of this disease was so great that there was no roome in the Church-yards to bury the dead and many finding themselues infected with this disease being out of all hope of recouery would presently sow themselues in sheetes looking when death would come to separate the soule from the body These were the whips that God vsed in a generalitie for punishment of sinnes But what would we speake of diseases when Plinie and others write that in two thousand yeeres to their time they haue discouered aboue three hundred diseases to which men are subiect we may say with the Poet Optima quaeque dies miseris mortalibus 〈◊〉 Prima fugii subeunt morbi tristisque senectus Et labor durae rapit inclementia mortis The best dayes of vs miserable men The first are that make haste from vs and then Diseases come with sorrowfull old age Labour and lust Deaths implacable rage Let vs descend to some particular matter which hath happened to men either by the secret iudgement of God or by some rare accidents Popyelus King of Polonia a man of euil life would often wish that he might be deuoured of mice At last as he was sitting at dinner banquetting and 〈◊〉 a company of great mice set vpon him which came from the carkasses of his vncles which he and the Queene his wife had killed with poyson These mice in great heapes assaulted him his wife and children as they sate feasting and neuer left gnawing vpon them day and night though his guard and souldiers did all they could to driue them away great fires were made and the King his wife and children placed in the middest yet notwithstanding the Mice ran thorow the fire and fell to their gnawing againe Then they went into a ship and prooued what the water would doe the Mice followed them and gnawing continually vpon the Ship the Mariners seeing themselues in danger of drowning the water comming in at the holes which the Mice made brought the Ship to land where another companie of Mice ioyned with these and molested them more then before when his followers saw these things perceiuing it to be the Iudgement of God they all fled The King seeing himselfe left alone and those departed that should defend him he went vp into an high tower but the Mice climbed vp and deuoured him his wife and two sonnes By which it appeareth that there is no policie nor power to be vsed against God The Emperour Arnolphus was likewise eaten vp with Lice his Physicions being vnable to giue him any remedy Hotto Bishop of Ments in Germanie perceiuing the poore people in great lacke of victuals by the scarcitie of corne gathered a great many of them together and shut them into a barne and burnt them saying That they differed little from Mice that consumed corne and were profitable to nothing But God left not so great a crueltie vnreuenged for he made Mice assault him in great heapes which neuer left gnawing vpon him night nor day he fled into a Tower which was in the midst of the Riuâ—…r of Rhyne which to this day is called the Tower of Mice of that euent supposing hee should be safe from them in the midst of the Riuer But an innumerable companie of Mice swam ouer the riuer to execute the iust Iudgement of God and deuoured him The like happened to a Bishop of Strasbrough who was also deuoured with mice When Harold King of Denmarke made warre vpon Harquinus and was ready to ioyne battell there was a dart seene in the aire flying this way and that way as though it sought vpon whom to light And when all men stood wondering what would become of this strange matter euery man fearing himselfe at last the dart fell vpon Harquinus head and slew him An Italian Gentleman being vniustly condemned to die as it was thought by Pope Clement the fift at the request of Philip the faire King of France seeing them both out of a window speaketh to them aloud in this sort Thou cruell Clement for as much as there is no iudge in the world before whom a man may appeale from that vniust sentence which thou hast pronounced against me I appeale from thee as from an vniust Iudge to the iust Iudge Iesus Christ before whom I summon thee and likewise thee King Philip at whose suite thou hast giuen iudgement of death vpon me within one yeere to appeare before the Tribunall seat of God where I shall plead my cause which shall be determined without couetousnesse or any other passion as yee haue done It chanced that about the end of the time by him prefixed both the Pope and the King dyed The like happened to Ferdinando the fourth King of Castile who puttìng to death two knights rather through anger then iustice whose fauour could not be obtained neither by weeping and lamenting nor by any petitions they summoned the King to appeare before the Tribunall seat of Christ within thirtie daies the last of which the King died A Captaine likewise of the Gallies of the Genowayes tooke a vessell the Captaine whereof neuer did harme to the Genowayes yet for the hatred that the Captaine of the Genowayes did beare to his Nation he commanded him to be hanged And when no petitions nor prayers would be heard nor excuses allowed nor any mercy would be found hee said to this cruell Captaine that he did appeale to God that punisheth the vniust and summoned him to appeare at a certaine day appointed to render account before God of the wrong he had done him the very same day that he appointed the Captain of the Genowayes dyed of like went to yeeld his account A strange example likewise by a false accusation of an Archbishop of Mentz called Henry This man was indued with many vertues and had great care of his flocke and would punish seuerely publike sinners which procured the hatred of many wicked persons who accused him to the Pope as a man insufficient for his charge laying many faults against him The Pope holding a good opinion of the Bishop aduertised him of it who to purge himselfe and to declare his innocency made choise among all his friends of one Arnand whom he loued dearely and aduanced to many dignities to go to Rome This man being rich intending to depriue his master and to occupie his place suborned two wicked Cardinals with a great summe of money to fauour his practice when he came to answer for his master hee confessed how much bound he was to him yet he was more bound to God and to the truth then to men and said that the accusations laid against the Bishop were true By meanes whereof the Pope sent the two corrupted Cardinals to heate determine the Bishops cause when they came into Germanie they sent for the Archbishop and vpon hearing of his cause depriued him of his dignities and placed Arnand in his roome The Bishop being present at
seeme to you happy or vnhappy I know not because I was neuer conuersant with him but what if you had had his company would you then know him Can you take knowledge of his felicity by no other meanes No truly Then it seemeth ô Socrates that you will say likewise I cannot tell whether the great King of Persia bee happy or not and so it is true for I know not how he is instructed with learning or with iustice Doth all felicity consists in this Truly by mine opinion for I account that man or woman that is honest and good to be happy and him that is vniust and vnhonest vnhappy Then according to your words Archelaus is vnhappy Yea surely if he be vniust and vnhonest Thus much of Socrates Yet negligence is to be auoided and prouidence without ouermuch care and possession without feare is necessary and requisite It is a wise mans part to put aside dangerous things before they come to do hurt for the losse or harme a man receiueth by his own fault is more grieuous then that which happeneth to him by another man Thucidides saith It is no shame for a man to confesse his pouerty but it is a shame to fall into it by his owne fault He must haue all things premeditate that happeneth to men and thinke the same may fall vpon him for the things that are foreseene before pierce not so deepely as that which commeth suddenly and taketh a man vnwares He that will make his life pleasant must not take ouermuch care to prouide for it neither can any man take full pleasure of any thing except he haue a minde prepared for the losse of it One proâ—…steth by long study to haue learned this to contemne mortall things and not to bee ignorant of his ignorance Death is to all men by nature terrible but to a Christian that knoweth with how great an aduantage hee changeth his estate it ought to bee had in contempt whereof the heathens that knew not God nor what should become of them made little account who for friuolous causes would offer themselues voluntarily to die whose examples though they be not to be followed but auoyded as an vnlawfull and vnnaturall act yet they may serue to perswade men the rather to discharge themselues of all feare of death that haue an assured hope certaine knowledge to possesse the vnspeakable ioyes of heauen when the Infidels through a vaine hope of a better life wherein neuerthelesse they were deceiued would often make choise of a voluntary death CleoÌ„brotus hauing read Plato his booke of the immortality of the Soule wherein he disswadeth men from the ouermuch loue of this life thinking he had found the ready way to deliuer his soule out of prison cast himselfe downe headlong from a high wall and brake his necke They haue a custome in Narsinga that when the men die their wiues be buried aliue with them that with great solemnity and ioy when the king is dead there is a pile of wood of a most pleasant sauour set on fire the kings carkeise carried into it and then all his concubines whereof he hath great store and all his familiar friends and fauourites and such of his seruants as were in estimation with him are likewise carried into that pile of wood to which place they go with such haste ioy to be burnt that to accompany their king in that kind of death they seeme to esteeme it the greatest honour and felicity that can happen to them The Indians by custome doe marry many wiues and when the husband is dead there is great contention among his wiues which of them he loued best that she may be buried with him then she that hath iudgement with her with great ioy merry countenance is led by her friends to the place and casting her selfe into the fire vpon her husband is burnt with him as a most happy woman the rest remaining leading a sorrowfull life There hath been a people dwelling by the mountaines called Rifei who hold this for a custome when they come to the age of 50 They make great piles of wood and put fire to them there burne themselues aliue and sacrifice to their gods and the same day the kinsfolke children make a great feast and do eate their flesh halfe burnt and drinke with wine the dust of their bones How much lesse then should Christians feare death when it pleaseth God to send for them that hope for a crowne of glory after this life They make a good bargaine that with the death of the body seeke the saluation of their Soule Plato saith All the life of wise men is the meditation vpon death that men ought not to be carefull to liue long but to liue well For the honourable age saith Saâ—…mon is not that which is of long time neither that which is measured by the number of yeeres but wisedome is the gray haire an vndefiled life is the old age And Euripides saith This life is life by name but in very deed labour Death is not a torment but a rest and end of all mans miseries and labours And Seneca Before old age come a man should learne to liue well and in old age to die well But the day of our death saith Gregory our Creator would not haue knowne to vs that the same being alwayes vnknown may be alwayes thought to be at hand and that euery man should be so much the more feruent in operation by how much hee is vncertaine of his vocation that whilest we be vncertaine when we shall die wee may alwayes come prepared to death And because that is so certaine a thing that no man can escape it shall bee good alwayes to thinke vpon death especially in the time of prosperity â—…or the thinking often thereof will bridle and restraine all other cuill thoughts and desires of worldly vanities for in prosperity we forget humane srailty It is reported that the Emperour Charles the fift fiue yeeres before he died euen when he was occupied in his greatest affaires caused a sepulcher to be made with all things appertaining to it that was necessary for his buriall being dead and that secretly lest it might be taken for ostentation or hypocrisie which things he had closely carried with him whithersoeuer he went fiue yeeres together some thinking there had been some great treasure in it some other that there had been bookes of old stories some thought one thing some another but the Emperour smiling said that he carried it about with him for the vse of a thing to him aboue all others most precious In that sort he seemed to set death alwayes before his eyes that the coÌ„tinuall remeÌ„brance therof might driue from his heart the vaine pompe pride of this world Let vs imagine that we see a maÌ„ of mean estate whose mind is cleansed from all perturbations vnquietnes that hath
give over untill hee had run one course more and looking round about seeing almost none left he called Count Mongomery to him that was Captaine of his guard and commanded him to goe to the end of the Tilt but hee refusing to runne against him desired to be pardoned but the King his destinie drawing him strongly to his end would allow no excuse but putting the staffe in Mongomeries hand that killed him willed him to go to the end of the tilt hee would breake one staffe more before hee departed As they ran 〈◊〉 brake the staffe upon the King with a counterbuffe that the splinters ran into his eye and up toward his braine so as languishing a few daâ—…s he dyed Thus he that thought himselfe by the alliaâ—… of this mightie Prince to bee advanced to great glorie wherein by his new title he seemed to set his felicitie was taken away by the Captaine of his guard that was appointed for his defence in the beginning of his supposed happinesse Sâ—…ctransit transit gloria mundi This strange death of the Kings seemed to be fatall and was presaged before by Ganricus an Italian Astronomer who wrote to the King five yeares before that he had calculated his nativitie that the heavens threatned him in the yeare in which hee should be one and fortie a dangerous wound in the head by which hee should bee either striken blinde or dead both which came to passe therefore hee advised him that yeare to bew are of tilâ—…s tourneys such like pastimes Likewise Nostradamus told some of his friends secretly that the King would be in great danger of his life at the triumph which made them the more attentively behold the same to see the event There was also a child of sixe yeares old brought thither with his father to see the Iustes which boy as hee saw them run to breake their staves would alwaies cry out without ceasing They will kill the King they will kill the King But what danger soever followeth or what care or trouble is in comming by it there are very few examples of them that have refused honour and rule when they have had opportunitie meanes to attaine it But an infinite number of examples of them that by unlawfull means have sought rule to their owne destruction And no part of the world can afford more than the Romane Empire where within the space of one hundred yeares â—…n which were 〈◊〉 and thirteene 〈◊〉 there were but three that dyed in their beds by sicknesse all the 〈◊〉 suffred violent death In the Reign of Galienns there were 〈◊〉 that usurped the name of Emperour The Romanes had a custome to have certaine bands of choice men lodged without thâ—… wals of the Citie of Rome for the guard of their Emperours which they called Pretorian souldiers who by the negligence of some evill Emperours forgetting their old discipline grew so licentious that they used to kill such of their Emperours though they had beene beneficiall to them for whose defence they were appointed as went about to reforme their rapines and dissolute manners and advance others in their places For this hath been alwaies the manners of men to bee moved rather with the hope of a good turne to come than with the remembrance of a benefit already received and to depend rather upon them whose power and reputation they see doth increase than upon them that bee at the highest and have no possibilitie to climbe higher Pertinax was the sonne of a slave that was made free and being trained up in the warres through his vertue and valour hee obtained to the highest dignities in the Romane Empire and after Commodus the cruell Tyrant was slaine hee was made Emperour But after hee had reigned some three moneths to the great liking of the Senate and people of Rome the Pretorian souldiers finding his severitie not so fit for their purpose as the libertie they enjoyed by his Predecessour Commodus certaine of them conspired against him went armed through the Citie of Rome to his Palace with their halberds and swords drawne whereof the Emperour being advertised sent to the Captaine of the 〈◊〉 bands who brought him the first newes of Commodus death whereof he was the principall Author and cause of this mans election to the Imperiall crowne that hee would appease the souldiers but he was so farre from disswading them that hee rather allowed of the enterprise following the common course of tho world and as the Poet saith Dum fueris felix multos â—…merabis amicos Tempor a si fuerint nubila solus â—…ris Whilst happy thou hast many friends but try Them in foule weather and away they fly The Emperour thinking it not agreeable with the majestie of his estate nor answerable to his vertues and former valour by which hee was advanced to so many dignities to flye or hide himselfe as he was counselled hee came forth boldly to the souldiers hoping by his authoritie and majestie of his person to appease them And after hee had demanded of them the cause of their comming in this disordered sort My souldiers quoth he if you come to kill me you shall doe no great or valiant act nor a matter to me very grievous that am so striken in age and have gotten such honour and fame that death cannot much trouble me who am not ignorant that the life of man must have an end But take yee heed that it be not infamous to your selves first to lay hands upon your Emperour that hath done you no harme whose person is committed to your guard defence from all treason violence I may not flye that which the destinies have ordained neither that which you have determined But if this be my last day fatall houre I pray the immortal Gods that the vengeance of the innocent bloud which shall bee fhed of me fall not upon my mother Rome but that every one of you doe feele it in his person his house And though some of the souldiers when Pertinax came to the point to speak these words were moved with the authority and grave words of the good Emperour and were about to retire yet the rest that came after pursued their furious intent and especially one Tuncius seeing all men refusing to kill Pertinax he thrust a launce thorow the middest of his bodie with which wound Pertinax fell to the ground Which being done they cut off his head and put it on a launce and carried it through the streets of Rome and returned againe to their campe with the like speede as they came forth which they fortified and prepared themselves for defence fearing the 〈◊〉 of the people of whom Pertinax they knew was well beloved But after a day or two when they saw that none sought to revenge his death they gathered to them a more boldnesse and by a rare example the like wherof was never heard before the souldiers standing upon the walls of their
Muleasses King of Tunis c. Against voracitie and immoderate Drinking instanced by sundry Histories Divers Motives perswading into Abstinence and Temperance With the singular profit arising from thence With Examples and Histories to shat purpose c. 〈◊〉 another Emperour of Rome was among divers other his notorious vices so luxuriously given that at one supper he was served with two thousand fishes of divers kindes and seven thousand flying foules who was afterward drawne throughthe streets with a halter about his neck shamefully putto death But what shall wee wonder at Emperours prodigalities when of later yeares a simple Franciscan Frier Peter de Ruere after hee had attained to the dignitie of Cardinall by the favour of the Pope his kinsman hee spent in two years in which he lived at Rome in feasts and banquets two hundred thousand Crownes besides his debts which were as much more In our time Muleasses King of Tunis was so drpwned in pleasures that being expelled from his Kingdome for whoredome after his returne from Germanie being denyed of ayd hee sought of the Eraperoue Charles the fifth he spent an hundred Crownes upon the dressing of a peacocke for his owne mouth And that hee might with more pleasure heare musicke hee used to cover his eyes But the judgement of God fell upon him for his sonne or brother dispossessed him of his Kingdome provided him a remedic that his sight should be no longer annoyance to his hearing causing his eyes to be put out with a burning hot iron He that is given to please his senses and delighteth in the excesse of eating drinking may as Salust saith bee called Animal for hee is unworthy the name of a man For wherin can a manmore resemble brute beasts degenerate from his Angelicall nature than to serve his belly and his senses But if our predecessors exceeded us in superfluitie of meats wee can compare and goe beyond them in drinking and quaffing There bee carowsets that wll match Nero and Vitellius and Heliâ—…gabalus if they were living in that facultie Vahappie are they and farre from felicitie that think it a glorious thing to coâ—…tend for the superioritie in carowsing and to carry away the victory in such a Bacchandian combate which pestiferous disease beginneth so to creepe into our Nation by the infection of our neighbours that if it be not piâ—…bmed by outboritie or lawes it is to bee fearedlest it will grow to bee habituall and take such roote that it will bee on possible to bee removed and so consequently that they which last received itwill goe beyond them from whom they first had it For the imitation of evill alwayes exceedâ—… the example King Edgar so much detested this vice of Drunkennesse that hee fet an order that no men should drinke beyond a certâ—… ring made round about the glasles cups of purpose for a marke Anacharsis saith that the first draught is to quench the thirst the second for nourishment the third for pleasure the fourth for madnesse Augustine Lurchcimer renorteth a strange Historie of three quaffers in Germany in the yeare one thousand five hundred fortie nine these three companions were in such a â—…ollity after they had taken in their cups according to the brâ—…ish manner of that Countrey that with a coale they paiâ—…d the divell in the wall and dranke freely to him and talked to him as though hee had been present The next morning they were found strangled and dead and buried under the gallowes I remember a pretty experiment prastised by the Emperour Charles the fifth upon a drunkard As this Emperour on a time entred into Gaunt there lay a 〈◊〉 fellow worth wast the streetes as though hee had beene dead who lest the horsemen should ride over him was drawn out of the way by the legs and could by no meanes be waâ—…ed which when the Emperour saw he caused him to be taken up carried home to his Palace and used as he had appointed He was brought into a faire chamber hanged with costly arrasse his clothes taken off and laid in a 〈◊〉 bed meet for the Emperour himselfe He continued in sleep untill the next day almost noone When he awaked and had lyen wondring a while to see himselfe in such a place and divers brave gentlemen attending upon him they took him out of the bed and apparelled him like a Prince in very costly garments and all this was done with very great silence on every side When hee was ready there was a table set furnished with very dainty meats he set in a chaire to eat attended upon with brave Courtiers served as if the Emperour had been present the cupboard full of gold plate and divers sorts of wines When he saw such preparation made for him he left any longer to wonder and thought it not good to examine the matter any further but took his fortune as it came and fell to his meate His wayters with great reverence and duety observed diligently his nods and becks which were his fignes to call for that he lacked for words he used none As he thus sate in his majestie eating and drinking he tooke in his cups so freely that he fell fast a sleep againe as he sate in his chaire His attendants stripped him out of his fresh apparel arrayed him with his own ragges againe and carried him to the place where they found him where he lay sleeping untill the next day After he was awakened and fet into the company of his acquaintance being asked where he had been he answered that he had been asleep and had the pleasantest dreame that ever he had in his life and told them all that passed thinking that it had been nothing but a dreame The like peradvenâ—…e would happen to the carowsers of these dayes if they would clense their minds from this notorious vice of excessive quaffing even to drunkennesse and somtimes to death and consider that God hath made them creatures after his own image they would thinke or for shame wish that the time they had in that sort spent had been but a dreame But black is no deformitie among the Moores A long inveterate custome hath made that vice familiar and turned it into manners S. Paul saith Non in ebrietatibus neque in impudicitiis nec in contentionibus sed induinoins Iesum Christum Passe not your time in drunkennesse neither in chambering nor in contentions but put on Iesus Christ. Olaus Magnus maketh report of a beast in the North part of Suetia called a Ierffe whose propertie is when he hath killed his prey or found some carkasse hee devoureth so much and never leaveth feeding untill his belly bee puffed up and strowteth like a bag-pipe then not being able to hold any more hee goeth presently between two narrow trees and straineth out backward that which hee hath eaten and so being made emptie returneth againe to the carkasse and filleth himselfe as
her wheele and seemed to be in the highest degree of felicitie she threw them downe suddenly into extreame miseries as the Poet speaking of Fortune truely sayth Et tantum constans in levitate suaeft He was onely constant in his owne lightnesse He gave over all his honours and dominions to leade a private life in a meane estate that is free from all those troubles and peril which alwayes waite upon high dignities and dominions Many goodly perswasions with much eloquence have been used prudent precepts given by wise men and pithy reasons and probable arguments have beene brought forth by many to perswade that all these worldly riches and honours which wee so greatly esteeme are but vanities who never tasted of the things from which they would disswade men and therefore not of that credit and efficacie to edifie Aeschines the Philosopher sayth Words well spoken doe awake and revive the judgement but great and manifest examples perswade the heart For examples be of more validitie than precepts and we are better taught by good life than by good words as the Poet sayth Mederis aliis ipsus ulceribus scatens Hee would cure others that was himselfe full of ulcers But Dioclefian having passed through all the estates and dignities of this life from the meanest to the highest and thereby the better able not onely by his owne wisedome but also by his experience to judge which was the best and when hee was in the highest place of honour and glory which men so earnestly labour for and admire and take for felicitie to leave all and to betake himselfe to a privat life and mean estate may serve for a sufficient perswasion that felicitie consisteth not in honour and glory nor in worldly wealth and dominion after the common opinion of men But a common errour continued many times standeth for a law and a judgement with authority for a truth and therefore not easie to be dissolved and rooted out And Dioclesians opinion is both significantly and briefely confirmed by the Poet Felix ille animi divisque simillimus ipsis Quem non mendaci resplendens gloria fuco Sollicitat non fastosi mala gandia luxus Sed tacitos sinit ire dies paupere cultu Exigit innocua tranquilla silentia vita Happi's that man in minde and comes most neere Unto the gods whom glory doth not â—…meere With lying drosse nor takes unhappy joy In swelling lusts his nature to destroy But in an habite meane and without strife Spends the still houres of his innocuous life But the Emperours that succeeded Dioclesian nor they which were before him used the like consideration and foresight of the troubles and dangers of high dignities For thâ—…re is hardly to be found any kind of death how vile or ignominious and strange soever that any man hath suffered but some of the Romane Emperors have suffered the like befides cruell torments outragious dignities in their lifetime The instabilitie of Fortune usuall in high dignities which was wisely foreseene by Dioclesian cannot more manifestly bee proved by the example of many ages than by the experience of some unhappy ambitious men in a few yeares by this example following By which if the ambitious unbâ—…dled passions and immoderate desire of honour and principalitie were not of such force and strength that mens weake mindes can make no sufficient resistance they would be more effectually warned and taught than by all the precepts and perswasions of the wise and learned men that have treated of that matter to set their felicitie in some other thing than in honour and glory which hath been the confusion of aâ—… infinite number and brought them to â—…eme misery When the Emperour 〈◊〉 the second hâ—…d reigned ten years and seemed then to live in great securitie and pâ—…peritic one Leonctus a Senatour of Constantinople conspired with others against him and by the favour of the people and some of the nobilitie he went to the Palace where finding no resistance he apprehended 〈◊〉 and cut off his nose and making himselfe Emperour hee banished him into Chersonesus where he liâ—…ed in a poore estate without a nose Leoncius having obtained his purpose and seeing himselfe in quiet possession of the Empire sent an army into Africa against the Saracens The Generall having won the victory left his Armie in good order and returned to Constantinople to yeelde the Emperour account of his charge In the meane time one in the army having gotten the good will of the souldiers whom they afterward called Tiberâ—…s revolted against Leâ—…cius and by the favour of the whole army he was chosen Emperour with such successe that speedily 〈◊〉 at Constantinople he tâ—…oke Leoucâ—…us that had bin Emperour three years and cut off his nose as he had done to Instinian and cast him into prison in a Monasterie that hee might feele the more griefe meaning afterward to put him to death He banished also one philippicus into Cephalonia because he dreamed that an Eagle did light upon his head which hee doubted did presage that he should one day be Emperour Tiberiâ—… having quietly reigned sixe or seven yeares without feare of any man it fell into his head to put Iustinian to death suspecting lest hee practised some thing against him Iustinian being thereof advertised fled for succour to a Prince in Barbary who entertained him well and promised him his daughter in marriage But after hee had lived there a time in some hope and without feare of any further displeasure understanding that his new father in law was corrupted with money and meant to send him to Tibertus hee fled from thence to the King of Bulgaria whose sister hee promised to marry By the ayd of this King Iustinian gathered together an armie and encountering with Tiberius overthrew him and recovered againe his Empire but not his nose whâ—…ch he could never have done if Tiberius had suffered him to live in exile without further molesting him When Iustinian came to Constantinople finding Leoncius there in prison after many torments he put him and â—…berius to death and alwayes as hee had occasion to wipe his nose if he had had one he caused-one of his conspirators to be executed When Iustinian had thus gotten againe the possession of his Empire he determined to put Philippicus to death that dreamed of the Eagle and to be revenged of the people of Chersonesus of whom hee pretended not to bee well used in his banishment And raising a power for that purpose Philippâ—…cus having intelligence what was intended against him like a man desperate gathered togâ—…her such forces as he could and encountring with the Emperour he overcame him and strake off his head and of a banishâ—…d man became Emperour The like happened to Philippicus for after he had reigned sixe moneths Anastasius raised a power against him and overthrew him and put out his eyes and tooke from him his Empire which when hee had enjâ—…yed one yeare Theodosius deposed him and
himselfe for the chiefe Bishop Be it knowne to your extreame foolishnesse that in temporall things we are not subject to any that the gift of certaine Churches and prebends being voyde belongeth to us by our Regall right and to receive their fruits and to defend them against all the possessours and them that beleeve otherwise wee account fooles and mad men Given c. This Pope sent out his Buls of excommunication against this king pronouncing him an hereticke and gave away his kingdome But the king after he had long suffered a great many intolerable injuries and indignities being unwilling any longer to endure his pride and ambition sent two hundred horsemen toward the Pope who handled the matter so that they tooke the Pope in a towne in Italy and brought him prisoner to Rome from whence hee had withdrawne himselfe for feare and put him in prison in his owne Castle of Saint Angelo where he fell into a frenzie and knawing and eating his owne hands dyed a miserable death This disdainefull answere to this proud Priest putteth me in minde of a short answere aptly made in our time by the French king Henry the second to the Pope theâ—… being who after the custome of his predecessors prâ—…suming to offer injuries to the king and seeing himseâ—… unable his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to â—…ch the king who made warreâ—…with with him sent embâ—…dours to him to treat of peace who told him from their masters mouth that he had done the Pope many wrongs for the which he did appeale him before the tribunall seare of Iesus Christ in heaven Yet 〈◊〉 being desirous of peace hee craved his consent to the articles which hee had sent The king answered the embassadours that he would accept of the conditions and would also answer the matter in heaven but I doubt quoth the king I shall not finde the Pope there A dangerous heresie that doubt should be made of the Vicar of Christs going to heaven And it is worthy the noting that Valdemarking of Denmarke wrote to a Pope that went about to trouble his estate by arrogating to himselfe a power over him as their manner is We would have it knowne to you sayth the king that we have our life of God nobilitie of our parents our kingdome of our subjects our faith of the Church of Rome which if you envy in us wee returne the same to you againe by these presents And it is reported that Rodolph now Emperour so soone as he was elected promised by his â—…bafladours reverence to Pope Gregory the xiij and obedience to the Church but to the Pope himselfe he denied that obedience hee challenged to be due to him But to returne to shew further of the events of pride and vaine-glory The Emperour Henry the fourth being at Goâ—…ar at Church upon Whitsonday to heare masse there fell a great contention betweene the Abbot of Fulda the Bishop of Hildeseme which of them should sit 〈◊〉 to the Archbishop of 〈◊〉 insomuch that there 〈◊〉 parts taken on both sides and the quarrell so 〈◊〉 â—…sued that 〈◊〉 words they 〈◊〉 to blowes and many 〈◊〉 on both 〈◊〉 When the matter was appeased the Priest proceeded in his masse and as he sang his last verse appertaining to the masse of the holy Ghost 〈◊〉 diem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is This day thou hast made glorious the divel being under the vault of the Church sung with a great base voyce Hunc diem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is This day I have made warlike By these ambitious manners they thinke to climbe up to heaven for which 〈◊〉 was from thence thrown down into hell But why should they aspire to possesse that high dignity with such pride as peculiar to men of excellencie when a simple woman became Pope through her owne industrie and governed the Church two yeares more with as much credit as some others untill she had committed a little fault the like whereof hath beene done by other masculine Popes This woman was of our nation as some say and others say of Germany being in love with a learned yongman in her youth shee apparelled her selfe like a man and calling her selfe Iohn she went with him to Athens which then flourished in all kinds of learning And giving her selfe there to 〈◊〉 she profited so in learning that after a certaine time desirous to visite Rome she read openly in the schooles in the habit of a Doctor and behaved her selfe so 〈◊〉 in publike disputations that shee was accounted equall in fame with the best learned men of her time By which she had gotten such credit and authoritie the See being voyde by the death of Leo the fourth in the yeare of our Lord God eight hundred fifty two 〈◊〉 she being taken for a man was made Pope and 〈◊〉 the Church two yeare and more But by chance 〈◊〉 grew into such familiarity with one of her servants that she became with childe Fortunanon 〈◊〉 genus And as according to a certaine usuall solemnity she went to visite Saint Iohn of Lateran her time being come shee was delivered of a child in a place betweene Saint Clements Church and a Theater called Coliseo with great paine In detestation of which act the Popes use to avoyd that place to turn aside another way when they have occasion to passe through the streete And when any Pope was after to be chosen hee was set in a chaire with a hole through the seat that they might feele whether he were a man All which argueth the credit of the report made by their owne writers who also affirme that in the same street where this happened there hath beene an image of stone standing upon his feet representing her deliverance and death How greatly pride and desire of glory is hated of God Herod king of the Iewes giveth a notable example This man going up into the pulpit appointed for orations and rejoycing to heare the people cry out to his praise That it was the voyce of God and not of man hee was suddenly stricken from heaven and when hee perceived himself to consume away with lyce he cryed out to the people Behold how he dyeth now with intolerable pain whom not long sithence you called God But Menecrates received a more gentle punishment for his vainglory of Philip king of Macedon yet worth the noting This man because he knew himselfe to be anexcellent physitian would needs be called Iupiter the saviour The King meaning to reforme his arrogancie invited him to a feast caused a table to be set for him alone whereof at the first he was very glad but when he saw that in steed of meats the ministers gave him nothing but frankincense he was much ashamed departed from the feast in great anger And as they which desire honour and glory seeke after it often by ungodly and prohibited meanes so they also that are possessed of it many times use the like meanes to understand the continuance of their
bull being placed not far off hearing his voyce came running to him through the presse of peoply overthrowing divers of them and layd his head in Mahomets lap having the book tyed between his horns wherein the law was written called Alcoran the people beleeving the rather by Sergius perswaâ—… that God had sent the bull with the booke of the law because about the pigeoÌ„s necke they had fastned a little schedule wherein was written in golden letters he that can put a yoke upon the buls neck let him be king Sergius fetched a yoke and delivered it to Mahomet who put it â—…fily upon the buls nocke and was of the foolish people called King and sergius a Prophet By these kind of devices hee seduced the people and after hee had reigned tenne yeare being about foure or fiâ—… and thirtie yeares old it happened that one of his 〈◊〉 proofe whether or not whether he would 〈◊〉 againe the third day after his death and 〈◊〉 up to heaven as he had ofâ—…old told them he would doe after he had reigned ten yeares he 〈◊〉 gave him poyson to 〈◊〉 which when Mahomet had drunke his colour began to change and the poyson went presently to his heart and dispatched him as hee had well deserved A just judgement of God to punish the wicked by the wicked His body was diligently watched by his disciples looking for his reâ—…rre the third day as he had said But when the third day was past and that they saw he would not rise againe that his body began to stinke they let him lye 〈◊〉 and departed And the eleventh day after his death 〈◊〉 that poysoned him came againe to see how he lay and as one Lucas reporteth hee found his body eaten with dogges And gathering his bones together he tooke them with him and buryed them in a towne called Madinaraziell When the Arabians and others perceived how he had deceived them and that he rose not againe according to his promise many of them fell from him and would no longer hold of his religion But in his life annexed to his Alcoran some of his disciples 〈◊〉 strange things of his death and resurrection and 〈◊〉 that his body of himselfe after a miraculous fort hangeth on high under a vault of the Church at 〈◊〉 where indeed it is done by art a Load-stone 〈◊〉 up the Iron Coffen wherein his body or bones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it did hang in the ayre But the Turkes and â—…hough of his sect beleeving that he hangeth there by â—…vine power goe thither yearely in pilgrimage as Christians doe to Ierusalem to the Sepulcher This was 〈◊〉 beginning and end of this glorious Apostle of 〈◊〉 whose holinesse was in his youth such that the Citiâ—… of Mecha condemned him to death for these whom now they adore for a high Prophet of God Such fruits the desire of glory wherein he put his felicity brought forth to the perpetuall torments of his owne soule and of infinite thousands besides But such an Epitaph had bin more meete for him than to be so exalted as was engraven upon the tombe of a Vice-roy of Sicilia by the people of that countrey in revenge of his tyrrannous governement Qâ—…i propter nos homines Et propter nostram salutem Descendit adinferos That is Who for us men And for our salvation Is gone downe into hell Salmoxes device to perswade the Gothes that the soule was immortall was more tolerable being done with better meaning Hee taught those people that neither himselfe nor any that lived nor they which were to be borne should dye for ever if they lived vertuously but they should goe into such a place where they should alwayes live and enjoy all good things and leade for ever a most happy life And when he had thus perswaded his followers he conveyed him secretly out of their sight into a building under the ground which he had before prepared for the purpose where hee remained three yeares leaving his followers lamenting sorrowing as if he had bin dead the fourth yere he returned to them againe they being sufficiently satisfied of the eternitie of the soule and the perpetuall reward of vertue By which device hee wan to himselfe such reputation and glory that he was accounted equall with the king who made him his companion in the governement of his kingdome But the death of Mahomet was not the end of much troubles and mischiefe that arose through his false doctrine in divers parts of the world For thereof ensued sundry sects according to the severall inclinations of the fantasticall heads of his disciples and followers in whom the Divell stirred up such a desire of glory that imitating their masters example and treading in his path some of them became little inferiour to him in riches and dominion Among the rest in our age Affrica that according to the old proverbe is accustomed alwayes to bring forth some new and strange thing raised up one of Mahomets disciples from a poore Hermit to be a Monarch of many goodly kingdomes and countries This man was borne among the famous mountaines of Atlas of very base poore parentage and became an Hermit which the Affricans call Morabuth that is a holy man This fellow began to preach his vaine doctrine in the yeare of Grace one thousand five hundred fourteene and would admit no glosse or interpreter of the Alcoran but followed simply the text He playd the hypocrite so kindly that by a counterfeit shew of holinesse and simplicity and austerity of life he was greatly esteemed and honoured And when hee saw himselfe well followed of the people of Fez Maroque where he made himselfe strong and that the multitude depended upon his word hee told them whom he best favoured that he had a desire to visit the King of Taphilletta because hee lived not according to the sinceritie of their law The cause 〈◊〉 he desired this kingdome was that if his deviâ—… tooke not that effect hee looked for it might serve him for a place of retreyt As hee travelled towards Taphilletta there was no village that hee passed by but he preached his doctrine into the great townes they would not suffer him to enter because of his 〈◊〉 and for feare of some tumult His travell was alwayes by the sea coast because that countrey was well peopled insomuch that within short time his traine resembled a huge army of above threescore thousand men strong The simple king of Taphistetta would needs heare this Hermit and talke with him of matter touching his conscience who was not so intentive in his Sermon as he was circumspect in viewing the kings forces and the meanes he had to defend himself At length he told his followers God had revealed to him that he must expell this king out of his kingdome as unworthy to reigne For confirmation whereof hee shewed them certaine false miracles By meane whereof they slue the king and made the Hermit
ignominious a servitude who being in the field with his army there commeth to joyne with him a company of noble and gentlewomen excellently well armed that either had suffered or else feared they should suffer injury The battel grew very hote and a great slaughter on both sides when the women charged the Tyrant with such vertue and valour that they slue him and by all mens confession were the onely cause of the victory In the warres betweene the Succians Gothes and Danes there were two notable women expert and valiant souldiers in the army called Hâ—…tha and Vâ—…sna one being the chiefe Captaine the other being Standerd bearer whose right hand was stâ—…ken off in the â—…ght by the Valiant Champion starâ—… And in sea matters also women have beene nothing inferiour to men Alvilda a virgin gathered together certaine young maydes and exercised piracie in the North parts where she atchieved great matters for the which shee is registred in Chronicles to perpetuall memorie Many of these examples may bee produced out of histories of the excellencie of women and among the rest of Amalasuenta daughter to Theodoricus king of the Gothes whose vertues are exalted above the skies About three yeares past there was a Gentlewoman slaine at the siege of a Castle in Gelderland who had served the States in the warres as a souldier in the habit of a man many yeares When there was any going abroad to doe some exploit none was more forward than shee nor more valiant and hardy in fight She was not knowne to be a woman of those that were most familiar with her untill she was dead And if wee should cite examples of learning wee shall finde them in this also nothing inferiour to men Among which number was Leoâ—…cia a woman of such excellent learning that she wrote against Theophrastus the greatest Philosopher of his time reproving him of many faults in Philosophy And Corinna was of such excellent learning that she contended often with Pindarus at Thebes in veâ—…ying five times wan the victory Aretha was so excellent well learned that shee read openly in the Schooles of Athens naturall and morall Philosophy five and twenty yeares She made forty bookes Shee had an hundred Philosophers to her schollers semiramis Queene of Assyria after the death of Ninus her husband by whom she had a sonne not then at mans estate fearing how so many nations should bee governed by a boy and doubting also how shee should be obeyed if she should take upon her the government being a woman shee feyned her selfe to bee her sonne who in lincaments of face and stature of person did so resemble one another that hardly any difference could be perceived She apparelled him like a woman and her selfe like a man that the one might be taken for the other And in this sort she governed the Monarchy of the Assyrians not onely defending the countries left by her husband but increasing by conquest more nations to them the space of many yeares But Theodosia nothing fearing to shew her selfe as she was without counterfeiting another sex after the death of her husband and brother handled the matter with such prudence that she became Empresse governed with great fame in peace and prosperitie during her life Zenobia Queen of Palmarynes a woman endued with singular vertue after the death of her husband governed the East parts of the Romane Empire many yeares in despight of Galienus Claudius his successor Emperours of Rome making warre at some one time upon the Persians on the one side and defending her territories from the Romane Emperours on the other side But forasmuch as justice is the proper office of a Prince whose end after Socrates is to bring his people to felicitie and seeing authority and majâ—…stie in a Prince of all other things is chiefely to be respected as a singular gift of God which is gotten especially by these foure things by wisedome vertue felicitie and love of the people what need wee seeke for examples so farre off when wee have at this present a virgin Queene not onely equal to any of them but comparable also to the most renowned kings that have been in any age whether ye respect her rare gifts of nature multiplied by industrie or her honourable reputation gotten among forreine Princes and nations by her singular vertue and wisedome or the long continuance of her flourishing reigne and of the peaceable and happy estate with the dutifull love and obedience of her subjects who by her wise and politicke government in so perillous a time that the fire burning round about yet by Gods goodnesse in her providence feele not so much as the heat of the flame such a Queene I say as performeth not onely the part of a good Pilot in the governement of her owne ship but standeth as a lanterne in the high tower of Pharos by whose light the Princes and afflicted people round about her in this tempestuous time escape the dangerous rockes that dayly threaten their subversion and direct their course to a safe port That hath not taken occasion by her neighbours dissention and troubles after the usuall manner of Princes to enlarge her territories and dominion which she might have done to her great advantage But contrariwise to her great charge and expence and to their great benefit shee hath assisted and protected the oppressed in their just causes whose forces have daunted the pride of mighty Princes her enemies whose fame hath beene carried round about the world and will no doubt bee registred to perpetuall memorie in strange countries as trophees of her vertue O â—…mium dilecte Deo cui militat at her Et conâ—…rati veniunt adclassica venti Oh of the Gods thou over-lov'd For whom the Heavens doe warre And to whose fleete the conjur'd winds Prest and assistant are To what Prince in the world could these verses bee more aâ—…ly applyed than to her Majestie that were writen by Clandian the Poâ—…t in commendation of the felicity of Theodosius the Empetour But lest in going about to particulate the praises of this noble Queen paragon of Princes my gracious Soveraigne according to the worthinesse of her talent I should do as they that offer to shew the light of the Sunne with a candle the brightnesse of her worthy and heroicall acts and vertues shining more cleare to the world than I am able with words to set them forth I will conclude her commendations with this Danish verse Vincit opus famam â—…serma suppetit actis The worke doth much outgoe the fame Nor can weake words the act proclaime And what cause have wee to glory in the nobility of our bloud when we come by it by the vertue of our parents For the first nobility had his beginning for some vertuous act or service done to his country who for his worthinesse excelling other men was by the people ennoblized had in estimation above the rest Which title for his sake descend to his
of vice or images of vertue The old Romanes desirous to excite their yong men to vertuous acts and considering how men are inclined to the love of honour they built two temples the one of which they dedicated to vertue the other to honour joyned them so artificially together that no man could come into that of honor but he must first come through vertue By which apt device they would have it knowne to all nations that the right way to honour is by vertue But in these latter ages the temple of vertue is so little frequented that the path which was wont to leade to it and be well troden is growne greene and another way found to that of honour by some backe doore not so well knowne in the elder time And if any chance to seeke to come the right and old accustomed way to honour through vertue the doore is kept so fast shut by a porter called envy and his servant detraction that hardly one among thousands can come to honour that way which is a great discouragement to those that would come to honour through vertue and maketh their devotion cold and slow to freqâ—…ent that temple One saith Virtute ambire opoâ—… non â—…bus but if hee have no other helpe in these dayes to prefer him but his vertue he is like to have but a cold sute Wee may wish it were in use that Plaâ—…us sayth Sat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the case is much altered For in stead of favourers he shall have deracters secret enemies alwayes to vertue Which made Plato commend the law of the Lydians that punished detracters with the like punishment as they did murderers For as one taketh away the life of a man so the other taketh away his reputation and good fame which after Saloman is more worth than worldly goods The Poets saying could to no age be more aptly applied than to these latter dayes Virtus 〈◊〉 alget Vertue is praised but not cherisht Which confirmeth Seneca his saying That men allow better of honesty than follow it Medea sayth video 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I see allow of the things that be better but I follow the worse Vertue is a medicine to the minde and healeth the diseases thereof as drugs are medicinable to the body restore it to health For the minde hath his diseases as the body hath For when the body is distempâ—…d and not in his perfect estate he is sayd to be sicke of this or that disease as of an ague of a pleuâ—…sie or such like and needeth Physicke So the mind that is distempered with this or that passion or perturbation as with pride covetousnesse vaineglory voluptuousnesse or such like is not in his perfect estate but needeth vertue as a medicine to restore him to health or his perfect estate againe Which was well signified by Agesilâ—… king of Sparta to Menelaâ—… a vaineglorious Physitian who being puffed up with pride through a reputation he had gotten by his skill in physicke called himselfe Iupiter and having occasion to write to the king his superscription was in Latin and English signification thus Menelâ—… Iupiter Agesilao Regi salute 〈◊〉 Iupiter wisheth to king Agesilaus health He answereth him with this superscription Agesilaus rex Menelao 〈◊〉 king Agesilaus wisheth to Menelaus health of minde reprehending his vanitie with one word by which he signified that want of health and perfection in his mind which hee wished to his body Moral vertue therfore is to be embraced of all men as a necessary and excellent thing and a speciall gift in our carnall nature by which mens mindes are purged and purified of all vehement passions and perturbations with which whosoever is oppressed can not enjoy the happinesse of this life and by which they are continued or restored to their perfect estate and health The good are by this vertue excited and maintained in honest conversation and civillity the bad are reformed and reduced to good life Yet for all that it is not eternall Iustice by which wee are justified before God for that Iustice free-will or reason cannot bring forth But morall vertue maketh men live civilly and honestly which God looketh for even of the heathens or infidels themselves It is better sayth one to live so as thine enemies may bee amazed at thy vertues than that thy friends should have cause to excuse thy vices The Poets faine that as Hercules in his youth sate musing alone what course of life were best for him to take there appeared to him two virgins the one representing vertue the other vice She that represented vertue told him that if hee would follow her hee must climbe over mountaines and craggie rockes and take great paines and labours But the other to allure him to follow her promised him a plaine and pleasant way downe the hill all at his case without any paine or labour Hercules after hee had considered of the matter refused the faire ossers and promises of the virgin that represented vice made choice with labour and paines to follow vertue by which he became the most famous man of the world The heathens were diligent observers of morall vertues through which many of them in all ages became excellent men By them they learned to know their duties to their countrey in generall and to private men in particular to moderate their affections to estimate things as they are and not as they are commonly reputed to contemne the vanities of this world to preferre an honest death before a shamefull life Regâ—…s a man endued with great vertue was sent by the Romanes into Affrica with an army to make warre upon the people of Carthage who after divers victories and overthrowes given to them of Carthage was himselfe at last taken prisoner and sent by them to Rome to treat of peace upon his oath that if that could not be obtained not the exchange of prisoners for himselfe hee should returne to them againe When he came to Rome and had delivered his embassage hee disswaded the Senate from peace and told them that either Carthage must be subject to Rome or Rome to Carthage and advised theÌ„ to make no change of lusty yong Gentlemen that were able to doe their country great service against the Romans for him that was but one man and old and unable to doe his countrey any great good and though the Romans were loth that the old man who had done them such service should returne againe to them that would put him to some unworthy death yet he was so affected to the love of his countrey and to the keeping his promise with his enemies that hee refusing to be stayd by the Romanes told them he would rather chuse to dye any cruell death than that it should be said he had broken his faith And so returning to Carthage with the other Ambassadours for the hatred they conceived against him for disswading the Romanes from their petition they cut off his
eye-lyddes and put him into an engine that was sticked round about full of verie sharpe nailes and suffered him there with continuall watch and paine to dye a most grievous death Decius another noble Romane and one of the Consols being in the field with the Romanes forces against the Latins and perceiving his men to shrinke and give place to their enemies hee by the advice of their Priests made his prayers to their false gods for their helpe and offering himselfe to a voluntary death for his countrey put the spurres to his horse and thrust himselfe into the middest of his enemies by whom after hee had slaine many of them he was himselfe at last overthrowne and slaine But the courage of Decius so daunted them and emboldened his owne men that they carried away the victorie with the destruction of the greater part of their enemies The like love to his countrey to which men owe the greatest dutie next unto God wrought the like effect in Codsus king of Athens For as the Docrians came with their forces to besiege Athens Codsus having intelligence that his enemies had sent to Delphos to aske counsel of Apollo what would be the event of their warres and that answer was made them by the Oracle that the Docrians should have the victory except they killed the king of the Athenians Codsus apparelled himselfe like a common souldier left if he should bee like a noble man hee might be taken prisoner and liveâ—… and went out of the City with a burden of wood upon his shoulders into his enemies campe and quarselling of purpose with a common souldier wounded him and was slain himselfe The Docrians hearing that the King of the Athenians was slaine raised their siege and returned home againe As Tubero was sitting in judgement in Rome a Pye alighted upon his head and iâ—…te so still that hee tooke her with his hand And when the Soothsayers answered that if the Pye were let go it bâ—…tokened destruction to the Empue if she were killed then the same would fallupon himselfe hee pretening the good of his countrey before his own life killed the Pye and not long after fulfilled the propheci with his death There want not some such like examples 〈◊〉 Christians of later yeares When Callâ—… had been besieged eleven months by King I dwâ—…d he third and the inhabitants driven to that extrmine that they must yeeld to the Kings mercie or peâ—… hee refusir 〈◊〉 offers would accept no other conditions out that 〈◊〉 the best of the towne should suffer death the 〈◊〉 depart When the matter was had in consolation in the Councell house among the pune pall men at the towne who considering that â—…yther sixe of 〈◊〉 must dye or else the whole must beedest reved hee that sate in the first seat â—…ole up and said that he would offer himselfe to the wrath of the enemy and give his life to his country which example wrought such emulation of piety to their countrey in the rest that the second riseth likewise and then the third and so the rest one after another untill they had made up the number of six required by the King who all willingly suffered death for their Countrey There happened at Rome in the middest of the market place by meanes of an earthquake and other causes the earth to open and a very deepe hole to bee made which would not bee filled with all the earth that could bee throwne into it the Romanes caused their Priests to use their accustomed ceremonies to their Gods to understand their pleasure about this matter when they had finished their sacrifices answer was made them that if they would have their Common-wealth perpetuall they must sacrifice into this hole something wherein the Romanes power did most consist And as this matter was published and consultations daily had what manner of thing this should bee Marcus Curtius a Noble young Gentleman and a valiant souldier meditating upon the interpretation of this answer told them that the thing wherein the power of the Romanes most rested was the vertue and valour and armes of the Gentlemen and offered himselfe willingly for the benefit and prosperitie of his Countrey to cast himselfe alive into that hole And when he had armed himselfe and attired his horse very richly hee putteth his spurres to him and kapeth into the midst of the hole which immediately closed together Xerxes King of Sparta having intelligence that Xerxes King of Persia who brought into Greece an army of a 1000000. men after some writers besides his navie had found out a way to assaile him and the rest of the Grecians armie at their backs that were desending his passage through a straight hee perswaded the Grecians to retire and preserve themselves for a better time and when they were departed to their owne Cities he with five hundred men who were all resolute to dye with him for the honour of their Countrey in the night assayled Xerxes campe such an enterprise as never before nor since hath beene heard of The enemies being dismayed with their bold and furious charge an accident unlooked for and terrified by the darkenesse of the night suspecting that all the force of Greece had beene assembled together flâ—…d to save themselves and gave Lconidas and his company leave to kill them at their pleasure without any great resistance And as Lconidas having promised before to kill the king with his owne hand if fortune favoured him pressed into the Kings pavillion killing all that guarded the place and made search for him in every corner hee understood that Xerxes had convayed himselfe away in the beginning of the tumult who otherwise was like to have drunke of the same cup as the other did And when they had wearied themselves with killing their enemies and the day beganne to shew the Persians that were fled up to the toppe of an hill looking backe and perceiving the small number that pursued them turned againe and put them all to the sword Thus Leonidas and his company for the love of their Countrey sacrificed themselves to a voluntary death without any hope or meaning to escape whose courage and valiant enterprise made such an impression of feare in the hearts of the Persians that Xerxes left his Lieutenant to prosecute the warres and returned backe againe into his countrey an enterprise worthy of perp suâ—…ll memory five hundred men to put to slighean 〈◊〉 that dranke the rivers drie as they passed CHAP. II. Of Law-maker the Law-maker And of Charondas A remarkeable Iustice in Solyman Strange Iustice amongst the Sw ZZers I he Iustice of the Emperors Frajan Antoninus Plus and Alexander Severus Of Antonius Valentinian Theodosius Augustus Marcus Aurelius c. Of Sâ—…s Lewis the French king Of Favourites to Princes Constantine the Great Of Alexander Severus his commendable Iustice upon Vetorius Turinus Belon c. Of their great vices observed by Historians Impietie Injustice and Luxurie c.
being left alive worthy of that name Such search must bee made in these dayes for such a man under the ground among the dead being hardly to be found above among the living We are not to say with him Our civill warres and pestilence have consumed all our good men but the iniquity of this time having turned the vertue and simplicity of former ages into vice and dissimulation and the traducing and counterfeiting of strangers manners and fashions hath as a pestilence infected and corrupted our manners left to us of our forefathers that hardly a faithfull friend or an honest man is any where to bee found but Seneca saith It is very good to follow the steppes of our forefathers if they have led the way well for lands and riches and other vanities have gotten away the reputation vertue and honesty is out of request whatsoever is had in reputation encreaseth but that which is had in contempt and not regarded diminisheth In pretio pretium nunc est dat census honores Census amicitias paâ—…per ubique jacet Price is held precious wealth doth honour buy Wealth begets friends the poor doth each where ly If a man unknowne be named the question is by and by whether hee be rich what living or lands he hath and thereafter he is had in reputation or in contempt no man asketh whether he be honest whether hee hath vertue learning or knowledge as though they were things of none account not worth the inquiring for which maketh men so carefull to get the one and so negligent to come by the other Riches and possessions have afflicted the manners of the world and so overwhelmed the common wealth that is 〈◊〉 in her vices as it werein a sinke Vertue is supplanted and vice sowne in her place the name of vertue and honesty is of many desired but of very few deserved and they that bee worthy of that name except they have great store of goods and land they have no grace among men Callimachus the Poet said that riches without vertue doth never give reputation to a man but vertue without riches giveth him some credit but now wee see it fall out cleane contrary for riches without vertue giveth great reputation and vertue without riches giveth none at all Et genus formam regina pecunia donat Queen mony gives both birth and beauty And again quidvis nummis presentibus opta Et venâ—…et Wish what thou wilt present mony wil purchaseâ—… In no time it could be more truly said thaâ—… in these dayes Virtus post 〈◊〉 Vertue after money For he that is of great lands or riches though he have no vertue nor learning yet hee is wondred at as if hee were some Heroes or divine thing and yet in time past among the ancient Romanes povertie was a sound prayse and true vertue Riches and possessions are preferred to honorable places and are set at the upper end of the table but vertue and learning is thrust downe behind the screene ubi multum de intellectu ibi parum de fortuna as if he should say They that be most rich in the goods and gifts of the minde are commonly most poore in the goods of the world to no time the Poets saying could be more aptly applyed Non facile emergunt quâ—…rum virtutibus obstat Res augusta domi They doe not easily rise that have small meanes Our manners are so contrary to those of former ages that the world seemeth to bee turned upside downe which wil easily be perceived by comparing some few examples of other ages with our time A Lacedaemoniâ—… was sent Ambassadour to make league with the king of Persia and finding his great estates playing at dice he returned home leaving his ambassage undone and being asked at his returne why he had left those things â—…done which were given him in charge by the common-wealth he answered that he thought it would be ignominious to his countrey to enter into league with dice-players And this is no lesse to be noted that a Censor of the Romanes put a Senator of Rome out of the Senate because he kissed his wife in the sight of his daughter But where is this modesty become among Christians that was looked for of this Heathen The severity of such a Magistrate was never more necessary than now who should finde plenty of other maner of matters to reprehend In China at this day if any man bring into their country any new fashions of garments or manner of â—…tire other than hath been used of antiquitie he suffereth death In the countrey of Licaonia none might weare but one garment in one whole yeare and if any need a new garment hee must not only have leave but also shew wherewith he would buy the same In that countrey there must bee no new inventions if any devised any new fashions that differed from the ancient manner of their countrey the deviser was banished and the device abolished neither would they suffer any perfumes among them affirming it to be no lesse in famie to a man to be perfumed than to a woman to bee manifestly â—…chast of her body As there was wont to bee contention of vertue and modesty so now is it of quaffing of pride of vaine attires and gestures When Agesilam king of Sparta sometime the most flourishing common-wealth of the world went into Asia saw their timber square that was in their buildings he asked whether their 〈◊〉 did grow square and when answer was made that dry grow round but were made square by art And would yee quoth hee make them round if they grew squareâ—… noting their superfluous curiositie What would these men say if they lived in these dayes not to see the excessive sumptuousnesse of buildings onely and houses which should not bee decked and set foorth with stones and pictures and such like toyes but with the 〈◊〉 of the inhabitants but also the pride and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 varietie of fashions in attires and maners not 〈◊〉 some round things square but rather by their vaine â—…riosity and nicenesse bringing all things out of squareâ—… The Thebaâ—…es had a Law that no man should make a house for himselfe to dwell in but he should first make his grave If they saw the quaffing and carowsing commonly used untill they be ready to rumble under the table the licentious covetousnesse blasphemica and all manner of luxuriousnesse all allowed for good as things commendable that beget a reputation to those that exceede the rest The Emperour Adrian would say that there is not any thing that more doth offend a Common-wealth than to infect the same same with strange and unaccustomed manners which occasioned him to make a law of reformation both for eating superfluous meats and also for wearing of garments eyther too many or too costly The Reâ—…sians had a law that whosoever brought into their country any strange or new manners and fashions hee should lose his head
sensitive and understanding Now let us see in which of these wee may lay the end or felicity of mā The soul giveth life to the body the perfection of life is health If we respect nothing else in this life then he that was first created healthfull had nothing wherewith to occupy himselfe But if sithence our corruption our principall care ought to bee of our health what thing is more unhappy than a man whose felicity standeth upon so false and feeble a ground Seeing the body is subject to an infinite number of perils of hurts of mischances weak and fraile alwaies uncertaine of life and most certaine of death which commeth to him by many means and wayes who is he that is so sound of body or so feeble of mind that if his choise be given him will not rather chuse a sound mind in a sickely body than a little frenzie or imperfection of mind in a very healthful body In the mind therfore our chiefe good must be seeing we be willing to redeem the perfect estate of our mindswth the miseries of our bodies Next unto this is the sensitive part whose felicity seemeth to bee in pleasure but then were beasts more happy than men that feele pleasures more sweetly and fully And how soone are these pleasures ended with repentance also It pleased the gods said Plautus that sorrow should follow pleasure as a companion But wee seeke for the greatest or soveraigne good and if it be good it will amend men aud make them better But what doth more weaken and corrupt men than pleasures and what doth lesse satisfie men and more weary them But wee looke not for that which doth finish but that continueth our delight whereas these pleasures contrariwise soone decay and quickly spoyle us As Petrarke saith Extrema gaudii luctus occupat The extremity of joy and pleasure sorrow doth possesse The delight of the mind is greater and more meet for a man and more agreeable to his end than the pleasures of the senses And if choyce be given to him that hath passed all his life in pleasures and hath but a few houres to come either to enjoy the fairest curtisan in Rome or else to deliver his countrey who is so beastly or barbarous that will not presently chuse rather to delight his mind with so noble an act than to satisfie his senses with pleasure And to conclude the place of pleasures is in the senses which are decayed taken away by sicknesse by wounds by old age And if these pleasures that be exercised by the sensitive part will not sooner be abated yet death will utterly extinguish them But seeing man hath two kindes of life mortall and immortall the one of which he preferreth as farre the better before the other we must not seeke for such an end or good as perish both together but such as maketh men happy indeed everlasting and immortall which cannot be found in these transitory things Now followeth the third part of the soule which is understanding which is occupied sometimes in it selfe sometimes in the matters of the world and other while in the contemplation study of divine things Of these three operatiōs springeth three habits vertue prudence sapience And seeing that understanding is the most excellent thing in man let us see in which of these we may place our soveraigne good For in this part of the soul the end beatitude of man must needs consist for what thing can be imagined beyond man beyond the world beyond the Creator of both That vertue cannot be his end or soveraigne good hath bin shewed before For vertue is nothing but the tranquility quietnes of the affections what be affections but a sodaine tempest in the soule that are raised by a very smal wind which overthrow the mightiest ship that is in a moment and maketh the most skilfull mariners to strike saile and reason it selfe to give over the stern And if our end of felicity should be in vertue what were more miserable than man that must fight continually against his affections which neverthelesse will not be overcome as the mariners labour to save themselves in a tempest from the raging of the sea that gapeth every moment to devoure them So that in this life vertue cannot bring us to felicity and in the other life it can stand us in no stead where wee shall have no affections Therefore vertue cannot bee our end or Soveraigne good Neither is prudence the thing we seeke for which is nothing but the right use of reason in exercising the affaires of this world And what bee the affaires of this world but contention strifes sutes warres bloudshed spoile murders burnings and sackings of townes and countries with an infinite number of such like stuffe Neither can they that have the charge of government in common-wealths which are all subject to these things be accounted happy but they rather are happy that are defended from them by their cares and unqui◅nesse for the Physitians care is more profitable to the f◅che body than to himselfe Besides that men are turned to dust and the world will be destroyed but the soule liveth and forsaketh these kind of affaires Therefore prudence cannot bee the end and felicity of man that is included within the limits of this world CHAP. II. Divine co◅ the best wisedome That our greatest knowledge is ◅eere ignorance Of wonderfull and strange secrets in nature The excellency of faith Religion our reconciliation to God All nations acknowledge a supreame Deity That no vertues are vertues that swerve from religion and godlinesse Of the only true religion Salvation of man the only true beatitude Markes by which the true religion is knowne The necessity of a Mediatour Who and what our Mediatour is And that the soveraigne beatitude is onely to be attained unto by our blessed Saviour Christ Iesus the Righteous LEt vs now examine sapience after Morney as we have done the rest or that part of wisedome which is conversant in the contemplation of God and divine matters for that in all mens judgements seemeth to bee a mostexcellent thing By instinct of nature every man knoweth that there is a God for the workes of God doe present him continually to us But how should we enter throughly into the knowledge of the Creator of all things when we know not the things before our eyes Socrates confessed freely that he knew this one thing That he knew nothing Which confession as himselfe thought was the cause he was by the Oracle called the wisest man of his time And Porphyrius said that all Philosophy was but a conjecture or light perswasion delivered from one to another and nothing in it that was not doubtfull and disputable But he that knoweth God in this wherein is hee the more happy Reason sheweth us that God is good that he is just that hee loveth the good and hateth the evill Our conscience whispereth us in the