saith Saint Bernard is of his belly the Lechers of his lust and the Couetous mans of his gold And Saint Augustine By Liberalitie mens vices are couered but by Couetousnesse they are layd open to the world Ardua res haec est opibus non tradere mores Et cum tot Croesos viceris esse Numam i. A difficult thing it is for any man that is rich not to submit his minde and affections vnto his money and passing many a Croesus in wealth to beare a modest temperature with Numa It is better to be the Sheepe than the Sonne of an auaritious man saith Diegenes the one he loueth and tendreth for the increase the other he neglecteth and hateth for the expence Though according to Apollonius the common excuse of the rich man is That he gathereth and hoordeth for the vse of his children so insatiate is his desire as being neuer satisfied that the obtaining of what he would haue is but the beginning to him of the desire of hauing According to that of Boëthius lib. 2. Metr 2. Si quantas rapidis flatibus incitus Pontus versat Arenas c. If with so many sands as seas vp cast When they are stirr'd with some tempestuous blast Or wert thou furnisht as the skies with starres When neither fog nor cloud their lustre barres Or wert thou by th' abundant horne of Plenty Supply'd with all things leauing no place empty Yet humane nature couetous of gaine Would not forbeare to murmur and complaine Although to it heav'ns liberall hand should lend More gold than it could study how to spend Though Honour grace the name and Pride the backe 'T will say all 's little something yet doth lacke Gaping Desire vncircumscrib'd by Lawes Still yawnes with open and vnsatiate jawes What bridle or what curbe can we then finde To restraine this rapacitie of minde Whenas the more we drink the more we thirst Our aime to get is greater than at first Such pest in mans vnlimited nature breeds That still the more he hath the more he needs Auarice is defined to be a vice in the soule much like vnto a Dropsie in the body by which a man coueteth per fas nefas to extort from others without right or reason And againe violently and injustly it with-holdeth from others what truly belongeth vnto them without equitie or conscience It is also a penurious and niggardly sparing to giue but a readinesse nay greedinesse to receiue whatsoeuer is brought neuer examining whether it be well or ill attained Vsurie and Extortion bred from Auarice saith one makes the Nobleman morgage his lands the Lawyer pawne his Littleton the Physition sel his Galen the Souldier his sword the Merchant his Ship and the World it 's peace This hellish Vice in mine opinion is as bitterly reproued as ingeniously obserued by Petronius Arbiter in one of his Satyrs Part of his words be these Orbemjam totum victor Romanus habebat Qua mare quaterrae qua sidus currit vtrumque The Roman Victor had the whole world won As far as seas flow or the earth doth run Or either Pole could from aboue suruey Yet with all this not sated was but they The Ocean must with burden'd Ships oppresse Wandring in toilesome search where they could guesse Any remote place was If they were told It yeelded Mines and they might fetch thence gold And now although they were in league before Hostilitie's proclaim'd and for that Oare Arm'd Vessels rigg'd all dangers are held good To purchase wealth howeuer bought with bloud Pleasures in vse are sleighted because knowne We doat on forrein things despise our owne And in another place to the like purpose Nor is lesse rapine in the campe for there Generals when they of gaine and profit heare Fly to the noise and madly snatch at gold Nay ev'n the Roman people's to be sold The very seats on which the Patriots sit In open Court are bought nor can we quit Old men from Auarice since each one striues Vertue once free to binde in golden gyues Pow'rs turne to prey and Place to purchase pelfe There 's nothing free scarce Maiestie it selfe Couetousnesse robbeth a man of the title of Gentry because it together delighteth it selfe in sordid Ignobilitie Vsurie the eldest and most fruitfull-breeding daughter of old Auarice was so much at one time despised and hated in Rome that Appian in his first booke of Ciuill warres commemorateth vnto vs That there was a great penaltie imposed vpon any noble Citisen who would shew himselfe so degenerate as to contract her for it is said of her That she bringeth forth her children before they be begotten besides she is most hated of those whom shee seemeth most to gratifie And according to that of the Poet Turpia Lucra Faenoris velox Inopes vsura trucidat The filthy and base gaine of Increase and the swift returne of Vsurie murdereth the Poore and Needy But I am confident that whosoeuer he be that shall grinde the faces of the Poore in this world the Diuell shall grate vpon his bones in the world to come O but saith one Gold guideth the globe of the earth and Couetousnesse runnes round about the Centre Auri sacra fanes quid non This putteth me in remembrance of the Poet Balbus which lately came to my hand and I haue read thus Aurum cuncta movet superi flectuntur ab Auro Gaudet Aurato Iupiter ipse Thoro. Which as neere as I can I haue thus faithfully rendred Gold can do all things gods with it are fed And Iove himselfe lies in a golden bed With Gold the Temples shine the Altars too In it men trust for it can all things doo Gold helps in Peace is preualent in Warres It raiseth Armies it compoundeth jarres The Romuleian Patriots redeem'd With Gold their Capitoll 'T is so esteem'd And beares with it such potencie and sway That vnto it Aire Earth and Seas obey What other high Pow'r need we loue or feare Pallas away and Iuno come not neare Mars hence◠Diana with thy modest looke Come not in sight thy presence wee 'l not brooke Gold only dwells in Temples and doth raigne And at it's Altars are fat Offrings slaine He that hath Gold the very Starres may buy And can the gods leade in captiuity Gold raiseth War and Discord can appease It plowes deepe furrowes in the vnknowne seas It breakes downe Citadels such pow'r it claimes And folds vp Cities in deuouring flames Take Gold away the yong Maid would not be So soone depriv'd of her Virginitie Take Gold away yong men would be more stay'd And their indulgent Parents more obey'd Take Gold away sincere Faith would be vow'd Yong wiues more chaste and Matrons be lesse proud Youth would not be to Fashion so deuote Nor Age on Riches more than Vertue dote Yet hath it a pow'r op'ratiue to infuse Raptures and Enthusiasma's to the Muse. To giue vs Gold would any be so kinde A golden veine he in our Verse should
delude man and draw him from the worship of the true God The Image of AEsculapius honored among the Epidaurians and after brought to Rome as one of the twelue tables testifieth was with a Greeke Inscription long kept in the Family of the Maffaeans and wrought diuers strange wonders I will for breuities sake expresse but one or two of them and those verbatim by transcription from Hieronimus Mercurialis a learned Physitian In those daies saith he one Cato a Roman brought this word to a blind man from the Oracle That he should present himselfe before the altar of that Image and there kneeling should remooue himselfe from the left side to the right and putting his fiue fingers first vpon the eyes of the Idoll and then vpon his owne hee should receiue his sight which was accordingly done amidst a great confluence of people who highly applauded the miracle Again one Iulian vomiting bloud continually and despairing of all humane helpe had answer from the Oracle That he should present himself before the altar of AEsculapius and to take thence the nuts of a Pine apple and eat them with honey for three daies together which doing he recouered his pristine health Diodorus Siculus makes mention of an oblation made to Gerion and Iolaus by the children of the Leontinians which whoso neglected was either strook with blindnesse deafnes numnesse lamenesse or the like but hauing performed all the ceremonies required at the Altar they instantly recouered their health againe In Castabula if we will beleeue Strabo there was a temple dedicated to Diana Persica to which all such virgins as vowed perpetuall chastity might familiarly walke vpon hot irons or tread vpon burning coles and neuer feele heate or fire The like he reporteth to be in the city of Feronia scituat at the foot of the mountaine Saractes where all the Votaresses belonging to that Shrine may do the like which shewes the malice and ambition of these malevolent Spirits which would vsurpe the power of the Almighty Besides their Oracles haue a great apparance of truth and for most part such as put any confidence in them they would take vnto their protection but the contemners of their superstitious rites they would seuerely punish Aristides a potent gouernor in Smyrna when a mighty and prodigious earthquake was neere at hand was fore-warned by the Image of Esculapius to go vp vnto the mountain Atis and there to offer sacrifice Which he accordingly did and was no sooner got vp to the middle part of the ascent but in the region below hapned such a terrible shake of the earth that villages and cities were demolished only the mountain Atis in which by that prediction he was secured felt at that time no such calamitie Plutarch and Liuy both write That Camillus hauing distrest the Veians made a solemne sacrifice to Iuno Veientana and besought her to be still propitious vnto the Romans saying further that if she so pleased they would transport her statue to Rome At which request the image opened her armes and embracing Camillus told him That with much willingnesse she accepted his deuotion The Athenians gaue diuine honour to Pan the god of sheepheards because meeting their Embassador Philippides in the Parthenian groues hee promised them his assistance in the great battell of Marathon fought against the Persians Cleomenes King of Sparta sacrificing to Iuno demanded what successe he should haue against the Argiues with whom he was at that time in opposition Whereupon a flame of fire suddenly issued from betwixt the breasts of the goddesse which omen was by the Haruspices or Soothsayers thus interpreted That hee should not wholly conquer the city he should surprise and consume with fire but the prime citadel he should not enter And so it hapned Annibal and Amilcar great Captains of the Carthaginian army besieging Agrigentum the souldiers ruined and demolished all the antient sepulchres that stood without the city to make their rampiers fortifications the better to secure themselues against the enemy within the city But comming neere vnto that famous monument in which Theron was interred and to leuel that as they had done the other the antient structure seemed to be touched with fire from heauen and many Daemons and spirits were seene not only to stand as champions in defence of the place but with vnresistable fury to set vpon and assault the whole army till the one halfe at least perished in the conflict among the rest Annibal himselfe expired To appease whose implacable fury Amilcar sacrificed an Infant to Saturne and cast certain priests from an high rocke precipitating them into the sea to qualifie the wrath of Neptune Natalis Comes tels vs That one Pegasus transporting the image of Dionysius otherwise called Bacchus from Eleutheria a city in Boetia into the Prouince of Attica the Athaenians suffered it to passe by them negligently without doing vnto it any reuerence or ceremony For which contempt they were plagued with a disease in their secret parts to be released of which Pegasus consulted with the Oracle which inioyned them to erect a sumptuous temple to that Idoll in the city of Athens which was held in great adoration for many yeares after Athenaeus remembers vnto vs That when the Iapitae took down the Images from the Temples of their gods with this scoffe and taunt added That their places should be preserued for some other that were more potent and powerfull in the execution of this a sudden fire fell from aboue which so terrified astonished them that they not onely instated them in their former places but from that time forward held them in much more feare and reuerence Herodotus speakes of one Artabanus a great Persian General who because he had the statue of Neptune in contempt was by the reason of a sudden inundation himselfe with the greatest part of his Army drowned The same Author witnesseth what a seuere Reuenger Apollo was of any affront or iniurie offered vnto him who when Carthage was oppressed by the Romanes and his image there erected being despoyled of that golden garment which was then vpon it the very hand which snatched it from his shoulders was after found amongst the spoiles of the citie In Hallicarnassus at all such Solemnities when any Sacrifice was to be offered vnto Iupiter Ascraeus an whole heard of Goats made a voluntary presentment of themselues before the Altar and when the rest of the superstitious ceremonies were finisht they all departed of themselues saue onely one which voluntarily staied behinde to be offered by the Priest Caelius reporteth that in Daulia there was a Temple dedicate to Minerua to which there belong certaine Dogs or rather Diuels who when any of the Argiue nation came to present their Deuotions would fawne vpon them in signe of a free and louing welcome But if any Barbarian or stranger entred the place they would fly in their faces as ready to plucke them
hornes shew lowring or cloudy towards the earth it portendeth tempest Aratus saith also If the Boreall horne of the Moone seeme any thing streightned it promiseth a North winde or if the Australl horne be any thing erected it signifieth a South winde forthwith to ensue But the quartile of the Moone is the most certain Index of wind and weather According to that of Virgil Sin ortu quarto namque is â—ertissimus author An Emblem IT presenteth an Ideot who hauing a straw sticking out of either shooe is persuaded by some waggish boyes That they are no other than gyues and fetters which hee conceiuing to be such casteth himselfe vpon the ground in great griefe and vexation as one by reason of these bonds not able to remoue out of the place The Motto Stultitia ligamur non compedibus which seemeth to be borrowed from Ecclesiastes 10.2 The heart of the Wiseman is in his right hand but the heart of the Foole is in his left hand And also When the Foole goeth by the way his heart faileth and he telleth to all that he is a Foole. Hâ—rac lib. 1. Epistol ad Mecen writeth thus Virtus est vitium fugere sapientia prima Stultitia carnisse It is a vertue to fly vice and we Count him most wise that is from folly free There are diuers sorts of folly Saint Augustine saith There is none greater in the world than to esteem the World which esteemeth no man and to make so little account of God who so greatly regardeth all men And Saint Gregory tells vs That there can be no greater folly than for a man by much trauell to increase riches and by vaine pleasure to lose his soule It is folly to attempt any wicked beginning in hope of a good and prosperous ending Or for a man to shorten his life by ryot and disorder which by temperance and abstinence might be better prolonged Folly is a meere pouerty of the minde The heart of a Foole saith Syrach is in his mouth but the mouth of a Wise man is in his heart Gregorie saith Sicut nec auris escas nec guttur verba cognoscit ita nec stultus sapientiam sapientis intelligit i. As the eare relisheth not meat nor the throat can distinguish the sound of words so neither can the Foole vnderstand the wisedome of the Wiâ—e And Seneca the Philosopher telleth vs Inter câ—tera mala hoc quaque habet stultitia quod semper incipit vivere i. Amongst many other euills this also hath Folly That it alwaies beginneth to liue But saith S. Augustine Amongst all Fooles he is the most Foole that knoweth little and would seeme to vnderstand much But I come now to the Emblemaâ—ist who thus declares himselfe Spiritus excelso se tollit in Astra volatu At Caro compedibus deprimor inquit humi Tu quid vincla voces age nunc videamus inepta Morio vel stramen compedis instar habet Vile Lucrum popularis Honos fugitiva voluptas Haeccine sint pedibus pondera iusta tuis Prô viles Animas devotaque Crura Catenis Vincîmur nervus nec tamen villus adest ¶ Thus paraphrased The Soule with swift wings to the Stars would fly The Flesh saith Fetter'd on the ground I lye What call'st thou bands looke on that Foole hee 'l say The straw that 's in my shooe hinders my way Base Gaine Vulgar Applause each fading Sweet Are those the Shackles that should gyue thy feet O wretched Soules ô Legs to Fetters deare We thinke our selues bound when no bonds are neare The morall Allusion gathered from hence beareth this Motto O demens ita servus homo est Grounded from that of Seneca Epistol 51. Non ego ambitiosus sum sed nemo aliter Romae potest vinere non ego sumptuosus sed vrbs ipsa magnas impensas exigit c. I am not ambitious but no man otherwise can liue in Rome I am not prodigall but without great expences in the city there is no liuing It is not my fault that I am angry or luxurious for I haue not yet setled the course of my life These things are to be attributed vnto my Youth not me But why doe wee so deceiue our selues Likewise the same Philosopher Epist. 58. in the conclusion thereof Inter causas malorum nostrorum est quod vivimus ad exempla nec ratione componimur sed consuetudine abducimur c. Amongst the causes of those euills which happen vnto vs one is That wee liue by Example not gouerned by Reason but carried away by Custome That which we see few doe wee will not imitate but that which many practise as if that were most honest which is most frequent According with that of the Poet Iuvenal Satyr 14. Dociles imitandis Turpibus pravis omnes sumus But to leaue further enforcing the Argument and come to the Author whom we reade thus Multa quidem totam putrantur inepta per vrbum Cumque petis causam Mos jubet ista ferunt Anne igitur stolidi nos string at opinio vulgi Regulanum vita factio plebis erit Stamine sic fragili vel stramine Morio vinctus Vah sibi compedibus crura sonare putat Serviles vilesque sumus prô vincômur immo Vincîmur miseri causaque nulla subest ¶ Thus paraphrased Follies through all the City frequent be If aske the cause Custome 't is layd on thee Shall the vaine humors of the vulgar Sect Prescribe vs rules our liues how to direct The Ideot with a straw or weake thread bound Thinkes weighty fetters at his heeles to sound Seruile we are so made by our owne Lawes To thinke our selues gyv'd when indeed 's no cause A Meditation vpon the former Tractate TRue God true Life From By In whom all things That truly liue haue Life from Thee it springs God Good and Fayre From By In whom what breeds Goodnesse or Beautie all from Thee proceeds From whom to Turne is to fall Miserably In whom to Trust is to stand Constantly By whom to Hold is to rise Instantly Whose Faith vnto good Actions vs accites Whose Hope to Prayer and Thanksgiuing inuites Whose Charity Vs vnto Him vnites Who to all wretched sinners hath thus spoken Aske haue Seeke finde but Knocke and I will open Whom none can Lose that to the Right doth leane None Seeke but Cal'd none Find but he that 's Cleane To Know whom is to Liue Serue whom to Raigne Praise whom the Soules eternall Blisse to gaine Thou art the God all potent Keeper alone Of all that hope in Thee without whom none Can safety find or be from danger free O! Thou art God and there is none saue Thee In Heauen aboue or in the Earth below Inscrutable things and wonders great wee know Thou work'st of which no number can be made Praise Honour Glorie More than can be said Belong to thee Thou in thy Counsels darke First mad'st the World and after Moses Arke To patterne it
much happier were that man On whom the prouidence of Heav'n would daine A gracious looke These words were spoke so plaine The Prince o're-heard them and commanded both To come to Court The silly men were loth Fearing they 'had spoke some treason Brought they were Into a stately roome and placed there In two rich chaires and iust before them spread A table with two bak'd meats furnished Both without difference seeming alike faire One cram'd with Gold other nought saue Aire For these they two cast lots To him that said He that trusts Heav'n that man is only made Hapned the Gold To the other that said Well Shall he thriue that trusts man th' empty fell The Emperor made this vse on 't Lords you see What a great Traine hourely depends on me I looke on all but cannot all preferre That in my seruice merit Nor do I erre 'T is their fate not my fault such onely rise By me on whom Heav'n bids me cast mine eyes How comes it that a Poet shall contriue A most elaborate Worke to make suruiue Forgotten Dust when no King shall expire But he brings fuell to his funerall fire No Optimate falls from the Noble throng But he records his Elegeicke Song In mourning papers and when all decayes Herse Shewes and Pompe yet That resounds his praise Of euery Match and Royall Combination His Pen is ready to make publication When all proue ag'd forgotten and blowne o're His Verse is still as youthfull as before And sounds as sweetly though it now seeme dead To after-Times it shall be euer read What 's Gentry then Or Noblesse Greatnesse what The Ciuill Purple or the Clergy Hat The Coronet or Mitre Nay the Crowne Imperiall What 's Potencie Renowne Ovations Triumphs with victorious Bayes Wisedome or Wealth Can these adde to thy dayes Inquire of Roman Brutus syrnam'd Iust Or Salomon the Wise they both are Dust. Learn'd Aristotle Plato the Diuine From Earth they came and Earth they now are thine Where are the Worthies where the Rich or Faire All in one common bed involved are Mans Life 's a Goale and Death end of the race And thousand sundry wayes point to the place From East the West the North the South all come Some slow some swift-pac'd to this generall Doome Some by the Wars fall some the Seas deuoure Certaine is Death vncertaine though the Houre Some die of Loue others through Griefe expire Beneath cold Arctos these they by the Fire The Torrid Zone casts forth forc'd to endure The scorching and contagious Calenture Some the Spring takes away and some the Fall Winter and Sommer others and Death All. Consider well the miserie of Man And weigh it truly since there 's none but can Take from his owne and others thousand wayes But yet not adde one minute to their dayes For now the Conqueror with the Captiue's spread On one bare Earth as on the common Bed The all-commanding Generall hath no span Of ground allow'd more than the Priuat man Folly with Wisedome hath an equall share The Foule and Faire to like Dust changed are This is of all Mortalitie the end Thersites now with Nereus dares contend And with Achilles He hath equall place Who liuing durst not looke him in the face The Seruant with the Master and the Maid Stretcht by her Mistresse both their heads are laid Vpon an equall pillow Subiects keepe Courts with Kings equall and as soft they sleepe Lodging their heads vpon a turfe of grasse As they on Marble or on figur'd Brasse Blinde Homer in the graue lies doubly darke Against him now base Zoylus dares not barke To him what attributes may we then giue And other Poets by whom all these liue Who as their putrid flesh is long since rotten So in their Sepulchres had lay'n forgotten Like common men had not their Muse high-flying Kept both these Worthies and themselues from dying How in these dayes is such a man regarded No not so much as Oile or Inke rewarded Yet shall a Sycophant or ballading Knaue If he but impudence and gay cloathes haue Can harpe vpon some scurrilous Iest or Tale Though fifteene times told and i th' City stale Command a Great mans eare perhaps be able To prefer Sutes and elbow at his table Weare speaking pockets boast Whom he doth serue When meriting men may either beg or starue Past Ages did the antient Poets grace And to their swelling stiles the very place Where they were borne denomination leant Publius Ovidius Naso had th' ostent Of Sulmonensis added and did giue The Dorpe a name by which it still doth liue Publius Virgilius likewise had th' addition Of Maro to expresse his full condition Marcus Annaeus Lucanus Seneca Bore title from his city Corduba Caius Pedo was styl'd Albinovanus Aurelius Olympius Nemesianus Some from the nature of their Poëms Thus Caius Lucilius was call'd Satyrus So Livius Andronicus Epicus And Lucius Accius syrnamed Tragicus c. Some from their seuerall Countries because they Were forrein borne Terens from Africa Is Publius Terentius Afer read Titus Calphurnius Siculus as bred In Sicily So many others had And that for sundry causes meanes to add Vnto their first for with their worth encreast Their stiles the most grac'd with three names at least◠Our moderne Poets to that passe are driuen Those names are curtal'd which they first had giuen And as we wisht to haue their memories drown'd We scarcely can afford them halfe their sound Greene who had in both Academies ta'ne Degree of Master yet could neuer gaine To be call'd more than Robin who had he Profest ought saue the Muse Serv'd and been Free After a seuen yeares Prentiseship might haue With credit too gone Robert to his graue Marlo renown'd for his rare art and wit Could ne're attaine beyond the name of Kit Although his Hero and Leander did Merit addition rather Famous Kid Was call'd but Tom. Tom. Watson though he wrote Able to make Apollo's selfe to dote Vpon his Muse for all that he could striue Yet neuer could to his full name arriue Tom. Nash in his time of no small esteeme Could not a second syllable redeeme Excellent Bewmont in the formost ranke Of the rar'st Wits was neuer more than Franck. Mellifluous Shake-speare whose inchanting Quill Commanded Mirth or Passion was but Will. And famous Iohnson though his learned Pen Be dipt in Castaly is still but Ben. Fletcher and Webster of that learned packe None of the mean'st yet neither was but Iacke Deckers but Tom nor May nor Middleton And hee 's now but Iacke Foord that once were Iohn Nor speake I this that any here exprest Should thinke themselues lesse worthy than the rest Whose names haue their full syllable and sound Or that Franck Kit or Iacke are the least wound Vnto their fame and merit I for my part Thinke others what they please accept that heart Which courts my loue
quae Caeptis conscia nostris Adnutrixque c. Thou three-shap'd Hecate with me take part Who guilty of my vndertakings art Teaching what spels we Witches ought to vse And what rare Herbs out of the earth to chuse Thou Aire you Winds Hils Lakes and Riuers cleare Gods of the Winds gods of the night appeare By whose strong aid I when I please can make The fearefull and astonisht bankes to quake To see the streames backe to their heads retyre If on the seas a tempest I desire The troubled waues in mighty mountaines rise Threatning to spit their brine-drops in the eyes Of the bright Stars and when th' are most in rage I with a word their fury can asswage Blacke threatning clouds if I but speake appeare And with a becke I make the Welkin cleare The Windes I from their brasen dens can call To blow downe hills or not to breathe at all The Vipers jawes I with my spels can breake The stedfast rockes remoue whâ—n I but speake The grounded Okes I by the roots vp rend Woods I can shift and mountaines that transcend My Charmes can shake The groaning Earth help craues From me whilest Ghosts I summon from their graues And thee ô Moone my Incantations can Draw this or that way make thee pale and wan Through feare or red with rage Aurora knowes I from her blushing cheeke can teare the Rose c. Here I might introduce many to the like purpose but I return where I left and thus proceed That this swift transportation of Bodies though it seeme strange is not altogether impossible Which will the better appeare if either wee aduisedly consider the velocitie of Spirits or the admirable celerity of the Spheres from whence it comes that Magitions haue such speedy intelligence almost in an instant of things done in the farthest and remotest places of the world To approue which if wee shall but examine Historie there be many examples extant When Antonius the great Captaine made an insurrection in Germany against the Emperor Domitian and was slain in the battel the death of that Revolter was confidently reported the same day in Rome with the manner of his Armies ouerthrow though the places were distant as some account it little lesse than fifteene hundred miles And Cedrenus writeth That when Adrianus Patricius was sent by the Emperour Basilius to war against the Carthaginians before he had ouercome halfe his way and whilest hee yet stayed in Peloponnesus with the greatest part of his Nauy by the help of such Spirits as it seemed he was certainly informed That Syracusa was taken and destroyed by fire the very selfe same day and houre that the disaster hapned Panlus Diaconus and Nicephorus haue left to memorie That one Calligraphus of Alexandria walking late in the night by certaine Statues erected without the city they called vnto him aloud and told him That the Emperour Martianus with his Queene and princely Issue were all at that very instant murthered in Constantinople Which when he came to his house he told to some of his Familiars and Friends who seemed to deride his report as a thing not possible but beyond Nature But nine dayes after came a Post with certaine newes of that barbarous and inhumane act which by true computation happened the very same houre that it was deliuered to Calligraphus Platina in Dono telleth vs That Partharus sonne to the King of the Longobards being expelled from his Countrey by the vsurpation of Grinnaldas shipt himselfe for England to be secured from the sword of the Tyrant and hauing beene a few dayes at sea hee was sensible of a loud voice which admonished him to change the course of his intended journey and instantly to return backe into his owne Countrey for the Tyrant hauing been troubled with the Plurisie and aduised by his Physitions to haue a Veine opened in the left arme the flux of bloud could not by any art be stopped but that he bled to death Vpon this warning the Prince Partharus returned and finding it to be true within three months after his arriuall he was inaugurated and freely instated in his proper inheritance Zonarus and Cedrenius affirme That the same day in which the arch-Traitor and Regicide Andraea slew the Emperour Constantine bathing himselfe in Syracusa his death by voices in the aire which could be no other than Spirits was not onely noised but proclaimed openly in Rome the same day Zephilinus in Domiti and Fulgâ—t lib. 1. cap. 6. haue left remembred vnto vs That Apollonius Tianaeus being in a publique Schoole in the city of Ephesus and disputing at that time with diuers Philosophers in the midst of his serious discourse was on the sudden mute and fixing his eyes stedfastly vpon the ground remained for a space in a still silence but at length erecting his head and casting vp his eyes hee suddenly broke forth into this loud acclamation Stephanus hath slaine an vniust man And after hauing better recollected himselfe he told vnto those which were there present That at that instant the Emperor Domitian fell by the hand of one Stephanus The circumstance being after examined it proued true according to his relation Olaus Magnus lib. 3. cap. 16. of his Gothicke History writeth That Govarus King of Norway being resident in his owne Court knew in the same houre of all the machinations and plots intended against him in Normandy though he was distant by land and sea many hundred miles Fulgotius relateth That in the wars betwixt the Locrenses and the Crotoniatae two spirits appeared like two yong men in white vesture who when the Locrenses had woon the battaile left the field and vanished and in the selfe same houre were seene both in Athens and Corinth in both which places they proclaimed the newes of that great victory though these places were distant many leagues one from another And so much for the Velocitie of Spirits The Emblem IT figureth an Hedge-hog who insidiates the silly field-Mice playing about her den and fearelesse of any present danger who the better to compasse her prey wrappeth her selfe into a round globe-like compasse appearing onely a ball of pricks contracting her head within her skinne where nothing is seene saue a small hole for such a little creature to shroud her selfe in and thus she lieth confusedly vpon the ground without any seeming motion The apprehension thereof is borrowed from Greg. lib. 13. Moralium from whence this Motto is deriued Abiecta movent The words of the reuerend Father be these Prius complexionem vnius cuiusque Adversarius perspicit tunc tentationis laqueos exponit alius namque laetis alius tristibus alius timidis alius elat is moribus existit c. i. Our Aduersarie the Diuell first looketh into the complexion and disposition of euery man and then he layes the snares of tentation for one is of a merry and pleasant constitution another sad and melancholy
them there Where seemes no want of welcome or of cheare The table drawne and their discourse now free Iohn asks of them if they could wish to see Their fathers present they desire him too 't Prouing to finde if he by Art can doo 't He bids them to sit silent all are mute When suddenly one enters in a suâ—e Greasie before him a white apron ty'de His linnen sleeues tuckt vp both elbowes hide He stands and eyes them round and by his looke None there but needs must guesse him for a Cooke Which of you know this fellow now saith Iohn What say you Sir whom he so gaseth on He soone reply'de on whom he fixt his eye Aske you who knowes him Mary that do I Hee 's of my fathers kitchen Nay Siâ— rather Iohn answer'd him this is your owne deare father For when that noble Sir whose name you beare Was trauel'd on some great affaire else-where This well fed Groome to whom you ought to kneele Begot you then all ouer head to heele It seemes your mother knew not drosse from Bullion That in a great Lords stead embrac'd a Scullion He chases the Sp'rit doth vanish in the while The rest seeme pleas'd and in the interim smile When suddenly in middle of the roome Is seene a tall and lusty stable-Groome A frocke vpon him and in his left hand A Curri-combe the other grasps a wand And lookes vpon a second Here I show him Amongst you all saith Iohn doth any know him I must saith one acknowledge him of force His name is Ralfe and keepes my fathers horse And kept your mother warme too doubt it not The very morning that you were begot Her husband bee'ng a hunting The Youth blusht The rest afraid now were with silence husht Then to the third he brought a Butler in And prov'd him guilty of his mothers sin A Tailor to the fourth So of the rest Till all of them were with like shame opprest Teutonicus this seeing Nay quoth hee Since I am likewise stain'd with bastardie You shall behold my father Soone appeares A well-flesht man aged some forty yeares Of graue aspect in a long Church-man's gowne Red cheekt and shauen both his beard and crowne By his formalities it might be guest He must be a Lord Abbot at the least Who disappearing This man I confesse Begot me of his smooth fac'd Landeresse Saith Iohn and somewhat to abate your pride Iudge now who 's best man by the fathers side Some vext and other turn'd the jest to laughter But with his birth did neuer taunt him after Of many such like things Authors discusse Not only sportiue but miraculous We reade of one in Creucemacon dwelling In this prestigious kinde of Art excelling Who by such Spirits helpe could in the aire Appeare an Huntsman and there chase the Hare With a full packe of dogs Meaning to dine A teeme of horse and cart laden with wine He eat vp at one meale and hauing fed With a sharpe sword cut off his seruants head Then set it on his shoulders firme and so As he was no whit dammag'd by the blow In Saxonie not from Torgauia far A Nobleman for raising ciuill war Had been confin'd and forfeiting his wealth Was forc'd to liue by rapine and by stealth He riding on the way doth meet by chance One of these Sp'rits submisse in countenance In habit of a Groome who much desires T' attend his Lordship Who againe requires What seruice he can do I can quoth he Keepe an horse well nothing doth want in me Belonging to a stable I for need Can play the Farrier too So both agreed And as they rode together ' boue the rest His Lord giues him great charge of one choice beast To tender him as th'apple of his eye He vowes to doo 't or else bids let him dye Next day his Lord rides forth on some affaire His new-come seruant then to shew his care This much lov'd Iennet from the stable shifts And to a roome foure stories high him lifts There leaues him safe The Lord comes home at night The Horse of his knowne Master hauing sight Neighs from aboue The Owner much amas'd Knowing the sound vp tow'rd the casement gas'd Calls his new seruant and with lookes austere Asks him by what means his good Steed came there Who answers Bee'ng your seruant I at large Desirous was to execute your charge Touching your horse for since you so well like him Loth any of the rest should kicke or strike him I yonder lodg'd him safe But little said The Nobleman and by his neighbours aid For to his house he now must ioyne the towne With cords and pullies he conuey'd him downe This Lord for some direptions being cast Into close prison and with gyues bound fast In vnexpected comes his Groome to see him And on condition promiseth to free him If he forbeare to signe him with the Crosse Which can saith he be to you no great losse Likewise refraine t' inuoke the name of God And you shall here no longer make aboad This bee'ng agreed he takes vpon his backe Gyv'd as he was and chain'd nothing doth lacke His noble master beares him through the aire Who terrify'de and almost in despaire Cries out Good God ô whether am I bound Which spoke he dropt the pris'ner to the ground Ev'n in an instant but by Gods good grace He light vpon a soft and sedgy place And broke no limbe Home straight the seruant hyes And tells them in what place his Master lies They to his Castle beare him thence forth-right Which done this seruant bids them all Good night Arlunus a more serious tale relates Two noble Merchants both of great estates From Italy tow'rd France riding in post Obserue a sterne blacke man them to accost Of more than common stature who thus spake If to Mediolanum you your journey take Vnto my brother Lewis Sforza go And vnto him from me this Letter show They terror'd with these words demand his name Both what to call him and from whence he came I Galeatius Sforza am saith hee And to the Duke deliuer this from mee So vanisht They accordingly present The Letter to the Prince The argument Was this O Lewis of thy selfe haue care The French and the Venetian both prepare T' inuade thy Dukedome and within short space From Millan to extirpe thee and thy Race But to my charge deliuer truly told Three thousand Florens of good currant gold I 'le try if I the Spirits can attone To keepe thee still invested in thy Throne Farewell The Letter was subscribed thus The Ghost of'thy brother Galcatius This though it seem'd a phantasie vnminded With selfe-conceit Prince Lewis Sforza blinded Soone after was by all his friends forsaken His City spoil'd himselfe surpris'd and taken One other to your patience I commend And with the close thereof this Tractat end A Youth of Lotharinge not meanly bred Who was by too much liberty mis-led His boundlesse