harme and so it fareth in euerie point with those that contend in the place of exercise and in the handling of the staffe wherein they contend for strength where no not the ouercommet himselfe carrieth awaie the victorie without greate forcing and strayning of his members Consultori pessimum Iuill councell is worst to the councell giuer It is most certaine that the punishment which another deserueth by committing of offence doth alwaies returne vpon the head of the first counceller Wee may daille see this in standards Ensignes of warre whereby we muster or gather souldiers together to their voiage and in battell arme our selues by them as our guides against the enemie for they abide the first onset and renting in peeces Nay rather the authors of battels and strife in al dissensions and variances are worthier of the sorer punishment and the lawes themselues command that seuerer punishment be inflicted vppon them than vpon the fighters themselues And to the present purpose belongeth that which Aulus Gellius writeth of the wicked dealing of the Hetrurian southsaiers Au. Gel. For they beeing called vpon by the Romanes that they should in open assemblie consulte about Horatius Cocles image that was striken with lightning as they were priuie enemies of the Romanes after that they had decreed that the image should be carried into a more desert place where the Sunne could not come to it at al to benefit it When accusation of this their deuice was made and their falshood and trecherie in this case made knowen they were killed the image it selfe was translated with a great deale more honor into Vulcans court or hall Wherfore the young youth turning this false diuination into a more plausible interpretation for the common wealth because as good lucke woulde haue it it fell out happilie for the common wealth went crying vp down the Citie and in great choler as it were broke forth into these speeches Euill councell is worst to the councell giuer Vis nescia vinci Force that cannot bee ouercome with force Plutarch writeth that Scylurus of Chaeroâ—ea lying vpon his deathbed Plutar. offred to his 80. sonnes one by one a bundle of dartes or arrowes to be broken in peeces The which when they went about to do and could not preuaile and had answered that it was vnpossible their father vntied the bundle and taking them euerie one out one after another broke them with great facilitie and ease teaching them thereby that they were inuincible vnable to be ouercome as long as they continued in peaceable league and quietnes togither but if they were once drawne one from another by dissention and sedition they would easily fall into captiuitie and into their enimies hands That which Plinie noteth not much vnilke to this might hither be adduced Plinie of the stones of Scyrus lying in one of the Cyclades which being whole swome vpon the toppe of the water but being broken they suncke by and by Therefore let this simbole of darts fast ioyned togither in a bundle and also of the forenamed stones signifie thus much that leagues of what couenants soeuer are inuincible if you vse prudence for the band of the same Quis contra nos If God be with vs who can be against vs. Saint Paul when he was in the Iland of Malta a Viper light vpon his hand Acts. 28. yet receiued he no hurt thereby although the Barbarians thought otherwise but shooke off the Viper into the middest of the fire whereof we may see that they to whom Gods mercie is readie at hand nothing can hurt or annoy Maturè Speedily Looke for what reason Titus Vespasian the Emperor in times past vsed an Anker with a Dolphin fish for his cognizance or armes for the same as I thinke Pope Paul the third vsed a Camelion with a Dolphin Meaning thereby that the like slow celerity or hast making is alwayes to be kept in any manner of thing Lex publica Principis ignes A publike law is the fire of the Prince The burning firebrands which the Romaines were wont to carrie before their princes as we may see in most of the monuments and coynes of ancient kings whereof Herodian maketh mention Herodian where he writeth of the diuination of Gordianus Caesar do plainly signifie that Princes Emperors captaines and pretors vnto whom authoritie vnder the king was committed to determine causes ought to shine before all others in the brightnesse of vertue and equitie In se contexta recurrit Being platted togither it cleaueth fast The Psalmist making mention of the vnmeasurable bountifulnesse and liberalitie of Gods grace pietie clemencie and prouidence saith Benedices coronae anni benignitatis tuae Psal 64. thou crownest the yeare with thy goodnesse and thy steppes droppe fatnes Whereby he giueth vs to vnderstand that a yearely renuing and a successiue and continuall returning of plentiousnesse of all commodities and yearely profites is giuen vs from the Lord in all abundance where also by the figure of a serpent the yeare is to be vnderstood according to the monuments of the Egyptians which they vsed in steed of letters Pythone peremto The serpent being slaine The power of the Romaine empire began then to decay when the honor that the souldiers were wont to haue by the authoritie of ancient lawes decreased by little and little in so much that the Egle in their martiall ensignes yeelded to the Woolfe to the minotaure to the horse and to the wild bore The Dragon had the last place whom Claudianus famously setteth forth in many of his verses Claud. the similitude whereof signifieth continuall watchfulnesse Caelo imperium iouis extulit ales The Egle hath lifted vp the gouernment of the Empire to the heauens The Egle hath alwayes bene the chiefest ensigne amongst the Romaines the which euen at this day belongeth to the holy Empire And this Caius Marius after that he had attained to the honour of the second Consulship dedicating an Egle altogither to his legions or armies according to Plinie his relation preferred before all other ensignes Plinie And the Egle because she is formidable and to be feared before all other birds and as though as it is commonly said she is counted for the king of all birds was chosen for a simbole or ensigne to signifie a people or nation which hath subdued all other whatsoeuer But this also is true that in the Romanes ensignes the Egle was wont to carrie the similitude of lightning either as a bird dedicated to Iupiter or as carrying his armes and ensignes formost or finally because as Plinie saith she is neuer touched with lightning Infestis tutamen aquis A defence or safegard in the dangerous waters Seruius Galba the Emperor signified by this simbole Dion as wel his own actâ—s as his ancestorâ— Therfore he purtrayed a dogge bowing himselfe downe from the forepart of the ship like as though he would leape downe wherby he declared great vigilancie
of Acrense from siege and remouing all feare both of danger and tyranny he brought great ioy and libertie to the Rhodians Therefore he caused himselfe to be named the first in the catelogue of Knights constituting foureteene moe all which he dignified with the same chaine of gold The names of them that he knighted were these The said Earle Vert. Amé Earle of Geneua Antonie Lord of Belauieu Hugh Challon Lord of Arlay Amé of Geneua Iohn of Vienne admiral of France William of Grandzon William of Chalamon Rowland Veyssy of Burbon Stephen the bastard son of Baume Iasper of Monmeur Barlus of Foras Thennard of Menthon Amé Bonnard Richard Musard an Englishman Non inferiora secutus Following no meane things Margaret Queene of Nauarre vsed a most solemne signe namely the marigold whose colour resembleth so neere the colour of the sonne as almost nothing more For what way so euer the sunne goeth it followeth it it opeâ—eth and shutteth it selfe at the rising and falling of the sunne according to his ascending or descending This godly Queene chose this kind of simbole that she might euidently expresse how that she referred all her cogitations affections vowes words deedes to almightie God onely wise and euerlasting as one that meditated vpon heauenly things with all her heart Antè ferit quam flamma micet The flint is sent before to yeeld fire Philip duke of Burgundie vsed this ensigâ—â— of a flint stone striking fire which signifie the difficultie of warres amongst Kings anâ— Princes whereby it commeth to passe ofteâ— times that the one is consumed ouerthrown and vanquished of the other whereupon foâ—loweth calamitie great losses and a heape dangers on euerie side Pretium non vile laborum He reaped no small reward of his labors In the yeare after the birth of Christ 1429. Paul Aemil. the companie of the order of the knights of the Garter began by the same Philip duke of Burgundy hauing purchased a most maiesticall name by the donation of the golden fleece After this he chose foure and twentie noble men of tried fidelitie to be of the number of this honorable societie adorning them with a chaine of gold wherein was the flint stone burning thoroughout the whole chain and the golden fleece hanging before the breast imitating herein as may be supposed the marinal expedition of Iason into Colchos by diligent obseruation as it were of his vertue and godlines whereof he was said to be so desirous that he deserued the name of good and the praise of an excellent wit the order wherof his Epitaph which also sheweth the inuention of the golden fleece doth declare in these words I to thintent the church might be both safe and sure likewise From tyrants rage inuented haue the goodly golden fleese There were admitted into the number or societie of these knights next after the Duke himselfe William of Vienna Lord of saint George Renatus Pottius Lord of Roch. Lord Remblai Lord of Montague Roland Huquerquius Antonie Virgius Earle of Dammartine Dauid Brimeus Lord of Lignie Hugo Launoy Lord of Santes Iohn Earle of Cominie Antonie Thoulongeon marshall of Burgundie Peter Luxenburg Earle of Conuersan Iohn Trimoille Lord of Ionuelle Iohn Luxenburg Lord of Beaureuoir Gilbert Launoy Lord of Villeruall Iohn Villiers Lord of Isleadam Antonic Lord of Croy and Renty Florimundus Brimeus Lord of Massincourt Robert Lord of Mamines Iames Brimeu Lord of Grignie Baldwin Launey Lord of Molembaesius Peter Baufremontanus Lord of Chargny Philip Lord of Teruant Iohn Crequius Iohn Croy Lord of Tours on Marne Flammescit vterque Both of them do burne Two Lawrell boughes rubbed hard togither if we shal credite what Plinie hath recorded yeeld fire forth by long and continuall chaâ—â—ing Manie are of opinion also that the bone of a Lion do the same So likewise most certaine it is that no little danger falleth our when mightie men meete togither that the old prouerbe may be verified which saith Dura duris non quadrare in plowing or tilling of the ground hard things agree not togither The description of this sinibole or figure appertaineth to the crosse of saint Andrew as they terme it and the house of Burgundie were wont to vse the same in their martiall ensignes when they marched forward and were now come to encounter with their enimies albeit in euery point they admitted not the like signification Sara à chi tocca Whom it happeneth vnto The ire of a Prince is ful of present danger as a man may learne by the example of an earthen pot being now burning on the fire which if it should chance to fall it is vnpossible but that it should do some great harme to the standers by This portraiture or figure did Iohn duke of Burbon vse as by obseruation we may see in most places of his countrey of Burbon of Elentheropola or of a village that the frenchmen inhabited called Beauiolois Nil pennased vsus The fethers are of no force but vse If you marke well the monstrous bird called an Ostrich S. Georg. you see how with great preparation and ostentation of her feathers she endeuours to take a great flight and yet for al that is not an inch higher from the ground when shee hath done all that shee can The verie like propertie the hypocrites haue which outwardly make a gay glistering shew of a zealous holines of religion but let them once lay away their dissembling and then search them thorowly and you shall finde them euen stone cold within all the oftentation that they made outwardly to be lies Humentia siccis Moist things and drie agree not togither The Ensigne that Galeaz vicechanceler the second Duke of Millan was wont to vse may be verified of those which according to the prouerbe are said to carrie fire in the one hand and water in the other It was a burning firebrand or a staffe hardned in the fire with two vessels ful of water aboue and beneath It may haue also an other signification if we more deepely waigh it namely that the passions of a mans minde are by Gods goodnesse extinguished by the direction of reason Moreouer by it the same dukes magnanimitie is signified for he in a foughten combat most renowmedly vanquished a Dutch Lord that at that time bore no smal countenance who was the first man that vsed the same embleme or picture and chalenged this his Ensigne to himselfe for a monument of victorie and for a token of triumph that he got ouer his enimie who then was put to the worst Sola viteit in illo She onely liued in him The goddesse called Diana Pictaniensis a noble woman of verie great godlines and the most famous Dutchesse of the citie of Valentia conceiued a verie constant hope touching the resurrection of the dead which commeth by death in our remouing into an other life who also by consideration of the saints in heauen oftentimes comforted her selfe Therefore it is most like that by this picture
Atheniens that they ought to be content with the liberall gifts of nature and that they ought to liue together in peace and tranquillitie if they were wise cast meale with his hand into â— glasse full of water Vis est ardentior intùs The fire that burneth inwardly is more to be feared As the fire being kindled in the middest â—f a hollowe and drie stocke bringeth great â—nd ineuitable daunger by reason of the â—ecret burning within So a citie sette on â—â—e with ciuill dissention and sedition thorow the secreat treasons of the citizens bringeth a fearefull danger which cannot be easily remedied without great losse to the common welth This allegorie may well be compared to secret loue which burning inwardly doth bring great griefe and anguish to the minde and oftentimes destruction it self Premitur non opprimitur Pressed not oppressed The Emperor Galba following in a manner the example of Salomon 3. King 3. who tried the affection of the mothers towardes their children when there was sute in the lawe commenced touching the propertie of a certaine beast with verie slender and weake reasons witnesses on either side commanded that the beast should be carried blindfold to the place where he was wont to be watred and vncouering his eyes Sueton. to whomsoeuer he went voluntarily to be his owne for euer Magnum vecligal A great reuenue The Hedghegge or Vrchin seeking his liuing verie carefully if he find any thing he is not content to siâ—â— is belly ful but tumbling himselfe vp and down◠〈…〉 dâ—â—g his prickes abroad gaâ—hâ—â—◠〈…〉 vpon the same and so carrieth them into his dens and holes in the ground Which beast teacheth vs that it is not enough to haue large fields and great possessions except we vse also both diligence to get and sparing of that which we haue got This is a most sure reuenue and such as both mightie and rich men ought to follow taking an example hereof from this beast which vseth such care and diligence in getting of her liuing Ingenij largitor Necessitie the minister of pollicie Necessity is the chiefest thing that stirreth men vp to practise subtil ie and craft which thing the rauen whereof Plinie speaketh hath sufficienth procued Plinie who laboring with thirst and spying a vessell wherein was some water but so deepe as shee could not drinke she filled verie craftely the vessell with little stones vntill the water which was in the bottome swelled vp to the toppe and so she dranke her fill Vindictae trabit exitium Reuenge draweth with it destruction to him that seeketh to reuenge Both those that are the authors of conspiracies and those that are accessaries to the same do both of them deserue punishment The which thing we reade to haue happened to the 300 Foxes which Samson sent with fire brands tyed to them Iudges 1 into the fieldes of the Philistines Aequari pauet alta minor The lower feareth the like lot Tarquine the proud T. Liuius later the great desiring to make knowne his mind closely to his sonne being absent from him and supposing it was not the best to reueale his intent to the noble man whom his sonne had sent to him tooke him into his garden as it were to walke where he cut off with his staffe al the highest heads of the Chesboles By which act his sonne vnderstood it was his fathers pleasure that the nobles and especially the Gabionits ouer whom togither with his father he triumphed and thorow pollicie exercised no smal authoritie amongst them should be corrected and punished with extreme punishment And thus by this subtile deuise Tarquinius seemed to insinuate to his sonne his bloudie sentence as though he supposed as far as may be coniectured that a prince ought to subdue his countrie and make both it and all noble men else whatsoeuer subiect and obedient vnto him Ecquis discernit vtrumque Can any man discerne both The nature of a riddle or siue doth represent the good and honest for euerie siue deuideth the good corne and the profitable graine from the vnprofitable so in like manner both the good and the euill haue knowledge to iudge and discerne betwixt the nature and propertie of things which the wicked do not but heape vp euerie thing without the â—idle or fiue of reason Hac illac perfluo I runne out on euery side The Danish hogshead as Poets do report was so full of holes slifâ—ers that whatsoeuer was powred into it ran forth againe Wherefore Plutarch Plutar. Terence TereÌ„ce other authors haue compared praters ianglers vngratefull persons and couetous men to the same for that clatterers or blabbers of their tongues cannot keepe any secrets but vtter all and more too the vngratefull doth neuer thanke him that hath done him good the couetous are neuer contented nor satisfied with enough Virtutis Fortuna comes Fortune a companion of vertue Certaine painters desirous to gratifie one Timotheus duke of Athens Suidas or else to flatter him for his great riches and power purtayed his image in such sort Fortune giuing him sleeping diuerse cities compassed about with tordes and sundrie nets of thread Which thing Timotheus tooke in euill part perceiuing that they rather attributed his happinesse to Fortune Plutar. then to vertue Plutrarch writeth that it was done of those that enuyed him in disdaine and contempt of him Prohibere nefas It is not lawfull to restraine her Amphisbena a most strange serpent found in the deserts of Libia hauing a head at both ends Aristotle Plinie to the end that she may either bite and pursue her enimie or else at her pleasure run away Which may be a figure of double faced traitors and secreat domesticall enimies the danger of whom is so much the more to be feared by how much the more truer it is that no pestilence as Cicero testifieth is of greater force Cicero than this kind of men Of whom this prouer be is wont to be vsed in this sense In the one hand he carrieth a stone in the other he sheweth bread Tu decus omne tuis Thou art a renowne to all thy kinred Noble deeds famous enterprises and illustrious exploites brought forth the first beginning of true and ancient nobilitie Tro. Pomp. which thing the memorable example of Lisimachus the Macedonian doth proue who is said to haue left to his posteritie a most notable monument of the valiancie and excellencie of his minde For being cast amongst the Lions by the commaÌ„dement of Alexander he think his arme into the mouth of the Lyon pulling forth his tongue killed him The king seeing the valiancie of Lisimachus gaue him great authoritie and caused a cittie which he had built to be called by his name Lisimachâ—â— Vsque recurrit It runneth togither againe Nature which way soeuer it be wrested wil yer returne againe into his owne nature and proper condition Experience hereof we haue in trees into the which if thou
when hee offended but seuerelie punished him Concussus surgo Being smaller I mount aloft The Admirall Cabotius alwaies vsed for his armes a round circle or globe like a ball that I may so tearme it swelling with wind with this inscription I shaken and tost doe arise which sufficiently vnfoldeth this simbole Hâc virtutis iter This is the waie to vertue A fielde rake or harrow tied to the letter y which they call one of the Pythagoricall characters which Marcus Petrus Moruillier chanceller of France challenged to himselfe for his armes as wee may see in the Church dedicate to S. Martin in the fieldes in the citie of Paris doeth giue vs sufficient admonition that labour doeth make the waie to atâ—ine vnto vertue Hoc Caesar me donauit Caesar hath rewarded me with this chaine Charles the sixt king of the Francons hunting in the forest of Senliana for a Hart that had about his necke a chaine or wreath of brasse burnished with gold with an inscription to this effect This Caesar hath me giuen and desiring to leaue behind him this memorable pray to the knowledge of his posteritie tooke a running Hart for his armes hauing his necke compassed about with a crowne Victo seculo Christ his victorie ouer the world A garland of thornes made fast to a reed or bal brush resembleth a type of the passion of our sauiour Iesus Christ signifieng his heauenlie and euerlasting kingdome and his victorie ouer the world and sathan the prince of this world whom he vanquished Terriculum noxae The feare of hurt Pompeius Magnus being made head gouernor of the armie Plutarch sent of Scilla into Sicilia behaued himselfe not onely vigilantly stoutly and valiantly but also shewed himself a iust captaine with maruellous great equity So that if he knew of any that went out of the campe on forraging and either robbed or committed any outragious fact he would seuerely punish them Moreouer that he might restraine and bridle his scouts and posts from oppressing of those that they met withall he marked or sealed their swords with his owne signet which he wore Hic terminus haerit Here is the end of all things Lest the increase and abounding of dignities of honors goods and finally of all other things should by any meanes hinder noble men womeÌ„ that they should not somtimes think that they are morâ—all as well as others all of them for the most part haue inuented some certaine meanes or other which may now and then put them in minde of death and of their ende The which thing maister Boizius the kings chiefe taster vseth at this daie hauing for his armes the forme of a blocke or peece of timber cast downe to the ground with these wordes written about it Here is the furthest bound or limit Mihi pondera luxus Excesse is burdenous to me Like as corne as Seneca saith is diuerse times ouerwhelmed of it selfe Seneca and the eares cast downe thorow ouermuch rancknes so also the immoderate heaping vp of commodities and pleasures is hurtful to good wits and to those which in other respects carrie verie good mindes Nil amplius optat The contented man wisheth for no more This tipe or figure of nets or hayes wouen togither may be referred to the metaphor going before and doeth teach vs that hee that liueth content with his own goods doth easily despise and contemne the inordinate desire of fraile and transitorie things Num flatus telluris honor Is not honor a blast of winde There was an ancient custome amongst the Romaines that to euerie gouernor of any countrey or prouince newly created for congratulation sake onely as a signe of good luck to ensâ—e should be giuen in honour of them seuen shillings to euerie one a clot or turfe a key and a ball or globe The clot they gaue in token that the Magistrates ought to bestow al their diligeÌ„ce that meats should not become dearer but that they should remaine in the same price that they were at that no dearth want nor hunger might arise Moreouer that the publike affaires might be moderate and executed with such wisedome and clemencie as in giuing of a clot oâ— peece of earth they thanked the deputie or gouernor for their fieldes and corne The key they gaue in token that he ought to expend and way of their liberty and his owne authoritie in bidding and commanding The sphere or globe they gaue to signifie his puissant right and authoritie So Alexander interpreted a globe or sphere giuen him of Darius Except wee had rather that the sphere should signifie the gouernment of ciuill pollicie and martiall discipline Me pompae prouexit apex The desire of renowne hath promoted me or set me forward The Romaines supposed it the chiefest reward of famous deedes if they adorned their Emperors captaines knights other coÌ„men soldiers euery one notwithstaÌ„ding according to their dignity degree place with crownes or garlands which they called militares coronas martiall crownes or crownes of chiualrie And because they were signes and tokens of their vertue noble exploits and inuincible mindes the chiefest and famoust had their purtraitures with their Apothegmes posies and that as well for the perpetuall remembrance of their worship and ancienty as also for the oblectation pleasure esperance to those that should come after attending seeking after the honor of vertue with the reward praise therof Which things are especially due to those who are the reuengers the patrons redeemers of the common wealth which ought greatly to be regarded of al meÌ„ The first crowne that was giuen was called triumphall which being platted with laurel bowes and berries was offered to inuincible triumphers To whom it was lawfull that by the decree of the senate to solemne their triumph vp and downe the cittie in great charets and wagons as vanquishers and subduers of their enimies the senate being aduertised first of 5000. of their enimies to be slaine togitherin one battel Which triumphant crowne in processe of time the Empire decreasing was afterwards interlaced with vnions and diuerse other precious stones And last of all it was changed from the natural laurell into a grauen laurell compassed about with a circle of gold as is to be seene yet to this day in old coynes and pictures Merces sublimis honorum The reward of honor is great Those that were deliuered and had escaped in any battell gaue to the tribune or gouernor of the armie who had valiantly subdued their enimies a triumphant crowne of grasse And albeit this garland or crowne was of grasse onely it is to be thought notwithstanding that it waws compact of all manner of herbes and flowers that could be found in that place after the armies were dispersed yet neuerthelesse as Plinie witnesseth it was the honorablest of all the rest and hold in greatest estimation Seruati gratia Ciuis The reward of him that had deliuered a cittie out of danger If any citizeÌ„ had deliuered