man to rule the City of Scadmenna was often moved that he for his age was not méet to govern such a City considering the multitude and number of people that were within that City they thought that a young man should better discharge the office but the wise Emperour perceiving how bent and prone were the youth of that town to have a young man to rule over them answered them after this sort I had rather said he commit the governance of the City to one old man then the governance of so many young men unto the City Better it is that an old man should rule the City then the City should rule the young men meaning no otherwise then that aged men should onely be admitted to be rulers in Cities for that there belongeth unto them experience of things and care of youth Such was the homage and reverence which was amongst the young Romans toward the Senatours or old men of the City as both head and leg did acknowledge the same in doing duty unto age They had this confidence in age that no man might be chosen unto the number of the Senatours before he should be thréescore years of age The like custome had the people of Chalcides that no man before he were fifty years should either â—ear office within their Cities or be sent Embassadour out of their country Amongst the Persians no man could be admitted to be one of the sage rulers which they called Magi unlesse perfect age had brought him thereto perforce Amongst the Indians their wise men which ruled their country which were named Gimnosophistae were ancient for time giveth experience of governance Amongst the Egyptians the like credit was given unto old men that youth meeting them in the way would go out of the way to give place unto age so that their counsellours which were called prophets were counted men of much time and experience even so the Babylonians elected their sage Chaldeans the French men their ancient wise men called Druydes In fine noble Greeks did observe the like order in chusing their rulers and counsellours of aged men as before spoken The Lacedemonian youth were by the law of Licurgus no lesse charged to reverence age then their own parents The Arabians in all places without respect of person preferred their old men before honour dignity or fortune The people called Tartesi had this law so to honour age that the younger might bear no witnesse against the elder The reverence said Chylon that should be shewed unto age by young men ought to be such that they then being young doing obedience unto age they might claim the like when they waxed old of youth Agesilaus King of Sparta being an old man would often go in the cold weather very thin in a torn cloak without a coat or doublet only to shew the way unto young men to be hardy in age by contemning of gay apparell in youth Masinista King of Numidia being more then threescore years of age would lively and valiantly as Cicero saith without cap on head or shoe on foot in the cold or frosty weather in the winter travell and toyl with the souldiers only unto this purpose that young souldiers should be hardned thereby in their youth and practise the same for the use of others when they came to age themselvs Ihero King of Sicilia shewed the like example in his old age being lxxx years to train youth and to bring them up so in young years that they might do the like in their old age For thus judged these wise Princes that all men covet to imitate Princes and Kings in their doings Gorgias the phylosopher and master unto Isocrates the Orator and to divers more nobles of Gréece thought himselfe most happy that he being a hundred years and seven was aswell in his memory as at any time before and made so much of age that being asked why he so delighted in age he made answer because he found nothing in age for which he might accuse it So sayd King Cyrus a little before his death being a very old man that he never felt himselfe weaker than when hee was young The like saying is reported of that learned Sophocles who being so old that he was accused of his own children of folly turned unto the Iudges and said If I be Sophocles I am not a foole if I be a foole I am not Sophocles meaning that in wisemen the senses waxed better by use and exercising the same for we prayse saith Cicero the old man that is somewhat young and we commend again the young man that is somewhat aged The old is commended that hath his wit young and fresh at comandement and the young is praised that is sober sage in his doings When M. Crassus a noble Captain of Rome being a very old man took in hand to war against the Parthians a strong and stout people being by Embassadors warned of his age and admonished to forsake the wars he answered stoutly the Embassadour of the Parthians and said when I come to Seleucia your City I will then answer you Whereupon one of the Embassadors named Agesâ—â—s an aged man stretched forth his hand and shewed the palm of his hand unto Crassus saying Before thou shalt come within the City of Seleucia bristles shall grow out of this hand The stoutness of Marcus Crassus was not so much as the magnanimity of Agesis and yet they both were old men What courage was in Scaevola to withstand that firebrand of Rome Sylla who after he had urged the Senators to pronâ—unce Marius enemy unto Italy he being an old agâ—d man answered Sylla in this sort Though divers be at the commandements of the Senators and that thou art so encompassed with souldiers at thy beck yet neither thou nor all thy souldiers shall ever make Scaevola being an old man for fear of losing some old bloud pronounce Marius by whom Rome was preserved and Italy saved to be enemy unto the City The like history we read that when Julius Caesar had by force of arms aspired unto the office of a Dictator and came to the Senate house where few Senators were together the Emperor Caesar desirous to know the cause of their absence Confidius an aged father of Rome said that they feared Caesar and his souldiers Whereat the Emperor musing a while said Why did not you likewise tarry at home fearing the same Because said he age and time taught me neither to fear Caesar nor yet his souldiers For as Brusonius saith there are young minds in old men for though Milo the great wrestler in the games of Olympias waxed old wept in spight of his decayed limbs bruised bones yet he said his mind flourished and was as young as ever it was before Solon hath immortal praise in Gréece for his stoutness in his age for when Pisistraâ—us had taken in hand to rule the people of Athens and that it was evident enough that tyranny should procéed thereby Solon in his
Lightning or Thunder but had his head covered with all such things as might resist the violence of Lightning Misa King of the Moabites and Joram King of Iewry being besieged by the enemies and in danger of death they practised devises and invensions to save their lives and sacrificed their children to mitigate the rage of the Gods The love that divers had unto life and the fear they had of death were to be noted worthily considering how much men are vexed with the fear of death Antemon was so desirous to live and so fearfull to die that he hardly would travel out of his house any where and if he were compelled to go abroad he would have two of his servants to bear over his head a great brasen Target to defend him from any thing which might happen to do him hurt Theagenes in like sort would not go out of his house without he had consulted with the Image of Hecate to know what should happen to him that day and to understand whether he might escape death or no. Commodus the Emperour would never trust any Barber to shave his beard lest his throat should be cut Masinissa King of Numidia would rather commit his state and life unto dogs then unto men who was as his guard to kéep and defend him from death I might here speak of Bion of Domitianus of Dionisius of Pisander and of a thousand more who so feared death that their chief care and study was how they might avoid the same The fear of death causeth the son to forsake the father the mother to renounce the daughter one brother to deny another and one friend to forsake another Insomuch that Christ himself was forsaken of his disciples for fear of death Peter denied him and all the rest fled from him and all for fear of death Behold therefore how fearfull some are and how joyfull others are Some desperately have died being weary of life As Sabinus â—uba Cleomenes some have hanged some have burned and some drowned themselves and thus with one desperate end or other perished But since every man must die it were reason that every man should prepare to die for to die well is nothing else but to live again Wherefore certain philosophers of India called the Gymnosophislae being by Alexander the great commanded to answer to cercertain hard questions which if they could absolve they should live otherwise they should die The first question propounded to know whether there were more living or dead to the which the first philosopher said that the living are more in number because the dead have no being no place nor number The second question was whether the land produced more creatures or the sea to this answered the second philosopher and said the land doth ingender more for that the sea is but a portion of the land The third question was to know what beast was most subtil that beast answered the third philosopher whose subtilty man cannot discern Fourthly it was demanded why they being philosophers were so induced to perswade the Sabians to rebellion because said the philosophers it is better to die manfully then to live miserably The fifth question was whether the day was made before the night or the night before the day to the which it was answered the day The sixt was to understand how Alexander the Great himself might get the good wil of the people in shewing said that sixth philosopher thy self not terrible to the people The seveÌ„th question was whether life or death were stroÌ„ger to which it was aÌ„swered life The eight was to know how long a man should live till said the eight philosopher a maÌ„ thinks death better theÌ„ life The last question proposed by Alexander was how might a mortal man be accounted in the number of the Gods In doing greater things said all the Philosophers then man is able to do For they knew this proud Prince would be a God and that he would learn of the sage Philosophers how he might eschew mortality he was answered roundly because he should know himself to be a man and being a man he should make himself ready to die for death is the reward of sin and death is the beginning again of life unto the good As Aulus Posthumius in an Oration which he made unto his souldiers said it is given to both good and bad to die but to die gâ—dly and gloriously is onely given unto good men So Hector speaking in Homer said unto his wife Andromache that she should not be sorry for his death for all men must die Some with the Galatians do so contemn death that they fight naked and are perswaded with the Pythagoreans that they shall never die but passe from one body to another Some again die joyfully as the brethren of Policratâ— who being taken captive by Diognitus the King of Milesia she was so ill intreated by him that she did send Letters to Naxus to her brethren at what time the people of Milesia were feasting drinking and banquetting at a solemn feast Her brethren embracing the opportunity came and found the Emperor drinking and all his people overcharged with wine and slew the greatest part of them and having taken many of them prisoners they brought their sister home to Naxus where as soon as they came home they died for joy of the victory Even so Phisarchus sometime in his great triumph crying out O happy hours and joyful days was taken with such an extasie of joy that he brake his veins at that very instant with the excesse of gladnesse He is counted most wise that knoweth himself To joy too much in prosperity to be advanced and extolled when fortune favours without all fear of ill haps to come is folly To be vanquished and subdued in adversity without hope of solace to ensue is meer madnesse Therefore the Wisemen knowing that death was the last line of life did endeavour in their lives how they might die well And briefly for the examples of our lives I will here note a few sentences of these wise men which they used as their Posies and think good to shew their answers to divers questions propounded to them Bias dwelling in the City of Prienna after the City was destroyed by the Mutinensians escaped and went to Athens whose Poesie was Maximus improborum numerus He willed all young men in their youth to travel for knowledge and commanded old men to embrace wisedome This Bias being demaunded what was the difficultest thing in the world he said to suffer stoutly the mutability of fortune Being demanded what was the most infamous death that might happen to man to be condemned said he by law Being asked what was the swéetest thing to man he made answer Hope Being again demanded what beast was most hurtfull Amongst wild beasts a Tyrant said Bias and amongst tame beasts a Flatterer And being demanded what thing it was that feared nothing in all the world he answered A good Conscience And again in the second Olympiade he was demanded many other questions as who was most unfortunate in the world the impatient man said Bias. What is most hard to judge Debates betwéen friends What is most hard to measure he answered Time Thus having answered to these and divers other questions Bias was allowed one of the seven Wise men of Gréece Chilo the second of the Sages being asked what was the best thing in the world he answered Every man to consider his own state And again being demanded what beast is most hurtfull he said Of wild beasts a Tyrant of tame beasts a Flatterer Being asked what is most acceptable to man he said Time And being asked of the Gréek Myrsilas what was the greatest wonder that ever he saw he said An old man to be a Tyrant The third was Chilo the Lacedemonian who being demanded what was a difficult thing for a man to do he answered Either to kéep silence or to suffer injuries Being demanded what was most difficult for a man to know he said For a man to know himself And therefore he used this Poesie Nosce teipsum This Chilo being of Aesop demanded what Jupiter did in heaven he said He doth throw down lofty and proud things and he doth exalt humble and méek things S. Ion said that in knowing and considering what we are and how vile we are we shall have lesse occasion ministred to us to think wel of our selvs for there is nothing good nor beautifull in man This Solon being asked by King Cyrus sitting in his chair of state having on his most royal habiliments and Princely robes covered with Pearls and Precious stones Whether ever he saw a more beautifull sight then himself sitting in heighth of his Majesty Solon answered that he saw divers Birds more glorious to behold then Cyrus And being demanded by Cyrus what Birds were they Solon said the little Cock the Peacock and the Pheasant which are decked with natural garments and beautified with natural colours This Solon was wont to say I wax dayly old learning much He noted nothing so happy in man as to Live well that he might Die well applying the Cause to the Effect as first to Live well and then to Die well FINIS LONDON Printed by Elizabeth Alsop dwelling in Grubstreet near the Upper Pump 1653.
latter days having great care to his countrey when that no man durst refuse Pisistratus came before his door in Arms and called the citizens to withstand Pisistratus For age said he moveth me to be so valiant and stout that I had rather lose my life then my country should lose their liberty What vertue then see we to be in age what wisedome in time what courage in old men The examples of these old men stir and provoke many to imitate their steps insomuch that divers wished to be old when they were yet young to have that honor as age then had Wherefore king Alexander the great espying a young man coloring his hairs gray said It behoves thée to put thy wits in color and to alter thy mind The Lacedemonians a people that past all nations in honouring age made laws in their Cities that the aged men should be so honoured and estéemed of the young men even as the parents were of the children so that when a stranger came unto Lacedemonia and saw the obedience of youth towards age he said In this country I wish onely to be old for happy is that man that waxeth old in Lacedemonia and in the great games of Olympia an old man wanting a place went up and down to sit some where but no man received him but amongst the Lacedemonians not onely the young men but also the aged gave place unto his gray hairs and also the Embassadours of Lacedemonia being there present did reverence him and took him unto their seat which when he came in he spake aloud O you Athenians you know what is good and what is bad for that which you people of Athens said he do professe in knowledge the same doth the Lacedemonians put in practice Alexander being in his wars with a great army in Persia and meeting an old man in the way in the cold weather in ragged and rent cloaths lighted from his horse and said unto him mount up into a princes saddle which in Persia is treason for a Persian to do but in Macedonia comendable giving to understand how age is honoured and old men estéemed in Macedonia and how of the contrary wealth and pride is fostred in Persia for where men of experience and aged men are set nought by there it cannot be that wisedome beareth rule How many in the Empire of Rome ruled the City and governed the people of those that were very aged men as Fabius Maximus who was thréescore years and two in his last Consulship Valerius Corvinus who was six times a Consul in Rome a very old man who lived an hundred and odd years Metellus of like age called to the like function and administration in the Common-wealth being an old man What should I speak of Appius Claudius of Marcus Perpenna of divers other noble Romans whose age and time was the onely occasion of their advancement unto honour and dignity What should I recite Arganthonius who was threescore years before he came unto his Kingdome and after ruled his Countrey fourscore years unto his great fame and great commendations of age To what end shall I repeat Pollio who lived in great credit with the people unto his last years a man of worthy praise of renowned fame who lived a hundred and thirty years in great authority and dignity What shall I speak of Epimenides whom Theompus affirmeth that he lived a hundred and almost thréescore years in great rule and estimation Small were it to the purpose to make mention again of Dandon amongst the Illyrians which Valerius writeth that he was five hundred years before he died and yet of great memory and noble fame Or of Nestor who lived thrée hundred years of whom Homer doth make much mention that from his mouth proceeded sentences swéeter then honey yea in his latter days almost his strength was correspondent to the same That renowned Prince Agamemnon General of all Gréece wished no more in Phrygia but five such as Nestor was with whose wisedome and courage he doubted not but in short time he should be able to subdue Troy Swéet are the sayings of old men perfect are their counsels sound and sure their governance How frail and weak is youth How many Cities are perished by young counsel How much hurt from time to time have young men devised practised and brought to pass And again of age how full of experience knowledg and provision painful and studious is it unto the grave As we read of Plato that noble Philosopher who was busie and carefull for his countrey writing and making books the very year that he died being fourscore and two What shall I say of Isocrates who likewise being fourscore and fourtéen compiled a book called Panathenaicus of Gorgias who being studious and carefull to profit his countrey being a hundred and seven years was altogether addicted to his books and to his study So of Zeno Pythagoras and Democritus it might be spoken men of no lesse wit travell and exercise than of time and age For as Cicero saith the government and rule of Comon-wealths consisteth not in strength of body but in the vertue of mind weighty and grave matters are not governed with the lightnesse of the body with swiftnesse of the foot with external qualities but with authority counsel and knowledge for in the one saith he there is rashnesse and wilfulnesse in the other gravity and prudence As Themistocles and Aristides who though not friends at Athens being both rulers yet age taught them when they were sent Embassadours for the state of Athens to become friends to profit their country which youth could never have done That sage Solon was wont often to brag how that he dayly by reading learning and experience waxed old Apelles that approved painter and renowned Greek in his age and last time would have no man to passe the day idle without drawing of one line Socrates being an old man became a scholler to learn musick and to play upon instruments Cicero being old himself became a perfect Greek with study Cato being aged in his last years went to school to Ennius to learn the Greek Terentius Varro was almost forty years old before he took a Greek book in hand and yet proved excellent in the Greek tongue Clitomachus went from Carthage to Athens after forty years of age to hear Carneades the Philosophers lecture Lucius as Philostratus doth write meeting Marcus the old Emperor with a book under his arm going to school demanded of the Emperour whither he went like a hâ—y with his book in his hand the aged Emperour answered I go to Sextus the Philosopher to learn those things I know not O God said Lucius thou being an old man goest to school now like a boy and Alexander the great died at thirty years of age Alphonsus King of Sicilia was not ashamed at fifty years old to learn and to travel for his knowledge and lest he should lose the use of the Latin tongue he occupied himself in
translating Titus Livius though he was a King I do not hold with age in divers men who for want of discretion and wit was childish again but of perfect men in whom age seemed rather a warrant of their doings For even as he that playeth much upon instruments is not to be commended so well as he that playeth cunningly and artificially so all men that live long are not to be praised so much as he that liveth well For as apples being green are yet sower untill by time they wax sweet so young men without warrant of time and experience of things are oftentimes to be misliked If faults be in old men saith Cicero as many there be it is not in age but in the life and manners of men Some think age miserable because either the body is deprived from pleasure or that it bringeth imbecility or weaknesse or that it is not far from death or calleth from due administration of Common-wealths these four causes saith Cicero make age seem miserable and loathsome What shall we say then of those that in their old age have defended their countries saved their Cities guided the people and valiantly triumphed over their enemies as L. Paulus Scipio and Fabius Maximus men of wonderfull credit in their old years What may be spoken of Fabritius Curius and Cornucanus aged men of great agility of famous memory in their latter days How can Appius Claudius be forgotten who being both old and blind resisted the Senatours to compound with King Pyrrhus for peace though they all and the Consuls of Rome hereunto were much inclined If I should passe from Rome a place where age was much estéemed unto Athens amongst the sage Philosophers if from Athens to Lacedemonia where age altogether bare sway and rule if from thence unto the Ethiopians and Indians where all their lives are ruled and governed by old men If from thence to any part of the world I might be long occupied in reciting the honour and estéemation of age Herodotus doth write that the Aethiopians and Indians do live most commonly a hundred and thirty years The people called Epeii in the Countrey of Aetolia do live two hundred years naturally and as it is by Damiates reported Lictorius a man of that Countrey lived thrée hundred years The Kings of Arcadia were wont to live thrée hundred years the people of Hyperborii lived a thousand years We read in the old Testament that Adam our first father lived nine hundred and thirty years and Eve his wife as many Seth nine hundred and twelve years Seth his son called Enos nine hundred and five Cainan the son of Enos nine hundred and ten Mahalalehel the son of Cainan eight hundred fourscore and fifteen so Enoch the son of Iared lived nine hundred thréescore and five years Enoch his son named Mechuselah lived nine hundred threescore and nine years with divers of the first Age I mean till Noah's time who began the second world after the floud who lived as we read nine hundred and five his son Sem six hundred years and so lineally from father to son as from Sem to Arphaxad from Arphaxad to Sala from Sala to Heber the least lived above thrée hundred years This I thought for better credit and greater proof of old ago to draw out of the Old Testament that other prophane authorities might be beleeved as Tithoniâ—s whom the Poets fain that he was so old that he desired to become a Grashâ—pper But because age hath no pleasure in the world frequenteth no banquets abhorreth lust loveth no wantonness which saith Plato is the only bait that deceives young men so much the happier age is that age doth loath that in time which young men neither with knowledg with wisdome nor yet with counsel can avoid What harm hath happened from time to time by young men over whom lust so ruled that there followed eversion of CoÌ„monwealths treason to Princes Friends betrayed countreys overthrown and Kingdoms vanquished throughout the world Therefore Cicero saith in his book entituled De Senectate at what time he was in the City of Tarentum being a young man with Fabius Maximus that he carried one lesson from Tarentum unto the youth of Rome where Architas the Tarentine said that Nature bestowed nothing upon man so hurtfull to himself nor so dangerous to his Countrey as lust or pleasure For when C. Fabricius was sent as an Embassadour from Rome to Pyrrhus King of Epyre being then the Governour of the City of Tarentum a certain man named Cineas a Thessalian by birth being in disputation with Fabritius about pleasure affirmed that hee heard a Philosopher of Athens affirm that all which we do is to be referred to pleasure which when M. Curius and Titus Coruncanus heard they desired Cineas to perswade King Pyrrhus to yéeld to pleasure and make the Samnites believe that pleasure ought to be esteemed Whereby they knew that if King Pyrrhus or the Samnites being then great enemies to the Romans were addicted to lust or pleasure that then soon they might be subdued and destroyed There is nothing that more hindreth magnanimity or resisteth vertuous enterprises then pleasure as in the Treatise of pleasure it shall more at large appear Why then how happy is old age to despise and contemn that which youth by no means can avoid yea to loath and abhor that which is most hurtfull to it self For Cecellius contemned Caesar with all his force saying to the Emperor that two things made him nothing to estéem the power of the Emperor Age and Wisdome By reason of Age and Wisdome Castritius feared not at al the threatnings of C. Carbo being then Consul at Rome who though he said he had many friends at commandement yet Castriâ—iâ—â— answered and said That he had likewise many years that could not fear his friends Therefore a wise man sometime wept for that man dieth within few years and having but little experience in his old age he is then deprived thereof For the Crow liveth thrise so long as the man doth the Hart liveth four times so long as the Crow the Raven thrice so long as the Hart and the Phoenix nine times longer then the Raven And thus Birds do live longer time then man doth in whom there is no understanding of their years But man unto whom reason is joyned before he commeth to any ground of experience when he beginneth to have knowledge in things he dieth and thus endeth he his toyling Pilgrimage and travel in fewer years then divers beasts or birds do CHAP. XIX Of the manners of sundry People under sundry Princes and of their strange life THe sundry fashions and variety of manners the strange life of people every where thorow the world dispersed are so charactered and set forth amongst the writers that in shewing the same by naming the Countrey and the people thereof orderly their customes their manners their kind of living being worthy of observation I thought briefly to touch and to note
the people of Carthage delighted in falshood practised perjury and used all kind of crafts as the people of Sarmatha were most false in words most deceitfull in déeds and most cruell one towards the other The Scythians being much molested with wars and driven to leave their wives at home in the custody of the slaves and servants having occasion to be absent four years their wives married their servants and brake their former faith with their husbands until with force and power their servants were slain and so they recovered their countreys and wives again Apollonius the chief Governâ—ur of Samos whom the Commons of the countrey from low estate had exalted to dignity to whom they committed the Government and state of Samos was so false of his faith towards his subjects that having their goods lands livings and lives in his own hanâ— he betrayed them to Philip King of Macedonia their most mortal enemy That proud perjurer Cocalus King of Sicily slue King Minos of Créet though under colour of friendship and pretence of communication he had sent for him Cleomines brake promise with the Argives with whom he took truce for certain days and having craftily betrayed them in the night he slue them being sleeping and imprisoned them against his former faith and promise made before Even so did the false Thracians with the Boetians they brake promise violated their faith destroyed their countreys depopulated their cities and having professed friendship and vowed faith became wicked foes and false traytors and all of these received condign punishment But of all false perjurers and unnatural foes Zopyrus amongst the Persians and Lasthenâ— â— amongst the Olinthians to their perpetual Fame shall be ever mentioned the one in the famous City of Babylon deformed himself in such sort with such dissimulation of forged faith that having the rule and government thereof in his hand he brought King Darius to enjoy it through his deceit and was more faithfull to his King then to his Countrey Lasthenes being the onely trust of the Citizens delivered Olinthus their City into the hands of their long and great enemy Philip King of Macedonia What fraud hath béen found always in friendship what falshood in faith the murthering of Princes the betraying of Kingdoms the oppressing of innocents from time to time in all places can well witnesse the same When Romulus had appointed Spu. Tarpeius to be chief Captain of the Capitol the chamber of Rome where the substance and wealth of Rome did remain Tarpeia Spurius daughter in the night time as she went for water out of the city méeting Tatius King of the Sabines though he was then a mortal enemy to Rome and in continual wars with Romulus yet by her falshood and policy he was brought to be Lord of the Capitol Thus Tarpeia was as false to Rome as King Tatius was to Tarpeia for she looking to have promise kept by Tatius did find him as Rome found her she was buried alive by Tatius close to the Capitol which was then called Saturnus Mount and after her death and burial it was named Tarpeiaes Rock untill Tarquinius Superbus did name it the Capitol by finding a mans head in that place There was never in Rome such falshood shewed by any man as was by Sergius Galba who caused the Magistrates of three famous cities in Lusitania to appear before him promising them great commodities concerning the states and Government of their Cities yéelding his faith and truth for the accomplishment of the same whose professed faith allured to the number of Nine thousand young msn picked and elected for some enterprise for the profit of their countrey But when false Galba had spoiled these thrée cities of the Flower of all their Youth against all promise and faith he slue the most part of them sold and imprisoned the rest whereby he most easily might conquer their Cities Men are never certain nor trusty in doing when they are faulty in Faith For as the Sun lighteneth the Moon so Faith maketh Man in all things perfect For Prudence without Faith is Vain-glory and Pride Temperance without Faith and Truth is Shamefacednesse or sadnesse Iustice without Faith is turned into Injury Fortitude into Slothfulnesse The orders in divers countreys for the observation of Friendship and for maintainance of certain and sure love one towards another were Oaths of Fidelity The noble Romans at what time they sware had this order He or she to take a slint stone in their right hand saying these words If I be guilty or offend any man if I betray my countrey or deceive my friend willingly I wish to be cast away out of Rome by great Jupiter as I cast this stone out of my hand And therewith threw the stone away The ancient Scythians to obserbe amity and love had this Law They poured a great quantity of wine into a great Boul and with their knives opened some vein in their bodies letting their bloud to run out one after another into the boul and then mingling the wine and bloud together they dipped the end of their spears and their arrows in the wine and taking the boul into their hands they drank one to another professing by that draught faith and love The Arabians when they would become faithfull to any to maintain love thereby had this custome One did stand with a sharp stone betwéen two and with it made bloud to issue from the palms of both their hands and taking from either of them a piece of their garment to receive their bloud he dipped seven stones in the bloud and calling Urania and Dionisius their Gods to witnesse their covenant they kept the stones in memory of their friendship and departed one from another The like law was among the Barcians who repairing to a Ditch and standing thereby would say as Herodotus affirmeth As long as that hollow place or ditch were not of it self filled up so long they desired amity and love In reading of Histories we find more certainty to have béen in the Heathen by prophane Oaths then truth often in us by Evangelist and Gospel Oaths lesse perjury in those Gentiles swearing by Jupiter or Apollo then in Christians swearing by the true and iiving God more amity and friendship amongst them with drinking either of others bloud then in us by professing and acknowledging Christs bloud When Marcus Antonius had the government of Rome after Caesar was murthered by Brutus and Cassius and having put to death Lucullus for his consent therein Volummus hearing of his friend Lucullus death came wéeping and sobbing before Antonius requiring one his knées one grant at Antonius hand which was to send his souldiers to kill him upon the grave of his friend Lucullus and being dead to open Lucullus grave and lay him by his friend Which being denied he went and wrote upon a little piece of paper and carried it in his hand untill he came to the place where Lucullus was buried and there holding fast the
insolency of Princes the desire of Fame the felicity of renown the honour of glory was such as Alexander the great answered King Darius Embassadours who coming from Persia to Macedonia to treat of peace tendering unto Alexander the daughter of Darius in marriage with all the country of Mesopotamia and twelve thousand talents yearly beside and the assurance of the kingdom of Persia after Darius days as there wanted no princely liberallity in Darius offering so there waÌ„ted no princely stoutnesse in Aâ—exanders answer saying unto the Embassadors tel your master Darius King of Persia that as two suns may not be in the firmameÌ„t so two Alexâ—nders may not rule one earth Such high and valiant minds could be subject in no wise neither Dâ—rius unto Alexander nor Alexander unto Darius Such stoutnesse reigned in Princes to maintain states that as Archestratus the Athenian was want to say that in the City of Athens two Alcibiades might not rule so Ethocles the Lacedemonian did likewise speak that two Lisanders could not agree in Sparta So opposite were Princes so high and lofty of courage so valiant of heart so noble of mind that though fortune could not so often fawn and favour their estates yet she could not bereave them of their valiant minds nor spoil them of their magnanimity nor diminish their courage as may appear by that worthy and most ancient souldier Mithridates King of Pontus who after he had plagued the Romans with wars for the space of forty years during which time he shewed himself no lesse hardy and stout in resisting the strong force of Romane then valiant and couragious in attempting the fortitude of Romans and though he were by fortune forsaken in his latter days and spoiled of all health friends children countries kingdomes and all worldly wealth yet to spite fortune his mortal foe he went to Celâ—ae thinking with them to passe over into Italy to let the Romans understand that though friends and countries by fortune were spoiled yet neither fortune with her spite nor all the Romans with their force could subdue King Mithridates valiant heart It was then the onely joy of Princes not to be conquered In this onely they triumphed that they could not be vanquished In this gloried they most in that they were free from subjection Cercilidas being one of the wise men named Ephou in Sparta hearing the thundring threatnings of King Pyrrhus Embassadours the slaughter and murther that King Pyrrhus intended upon men women and children the cruel destruction and last confuâ—ions of the Lacedemonians answered no lesse stoutly then wisely the Embassadours of the King saying If Pyrrhus your master be a God we have not offended him and therefore doubt him not but if Pyrrhus be but a man tell your master that the Lacedemonians be men likewise and therefore we nothing fear him at all The valiant Pyrrhus thought so well of himself and judged all men so inferiour unto him in their atchievements that being at the victory of that noble City Tarentum where he saw such feats attempted such acts done such stoutnesse shewed by the Romans that dismaied at the manhood and boldnesse of them thought that if magnanimity were lost the spirit thereof should be found in a Romans heart insomuch that beholding of them he cried out and said O how soon would Pyrrhus conquer all the world if either he were King of Rome or Roman souldiers subject unto Pyrrhus Of these Romans Hannibal being inforced to forsake Carthage was wont to say unto King Antiochus of Syria that Rome would never suffer equality but be Prince over all Rome was compared unto the Serpent Hidra of Lerna that having so many heads when one was cut off another sprung up insomuch that all the world might not destroy Rome being either injured or overcome by the enemies Licinius having lost divers of his souldiers unto Perseus King of Macedonia who afterwards was subdued by that valiant Roman Pompey the great Perseus did send certain Orators to speak for peace who eloquently perswaded Licinius to consent thereto after a long debate and the learned councel and pithy perswasions of the Orators it was answered as briefly and plainly by Licinius that the best way for King Perseus to obtain peace of the Romans was first to restore the prisoners he had taken and then afterwards to send his Embassadours to the General Licinius otherwise the whole country of Macedonia should féel the force and magnanimity of the Romans To speak of the conquest and victories of Julius Caesar of the resolution of Merellus of the Fortune of Silla of the severity of Marcellus being therefore called the spur of Rome and of Fabius named the Target of Rome of divers more valiant Romans it were infinite but I mean not to molest the Reader to prove the renowned Romans most worthy of this valiaÌ„t vertue magnanimity Claudian makes meÌ„tion of one Camillus a noble RomaÌ„ who having a long time laid siege at Philiscus could not prevail the Schoolmaster of the City taking his schollers with him under preteÌ„ce of walking out of the town came and offered the schollers unto Camillus saying by this means you may do what you will unto Philifeus for here be their children whom to redéem I know they will yeeld up the town Camillus having regard to the Fame of Rome and loathing much to shew such treachery rewarded the School-master after this sort he did set him naked before his schollers fast bound with his hands behind him and every one of his schollers with a rod in his hand saying unto the boys bring him home to your Parents and tell your friends of his falshood and the poor boys having an opportunity to requite old beatings were as glad as he was sorrowfull laying on load and jerkt him with so many stripes as loitering trevants may best be bold to number untill they came unto the City where they told their Parents the cause thereof who weighing the clemency and humanity of Camillus to be such they gladly and willingly yeelded themselves and their City into the hands of Camillus knowing well that he that would use them so being his enemies could not use them ill by yeelding all into his courtesie who might have had all by tyranny Now because this vertue was often séen in divers Quéens Ladies Gentlewomen and others I may not omit the pilgrimage of their lives We read of two Quéens of the Amazons Penthesilaea the first and Hyppolica the second the one so valiant against the Gréeks at the destruction of the noble City of Troy that she feared not in open field to encounter face to face with that valiant Gréek Achilles the other so hardy that she shrunk not at the force and stoutnesse of that renowned Champion Theseus who being commended by Theseus for her singular stoutnesse and courage was married to him which certainly had hapned unto Penthesilaea had she not béen taken by Achilles Camilla likewise Queen of the Volscians beside her Princely
Chariot as a Prince and not as a poor Philosopher Might not that poor midwife named Phanaerara rejoyce to have such a son as Socrates who being estéemed of all men to be best learned being counted of all men most Orthodor and taken of all men to be most modest and most grave was also judged by the Oracle of Apollo to be the wisest in all the world How happy was Elbia How famous was Creithes who nursed two such sons as Cicero and Homer the one the glory of Rome the other the sugred and sweet Oratour of all Greece Thus diligence and travel brought them to fame that being poor men they were honoured of rich men being base men they were exalted of Princes Oh happy countries of such women oh happy women of such children Oh twice happy children of such learning and knowledge The poor Smith which was Demosthenes father and the silly Potter who was Virgils father are more renowned by their children this day being dead then known by their own wealth being alive Thus much happened unto the silly Smith and unto the poor Potter their names shall never die whilest either Demosthenes is read or Virgil heard What might be spoken of that poor Physitian Nichomachus son I mean that famous and learned Philosopher Aristotle whom King Philip of Macedonia so estéemed that he counted himself happy to have his son Alexander the great born in Aristotles time whose diligence and study was such that he had the guard and tuition of that renowned Conqueror Alexander five years together who was honoured of Alexander and not onely esteemed of King Philip but Athens being destroyed by Alexander it was restored by Aristotle Such was the diligence of men their care and industries that their large volumns and infinite books are witness of their well occupied minds How became Plutarch Master to Traian the Emperor How was Seneca appointed the Tutor and Schoolmaster of the Emperor Nero How came Zeno unto such favour with King Antigonus but by diligence and not by idleness by travel and not by slothfulness by learning and not by ignorance Why did that great and famous Roman Scipio sirnamed Affricanus esteem so much the poor Poet Ennius alive that being dead he caused his picture to be set before his eys as a pledge of his great love and earnest good will It was for the desert that Scipio found in Ennius Why did Augustus Caesar that wise and Godly Emperor make so much of Maro's books but because he was in his time the lamp of Rome he honoured no lesse his books after he was dead then he embraced him alive The great King Artaxerxes thought himself half dead without the company of Hippocrates Pomponius Atticus did think him happy when either Cicero was in his sight or some of his books in his bosome Alexander never went to bed without Homer under his pillow Who will not praise the diligence of poor Cleanthes the Philosopher Who will not commend the travel of Plautus the comical Poet the one living with a Baker the other with a Bruer with much care and pain in the day time that they might study in the night time Such was their poverty and necessity that they were urged to labour in the day such was their affection and desire unto learning that they were willing to study in the day time Who will not extol Euclides to take such pains and to incur such danger to go in the night time in the apparel of a woman because he might not be known to hear Socrates read Philosophy Oh painfull men Oh worthy members of their country that so sought by diligence that so travelled by study and industry and in fine so found by wit and reason the redresse of things to disperse that diffused Chaos which Time said Cicero had then scant opened the doore unto Then after private pain and special study of sundry men in several countries knowledg came to that perfection that from one man in one place divers grew learned and pollitick Thus from Romulus the first builder and King of the Romans Rome in short time had wise and discréet Counsellours to govern the City From Solon the first law-giver after Draco amongst the Athenians by and by learned and eloquent Oratours flourished in Athens From Lycurgus amongst the Lacedemonians straight grew modest and grave Senators called Ephori And thus from one in the beginning divers procéeded forth in the end Thus the Prophets began amongst the Egyptians the Gimnosophistes among the Indians the Caldeans amongst the Babylonians the Sages called Magi amongst the Persians And so of others in other countries And thus by diligence were all men first commended by their pilgrimage and labour of life and were well recorded in memory for their service to their countrey Prince and friends that so having finished their pilgrimage in this life the fame of their merits were a perpetual memory to them after death CHAP. XIII Of the first inventors of artes countenanced by Princes and of the use of southsaying TThe world being raw and rude and barbarous without all civil pollicy Nature of it selfe first mooved men to civilize their manners and instructed the ignorant to séek and search things unknowne This Nature wrought in divers men in sundry countries a desire to knowledge whereby men exercised their gifts to the advancement and commendation of their countries following as Cicero saith Nature as a good guide and a Captaine to finde out that which was not known And because nature was alwayes desirous to be acquainted with art as a thing to exornate and beautifie her selfe she first invented letters as the foundation and the ground whence all learning doth procéed Afterwards letters were invented amongst the Hebrews by Phylo and brought unto Gréece by Cadmus and practised first in Egypt by Memnon from Egypt unto Phrygia brought by one named Hercules an Egyptian born Again among the Hetruscans letters were first invented and written by Demaratus a Corinthian Amongst the Romanes as both Plutarch and Solinus do affirm the Pilagians invented letters and taught the use thereof And some Authors of great credit affirm that Nicostrata the mother of Evander the Areadian invented letters first in Rome So Radamanthus in Syria and so others in divers places of the world were studious and carefull to search a way by reason to practise the same by wit and to disperse the lumpish Chaos which yet for want of knowledge had no perfect forme And now letters being invented Grammer worthyly came to claime the second seat of fame whose beginning and entrance unto Rome was celebrated by Epicurus brought by one Crates being sent as Ambassador from king Attalus unto the Senatours at the time of the second wars of Carthage This is the well whence flow all other sciences for from the faculty of writing and the art of speaking do the rest procéed Macrobius preferreth Dydimus for his excellency herein Cicero commendeth one named Antonius Enipho whose schoole and lecture Cicero
suffered in free Cities and Towns free tongues Philip King of Macedonia when certain Embassadours of Athens came to him he required of them if he might stand in any stead to Athens to certifie him of the same to whom Demochares one of the Embassadours answered that the greatest pleasure that he could do to Athens was to hang himself the King most patient in such scoffs and taunts said the reproachfull slander of the Athenians do make King Philip better able to revenge their malice by wars then to move him to answer their back-biting in words A Prince not onely patient in hearing but also wise in answering As sometime the Emperour Alexander Severus in Rome when it was signified unto him after Antonius was dead that the barbarous nations were ready to enter the City of Rome and that he was much rebuked of the people and blamed of the Senators for the slender care he had to the City he as Herodianus affirms answered that it belongeth to Princes to requite the good and not to answer the evill for wisemen will speak evil of no man in the beginning least they should be judged fooles in the end whereunto all things are directed and whereby all things are proved So patient was Anaxagoras when it was told him that his son was dead to answer merrily I know my son was mortal So patient was King Antigoâ—us being certified of his son Alcâ—onus death to answere I looked no other than for his death So patient was Pericles whon he heard that both his sons died in one day to kéep his countenance merry his cheere unchanged and his businesse about the state of his countrie not delayed But Harpalus was of passing patience being bidden of Astiages King of Persia to supper where he had two sons of his ready drest and layd in a silver dish before him on the table to be eaten by their owne father The King nay the tyrant marking the countenance of Harpalus and perceiving him not to be moved much at the matter asked him how he liked his supper he without alteration of colour or change of countenance framed himselfe to answer the king merrily commending much the supper as one that knew that patience was the onely remedy in tyranny A second Iob in patience nay hee passed Iob for Iob knew that his God did suffer Satan to punish him for love he had to Iob but Harpalus perceived that this tyrant did this to him of tyranny and evil will far from christianity for in this vale of misery we count him wise and certain we may cal him most wise that can in prosperity be gentle and in adversity be patient Both these examples were seen in one man in one day at Rome Paulus Aemilius having two sons the hope of Rome and comfort of the father the one dead foure dayes before the triumphs of Macedonia the other three dayes after the triumph returning from Macedonia with that noble victory and such triumphs unto Rome that no man could finde in his heart to tell this noble Romane of the heavinesse in Rome by reeson of the death of his children he perceiving the people of Rome to be sad and he so merry they so heavy with sobs and sighes and he so glad by reason of his triumphs and victories demanded the cause which being at length made known he then comforted them that should comfort him saying I thank the Gods more to give me victory over my enemies to the glory and prayse of Rome then I accuse fortune to spoyl me of my children which by nature were borne to dye and though much it be to my griefe yet wish I the Gods to do the like to the father as they did the sons so that the like conquest and glory may happen to Rome In this was both magnanimity and patience Some men are patient in some things as in a corporal paine some in torments another is patient of injuries done I commend them both but to be patient in all kinde of aflictions and adversity heaven and earth commendeth that man Plyny speaketh of one man Anarchus Augustus most patient in torments Of one Woman Laena to kéep silence So were the Egyptians people of great patience when they had rather dye in torments with patience then to betray any man The Gymnosophistes of India were so patient that from sun rising untill night upon the hot sanâ— they continued without meat and drink saith Plyny going from one seat to an other to behold the heavens the Sun the Moon c. The Lacedemonians were most patient in travel paine winde weather and wars The people of Sparta at what time certaine men of Chios came to pilgrimage understanding the wise men of Sparta called Ephori to be in all things most patient to move them to anger they vomited before them and then went where the Ephori sate in judgement and used it as a common stoole to discharge nature When they came to Chios againe they said that the wise men of Sparta were fooles and blocks because they could not move them to be angry but not more patient then the other were beastly For this kinde of patience was Mithridates king of Pontus renowned so was Agesilaus king of the Lacedemonians so was Masissima king of Numidia So patient was the Emperor Augustus that he suffered a young man of Sycilia to answer him as boldly as he had demaÌ„ded of him merrily whether ever his mother had been in Rome he being like to the Emperour in countenance and proportion meaning thereby that he might be his father if she had been there the young man perceiving the sleight of Augustus answered boldly and said My mother was never in Rome but my father hath béen divers times in Rome meaning that the Emperour might rather be his brother that way then he to be his son the other way by his mother But because patience is better known by reading of divers Princes anger where they shall see what hurt was done what wickednesse was committed by impatience which might have bin redressed and saved by patience therefore to avoyd prolixity it shall be spoken in the one what wanteth in the other but I will first speak of the humanity and sobriety and other vertues famous in Kings and Princes CHAP. XV. Of humanity and clemency of Princes LIke as pride oppresseth love provoketh disdain kindleth malice confoundeth justice and at length subverteth states even so humanity stirreth up affection augmenteth amity maintaineth love supporteth equity and preserveth Cities and countries Nothing saith the godly Emperour Alexander Severus so joyneth the hearts of subjects unto their Prince as humanity Nothing doth purchase honour so much to the noble man as affability Nothing so much kindleth love amongst the Commons as mutual humanity How gently did Cyrus king of Persia handle Croesus king of Lydya who being vanquished and convicted was by the law as Herodotus doth witnesse appointed to dye he being brought to the place of execution began heavily
yet lived that he might the better in that season win favour and find friendship with his subjects for then some came by heritage some by the sword and the most came by election Nothing saith Plutarch doth so establish the estate of a Common-wealth as the clemency of a Prince towards his subjects and the love of the subjects towards their Prince the one is never séen without the other King Darius therefore understanding that his subjects were taxed sore with Subsedies blamed his counsel rebuked their law and made an open oration unto his commons to signifie how loth he was to molest his subjects and that he was as loth to take any from his poor commons as he knew them to be willing in giving all they had to pleasure their Prince his care therein shewed and his speech so affable and his good will opened with such curtesie and lenity inflamed such benevolence kindled such a love caused such a readinesse in his subjects and made them through gentlenesse so beneficial that both goods lands and lives were at Darius commandement Plutarchus in the life of King Antigonus doth recite a famous history concerning the alteration and change of Antigonus who with tyranny a long while fomed in bloud and delighted in murther being given altogether to wickednesse of life spoiling at all times every where sparing no place at any time but at length having obtained the kingdome of Macedonia became so méek so liberal so quiet towards his subjects that he was of all men wondred at for his sudden change from so cruell a tyrant to so gentle a Prince from a spoiler of all places to be a sparer now of his subjects being demanded the cause thereof answered Then I travelled for the Kingdome of Macedonia which was to be won with wars and tyranny and now I labour for the good will of my subjects which is to be gotten with gentleness The onely remedy the sure way to win good will of the subjects is always for Princes to be courteous and gentle Pitie in a Prince causeth love in the subjects Such pity was found in that gentle Emperor Aurelian when he would have entred into that City called Iâ—aena the gates being shut against him he did send his Heralds to signifie unless the gates should be opened he would not leave one dog alive within the City The City more stout then wise refused to open their gates until with force of Engines the walls were battered down and the City in the hand of the Emperor to do what it liked him The souldiers gréedy of the spoil were by the gentle and mercifull Emperor charged not to meddle with any within the City until they had licence The Emperor being charged by the souldiers with his promise to kil and to spoil all and not to leave a dog alive he kept promise like a Prince and destroyed all the dogs of the City and restored the City again to the inhabitants thereof This noble Aurelian had rather his souldiers should want then that they should not shew mercy according to his custome to the comfortless Xerxes the great King of Persia used such lenity and gentleness towards his brother Arimenes with whom before he was a great enemy that he made him of a foe a friend Porus a famous Prince of India being conquered by Alexander the Great fearing that pity might not have place in the heart of such a conqueror sought nothing else of Alexander who willed him to ask any thing and he should have it but clemency This vertue long waited upon Alexander till pride the root of all mischief corrupted his gentle heart and he was by the Medes and Persians perswaded to be the son of Jupiter So gentle he was before the King Darius did wish either to conquer Alexander because he might shew courtesie unto Alexander or else to be conquered by Alexander Aeneas Sylvius was wont to use the saying of Sigismund the Emperor that happy are those Princes that foster up clemency in Court and prudent are those Princes that use humanity in their Cities It was no small proof of humanity in the Senators of Rome at the burial of Siphax King of Numidia who being taken by the Romans and kept in Tiberius house according to martial law before he was ransomed by the Numidians died at Rome where such solemnity honour and pomp was shewed at his funeral such gifts given such liberality used as if Siphax had died amongst his own subjects he might have wanted to have such glorious burial in Numantia being there their King as he had in Rome being a prisoner That is worthy humanity which is shewed to men in adversity and that is méer clemency which is done to those banished strangers as the Romans sometime did to Prusius King of Bithinia who being driven to exile by his son Nicomedes came unto Rome where humanity and clemency were used and nourished in the Senate and was met at Capua a City sometime by Hannibal conquered by Scipio and Cornelius and brought to Rome not like a banishâ—d man but as a noble Prince with such triumphs and honour done to him and such passing courtesie and liberality of Senators that although he was banished Bithinia his Kingdome and by Nicomedes his own son yet was he received into Rome by strangers and that to the honour and the fame of Rome Thereby the Romans grew to that admiration with all people that for their lenity and surmounting courtesie they were of all men beloved and for their valour and magnanimity they likewise were of all the world feared For as to Siphax and Prusius wonderfull clemency and humanity were by the Romans tendered so was the like to Ptolomy King of Egypt being of his own brother banished and by them restored again to his Kingdome Rome then was called the Haven of succour the anchor of trust the Key of courtesie whereto all succourless Princes and noble Captains sled Rome flourished then while pity and mercy continued Rome prospered while humanity and clemency were fostered Rome excelled all nations in gentleness and pity when Marcellus and Metellus lived the one Captain of Syracusa the other in Celtiberia The noble Captain Marcellus was so pittiful that after his souldiers had conquered Syracusa with great slaughter and murther of men women and children he mounted up into a high Tower of the Castle and there with tears he lamented the cufull sight of Syracusa more like to one conquered then a conqueror more like to a Prisoner then a Prince so that any who then saw him might rather judge Marcellus a Syracusan captive then a Roman Captain Happy was Syracusa sith fortune was no better to happen on such a gentle Conqueror who was not so glad of his own victory as he was sorrowfull for the fall of Syracusa That renowned Roman Merellus besieging the great City of Centobrica in the countrey of Celtiberia when he perceived their Bulwarks broken their Walls ready to fall and victory nigh at hand
should be cut off offered to Jupiter in the Capitol of Rome his family to the temple of Ceres his children should be sold as bondmen to the Tribunes and Censors The Lacedemonians were most studiouâ— to expel idlenesse and brought their children up always in hardnesse to practise them in the Arts of Industry and hated Idlenesse so much that if any in the City of Sparta waxed grosse or fat they straight suspected him of idlenesse and if any young man waxed fat they had appointed laws that he should fast and live poor untill he were again changed into his first estate The Egyptians an ancient people when the country of Egypt began to be populous to avoid idlenesse as Pliny reporteth made the great building called the Pyramides which for the mightinesse and strange working thereof was named one of the seven wonders of the World in which there were kept at work thréescore thousand young men who continued a long time in the making thereof and onely to avoid and banish idlenesse The Athenians so abhorrid and detested idlenesse that when a certain man was condemned to die for that he was found idle in Athens a citizen thereof named Herondas as Plutarch testifieth was as desirous to see him as though he had been a prodigious Monster so strange and so marvellous was it to hear or to see any idle man in Athens The people called the Massilians would suffer no travellers neither Pilgrim nor Sacrificer nor any other stranger to come within their City lest under colour of religion or of pilgrimage they might corrupt the youth of the City with the sight thereof to be idle The Indians had a law made by their Wise-men called Gymnosophists that after meat was set on the table the youth should be examined what they had done for their meat and what pain and labour they had used all the morning before if they could make account of their travel they should goe to dinner but if they had béen idle they should have no meat except they had deserved the same The like did the young men of Argis who made an account to their Magistrates of their occupations and works The Areopagites as Valerius affirmeth did imitate the Athenians in commanding their youth to avoid idlenesse and to exercise travel the one as necessary to any Commonwealth as the other is most dangerous So that some countreys are naturally given to travel as the Lydians Phrygians French men with others Some again are given to idlenesse as the Persians Corinthians and others Some by law were forced to slie idlenesse some by punishment were feared from it some by death were enforced to labour for their living Thus this Monster Idlenesse is beaten every where and yet embraced in most places every man speaks against idlenesse yet a number are in love with it Magistrates and Officers are appointed to punish it and yet they often favour it CHAP. XL. Of Wrath and Anger and the hurts thereof THe famous and noble Philosopher Aristotle did charge his schollers always being in Anger or Wrath to behold themselves in a glasse where they might see such alteration of countenance such a palenesse in color that being before reasonable men they appear now like brutish beasts Wherefore that great Philosopher perceiving the furious and hastie nature of Alexander wrote from Athens unto India where this noble conqueror was at wars with King Porus to take heed of Wrath and Anger saying Anger ought not to be in any Prince toward his inferiour for he was to be mended with correction nor toward his equal for he might be redressed with power so that Anger ought not to be but against superiours but Alexander had no coequals Yet in vain was Aristotles doctrine to Alexander in this point for being in a baÌ„quet when Clitus his dear friend coÌ„mended his father King Philip in the former age to be the worthiest most renowned Prince Alexander wexed upon a sudden so angry that any man should be preferred before him though Philip was his own father which was comended and Cliâ—us his especial friend that did commend him that he thrust Clitus into the heart with a spear So hastie was this Prince that Calisthenes and Lysiâ—achus the one his Historian and counsellour the other his companion and friend for a few words spoken were either of them slain Silence therefore saith Aristotle is the surest reward to a Prince We read that King Tigranes of Armenia whom Pompey the great did conquer waxed so angry by a fall from his horse because his son was present and could not prevent his fathers fall that he thrust him with his dagger into the heart and was so sorry afterward and angry withal that he had likewise killed himself had not Anaxarchus the Phllosopher perswaded him Anger in a Prince saith Solomon is death terrible is the countenance of a King when he is oppressed with Wrath hurtfull to many and dangerous to all is the anger thereof Nero was so furious in anger that he never heard any thing if it were not to his liking but he would requite it one way or other with death insomuch that in his rage and anger he would often throw down tables being at dinner and dash cups of gold wrought with pearls against the walls and fling all away more like to a furious Gorgon of hell then a sober Emperor in Rome Such fury reigneth in anger that Orestes the son of Agamemnon slue his own mother Clytemnestra suddenly in his Wrath. Such madnesse reigneth in Anger that Ajax Telamon that famous and valiant Gréek after that Achilles was slain in the temple of Pallas by Paris at the destruction of Troy waxed so Angry because he might not have Achilles Armor which was given before to Ulisses that he beat stones and blocks fought with dead trées killed beasts thinking to méet with Ulisses amongst them If Anger make men murtherers if Wrath make men mad without wit or reason to know themselves or others let them imitate Plato in his anger who being angry with any of his scholers or servants would give the rod to Zenocrates to correct them Because he was angry the learned Philosopher misdoubted himself that he could not use moderate correction Even so Archicas would always speak unto his servant that had offended him Happy art thou that Architas is not angry Thereby giving his man to understand how dangerous Wrath is Aristotle saith the angry man séeth not the thing which lieth under his féet Augustus Caesar Emperour of Rome destred Athenedorus a Philosopher of Gréece which a long time accompanied Augustus in Rome and now was ready to depart to Athens that he would write som sentence that the Emperour might think of him in his absence The Philosopher took a pen and wrote in a little Table this sentence Caesar when thou art moved to anger speak nothing till thou hast recited the Greekes Alphabet a worthy lesson and a famous sentence well worthy to be learned of all
called Pyromancy which is a certain divination by fire thus Tanaquil Tarquinius Priscus wife when she saw thâ— flames playing about Servius Tullius head she affirmed thereby that he should be King in Rome The third is Aeromancy which useth to prognosticate things by the air as by flying of Fowls and tempest of weather as when it rained Iron in Lucania it did presage said they the death of Marcus Crassus amongst the Parthians or as Livi writeth when it rained stones in Picen at the second wars of Carthage it was to shew the slaughter and murther that Hannibal should do in Italy The fourth is Hydromancy to judge things to come by fight of water as Varro doth report of a boy that saw the picture or image of Mercury in the water pronouncing and reciting all the wars of Mithridates King of Pontus that should follow in verses There are two other kinds of Magick the one named Geomancy to declare and expound things by the opening gaping and moving of earth the other Chiromancy to judge by the lines of hanâ—s called Palmistry these are they that Cicero maketh mention of in his first book of divinations where he saith Cum semitam ipsi nesciant alijs tamen monstrant viam they will teach others that way that they know not themselves They will teach others how to have money and substance and yet they are themselves poor beggars always in the house of Codrus hanging at the fléeve of Irus There is again a kind of Soothsaying which was first practised in the land of Hetruria where when a certain Husbandman ploughed in the field called l'arquimen a certain man appeared in sight who sprang up from the ground which then was plowed named Tages in face and countenance much like a young child but in wisedome and discretion far surmounting any sage Philosopher This Tages taught all the land of Hetrmia Plini saith that one Delphos first invented Soothsaying and Amphiaraus first invented soothsaying by fire Polydorus describeth another sort of Soothsayers who were wont to conjecture and foreshew by beasts slain to be sacrificed whether the heart the liver or such like did perish as Caesar which when he sacrificed an Oxe unto Jupiter which had no heart thereby the Soothsayers prognosticated the infelicity and mishap of Caesar Likewise King Xerxes in his wars against the Gréeks a Mare being a stout and warlike beast brought forth a Hare a timerous and fearfull thing whereby they declared the overthrow of Xerxes and his huge army and the flight and cowardize thereof Again there is a kind of sooth saying by lightning thunders and tempests The folly of men was such that they thought nothing to be in the world but had hidden knowledge concerning man they would take nothing in hand without some Oracles of Jupiter or Apollo they reposed more trust in flying fowls in their chirping notes concerning any attempts which they took in hand then in their own force and strength they had more confidence in beasts of the field and trusted more in elementary sights In fine there was nothing almost but they had more respect either unto the colour the voice the proportion and such like toys then they had in themselves as is before mentioned in the worshipping of their Gods and institution of Religion These foolish toys were first observed amongst the Chaldeans from Chaldea they came to Gréece from Gréece to Hetruria from Hetruria to Rome and from Rome to all Europe they were scattered Wherefore Moses that wise Hebrew and the singular instrument of God for his people commanded that no man should consult with those wicked and abominable faculties saying unto his people You shall not beléeve Sooth-sayers neither shal you trust unto dreams The Iews were so addicted to observe these augurations that they would not go to war at any time without some warnings and conjectures had by some bird or beast insomuch that one Mossolanus a Iew born a wise man noted in his Countrey making his voyage unto wars as Josephus in his first book of Antiquitie doth write was commanded with all his hoste to stay untill a certaine southsayer would go to counsel and know the successe of the wars which then he took in hand with a bird hard by the army Mossolanus perceiving how they were inclined and wholly bent to be instructed by divination he took his bow and an arrow and slew this bird whereat the souldiers were so amazed and the soothsayer so angry that had not Mossolanus perswaded the people wisely he had béen like though he was their Captain to have béen by his own souldiers slain but after long tumult made Mossolanus spake after this sort unto his souldiers Do you think that birds beasts and such like dumb things can foreshew things to you which know nothing of themselves for behold the bird which you trusted most unto and likewise your soothsayer could not sée to avoid my purpose when I slue him Do you trust that creature for your lives which is ignorant of his own death O blindnesse of people which yet remaineth in this age Thus having briefly past the inventers of sciences in sundry countries men were much given to find other necessaries to live by and studious to make things profitable for their countries and carefull to augment the state and life of man to full perfection For the Cyclopians were the first workers of Iron work the Lacedemonians the first inventers of harnesse spears swords and bucklers for wars people thereby most renowned the Athenians taught first to plant trees and Vineyards the Phrygians made first the chariots and waggons the Lydians used first to dresse wools and so the people of Caria practised first bows and arrows and the Phenicians the Crossebow then other particular matters were likewise sought out by divers speciall men in speciall countries for the use of man as oyl and honey by Aristeus Keys by Theodotus the Samian Ships to sail by Jason silver by Ericthomus gold by Cadmus Thus every where each man in his pilgrimage did something worthy of memory Thrason was renowned for his lofty walls and his towers Danaus for his wells and for his digging of water Cinira for finding out Copper Brasse Lead and such other metals Ceres for sowing of Corn and Bacchus for planting the Vine thus the world in time waxed not onely populous but it grew also skilfull in things and plentifull of laws for the redresse and safeguard of man CHAP. XIIII Of Patience of Kings and Princes PAtience is a vertue saith Cato the wise in all adversities the best medicine to a sick man the surest plaister to any sore it comforteth the heavy it rejoiceth the sad it contenteth the poor it healeth the sick it easeth the painful it hurteth no man it helpeth all men therefore said the wise man Byon that that the greatest harm that can happen unto man is not to be able to sustain and abstain For this was Tiberius Caesar much commended of Suetonius that he