition controuersie and disagreement amongest themselues for the regiment of the footemen were whollie determined to aduaunce Aride to the kingdome who although sonne to Philip and brother vnto Alexander yet notwithstanding hee was attained with the vncurable disease of the mind by reason whereof the rest of the Princes and Captains which garded Alexander his body hauing wyth them the horsemen condescended and agreed by one whole common consent to reare warre against the footemen rather than they woulde suffer their insolent boldenesse for they woulde haue Perdicas aduaunced whome Alexander at the houre of his death gaue his ring which deputed him as Gouernour but before they enterpriced the matter they thought best is send certaine of the chiefest and most honourable personages in their company with an Embassade to the footemen among whome one Meleager was appointed chiefe principall Embassador to dissuade them to desist and leaue off their attempt but so soone as Meleager was come amongest them hee neuer made mention of the Embassade committed to him but contrarywise approuing and allowing their attempt and enterprise did all that in him lay to maintaine and support them against the horsemen and the other Princes so that the footemen hauyng good liking of his counsaile and courage ordeined him foorthwyth their Coronell and thereuppon armed themselues to giue battaile vnto the aduersarie howbeit certayne of the wisest and most circumspect deepely weying and considering the case how it did stand he concluded a finall peace wherein in was agréed that Aride brother to Alexander shoulde be established King and Perdicas thiefe of the Macedonian Princes and also gouernour to Aride the King and vnto the rest of the Princes and chiefe of the army were diuided and giuen the administrations and gouernements of the prouinces lately vnder the subiection of Alexander their Master which administrations and presidentships the Greekes called Satrapies and the Gouernours of the same Prouinces Satrapes conditionally that euerie of the saide Princes at all times shoulde be subiect and obedient vnto Aride the King and also to Perdicas his Gouernor Now when Perdicas by reason of his Gouernorship had taken vpon him the rule ouer the rest he forthwith assembled all the Princes and chiefe Captaines and assigned to euery of them certaine Prouinces to gouerne namely first he bestowed the gouernement of Aegypt on Ptolome the son of Lage on Laomedō Syria on Philotes Cilicia on Phiton Media on Eumenes Paphlagonia and Cappadocia on Antigone Pamphilia and Licia on Cassander Caria on Meleager Lydia and on Leonat the lesser Phrygia which bordereth about Hellespont In this sort was diuided the prouinces of Asia In Europe was appointed to Lysimachus the country of Thrace to Antipater Macedonia besides al these he constituted and ordayned Seleucus Captaine general of the horsemen called the soldiors being the chiefe office and most honorable in the army which charge Ephestion first had whom Alexander entirely loued and after him Perdicas Craterus also whome Alexander dearely loued was appointed chiefe Captaine ouer ten thousand in the army royall and as touching the transporting of Alexander his bodie vnto the Temple of Iupiter Hammon the setting vp of his toombe the apparelling thereof wyth the furniture and solemnization of the funeralls the most charge was committed vnto Aride the king brother to Alexander Thus when Perdicas had placed these Princes and diuers other in such Prouinces and places as himselfe thought good He also assembled them together making them priuie of the marueylous enterprises ordinances of their master Alexander deceased which things are worthie remembrance for he shewed vnto them what things Alexāder in his life had appointed to be done purposed to haue done if he had liued and therefore now at his death required him the rest of the Paeres to accomplish these his determinations with all speede and expedition which ordinances were woonderfull of great charges And because that Perdicas himselfe woulde not goe about to derogate the authoritie honor of Alexāder his dead master he committed the matter to the deliberation of them all being present crauing their consents to the frustrating of those escripts and appointments which seemed so difficult almost vnpossible to be brought to passe For first hee ordayned that a thousand tal gallies should be built longer bigger than any where in Phenicia Syria Cilicia or Ciprus to war against the Carthaginians and certaine other regions bordering vpon the Lybian and Spanish seas to the end he would haue been Lord ouer all those seas hard to the pillers of Hercules He also ordeyned that there should be erected fiue royal honorable temples to the value of 500. talents euery of them and further that ther should be cut out large and wide harborowes in places fitte and for y e purpose to ride at harborow the said nauy of gallies that done he commanded diuers great and mighty cities to be built and those to be peopled as foloweth First that the inhabitāts of Asia should be brought into Europe the inhabitāts of Europe into Asia to the end that they being conioyned in mariage and affinitie they should alway continue in amitie together and for the places where the tēples should be erected he appointed that one should be at Delos in the honor of Iupiter Dodone one in Macedon to Iupiter Nidie one in Amphipolis to the Goddesse Diana of Scythia the other two of the honor of the goddess Pallas the one in Syrene the other in Illy which Temple in Illy hee would should be so excellent sumptuous that y e like no where should be found Besides al these he appointed a tōbe to be built in fashiō of a Pyramide or brooch in y e honor of his father Philip far excelling them in Egypt which are thought to be the
mserable perdition and destruction Whereby it is manifest whatsoeuer Alexander had gathered together in forreine warres with the slaughter and destruction of diuers people was lost againe by ciuill dissention with the lamentable murder of his friends children allyes neither in the ende was there anie thing els gained by his vnsatiable minde sauing onely dolor lamentation sorrow and distressed wretchednesse which is a most common consequent and incident hap vneuitable to ruinous warre The cause why stately Carthage lost her Empire and what miserable slaughters of men hapned to be betwixt the Romanes and the Carthaginians which first chaunced through the enuious mindes of the Affricans themselues WHen the two stately Empires of Rome and Carthage had long contended in warre and fought manie fierce Battailes perilous conflicts to the great slaughter and perishing of manie thousands on both sides they in the ende being tyred and ouer wearied with the miserable murders and calamities of cruell warre were on both parts willing to haue a league and peace concluded and agréed upon betwéene them for certaine yeares and places limitted for diuision betwixt their Empires whereby they might knowe each others Countreyes apart Which thing being done and confirmed on both parts by solemne vowe to remaine unuiolated vnbroken betwixt them during the same limited time But not long after whē both wealth power began to encrease in their Countreyes then the stately pride of the one began likewise to maligne and disdaine at the flourishing estate of the other and also that Hannibal sonne of Hamilcar was come to mans estate who had sworne before his father beeing but a boy that he from thencefoorth would become a deadly foe to the Romans as before hath partly been showen Now forasmuch as the forefathers and diuers other friends of Hannibal had béen cruelly dealt withall by the Romanes in the first warre wherefore his minde was the more whetted on to take reuengement of such crueltie Insomuch that being come to mans estate also hauing authoritie and power committed to him by the Senate of Carthage to be the chiefe Leader and Captaine against the Romanes as his father Hamilcar had béen before him in the first warre remembred now afresh the ancient iniuries that the Romanes had offered to the Carthaginians and his predecessours that in token of his mallice toward them he stroke his foote into the ground and therewithall tooke vp the fragments of dust and earth scattering them about saying Tum belli finis erit cum alterutra pars in habitum pulueris redacta fuerit Then shall the warre betwixt the Romanes and the Carthaginians ende saith he when euerie part and parcell of this dust shall returne into one clod and lumpe againe Departing from Affrica with 90000. footmen and 12000. horsmen to inuade the Romanes their auncient aduersaries not doubting but to inlarge theirs with the Romane Empire to raign as Kings ouer the earth for that no Nation in the world did come néere them in statelinesse but onely the Romanes whome now they minded to suppresse Thus when Hannibal had obtained an Armie and also firmely had assured to him the faithfull friendship of diuers of the Senators at all times to fauour his procéedings and also to supply his wants he then with banner displayed first warred on their friendes and after marched into Italy to make sharpe warre on the Romanes themselues where he fought manie cruell and bloudie battailes slaying murdring manie thousandes of their people gaining daylie in their countrey subduing their cities and townes winning from them their anexed prouinces marching at the last to the verie wals of Rome viewing the scituation therof minding wher it was weakest to make a breach and to bend his greatest forces against it to the ende hee might with more ease take the Citie which indéed he had done if the immortal Gods had not preuented his purpose as the Romans themselues doo witnesse for when hee had slaine diuers of their Consulls with a number of their auncient Senators in manie battailes discomfited their valiauntest Captaines and Leaders so that there were none almost left liuing that durst incoūter the victorious Carthaginian so terrible was the name of Hannibal unto the Romanes Insomuch that now when he approached their walls they were all stroken with such feare and terror that their stréetes were filled with lamentations and pitifull howlings of the terrified and ouer frighted people shutting their windowes and doores in all the Citie mourning and making such lamentable dole and pitifull wayling as if then the executioner had bin present within the walls of their Citie Notwithstanding Fuluius Flaccus then being Consul hearing the dolefull cries of the distressed Citizens being mooued with their present miserie gathered a sufficient Armie of the trembling Romanes and marched out of the Citie in good order against his enemie Hannibal aranging his battels readie to encounter the fierce foe which also came marching against them to giue downe right battaile to Flaccus the Consull but the trēbling Romanes being so terrefied with the name of Hannibal were now at the sight of his displayed banners and presence of his mightie person so wounded with an vnspeakable feare and terror that their hearts quite failed them standing all as if they were more readie to flie than fight which the Consull right well perceiued to his great griefe and sorrow But thus well it happened to the distressed Romanes before the Armies could could ioyne battaile there fell a wonderful storme with such violence and mightie force that both the Armies were driuen into their holdes without battaile The next day also when they likewise came foorth to fight they were in like manner seperated and driuen backe with another mightie storme so that Hānibal was forced to retire from the Citie which as both the Romanes themselues and also the Carthaginians affirme was by the prouidence of the immortall Gods not to suffer Hannibal at that time to fight with the fearefull Romanes but protracting the time that the Carthaginians might be plaged for their vnfaithfulnesse For if by common iudgement they had at that time fought Rome had bin sacked their Empire lost and their liues vnder the mercie of Hannibal Therefore said Hanno a Carthaginian As the immortall Gods prouided for the safetie of the Romanes so in like sort they prouided grieuously to plague our vnfaithfulnesse for breaking of our sacred vow plighted promise For when all hope of the Romanes were taken away their chiefe forces and powers diminished their prudent Consulls and Senators slaine their valiant Captaines soldiers consumed their Countrey wasted and destroyed with the continuance of warre insomuch that they despaired for euer to recouer their libertie or holde the Carthaginians from conquest of their Countrey Nowe in this great extremitie yong P.C. Scipio craued of the remnant of the Senators which wer left aliue that he might haue an Army to fight against Hannibal and the Carthaginians not doubting
but that he wold both reuenge their iniuries and also expell Hanniball out of Italy The ancient Senators séeing the valiantnes of his minde willingly graunted his request most pitifully with weeping eies and lamentable voices earnestly required him to stand manfully to the defence of their Emyire Citie and libertie beséeching him also to remember the mournfull cries and pitiful waylings of their wiues and children with other miserable and distressed Citizens which had alreadie tasted the crueltie of the Carthaginians by the losse of their déere friends P. Scipio hauing receiued his charge being not willing to defer the time from dooing good to his Countrey presently set vpon the Carthaginians with such circumspect pollicie and manly courage that hee not onely draue them out of Italy and Spaine but also ouerthrewe them in manie great battailes and in the end went with his power into Affrica where he also got diuers victories of the Carthaginians who before had mightely plagued the Romanes Now began fortune to showe her selfe in her right kinde for whereas the Carthaginians dayly hearkened and looked after the conquest of Rome with the whole Empire of Italy at this time they began to suspect to suspect their own estate libertie Insomuch that the Senators of Carthage séeing the Carthaginian Empire in such imminet perill and present danger sent foorthwith for Hannibal commanding him to leaue warring in forren regions and strange countreyes and come home to defend his owne Empire which stood in hazard to be loss yet notwithstanding the comming of Hannibal into Affrica did nothing discourage the noble Scipio but that he still gained on the Carthaginians to their great loffe and spnyle so that nowe the Carthaginians began vtterly to dispaire of their owne safetie minding in this great extremitie to venture and hazarde theyr whole Empire Citie libertie and liues in one Battaile for that they wel knewe they could not long continue the warres by reason that they had alreadie spent such a massie treasure in hope of getting of the Romane Empire that at this time they had not sufficient to defend their owne Countrey wherefore they were forced to compremit the matter to Ladie Fortune whom although for a time she had swéetely smiled on notwithstanding at the last she shewed her selfe no equall or indifferent Iudge but partially tooke part with the Romanes to the quite ouerthrowing and subduing of the Carthaginians before the citie of Carthage in the great and mightie battaile which was at that time fought betwéene them for the Empire of the World Thus Scipio defended both his owne Countrey and Empire inlarging it with the Empire of the gréedie Enemie and also caused the Senators of Carthage to sue both to him and to the Senate of Rome humbly on their knées crauing for their liues and to haue mercie at the hands of the Romanes whome before they would take no peace withall falling now prostrate at the féete of Scipio embracing and kissing the ground whereon hee stood crying continually O thou victorious Scipio vse thy victorie with mercie and thy conquest with clemencie spare our liues suffer our Citie to stand destroy not our countrey and we will hencefoorth become true friends aiders to you O ye victorious Romanes Scipio considering the lamentable miserable estate of the distressed Romanes when Hannibal and the Carthaginians lay before the walls of their Citie and with what mournfull cries pitiful waylings lamentable howlings and fearfull scrichings the pore afflicted Romanes were oppressed withall wherefore now knowing by experience what lamentation and pitifull outcries was in the Citie of Carthage for feare of him and the Romanes who laye at the verie gates readie to spoyle take and sacke the Towne being mooued with a manly pitie he not only refrained from the destruction of their Citie but also graunted them peace vpon such conditions as he prescribed vnto them which they willingly agréed vnto requiring also in the Articles their Nauie of ships which so oft had vexed the Romanes causing them all to be set on fire in their sight to the lamentable spectacle of the gréeued Citizens beeing aboue 500. saile Also it is to be noted that after the compositions Scipio demanded a certaine summe of money to bee gathered amongst them and presently paid vnto him which money was so gréeuous to the Carthaginians because theyr stocke and common substance was before greatly wasted wherfore at the leuying of the said summe of their priuate substance great lamentation and wéeping was made in all partes of the troubled Citie which Hannibal beholding could not forbeare to laugh Whereat one Asdrubal Hedus tooke great indignation rebuking him for that he beeing the verie originall of all their sorrow in the common mourning of the Citie shoulde so laugh Whereunto Hannibal answered If yee might beholde the inward thought of my minde as yee may the outward apparant countenance of my face you should perceine this laughter not to come of anie ioy of the heart but of a mad fransie minde Neuertheles this my laughter is not so inordinate nor commeth so out of time as your teares doo for first you shuld haue wept when your armour was taken from you and your ships burned before your eyes and when your libertie of making warre with anie stranger but onely by the license of the Romanes was taken from you wherein rested your chiefest fall and vndoing But ye feele no hurt vnles it touch your priuate wealth and now when you must pay the tribute of their priuate goods euerie man weepeth as he would doo at the buriall of his friend But they had further cause to wayle and lament than for their money and treasure or anie other priuate goods for they before had lost in this warre 400000. mē which were slaine in battaile besides a wonderfull number of others which died by hurts and in skirmishes by the losses of Cities being no part of the aforesaid number which was slaine in set battaile Also they lost 300. of their ancient Senators other Estates which had borne office in y e Citie of Carthage to their great sorrow gréefe but this as Hannibal told them grieued them but little in respect of the sorow which they conceiued by the touching of euerie mans priuate substance which thing came néerer to the quick than that which they ought farr more to haue lamented Soone after these great victories wonne by Scipio he returned to Rome with great spoyles bringing also with him the Empire of Carthage with a mightie masse of tresure able to haue reioyced anie Nation in the world Notwithstanding for all their victorie great spoyles wonderfull rich prayes and new Empire hee found them in a manner as sorrowful at his comming home as when he departed from Rome in their great extremitie for neither the newes of his successe the mightie masse of treasure which he brought with him nor the stately empire of the world which hee by his valure had obtained to
that monthly fee whereunto he answered that hee could neuer thorowly recompence that man but in token of his good will he would giue him two of his white stéedes which iuels of al earthly things he had most pleasure in now Hercules for that he alwaies striued to do good coueting rather to deliuer the distressed people than after that guift of Laomedon although he made countenance of acceptance insomuch that he gaue battaile to that mōstrous beast where betwixt them was fought a cruell fight but in conclusion the monster was slaine the Troyans fréed from that monethly fée then was Hercules much made of in Troy vntill such time that vnfaithfull Laomedon forgeting the great pleasure and benefit that he had receiued at his hands priuily repining and grudging at his being in the citie chiefly for that the Citizens much honored fauored the man which was altogeather displeasant to him insomuch that Laomedon awaighted when Hercules went to sport himselfe out of the Citie and then presently shut vp the gates of Troy against him also denying to giue the horses which before he had promised Thus whē Hercules did see himselfe so deluded by the twise periured King being mightely moued vowed that hee in time would take reuengement on that disloyal wretch and not long after he came with mighty force against the citie of Troy and made warre on the King slaying many thousands of his people defasing the towne of Troy which Laomedon by his vile periurie had built and erected taking prisoners Priamus and Hesione children of the vnfaithful king but the wretch Laomedon their father was fled to kéepe himselfe from the hands of Hercules whom before he had so mightily abused thus for his periurie disloyaltie accustomed discourtesie his stately Citie was ouerthrown his children led captiue and himself forsed to flée Yet againe Laomedon was suffered to erect vp the walls of Troy and replenish it with people the second time not long after also Hercules came againe into the Troyan roade when hee was going with Iason to Colchos to fetch the golden fléece there required ayd of Laomedon for his pay but the discurteous King denied his lawful sute for which spightfull part Hercules whē he returned frō that voyag the second time came against Troy with a great power whom the king minding to encounter was slaine in the sight of the Citizens and Troy againe taken Yet the noble minded Hercules being moued with pitie suffered Priamus the sonne of Laomedon the slain king to be redéemed from his captiuitie who a new erected and built the walls of vnfortunate Troy This periurie and vnfaithfull dealing of Laomedon whether it be true or false it is recorded by the Troyans themselues and especially reiterated made extant by the Romanes who of all other Nations doo most proudly brag and vaunt of the Troyans their predecessors and progenitors This I am sure no Nation of the world can denie but that Hercules was alwayes a fréer to Countreyes from tyrannie a reformer of wrongs a helper of the afflicted and neuer in his life did iniure or hurt anie prince people or Commonwealth without iust cause of shamefull villanie For it is well knowen that at y e verie hower of his Natiuitie the sacred Oracle of Apollo was heard to pronounce these words Heraclem te alio Phoebus cognomine dicit Gratificando etenim decus immortale tenebis Phoebus cals thee Hercules thy name so tearmeth he By dooing good and gratious deeds thy praise shall endles be Wherefore it is to bee considered that Hercules either did wrongfully suppresse the Troyans and subdue their Citie or els that vnfaithfull Laomedon was iustly punished for his periurie and discurtesie Priamus quoque filius Laomedontis seruitutem perpetuam seruisset si non precio fuisset redemptus etenim puer ab Hercule captus cum Hesione sorore pecunia solus redimi potuit vnde Priamus dictus qui prius appellatus Podarces Porrò si qua fortasse fuerunt ineo virtutis ornamenta Paris tamen ab ijs deflexit ad omnem libidinis turpitudinem Also Priamus the son of Laomedon should haue liued in perpetuall seruitude if hee had not been redeemed with money for the boy being taken by Hercules with his sister Hesione could be redeemed no otherwise saue only by ransome wherfore he was euer after called Priamus whose name was first Podarces Furthermore if hee had anie ornaments of vertue yet Paris his sonne did cleane digresse from any such good qualitie to all filthinesse of carnall pleasures First it is to be remembred that he violated most shamefully his vow made to Oenone who before had saued his life which otherwise by the consent of his owne father had perished After manie such vnfaithfull parts by the prouocation of his owne lecherous motion whereunto hee alwaies was verie apt and prone and partly by the instigation of Priamus his father to the intent he might crie quittance with the Greekes who then held his sister Hesione captiue he sayled into Greece where he was right Princely intertained by Menelaus King of Lacedemon who right honorably banqueted and feasted both him and his companions And for that the curteous King had not conuenient leasure in his own person to welcome sir Paris beeing at that time vrgently forced to goe into Crete to take order and dispose the goods of olde Atreus his father lately dead he commaunded Helena his beautiful Quéen so entertaine her guest in his absence that he might both haue vse of his pallaice country and subiects with all other reuerēce to be done to him at his owne will and commaundement for which friendly entertainment and gentle courtesie hee not digressing from the Troians his vnfaithfull progenitors to requit the gentle King stole away from thence his wife Helena whom he entirely loued But Menelaus and the other angrie Greekes not digesting such a proud and shamefull rape foorthwith prepared a mightie and huge Armie against the Troians minding to be reuenged on their Citie and Countrey for the abuse of that vnfaithfull lechour insomuch that in the ende by reason of his filthy folly both the aged king his father was cruelly slaine his Countrey ruinously wasted and spoyled the Citie of proud Troy most miserably burnt defaced with the slaughter of manie thousands of his Countrimen Thus after Troy was thrice ouerthrowen by the vnfaithfulnes of her own natiue people and especially vtterly destroied in the last subuersion with the losse of the whole Empire by the vnkinde Citizens For Aeneas as Dictys Cretensis saith who in the same warre serued against Troy vnder the conduct of Idomeneus King of Crete whose workes at this day are extant with the consent of old Anchises his father and Antenor his confederate companion yelded vp and betrayed Troy with their aged king into the hands of their enemies the Greekes and by this faythlesse meanes obtained life both for themselues their wiues children