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A06140 The pilgrimage of princes, penned out of sundry Greeke and Latine aucthours, by Lodovvicke Lloid Gent Lloyd, Lodowick, fl. 1573-1610. 1573 (1573) STC 16624; ESTC S108781 286,699 458

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to be so famous in Gréece his liberality amongst nigardes hée onely counted liberall and all Athens besides couetous whereby he deserued renowne and glorie amongst so many nippers of money hée onely to shewe him selfe franke and liberall What caused Flaminius to bée so much spoken of amongst the Romanes his liberall giftes amongst so many gréedie takers his open benifites amongst theyr priuate wealth and hidden hatred What mooued the Agragentines to honour soo much that man Gillias to aduance his fame to extoll his name His liberalitie Such couetousnesse then was in Athens Rome and Agrigente that then worthie were these of admiration and prayse to auoyd the cankered state of auarice Thus from the golden worlde it came vnto the siluer worlde and then to that harde mettall Iron worlde for the couetous people can neuer be sufficed The gréedinesse of this age the restlesse estate of this time can neuer be satisfied The young Partriche by nature is readie to flee as soone as shée commeth out of the shell the wilde Duck to swim the Lion to go and man onely borne ready to séeke and trauell for money Where might a man finde out such a man as Aristides was in all Greece nowe who was so liberall that hauing all the state of Athens vnder hys gouernement gaue all to the poore Citizens saue that scant that brought him vnto the ground Where should one méete with such a one as Pelopidas in all Sparta being blamed of his friendes and councellers for hys large giftes and liberality exhorting him to make much of money considering howe nec●ssarie money is to Princes yea sayde Pelopidas to such Princes as Nicomedes a lame man both dumbe and deafe Where shoulde a man séeke in Thebes for suche a man as Epaminondas who when he hearde that hée which caried his Target after him had taken money for the dimission of certaine prisoners taken in the warres giue me sayde hée my Target and go you to kéepe an Inne for if you loue monie you are not fit to cary Epaminondas Target Euery man is liberall in talke but fewe franke in giuing all men speake against enuie and malice and yet one hate another wée exclayme against tyranny and yet we are mercilesse wée despise pryde and yet we loue not humanitie wée abhorre gluttony and dronkennesse and yet we are alwaies feasting and bibbing wée disprayse Idlenesse and yet wée are slothfull wee thunder against slaunderous tongues and yet we can not speake well of no body in briefe we speake against all vices and yet we can not be acquainted with any vertue Euen as Diogines a Philosopher nipt a certaine Lacedemonian which vsed often to repeate in a place a Gréeke verse of Hesiodus the Poet that an Oxe or no beast else shoulde perish vnlesse euill neyghbours be the cause of it Diogines demaunded of him howe happened it that both the people of Messena and all their goodes and cattelles did miscarye and you béeyng their nigh neyghbours in Sparta So maye it be spoken to these glorious talkers how is it that men loue auarice so well and yet commende liberalitie so often ¶ Of age and the praise thereof BYon that wise man woulde say often that age was the Hauen of rest for that it was the ende of miserie the gate of life the perfourmaunce of all pilgrimages And sith age is wished of all men what folly is it to hit any man in the téeth with that which hée chéefly desireth Wherefore when King Archelaus had appoynted a great feast for his fréendes amongst other talkes then at the Table Euripides declared what great loue he bare vnto Agathon an olde tragicall Poet. Agesilaus demaundyng why shoulde an olde man bée so well estéemed of Euripides hée sayde Though the Spring time be pleasaunt yet the Haruest is fertile though flowres and hearbes grow gréene in the Spring yet waxe they ripe in Haruest The ages of man is compared vnto the foure seasons of the yere his growing time vnto the Spring his lusty time vnto the Sommer his witty time vnto the Haruest and his olde time vnto the Winter which doth make an ende of all thinges Frederike Emperour of Rome after he had appointed an olde man to rule the Cittie of Scadmenna was often mooued that hée for his age was not méete to gouerne such a Citie consyderyng the multitude and number of people that were within that Citie they thought that a young man shoulde better discharge the office But the wise Emperour perceauyng howe bent and prone were the youth of that Towne to haue a young man to rule ouer them aunswered them after this sort I had rather sayde hée commit the gouernaunce of the Citie vnto one olde man then the gouernaunce of so many young men vnto the Citie Better it is an olde man to rule the Citie than the Citie to rule the young menne meaning no otherwise then the aged men shoulde only be admitted rulers in Cities for that it belongeth vnto them experience of thinges and care of youth Suche was the homage and reuerence which was amongst the young Romanes towarde the Senators or olde men of the Citie as both heade and legge did acknowledge the same in doing duetie vnto age They hadde this confidence in age that no man might be chosen vnto the number of the Senatoures before he shoulde be thréescore yeares of age The like custome had the people of Chalcides that no man before he were fiftie yeres shoulde eyther beare office within their Cities or be sent Embassadour out of their countrie Amongst the Perseans no man coulde be admitted to be one of the sage rulers which they called Magi vnlesse perfite age had brought him thereto perforce Amongst the Indians their wise men which ruled their countrey which were named Gymnosofistae were aged and auncient for time giueth experience of gouernance Amongst the Egyptians the like credite was giuen vnto olde men that youth méeting them in the waye would go out of the way to giue place vnto age so that their Counsellours which were called prophetes were men of much time experience Euen so the Babylonians elected their sage Chaldeans the auncient French men there wise men called Druydes In fine noble Géekes did obserue the like order in choosing their Rulers and Councellers of aged men as before spoken The Lacedemonians youth were by the lawe of Licurgus no lesse charged to reuerence age than theyr owne parentes The Arabians in all places without respect of person honour dignitie or fortune preferred their olde men before The people called Tartesij had this lawe to honour age that the younger might beare no witnesse against the elder The reuerence sayde Chylon that shoulde be shewed vnto age by young men ought to be suche that they then being young doing obedience vnto age might clayme the like when they waxed olde of youth Agesilaus King of Sparta being
that he neuer went a liue vnto Rome againe for moste cruelly and falsely was he slaine by Haniball In this falshed and periurie was Haniball muche defamed not as muche corrupted by vilenesse of his owne nature which alwaies in this was not to bee trusted but by the falshode and corruption of the Countrey of whiche it is prouerbially spoken Poeni perfidi false Carthaginians for the people of Carthage delited in falshode ▪ practized periurie and vsed all kind of craftes as the people of Sarmatha were moste false in wordes moste deceiptfull in deedes and moste cruell one towardes an other The Scithians beyng muche molested with warres and driuen to leaue their wiues at home in the custodie of the slaues seruauntes thei hauyng occasion to bee absent iiij yeres whose wiues married the seruauntes brake their former Faithe with their owne housbandes vntill with force and power their seruauntes were slain and so recouered their countreis wiues again Apollonius the chief gouernour of Sam●os whom the commons of the Countrey from lowe estate had exalted vnto dignitie vnto whom thei committed the gouernment and state of Samios was so false of his faithe towardes his subiectes that hauyng their goodes landes liuynges and liues in his owne hand he betraied theim vnto Philip king of Macedonia their moste mortall enemie That proude periurer Cocalus king of Sicilia slue kyng Minoes of Crete though vnder colour of frendshippe and pretence of talke he had sente for hym Cleomenes brake promise with the Argiues with whom he tooke truce for certaine daies craftely betraied them in the night slue them being sleping and emprisoned against his former faith and promise made before Euen so did the false Thracians with the Boetians brake promise violated faithe destroied their countries depopulated their cities and of professed frendes and vowed faithe became wicked foes and false traitors But of all false periurers and vnnaturall foes shal Zopirus emongest the Persians and Lasthenes emongest the Olinthians to their perpetuall slaunder and reproche bee mentioned of the one borne in the famous citie of Babilon deformed hym self in suche sort with suche dissimulation of forged faithe that hauyng the rule and gouernment in his hande he brought kyng Darius to enioye that through his periurie and falshode that with long warres in many yeres he might not vāquishe nor subdue The other as falsly I beyng y e onely trust of the citizēs deliuered Olinthus their citie vnto the handes of their long and greate enemie Philippe kyng of Macedonia What fraude hath been founde alwaies in frendship What falshode in faithe What deceipte in truste the murtheryng of Princes the betraiyng of kyngdomes the oppressyng of innocentes from tyme to tyme in al places can well witnesse the same When Romulus had appoincted Spu Tarpeius to be chief capitaine of the Capitoll the chamber of Rome where the substaunce wealth of Rome did remain Tarpeia Spurius doughter whiche in the night tyme as she wente for water out of the citie metyng Tatius kyng of y e Sabins though he was then mortall enemie vnto Rome in cōtinual warres with Romulus yet by false Tarpeia brought to be lord of the Capitoll thus Tarpeia beyng as false vnto Rome as king Tatius was likewise false vnto Tarpeia for she loking to haue promise kept of Tatius foūd him as Rome founde her She was buried a liue of Tatius by the Capitoll whiche was called Saturnus moūt and by her death buriall there named Tarpeius rocke vntill Torquinus Superbus tyme whiche first named it the Capitoll by findyng a mans heade in that place There was neuer in Rome suche falshode shewed by any man as was of Sergius Galba whiche caused there famous cities of Lusitania to appere before him promising them great cōmodities and diuers pleasures concernyng the states and gouernment of their citie yeldyng his faith and truth for the accomplishment of the same whose professed faithe allured to y e nōber of ix M. yong menne piked and elected for some enterprises for the profite of their countrey whiche when false Galba had spoiled these thrée cities of al flowers of their youthes against all promise and faithe slue the moste parte of theim sould and enprisoned the rest whereby he most easely might conquire their Cities men are neuer certen nor trustie in doing when thei are fautie in faith● For as the Sunne lighteneth the Moone so faithe maketh man in all thinges perfect for prudence without faith is vaine glorie and pride Temperaunce without faithe and trueth is shamefastnes or sadnes Iustice without faith is turned vnto iniurie and fortitude vnto slouthfulnes The orders in diuers countreis for the obseruation of frendship and for maintenaunce of certen and sure loue one towarde an other were diuers othes The noble Romains at what tyme thei sweare had this order he or she to take a flint ston in his right hand saiyng these wordes If I be gilty or offende any man betraie my countrey or deceiue my frende willingly I wishe to be cast awaie out of Rome by great Iupiter as I cast this stoan out of my hand and withall threwe the stoan awaie The auncient Scithians to obserue amitie and loue had this law They powred a greate quantity of wine in a greate Boule or a Cup and with their kniues launced some parte of their bodies letting their bloud to runne likewise one after an other vnto that cup and then minglyng the wine and blood together tipt the ende of their Speares ▪ and ther Arrowes in the wine takyng the boule in hand drank one vnto another professing by that draught faith and loue The Arabians when they would become faithful to anie to maintaine loue thereby had this custome one should stande with a sharpe stoan in his hande betwixt two and let blood in the palme of their handes and takyng of either of theim a péece of their garment to receiue their blood anointyng and diyng seauen stones in the blood callyng Vrania and Dyonisius their Gods to witnesse and kéepyng the stoanes in memory of frendship would depart one from an other The like lawe amongest the Barctians goyng vnto a diche and standyng thereby saiyng as Herodotus affirmeth as long as that holowe place or diche were not of it selfe filde vp so long desired the Barcians amitie and loue In readyng of histories we finde more certentie to haue been in theim by prophane othes then trueth often in vs by Euangelist and Gospell othes lesse periurie in those Gentiles swearyng by Iupiter or Apollo then in Christians swearyng by the true and liuynge God more amitie and frendship amongest them with drinkyng either of others blood then in vs by acknowledgyng and professyng Chistes blood When Marcus Antonius had the gouernemēt of Rome after Caesar was murthered by Brutus and Cassius and hauyng put to death Lucullus for his consente therein Volumnius hearyng of his frende Lucullus death came
an olde man woulde often go in the colde weather very thinne in a torne cloake without a coate or doublet onely to shew the way vnto young men to be hardie in age by contemning of pleasure and gay apparell in youth Massinissa king of Numidia being more than thréescore yeares of age woulde liuely and valiauntly as Cicero sayth without cappe on heade or shooe on foote in the colde or frostye weather in the winter time trauayle and toyle with the souldiours onelye vnto thys purpose that young souldiours shoulde be hardened thereby in their youth and practise the same for the vse of others when they came to age them selues Ihero King of Sicilia the like example in his olde age being .lxxx. yeares shewed to trayne youth and to bring them vp so in young yeares that they might doe the lyke in their olde ages For this iudged these wise princes that all men couet to imitate Princes and Kinges in their doinges Gorgias the Philosopher and mayster vnto Isocrates the Oratour and to diuers more nobles of Gréece thought him selfe most happie that he being a hundred yeres and seauen was as well in his sences as at anyetime before made so much of age that being asked why hée so delighted in age made aunswere bycause he founde nothing in age that he might accuse age So sayde King Cirus a little before his death being a very olde man that hée neuer felt him selfe weaker than when he was young The like saying is reported of that learned Sophocles who being so olde that he was accused of his owne children of follie turned vnto the Iudges and sayde If I be Sophocles I am not a foole if I be a foole I am not Sophocles meaning that in wisemen the sences waxed better by vse and exercising the same vnto the vse of yong men for we prayse sayth Cicero the olde man that is somewhat young and we commend againe the young man that is somewhat aged The olde is commended that hath his young fresh witte at commaundement the young is praised that is sober sage in his doings When M Crassus a noble Capitaine of Rome béeing a verye olde man tooke in hande to warre against the Parthians strong and stout people being by Embassadours warned of his age and admonished to forsake warres hée aunswered stoutly the Embassadour of the Partheans and sayde when I come vnto Seleutia your Citie I will aunswere you One of the Embassadours named Agesis an aged man stretched forth his hande and shewed the palme of hys hand vnto Crassus saying Before thou shalt come within the Citie of Seleutia bristles shall growe out of thys hande The stoutnesse of Marcus Crassus was not so much but the magnanimitie of Agesis was as much and yet eyther were olde men What courage was in Scaeuola to withstande that firebrande of Rome Silla which after he had vrged the Senatours to pronounce Marius enimie vnto Italy hée béeing an olde aged man aunswered Silla in this sort Though diuers be at the commaundementes of the Senatours and that thou art so compassed with souldiours at thy becke yet thou nor all thy souldiours shall euer make Scaeuola being an olde man for feare of loosing some olde blood pronounce Marius by whom Rome was preserued and Italy saued to be enimie vnto these The like historie wée reade that when Iulius Caesar had by force of armes aspired vnto the off●ce of a Dictator and came vnto the Senate house where fewe Senatours were togither the Emperour Caesar desirous to know the cause of their absence Considius an aged father of Rome sayde that they feared Caesar and his souldiours Whereat the Emperour musing a while sayde Why did not you in likewise tarye at home fearing the same bicause sayde hée age and time taught me neyther to feare Caesar nor yet his souldiers For as Brusonius saith there are young mindes in olde men for though Milo the great wrestler in the games of Olimpia waxed olde and wept in spite of his deade limmes bruised bones yet he sayde his minde florished was as young as euer it was before Solon hath immortall praise in Gréece for his stoutnesse in his age for when Pisistratus had taken in hande to rule the people of Athens and that it was euident ynough that tyranny should procéede therby Solon in his latter daies hauing great care vnto his countrey when that no man durst refuse Pysistratus came before his doore in harn●sse and calde the citizens to withstand Pysistratus for age sayd he mooueth mée to be so valiaunt and stout that I had rather lose my life than my countrey should lose their libertie What vertue then wée sée to be in age what wisedome in time what corage in olde men The examples of these olde men stirre and prouoke many to imitate their steps insomuch diuers wished to be olde when they were yet young to haue the honour as age then had wherefore King Alexander the great spying a young man couloring his heares gray sayde It behooueth thée to put wittes in coulour and to alter thy minde The Lacedemonians people that past all nations in honouring age made lawes in their Cities that the aged men shoulde be so honored and estéemed of the young men euen as the parents were of the children that when a straunger came vnto Lacedemonia and sawe the obedience of youth towarde age he sayde In this countrie I wishe onely to be olde for happie is that man that waxeth olde in Lacedemonia for in the great games of Olimpia an olde man wanting a place went vp and downe to sit some where but no man receyued but the Lacedemonians which not onely there young men also their aged gaue place vnto his graye heares but then also the Embassaders of Lacedemonia being there present did reuerence him and toke him vnto their seate which when he came in hée spake a loude O you Athenians you knowe what is good and what is badde for that which you people of Athens sayde hée doe professe in knowledge the same doth the Lacedemonians put in practice Alexander being in his warres with a great army in Persea and méeting an old man by the way in the colde weather in ragged rent clothes lighted from his horse and sayde vnto him Mount vp into a princes saddle which in Persea is treason for a Persean to do but in Macedonia commendable letting to vnderstande how age is honored and olde men estéemed in Macedonia and howe of the contrarie wealth and pride is fostred in Persea for where men of experiences and aged yeares are sette naught by there cannot be that wisdome beareth rule Howe many in the Empire of Rome ruled the Citie gouerned the people of those that were very aged men as Fabius Maximus who was thréescore yeres and two in his last Consulship Valerius Corunnus which was sixe times a Consull in Rome a very olde man which
Testament that Adam our first father liued nine hundred and thirtie yeres and Eua his wife as many Seth nine hundred and twelue yeres Seth his sonne called Enos nine hundred and fiue Cainan the sonne of Enos nine hundred and tenne Malalehell the sonne of Cainan right hundred fourscore and fiftéene So Enoch the son of Iared liued nine hundred théescore and fiue yeres Enoch his sonne named Mathusalem liued nine hundred thréescore and nine with diuers of the first age I meane vntill Noahs time which began the seconde world after the floode and liued as we reade nine hundred and fiue yeres His sonne Sem sixe hundred yeres and so lineally from father vnto son as from Sem vnto Arphaxad frō Arphaxad vnto Sala from Sala vnto Heber the least liued aboue thrée hundred yeres This I thought for better credite and greater proofe of olde age to drawe out of the olde testamēt that other prophane autorities might be beléeued as Tithonius whom the Poetes faine that he was so oulde that he desired to become a Grashopper But bicause age hath no pleasure in the worlde frequenteth no banquets abhorreth lust loueth no wantonnes which sayth Plato is the only bayte that deceyue young men so much the happier age is that age doth loath that in tyme which young men neyther with knowledge with wit nor yet with councell can auoyde What harme hath happened from time to time by young men ouer whom lust so ruled that euersion of common wealthes treason of Princes friends betrayed countries ouerthrowne kingdomes vanquished all y e world almost through pleasure perished Therfore Cicero sayth in his booke entituled of olde age at what time he was in the citie of Tar●ntū being a young man with F. Maximꝰ that hée bare one lesson from Tarentū vnto the youth of Rome where Architas the Tarentine saide that nature bestowed nothing vpon man so hurtfull vnto him selfe so dangerous vnto his countrie as luste or pleasure For when C. Fabritius was sent as an Embassador from Rome vnto Pirrhꝰ king of Epire being then the Gouerner of the citie Tarentum a certaine man named Cineas a Thessaliā borne being in disputation with Fabritius about pleasure saying that he heard a Philosopher of Athens affirming that all which we doe is to be referred vnto pleasure which when M. Curius and Titus Coruncanus hearde they desired Cineas to perswade the King Pirrhus in that to yéelde vnto pleasure and make the Samnits beléeue that pleasure ought to be estéemed whereby they knew if that King Pirrhus or the Samnites being then great enimies vnto the Romanes were adicted vnto lust or pleasure that then soone they myght be subdued and destroyed For that nothing hindereth magnanimitie or resisteth vertuous enterprises so much as pleasure as in the treatise of pleasure it shall at large more appeare Why then how happie is olde age to dispise and contemne that which youth by no meanes can auoyde yea to loath and abhor that which is most hurtfull vnto it selfe For Cecellius contemned Caesar with all his force saying vnto the Emperour that two thinges made him nothing to estéeme the power of the Emperour Age and witte Castritius wayed nothing at al the threatning of C. Carbo being then Consull at Rome which though hée sayd hée had many friendes at commaundement yet Castritius aunswered and sayde that he had likewise many yeres which his friendes might not feare Therfore a wiseman sometime wept for that man dieth within fewe yeres and hauing but little experience in his olde age he is then depriued thereof For the Crowe liueth thrise as long as the man doth The Harte liueth foure times longer than the Crow The Rauen thrise againe liueth longer than the Hart. The Phaenix nine times longer than the Rauen And therefore bicause birdes doe liue longer time than man doth in whome there is no vnderstanding of their yeres But man vnto whom reason is ioyned before he commeth vnto any grounde of experience when hée beginneth to haue knowledge in thinges hée dieth and thus endeth hée his toyling pilgrimages and trauayle in fewer yeres than diuers beastes or birdes doe ¶ Of the maners of sundrie people and of their strange life THe sundrie fashion and varitie of maners the straunge lyfe of people euerye where through the worlde dispersed are so depainted and set foorth amongst the writers that in shewing the same by naming eche countrey and the people therof orderly their custome their maners their kinde of liuing something to signifie howe diuers the maners of men bée Therefore I thought briefely to touch and to note euery countrey in their due order of liuing and to beginne with the Egyptians people most auncient and most expert in all sciences that Macrobius the writer calleth the countrey of Egypt the nourse and mother of all Artes for all the learned Gréekes haue had their beginning from Egypt euen as Rome had from Gréece This people obserue their dayes by accoūt of houres from midnight vnto midnight They honour the Sunne and the moone for theyr Goddes for they name the Sunne Osiris and the Moone Isis Their féeding was of fishe broyled in the heate of the Sunne with hearbes and with certaine foules of the ayre They lyue a thousande yeares but it is to be vnderstanded that they number their yeares by the Moone The men beare burthens vppon theyr heades and the women vpon their breastes and shoulders The men make water sitting the women standing The Crocodill is that beast which they moste estéeme that being deade they burie him A Sowe is that beast which they most detest that if anye part of their clothes touche a Sowe they straight will pull of their clothes and washe them ouer They are blacke people most commonly slender and very hastie Curtius call them sedicious vaine very subtill in inuention of thinges and much giuen to wine The Aethiopians people that liue without lawes and reason seruauntes and slaues vnto al men selling their children vnto merchauntes for corne their héere long with knottes and curled The Indians people of two muche libertie as Herodot sayth accompanying their women in open sight neyther sowe they nor builde neyther kill they any liuing beast but féede of barly breade and hearbes They hange at their eares small pearles and they decke their armes wrestes and neckes with golde Kinges of India are much honoured when they come abroade their wayes set and deckt with fresh flowers swéete odours and men in armes folowing their Chariots made of Margarits stones and men méeting with frankinsence And when their king goeth to bed their harlottes bring them with songues and mirth making their prayers vnto their Goddes of darckenesse for the good rising of their King Againe the children kill theyr parentes when they waxe olde Their maydes and young damoselles of India are brought abroade amongst the young men to choose them their husbandes When any man dieth his wife wil dresse hir selfe most brauest for
their answeares vnto diuers questions vnto them propounded Bias dwellyng in the Citie of Prienna after the citie by Nutinenses was destroied Bias escaped and went to Athens whose Poesie was Maximus improborum numerus he willed all yong men in their youth to trauaill for knowledge and commaundeth oulde men to embrase wisedome This Bias beeyng demaunded what was the difficulst thing in the worlde he saide to suffer stoutly the mutabilitie of fortune beyng demaunded what was the infamoust death that might happen vnto man to bee condempned saide he by lawe beyng asked what was the sweetest thyng vnto manne hope saide he what beast was most hurtfull amongest wild beastes a Tyraunt saide Bias and amongeste tame beastes a flatterer and beyng demaunded what thyng it was that feared nothyng in all the world good conscience saide he And againe in the second Olimpiad the Philosophers demaunded other Questions as who was most infortunate in the world the impacient man saide Bias What is moste harde to iudge debates betwéene frendes what is most harde to measure he answered tyme that hauyng fully answered to diuers other questions Bias was allowed one of the seauen wise men of Gréece Chilo the second of the Sages beyng borne in My●tilena beyng asked what was the best thyng in all the world answered euery man to cōsider his owne state And againe beyng demaunded what beast is most dangerous he saide of wilde beastes a Tyraunt of tame beastes a flatterer beyng asked what is most acceptable vnto manne he saide tyme and beyng asked of the Gréeke Myrsilas what was the greatest wonder that he sawe he saide an olde man to be a Tyraunte these with diuers other questions was he asked of the Greeke his Poesie was N● quid nimis The thirde was Chilo the Lacedemonian beyng demaunded what was a difficult thing to man to dooe he answered either to keepe silence or so suffer iniuries what was most difficulst being asked of hym he saide for a man to knowe hym self and therfore he vsed this Poesie Nosce teipsum This Chilo beyng of Aesopus demaunded what did Iupiter in Heauen he saide he doth throwe doune loftie and proude thinges and hee doeth exalte humble and méeke thinges Solon the Athenian had this shorte Sentence in his mouthe Nosce teipsum knowe thy selfe for in knowyng and consideryng what we are how vile we are wee shall haue lesse occasion ministred vnto vs to thinke well of our selues for there is nothyng good nor bewtifull in man as Solon beyng asked of kyng Cressus sittyng on his Stoole of state with princely Robes bedect with Pearles and Precious stones whether euer he sawe a more bewtifull sight then Kynge Cirus sittyng in his maiestie at that tyme to whom Solon answered and saide that he sawe diuers birddes more gaie to beholde then Cirus and beyng demaunded of Cirus what birds were they Solon saide the little Cocke the Peacocke and the Feasaunt whiche are dect with naturall garmentes and bewtified with naturall colours This Solon was wonte to saie I waxe dailie olde learnyng muche hee noted nothyng so happie in manne as to liue well that the same might die well appliyng the cause vnto the affect as to liue well then to die well If I shoulde molest the reader with the sage saiynges of Cleobulus Thales Periander and others tending onely for the amendmente of life and readines of death I should seme tedious here were a place to induce diuers and sundrie examples of death HAd Greke Calisthenes silence kept had Neuius spared speache Had Theocritus busie braine offended not his leache Calesthenes had not loste his life nor Theocritus died Ne in Maetellus wrathe so long had Neuius poet abide The soundst reward the surest gifte should Memmius haue in th ende Had he to Caesar nothyng saied that Caesar might offende But as I feare Chirilus stripes and dreade Aristos draught So with Antilochus to write I am to some Lisander taught Some carpyng Crete some peuishe Pan and some of Colax kinde Some of Gnatho schoole will scanne some fla●trie here to finde I will not haulte with Clisophus I loue not Curi● stile I hate Philoxenus forged faithe Aristippus phraise to file But with Sinaetes persean poore with Cirus water craue Her princely pardone on my knee with Cirill Poete haue Who to auoide Charibdis gulfe I fall in Scillas bande To seeke to shunne Semphlagades I sinke in Sirtes sande With wearied winges of Icarus with Phaoetons charge in hande Moste like Actaeon bounde before her noble grace I stande No Momus maie Minerua saile no Phaaeton Phebus charge No wilfull winges of Icarus maie Dedalus flight discharge Therefore yea Goddes that guide the globes the glisteryng glaryng skie The whirlyng spheares the firmamente and poales of heauens hie You starrie states and imps of Ioue your graces thre attende Approche in place Pierides my vaine in verse to bende Eche pilgrime Prince in prose is paste eche Quene must now in vearse Haue honour due and fame deserude the heauens hie to pearce Whose praise shall pearce the clusteryng cloudes and skale the empire skie Whose thunderyng clanges of bruted fame on yearth shall neuer die Eche passyng pearles Prince in place from stooles of states redounde Whom birdes abrode on brakes doe bragge their praise in skies to sounde Whō whirlyng windes and whispering woods whō brauling brok● aduaūce Whose ecchos shrill of fliyng fame through surging seas doe launce Who ruled people proude and fierce and nations stoute subdued That widdowes were and virgin● Quenes with wisedome greate endued Who readeth not Zinobias fame who doeth not Mesa knowe Who heareth not of Sabas name that any where doeth goe What worthie actes what famous feactes what vertues rare were sene When noble Kyng Mausolus died in Artemesia Queen The noble Quene Semiramis Kyng Ninus famous wife Did rule Assiria saffe and sounde when Ninus loste his life When Constant Emperour died ▪ his wife no lesse ther loue did l●ue Then pearle Penelope had in Grece or Romaine Lucrece haue Emongest the Illireans to Teuca then suche worthie name did chaunce ▪ As in Arcadia Atlanta did her noble fame aduaunce Quene Dido ruled Carthage coste Helerna Tibur braue As sometyme did Cloelia the Romaine scepter saue Why seeke I thus to shunne the snares and shifte with verses ofte Sithe praise of force must presse the place where wisedome rules a lofte A Prince of porte in silence kepte that doeth expecte the ende Whose rule and roiall race by course nedes not in bookes be pende In whom the Muses builde their bowres the graces make their forte With whom Sibilles sages sitte and sacred Nimphes resorte Who Iudith like with threatnyng swearde Holofernus mates to spoile A seconde Susan sure she is all Iudges false to foile An other faithfull Sara sadde with Aesters mace in hande In prinsely place Rebecca like to rule her natiue lande She in triumphant seate doeth sitte with Laurell leaues bee decte With Oliue braunches braue on heade that doo his fame detect This
fielde The women of Cimbria woulde kill those that first fledde the fielde though they were nigh friends or kinsemen vnto them The women of Saca had this custome eyther at their mariage to be conquered by theyr husbande 's the first daye or else to be conquerours ouer their husbandes all the dayes of theyr life theyr combat sayth A●lianus was for victorie and not for lyfe The women of Persea woulde méete theyr housbandes and sonnes flying the fielde lifting vp theyr clothes shewyng their priuities saying Whither flée you O Cowardes will you againe enter into your mothers wombes will you créepe into your wiues bellies as they did in the warres betwixt Cirus and his Grandfather Astyages The women of Sparta woulde go vnto the fielde to sée in what place theyr Husbandes and friendes were wounded if it were before they woulde with gladnesse and ioye shewe the same vnto euerye man and burie the bodie solemnely if their woundes were behinde they woulde be so ashamed of the same that they left them vnburied in the fielde The women of Scithia called Amazones liued as conquerours ouer men and not conquered by men vntill Alexander the great destroyed them and theyr countrey which before were so valiaunt that they wayed not to encounter with Hercules in the fielde and after with Theseus in open battayle they blusht not to méete the valiant Gréekes at the destruction of Troye Magnanimitie which was then for defence of countries is nowe tyrannye to destroye that at their banquettes and drinkinges they had their Garlandes on their heades for as the worlde grewe in wealth so it grewe in sumptuousnesse for the triumph of Romulus was farre inferiour vnto the gorgeous triumph of Camillus and yet Romulus was a king Camillus was but an officer Time bringeth thinges vnto perfectiō In time Rome waxed so wealthy y ● Camillus I say was caried in a chariot al gilded wrought ouer with golde hauing all white horses trimly deckt a crowne of pure golde on his head all the Senatours and Consuls of Rome going a foote before him vnto the Capitoll of the Citie and thence vnto the temple of Iupiter where to honour the triumph further they slue a white Bul as sacrifice vnto Iupiter and thence to bring him triumphantly through the Citie of Rome vnto his owne house euen so in Greece and in Carthage in time grewe vnto suche pompe sumptuous triumphes that there was as much studie to inuent braue shewes and solempne sightes in triumph as there was care and diligence to haue moued the enimies When Epaminondas ruled stately Thebes When Hanniball gouerned proude Carthage when Laeonidas bare sway in warrelike Sparta then Greece and Lybia were acquainted with solempne and braue triumphes In Ninus time triumphes were in Assyria In Arbaces time the triumphes flourished amongst the Meedes In Cyrus time the triumphes were in Persea In Alexanders time it was in Macedonia In Caesars time it was in Rome and thus alwayes from the begynnyng of the worlde triumphes folowed victories And here I meane a litle to entreate of the triumphes of the Romanes whiche farre diuers wayes surmounted the rest whose fame was spred ouer all the worlde And yet imitatyng in all things the Gréekes insomuch that Rome alwayes had Athence as a nource or a paterne to frame their lawes for when their Kings were banished aswell in Athence as in Rome yet they ruled triumphed more by Oratours in Athence by Consuls in Rome then by Kings Therefore as Plini saith they exercised suche feates of armes they practised suche pollicies of warres they vsed suche solempnitie in triumphes that Rome then was noted to be the lampe and lanterne of Mars They had I saye diuers garlandes made onelye for the triumph of warres Plini compteth seuen sortes of garlandes which the Romanes hadde the first made of pure golde appoynted onely for the triumphes of Princes the seconde of Laurell which of all was most auncient in Gréece in Italie appoynted for the triumphes of Pallas souldiours the thirde of all kinde of swéete flowers made appoynted to him that restored Cities vnto theyr liberties againe the fourth made of Oaken leaues to him that defended Citizens from death These two garlandes were of great honour in Rome and specially in Gréece the one Cicero ware in Rome for his inuectiues against the conspiracies of wicked Catelin the other Fabius Maximus did weare for that he saued Rome from the seconde warres of Carthage where Haniball was Capitaine The sift Garlande was appoynted for him that assaulted the walles of the enimies first and entered the towne the sixt for him that first attempted the tentes of the enimies the seauenth bestowed vpon him that boorded first the Name of the enimie These thrée last Garlandes mencioned for the skaling of walles the boording of shippes and attempting the tentes were made all of Golde and giuen by the Princes or Senators to the aforesayde souldiours There was likewise in Rome concerning the triumphes that none might triumph vnlesse he had bene before some officer in Rome as Dictator Pretor Consuls or suche like and if any without they were sent by the Senators had wonne any victories though there conquest were neuer so great and their victorie neuer so famous as Pub Scipio for all his victories in Spaine and Marcus Marcellus for all that he tooke captiue Siracuse bycause they were not sent nor appoynted by the Senators they might in no wise by lawe made clayme triumphes thereby Then Rome florished then Rome was defended from diuers offered iniuries saued from enimies At what time M. Curius triumphed ouer the Samnites Mae Agrippa triumphed ouer the Sabines Pau●aemilius ouer the Lygurians Marius ouer the Numidians Pompeius ouer Armenia and Pontus Scypio surnamed Affricanus ouer Carthage and al Lybia Iulius Caesar ouer all Europe and Affrike then Rome was feared of all the worlde and nowe Rome is dispised Then Rome might say Roma vincit nowe Rome may say Roma victa Then Roma armata nowe inermis Then Roma nowe Ruina but time consumeth all things That victorie that was not manfullye gotten and ●aliauntlye wonne by force of armes in the fielde was rather counted among the Romanes tyrannie then victorie for when Lucius Pius in a banquet that he made had filled the people of Sarmatia full of Wine and made them so drunken that all the nobles and captaynes of Sarmatia yéelded them selues as subiectes vnto the Empire of Rome for the whiche Lucius Pius at his returne home to Rome required accordyng to the custome to haue a triumphe done vnto hym for the victorie of Sarmatia whiche when the Senatours had fully hearde of the victorie howe and after what sort Lucius Pius subdued the Sarmatians he was openly beheaded by decrée of all the Senate and a slaūderous Epitaph set vpon his graue to manifest the deceit he vsed in stéede of magnanimitie to deceyue them by Wine which he ought to subdue by
the Senatours vnto the market or common Hall of Rome Then the seconde day hée should bée caried by certen young noble men vnto Martius fielde where a Tabernacle was made much like a Towre all of drie Wood and there after much solemnity and ceremonies done hée that succéeded him as an Emperour shoulde first put fire in that worke and then all men busie to sée the body burned And when they had burned him vnto ashes they woulde let an Eagle flée from the top of some high Towre which as they supposed shoulde cary his soule into heauen The Assyrians did vse to annoynt the dead bodyes with honye and waxe and with studie and care to reserue it from any putrifaction Such straunge order of buriall was in India that the women of that countrey thought no greater fame nor worthier renowme then to bée burned and buried togither with their husbandes The Thracians are much to bee commended herein which at the birth of any of their fréendes children they wéepe and waile the misery of and calamity that hée is borne vnto and at the death of any of their fréendes they so reioyce with such mirth and gladnes that they past these werldly miseries that at the buriall therof euen when the corps doth go out of the house they altogither say with one voyce Farre well fréende go before and we folow after And so the corps goeth before and all his fréendes folow after him with trumpets musicke and great mirth for ioy that hée is gone out of this vale of misery Plato that deuine Gréeke and noble Philosopher made the like lawes in Athens that when any of the chéefe officers shoulde die hée appointed that no mournyng wéedes shoulde bée there but all in white apparell and that fiftéene young maides and fiftéene young boyes shoulde stande rounde about the corps in white garmentes while the Priestes commended his life vnto the people in an open Oration then he shoulde bée brought very orderly to the graue all the young children singing their countrey Hymnes they with the auncient men folowyng and the graue shoulde be couered with faire broade stones where the name of the dead with his vertuous commendations and great praise were set vpon the stone The like graue the Italians vse at this day and diuers other countreys And as these others had the like ceremonies to the praise and commendations of the dead So others litle estéemed and regarded such things in so muche that the Perseans were neuer buried vntyll Fowles of the ayre and Dogges should eate some part therof The Massagetes thought it most infamous that any of their fréends should die by sicknesse but if the parentes waxed olde the children and the next kinsmen they had should kyll them and being kylled to eate them vp supposing that their fleshe was more méete for them to eate than of wormes or any other beastes to bée deuoured The people called Tibareni those that they loued best in youth those woulde they hang in age Euen so the Albans certaine inhabitants about mount Caucasus thought it vnlawfull for any to care for the deade but straight buried them as the Nabathaeans doe burie their kinges and and rulers in dunghilles The buriall of the Parthians was nothing else but to commend them vnto beastes of the fielde and foules of the ayre The Nasomones when they burie their friendes they sette them in the graue sitting But of all cruell dealings the Caspians and the Hircanians wich kil their parents their wiues their brethren their kinsemen friends and put them in the hie waye halfe quicke halfe deade for to be deuoured of birdes and beastes The fashion custome with the Issidones rude people of some part of Scithia as Plini in his fourth booke affirmeth is to call their neyghbours and friendes togither where the dead lie and there merili● singing and banqueting they eate the fleshe of the deade and make the skull of the deade a drinking cuppe all couered with golde to drink with all Againe the people called Hyperborei thinke no better graue for their friendes when they be olde then to bring them to some hie banke of water or great rocke and thence after much feasting eating and drinking in the middest of their mirth their owne friends throw them downe vnto the water headlong To séeke and to search histories to manye such burials might be founde amongst such rude and beastly nations Notwithstanding in diuers regions so estéemed that the greatest infamie the seuerest punishment was for any offender was not to be buried this the Athenians vsed towarde those that were traytours to theyr countrey And the Egiptians if any lyued a misse he shoulde be caried dead to the wildernesse to be deuoured of wild beastes The Perseās likewise brought y e bodies of men condemned to be eaten of dogges The Lybians thinke them most worthy of solemne buriall that died eyther in warrs or were kyld by wyld beastes The Macedonians had great care in burning the dead souldiers that died in fielde Amongst the Gentiles there were certaine daies appointed for mourning after the death of their frends Licurgus lawe amongst the Lacedemonians was that they shoulde mourne but eleuen daies Numa Pompilius decréed that the children after their parentes death the wiues their husbands c. shoulde mourne tenne monethes though by the Senatours it was enacted at the warres in Canna that the Romans shoulde mourne but thirtie dayes Amongst the Egiptians they had a custome to mourne after theyr kinges thréescore and twelue dayes but generallye the most custome was to bewayle the dead nine daies In some places mourning was forbidden at their buriall as at Athens by the lawe of Solon in Locretia in Thracia in Cous in Libia and in diuers other places The diuersitie of mourning was such that amongst the Gréekes they shaued their heades and beardes and threwe it to the graue with the deade Amongst the Lacedemonians when the kinges of Sparta died certaine horsemen were appoynted to trauayle ouer all the whole kingdome certefiyng the death of the king and the women in euery cittie doe beate their brasen pottes and make great heauye noyse for the same The Egyptians doe mourne after this sort they rent their clothes they shut their temples they eate no meate they sméere theyr faces with dirt and thus abstaining from washing their faces thrée score and twelue dayes they lament and bewayle the death of their kinges and friendes The Carthagineans cut their heares of mangle their faces beate their breastes The Macedonians likewise shaue their heares to mourne the death of their fréendes as wée reade of Archelaus king of Macedonia who shaued his heares at the buriall of his friende Euripides The Argiues the Siracusans accompany the dead to the graue in white clothes be spotted with watter and claie The Matrones of Rome threw of their fine apparell their ringes and cheynes and did weare
inuented in Créete for the souldiours to exercise them selues in armes wherein hée taught diuers iestures and sundry shiftes in moouings whence first procéeded much the vse of warres this was a kinde of dauncyng in armes as Dionis● Hali. in his seuenth booke saith which was of the people called Curetes mainteyned in the memory of Pirrhus Licaon likewise inuented other kinde of playes where naked men contrarye vnto Pirrhus games did vse feates Diuers others were had in great estimation in Gréece made and inuented by seuerall men but the first inuentour of mirth was as Diodorus saith Mercurius which onely was inuented to recreate the people and to practize agilitie and feates of bodyes Others there were of lesse name but of as great mirth as diuers kindes of playing at the Ball which is an auncient game as it seemeth in Vergil it was much vsed sometime amongst the Troyans for when Aeneas incontinent after the destruction of the Cittie of Troye came vnto Italy where hée first taught skipping and frisking at the Ball before hée maryed Lauinia King Latinus daughter the youth of Troy had playing at the Ball for their chéefe mirth and recreation and at this day much vsed in diuers countreys Againe for further recreation they vsed sundrye kindes of Dice playes Herodotus doth witnesse that the olde and auncient Lidians did first finde out the Dice and Ball though Plini doth report that one named Pythus first founde the play at the Ball but for the certainetie thereof sith so many kinde of Balles bée and the playing likewise so variable both Plini and Herodotus may well agrée for the people of Lydia at a certaine time being oppressed with great dearth and sore plagued with hunger they inuented then diuers kindes of diceplay as Herodotus sayde to passe the time in playing and to forget hunger for they fed one day they came togither the second daye to playe thus eating a little one daye to satisfie nature they played the seconde daye to auoyde hunger Againe there was amongst the ancient Gréekes a play muche like vnto our Cheasse play which one Zerxes a wiseman first inuented to warne a tyrannous Prince which he then serued to auoyde his tyranny to let him vnderstande by his playe that a Prince ought to watch and to vse his subiectes as his force and strength euen as the playe is in moouing the Pawnes the Knightes the Bishops for the defence and bulwarkes of the king that as the player I meane Zerxes did shew his maister the King the effect of the play howe the king was preserued by playing wisely of the men lest they bée lost so the tiraunt him selfe vnderstoode by the play of Zerxes how daungerous that Prince is that vseth not well his subiects that will not discréetly sée and watche for their commodities whiche is the Princes safetie Another play was vsed then in Gréece either vpon the Dice or els closelye in hande called euen and odde This playe came from Gréece vnto Rome in the time of Augustus Caesar the seconde Emperour of Rome as Suetonius doth write in the life of Augustus where the Emperour Augustus wrote a letter vnto his daughter in Rome after this sort Daughter I sende thée two hundred fiftye pence which I geue amongst thy ghestes to play after Supper the Gréeke play called euen and not euen whether they will at Dice or cloase in hande Lottes likewise were much vsed for recreation and mirth with diuers other sundry games and playes to recreate the minde of man which both the Gréekes and Gentiles did practize then aswell to trye their wittes as also to vse pastime and mirth to drawe company togither to be mery I leaue the Gréekes a while and wyll something speake of the Romane pastimes and sportes which in nothing were inferiour to the Gréekes but rather excelled Gréece all the worlde in all qualities And lest I shoulde séeme tedious I will speake of no more but of foure principall games correspondent vnto the Gréekes and coequall vnto their number The first called Lupercalia brought out of Arcadia by Euander sacrificed vnto Pan vpon mount Palentine And as Siluanus doth write the sacrifices were made in the Moneth of February after this sort by Euander the first inuentor thereof The youngmen of Rome shoulde gather together euery one bearing in his hande a scurge or a whip made of Goates skinnes running one vnto another and hée that was most swift of foote escaped stripes for euery one should runne vnto another in order euery one his length before the other and thus they made them swifter in running by reason of his stripes for hée that was ouertaken by the way was sure to spéede Euery man ranne naked to this ende that they might vse to be swift The women likewise thinkyng thereby to become more fruitfull and fertill offered them selues wyllyngly to receaue stripes These scurges and whippes that they had in their handes made such ratling noyse by reason they were made of drie skinnes that it made him that ran before to straine him selfe hearing the noyse and fearing the stripes The seconde game that the Romanes vsed was called Circenses as some say sprong vp first amongst the Romanes them selues a place appointed by Rome enuironed about with huge strong walles Here all kindes of pastime and sportes were vsed running with Horses and fighting on Horsebacke in the one ende in the middest the champions were placed in armes a foote to fight in the other ende wrastlers leapers runners and such like games were appointed so that the place was framed accordingly long and large that they might haue roome enough in both endes and in the middest This was the chiefe and the auncientest play amongst the Romanes sauyng Saturnalia this sport did Ianus which then did raigne togither with Saturnus as Macrobius saith inuent and frame in memory and monumentes of Saturnus his fellowe This play was celebrated in the moneth of december with such mirth pleasure and pastime that it far surmounted all other In this moneth of December euery man saluted his friende with rewardes tokens presentes or with anye treasure that they had to pleasure one another And because all things were common in Saturnus time and called the golden worlde there was such mirth vsed as woulde make some men of this time i●lous to sée it I beléeue none of this age would bée content to sée his seruaunt in bedde with his wife which in Saturnus time was tollerable Some say this play sprong first among the Pelagians some againe affirme that it began amongst the Athenians but how and where it began first in other countreys it is no matter but in Rome it was first framed and inuented by Ianus The fourth play amongst the Romanes was then called Gladiatoria where the youth of Rome came to learne how to behaue them selues among the enemies In this play shoulde they fight one with another
Tiber the Dogge was séene as Fulgotius sayth to doe what hée coulde to lift vp his maysters heade out of the water thinking his mayster had béene aliue At what time Pirrhus subdued the Citie of Argos there was in that warres an Elep●ant which after he perceyued that his Mayster was slaine went vp and downe amongst the deade souldiours to séeke his Mayster which being founde deade the Elephant brought his bodie being deade to a safe place where the Elephant after much mourning died for sorow The like Examples we reade in Plini of horses and specially of thrée the one Alexander the great King of Macedonia hadde the seconde Iulius Caesar Emperour of Rome hadde the third Antiochus king of Siria had These thrée noble Horses suffred no man to ride or touch them but their owne maisters and so gentle vnto them that they kneled to let them mount on their backes Thus beastes beare fancie vnto men obey and loue men most true and trustie vnto men and such loue as neyther Seleucus to his sonne Antigonus or Pericles to his sonne Parialus nor in Socrates to his sonne Lamproces did neuer shewe How gentle was a Woolfe vnto king Romulus to nourish him in spite of his Grandefather Amulius How louing was a Beare vnto Alexander to bring him vp against his fathers will King Priamus How kinde was a Bitch vnto King Cirus to foster him vnwares vnto his Grandefather king Astiages The Bées came vnto Plato his Cradle to féede him with honye being an infant The little Antes brought greynes to féede king Mydas being likewise in his Cradle O what is man sayde the Prophet Dauid that thou art so mindefull of him that thou hast brought all thinges in subiection vnto him beastes of the fielde foules of the ayre and fishes of the Seas all thinges made to feare and to loue him and yet hée neyther to feare God nor to loue himselfe Wée reade in Q. Curtius of an Elephant that King Porus of India hadde which Alexander the great tooke captiue afterward when this Elephant sawe the King first hée knéeled downe and shewed such honour and homage as was marueylous to the beholders It is reade in Caelius of a king in Egipt named Merthes that had a Crowe taught to carie his letters any where that y e king would commaunde hir she knew where to flie and to whome she was sent how to deliuer the letters and how to bring aunswere in writing whome againe Plini doth write that a Nighting-gale loued Stesicorus so well that it woulde alwayes sing at the becke of Stesicorus to pleasure him Heraclides the Philosopher had a Dragon taught to followe him euery where Aiax likewise had in Locresia a Serpent taught and brought vp to honour him as his mayster Agrippina the Empresse and wife vnto Claudian had a Thrush that neuer departed from hir during the Empresse life Plini hath in his booke of naturall histories infinite such example to proue the loue that all moouing creatures doe owe and shew vnto man as the wilde Bull in Tarentum the raging Beare in Daunia which Pithagoras so tamed that all places al countries al persons were sure safe from any damage or hurt by these wild beasts This cōmeth by no vertue that is in man but only by that which god made for man that all liuing creatures feare man and loue man So that if comparisons be made it shall be euident that there hath béene more loue in beastes towardes man than in man towardes man yea then brother vnto brother than the husbande to the wife or the wife toward hir husbande considering the nature of man and beast togither ¶ Certen ethical Arithmologies drawne out of deuine and prophane auctorities AMongst other examples of mans life I thought it chiefly necessarie to note fewe Arithmologies which Salomon the wise and Ihesus the sonne of Syrach with other learned writers haue amongst theyr chiefe writinges noted And bycause they are deuided innumbers for the ease of memorie and for the delectation of minde the rather worthie they are of the reading very pleasaunt and very necessarie vnto any godly wise and discréete man to be marked and first from the wise sayings of Salomon these examples are to be reade as foloweth There are sixe things which God hateth and the seuenth hée vtterly abhorreth Lusting eyes a deceitfull tongue handes embrewed with blood féete swift to commit euyll a heart that imagineth wickednesse false witnesse and he that s●weth debate amongst brethren There are also thrée things neuer satisfied and the fourth neuer saith ho A woman that is vntemperate the earth that is drie hell is neuer satisfied and the fire hath neuer Wood enough There be likewise thrée thinges that maye not bée knowen and the fourth no man is able to vnderstande The steppes of an Eagle fléeyng in the ayre the way of a Serpent ouer a rock the path of a Ship in the Sea and the life of a young man in his youth For thrée things the earth is often plagued and the fourth is vntollerable When a seruaunt is made lord ouer his Maisters substaunce when a foole is pampered with all kinde of meates when a woman is addicted to filthy lust and when a handmayde is made heire vnto her Maistresse Thrée things pleaseth both God and man Concord betwéene brethren amitie betwéene neighbours and a man and his wife that agréeth well together Thrée things againe cleane contrarye displeaseth both God and man A poore man proude a riche man a lyer and an olde man that doteth in his latter yeres Two things saith Syrach troubleth my minde and the thirde maketh me angry When wisemen are despised when expert souldiours are in pouerty when a man declineth from vertue vnto vice And thus farre of Salamon and Sirach Now to passe orderly vnto prophane auctorities where the like sentences are noted Thrée things can neuer want due commendations Good wine when it is dronke a wise sentence when it is spoken and a good man in aduersities Two things can suffer no equality Loue and principalitie It is hurtfull to make haste vnto foure places Unto a fray vnto a drunken company vnto a feast vnbidden and vnto talke with a foole Foure things hurt much the sight of man Teares smoke winde and the worst of all to sée his fréendes vnlucky and his foes happy Take héede that thou mooue nor stirre these that folow A murtherer a hasty tongued man a woman that is willyng to play the drab and a horse that runneth mainly in a daungerous place Trust not to much fiue things lest thou bée deceaued A straunge Dogge an vnknowen horse a talkatiue woman a bragging seruant and a holow banck Be not angry in no wise with thrée thinges With the trueth with good counsell and with crowing of the Cock in the morning to stirre thée from too much sléepe There are amongst men thrée kinde of men very gréeuous He that is arrogant in drinke
so straunge and so maruailous was it to heare or to see any idle man in Athens The people called Massiliēses would suffer no trauailers neither Pilgrime nor Sacrificer nor any other straunger to come within their Citie lest vnder colour of religion or of pilgrime thei might corrupte the youthe of the citie with the sight thereof to be idle The Indians had a lawe made by their wisemen named Gimnosophist that after their meate was set on the table the youth should be examined what thei had doen for their meat what pain what labour vsed thei that whole mornyng before if thei could make accoumpte of their trauaill thei should goe to dinner but if thei had béen idle thei should haue no meate without thei deserued the same with some kind of exercise either of bodie or of minde The like did the young men of Argis made accoumpte vnto their Magistrates of their occupations and workes of their trauaill and paine Euen the Areopagites as Valerius affirmeth did imitate the Athenias in makyng decrees in settyng of orders in commaundyng their youthe to auoide Idlenesse and exercise trauaile then moste necessarie vnto any common wealth the other moste daungerous So that some Countreis are naturally giuen to trauaill as the Lidians Phrigians Frenche men with others Some againe giuen to Idlenesse as the Persians Corinthians Englishemen with others Some by lawe forced to flie idlenes some by punishemente feared some by death enforced to labour for their liuyng Thus this Monster Idlenesse is beaten euery where and yet embraced in moste places euery man speake against idlenesse and yet a nomber is in loue with it magistrates and officers appoincted to punishe it but yet thei after fauour it ¶ Of wrath and anger and the hurts thereof THe famous and noble Philosopher Plato did charge his Scholers alwaies beyng in anger or wrathe to beholde them selues in a glasse wher they might see suche alteration of countenaunce pale in colour tremblyng handes foltred tongues staring eies In fine voide of witte depriued of reason and beyng before reasonable men now brutishe beastes Wherfore that greate Philosopher perceiuyng the furious and hastie nature of Alexander wrote from Athens vnto India where this noble conquerour was at warres with kyng Po●us to take hede of wrath and anger saiyng Anger ought not to be in any Prince towarde his inferiour for that may be mended with correction nor towarde his equall for it maie bee redressed with power so that anger ought not to be but against superiours but Alexander hat no coequales yet in vaine was Aristotles doctrine vnto Alexander in that point for beyng in a banquet when Clitus his deere frende and foster brother commended his father kyng Philip of Macedone to bee the worthiest and most renoumed prince then liuyng Alexander waxed vpon a sudden so angrie to preferre anie man before hym though Philip was his owne brother which was commended and Clitus his especiall frende that did commende hym thinkyng rather to deserue praise at Alexander hand then to spead of death was thrust vnto the harte with a Speare So hastie was this prince that Calisthenes and Lismachus the one his philospher and councelour the other his companion and frende for fewe wordes spoken either of theim slain Silence saith Aristotle is the surest reward vnto a prince And beyng sory afterward angrie withall y t he had likewise kild himself had not Anaxarchus y e philosopher staied perswaded hym We reade that king Tigranes of Armenia whom Pompeius the greate did conquere after waxed so angrie by a fall from his horse bicause his sonne was present and could not preuent his fathers fall thrust hym in his anger with his Dagger vnto the hearte Anger in a prince saieth Salamon is death terrible is the coūtenaunce of a kyng when he is oppressed with wrath hurtfull vnto many odious vnto all is the anger therof Nero was so furious in anger that he neuer hearde any thyng if it were not to his liking but he would requite one waie or other with death in so muche in his rage and anger he would often throwe doune Tables beyng at dinner cuppes of Golde wrought with pearles againste the walles dasht fling meate and drinke awaie more like vnto a furious Gorgone of hell then a sober Emperour in Rome Suche furie raigneth in anger that Orestes Agamemnons soonne slue his mother sodenly in his wrath Clitemnestra Such madnes raigneth in anger that Aiax Thelamonius that famous and valiaunte Gréeke after that Achilles was slaine in the Temple of Pallas by Paris at the destruction of Troie waxed so madde and angrie bicause he might not haue Achilles harnes which was geuen before to Vlixes that he beate Stones blockes fought with dead trées killed beastes thinkyng to méete with Vlixes amongest them If anger make men murtherers if wrath make mē mad without wit or reason to know themselues or others let theim imitate Plato in his anger which being angrie with any of his scholers or seruantes would geue the rod to Xenocrates to correcte theim for that he was angrie the learned Philosopher misdoupted himself that he coulde not vse modest correction euen so Architas would alwaies speak vnto his seruauntes whiche had offended hym Happie art thou that Architas is angrie lettyng his man vnderstande howe dangerous wrath is for as Aristotle saieth the angrie man seeth not the thyng which lieth vnder his féete ▪ Agustus Caesar Emperour of Rome desired Athenedorus a philosopher of Gréece whiche a long time accompanied Augustus in Rome and nowe readie to departe vnto Athens his natiue zoile of some sentence that the emperour might thinke of him The philosopher tooke a penne and wrote in a little Table this sentence Caesar when thou arte moued to anger speake nothyng vntill thou haste recited the Gréekes Alphabets a worthy lesson and a famous sentēce well worthie to be learned of all men There is nothyng or what can bee more vgglie to beholde more terrible to looke vnto then mans face when he is angrie and the more to be feared for that he hath no rule ouer him self All the painters of Persea had much to do to drawe in colours the terrible countenaunce and firie face of Queene Semiramis who like Maegera or Medusa grime Gorgons and frettyng furies of hell when she hearde that her Citie of Babilon was besiedged of the enemies beyng then dressyng of her head came with heares hangyng and fléeyng in the winde half amazed of the newes vnto babilon whose vglie and fearefull image most like vnto hir at that time stoode as long as Babilon continued as a monument and a terrible mirrour to maruaile at Wee reade of the like historie of Olimpias whose anger was suche when she thought of hir sonne Alexander she streight waies like a ragyng Lion or a cruell Tiger digged vp the bodie of Iola Alexanders taster who was thought to be
Pazaites king of the Turkes Zerxes called all the Princes of Asia in his voyage towarde Gréece where such tiranny was vsed that not onely Citties and countries were destroyed but also their Temples and their Goddes neglected and spoyled The huge tiranny betwixt King Darius of Persea and Milciades Prince of Athens who slue a hundred thousande of Darius men The slaughter of King Cirus after he hadde exiled his Grandfather King Astiages from Persea vanquished the Babilonians and ouerthrew Cressus King of Lydia after hée had I say subdued the most part of Asia ceased not of his tirannie vntill hée came to Scythia where hée and two hundred thousand were slaine of one woman Tomiris Quéene of Scythia who after shée hadde slaine him shée caused his heade to be cut off and made it to be bathed in a great Tunne of bloode saying these wordes nowe Cirus drinke ynough of that which thou hast alwayes sore thirsted for Blood doth require blood and tyranny will haue cruelnesse Antiochus fomed in tiranny brought in subiectiō Egypit India with other confines Hanniball excelled all men in tyranny as both Rome and Italy can well testifie thereof To speake of King Philippe and his sonne Alexander the great their tyranny their conquest and bloodie wars it were superfluous as Thessalia Thebes Larissa Olinthians Phoceans Lacedemonians Athenians Perseans and Indians all Asia are witnesse thervnto Pirrhus Antigonꝰ Pompeiꝰ the great with infinite moe bloody Kinges and Capitaines which more reioyced with tyranny to offende others then with iustice to defende their owne For the triumphes of cruell Capitaines is to ioye in tyrannie the wishe and desire of the vngodly tyraunt is to destroy all thirstie alwayes of bloode hungrie continually of murther and slaughter What wished Caligula the Emperour to his owne Cittie of Rome forsooth one necke that with one stroke hée might strike it of The difference betwixt a gentle and a godly Prince and a cruell tiraunt is and hath béene alwayes séene King Codrus of Athens how farre excelled hée cruell Caligula when by an Oracle it was tolde vnto the Athenians that they shoulde neuer haue victory during the life of Codrus their King which when the king knewe hée clothed him like a common souldiour nay rather as the historie sayth like a poore begger went vnto the middest of his enimies to be slaine to saue Athens Howe much did noble Curtius and famous Decius surmount that cruell and Tigrishe L. Silla and that wicked impe C. Mariꝰ they through the like Oracle moued were redie in harnesse to mount on horsebacke to offer themselues aliue vnto an open dampe and gulfe to saue Rome the other with sworde and fire no lesse willing to destroy Rome then studious to spoyle their natiue zoyle and countrie of Italie Againe Thrasibulus was not so beneficiall vnto Athens but Cateline was as hurtefull vnto Rome Diuers Princes and noble men haue béene no lesse studious howe to kéepe and defende their countries than they were loth and vnwilling to trespasse other countries Happy were those places and most happy are they that spéede of such Princes Howe famous was Thebes while Epaminondas liued How renowmed was Sparta while yet Agesilaus ruled Howe happie was Rome when Fabius Maximus bare swaye Howe florished Athens when Pericles with his magnanimitie when Themistocles with his worthinesse when Demosthenes with his wisdome defended their state The vertuous liues of godly Emperours which time aduaunced to fame and fame spread ouer the whole worlde as of Traian Constantine Augustus Alexander Seuerus with others which were to be honored and worthylye hadde in memorie The cruell tirannye of other wicked magistrates which neyther time can take awaye nor any good nature forgette as that very shape of shame sinck of sinne that beaste Heliogobalus that tiraunt Nero that monster Caligula with Domitian Dionisius and others which are to be detested and vtterly lothed Laertius in his thirde booke doth write that the people of Agineta had a lawe written that if any of Athens should come vnto their great Cittie Agni hée should by lawe loose his heade When Plato the Philosopher hadde happened to come to that Cittie it was tolde Carmendius who then was chiefe Iudge for that yere that a man of Athens was in Aeginia which ought by lawe to die he calling Plato before him in a great assembly demaunded what he was and he sayde a Philosopher a certen enuious man vnto learning hearing the name of a Philosopher sayde this is no man but a beast then sayde Plato I ought to be frée by our law being a beast and not a man and so pleaded the matter that by the name of a beast Plato was demissed appliyng the sence and morall thereof that with tyrauntes and enuious people beastes are better estéemed then men Such is the furious rage of tyranny that without mercie and respect of person hée féedeth his furie King Atreus brother to Thiestes and sonne to King Pelops slue without pittie the thrée sonnes of hys brother Thiestes whose bloode hée caused Thiestes his brother and their father to drinke vnawares I say after he hadde hidden their bodyes in a caue he cut of their members and made their father to eate thereof The like Historie we reade in Iustine that king Astiages made Harpagus to eate his owne children dressed readie and made to be serued at the Kinges table in two siluer dishes before Harpagus the father Of which as one ignoraunt of such tiranny hée fedde thereof Mithridates the bloodie king of Pontus slue his thrée sonnes and thrée daughters kilde hys wife Laodices and maried an other straight named Hipsicratea Tiranny lurcketh in the hidden vaines and secret bowels of enuie for euen as Mithridates slue his wife Laodices so Constantine the great Emperor slue his wife Fausta and Nero murthered his wife Poppea To speake of Cleander Aristratus Strates Sabillus with innumerable more I shoulde wearie any reader with the prolixity therof The state of Rome where such chaunge was by meanes of tiranny that now they raigne vnder Monarchia and then vnder streight Aristocratia And thus the common séeking by chaunge the amendement of Princes kept alwayes the chiefe rule and gouernement of the Cittie of Rome vnder Democratia which is the popular gouernement considering the corruption of Princes to the immortall fame and perpetuitie of credite Though it be a harde question to knowe where tirannye is least shewed eyther in that common welth where the people bare swaye or where elected number doe rule or where one doth gouerne which is hardely discussed and disputed of the learned for the maintenaunce of eyther of these but that shall be touched in the Chapter of common wealthes and gouernement of Princes ¶ Of flattery FLatterie is the swéete bayte of enuie the cloake of malice the onelye pestilence of the worlde a monster ougly to beholde if it coulde be séene
wide worlde was as riche as he and there after long bragges of his Kyngdomes and vaine ostentations of wealthe an aunswere was made vnto hym by Apollo out of the secrete place of the Temple that Aglaus a poore manne of the Countrey of Arcadia was farre richer and more fortunate then he was Thus are thei mooste misers noted of wise men hauing all thinges and yet hauyng nothyng for that thei are neuer contented with any thynge When Alcibiades had muche bragged of his fortune wealth and substaunce boasted very muche of his landes in Athens a certaine Philosopher shewed a little Table wherein the whole Countrey of Athens was described in a verie little roume desiryng Alcibiades to shewe hym there his liuynges and landes in Athēs whiche when Alcibiades mighte not nor could in any wise shewe the same No more saied the wise Philopher can any coueteous manne shewe any parte of his substance for that thei haue nothyng though thei haue muche Thus Craesus and Giges though thei wer most wealthie kynges in Lidia yet wer thei both by Apollo and Solon adiudged misers So odious was vsurie and coueteousnes that when it was demaūded of Cato the wise what vsurie was he answered what is to murther a man It robbeth and killeth poore men it murthereth innocentes This is that false felowe that wil sell all thinges with Simō This is he that wil betray Christ with Iudas To this it is saied that soner a Camell shal go through the eye of a Nedle then he should goe vnto heauen Wherefore the memorie of death is better to hym that hath pleasure in possessions ¶ Of Prodigalitie and Dronkennes THE greate delight the Epicureal felicitie that Princes haue had in excesse of eatyng and drinkyng from tyme to tyme in all places are not onely in prophane Histories regestred but also in Deuine Scriptures ▪ mencioned The Poetes make songes of prodigall Princes the Histriographers defame theim the Philosophers abhorre their companie howe could the Poet Sidonius omit the prodigal draught of Cleopatra Quéene of Aegypt without a song howe might Plinie forget the sumptuous excesse of the Empresse Poppea without a taunt How should Martiall let passe the impudencie of proude Bassa without worthy scoffes of hir too muche prodigalitie The first preparyng a banquet to hir frende and louer Antonius where one dishe of meate stoode hir in two hundred thousande Crownes The seconde so sumptuous and prodigal to set showes of glisteryng Gold vnder hir Horses feete The thirde most proude and impudent to appoint vessels of Gold wrought with Precious stoanes to receaue hir excrementes in stead of hir stoole of ease Their sumptuous prodigalitie excesse and pride must not be vnspoken to shewe the horror therof as an example to other proud prodigall Princes Therefore to matche these sumptuous Ladies I wil trauel no further then the citie of Rome where thrée Emperours one succéedyng in a maner the other not onely comparable to these dainty dames but farre surmountyng theym in eche respect Caligula the only Dregges and Faex of Emperours and Princes for prodigalitie and excesse spending and spoilyng the whole reuenewes of the Empire of Rome vpon Hoores and Queanes a Sacriledge of churches a spoiler of the Citie a robber of all the Countrey so filthy was this Emperour so odious for his excesse that hee wished that all Rome had but one necke that hee with one stroke might strike of the head to the end he might haue to suffice his prodigalitie his Actes perticulerly to touch it were tedious for he neuer did a good tourne to the Citie of Rome The seconde Nero surnamed the tyraunt Caligula his sisters sonne moste like his owne sonne for that he was knowen to be nought with Agrippina his sister Neros mother this Emperour past Caligula his vnckle in all excesse of glotonie and dronkennes wasting spendyng with strumpets and queanes consuming daie night with riotous and infamous persons vsing the cōpanie of Minstrels frequentyng feastinges and banquets accompanyng the felowship of Theues and Tyrauntes that Nero hymselfe was called the firebrande of Rome The thirde Heliogabalus the verie sincke of shame the onely rotten member of the worlde who past all the slaues of the world in prodigalitie tearyng all to péeces in brauery Precious clothes commaundyng Nauies to sink before his face in the riuer of Tyber his house with all precious odours and sweetnes his Galeries strowed ouer with Saffron his Stoole of Gold his Chamber pottes of Onix stoan his Slippers wrought with precious Margarites I will omitte to speake of his monstrous lecherie of his cruell tyranny of other prodigious and terrible actes but let the learned reade Suetonius of Heliogabalus life let the vnlearned iudge of his life by his death who beyng kilde on a Iakes and throwen to the Riuer Tiber lest any ofspryng might succéede hym the Citizins of Rome through his mother Scemides aliue to beare hym companie for that shee brought vp suche a Gulfe of mischief I am amazed to thynk wherin the wide world I might finde his mate bicause that all writers doe agree that in excesse and dronkennesse only for that fault Alexander the great the conquirour of the whole worlde is much defamed I am vrged amongest so many vertues that Alexander had this onely filthy and abhominable vice to note wherin he had great delight makyng certen garlands and braue Crownes of Gold appointyng greate gifts and rewardes for them that excelled in drinkyng Calanus when he should die at the gorgeous pompe of his funerall and solemne exequies he desired Alexander to make a memoriall of his death by some sacrifice of drinkyng whiche Alexander accomplished made three Garlands of pure golde the best valued lxxx poundes The seconde .xxx. Pounde The thirde .x. Pounde And then prepared a sumptuous feaste with suche Diriges of drinkyng for Calanus that Alexander wan the beste and first Garlande Promachus the seconde ▪ The third a hundred made claime by lawe Thus Alexander hauyng such felicitie in dronkennesse Androcides a gentleman of Greece wrote vnto Alexander being in Babilon perceiuing the prone and propensed mind of this Prince to win a letter wherein was a Table written one with this little Sentence in letters of Golde Remember Alexander when thou doest drink wine that thou doest drinke the blood of the yearth he neuer hurted any but in his wine famous in al things infamous in that exteemed and honoured of all in all thinges lothed and abhorred in that thyng in all the world Such crueltie he shewed in dronkennesse that hee slue his owne sisters brother Clitus killed Calisthenes his philosopher and councelour murthered his deere frende Lisimachus Cambises kyng of Persea and Father vnto Cirus the greate suche tyrannie he woulde commit in dronkennesse as beyng either spoken or counceled hee woulde rewarde with death and tormentes At what tyme Praxaspes one of his councelours willed hym to abstaine from wine