felicitie of this life and the future 371 The first step to felicity 372 Timon of Athens 〈◊〉 373 Timons death and Epitaph c. 374 A meditation of Marcus Aurelius c. 375 David Esay and Salomon upon the same 376 Plato of the estate of mans life 377 The estate of a seafaring man 378 The estate of an husbandman 379 The condition of a Merchant 380 The estate of a Souldier 381 Of sundry calamities incident to the warres 382 Of the famine in Ierusalem 383 Inhumane cruelty in the â—…ews 384 Barbarous cruelty in the Numantians 385 〈◊〉 conquer'd by Scipio 386 Of Hading King of Danes and vsfo King of Suecia ibid. The miserable extremities of famine c. 387 The insolencies of war c. 388 The siege of Sanserra 389 The siege of Paris 390 Barbarous inhumanity in souldiers 391 Blasphemy inhumanity against God 392 The estate of a souldier truely deciphered 393 The estate of the Lawyer 394 A difficult Law-case 395 The miseries of the Client c. 397 Lawyers and Physicians banished 399 Lawyers and Physicians have one common ayme 400 Lawyers are necessary evils 401 The Lawyers penance c. 402 CHAP. II. The estate of â—…udges and of Magistrates pag. 403 The poverty of 〈◊〉 generall to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 404 Charg that belongs to 〈◊〉 405 A dialogue betwixt a Philosopher and Iustice 409 The Senators of Athens heard causes only in the nights 410 The estate of a Courtier 411 How farre their estate differeth from felicity 412 The manner and fashion of the Court what 's cheap in it 413 Queen Zenobia's answer unto Marcus Aurelius Emperour 414 The estate of Princes 415 Their supposed Felicity cause of their unhappinesse 416 The history of Cleandor under the Emperour Commodus 417 The history of Planitanus under the Emperour 〈◊〉 419 Too much grace often begetteth ingratitude 420 The great care that belongeth to Princes 421 CHAP. III. The estate of Prelates 422 Pope Adrian concerning Popes Bishops 423 A Citizen of Romes bold speech to Pope Innocent 424 The Archbishop of Salisburg of the government of the Popes 426 St. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. 〈◊〉 of their pride avarice 427 Of the ambition and 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 430 Gregory the great 432 The charge of the Clergy with the estate of Friars c. 433 Diversity of sects begetteth Atheisme 434 The estate of mariage 435 A loving Husband exprest in a Neapolitan 436 Examples of conjugal love c. 437 A man that had had 20. wives marrieth one that had had 22. husbands 438 Of a most remarkeable pieticibid Inconveniences that belong unto mariage 439 〈◊〉 concerning women ibid. 〈◊〉 of mariage 440 The trouble of children 441 A disputation betwixt Tbales and 〈◊〉 concerning mariage 442 Of needlesse jealousie 443 Pleasant and witty husbands ibid. The time seems tedious spent with a bad wife ibid. Xantippe the wife of Socrates 446 Of a Law observed amongst the Massagates ibid. The witty answer of woman 〈◊〉 to his mother 448 The counsell of 〈◊〉 in the choyce of a wife 449 Metellus the 〈◊〉 concerning mariage 450 The witty answer of a woman to her jealous husband 451 The opinions of divers concerning mariage 452 Felicity consists not in mariage 452 The effects of peace the mother of idlenesse 453 Peace the mother of persecution 454 Of calamities hapning by diseases and other accidents 455 CHAP. IIII. Of sundry kinds of pestilences 456 Three hundred several diseases belonging unto man 457 Gods judgment on Popielus 457 Vpon the Emperour Arnolphus and Hatto Bishop of Mentz 458 Of Harold king of Denmarke and 〈◊〉 459 The history of an Archbishop of Mentz called Henry 460 Three fearful judgments strange stories to the same purpose 461 The dreame of Atterius 〈◊〉 462 Examples of feare and joy ib. Examples of sorrow the strange effects of joy 463 Of barbarous cruelty and extream tyranny 464 Necessary considerations of the miserable condition of man 465 Of the generall judgment and the account of Lawyers Iudges and Souldiers 466 The account of Vsurers 467 Of imaginary felicity 469 All Felicity depends upon God 472 Of two sorts of ends precedent subsequent 473 Earthly felicity is only in name 474 Foure things that are not to bee bought with gold 475 That no man lives contented with his owne estate 476 No prosperity but attended by adversity 477 Of Amasis King of Egypt and Polycrates King of Samos ibid. No man happy before his death 479 Foure sure Anchors to trust unto 480 The joyes of the future life the true beatitude 482 The contrarietie of mens inclinations 483 The use of Gods afflictions 484 What gratitude we owe unto God 486 The counsell of David to salomon and Tobit to his sonne 487 How to examine ones selfe to finde whether we be happy or not 488 The vanity of feare 489 Diogenes concerning patience 490 The benefit of a quiet and contented minde 491 Of a limitation for pleasures 492 Riches in poverty and povertie in riches 493 The Avarice of King 〈◊〉 and Pitbens 495 Richest men the greatest slaves 497 No true Felicity can consist in riches 498 Saint Gregory and others of riches and povertie pag. 499 CHAP. V. The modesty of c. 500 The contempt of honour in 〈◊〉 pompus agesilans King of Sparta c. 501 Honour an hinderance unto Felicitie 502 The best riches not to fall into povertie 503 The great moderation of King Calvicius 504 Three kinds of men in every common-wealth 505 Plato's dialogue of Socrates and another 507 Death no way terrible unto a godly Christian 508 Of the women of Narsinga and India 509 The contempt of death in the people of the mountaine called 〈◊〉 510 Charles the fifth his preparation to death 511 Things above the power of fortune 513 Pride and vaine-glory beget confusion 515 The greatest part of felicity consisteth in the mind 516 Our life compared by Plato to table-play 517 Moderation to be used in prosperitie and patience in adversity 518 False felicity consisteth in 5. things 519. The gifts of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are used or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The necessity of industry industry Of wisdome and a wise man 603 The ignorant live with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 604 Empire maketh men monstres 606 The Princes Court a Theatre 607 The expression of a good King 608 The counsell of a good King 609 Truth necessary to bee whispered in Princes cares 611 The education of the Persian Princes 612 The Courts of good Princes are schooles of vertue 613 Whom good Princes should 〈◊〉 their familiars 614 Gifts ought to bee given onely to the worthy 615 The Majesty of God honoured in the Prince 617 The office of a Prince 618 CHAP. VI. The felicity of the mean estate 619 Good fortune the greatest riches 621 Concerning law-suites 623 Three things to be avoided 624 Three things to bee practised 625 To beget commendable envie 626 Who it is that may bee esteemed happy in this world 629 Man participates both of
Good counsell of a friend A strange chance Fortunes inconstancie An ominous dreame No man happy before death Foure sure Ankers A proper application Necessary obseruations So many heads so many minds Iob. Seneca Seuerall dispoâ—…tions in children Note Caluin Reason is concraâ—…ed by will Our gratitude that ought to be to God Meanes that ought to be â—…cd To examine our selues The wrong way Seneca The vanity of feare Simile The benefit of a quiet and contented mind Things necessary to nature A limitation for pleasures Auarice neuer satisfied Senec. Sentence Xen. The best riches A riches in pouerty A pouerty in riches Of Midas and Pythius â—…neu Eccle. Extreme couetousnesse worse then extreme pouerty Richest men the greatest slauâ—… Riches in themselues neither good nor euill Similies No true felicity in riches Aust. A Princely modesty The best in a geâ—… Honor an hinderance to 〈◊〉 Clâ—…ud A companion â—…cellent modetation A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Three kinds of men in euery Common-wealth Proper 〈◊〉 Ign. Wherein happinesse most consisteth Sâ—… A dialogue Prouidence requisite Necessary obseruations Death not terrible to a good Christian. The women of Narsinga Valer. Max. The women of India Casar Necessary meditations of death Charles the 〈◊〉 Euery man is his owne greatest enemy Note A true saying Things abouâ—… the power of fortune The effects of vertue Things most pleasant in mans life â—…olly Magistrates cald Prâ—…gadi Pride and vain glory beget confusion The greatest part of felicity consisteth in the minde Note A comparison Ecclesiast A necessary obseruation Three principall impediments False felicity consisteth in fiue things * 〈◊〉 A simile The vse to be principally obserued The lesse mony the lesse care Strange but most true The necessity of industry Alex. Scucrus A wise man The ignorant liâ—…e with the least trouble The best wits haue not the soundest Iudgements Of Kings and Princes Empire maketh men monsters Profitable obseruations The Princeâ—… Court a Theater Quiequid deliraâ—…t râ—…ges 〈◊〉 Achivi All cstateâ—… strive to imitate their Princes The expression of a good King Note Proverbs Aâ—…iani The counsel of a good King Siâ—…con Who is an happy Prince Seneca â—…alust Epiâ—… Cur. Cap. Truth necessary to be whispered in Princes cares Simeon Truth scarce in Princes Courts The education of perâ—… Princes Good Princes court schooles of vaâ—…ue Whom good Princes should make â—…heir familiars Rare luâ—…ice Gifts ought to bee given ouely to the worrhy A wittie courtier or cunning begger The maje of God honoured in a Prince The felicity of the moan estate Note Troubles of this life Good fortune the greatest 〈◊〉 Good same the greatest losie The best bravery Marius Eras. Moral principles oncerning law suits The way to purchase quicnâ—…sse Non videmus id manticae quod in tergo est Three things to be avoyded Three things to be praâ—…sed Wholesome counsell Of envie To 〈◊〉 commendable envie Imitable precepts A manifest signe to bee out of Gods favour Necessary parsimony Who is happy Vnnecessary sorrow Creature intermediate A third sort of men No man contented with his estate Horace Ou. Gu. No one man can enjoy all things Octav. The end which all men should ayme at Plin. Friendship The commoditie of poverty True friendship doubles prosperitie proverbs â—…sops fable of the Lark Alexander and Ephestion Chuse welwillers rathe than friends How to chuse or retuse No friendship to bee made with the covetous man Custome amongst the Romans The application Manutan The change of times Learned Emperours Queene Elizabeth Simile One thing spoke another practiâ—…ed Prophane 〈◊〉 A fearefull eclipse Guev The foure Ages The wickednesse of these times â—…e Sinne in the height â—…punubed 〈◊〉 An Atheisticall answer Chastisement necessary The way to injoy happinesse What prouidence is to be used Manâ—… regeneration Man before his fall Mans fall Mans alteration after his fall Man of more dignitie than the world The corruption of mans nature The terrour of the conscience A Parricide The soule opposite to the sinner of the flesh Comparison Mâ—… 〈◊〉 of the nature of beastâ—… Mans senses over-rule hiâ—…reason Mor. Note Man onely Needfull conâ—… Why God suffereth evill Pride the fall of man God the only Summum bonum The meanes to escape these dangers into which wee are fallen God the end of his own Works A Siâ—…tude The application A necessary distinction An apt similitude The facuâ—… of the soule The Vegeraâ—…ve The sensitive The understanding Nothing certaine in philosophy Our greatest knowledge meere ignorance Secrets in nature A minore ad maâ—… Faith The Philosophers concerning beatitude Christian considerations The way to recover our losse Invocation Humility Religion All â—…tion acknowledge a God All true vertue grounded on religion and godlinesse True religion to what it 〈◊〉 A gainst prayer 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 A second marke of true religion A third marke The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worshipped the true God Damasco the 〈◊〉 habitation of 〈◊〉 The Bible 〈◊〉 the true 〈◊〉 of God Religion leadeth us to the scripture 〈◊〉 The necessity of a Mediatiur Who and what the Mediator is 〈◊〉 Submission the only way to obtaine pardon The temptations of the Devill All goodnes 〈◊〉 in Action Charity allied to Religion A 〈◊〉 wisdome Make you friends of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The weaknesse of mans nature Gregory No greater temptation than not to be tempted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A comparison Examples to confirme our 〈◊〉 The Sonne only can reconcile us to the 〈◊〉 The Conclusion of the worke The meancâ—… to attaine to this felicity The Authors Apologie
to Rome and as we shal find our wiues imployed so wee shall have cause to judge of their disposition Every man allowed of the motion and taking their horses they forthwith galloped to Rome being dark-night and unawares to them went to visit their wiues whom they found feasting and passing the time in pleasures But when they came to Collatinos house they found the doores fast shut and Lucretia spinning in the middest of her maides Then was the sentence given by all their consents with Collatino they all commending the modestie of Lucretia Collatino then being victor invited them all to dinner the next day But after their returne to the campe the kings sonne being ravished with the beautie and modestie of Lucretia sought all meanes how to fulfill his lust And for that purpose comming to Rome on a time secretly in the evening he supped with Lucretia dissembling his intent lodged in her house When the d◅ad of the night was come he brake into her chamber and so craftily undermined her with threatnings of present death and perpetuall shame that abusing the simplicitie of the modest woman she suffered him to use his will When day was come and he gone she sent presently for her father her husband and kinsfolkes letting them to understand that a great misfortune had happened to her When they were come perceiving by her sad countenance that all was not well her husband asked whether all things were safe in the house shee like one in a trance stood silent unable to answere them a word But they urging still to know the cause of her heauinesse and what had befallen her after a little pause beeing come to her selfe her cheekes watered with abundance of teares What sayd she can bee accounted safe to a woman when her chastitie is lost Thy bedde my husband that hitherto hath been kept unspotted is now defiled by the kings sonne who comming to me yester-night to supper was curteously entertained of me as a guest lodged in my house as a friend altogether ignorant of his intent but when wee were all at rest he brake into my chamber and standing by my bed side with his dagger in his right hand and his left hand upon my brest hold thy peace quoth he Lucretia I am Tarquinius if thou speake any word this dagger shall be thy death Then began hee to discover his villanous minde and mingling threats with amorous words shewed me what paine and torment he had suffered for my sake But the Gods that never faile to strengthen them that carrie an honest mind gave me sufficient power to resist his treacherous temptations and by contempt of death to preferre an honest same before a shamefull life And when he perceived that I would neither bee enti◅ed with his amorous words nor terrified with his threats of death he altered his course and assured mee if I would not consent to his will hee would put a slave naked into my bedde and after he had killed us both he would make it knowne to the world that hee found us in adultery Then the feare of perpetuall shame and infamie to me and to all you my kinsfolkes prevailing more with me than the terror of death though my heart consented not my body yeelded to fulfill his lust And albeit I absolve my selfe of the fault yet I wil not remit to my selfe the paines of death lest any matron of Rome should hereafter take occasion by mine example to live when her honour is lost When shee had thus spoken and taken them all by the hand requiring them as they were men not to suffer this villany which reached also to them to passe unrevenged whilest they were cōforting of her and advising her not to take the matter so grievously seeing there was no fault where the heart consented not she tooke out a knife which shee had secretly hidden under her clothes and thrust it into her heart Then was there great cries lamentation by her husband and friends and Brutus one of them perceiving her dead drew the knife out of her body and kissing the same did solemnly sweare by the bloud of that modest woman he would not suffer that injurie to goe unrevenged nor that any king hereafter should reigne over the people of Rome whereunto when the rest condescended he carried the dead body into the market place and perswaded the yong men to joyne with him in revenge of this abhominable act and to expell their king wherunto they easily agreed armed themselves and would not suffer the king not any of his to enter any more into the citie and erected a new State translating the government from a Monarchy to a common wealth Thus by the incestuous act of this yong man Tarquinius lost his kingdome from himselfe and his posteritie By the like occasion of a libidinous desire after certaine yeares that the Romanes had changed their governement of two Consuls to ten principall men they returned it backe againe from them to two Consuls For Appius Claudius one of the ten governors was so extremely enamoured upon a yong virgin that was contracted to a yong Gentleman that when hee saw shee would not be enti◅ed with his faire promises and gifts he entered into a most odious wicked practice Hee caused a yong man that he had brought up as shee went forth of her fathers house into the towne who was then in the warres to challenge her for his slave and to bring her before him as hee sate in judgement that hee by adjudging her to him might by that meanes have his will of her This man according to his instructions claimed her openly in the Court and sayd that she was borne in his house and stolen from him and conveyed to the house of Virginius who falsely tooke upon him to be her father which hee offered to prove before him and desired justice that he might have his slave restored to him againe There was a great concourse of people to see the end of this tragedy and much murmuring against Appius whose wicked purpose they began to conjecture And as her friends desired him that for as much as her father was absent in service of the common-wealth the matter might bee stayed untill his returne Appius answered that he was contented to deferre judgement untill the next day yet so as he that challenged her might receive no prejudice which would be if he should lose the possession of her and therefore hee would take order that hee should put in sufficient suretie to bring the damsell in place againe when her father was come and then hee would judge her to him that should have best right At these words he that should be her husband pressed to come neare to lay hold upon his wife but beeing kept out by Appius commandement hee cried out upon his unjust sentence and told him hee would rather dye than suffer his wife to be taken from him and after many hot words Appius
upon her and them And when they saw no hope of favour in this cruell man they called upon the gods and men for help wherwith hee fell into such a rage seeing hee could not have his will that hee drew his sword and thrust it through the young woman as she held her fathers legges in her armes But this beastly fact so little offended the Tyrant that such as shewed any mislike to the matter hee eyther put to death or banished which purchased him such hatred of all men that certaine of his subjects not willing any longer to endure his tyranny conspired together and slue him His wife hearing of the tumult of the people shut her into her chamber and strangled her selfe The like death suffered two yong women his daughters marriage-able having libertie to make choice of their own death But the love of Antiochus sonne to King Seleucus was much more commendable and used with greater modestie For being extremely in love with his mother in law his fathers second wife yet shame fastnesse and modesty made him so dissemble his vehement passion that he made choice rather to die than to discover his affection suffring himselfe by little and little to pine away untill his body was almost dryed up And as hee lay languishing in manner like a dead body his father lamenting the pitifull estate of his onely sonne desired Erasistratus an excellent Physician to use all his skill to find out what his sons disease should be with large promises of reward This man sitting by the yong Prince observed that ever as the Queene came to visit him his bloud would rise in his face his pulse would beat with more force and all his body would seem to quicken revive and as she departed from him he would waxe pale his pulse would beat weakly and would returne to his former state againe which when he had diligently observed two or three times hee perceived that his discase was the passion of love And comming to the king who was desirous to heare whether hee had found the cause of his sonnes sicknesse he told him that his son was in love with a woman but such an one as hee could by no means have which was the only cause of his sicknesse Then he being glad it was no worse hoping that whosoever she was he would by some meanes obtaine her for him though it cost him a great part of his kingdome desired to know who it was that his sonne was in love with It is my wife quoth he And will you said the King whom I have favoured so greatly deny her to my onely sonne and lesser him to perish that is my only comfort and useth such modestie that he had rather dye than bewray his affection by which it appeareth he is violently carried against his will and then making carnest petition to him to save his sonnes life with promise of great reward Your request said the Physitian is not reasonable make the case your owne Would you be content if it were your wife he were in love with whom you affect so tenderly to leave her to him Yea quoth the King with all my heart I would it were in my power so to save his life It is even your wife said he with whom your sonne is in love Then the King greatly rejoycing that it was in him to restore his sonne to health married his wife to his son his fatherly affection prevailing more than the tender love of his wife Saint bernard lamenting the miserable estate and condition of men that gave themselves to the pleasures and delights of this world O man quoth he naked and blinde that art made of humane flesh and a reasonable soule be mindfull of thy miserable condition why departest thou from thy selfe and troublest thy selfe with externe things and art lulled asleepe in the vanities of the earth and drownest thy selfe in the transitorie pleasures of the world Doest thou not consider that the nearer thou approachest to it the farther thou departest from thy God the more thou thinkest to winne without the more thou losest within that is thy self which is or greater price the more careful thou art of temporall things the more want thou hast of spirituall things Thou settest all things in good order and makest none account of thy selfe There is not a beast but thou tamest and thy selfe remainest without a bridle thou art vigilant in all things but in thine owne matters thou art fast asleepe The desire of base things hoyleth in thy heart and in the meane while heavenly things lyeth quenched The nearer thou commest to thy death the sarther thou goest from thy salvation Wee should take heed lest that curse fall upon us that the Prophet Isay speaking of the carelesse nobilitie and gentrie of the Iewes that gave themselves to banquetting and pastimes without consideration of their duties towards God a matter usuall enough and too much in these dayes The lute and harpe saith hee and timbrell and shalme and good wine aboundeth in your banquets but the workes of God you respect not nor have any consideration of his dâ—…gs Then followeth Therefore hath Hell enlarged his soule and opened his mouth without all measure or limitation and the stout and high and glorious of this people shall goe down into it And that it may appeare how many that give their delight to pleasures and vaine pastimes through their owne vanitie and foolishnesse are brought strangely to their ends when they are in the midst of their jollitie The French King Charles the sixth his minde being distempered committed the governement of his Realme to others and gave himselfe to pastimes there chanced a marriage to bee solemnized in his Court where the King was disposed to make himselfe and others merrie he put off all his apparell and disguised his face like a Lion annointing his body with pitch and flatned staxe so artificially to it that he represented a monster rough and covered with haire When he was thus attired and five others as wise as himselfe they came into the chamber among the Lords and Ladies dauncing and singing in a strange tune all the Court beholding them The Duke of Orleance whether that hee might better see or for some other toy snatched a torch out of a mans hand held it so neare the king that a spark falling upon him set them all on a flaming fire two of the five companions were miserably burnt in the place crying and howling most pitifully without any remedie other two dyed in great torment two daies after the fifth running speedily into a place where was water and wine to wafh himselfe was saved the King having more helpe than the rest before the flame had compassed his body round about was saved by a Lady that cast her traine and gowne about him and quenched the fire The Emperour Commodus among other his vain toyes pleasures when he beheld the Goddesse Ifis painted with
never went forth of the village where he was borne but contented himselfe with his meane estate and the fruits and pleasures of a poore country life By which answer to him that so insolently gloried in the glittering shew of his riches possessions the god gave to understand that he allowed better of a poor cottage possessed with a light merry heart than a sad Princes Court full of cares and pensivenesse and of a little ground without feare than the fertile fields of Lydia full of terror of a yoke or two of oxen casie to bee ruled than an army of men combersome with excessive expence and a barne serving for necessarie uses of no man greatly desired than riches and treasure subject to all mens snares covetous passions But because we shall have occasion sometime to speake of this Oracle a briefe description of the place will give some light to that which shall be said There was a steep hill in Photis a Country in Greece called Parnassus by which was built the famous citie of Delphos this hill was full of craggie rockes and so fortified by nature that there needed no supply of Art for defence In the middest of the hill there was a little plaine wherein was a deepe hole the habitation of Sathan out of that hole issued a certaine cold breath which strake the Priests and Virgins that were there resident into a frenzie and compelled them to give answers to the questions demanded which was called the Oracle of Apollo Because in this plaine was a temple builded as some say by Agamedes and Trophonius and dedicated to Apollo one of the Heathens gods Who having finished the worke desired of their God in recompence of their charge that thing which was best for men They were commanded by the Oracle to goe home and within three daies they should have their desire the third night they were both found dead in their beds Their God or rather the Divell giveth therby to understand that death was the best thing that could happen to men The strange and stately situation of this temple with the presence and fame of the God represented such a Majestic that it drew all men into admiration And though the answer of the Oracle was many times given in a double sense to be indifferently taken whether by ignorance of the certainâ—…ie of the event or of purpose to deceive and to drive men into their owne destruction were a matter worthy of discourse but impertinent to this subject yet oftentimes he answered truly and plainely of things to come eyther by a wonderfull fore-knowledge or as an actor by Gods sufferance in worldly matters brought that to effect to continue his credit which before hee had foretold As when the old Romanes had laid the foundation of the Church at Rome which they called Templum Pacis they sent to aske counsell of the Oracle of Apollo how long the Church should stand the answer was made that it should continue 〈◊〉 Virgin brought forth a childe which because they thought it was unpossible they tooke to be 〈◊〉 But when Christ was borne many hundred years after the Temple fell down and verified the answer of the Oracle But to 〈◊〉 from whence wee digressed as it was said before of them that put their felicitie in pleasure so may it he said of them that hold the same opinion of riches the seeking enjoying whereof hath many times bin their own destruction Brennius generall of a French Armie understanding of the inestimable treasure of the Temple of Apollo by the gifts and presents of almost all the Princes and Potentates of the world that sought counsell of the God in their affaires of importance striken with a covetous minde not fearing to attempt a notable sacriledge brought his armie to Delphas with a meaning to spoile the Temple of his treasure The Priests people hearing of his comming asked counsell of their God what they should doe Hee willed them to take no care for the matter he would defend his own Church And then Brennius commanding his soudiers to assauâ—… the place there fell by an earthquake a part of the hill upon his host which flew a great 〈◊〉 of his people then ensued a wonderfull 〈◊〉 thundring lightning and haile by which were slaine a great part of his armie so that they were enforced to give overtheir attempt and Brennius being sore wounded unable to endure the griâ—… shew himselfe with his own dagger Thus by the greedy desire of riches wherewith hee thought to have amended his estate he lost that he had fell into that in felicity that he was faine most unnaturally to lay violent hands upon his owne person The like almost happened long before to Xerxes the great Monarch of the Persians for being allured with the same of the riches of the Temple overcome with unsatiable covetousnesse attempted the spoyle of that Church which no man ever durst attempt before And giving assault to the place great stoâ—… by the worke of the Divel fell from the hill upon his Army such horrible thunder with firie darts so terrified them that tooke in hand to climbe the hill that they threw themselves downe headlâ—…ng as though they hadbin mad Xerxes himselfe escaping very dangerously was driven to depart with the losse of foure thousand of his men Quid non mortalia pectora cogis Auri sacra fames What hideous mischiefes dost thou not compell Golds sacred thirst in mortals breasts to dwell Dionysius the Tyrant of Syracusa infected with the same humour of covetousnesse committed sacriledge with lesse danger and better successe than the others attempted it This Dionysius comming into a Church where hee found the Idoll of Iupiter apparelled with a cloke of pure gold of great weight and value hee tooke it from the Idoll and put upon him a cloke of cloth saying that of gold was too heavie for summer and too cold for winter and that of cloth was fitter for both times And finding the Idol of Esculapius with a long beard of gold he caused it to be taken away saying that it was no reason for him to weare a beard when his father Apollo went ever shaven without a beard And as he saw other Idols made with their armes and hands stretched out whereupon they held crowns and basons of gold of exceeding great price which were given them by the vowes of mighty Princes and Potentates upon the winning of some notable victory he tooke them to him and yet said that hee did receive them and not take them away For quoth he it were a very foolish part to desire good things of the gods and when they offer it not to take them There was likewise a Church in the Citie of Tholosa wherein was great store of gold silver which whosoever attempted to take away he was sure to suffer a miserable end which happened to Cepio and all his Armie And thereof came the Proverbe Aurum
sentence was given against him First that his two dogs whose help he had used in his Magicke matters should be shot through with Muskets and himselfe should have his head stricken off For this milde sentence hee gave thanks to the Prince alledging he had deserved a much more severe judgement and at least was worthy to be burned The next day a new gallowes was set up covered with copper an halter tyed in the middest covered likewise with copper signifying his deceit in making gold Hard by the gallowes was set up a scaffold aloft covered with blacke cloth upon the scaffold was placed a seat wherein this Alcumist sate arrayed in mourning apparell And as hee sate the Executioner strake off his head The Poet cryeth out not without cause upon this love of riches Aurum destructor vita princepsque malorum O quà m difficiles nectis ubique dolos O utinam natum nunquam mortalibus esses Dulcia suppedit as quae nocumenta viris Gold lifes destroyer and of mischiefes Prince That every where by snares dost us convince Would thou hadst nere been seene by mortals eyes Who with delightfull harmes still man supplyes CHAP. IIII. Of sundry men most remarkeable for Avarice Of an English Cardinall Of Hermocrates Cardinall Sylberperger Hermon Phidon Antonio Batistei c. Of such as voluntarily parted with their Riches Of Antippus the Philosopher Ancrates the Theban and Sabbas Cast a Knight of Malta Pope Alexander the sift Tiberius Constantine Emperour Anacreon the Philosopher Epictetus Seneca the Philosopher reproved by Snillius for avarice before Nero A notable example of the Romane Fabricius Of Pertinax Of Hassan Bassa The covetousnesse of the Fortugals the French and the Spaniards reproved Concluding that no soveraâ—…gne felicitie can subsistin Riches c. YEt there want not Examples of some wise men who having abundance of riches and means to increase it willingly made choice to part with their riches as an enemie to vertue and hinderance to many good things and reserve to themselves a small portion Democritus a very rich man gave all his patrimonie to his Countrey reserving to himselfe but a little summe of money to live withall that hee might have the more leasure to study Philosophie for which cause he went to Athens The Prophet David perceiving our vaine estimation and wondering at riches forewarneth us thus Be not affraâ—…d when thou secst a man made rich and the glorie of his bousc multiplâ—…ed for when he dyeth he shall take nothing with him nor shall his glorie descend to the place whither be goâ—…th Hee shall passe into the progenies of his Ancestors and world without end hee shall see no more light The Prophet Baruch with more bitternesse asketh this question Where are they now that heaped together gold and silver and which made no end of their scraping Where be the Princes and they that rule over the beasts of the earth Hee answered himselfe presently Exterminatâ—… sunt adinferos descenderunt They are rooted out and gone into hell Saint Paul writeth to Timothâ—…e Give commandement to the rich men of this world not to bee high-minded nor to put hope in the uncertaintie of their riches And yet for all that nothing even in these daies puffeth men up more in pride than great store of riches neither can men forbeare to put great trust in them Wee had a Cardinall here in England in the time of Henrie the sixth so exceeding rich that hee thought nothing was able to prevaile against him And when he lay on his death bed and perceiving that hee must dye hee murmured and grudged If quoth he the Realme of England would save my life I am able to get it with policie or buy it with my riches Fie said he will not death be hyred will money doe nothing Saint Iames saith Now goe to ye rich men weepe and howle in your miseries that come upon you Your riches are rotten and your gold and silver are rustie and the rust thereof shall be a testimonie against you it shall feede on your flesh like fire You have hoorded wrath for your selves in the last day This the holy Ghost pronounceth to signifie unto us how vaine and dangerous a thing woldly wealth is and how foolish they are that labour so earnestly for it to the perpetual perill of their soules Iob saith Wee came naked into this world and naked wee must goeforth againe Yet some have beene so wedded to their riches that they have used all the meanes they could to take them with him Atheneus reporteth of one that at the houre of his death devoured many peeces of gold and sewed the rest in his coate commanding that they should be all buried with him Hermocrates being loth that any man should enjoy his goods after him made himselfe by his will heire of his owne goods The Cardinall Sylberperger tooke so great a pleasure in money that when hee was grievously tormented with the gowt his onely remedy to ease the paine was to have a bason full of gold set before him into which hee would put his lame hands turning the gold up-side-downe Hermon was so covetous that dreaming on a time hee had spent a certaine summe of money for very sorrow he strangled himselfe And one Phidon was so extremely overcome with that passion of covetousnes that being fallen into desperation through a losse received he would not hang himselfe for spending of three-halfe-pence to buy him an halter but sought a way to death better cheape One Antonio Batistei an Italian having lost in a ship that was drowned five hundred crowns determined like a desperate man to hang himselfe and as he was about to fasten the rope to a beame for that purpose he found by chance there hidden a thousand crownes And being very glad of this good fortune hee exchanged the halter for the crownes and went away Not long after hee was gone the owner came thither to see his gold but when hee perceived the crownes to bee gone hee fell into such extreme griefe that hee presently hanged himselfe with the halter that he found in their place Antippus the Philosopher following a contrary course having turned all his patrimonie into ready money went to the sea side and there cast it into the water saying Hence with a mischiefe ye ungracious desires for I drowne you because you should not drowne me Ancrates a Theban being weary of worldly cares and houshold affaires forsooke his patrimonie that was of the value of foure thousand and eight hundred crownes and betooke himselfe to a staffe and a Philosophers bagge and departed Hee that desireth over-great riches or possessions seemeth to be wiser in the choyce of his garment which hee will rather have to bee meete for his body than too long or too large Hee that is wise will content himselfe with that which is sufficient and feeleth no want but the foolish man troubleth himselfe with cares and thoughts and though hee wallow in
scumme of the sea men without fathers and restlesse men that could stay no where to labor for their living Though the pretence of the Spaniards travell into these new found lands were to plant Christianitie among these rude people and to reduce them to the knowledge of God yet the infinit number of thousands of people which through their cruelty and covetousnesse they have there destroied in eight and forty yeere twentie millions as appeareth by their owne histories argueth plainely and is confirmed by this example following that the greedy unsatiable desire of gold and riches was the cause that drew them to undertake those painefull and dangerous travailes Which covetousnesse crueltie of theirs was a great hinderance to the planting of Religion there â—…Ferdinando Sotos a Spaniard went to Florida to seeke gold but being in a great rage and griefe because he could not there find that hee looked for he exercised great cruelty among those barbarous people It chanced that a Prince of that country came to see him presented him with two Parrots and plumes of feathers after their first salutations ended the Prince asked the Spaniard who he was and from whence he came and what he sought in these countries committing dayly so many and so great cruelties and wicked acts Sotos answered him by an interpreter that hee was a Christian the sonne of God the creatour of heaven and earth that his comming thither was to instruct those people in the knowledge of his law If thy God sayd the Prince command thâ—… to run over other mens countries robbing burning killing and omitting no kind of wickednesse we tell you in few words that we can neither beleeve in him nor in his lawes Of these greedy covetous men the Prophet Esay speaketh thus Wâ—…e be to you that joyne house to house and field to field till there be no more ground Will you dwell upon the earth alone The love of money made the French king 〈◊〉 the eleventh subject to obloquie by his niggardly sparing unseemely for a Prince without respect to his estate For having driven almost all the Gentlemen out of his Court hee was served with his taylor for all his Horaulds of armes his Barbor was his Ambassador his Physician was his Chancellour and for a mockerie of other kings he would weare a greazy cap of very course cloth and in his accounts were found twenty soâ—…s for two new sleeves to his old doublet and fifteene deniers for grease to greaze his bootes Horace reporteth of a man at Rome called Ovid so rich in money that hee might measure his gold by the bushell and yet he went almost starke naked for niggardlinesse never would fill himselfe halfe full of meat Insomuch that he lived poorely to dye rich Of such the Poet cryeth out not without cause Sed quò divitias tbt per torment a coactâ—… Cum furor haud dubius cum sit manifesta phrenesis Vt locuples moriare egenti vivere viverefato What meane these Riches by such torments got And infinite paines A madnesse is 't not A phrensey manifest it doth implye Penuriously to live richly to dye By this which hath bin sayd it is manifest that mans felicitie and his summoâ—… bonum or greatest good consisteth not in riches For who if hee be not senselesse desireth riches for it selfe but for some other thing Some for lascivious some for sumptuous others for profitable and necessary expences Which things if they might bee had without money no man would desire or care for riches Neither can riches be the common end of men seeing some have great plenty and others extreme want and poverty which have also their estimation by opinion Some calling gold and silver others pearles and precious stones others trifling things riches like little children that set their riches in pinnes and puppets But he that putteth not mans felicitie in himselfe and â—…nis nis owne matters doth like unto him that estimatethâ—… sword by his scabbard or a horse by his saddle and furniture Neither can we call that Summum bonum or the greatest good which is no good at all and is common both to good men and wicked which also make more men worse than better And how can riches be the principall end of man that withdraweth men for the most part from the true end of all things which is God For we see plainly that there is not a more compendious way to alienate a mans minde from God than to wallow in worldly wealth So that mans felicitie or Summum bonum must bee sought in some other thing than in riches For God placed not man in this world to seeke after earthly things neither that he should find the end of his desires in the scurfe of the earth Which one remembreth thus Memento rebus vanidis diffidere Opes genus formâ—… decor caduca sunt Ad ossa nuda mors reducit omnia Coelo repostus optimus thesaurus est In vaine things see no confidence thou hast For neither wealth nor birth nor shape can last To strippe us to the bone Death followes fast 'T is the best treasure that in Heaven is plac't THE FELICITIE OF MAN OR HIS SUMMUM BONUM THE THIRD BOOKâ—… CHAP. I. Of Cineas the Philosopher and King Pyrrhus Ambition the subversion of Kingdomes and Empires It engenders Parricides Instanced by Adolphus Duke of Geldria Selim the great Turke Henry the first Emperour and Solyman The ambition of Snio King of Denmarke Semiramis Iane Queene of Naples The Empresse Irene Bassianns the sonnes of Pope Alexander the sixth with sundry Histories both domestical and forreigne to that purpose The death of Pertinax Emperour And Didius Iulianus who bought the Romane Empire Dâ—…uers chances and changes in warre Histories of others unmilling to undergâ—…e the Empire HOnour and glory is another thing which men labour to aâ—…taine as though felicitie or the greatest good should consist therein But this is an erronious opinion and they greatly deceived that hold it For men desire honour and glory because they would seeme to bee â—…cndued with vertue by which they confesse that vertue is to be preferred before glory honour And honour is given as we see by dayly experience by man many times taken away againe by them that gave it But that wherein felicitie consisteth is a thing more stedfast and not so easily removed nor subject to the variable accidents of fortune Honour is gotten with much labour maintained with great exponces and lost with intolerable griefe and sorrow It is likened to a mans shadow which the more hee runneth after the more it flieth away and when he flieth from his shadow it followeth him againe as one saith Qui fugit honorem eum sequitur honos Honour followeth him that flieth from it Who is more honoured now than Christs Apostles Saint Peter Saint Paul and the like that despised honour when they lived Of all the disordered passions where with mens minds
life is lost As appeareth by Iulianus who living before in securitie wanting nothing that was necessarie for the happinesse of this life but rather had too much through ambition and desire of rule and honour fell into a sea of cares and troubles and within a few moneths ignominiously lost both his honour and his life Pertinax seemed to preferre a private life before high estate For before he was Emperour having borne the principall offices in the Romane Empire and governed many Provinces and Countries a very wise man and of great experience and one of the principall men among the Romanes misliking the governement in the Reign of the Emperour CoÌ„modus withdrew himselfe into the Country of Liguria to leade a private life in a poore village where his father in times past had lived and kept shop And when he had bought that poor dwelling where his father had sold oyle fish wine and such like he built about it a stately house suffering the old to remaine in the middest without adding or diminishing any thing of it Pertinax was greatly delighted to behold that Countrey wherein he had passed his life being but a child and from whence hee had departed so abject and was returned with great wealth and credit and being advertised that the foale of the asse was alive whereon hee was used to carry wood be bought it and cherished it as if it had beene some old acquaintance or servant of great desert He rejoyced so exceedingly to see himself so rich where he had bin so poore and to obtaine so great quietnesse after so much travell that he said wrote to his friends that if Princes had throughly known the taste and rellish of secure rest quietnesse they would of their own accord abandon Empires And if Pertinax could have kept himself in this private life hee had escaped that violent death which being afterward chosen Emperour hee could not avoyde If men could see how the minds of many Princes great estates are affected what cares and troubles overwhelme them what agonies and torments they suffer in what feare and suspicion they live we would not esteeme them to bee in the happiest estate but rather to pitie their case and yeelde them all the honoâ—…r and dutie we can give them than wish to be in their places As they by whose cares their subjects live securely by whose watching they sleepe quietly and by whose infelicitie they live happily For the subjects wealth in a great part dependeth upon the Princes vigilancie and providence which in a sort was given to understand by Philip of Macedon being in the warres when hee was asked how it came to passe that hee now slept so soundly so great perill being at hand whereas at other times in lesse dangers he used to be so watchfull It is no matter quoth the King though I sleep Antipater is 〈◊〉 meaning as before all the estate of his affaires and saâ—…etie of the people depended upon his vigilancie so for this one time he had committed them to Antipater whom he knew to bee as carefull as himselfe Philip de 〈◊〉 a man of great wisedome and experience and imployed in weightie affaires in the time of Lewes the eleventh King of France saith that if hee should write of all the Princes both men and women which he knew in his time that to the judgement of men seemed to live in great felicitie and yet to those that knew them familiarly lived in a miserable estate that matter alone would containe a reasonable Volume which agreeth with the Poet Miser at que infelix est etiam Rex Nec quenquam 〈◊〉 crede facit 〈◊〉 beatum Even Kings with miseries are oft opprest Nor is 't a crowne beleeve me makes them blest When Tigranes was newly become King of Armenia after hee had a while earnestly beheld the diademe which he had in his hand O noble rather than happy cloth quoth hee if men knew the cares and troubles thou bringest with thee no man would take thee up if he found thee lying on the ground But none expressed more aptly the unhappinesse of Princes that came by unlawfull meanes to their Principalities than Dionysius the Tyrant of Syracusa which was then a name of honour though now ignominious For being of Damocles commended for a happy man wilt thou quoth he 〈◊〉 make proofe one day of my happinesse When the other answered Nothing more willingly 〈◊〉 caused him to bee set alone at his table in a stately chamber richly hanged a cupboord of plate of great price his table furnished with great store of delicate meats pleasant wines of all sorts and attended upon with brave men and faire boyes in all points as if he had been there himselfe But directly over his head he caused to be hanged a naked sword by the haire of a horse taile which when Damocles espied his stomacke would no longer serve him to cate of those daintie meats neither could hee take any pleasure in the service of those faire boyes but being in continuall feare lest the sword would fall upon his head hee desired hee might have leave to depart he would be no longer happy Now thou seest quoth Dionysius how happy our estate is that not withstanding our guard of armed men hangeth but by a little threed Thus did 〈◊〉 lively and properly reprove the common errour of men that think felicity rather to consist in principalitie worldly wealth which is for the most part accompanied with feare and perill and unquietnesse of minde than in a meane estate that bringeth with it a secure and quiet life voyd of danger and timorous conceits And that which he shewed by example in Damocles was by action verified in himselfe in the course of his life For he was so extremely fearefull suspicious that hee durst trust no body He prepared a lodging for himselfe that had no accesse to it but over a draw-bridge which hee used himselfe to draw when he went to bed Hee durst trust no Barbor with the shaving his beard but his own daughters for feare of his throat And when they grew towards women hee tooke the razor from them and made them learne a device to burne off his haire And as he was on a time playing at tennis hee delivered his sword to his Page and as one of his familiars told him merily that now he committed his life to his boy hee caused them both presently to be slain the man because he shewed the way how he might be killed the boy because by smiling he seemed to allow of it As this Dionysius was walking one day after he was expelled from his Kingdome in the Citie of Corinth where hee lived as a private man Truly Dionysius â—…aid Diogenes the Sinopian thou art in an estate unworthy of thee The Tyrant supposing he had bewailed his case I am beholding to thee Diogenes quoth hee that hast compassion upon my miserable fortune What replieth the Philosopher
doest thou thinke I pitie thee it rather grieveth me to see such a slave as thou art who deservest to grow old and to dye like a Tyrant as thy father did than to live here among us so pleasantly and to passe thy time in securitie without feare Whereby the Philosophers meaning was that hee lived then more happily being a private man voyde of feare and perill than he did before in his kingdome which was full of feare and trouble The infelicitie which many times accompanieth great estates and frequenteth places of honour was well fore-scene of Tâ—…us the goâ—…d Emperour of Rome For as he made a feast one day to the contentment of everie man using a cheerefull countenance in the end of the banquet he strake himselfe upon the breast at the table and withall â—…tched a great sigh And when his favorites desired to know the cause I cannot quoth he refraine sighing when I call to minde that this great honour which I have dependeth upon the will of fortune that my estates and dignities are as it were in sequestration and my life as it were laide in pawne and pledge to me Words of like effect were uttered by 〈◊〉 to Nerva when hee was chosen Emperour For when all men came to doe reverence to him as their Lord and Emperour and to congratulate and rejoyce with him wishing him good successe and fortune as the manner is onely Arrius a very wise and grave man a faithfull friend to Nerva used another forme of speech considering with a more deepe meditation than the rest what a great charge and full of perill it was to reigne My friend Nerva sayd he that thou hast taken upon thee the governement of the Empire either it is some curse from thy predecessours or some vengeance that the gods will take of thee seeing they suffer thee to take the Empire and at the time thou hast most need of counsell they bereave thee of thy sound and good judgement And surely Nerva sayd Arrius that thou art exalted into this throne I attribute it to the good fortune of the Senate and the people of Rome and to all the Empire and not to thine For as thou hast through thy vertue and wisdome escaped with so great honour credit from the hands of so many evill Princes that went before thee so now the same hath made thee subject to an infinite number of cares and perills and above all the rest to the infamy and hatred of thine enemies and much more of thy friends For these thinking in their own judgement that they have deserved all things as due to them in respect of old friendship if any thing be denied them though unjust that they shall aske they will become more cruell enemies than those that have so disordered themselves And when Pertinax was to be elected Emperour and went up to the Capitoll he would in no wise sit in the chaire of estate but tooke the Consull Glabrion by the arme by strong hand would have placed him in the same as the worthier man But he refusing and perswading 〈◊〉 with all the Senate to accept the Empire which was so much against his wil and liking as appeared by the pitifull lamentation he made and abundance of teares hee shed that they placed him in a manner by force in the chaire And when hee saw no remedy nor resistance against their 〈◊〉 hee made an Oration to the Senate and amongst many other things spake thus When I began to hold offices in the Common-wealth I thought it most certaine that it was no humane matter but a divine dignitie to bee a Romane Emperour but after I had tasted of the travels of commandement and of authoritie and understood the peril to reigne I did cleerely see that amongst all the travels of men to bee an Emperour is the greatest Untill this day I have had some 〈◊〉 but from henceforth I shall bee constrained to live discontented because from the travell and 〈◊〉 of the â—…nce peace quietnesse proceedeth to the CoÌ„mon-wealth The office of a Prince is not to sleepe but to watch not to be idle but to travell for that every excessive recreation which his person taketh forthwith redoundeth to the prejudice of the Common-wealth Untill this day have I been well liked served and reverenced but from henceforth all men for the most part shall beare mee envie because the estate of Princes is so envied that thâ—…sea shall want sand to reckon his enemies but the number of his fingers of one hand shall exceed to point out his friends Hee used often to say that in all his life he never committed the like fault as when he accepted the Empire and many times hee moâ—…oned to leave the same and to returne unto his housâ—… and would thus recomfort 〈◊〉 That forasinuch as hee was of so great age he should not long live but bee delivered of this redious life Perâ—…nax had a son whom after he was Emperor he would not suffer to come to the Court nor yet to Rome but held him in his countrey following his owne affaires which moved the Consull to say to Pertinax that he seemed rather the sonne of a labourer than of an Emperour Whereupon he listup his eyes to heaven and with a great sigh sayd My mother Rome hath cause to be contented that I offer and put â—…y life in danger for her sake without venturing my sonne and house in like danger Whereby it appeareth he esteemed himselfe for most unhappy to be established in the Empire and his sonne to bee in great felicitie being free from the same CHAP. II. The Emperour Trajans opinion concerning Principalitie and Empire The like of Marcus Aurelius Emperour of the Empire Saturninus and his death The modesty of Sylla the Dictator and Carolus Martellus The History of Dioclesian The instabilitie of Fortune prâ—…ved by Iustinian the second The contention of Sergius and Formosus about the Pope-dome Of Pope Iohn the thirteenth and others Of Bajazet Emperour of the Turkes The historie of Darius and Alexander of Baltazar Cossa Pope and his miserable death Flattery rewarded by Antonius and Commodus Emperors The stories of divers Popes Of the Cardinal of Loreyne and of Martin Luther THe Emperour Trajane seemed to be of opinion that the greatest felicitie is not found in the greatest estate by a letter which hee wrote to the Senate of Rome being new chosen Emperour where among other things hee writeth thus Ye know that albeit I was nephew to our predecessor yet I never solicited him for the kingdome and much lesse occupied my thoughts to hope for it having learned of my master Plutarch that honour ought rather to bee deserved than purchased And as I will not denie but that a kingdome is a sweet prey that the present of so high and excellent dignity was welcome to mee with inward gladnesse so also I cannot but confesse that I find great difference between the travels of a kingdome and the
made him a Monke and himselfe Emperour Thus fortune playd with those Princes sometime lifting up some oâ—… high that she might throw them down with the greater fall to some giving more than he had before that she might at last take all from him sometime making Emperors exiles another time making exiles Emperours Which agreeth aptly with the saying of the Satiricke Ille crucem sceleris pretium ferat hic diadema One suffers on the gallowes as his meede Anothers crown'd in an Imperiall weede Such is the malice of ambition that is not alwaies satisfied with the torments or death of his competitour except he be also revenged and use despites upon his carkase There was a contention betweene Sergius and 〈◊〉 for the Popedome Sergius being of greater force cast the other out of Saint Peters chaire who flying into France found fortune so favourable that hee recovered againe the possession of his place and died within a little while after Sergius the Antipope rejoyeing in the death of his competitor got him into Saint Peters chaire and burning with a desire to be revenged he caused Formosus to be taken out of his grave and setting him in the Popes seat apparelled in a Priests habit commanded his head to bee cut off and spake thus to him Thou wast Bishop of such a place why hast thou through the spirit of ambition usurped the universall seat of the Romane Bishops When these sacred ceremonies were finished hee caused his vestiments to be taken from him and three of his fingers to be cut off and his bodie to bee cast into the river of Tiber. And this was a horrible fact that was committed by Pope Iohn the thirteenth when he had cut off the noses hee put out the eyes of certaine Cardinals because they favoured Otho that meant to depose him and set up another in his place Which Pope was afterward as some write killed by a Romane because he found him abusing his wife And as these Popes through ambition have committed many outrages and tyrannies so have they by the just judgement of God suffred many indignities and torments some expelled some banished some imprisoned some their eyes put out as Pope Iohn the thirteenth Which examples were sufficient to disswade men from aspiring to high dignities and glorious estate if their eyes were not bliâ—…ded with the humour of ambition And in no estates of life examples of ambition have beene more apparent than in the Popedome two three and sometimes foure Popes being at one time within the space of forty yeare who have raised cruell warres and contended together most maliciously to the great effusion of innocent bloud and to the impoverishing and troubling of all Christendom But Benedictus the ninth Gregory the sixth and Iohn the third all three Popes at one time used the matter with more moderation and greater discretion For after some contention for the Popedome one being set up and another put downe they fell to a friendly composition and because Saint Peters chaire was not large enough for them all three to sit together they divided Christs garments as their writers report and the revennues of the Church equally betweene them and dwelt neighbourly at Rome together taking severall Churches to their charge And here might arise a disputable question of no small difficultie which of them was the right Vicar of Christ but I leave it to them to whom it appertaineth to bee decided not appertaining to this matter A rare example of the inconstancy of fortune among great Princes happened to Bajazet Emperour of the Turks for being overcome in battell by Tamerlan that of a peasants son became a great Monarch taken prisoner hee caused him to be led with him in a cage of gold and to be fed with crums that fel from his table when he meant to ride he used him for a footstoole to get up to his horse Valerianus Emperour of Rome being taken prisoner by Saper King of the Persians was used in the like sort as a footstoole for him to get up to his horse When Alexander the great had taken king Porus Prisoner and asked him what hee thought meete for him that was victor to doe with him Even as this day quoth Pâ—…rus doth admonish thee wherein thou seest how uncertain a thing felicitie is Dum versat dubio vitam fortuna tenâ—…re Felicem sese dicere 〈◊〉 No man can count himselfe happy at all Whom with suspence blind fortune doth inthrall Darius that mighty Monarch of the Persians tasted of the like inconstancie of fortune For at Alexanders first comming into Asia being puffed up with pride by his great riches and dominion thinking himselfe to bee in the highest degree of felicity he wrote to Alexander a disdainefull proud letter Darius king of kings and cosin to the gods to Alexander my servant I wil command thee to returne home to thy parents and lye in thy mothers lap and learne the duty part of a man for which purpose I have sent thee a paire of reines of Scythia a tennise ball and a purse full of gold the ball because it agreeth with thy yeares the gold that thou maiest therewith buy what thou lackest Alexander received these gifts as a prognostick of his good fortune and wrote to him againe that he had received his gifts the reines he meant to use to rule them that were now subject to him the ball did presage that he should bee master of the world the gold was a token that he should be master of him and all his treasure Which letter when Darius had read he sent to the governours of his country that he heard there was a young-man the sonne of Philip that overranne his countries of Asia like one that were mad he willed them to take him whip him with rods like a boy send him to him clothed in purple and for his noblemen captaines that they should destroy them and his navie But afterward when he was overthrowne in battell and his wife and children were taken prisoners himselfe hardly escaping Nabarzanes and Beslus two of his principall captaines through an ambitious desire of rule conspiring traiterously against Darius looked for opportunitie to kill him Where of when Darius was advertised and counselled by some of his friends rather to commit himself to the guard of the Grecians than to trust his owne countrey-men being predestinate to his chance hee could not then beare any wholesome counsell and hearing that such as were accustomed to the guard of his person which should have bin his defence in all perils were fled from him for feare of the great number of conspiratours which they supposed to be comming he called some of his friends and willed them to provide for themselves commending their fidelity to their prince till the last houre Here quoth he I tarry for the fatall law of my destiny After which words they filled the kings lodging and all the campe with mourning
and lamentatior Such as appertained to the conspiratours deceived by the conâ—…ed cries and lamentation brought tydings to the rest that the king had killed himselfe Whereupon they galloped thither as fast as they could such followed after as they had chosen to bee ministers of their mischiefe When Bessus and Nabarzanes were entred into the kings pavilion hearing by his Eunuchs that he was alive they commanded him to be bound Thus he which before was carried in a chariot and honoured of his men like a god was made prisoner by his owne servants put into a vile cart covered over with beasts skins His men understanding how the matter passed all forsooke him But to the intent that Darius should not wâ—…nt such honour as was due to his estate they cauâ—…ed him to be bound with golden â—…tters Such were the despites that his fortune made him subject unto And for that he should not be knowne by his apparell they covered his chariot with foule hides of beasts and câ—…sed unknowne men to drive it forwards Newes being brought to Alexander that Darius was forsaken of his owne men and either taken prisoner or slaine hee followeth after him as speedily as he could And when he was come so neere them that the Macedons saw the Persians flying and the Persians the Macedons purâ—…ing them Bessus and other of his complices came to the cart where Darius was and perswaded him to leape on horâ—…backe and flie from his enemies that were at handâ—… but he crying out that the gods were come to his revenge and calling for the assistance of Alexander sayd that in no wise hee would goe with traitors wherewith they being exceeding angry threw dâ—…s at him and left him wounded in many places of his body they thrust in the beasts also that drew the cart that they might not be able to goe forward and slue his two servants that did waite upon him and flâ—…d to save themselves Within a while after the beasts that drew Darius wagon having no man to governe them were swarved out of the high-way and wandring here and there had drawne Darius foure â—…rlongs from the place where he was wounded into a valley where they fainted by reason of their heate and hurts And as Polistratus a Macedon came that way to drinke of a spring being overcome with thirst he espied as he was drinking out of an helmet the beasts that were thrust in with darts and looking into the foule cart he found the body of a man halfe dead and at length hee perceived it was Darius that lay there sore wounded gasping for breath Then hee brought him to a Persian that hee had taken prisoner whom when Darius knew by his voyce to be of his country hee tooke it for a comfort of his present fortune that he should speake before he died to one that understood him and not â—…ter his last words in vaine he required him to declare unto Alexander that though hee had never deserved any thing at his hands yet it was his chance to dye greatly his debtour and had great thankes to give him for the favour and goodnesse he had shewed to his mother his wife and children to whom hee had not onely granted life but also the reverence of their former estate and dignity whereas he of his kinsmen friends to whom he had given both life and lands was now by them bereaved of all He prayed therfore that he might alwaies be victor that the Empire of the whole world might 〈◊〉 into his hands requiring him that he would not neglect to revenge so soule an act not onely for his cause but for an example the love of other Princes which should be a thing honourable to him and profitable in time to come When hee had spoken these words hee fainted and calling for water after he had drunke sayd to Polistratus that presented it to him whatsoever thou art this is unto me the last misery in all my adverse fortune that I am not able to require thee this benefit but Alexander shall reward thee and the gods shall require him for his great humanity and clemencie shewed towards mine unto whom in my behalfe thou shalt give my hand as a pledge of a kings promise And having spoken these words and given to Polistratus his hand he dyed When his sayings were reported to Alexander hee repaired where the dead corps lay and there bewayled with teares that it was his chance to dye a death so unworthy of so great an estate taking off his owne cloake to cover the dead corps adorning also the same with all things that appertained to a king he sent it to his mother to be buried in such sort as the countâ—…ie manner was to bury kings and to be layd among the rest of his predecessours This was the miserable end of this mighty monarch which may be an example to all estates that fâ—…licitie consisteth not in abundance of treasure and glorious dominion wherein this man exceeded all the Princes of his time and which also discovereth the mutable estate of Princes when of the infelicity of the one dependeth the felicitie of the other Which mutability of humane matters the Poet in few words doth well set forth Omnia sunt hominum tenni pendentia filo Et subito casu qua valucre râ—… No man can count himselfe happy at all Whom with suspence blind Fortune doth inthrall And Bessus one of them that murdered Darius for the desire of rule was afterward taken prisoner and committed by Alexander to Darius brother that hee should cut off his nose and eares and hang him upon a crosse causing his owne men to shoot him through with arrowes One sayth that Prince which hath more than all other enjoyeth least of any other for the Prince that possesseth much is alwayes occupied in defending it but the Prince that hath little hath leasure quietly to enjoy it Abraham king of Marocco was driven to such extremity by a preacher called Elmaheli who had raised a power against him and overthrew him in the field that being voyde of all hope of succour hee stale forth of the towne in the night on horsebacke and tooke the Queene his wife behinde him and being come to the top of a high rocke that stood upon the sea coast hee put spurres to his horse and fell downe headlong hee and his Queene tumbling from one place to another untill they were torne in peeces The instability of high dignities and the griefe for the losse of them was effectually set forth by lamentable verses made by a Pope called Baltazar Cossa when hee was thrust out of Saint Peters chaire and cast in prison strangely presaged by the report of Nicholas Clemangie This Pope was a very wicked man being forced from his place assembled neverthelesse a Councell of some few strangers and Italians his favourites wherin consultation was had of some vaine matters nothing appertaining to the utilitie of
the Church but before the first session when they had prayed as the manner is for the assistance of the holy Ghost and the fathers were set in their places and the Pope in a high place above them all there commeth an Owle which alwayes bringeth with him a prognosticke of evill fortune and alighteth upon a beame in the middle of the Church singing in his naturall tune and looked continually in the Popes face And every man marvelled to see this unfortunate bird that flyeth the light so boldly in the middle of the day to sit among such an assembly of people ominating some evill to follow the Pope upon whom the Owles eyes were earnestly fastened chafed and sweat and being in a great agony dismissed the Councell and departed At the next session the Owle commeth to the same place againe and beholdeth the Pope as hee did before who being more ashamed than he was the other day commandeth this unlucky bird to be feared away with crying and clapping of hands But the Owle would not be removed away from the place untill she was stricken with a staffe and fell downe dead among them The Councell not long after was to the shame of the Pope dissolved and he deposed and cast in prison where he beway led his fortune with these dolefull verses Quâ—… modo summus â—…ram latatus nomine Prâ—…ful 〈◊〉 abjectus nunc mea fat a gemo Excelsus solio nuper versabar in alâ—…o Cunctaque gens pedibus ofcula prona dabas Nunc ego pâ—…narum fundo devâ—…lvor in imo Vultum deformem pallidaque or a gero Omnibus è terris aurum 〈◊〉 sponte ferebant Sed nec gaza juvat nec 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adest Sic varians fortuna vices adversa secundis Subdit ambiguo numine ludit atrox Cedat in exemplum cunctis quos gloria tollâ—…t Vertice de summo mox ego Papucado I the glad name of Pope who had but late Now most deceived mourne mine own sad fate Once lifted to a throne sublime where plac't Nations to crouch and kisse my feet were grac't Am now cast downe into paines lowest abysse Pallid my looke deform'd my countenance is Then from all nations I had store of gold But now nor wealth nor friend can I behold Such is the change of Fortune good with bad She mingles So nought certaine can be had All such whom glory swels with proud ostent Make me once Pope their wofull president In our fathers time Tomombey Sultan of Egypt Atabalixa king of Peru and Mutexuma king of Mexico lost both their kingdomes and lives in a short time in a miserable sort the one dying in prison the other with a soft fire burnt smothered to death the third shamefully hanged in his owne towne Apreyes king of Egypt perswaded himselfe and would vaunt that hee had so established and fortified his kingdome that none either of the gods or of men could take it from him But being overcome in battell by the Persians hee was taken prisoner and after hee had beene kept some time in prison he was strangled The great Prince Saladine after hee had won Ierusalem lying in his death bed and considering with himselfe what vanity was in the pompe and glory of this world commanded his 〈◊〉 to be hanged upon a pole and carâ—…ied through 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the sight of all men aâ—…d to be cryed Behold Saladine the conquerour of Asia of so great a kingdom such abundance of riches he carriâ—…th nothing with him but this But Alexander the Great used not the like modestie but contrariwise being pufâ—…ed up with pride and vaine glory after his victories he could not beare the greatnesse of his fortunes with that vertue he wan them But being more desirous of glory than able to receive it he commanded himselfe to be called the sonne of Iupiter to be honored as a God And whilest hee went about to increase the glory of his acts he corrupted and defaced them with such vaine titles For he received more mockes of the wiser sort than adorations of his flatterers When hee had sent to the Cities of Greece to have his new title of Godhead to bee confirmed by publike authoritie and the matter being had in consultation one steppeth up and sayd Well seeing Alexander will needs have it so let us make him a god A frumpe worthy of such a vaine glorious petition And as Cleo an Italian of Sicilia given to flattery both by his owne nature and by the custome of his countrey had used perswasions and set downe a forme to honour Alexander as a God Callistenes being of a contrary opinion Are not they goodly gods Clâ—…o quoth hee that thou and I can make I pray thee let me prove thy power if thou canst make a god first make a king it is much more easie to give a worldly kingdome than the possession of heaven But flattery was never better rewarded than by M. Antonius the Triumvir For when he entred into Athens all the Citizens having first prepared exceeding great honours for his entertainement went to meet him and they being desirous to win his favour used this kind of flattery They told Antonius that they had in their city the goddesse Minerva which wanted a husband and were desirous to give him her to wife who was the god Bacchus Antonius being offended with their shamelesse flattery sayd that he was content to accept her for his wife but I will have quoth he a thousand talents for her dowry which is requisit for so great a marriage But the Emperor Commodus used more severity or rather cruelty in punishing flattery Certaine yong gentlemen of Commodus chamber understanding that Ebutianus was put to death for weeping and lamenting the death of the Consull Byrrius and Apollaustus another Senatour for bemoning the death of Ebutianus the day that Apollaustus was executed thinking to please the prince made shew of great mirth joy for the death of Apollaustus Which being knowne to Commodus hee commanded their throats to be cut saying that for any act done by the prince they ought neither to laugh nor weepe but heare see and hold their peace Xerxes the great monarch of Persia being unmeasurably overcome with pride and vaine-glory after the bridge which was made to transport his army over the sea called Hellespont was overthrown by the tempest raging of the sea he with such arrogancy disdaining that the elemeÌ„ts would not be obedient to him coÌ„manded the sea to be beaten with 300 stripes a paire of fetters to bee cast into it and sent messengers to burne markes in it with a hot iron and to beat it saying O bitter water thy Lord doth thus punish thee because thou hast hurt him that deserved no evill of thee yet the king Xerxes wil passe over thee whether thou wilt or not neither doth any man sacrifice to thee because thou art a deceitfull and bitter river To such madneâ—…e
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
under the water a long time And as soone as he was under the water the sea began to worke in the place where he leapt in of a great height as though there had bin a tempest After he had staied under the water longer than he used to do the people cryed out Thou Cynops art the onely man of the world thinking he would shew himselfe to them againe as he did before But Saint Iohn prayed to God that hee might be no more seene among men which prayer tooke such effect that Cynops could be no more seene Which when the people perceived they turned their admiration to Saint Iohn who then sayd to the three spirits I command you in the name of Iesus Christ that was crucified that ye depart and be seene no more in this Island Which words were no sooner spoken but they forthwith vanished away The fame of this art being blown abroad was the cause that a great many bookes of Necromancie in divers places were burnt This desire of vaineglory through singularity of knowledge was not wrought in the minds only of Cynops and other Infidels by the instigation of the divel whose helpe they used in aâ—…ayning the same but in our Christian Prelates also who used the like means being overcome with the same desâ—…es to what perill of their soules I leave to the judgement of others Tâ—…itemius the Abbot an excellent learned man and worthy of fame if by adding Necromancy to the rest of his learning he had not made himselfe infamous by his owne confession burned with an execâ—…ive desire of vaineglorie For saith he as I went up and downe musing devising with my selfe how I might finde some thing that never any man knew before and that all men might wonder at and layd my selfe downe to sleepe in an evening with the same cogitations there came one to me in the night that I knew noâ—… and excited me to persever in my intended purpose promising me his helpe which he performed What kind of learning hee taught him he sayd was not meete for the common sort but to be knowne onely of Princes whereof hee sheweth some examples denying the same to be done by the divels helpe but by naturall meanes to which hee will hardly perswade any man of judgment And though he would cover some of his strange feates under the pretext of nature yet his familiaritie with the Divel in many things was apparent The Emperour Maximilian the first married with Marie the daughter of Charles Duke of Burgundy whose death loving her dearely he took gâ—…evously This Abbot perceiving his great love towards her told him that he would shew him his wife againe The Emperour desirous to see her went with the Abbot and one more into a chamber The Abbot forbad them for their lives to speake one word whilest the spirit was there Mary the Emperours wife commeth in and walketh up and downe by them very soberly so much resembling her when shee was alive in all points that there was no difference to be found The Emperour marvelling to see so lively a resemblance called to mind that his wife had a little blacke spot a Mole some call it behind in her necke which he determined to observe the next time shee passed by him and beholding her very earnestly hee found the Mole in the very same place of her necke Maximilian being much troubled in minde with this strange sight winked upon the Abbot that hee should avoyd the spirit Which being done hee commanded him to shew him no more of those pastimes protesting that hee was hardly able to forbeare speaking which if hee had done the spirit had killed them all The Divell was so ready at the Abbots commandement that as hee travelled on a time in the company of a man of account who reported this story they came into a house where was neither good meate nor drinke the Abbot knocked at the window sayd adfer fetch Not long after there was brought in at the window a sodden pickerell in a dish and a bottle of wine The Abbot fell to his meate but his companions stomacke would not serve him to eate of such a Caterers provision Albertus Magnus being a notable Necromancer besides his other learning that had beene Bishop of Regenspurg and after became a Monke at Collen at such time as William Grave of Holland was chosen Emperour and returned from his Coronation at Aquisgraven to Collen with many Princes and great estates where in the night was made him a sumptuous banquet Albertus being there also to shew the Emperour and the Princes some pastime after their journey by his skill caused the chamber where they were in their sight to be like a forest the floore seemed to be ground covered with greene grasse and beâ—…bes and flowers planted with trees of divers sorts the Larke singing in the ayre the Nightingale and the Cuckow singing in the trees and haw-thorne bushes as though it had been in the middest of May. In the which pastime the Emperour tooke such delight that hee rewarded the house whereof Albertus was Monke with land priviledges thinking that no sinnefull act which was done by so famous and holy a Monke in the presence also of so many Prelats But what their reward shall be at the day of judgement the Lord onely knoweth But to excell in these prohibited sciences is not sufficient glory to these kind of men except they also leave their knowledge in writing to the prejudice of posterity which argueth their desire of glory to bee agreeable with that of the Poet that sayth Vade â—…tur felix liber long ssâ—…ma vive Tempora quumque meos tellus obduxerit artus Tu varios populos diversaq regna superstes Quaere studeque meum late diffundere nomen Goe happy booke live long and when i' th dust My bones are layd as sure I am they must Be thou still safe and wander the world round With all thy care my name abroad to sound Among the rest Pope Gregorie the seventh an excellent Necromancer by the report of the Cardinall Benno would by shaking his sleeves make sparks of fire leape out of them to the judgement of men by which strangething he sought to win an opinion of great holinesse By these examples of Popes and Prelates with the rest it appeareth how ready the Divell is to stirre up mens mindes where he seeth any inclination to the desire of vaineglory whose helpe and service they never lacke untill he hath brought them to destruction of bodie or soule These kind of men be they it should seeme to whom Beelzebub is supposed to write an Epistle reported by an old author thus Beelzebub the prince of Divels and Duke of darknesse with his guard and all the potentates of hell To Archbishops Bishops Abbots and other Prelates rulers of Churches his welbeloved friends now and for ever Infernall salutations and a league of inviolable society which can never
his successor By the like policie he thrust the king of Darapt out of his kingdome All this while he would not take upon him the name of king but was called Seriph that is high Priest When he had left sufficient garrisons in the kingdoms he had gotten he goeth to the king of Tremissen who nothing suspecting that the murder of the king of Taphilletta came by this Prophets meanes suffered him to come into his town yet upon condition that he should leave his traine behind him being somwhat jealous of the because they were well appointed with their bowes and arrowes in their hands their cimyters by their sides contrarie to the accustomed simplicity and manner of going The Hermit to avoyd suspicion leaveth his traine â—…thing behind him goeth slenderly accoÌ„panied to the 〈◊〉 And after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shewed him by the king his traine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the towne which they began presently to sacke to make open war and 〈◊〉 about an hundred thousand persons And in the end the king likewise and all his children were put to the sword and he made kong which title he would no Iocger refuse And pursuing his ambitious purpose under the colour of reforming the Alcoran he made war upon all the kings his neighbours destroying all things with fire and sword that was in his way Affrica was never so plagued not in Mahomets time that fought two and twenty battels as it was by this hypocrite It was a most pitifull spectacle to see the Princes murdered like beasts in the shambles the great estates spoyled of their goods and slaine or made slaves men women and children dayly put to the sword without mercy according to the Poets saying Libert 〈◊〉 scelerâ—… est regnainvâ—…a 〈◊〉 Then liberty to mischiefes is allowed When kingdomes are usurpt by Tyrants proud When 〈◊〉 reason they no place affoord But sentence all things by the cruell sword Fortune was so favorable to him that he became within the space of three yeares king of Tremissen Maroch Darapt Taphilletta Su and at length of Fez also So that the Turkes and Barbarians stood in great feare and admiration of him supposing that these things could not bee done without some divine power when they considered that such a poore simple Priest should so 〈◊〉 become a king of the goodliest and most 〈◊〉 kingdomes of all Africa But we will leave him in 〈◊〉 prosperity and draw towards his end The king of Algier doubting the greatnesse of this 〈◊〉 determined after the old proverbe when the Lions tayle is short to tye the Foxe tayle to him to make proofe seeing force would not prevaile what policy would doe He sent some twelve or thirteene hundred 〈◊〉 under the conduct of a valiant man whom he had instructed what to doe to this Hermite king 〈◊〉 themselves to have 〈◊〉 the king of 〈◊〉 and to depart as malcontents They found the king at 〈◊〉 rejoycing in his conquests but yet troubled in minde to see himselfe among a sort of people that loved him not greatly by reason of the injuries hee had done to them to their Princes for which cause he retained a strong guard of other nations And when he saw such a band of men he demanded the cause of their comming and of their departure froÌ„ their king They answered him that they were poore souldiers that had left the king of Algier because he had used them uncourteously and if it would please him to entertaine them they would bee faithfull to him even to death The king entertaineth them made them not long after his principall guard and favoured them more than his owne people Which procured them much envy and especially of the great estates of his Councell who advised him to beware of these Turkes who they suspected came to him for no good purpose alledging divers reasons that moved them so to thinke and that the Turke made none account of his life if he might doe his master any acceptable service The Hermite being as subtile as they said little but determined to find some occasion to put them all to the sword It chanced that news was brought about that time to the king of a rebellion in some of his countries wherupon he tooke occasion to raise a power to represse them but indeed to put the Turkes to the sword of whom he grew very suspicious The Turkes perceiving the preparation for this great journey and observing that the king had often conference with his Councell whom they knew to bee their capitall enemies began to doubt that this preparation was made for them To retyre they had no meanes and to refuse they should make themselves odious to all the armie and by that meanes they should put the king out of doubt of that which he did now but suspect Whilest they were debating these things they had certain intelligence of the kings intent and that the time of execution was at hand The Turkes seeing no way to escape resolved upon a most desperate enterprise watching for opportunity as the king sate in Councell with the Princes and captaines of his army in his pavillion deliberating how to put in execution his purpose against these Turkes at what time it chanced the principall men of his guard to be gone for forage and onely two hundred renegates left to attend the Turkes entred into the pavillion where they slue the King and his Councell with the captaines and sacked his tents of such treasure as there was the renegates in place of defending the king joyned with them in the spoyle Desinat elatis quisquam confidererebus Let no man put his confidence in things that succeed well The Turks after this murder without any resistance the army being amazed with the suddennesse and greatnesse of the matter departed with their spoyle towards a towne called Torodant which they easily surprised sacked they fearing no hostilitie and there stayed to refresh themselves hearing that the army stirred not for the space of fifteen dayes whereas if they had followed on their journey they had beene at Algier before the army had overtaken them But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Hermit and his successour in his kingdome hearing of his fathers death hasteneth him with his forces after the Turkes who understanding of his comming trussed up their baggage upon Camels and departed toward Algier in very good order carrying certain 〈◊〉 of ordnance with them for their better defence When they had marched a few miles out of the town the king â—…aileth theÌ„ but being valiantly received by the Turks they marched forward in despite of the whole 〈◊〉 And being charged thus for the space of three or foure dayes as they marched in which time the Turkes had staine many of their enemies the king being moved that such a handful of men should be able to make 〈◊〉 a resistance caused a very hot charge to be given upon theÌ„ wherein the Turkes being overmatched and oppressed with the multitude of their
enemies were all slaine saving the captaine and some thirty more which saved themselves for the time upon a little hil which they defended against the whole army But seeing that they were not able to prevaile the captaine chusing rather to die by his own hands than to suffer his enemies to have the honour of such a revenge tooke his two sons that were between fifteen eighteen yeare old slue first them in the sight of the army then himselfe The rest of the souldiours seeing the noble courage of their captaine charged their great peeces after they had 〈◊〉 the spoile rather than they would fall into their enemies hands suffer an ignominious death they staÌ„ding at the mouthes of the great peeces put fire to them and 〈◊〉 themselves the King all the army beholding the matter and highly commending the valour and noble minds of the Turkes By these examples it may appeare what estimation men ought to make of worldly honor and glory that is gotten by rule and principality when a poore Priest in a short time was able to dispossesse many kings of their kingdomes and to make himselfe a mighty Monarch of them all And when he was in the judgement of men in the highest degree of felicity a handfull of men of his owne guard could in his owne pavilion in the middest of his army and forces secure and free from all imagination of perill put him and his nobility with his principal Captaines to the sword and had escaped without any harme or let inriched with a great prey if they had passed on their journey all at their â—…ase and had notbin so carelesse to attend their enemies comming which they might easily have prevented Divers other Hermites of Mahomets sect about the same time both in Affrica and Asia excited with the like desire of glory attempted the like enterprises and attayned to great matters to their owne harme to others though not altogether with like successe This principality and rule made the Iewes the chosen people of God despise his helpe and favour that had done so many wonderfull things for them For a Iew having gathered together two hundred thousand men of that nation they trusted so much to their owne forces that every man did cut off one of his fingers and when they were to joyne in battell with their enemies their Generall pronounced these words Lord of the world helpe us not seeing thou hast rejected us And more than this there were divers of the same nation in the age wherein Christ was borne knowing by the 〈◊〉 Prophecies that the time was come in which the 〈◊〉 must shew himselfe to the world that 〈◊〉 themselves to be Christ but their lives and doctrine 〈◊〉 almost the memory of them vanished away like smoke notwithstanding they had many followers and were maintained by the authority of their principal doctors But these Infidels and Iewes are not so much to be â—…velled at that sought glory with so great hypocrisie if we behold the wicked mind of a Christian in our age that through an excessive desire of glory went about to perswade men that he was the very Messias This man was of Frizeland named George David he called himselfe a new prophet and the nephew of God he feined to have talke with wild beasts and birds in all manner of languages and that they brought him meat for his sustenaÌ„ce And among other his vanities and toyes he said that heaven was altogether empty and that he was sent to adopt men to be sonnes and inheritours of the kingdome of heaven That the Divell is the authour of these horrible and hainous offences committed by men to the dishonour of God and destruction of themselves by his instigation and stirring up their minds to the desire of vaineglorie may something appeare by this strange historie reported by Licosthenes in his Prodigâ—… By which men may be warned to beware of the subtill devices practices of that old Serpent that 〈◊〉 coÌ„tinually in weight whom he may devoure who if he can find no 〈◊〉 â—…ment among men to serve his purpose can by 〈◊〉 sufferance as it should seeme 〈◊〉 himselfe or possesse infants and doe wonderfull things by his false shews of counterfeit miracles and crafty illusions to 〈◊〉 the world In the kingdom of Babylon the vij day of March in the 〈◊〉 1532. a child was borne of a meaâ—… woman whose favour and forme was good and wel proportioned but his eyes and teeth shined contrary to nature At the houre of his birth not onely the elements but all the powers of the heavens were moved and shewod forth terrible and fearefull signes For at midnight the Sun was seene to shine bright as if it had bin day and after it was turned into darkenesse againe so as it was not seene in Babylon which is not noted for a miracle the space of a whole day the Sunne was seene againe with starres of strange figures and of divers kinds wandring up downe in the element Over the house where the child was born besides other signs fire was seene fall from the ayre that killed men The next day the Sunne was eclipsed the weather being very tempestuous it rained pearles The third day a firie Dragon was seene to flye about Babylon There appeared also a new hill exceeding in height other hills which was by and by divided into two parts in the middest whereof was found apillar wherein was written in Greeke The houre of the nativity is come the end of the world is at hand The xiij houre after his birth a voice was heard crying in the aire Prepare your hearts to receive and blessed are they that keepe his word After this child had lived two moneths hee brake out in speech like an old man and professed himselfe to be the son of God And being asked what these signes did preâ—… The pearles that fell from the element he said did 〈◊〉 the people that would beleeve his word the flying 〈◊〉 signified his adversaries He healed all 〈◊〉 he restored sight to the blind hee revived the 〈◊〉 with his word and professing himself to be a true interpreter of the holy Scripture secret mysteries he was through all Babylon contrary to the laws of their couâ—… adored and worshipped for a God Thus will Sathan never leave to use the helpe of men as instruments to oppose himselfe against God and to draw them from true obedience to the destruction both of their body soule For to beleeve that there be no Spirits as I heare there be such in these daies or that they shew not themselves to men in divers figures worke not things here in the earth among men and in the ayre above us contrary to the opinion of so many learned men of divers ages and to common experience of all times is meere ignorance and wilfull obstinacy and the next way to atheisme 〈◊〉 an excellent learned man was also
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.
vincit By the law in the twelve Tables a Senatour or Counsellour must be free from vice and bee a spectacle to others and that no man might come into that order that was given to any vice And this is commendable in a wise Prince to heare the opinion of many and keepe secret to himselfe which of them he meaneth to follow untill hee command to put it in execution Vegetius thus adviseth a Prince What yee have to doe conferre with many what ye will doe with very few or rather with your selfe onely for there be no better counsels than those which the enemie knoweth not before they be put in execution Epaminondis the Philosopher giveth this counsell to Princes In the courts of Princes there ought no greedy or covetous men to bee familiar with him nor of his councell for the Princes give great occasion to be hated of the people when their servants have alwayes their hands open to receive bribes In the Courts of Princes there ought no fleshly men to bee their favourites for the vice of the flesh hath in it so little profit that he which is wholly overcome therewith ought alwayes to be of the Prince suspected In the palace of a king there ought not to bee drunkards nor gluttons for they that be overcome with the excesse of eating and drinking are unfit to give their Prince good counsell In the palace of Princes there ought to be no blasphemers for he that will not feare to blaspheme his Creator openly will not feare to speake evill of his Prince secretly Alexander Severus in the beginning of his reigng discharged all them that were known to bee vicious persons from their offices and forced them to make restitution of all that they had bribed or purloyned from thenceforth to live of their own proper labour Pindarus greatly cōmendeth the citie of Corinth because honestie reigned there which had three daughters Good laws Iustice and Peace that brought them all good things Constantine the Great after he had overcome Licinius caused this proclamation to be made If there be any of what place estate or dignity soever that assureth himself he can truly manifestly prove any thing against any of my Iudges Earles Friēds or Palatines that he hath not seemed to deale uprightly and justly let him come safely and informe me I wil heare I wil know if it be proved I wil revenge my selfe By which it appeareth that as a good pastor of his people appointed by God he accounted the injuries done to his people to be done to himselfe For a Prince sayth one should never deny Iustice to the poore man because he is poore nor pardon the rich man because he is rich he should never give reward for affection onely nor punish onely through passion He should never leave evil unpunished nor good unrewarded he shold never deny justice to him that demandeth it nor mercie to him that deserveth it hee should never command punishment being angry nor promise reward being merry he should alwayes labour to be loved of the good and feared of the wicked and lastly hee should favour the poore that can do little that he may be favoured of God that can doe all The chiefe strength of a kingdome is to love Iustice. Cicero would have the contempt of temporall goods to be no lesse in Magistrates than in true philosophers Aristotle would say that there was not a rule to bee given of greater importance in every common-wealth than to provide by lawes that Magistrates should not be covetous nor sharpe set upon their profit Plutarch sayth He that enricheth himselfe by managing the affaires of the estate and taketh presents committeth sacriledge is an unfaithfull Counsellour a forsworne Iudge a corrupt Magistrate and defiled with all manner of wickednesse that a man may commit Hesiodras sayth that justice is a virgin undefiled alwayes lodged with honour reverence temperance and the common profit hating all presents There are many ancient orders in divers common-wealths that forbid all manner of presents to be taken by Magistrates and Iudges Demosthenes sayth that those common-wealths are sicke where the magistrates bee occupyed in receiving presents Cato would say that a man should not desire of a Iudge or magistrate neither a just nor an unjust thing he would also say that Iudges Captaines and Governor should not inrich themselves in their charge but with honour and good reputation Unsatiable covetousnesse in magistrates and officers saith one infecteth the common-wealth with all manner of vices And therefore many Princes in time past would take away from their magistrates and officers the riches and lands which they had excessively gottē together Cicero would have that to take place in all Magistrates that they might carry themselves the more circumspectly which Alexander the Great would vaunt of himselfe that he thought all things that he did to bee done in the Theatre of the world The Emperour Alexander Severus had a servant in his Court called Veturius Turinus a man of bad conditions whom he seemed to love and favour This man had accesse to the Emperour at his pleasure no doore was shut against him he made all men beleeve that were suters that no man had so much conference with the Emperor as he And when Alexander was advertized of his lewd behaviour bribery how he deceived many hee caused one to request Turinus to obtaine a sure of Alexander who going comming dayly into the Princes chamber would alwayes informe the suter though most untruly what he had said to the Emperour in his behalfe and what answere was made him againe After Alexander had intelligence of these things and of the bribes he had received he caused Turinus to be apprehended and the matter being proved and how much he had that way robbed and how largely he used to promise how little he performed the Emperour caused him to bee fastened aloft upon a stake openly in Rome and under him was set greene wood and wet straw whereunto when fire was put there came such a smoke up to his nose that within short time he was miserably choked stifled to death a cryer with a loud voyce making proclamation Funiopunitur qui fumum vendidit he that sold smoke is stifled with smoke This Emperour had another servant called Belon who promised a Gentleman to obtaine a great sute for him of Alexander with whom hee pretended to bee in great favour and received of him a great summe of money which being knowne to Alexander and that which he promised to be very hurtfull to the commonwealth and a most unjust matter he caused him to be crucisiedr saying that none should dare to adventure to sell the favour of the Prince to the prejudice of his people And though this Emperour would use the advice of men that were wise and of a sincere mind in weighty affaires yet he would never commit his trust and
one departed homeward delivered of the danger hee was in the other consented to remaine as a pledge in captivitie that might have lived out of danger When hee was gone all men and specially Dionysius expected attentively what would bee the end of this strange and doubtfull matter When the day appointed for his returne was as hand and hee not come every man condemned the other of meere folly that so rashly would adventure his life upon another mans word but he assuring himselfe of his friends fidelitie told them plainely he repented nothing that hee had done nor had any mistrust in his comming the very same day and houre that was by Dionysius set downe for his returne his friend came the tyrant marvelling at their constancie and fidelitie pardoned them both and further desired them that they would accept him for a third person into the society of their friendship Ephenus having offended Dionysius likewise and being apprehended and brought before him and condemned to dye made sute to the tyrant for licence to goe home into his countrey to dispose of his things promising to returne to dye such a day Dionysius demanding a pledge hee delivered him his friend Everitus who boldly assented to bee his pledge and to suffer death if he returned not Ephenus departed and came againe at the day prefixed to the great admiration of all men and specially of Dionysius who pardoned them both such force had vertue to pacifie the rage of a cruell tyrant whose disposition enclined to no other thing but vice The performance of this friendship was joyned with honesty and discretion but this that followeth was more faithful than wise There were two Kings one of Denmarke the other of Suecia called Hading and Hunding that had promised such an assured friendship that whatsoever happened to the one the other would bee partaker of the same even to the death it chanced that a false rumour was brought to Hading that Hunding was slaine by treason hee beleeving the report to performe his promise invited his Nobilitie unto a banquet and in the middest of his Hall hee had filled a great deepe vessell with delicate wine and himselfe filled their cups and gave them drinke untill they were all drunke and they being fallen asleepe he threw himselfe downe headlong into the tub of wine and drowned himselfe which being knowne to the other King Hunding hee to performe his faith towards his friend in like sort assembled all his people together and in the sight of them all hanged himselfe Such faith as was between Damon and Pythias must bee sought for in some new-found land where swannes be blacke for it will hardly be found in the knowne world As the world declineth to old age and bringeth not forth his fruits with that vigour and vertue it hath done in times past so the vertue and goodnesse of men seemeth to decline from that of former ages and to waxe old and decay which was foretold in Esdras for the weaker that the world is by reason of age the more shall the evils be increased upon them that dwell therein for the truth is fled far away and lyes are at hand For there is so little heed taken and so small account made of morall vertues I will not speake of Christian vertues now adaies that the vices next to them are taken for the vertues themselves Fallit enim vitium specie virtutis umbra Cùm sit triste habitu vultuque veste severum Nec dubie tanquam frugi laudatur avarus Vice doth deceive us when she doth disguise Her selfe like vertue in sad shape and eyes Severe in life and gate Most certaine when The avaritious are call'd thrifty men They that be furious and passionate and quarellous are called stout and valiant men that stand upon their honour to live loosely and lasciviously abusing mens wives and daughters is called friendlinesse and courtesie they that bee ambitious and practise all unlawfull meanes to make themselves great in dignities are honourable and worthy men and meet for governement to be covetous and miserable is called thristinesse and good husbandry and these kinde of men call their like provident men to bee prodigall is called liberalltie and if wee shall runne over all the vertues and vices in this sort we shall see such a metamorphosis or transformation that it were sufficient to perswade us that the ages past have discharged all their malice into the age we live in as into a gowt or sinke to dissemble and deceive is now taken for wisedome or prudence a singular vertue which cannot bee dissevered from honesty plaine meaning One saith bee warie and circumspect how thou beleeve any thing these bee the sinewes of wisedome so as now we may say with the Poet nam fronte politi Astut am vapide servant sub pectore vulpens A crafty fox doth oft himselfe invest In a brow polisht and ill-tasted brest And he is accounted the wisest that can most artificially beguile which is the cause that Machiavell exalteth Duke Valentine the Popes sonne above the skies and calleth him the paragon of his time as he that in wisedome exceeded all the Princes of that age One cause of his commendation is this when hee perceived that for his tyrannous government hee was misliked of the nobilitie and that by open warres hee was not able to destroy them hee feined a desire to be reconciled and invited them to a feast for that purpose the nobilitie desirous of the Princes favour mistrusting no treason came to him to dinner where he entertained them with all manner of courtesie but under sweet flowers lurkes the serpent when he had dined his guard which hee had prepared before for the purpose tooke them aside and presently cut off their heads And when this newes was first brought to Pope Alexander his father hee smiled and said his son had shewed them a Spanish tricke Mali corvi malum â—…vum A bad egge of an evill crow I doubt there be too many Machiavillians that have his vices in more estimation than the vertues taught by Socrates Plato and Aristotle and carry his precepts better in memorie than the lessons of good and fruitfull Sermons and in their life more exactly put in practice his humanitie than Christian divinitie It may bee wished men were not so much Italianated whose habits many have gotten both of body and minde and are become as artificiall apes counterfeiting a formall kinde of strangers civilitie but that which some performe may rather bee called Divillitie They must dissemble cunningly promise liberally and performe niggardly give all and deliver nothing as one aptly expressing in himselfe the condition of many said I am all yours except body and goods which is now growne into a common proverb such friendship and courtesies are very usuall The Italian hath an old proverbe Inglese Italianato ediabele incarnato An English man Italianated is a Divell incarnated Our nation although
solueris quaqua ligatus cris Intus quis tu quis ego sum quid qâ—…ris vt intrem Fers aliquid non sta foris fero quod satis intra The Court must haue money It Exhausts both purses and coffers If thou shewest thy purse thou must neither haue To deale with Popes nor Patriarchs But if thou wilt giue money and supply their coffers Thou shalt bee absolued of what crime soeuer Who 's within what art thou t is I. what wouldst thou I would enter Bringst thou any thing no stay without then I bring what is sufficient come neere then And Mantuan noting likewise their vnmeasurable covetousnesse singeth thus Venalia Romae Templa sacerdotes altaria sacra coronae Ignis thura preces calum est venale Deúsque Temples are to be sold in Rome Inquire The Priests the holy Altars crowne and fire The Incense and their prayers are to be sold There thou maist buy both heauen and God for gold But now that they find the want of that which was wont to feede their vnsatiable humours of covetousnes and ambition by meane that the better halfe of Europe being reuolted from them both their credit and treasury is greatly decayed The Popes rage of late yeeres like as the Asses of Thuscia are reported to doe when they haue fed vpon hemlockes which as Matheolus writeth casteth them into such a sound sleepe that they seeme to be dead in so much as the countrey men goe oftentimes to take off the skinne and haue halfe flayed him before the Asse will awake And when they haue taken off the skinne to the middest of his backe the asse riseth vp suddenly vpon his feete and halfe his skinne hanging downe breaketh out into such a roaring that he putteth the husbandman many times into a great seare The like is vsed by the latter Popes who haue beene a long time in a sound sleepe untill they hauing felt the one halfe of reuenewes reuenewes and dominion taken away from them fearing the rest will follow they fall into such a roaring and thundring with their Bulles arming subiects against their Princes and Kings against their subiects and one of them against another that they put all Christendome many times in a great feare which in these dayes in many places worketh effect like vnto that which Chaucer if I forget not speaketh of when he describeth a great feare that hapned in the breake of the day the dogges barkt the duckes quackt the cockes crowed and the Bees ranne out of the hyue Iohn Peter of Ferrara a learned man taxing the Popes ambition and covetousnesse after many other things writeth thus above one hundred and fifty yeeres since The Pope laboureth to have superiority of the Emperour which is ridiculous to speake and abominable to heare And note how and by how many meanes the Clergie men lay snares for the Lay men and enlarge their jurisdiction But alas ye vnhappie Emperours and secular Princes that suffer these and the like things and make your selues servants unto the Popes and see the world abused by them infinite waies And yet ye thinke not vpon reformation because yee give not your mindes to Wisedome and Knowledge And Saint Hierome saith Italy will never be at quiet vntill the Church of Rome doe not possesse all the Cities and Castles and that the gift of Constantine be by some good and mightie Emperour utterly revoked because saith hee non benè câ—…eniat Psalterium cum Cythera neither was it granted of Christ to Peter that they should possesse such things but that which is Caesars should be given to Caesar and that which is Gods to God Now if the Popes bee the Antichrist spoken of in the Scripture after the opinion of learned Divines or if hee set foorth vaine and wicked fables and horrible blasphemies in place of true Christian Religion as the miracles done by Fryer Dominicke and Francis to bee more and greater then those done by Christ and his Apostles and the rest of the Fables written by them by their owne Authors also their imagined purgatory worshipping of images invocation of the dead their daily renewing of the sacrifice of Christ in their Masse Christening of Bels absolution for him that hath killed his father or mother and many other such like things this cannot bee a happie estate that opposeth it selfe so directly and apparantly against Christ and his doctrine whereby besides the danger of their destruction they draw infinite numbers of soules to the danger of eternall damnation except Gods mercie bee the greater Gregory the Great doth testifie plainely that the Pope is described vnder the person of Nabâ—…chodonozor For Kings and Princes in hell that are damned are brought in as though they came to meete the Pope after his death comming to them to salute him who mocke him thus Hell was in great feare of you when it heard of your comming all the dead Princes of the earth rise up to you all Kings of Nations rise out of their thrones and speake to you after this sort Art thou made subject to the same infirmities as wee are and art thou become like unto us Thy pride hath brought thee downe to hell When diddest thou fall Lucifer from heaven thou sonne of the morning and art come into the earth that wert terrible to all Nations But thou saidst in thy heart I will goe up to heaven I will lift up my seat above the Starres of heaven I will ascend above the height of the clouds and will be made like the highest They that shall see thee will say Is this he that troubleth the earth and ouerthrew kingdomes Thus they deceiue the world who at last are deceiued themselues Liuie saith There is nothing more deceiueable in shew then false religion when the power of God is made a cloke for wickednesse And if the Popes were of that holinesse and vertue they would be taken it could not be but by their example instruction and discipline their Imperiall Seat and Citie whereof they are Head would not deserue for their abominable vice and wickednesse so infamous speech by the learned Italians themselues Petrarke Mantuan and many other call Rome the shop of all wickednesse Babylon Sodom the Schoole of errors the Church of heresies an Harlot with a shamelesse face Mantuan thus noteth the vice there vsed I pudor in villas si non patiuntur easdem Et villae vomicas Roma est iam tota Lupanar Goe shame vnto the villages If they as yet be free From the same filth for now all Rome Is nought saue brothelry And Pasquil confirmeth the same when one hauing beene at Rome at his departure taketh his leaue thus Roma vale vidi satis est vidisse reuertar Cum leno aut meretrix scurra cynedus ero Rome farewell I haue seene and now Am glutted with thy sight I will returne when I am Bawd Whoore Iester Catamite Thus much of the ambition and manners of the Popes whereunto I
nine dayes shee would not liue her husband being dead but before her breath went out of her body shee commanded her buriall to be with her husband thinking it no reason to be separated from her husband whom shee loued so dearely either by death or by buriall Pâ—…rcia the wife of Brutâ—…s loued her husband so dearely that when she heard of his death her friends hauing taken away all yron from her fearing shee would kill her selfe for sorrow tooke vp quicke coales of fire and ate them as greedily as others cate meate The Lacedemonians had condemned certaine men to death and committed them to prison when the night came as their manner was in which they should be executed their wiues obtained leaue of their Keepers to come into the prison to them to take as it were their last farewell who changed apparell with their husbands and sent them away and stayed behind themselues to die in their places Theopompus a Lacedemonian in like sort being in prison changed his apparell with his wife and by her meanes escaped and left her in the same danger hee was in When the wife of King Admetus that was grieuously sicke vnderstood the answer of the Oracle to be that he could not recouer except one of his best friends dyed for him shee preferâ—…ing her husbands life by a rare example before her owne killed her selfe A woman called Pisca seeing her husband pine away daily through an incurable disease she perswaded him to asswage his paine by death offering her selfe to beare him company whereunto her husband agreeing they embraced each other and cast themselues headlong into the Sea from the top of a rocke Solacium est miseris socios habere paenarum It is comfort to the miserable to have companions in their punishment And the number of wives and husbands that happen to some argueth the happie estate of marriage who otherwise would be after Chylons opinion one of the Sages of Greece warned to beware by the first he accounted him a very foole who having saved himselfe from a dangerous Shipwracke by painefull swimming would returne to Sea againe as though a tempest had not power over all Saylers meaning that hee which was deliuered from his first marriage would prooue himselfe a foole to marry againe But St. Hierome reporteth that he saw at Rome a man that had had twentie wives marry a woman that had had two and twentie husbands And after great expectation of the Romanes which of them should over-live the other the woman dyed whereupon the men crowned him with lawrell and caused him in token of victory to carry a branch of Palme in his hand at his wives funerals And this was a notable example of loue shewed by women towards their husbands When the Emperour Coâ—…radus the third made Warre vpon the Duke of Bauier this Emperour hauing besieged the Dukes Citie very straightly a long time and would by no intreatie nor perswasions vpon no conditions bee remooued from his resolution vtterly to raze and destroy the Citie the Noble and Gentlewomen of the towne came foorth to the Emperour and besought him to suffer them safely to depart foorth of the Citie with so much as they could carry vpon their backes which at length beeing granted by the Emperour they returned and brought foorth vpon their backes the Duke himselfe and their husbands and such as had none their parents and children at the sight whereof the Emperour tooke such pleasure that weeping for very ioy he laid aside all his anger and fury and spared the City and entered into friendshippe with his mortall enemie Diuers like examples are registred in Histories and a great many things more may bee said in commendation of marriage But because the scope of our intent is to search whether there be any estate of life voide of those evill things that detract from Felicity which evill beeing granted there is no happinesse or felicitie in this life for one droppe of poyson spoyleth a great quantitie of good wine let vs see what evill is said to bee in marriage for among sweete and pleasant dewes there falleth many times sharpe stormes of hayle The Athenians accounted a wise and politike people perceiuing how hard a matter it was to frame a woman to performe the part of a good wife to her husband by meanes of the infinite number of occasions of strife and contention that would rise betweene them ordayned in their Common-wealth certaine Magistrates which were called Reconcilers to make atonement betweene men and their wiues The Spartanes had the like officers to reforme the insolencie of women and to correct and compell them to the true obedience of their husbands Gueuarra after hee had excused himselfe and refused to describe the particular fancies of women because they are without limit placeth the things that women most desire and wherewith they hold themselues best contented in these foure To be gorgiously apparelled to be esteemed faire to goe whither they list and that men beleeue what they say To contract matrimony with a woman saith he is a thing very easie but to sustaine it to the end is a thing very difficult For those that marry without any other respect but onely for loue leade their life afterward with sorrow But this sauoureth something of the Spanish humour For God neuer fayleth to blesse them with sufficient that ioyne themselues together and liue in his seruice and feare If thou marry a rich wife she will be proud and shee will esteeme thee rather as her slaue then her husband and it may happen thee to be ashamed of her kindred if shee be poore she will be contemned and thy selfe the lesse esteemed if she be foule and euill-fauoured thou canst not loue her if she be faire thou wilt be iealous of her and in danger to fall into an vnnaturall metamorphosis Fastus inest pulchris sequitur superbia formam Arrogancy is in faire ones And pride attends on beauty If she be of great parentage in place of a wife thou shalt haue a seuere Mistresse and Commander and in place of kinsfolke and friends by her thou shalt haue Masters if she be honest and chaste she will feare the contrary in thee and vexe thee so that wealth maketh a woman proud beauty suspected and hardnesse of fauour lothsome A great many examples may be produced of the euils that haue happened to men by women But because there is matter enough besides we will passe them ouer and shew onely what hath bin said of them by wise and learned men Hypponactus hauing had experience of the Martyrdome of marriage saith that there are but two good dayes in one marriage the one is the day of the marriage the other the day of the wiues death Because the first day is passed in feasting and pleasure and the marriage new and fresh and therefore pleasant as of all kinds of pleasure the beginning most delighteth sacietie of all
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
the sentence God knoweth said he that I am vniustly condemned yet I will not appeale here from your sentence because I know that ye shall sooner be beleeued in your lying then I in speaking the truth and therefore I receiue this iudgement for my sinnes Neuerthelesse I appeale from your sentence to the eternall Iudge which is Christ before whom I summon you The Cardinals fell into a laughing and mocking him said That if he would go before they would follow it happened that the Bishop hauing withdrawne himselfe within a Monastery dyed within a yeere and a halfe after wherof when the Cardinals heard they were in a great iollitie and in a scoffing manner said one to another that they must goe seeke the Archbishop Within few dayes after one of the Cardinals had such a blow by one of his owne people that his trypes and puddings went forth at his lower parts and dyed The other Cardinall grinding his teeth 〈◊〉 his owne hands and dyed mad arnand for his crueltie and seditions which he maintained among the people was so hated of all men that being assaulted one day in a Monastery he was there slaine and his body cast into the towne-ditch where he lay three dayes all the people both men and women vsing all manner of cruelties and despites vpon it Lucian a notorious blasphemer of Christ his Diuinity was deuoured with dogges Arrius had also a wonderfull end for as he was comming to dispute with the Prelates he fell into such a loosenesse of belly that he auoided his guts and bowels The death of Lewis the eleuenth King of France was also something strange for as he was beholding Tennisse players with his wife among other talke he said that he hoped to doe nothing hereafter that should offend God which words were no sooner out of his mouth but he fell downe speechlesse and languishing a few houres he dyed in the same place which argueth the miserable condition of men that a mightie King when he least thought vpon death and had many goodly houses and buildings ended his life suddenly in the most vile and filthy place of all his Castle where men vsed to make water And the manner of the death was very rare that Atterius Rufus a Romane knight suffered This man dreamed or was warned by a vision that when the Gladiators or Fencers exercised their 〈◊〉 at Syracusa as the manner then was to kill one another with their naked swords he should be slaine by one Râ—…tiarius a man to him vnknowne which dreame he declared the next day to them that sate by him to behold this fight or pastime This Retiarius chanced to bee brought in place with one Mirmillo whose face as soone as Atterius beheld he told them that this was the man that he dreamed should kill him and rose vp presently meaning to depart but being perswaded by them that sate by him he stayed As the two men were fighting Retiarius chanced to driue Mirmillo to the place where Atterius sate and hauing cast him downe by him he thinking to kill Mirmillo thrust his sword thorow Atterius and slue him It is no lesse strange to consider of the miserable end of men by two contrary passions sudden sorrow and ioy Don Pedro and Don Iohn hauing the gouernment of the kingdome of Castile in the nonage of the young King their Nephew made warres vpon the Moores 〈◊〉 Grenata and as they returned homeward in good order Don Pedro being in the vaward and Don Iohn in the rereward whom the Moores preased so hard that he was faine to send to Don Pedro to returne to his aide Hee hastening to assist Don Iohn could by no meanes make his souldiers follow him and drawing his sword to strike some of them thinking therby to make the rest more obedient he was so troubled to see he could not helpe Don Iohn that he fell downe dead from his Horse which when Don Iohn heard that was valiantly fighting with the Moores he conceiued such griefe that he fell downe speechlesse his strength fayling and dyed within a little while after Herennius a Sicilian as he was led to prison for being partaker of a conspiracy was so perplexed through feare of the future Iudgement that he fell downe dead at the entry into the prison Plantius looking vpon his dead wife cast himselfe vpon her dead body and with very sorrow dyed The like happened to a French Gentleman the son of Gilbert of Mompensier who went to Pozzuola to visit his fathers tombe and being ouercome with extreme sorrow after hee had shed abundance of teares he fell downe dead vpon the sepulcher This is no lesse strange that ioy hath wrought the same effect and such as sorrow could not kill sudden ioy hath dispatched A woman hearing of a great slaughter of the Romanes by their ouerthrow at the battell of Thrasymeno where her sonne serued as a souldier meeting him at the gate vnlooked for fell downe dead in his armes as shee was embracing him Another woman hearing a false report and beleeuing that her sonne was dead as soone as she saw him dyed presently Philemon had certaine figs gathered for him and being set within his sight an Asse came to them and began to eate he willed a Boy to drine away the Asse who went so slowly that he had eaten all the figs before the Boy came Because thou hast made no more haste said Philemon giue the Asse wine also wherewith he fell into such a laughter that he dyed forth with Diagoras and Chilon hearing that their children had wonne the prize at the games of Olympus laughed so heartily for ioy that they dyed immediatly Of late yeeres Sinas hauing the charge of certaine Gallyes vnder the great Turke seeing his sonne restored to him againe that was taken prisoner by the Christians dyed with extreme ioy at the first sight of him But that the miserable conditions of men may be seene as well by the strangenesse of their death as by the infinite troubles of their life we will alleage a few examples more for to prosecute it at the full would containe a great volume of the seueritie or crueltie that hath beene vsed in a strange sort The Transiluanians hauing taken certaine Rebels with their Captaine made them fast three dayes and then made them eate their Captaine halfe roasted and afterward his bowels sod before they put them to death There were sixe men for some notorious fact condemned iudged to this death they were set aliue into the ground all sauing their head aboue in front three against three and face to face and there continued in that sort vntill they miserably ended their liues An Italian Gentleman hauing the vpper hand of his enemie who vpon his knees asked for mercie willed him to deny God which when the other had done in hope of life he thrust his sword thorow him saying I will now kill thee body and soule Certaine Italians were
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
honours and such like bringeth not felicity but the service of God Iugera non faciunt felicem plurima frater Non Tergestini dulcia musta soli Non Tyriae vestes Aurâ—… non pondera flavi Non ebur aut gemma non juvenile decus Non dulcis nati soboles non bellula conjux Non tenuisse suâ—… sceptra superbamanu Noveris rerum causas licet astra polique Et nostro quicquid sub Iove mundus habet At mea si quaeris quae sit sententia Frater Dicam vis felix vivere vive Deo Brother not many acres make thee blest Nor the sweet grapes in Tergestine prest Not Tyrian garments not thy golden treasure Not Ivory gemmes nor all thy youthfull pleasure Not thy faire issue not thy beauteous bride Not a proud scepter with thine hand to guide To natures secrets though thy skill extend And thou the starres and poles dost apprehend With all the world doth beneath Iove containe Yet if thou ask'st of me what thou shalt gaine By these I le speake if thou wouldst make thy ' boad In heaven so live that thou mayst live to God The end of the fifth booke THE FELICITIE OF MAN OR HIS SUMMUM BONUM THE SIXTH BOOKE CHAP. I. The Creation of Man and the estate he was in at the beginning before his fall Mans alteration after his fall how he participates with the nature of brute beasts All things made to serve man rebell against him Man only of all other Creatures declineth from his originall nature The reason why God suffereth evill to be committed The means that God hath given to man by which to escape the dangers into which he is fallen Of the three faculties of the soule vegetative sensitive and understanding c. IT appeareth by that which hath bin said what manner of felicitie men may enjoy in this life which is rather an usurped name and improperly so called than so indeed Now resteth to discourse upon the true end and felicity of man or beatitude and Summum bonum When God had created this goodly frame of the world being so called of his excellent and beautifull forme replenished with such varietie of creatures and placed the earth in the middest last of all he made man after his owne image which St. Paul interpreteth to bee justiâ—… and holinesse of truth who was after called Aâ—…am of the veine of red earth whereof hee was made And when God had finished this worke and made man hâ—… ceased from creating any more things and rested in him in whom hee delighted and would for ever after communicate himselfe his wisdome his justice and his joy and gave unto him a companion for his greater comfort and pleasure This man he adorned with many goodly gifts and placed him in Paradise which signifieth the best part of the earth and that estate of men in which they should have lived without sin and death In which place appointed for their habitation are the four fountaines of the goodly rivers of Euphrates Tigris Ganges and Nilus which they water passe through and containeth almost a third part of the earth But when this man by the temptation subtill practices of the Serpent tasted of the forbidden fruit withdrew himselfe from the due obedience of his Creator he lost many of those goodly ornaments wherewith God had endowed him and fell into the punishment appointed for his transgression eternall death and damnation But the son of God bearing a singular favour to man pacified his father to satisfie his justice which was immutable he took upon him to fulfill all that obedience 〈◊〉 God required of man and restored him into Gods favour againe though not with recovery of all his lost ornaments revealed the promise of God which he had also procured to send him to be a protector of mankind against the tyranny of the Divell therefore he is called the word because he revealed this secret decree out of the breast of the eternal Father And this was the first miracle that God wrought after his creation of the world and the creatures therin contained staying them that were to dye without the second causes and without that ordinarie course of life which before hee had established Iosephus writeth that Adam set up two tables of stone in which he wrote the beginning of the creation the fall of man and the promise Now if wee consider what a worthy and beautifull creature man was before his fall the very habitation temple of God without sinne and without death wee may easily judge what an ungrateful and unhappy creature he was to revolt from God to the Divell whereby he and his posterity became subject to sinne and death For first God made him after his own image likenes that is he made him most good uncorrupt holy righteous immortall furnished him with most excellent gifts that nothing might bee wanting unto him to all blessednesse in God His understanding was wholly divine his will most free most holy he had power of doing good evil a law was given him of God which shewed him what he should doe or what he should not doe For the Lord said Thou shalt not eate of the tree of knowledg both of good evil God simply required of him obedience faith that whole Adam should depend upon him that not constrained by necessity but should do it freely he told him also the perill willed him not to touch the tree lest he dye So that he left him in his own counsell whose will was then free might have chosen whether he would have broken Gods commandment or not Neither did â—…atan in the serpent compel him to eat but perswaded the womaÌ„ with hope of a more excellent wisedome who drew on her husband willingly to bee partaker of the same by the false and lying perswasion and promise of the divel by the delectable shew sightliness of the tree the fruit whereof after the woman had first tasted she gave to her husband also to eate By meanes whereof hee lost those goodly gifts ornaments which God had bestow'd upon him which gifts hee gave to Adam upon condition that hee would also give them to his posterity if himselfe did keep them but would not give them if hee by his unthankfulnes would cast them away so that by his transgression disobedience hee was cast out of Paradise that is out of that happy estate found al the elements lesse favorable His nature condition was alter'd from goodnes holines to sin and wickednes from sincerity to corruption the influences that descend from the stars and planets which are of themselves simply good through our sinnes and corruption turne to evill so as all things made for our use rebell and conspire together against us and our sinnes are the cause of all our evill Which fall and alteration of mans nature and his ingratitude towards
we consider onely the workes of nature which if wee consider the power of God are not only possible but also very easie by him to be done All these things concurre together in Christ Iesus only Hee is the seede of the woman that crusheth the Serpents head Hee it is that â—…filleth the promise made to Abraham All nations shall be blessed in thy seed He is the Mediator that pacifieth his father and 〈◊〉 himself between his justice and our injustice that reconcâ—… us to God againe He is the very 〈◊〉 promised to be the Saviour of mankind and his Redeemer from spirituall servitude not only by the mouth of the Prophets and testimony of holy Scripture but also by the confession of the devils whose mouthes hee stopped that had long before seduced the world For at his comming all Oracles ceased through the whole world their Temples with their Idols in some places fell down together Apollo being asked the cause answered That place must be given to the more mighty And the same Spirit being demanded in the time of the Emperour Augustus in whose reigne Christ was borne who should succeede him answered that an Hebrew boy which had power over the godds commanded him to leave that house and to goe into hell But quoth he to the Priest depart thou with silence from our altars plutarch reciteth a notable history of this matter I remember saith he I have heard upon the death of the Spirits of Emilian the Orator a wise and a milde man knowne to some of you that his father comming on a time toward Italie by sea and passing in the night by an Iland not inhabited called 〈◊〉 as all they 〈◊〉 the shippe were quiet and at rest they heard a great and terrible voice which came from the Iland that is called 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 which was the name of the Pilot of the ship an Egyptian born And although hee and some others heard the voyce once or twice yet they durst not answer untill the third time when Tamus said Who is hee that calleth mee What will yee Then the voyce pronounceth more loud than before these words Ataman I will that when thou commest before the Gulfe called Laguna thou cry out aloud and say that the great god 〈◊〉 is dead When they within the ship heard these things they were in a great feare and consulting upon the matter they determined to proceed and not to say as the Pilot was commanded When the morning was come they had a merry wind sayled pleasantly untill they came before the Gulfe where he was appointed to speak the words by the voice and suddenly the wind ceased and the sea became calme so as they could go no further by meane whereof they all agreed that Tamus should do his message for which purpose he 〈◊〉 up to the top of the ship and cried as loud as he could I give you to understand that the great God Pan is dead Which words were no sooner out of his mouth but they heard such a number of voyces cry out and such wonderfull lamentation that the sea rang withall which continued a long space the men being greatly amazed and having presently a merry wind againe went on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and reported this history at Rome which being come to the 〈◊〉 of Tiberâ—…s the Emperour in whose time Christ was crucified he examined the matter and found it to bee true This Pan was one of the principall Spirits among the Gentiles and had in great reputation It is reported that Tiberins having some intelligence of Christ by the Christians upon the occasion of this matter consulted with the Senatours of Rome to erect a Temple to Christ but they disswaded him and said that then Christ would take away all the credit and 〈◊〉 from their goddes And because the Gentiles held Pan for a God it is evident that the death of this Pan was the spirituall death of the devill or Prince of devils for the destruction of his kingdome and the ruine of his errours by the which hee hath kept captive all mankinde who were redeemed out of that thraldome by the merits and passion of Christ Iesus The same Authour affirmeth that about the same time one 〈◊〉 passing by Ilands called Orcades neare England was told that not long 〈◊〉 there was heard great whispering and howlings in the 〈◊〉 and many fearefull things seene the wisemen of those Ilands construing those prodigious things to the death of some great God Iosephus writeth that about the same time there was in the Temple of Hiresalem where was then no living creature a voyce heard saying Let us forsake and avoyd this Country quickly These and a great many more were the confessions of the divels that knew by Christs comming their reigne was at an end their power by which they had long abused the world was abrogated and their mouthes stopped For these strange sights and significations in divers parts of the world are the very true testimonies of the strangenesse of the death of our Saviour Iesus Christ and of the victories which hee hath obtained together with his triumphant glory Seeing then the Iustice of God and the wickednesse of men by our owne reason hath brought us to the necessitie of a Mediator betweene God and man who by his owne strength is able with God to deliver man from the bonds of eternall death and purchase to man felicity and 〈◊〉 and that the way to the fame is true religion by which wee know God and how to worshippe him and our Mediatour and Saviour Iesus 〈◊〉 by whom we must be reconciled to God and attaine to our soveraigne good Letus frame our selves to come before God after Saint Pauls counsell with such feare and holiness as wee may be like poore offenders with halters about their neckes so as wee should go to hell if he plucked us not back of his infinite goodnesse and to live like true Christians by whose Helpe if wee call upon him as wee ought wee shall obtaine Gods grace to our indeavours that we may bee able to make resistance to those intemperate motions that allure us to the desire of those things that divert us from our felicity and beatitude and to withstand the temptations and subtill practices of the old Serpent our common adversary who 〈◊〉 continually for opportunity to draw us from the true worshippe and service of God which is the way to our soveraigne good to the inventions and traditions of men that is to superstition and idolatry which casteth us downe headlong to extreame infelicitie and misery Hee is not borne in vaine saith one that dyeth well nor he hath lived unprofitably that hath ended his race happily And though wee finde our selves prone to sinne through the frailty of the flesh and every houre ready to fall yet wee must indevour to lift our selves up againe and call for Gods grace and not despaire though our sinnes be great and many following Saint Augustines counsell let no
to the contrary side that at last he may come to the meane be made streight and brought to his right place This fruit men may reape by this discourse that are not wholly drowned in worldly desires When they have compared the counsels sayings of wise and learned men with those of the vulgar sort they shall perceive themselves as it were awaked out of a long slumber and plainely see that by corrupt judgment following the trace and course of the world yeelding to their owne motions and desires and suffering themselves to bee overcome with their affections and cupidities they fall from happinesse they seek after into felicity and misrie But in so great diversities of mens inelmations it is not possible that any one thing can please or profit all men As some are given altogether to serious matters so others delight in pleasant fables and Poeticall figments every man according to his humour as the Poet saith Digna suo quaris â—…ond things please fools men for such junquets call As taste them best one pleasure likes not all I tooke the matter in hand for my owne exercise and pasttime and have handled the same according to my talent but not with that diligence I must confesse as I ought intending to have it seene only of my selfe and some of mine And if I have written any thing overmuch philosophically that dissenteth from the true professed Religion as in so spacious a field and such insufficiencie of my selfe I may easily wander out of the right path I submit my selfe and that I have written as becommeth a Christian to the censure of the Church of England which I acknowledge and assure my selfe to be a member of the true Church of Christ. FINIS ¶ The Contents of the first booke of the Treatise called Summum bonum OR The Felicitie of Man CHAP. IIII. THe assertions of sundry heâ—… Philosophers concerning the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 1. Since 〈◊〉 fall all things made to obey us rebell against us 3. No 〈◊〉 felicity is in mans power to 〈◊〉 unto ibid. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Angles 〈◊〉 men 4. The fall of Lucifer and his Angels 5. The 6. 〈◊〉 Catena or the golden chaine ibid. The great mercy of the sohne of God ibid. Christ 〈◊〉 the Father concerning man 7. The malice of the Divell ibid. No felicity but in the Sonne of God 8. How good men differ from the wicked 9. Three things wherin morall men imagin true felicity to 〈◊〉 10. No felicity in pleasure 〈◊〉 A 〈◊〉 observed 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Storie of 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Monarch of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of 13. raine of the first 〈◊〉 15. The 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Rome ibid. pride 〈◊〉 17. His prodigality vanity folly 〈◊〉 18. His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 19. Of the Tyrant 〈◊〉 ibid. His wonderfull Palace 20. His ridiculous prodigality ibid. His Luxury and too late Repenâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The power of fate according to 〈◊〉 22. His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 24. The Riots of 〈◊〉 Emperour of Rome Cap. 2. pag. 24. The excesse of Peter Raure first a Friar and after Cardinall 25. Of Muleasses King of Tunis ibid. Against voracitie and immoderate drinking ibid. King Edgars limitation for drinking 26. Of three quaffers in Germany ib. Of a drunkard in the City of Gâ—…unt 27. The Iearffe a beast of â—…utela an embleme of gluttony 28. Of 〈◊〉 29. A 〈◊〉 amongst the â—…gyptians 30. A 〈◊〉 spirit repeated of by 〈◊〉 ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Alexander 31. ibid. His murder 32. Of King 〈◊〉 and Proxaspaâ—… his Secretary ibid The miserable death of K. 〈◊〉 who dyed in wine 33. Drunkennesseâ—…xed ibid. Mischiefes 〈◊〉 from drunkenesse 34. The Temperance of Cyrus 34. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the former times 35. The delicacie of Romane 〈◊〉 The Bishop of Magdeburg dyed dancing ibid. Rape the subversion of Kingdoms ibid. The death of Lucretia the Roman Lady 42. Appius Claudius and Virginius 43. The end of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 45. Of Aâ—…hony and Cleopatra 46. The death of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The death of Cleopatra 50. Of 〈◊〉 King of Spaine and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid. The lust of 〈◊〉 Cardinall of Este Cap. 4 pag. 51. 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 foolish 〈◊〉 52. Of Pyramus and Thisbe ibid. The folly of a French Gentleman 〈◊〉 The strange death of a young man in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of 〈◊〉 King of 〈◊〉 ibid. Of two Gentlemen 〈◊〉 alive ib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 love to 〈◊〉 54. King 〈◊〉 love unto a Plane tree 55. Of lecherous 〈◊〉 their holes and 〈◊〉 ibid. A strange thing of Sir 〈◊〉 Priest and one Lysetta pag. 57. The shamefull lust of 〈◊〉 favorite to the Tyrant 〈◊〉 59. Incestuous love in 〈◊〉 sonne to King 〈◊〉 61. A cunning Physitian 62. A godly meditation of St. Bernard ibid. A strange accident hapning to the French King Charles the sixth 63. Vâ—…ine curiosity in the Emperor 〈◊〉 64. Three things that change 〈◊〉 and conditions 65. A prudent law amongst the Romanes ibid. Three things that hasten a 〈◊〉 end ibid. A dehortatory from taking delight in pleasure ibid. That in pleasure can be no felicity 66. The Contents of the second Booke CHAPTER I. MAns felicity cannot consist in Riches pag. 68. Lycurgus banisht coyne out of his Kingdome ibid. Iron more usefull than gold 69. Sufficiency preffered before excesse ibid. The Temperance of King 〈◊〉 70. Of ptolomy King of Egypt ibid. Health preferred before wealth ibid. Riches an hinderance to felicitie 71. Content not to be purchased with coyne ibid. Socrates Diogenes and 〈◊〉 opinion of riches rich men 72. Of rich Gygâ—…s King of Lydia and poore 〈◊〉 ibid. The situation of Delphos and who first dedicated the Temple to Apollo 73. Their death 74. The oracle told many things truly 〈◊〉 The Divell defends his Temple against 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Persia 75. The sacriledge of King 〈◊〉 76. The rich Church of Tholosa with the defeat of Cepio's Army ibid. Of a Temple in Morocco 77. The inhumanity of 〈◊〉 to purchase gold ibid. Queene Dido casts her gold into the sea 75. The building of Cartiage and the death of Queene Dido 79. The death of 〈◊〉 Q of 〈◊〉 ib. A strange stratagem of Helena Queene of Russia pag. 79. Of the Emperour Trojan and King Decebal 80. The death of Henry the seventh Emperour ibid. A rich Citizen of Venice and 〈◊〉 King of Gothland slaineby their sons to possesse their gold ibid. Strange Tyranny of Vespitians Souldiers practised upon the Iewes 81. A strange plot to kill the great Turke in his Tent to gaine his treasure Cap. 2. pag. 82. The death of 〈◊〉 Captaine of the enterprise ibid. Of Casar Borgias who poysoned the Pope his father with wine prepared for others 83. King Croesus of Lydia deluded by the Oracle 84. No man happy till after his death 85. The honour which Gyrus did to Croesus 86. Of King 〈◊〉 of Lydia and 〈◊〉 87. Gyges murthereth the King and marrieth the Queene 88. The death of Crassus the rich Romane ibid. St. Bernards invective against the pride of the Clergie ibid.
Their pride parallel'd with the 〈◊〉 of Peter and Iobn 89. Of Pope sixtus the fourth and a Friar 89. Of a 〈◊〉 husbandman and the Arch-bishop of Cullen 90. The great humility of Origen his entertainment by Alexander Severus 91. His learned Sermon 92. Contempt of riches oftner found amongst Heathen than Christians cap. 3.97 Of 〈◊〉 a Senator of Abderita ibid. His excellent apprehensions 98. Diogones against rich men and riches 99. Bias his contempt of riches 100. A golden table drawne out of the Sea by fishermen ibid. The modesty of the Sages 101. Ferdinando King of Spaine against Lawyers ibid. The modesty of Agasbooles King of Sicilia 102. Of Philip King of 〈◊〉 ibid. 〈◊〉 her report of covetousnesse ibid. The covetousnesse of Cardinall Angelos 103. 〈◊〉 Maria Duke of Millaine and a Priest ibid. Of the envious and the covetous man 104. An excellent Law made by 〈◊〉 King of Egypt ibid. Alexander severms against usurie ibid. The story of an Advocate of Venice and his Father 106 Of money bestowed as it ought to be 107 How king 〈◊〉 dealt with a rich man ibid. A Caliph of Persia slaine in his treasure house 108 Renowne better than riches ibid. Wisedome the greatest riches and ignorance the worst poverty 109 A strange story of 〈◊〉 a covetous Emperour ibid. The first supremacy of the Church of Rome given by 〈◊〉 Emperour 110 Gonstantine first inriched the Church of Rome ibid. Riches first kindled the fire of purgatorie ibid. None can be truly good and very rich at one time 111 Riches and honesty seldome dwell together ibid. The Philosophers and Sages concerning povertie and riches 112 The great temperance of pbocionâ—… and Diogenes 113 The bold answer of Diomedes the Pyrate to king Alexander 114 Of 〈◊〉 and king philip 115. Magicians punished in seeking hidden gold 116 Of Mark 〈◊〉 his Concubin 〈◊〉 Caura and his death 117 CHAP. IIII. The bounty of one 〈◊〉 118 The 〈◊〉 against riches 119 A rich Cardinall of England His death ibid. Of men 〈◊〉 for their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cardinall c. 120 Examples of continent men 〈◊〉 the Philosopher 〈◊〉 a Theban A knight of Malta 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 121 A character of Pope 〈◊〉 the fifth His Charity with the great 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 122 Charity liberally rewarded ibid. An Epigram of 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 123 Observable Answers of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 124 A rich man compared to a Peacocke ibid. Contempt of riches in 〈◊〉 the Philosopher 〈◊〉 c. 125 〈◊〉 the cause of 〈◊〉 ruin ib. 〈◊〉 accuseth 〈◊〉 before 〈◊〉 126 〈◊〉 apology and submission to Nero 127 The admirable continence of Roman 〈◊〉 128 Of the Emperour 〈◊〉 the proverb verified in him Honours 〈◊〉 manners 129 〈◊〉 censure of the rich 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 ibid. 〈◊〉 the great Turkes justice upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 130 Vsurers compared to the fish fifth pag. 131 An excellent discourse drawn from Sir Thomas 〈◊〉 Vtopia reproving pride 132 The covetousnesse of the French and Portugall Nations reproved 133 The covertousnesse of the Spainard ibid. The great cruelty of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Spaniard 134 His barbarous cruelty reproved by a Prince of Florida ibid. No felicitie can consist 〈◊〉 in riches 135 The Contents of the third Booke HOnour and glory no part of true felicity Cap. 1 pag. 137. Honour followeth those which fly it 138 Alexanders ambition being a child ibid. Cyncas excellently reproveth the ambition of King 〈◊〉 139 Ambition the ruine of king Pyrrbus 140 Ambition the subversion of Kingdomes and Common-weales ib. Ambition without limit 141 The unnaturalnesse of Adolphbus Duke of Geldria ibid. 〈◊〉 Henry the fifth Emperour Frederick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all bloudy murderers and parricides 142 A strange history betwixt 〈◊〉 K. of Denmarke and 〈◊〉 K. of Succia and Gothland 143 The inhumanities of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Queene of Naples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Cardinall of Valentia c. 144 Examples in the same kinde of Richard the third 〈◊〉 of Egypt 〈◊〉 c. 145 â—…he nature of the water of the 〈◊〉 Styx ibid. The Church of Millaine opposed against Rome 200. yeares ibid. The aâ—…bition of Henry King of France after slaine by count Montgomery 146 Strange predictions before his death 147 Seventie Emperors of Rome came to untimely ends ibid. The rising of 〈◊〉 from a slave to the Empire 148 〈◊〉 slaine by 〈◊〉 150 The Empire set to sale by the 〈◊〉 souldiers ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 buyeth the Empire his wretched death 151 The noble 〈◊〉 of King 〈◊〉 of France being presented a Prisoner to King 〈◊〉 the third 152 The like of 〈◊〉 King of the 〈◊〉 presented before the Emperour 〈◊〉 pag. 153 The ambition of King 〈◊〉 modestly 〈◊〉 154 The modesty of 〈◊〉 in his 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 life ibid. Men in great place rather to bee 〈◊〉 than envied 155 Of many miseries that seeme happy 156 〈◊〉 King of 〈◊〉 reproveth greatnesse ibid. 〈◊〉 doth the like to 〈◊〉 157 The 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the tyrant ib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him in his poverty 158 The modesty of 〈◊〉 the Romane Emperour ibid A speech to the like purpose of 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 159 The modesty of 〈◊〉 ibid. The 〈◊〉 of a Prince 166 The Emperour Trajan concerning Empire and government Cap. 2 pag. 162 The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his letter to a friend concerning the 〈◊〉 163 The Emperour 〈◊〉 slaine by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of 〈◊〉 the dictator and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 167 〈◊〉 being 〈◊〉 private 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 168 His retyred life 170 〈◊〉 the second deposed by 〈◊〉 172 〈◊〉 deposed by 〈◊〉 173 〈◊〉 deposed by the former 〈◊〉 ibid. 〈◊〉 slaine by 〈◊〉 ibid. 〈◊〉 deposed by 〈◊〉 174 〈◊〉 deposed by 〈◊〉 ibid. Contention betwixt 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 for the 〈◊〉 ib. The inhumane tyrannie of Pope 〈◊〉 the 13th His death 175 Three Popes at one time 〈◊〉 the Popedome equally together 176 Of 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 ibid. Of Alexander and King 〈◊〉 ibid. Of Alexander and k. 〈◊〉 178 The horrible treason of 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 ibid. The observable death of 〈◊〉 Alexanders 〈◊〉 over him 180 The horrible death of 〈◊〉 181 The horrid death of Abraham k. of Marocco with his wife ibid. Of 〈◊〉 Cossa Pope deposed and cast in prison 182 The 〈◊〉 ends of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 183 Of 〈◊〉 who 〈◊〉 Asia 184 〈◊〉 against flattery ibid. The ridiculous 〈◊〉 of king 〈◊〉 185 Of divers strange Tenents held by the Pope 186 Of Popes that have beene profest Magicians 188 Pope Clements Ball ibid. A parish Priests Sermon 189 A notable trick put upon the Cardinall of Lorreine 190 Of one 〈◊〉 a Necromancer 191 The speech of Erasmus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 192 CHAP. III. Paulus Iovins of the Councell of Trent 194 The strange death of Benedict the ninth 195 The miserable end of Sylvester the second 196 A 〈◊〉 of Bonicasius the eighth to become Pope 197 Of Cornelius Agrippa concerning the Augustine 〈◊〉 198 Examples of insuffrable pride in the Clergie 199 The proud letters of Pope 〈◊〉 to Philip K. of France 201 The kings Answer 202 The witty answer of Henry
the second who summoned him before the Tribunall seat in heaven 203 A contention betwixt the Abbot of Fulda and the Bishop of Hildeseme ibid. Of Pope 〈◊〉 a woman 204 Of the Popes scrutiny 205 The pride of king Herod and 〈◊〉 205 Divers examples of the Divels 〈◊〉 answers to the ruine of those that trust in him 206 A worthy example in one 〈◊〉 207 The insuffrable ambition of 〈◊〉 Magus 208 Of a 〈◊〉 in Constantinople 209 Of the Magician 〈◊〉 ibid. The Abbot 〈◊〉 a great Nocromancer 210 His Art shewed before the Emperour Maximilian 211 Albertus 〈◊〉 a Monke and Necromancer 212 Pope Gragory the seventh a Magician 213 A letter of 〈◊〉 to the Clergy 214 The Earle of Mascon a Magician ibid. A strange story of a Spanish woman of Corduba called 〈◊〉 215 Her hypocrisie disclosed and confest 218 The history of the false Prophet 〈◊〉 219 His miserable and wretched end 226 An Epitaph of a tyrannous Viceroy in Sicilia 227 Of Salmoxes 228 The strange ambition of an Hermite in Affrica 229 Who in three yeares became Monarch of six Kingdoms pag. 230 The miserable ends of him and his Councell 232 Of 〈◊〉 Adella sonne to the Hermit 233 The resolute end of those Turkes which starved the Hermit ibid. Of a blasphemous Iew 234 Of George 〈◊〉 a new Prophet 235 A strange history of a child borne in Babylon 236 A strange history extracted out of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 237 Of the instigation of evill 〈◊〉 241 〈◊〉 IIII. A curious policy prosecuted by the King of France against the Duke of Guise 242 The Sacrament made a colour for murder 244 The death of the Duke of Guise 〈◊〉 The death of the Cardinal the brother to the Guise 245 The complaint of the 〈◊〉 of Guise 246 A great justice upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Genoway 248 Philip King of Macedon 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 249 Of Herostratus that burnt the Temple of 〈◊〉 and others ib. The great ambition of the Duke of Alva 250 The old Duke of Guise 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 251 Of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who would have slaine the Prince of 〈◊〉 252 Of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who slew the Prince of Orange His 〈◊〉 255 Of 〈◊〉 Clement a Dominican Monke who slew the 〈◊〉 King Henry the 〈◊〉 256 Of Pope 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 after the French Kings death 258 A Friar canoniz'd for a Saint because he was a 〈◊〉 259 The story of a Spanish Priest 260 Of the Lady Mary de 〈◊〉 261 That all glory is but vanity 263 Of 〈◊〉 a Portugall 264 Of 〈◊〉 ibid. Of Arsaces 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Probus 〈◊〉 Agelmund 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 Of 〈◊〉 of Leyden 266 The originall of the Amazons 267 Of 〈◊〉 King of 〈◊〉 268 Of c. 269 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Q 〈◊〉 270 A custome in the Indies 273 Of true nobility ibid. The rich are of true 〈◊〉 274 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 276 Of Beauty ibid. Of vanity in apparell 277 Of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 Bernard 278 The excellency of learning 279 The modesty of Alexander 〈◊〉 Philip k. of Macedon pag. 280 Of Queene 〈◊〉 ib.d. 〈◊〉 and Heliogabalus 281 Of Proculus a Romane Emp. 282 The fable of the Boycs and the Asse 283 Envie attendeth honour 284 The frailty of glory 285 The Contents of the fourth Booke VVHerein the felicitie of man doth consist according to the ancient Philosophers Cap. 1. pag. 188 Three things required to attaine to true felicitie 289 Of vertue wisedome and knowledge 290 How a man may fall from blessednesse to infelicity 291 The Gordian knot dissolved by Alexander 292 Wherein true felicitie consisteth 293 Of Sydrach Mysach and 〈◊〉 294 The effects of vertue 295 Temples crected to vertue and honour 296 Detraction murder punisht 297 Vain-glory derided in 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 king of Sparta 298 Of Romane Regulus 299 Of divers who preferred their Countries before their own lives 300 Of 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 king of Sparta 302 〈◊〉 Iustice in 〈◊〉 Cap. 2. 304 A remarkeable Act in Charondes 305 Severe Iustice in 〈◊〉 casar ibid. Great justice in 〈◊〉 306 Examples of Iustice and Policie in Trajan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Alexander 〈◊〉 ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 307 Marous 〈◊〉 concerning the choyce of Magistrates 308 Gregory 〈◊〉 concerning the same 310 Of Favorites to Princes 311 The counsell of Vegetius and vegetins to Princes 312 Good Lawes 〈◊〉 and Peace the three daughters of Honesty 313 Duties belonging to a Prince ibid. An Invective against 〈◊〉 314 Of Alexander 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 315 The remarkeable death of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid. Of three observable 〈◊〉 316 Divers 〈◊〉 reformed by Henry the 3d of France Cap. 3. pag. 318 The French nation reproved for many vices pag. 319 Miseries attending the neglect of 〈◊〉 318 The rare Temperance of Scipioâ—… 319 The Temperance of Alexander 320 〈◊〉 the Tyrant against adultery 321 Agapete to 〈◊〉 ibid. The rare friendship of 〈◊〉 and Everitus 324 The rare friendship of 〈◊〉 and Everitus ibid. Friendship without wisedome in Hading and Hunding two kings of Denmarke and 〈◊〉 325 How vices apparell themselves like vertues 326 Of Duke Valentine the Popes son 327 Italianisme deciphered with the danger of travell 328 The finnes of ancient times 329 In new Count eyes are learned new fashions 330 What Rome was and what it now is ibid. Marcus 〈◊〉 concerning the vices of Rome and Italy 331 King Memon an inventer of delicacy 333 An history out of plutarch to the fame purpose ibid Strange justice done upon Lueius 〈◊〉 by the Romane senate 334 Against drunkennesse ibid. Of the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 336 Against pride in apparell 337 The 〈◊〉 that carried the Image of 〈◊〉 338 A taxation of vanity in attyre and 〈◊〉 gesture 339 Due prayses conferred upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 340 Gaine getteth friendship 341 A discourse of friendship 342 The Story of a Beare ibid. Another of a Dogge 343 A french dogge the dogge of 〈◊〉 and the dogge of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 344 The Horse of 〈◊〉 345 Of an Oxe ibid. The history of Androcles and a Lyon 346 Of a Boy an Eagle Cap. 4 p. 349 Of a Boy and a Dolphin ibid. A witty and ingenious Host 350 Of riches 352 An aspersion layd upon dice-players 353 A custome in China and against new fashions 354 A Law amongst the Thebans 355 Forreine manners interdicted with perfumes c. ibid. Against excesse in 〈◊〉 and garments 356 The rare modesty of the ancient times 357 Of Regulus and 〈◊〉 the Dictator c. ibid. The Magnanimitie of 〈◊〉 the Philosopher pag. 358 The maners of this age compared with the former 359 Artaxerxes to Teribarus the Persian 360 To thinke our selves wise the greatest folly 362 The life contemplative preferred before the civill 363 Fortune hath no power over the life contemplative 365 3. bodily worlds concatinated 366 Examples of divers who forsooke the world for a life contemplative 367 Of Paul an Hermit c. 368 The Contents of the fifth Booke CHAPTER I. Simonides the Poet unto King Cyrus pag. 368 The true property of Felicity 369 Distinction betwixt the