by Caesar notwithstanding put him to death and sent his head to Caesar which he refused to see and wept for sorrow and commanded them that brought it to be put to death Shortly after Caesar assisted Cleopatra killed Ptolomeus her brother and made her Queene of Egypt Alfonsas sonne to Ferdinando King of Naples vnder the promise and safegard of his father got to come to him foure and twenty Princes and Barons who notwithstanding his promise put them in prison and vpon the death of his father being foure and twenty yeares after put them all to death Charles the seuenth King of France when he was Dolphin made John Duke of Burgundy beleeue that he would make a peace with him whereupon they met at a place appointed where Charles caused the Duke to be presently killed But Charles after this wearied with the warres Phillip sonne to the Duke made against him and of the subiection England brought France into by this opportunity did reconcile himselfe to Phillip and asked him forgiunesse openly by his Ambassadours Charles the last Duke of Burgundy hauing giuen safe conduct to the Earle of Saint Paul Constable of France tooke him prisoner and deliuered him to the French King who put him to death But Sultan Soliman the great Turke did worthily punish his Bascha for falsifying his word who sent into Valona to passe into Jtaly landed at the Hauen of Castro where the Inhabitants being astonished yeelded vnto him vpon his word and fidelity that they should depart with bag and baggage neuerthelesse he slew them all except those that were fit to serue for slaues But he returning to Constantinople Sultan caused him to be strangled for his disloyalty and perfidiousnesse and sent backe all the prisoners with their goods into Italy Thus you may see how honourable it is for one to keep their word and what they deserue that falsifie their faith for a faithlesse Prince is beloued of none but hated of all suspected of his friends not trusted of his enemies and forsaken of all men in his greatest necessity CHAP. 5. A Prince to be constant in his Act. IT is likewise very fitting that a Prince should be constant in his Act. First to aduise well before hee resolue but after resolution to be constant and not changeable For Saint Ambrose writing to Simplician saith that a foole is mooueable as the wind but a wise man is not astonished by feare nor changed by force nor sunke by sorrow nor proud by prosperity The Romans besieged Casselin Fabius would haue giuen ouer the siege but Marcellus perswaded him to the coÌ„trary saying that as there are many things a good Captaine ought not to attempt so ought he not to desist or giue ouer an enterprise once begun and taken in hand Bertrand de Guesclin a Frenchman seruing Henry against Peter King of Spaine was by the Prince of Wales taken prisoner and Peter by this victory restored to his Kingdome The Prince offered to giue Bertrand his liberty without ransome so he would serue Henry no more which he refused because Peter had murthered the Queene his wife Blanche de Burbon and married a Sarizen kings daughter the better to strengthen himselfe and had renounced the Catholicke faith Then the Prince asked him whither he would goe if he were at liberty he said where he would soone recouer his losse and desired the Prince to aske him no further Well said the Prince consider what ransome you will giue me for I referre it to your selfe With thankes he said he would giue him 100000 doubles of gold The Prince thought he mocked him offering him so much and said he would take the fourth part I thanke you said Bertrand and you shall haue 60000 doubles willingly Of which the Prince accepted Then said Bertrand very constantly and confidently Henry may now say and brag that he shall die King of Spaine for I will Crowne him whatsoeuer it cost me The Prince was astonished at his so haughty speeches yet vsed him very houourably and gaue him his liberty whereupon hee paid his ransome by the helpe of the King of France and of Henry of Spaine And after siue battels tooke Peter prisoner put him to death and made Henry King The Priuernates warring against the Romans and not able to resist their forces sent their Ambassadours to Rome to demand peace but because they had not obserued the Treaties of Peace before time some thought it not fit to yeeld to their demand and to conclude a Peace with those that would not keepe it Whereupon the Ambassadours were asked what punishment they had in their iudgement deserued for breaking the Peace before To which one of the Ambassadours answered that the Priuernates had deserued the punishment which those deserue that thinke themselues worthy of freedome and liberty and hate slauery and bondage Some thought this answer too proud and peremptory for men ouercome neuerthelesse they were asked againe if that they being pardoned for their former breach of peace would froÌ„ thenceforth keep the Peace granted them to which the Ambassadours answered againe very constantly that if they gaue them a good peace they would faithfully and perpetually keepe it but if they gaue them an euill peace it should not long continue Vpon this answer diuers of the Senate were moued but the greatest part did not condemne them for this constant and resolute answer considering that the Ambassadour spake as a free man and that euery one in bondage will seeke for liberty therefore it was concluded that the Priuernates should haue such a peace as they should be admitted and receiued for Citizens of Rome and enioy the same liberty and priuiledge as the City of Rome did Agiges King of the Cretians about to giue battell to the Licaonians his Captaines told him that his enemies were too great in number but he not feared therwith nor any thing changed said that he that would raigne ouer many must fight with many Leouidas likewise sonne to Anaxandridas when his men told him fighting in battell that the Arrowes of his enemies were so many as they couered the Sunne was not dismaid thereby but constantly continuing his fight said then shall we fight vnder their shadow And the great Prince Bias falling by chance in the danger of his enemies the Athenians and being asked of his Captaines what they should do he seeing their feare and inconstancy was not moued but answered that they should report to the liuing that he dyed figthing and hee would report to the dead that they went away flying Scipio though hee got the victory against Antiochus yet was he not changed but gaue him the same condition of peace he had offered him before the victory Spurius Seruilius Consull being accused before the people for the same matter for which they had condâ—mned Menemius his fellow Consull who through griefe thereupon dyed was of that constancy and courage as he freed himselfe and condemned the people for their proceeding against Menemius Perses
you from your god and master for which he was hated of all the world and in the end killed The Emperour Caius set in his palace like Jupitur with a Scepter in one hand and a thunderbolt in the other and an Eagle at his side a Cobbler seeing him fel on a great laughter The Emperour commanded him to be brought before him and asked him at what he laughed I laugh said he to see thy pride and folly The Emperour laughed also at his answer and punished him not but delighted in his owne pride But Philip father to Alexander Magnus to auoyde that vice caused a child to cry vnto him euery day at his chamber dore before hee went forth Phllip thou art a man mortall Hieronimus King of Cicily being very yong was wholly counselled by his brother in law Andronodorus who made him proud and arrogant and to contemne euery one and to giue audience to none nor to suffer almost any to haue accesse vnto him but to giue himselfe to all kinde of voluptuousnesse and to be cruell and bloody Andronodorus hauing brought him to this conspired with others against him The treason discouered and one Theodorus called in question therefore confessed that he was of the conspiracy and being vpon the torture knowing he must dye accused to be reuenged of the King the Kings most faithfull friends and seruants To which the King giuing credit put them all to death and immediately after was killed by the Conspirators Andronodorus presently seized vpon Siracusa thinking to make himselfe King But he had such successe therein as he his wife and all his family and all the line of the King were quite extirped as well innocents as offenders Timothae a Captaine of Athens through his pride did attribute all his victories onely to his owne pollicy and wisedome Whereupon saith Plutarch the gods were angry at his foolish ambition and did neuer prosper him after but all things went against him and in the end hee was so odiously hated that hee was banished Athens Cresus being in the height of his pride most sumptuously set in his Throne asked Solon if euer he had seene a more gorgeous and glorious sight yea said Solon both Capons Fesants and Peacocks for their colours are naturall Menecrates a Phisitian because he was excellent in his â—rt grew so proud as he caused himselfe to be called Iupiter But Philip King of Macedonia to make him know himselfe inuited him to a banquet and made a Table to be prouided for him by himselfe which Menecrates seeing was very ioyfull that it pleased the King to do him that honour but when he see that in stead of meat they brought him nothing but incense he was ashamed and departed with great anger Yet this King grew a little proud after his conquest insomuch that he writ a sharpe letter to Archidamus sonne to Agesilaus who answered him saying If thou measure thy shadow thou shalt not finde it to be growne greater since thou didst ouercome Pride therefore cannot make a man great but odious CHAP. 15. A Prince to be humble CHrist did humble himselfe for vs therefore wee ought to humble our selues for Christ who saith He that doth humble himselfe shall be exalted but he that doth exalt himselfe shall be humbled Mat. 23. Humility therfore affirmeth Seneca is the handmaiden of wisedom For a wiseman is humble if not humble he is not wise Caralus Magnus to haue euer before his eies the image of pouerty and humility did cause certaine very poore men to eate alwayes in his presence their meat vpon the ground The Romans had a custome that the Emperor after a victory was drawn in a Chariot with foure horses to the Capitall and a Clowne set besides him in the Chariot who strucke him euery foot in the necke saying Know thy selfe And when the Emperour was crowned one al wayes came to him and asked him of what kind of mettall or stone hee would haue his Tombe made And all this to the end the Emperour should be humble The Emperour Constantinus Magnus was of that humility as he excelled all other Emperours and Princes whatsoeuer Yet of that valour as he subdued Licinius his Competitor and many Pagan Nations The Emperour Theodosius being rebuked by S. Ambrose for a great offence did in such humility acknowledge his fault as he did open pennance therefore willingly in the Church where Saint Ambrose was ministring the Sacrament and so was admitted to communicate The Emperours Valentinian and Justinian were Princes of great humility yet famous for their many victories The Emperour Alexander Seuerus was of that humility as he would not suffer any to vse other salutations to him then to say God saue thee Alexander Scipio preuailing in Spaine against A sdruball the Spaniards called him King which Title he refused saying it was sufficient for him to be called their Generall Agathocles King of Cicily because he was but a poore Potters sonue caused himselfe to be serued with vessels of earth amongst his vessels of gold and siluer to shew his humility and what he was Julius Caesar Augustus Caesar Claudius Domitian Galba Traian Alexander and many other Princes were of that humility as they gaue continuall audience themselues vnto the people to the great content and comfort of the people And Octauius Caesar did fit daily in iudgement himselfe and did abhorre the title of Lord insomuch that when said to him O good and gracious Lord he reproued him sharply therefore And the more humble that a man is the more is he in the fauour of God who as Saint Iames saith chapter 3. doth resist the proud and giueth grace to the humble CHAP. 16. A Prince not to exceed in anger ANd a Prince to be too passionate and too chollericke is dangerous for choller sometimes burneth and dryeth vp the veines and taketh life sometimes it blindeth the vnderstanding and taketh away sense and reason wherby many a time sodaine mischiefe is done that bringeth long and too late repentance for the mind doth not easily see the truth saith Salust where passion and affection beareth sway Therefore a Prince especially should learne to know himselfe and his imperfections for Plato saith that the perfect duty of a man is first to know himselfe And the first Precept that was written in the Temple of Apollo at Delphos was Know thy selfe And knowing himselfe he must then labour to command himselfe and make reason rule nature Agesilaus did more glory that hee could command himselfe then in that he was a King For he that is slow to anger saith Salomon is better then the mighty man and he that ruleth his owne mind is better then he that winneth a City Prou. 16. Yet moderate ire saith Plutarch doth second valour and fortitude To auoid choller Athenodorus the Philosopher counselled Augustus Caesar neuer to do or say any thing when he was angry before he had repeated the twenty foure letters of the A B C thinking by that time his
choller would be appeased Virginius being chosen Generall of the Roman Hoste refused it fearing to exceed in choller against Appius Claudius his enemy Crotis King of Thracia hauing a present brought vnto him of many faire vessels of glasse most curiously wrought after he had well recompenced the gift did breake them all himselfe of purpose fearing lest through choller to which he was subiect he should too seuerely punish any of his sernants if they by chance should breake any of them But the Emperour Valentinian was so ouercharged with choller that he fell into such a rage against certaine Ambassadours as he lost his voyce and speech and so was carried to his bed and let ten blood but bled not choller hauing burned and dryed vp the veines and so dyed Patience therefore is a happy vertue by which a man may preserue his body and possesse his soule saith Christ Luke 21. In your patience you shall possesse your soules And to attaine to this vertue Diogenes asked almes of the Images in Athens to make him take deniall patiently Aristotle being told that one railed on him was not moued but said whe I am absent let him beate me also And Socrates being abused spurned and kicked by an insolent fellow and seeing his friends offended therewith said How now my Masters if an Asse had kicked and giuen mee a rap on the shinnes would you haue me to yerke out and to kicke him againe Antigonus hearing his Souldiers reuile him behind his pauillion said to them you knaues could you not goe a little further off when you meant to raile vpon me One Nicanor rayled vpon Philip King of Macedonia for which his Counsell wold haue had him seuerely punished but the King very patiently answered first let vs see whether the fault be in him or in vs. And vnderstanding that Nicanor had deserued well and that he had neuer giuen him any thing sent him a rich gift After which Niconor spoke very much good of the King Whereupon the King said to his Counsell I see well that I am a better Physitian for backebiting then you are and that it is in my power to cause either good or cuill to be spoken of me CHAP. 17. A Prince to be moderate in his dyet NAture is content with a little therefore if a man doe either eate or drinke more then sufficeth nature it is superfluous and ingendreth euill humours corrupteth the body and weakneth the spirits and vnderstanding for Diogenes saith that the wit is made dul with grosse and immoderate dealing And Plato affirmeth that those who vse to eat much although they haue a good wit yet cannot be wise The reason is saith Plutarch because the body being ful of meat corrupteth the iudgement in such sort as maketh a man neither fit to giue counsell nor to gouerne in a Common-wealth nor to doe any good worke The Emperour Octauius Caesar had therefore ordinarily at supper but three dishes of meat and when he fared best he had but sixe And the Egyptians in their feasts and banquets had a dead body dryed brought in amongst them that the sight thereof might containe them in modesty and make them temperate in their feeding Ada Queene of Caria sent Alexander Magnus certaine skilfull Cooks whom he refused and sent her word that he had better then they were namely for his dinner early rising and walking a good while before day and for his supper a little dinner for in those dayes they did commonly eate but one meale a day as appeareth by Plato who being demaunded if he had seene any new or strange thing in Cicily said that he had found there a Monster of nature which did eate twice a day meaning Diogenes the Tyrant Agesilaus King of the Lacedaemonians passing his Army through the Countrey of Thracia they presented with meale fowle baked meates and all other sorts of delicate meates and conserues The meale hee was willing to take but not the rest yet through great intreaty he accepted of all and gaue all and gaue all sauing the meale to his slaues and being asked why he did so he said It is not conuenient for men who make profession of manhood and prowesse to eate such delicates for by pleasure delicate meats and drinkes the courage of man is abated Therefore Xerxes after hee had taken the great City of Babylon would not put the people to death but to be reuenged of them commanded them not to exercise any Armes but to vse and giue themselues to all pleasure feasting and drinking So that by this meanes they grew to be most vile and base people whereas before they were most valiant And by the great feasting and drunkennesse in Siracuse in Cicily the Romans tooke the towne and spoyled it The Emperour Vitellius was very riotous in his diet insomuch as at one supper he had 2000 seuerall kinde of fishes and 7000 dishes of foule but what followed Soone after hee was openly put to death by Vespasian Caligula likewise in riotous banquets in making sweet bathes and in other vaine and friuolous expences spent in one yeare 67 millions of crownes and in the end was killed Nero also was prodigal in the like charges and banquets sumpuous attire neuer wearing one garment twice And Sabina his wife had daily the milke of 500 Asses to bathe her in but their ends were pittifull The Emperour Adrianus was riotous in his youth and thereby diseased in his age which forced him to vse many Phisitians and medicines but could not be cured Therefore good order and temperate dyet prolongeth the life and preferueth wisedome Early rising also saith Plato and much watching are profitable to keepe a man in health and to augment his wisedome It doth withall increase deuotion for then a man shall find himselfe most apt to serue God CHAP. 18. A Prince to be continent of life BVt if he serue his belly with immoderate and too great delicates and pamper his flesh too much it will besides dulling of the wit make the flesh rebell against the spirit and fall to incontinency a vice wherof a Prince ought to haue a speciall care that he giue not himselfe to the lust of the flesh for it is a deuouring fire till all be consumed and rooting vp the seed of good workes saith Iob 31. And Luxuria eneruat vires effeminat artus It will make him weake and effeminate and destroyeth both body and soule losing thereby also sometimes both life and kingdome for by adultery Roderico last King of the Gothes in Spaine committed with the wife of Iulian Earle of Cewta when hee was Ambassadour in Africke he for reuenge brought the Moores into Spaine who therupon subdued the Countrey Osibright King of Northumberland rauished the wife of one Barne who to be reuenged brought in the Danes slew Osibright and made great spoyle in the land The Emperour Claudius married his brothers daughter and shee her selfe poysoned him Siphax King of Numidia transported with the loue of Sophonisba
falsified his faith lost his Kingdome and life in prison Locrine King of Great Britaine put Guendoline his wife away and married Estreld daughter to King Humber but Guendoline killed her husband in battell and drowned Estreld and her daughter in Seuerne The Emperour Commodas kept three hundred Courtizans and in the end by one of them and one of his Parasites was strangled Childericke the third King of France for his libidonous life which made him carelesse in gouerning the Common-wealth was deposed And Lewis the sixt King of France for his adultery was poysoned by Blanche his wife Heliogabalus for his libidonous and vitious life thought hee might make an euill end and therefore if in case hee should be pressed by his enemies he had poyson ready kept in precious stones he had also halters of silke to hang himselfe and sharpe kniues of precious mettall to kill himselfe and he built a high Tower richly gilded to breake his necke vpon if he listed yet all these deuises failed him for he was strangled by his Souldiers and trailed vp and downe Rome This is the end a libidonous Prince may looke for But wise and vertuous Princes will auoyd that vice As did Ioseph who hauing the wife of Putiphar in his power would not touch her No more would Abimelech faire Sara Nor Dauid the Ebritian Sunamite Nor Scipio the Lady who was Hostage in Carthage Nor Dionysius the wife to Phocius Nor Alexander the daughter of King Darius Nor Augustus Cleopatra And as it is hurtfull for a Prince to be allured by a woman to folly so it is not good for him to be led by the counsell of a woman For Aristotle saith that part of a womans vnderstanding in which consisteth counsell is imperfect Therefore neither the Romans nor the Lacedaemonians did euer admit a woman into Councell Yet Theodora after the death of her husband the Emperour of Constanstinople was chosen Empresse and had the onely gouernment of the Empire Which without the helpe of any she gouerned in great peace and prosperity two yeares and then dyed to the great griefe of all her subiects who repented them not to be gouerned by a woman The Empresse likewise Zenobia in Asia was a most singular rare woman For Obdinato her husband chosen in Asia for their Emperour and after killed by his kinsman she tooke vpon her the gouernment and gouerned very well She was constant in her enterprises faithfull of her word liberall in her gift iust in giuing sentence seuere in punishment discreet in her speech graue in her determination and secret in that she did She loued not to ride in a Litter but on horsebacke she was of stature tall slender bodyed her eyes great her forehead large her face somewhat pale her mouth little and her teeth small After she was conceiued with child shee would not company with her husband saying that a woman ought not to marry for pleasure but onely for procreation She did eate but once a day and that at night she drunke no wine but water compounded more costly then wine when she went to Campe or to battell or to skirmish she was armed and euer when there was any seruice she would be amongst them In the end the Emperour Aurelianus besieged her tooke her prisoner and carried her in his triumph to Rome yet pardoned her for her vertue and valour and gaue her certaine possessions to liue vpon She liued ten yeares after as greatly honoured and beloued as Lucretia of all the Roman Ladies But this is as the Spaniard saith Vna golondrina que non haze verano One Swallow which maketh no Summer Yet I could not but set downe here her perfection she being such a mirrour for all Ladyes CHAP. 19. A Prince to beware of Parasites BVt there is another creature about a Prince more dangerous then a woman and that is a flatterer who neuer sings other song then placebo soothing a Prince in whatsoeuer Apelles drew the picture of a King which he sent to Ptolomeus set in a chaire of Estate with great hands great eares and besides him Ignorance Suspition a Tale-teller and Flattery these will labour to be about a Prince therefore a Prince must labour to auoyd them For an enuious and backebiting Tale-teller and a Flatterer are two most dangerous beasts for Diogenes saith that of wilde beasts a backbiter biteth the sorest and of tame beasts a flatterer And Hermes the Philosopher saith that as a Camelion can change himselfe into all colours sauing white so hath a Parasite all points sauing honesty for he windeth himselfe into fauour by any meanes especially of pleasure procuring any kind of mirth and delight and by humouring the party For Alexander Magnus and Alphonsus King of Arragon hauing each of them somewhat a wry necke the one by nature the other by custome the flatterers and Courtiers held their neckes on the one side And like as wormes breed most of all and soonest in firme tender and sweet wood euen so for the most part the generous and gentle natures and those mindes that are more ingenuous honest amiable and milde then others are readiest to receiue and nourish the flatterer that hangeth vpon him And Plato saith that he who loueth himselfe and hath a good conceit of himselfe can be content to admit another to flatter him But when a Parasite seeth nothing to be gotten then he is gone being like to lice For as these vermine neuer haunt the dead but doe leaue anâ— forsake the corpes so soone as the bloud is extinct and depriued of vitall spirit so a man shall neuer see flatterers approach to those that are in decay whose state is cracked and credite lost But where there is power and authority and glory in the world thither they flocke and there they grow and shew themselues most malicious sometimes by speaking euill of others For Medeus the chiefe Captaine of the flatterers about Alexander Magnus teached his Schollers to cast out slanders boldly to bite others for said he though the soare may heale vp yet the skarre will remaine and be euer seene By these skarres of false imputations Alexander being corroded and eaten put to death Calisthenes Parmenion and Philocas his true and faithfull friends The Emperour Commodus after the death of his father was led by Parasites and vpon their false reports put to death most of those that were graue Counsellors to his father and also many of the Senators and committed the gouernment of all his affaires to Perennis and himselfe followed his pleasure which brought him to the end you heard before The Emperour Dioclesian basely borne in Sclauonia was in his youth very ambitious and desirous of honour and from a poore Souldier came to be Emperour and then made the people honour him as a god and to kisse his foot whereon he did weare guilt shooes set with pearle and precious stones after the manner of the Persian Kings But seeing in the end himselfe wonderfully abused by
Generall Asdrubals making no account of him set vppon him dâ—â—orderly and was ouer-throwne by which the Romanes encouraged Martius in the night following to set vpon Asdrubals Campe vppon a suddayne and killed of the Carthaginians 37000. and tooke prisoners 1830. And the Carthaginians seeing the Romanes wearied with the seruice vppon the Sea were perswaded that they would fight no more by Sea and therefore grew very carelesse whereby they were ouer-throwne by the Consull Catulus And the Romanes held it not so good to defend as to inuade For they hauing first Warre with the Carthagâ—nians in Cicily thought it better to fight agaynst them in their owne Country then in Cicily Therefore sent the Conful with forces into Affrick which forced the Carthaginians after 14. yeares war to seeke for Peace and to leaue to the Romans al Cicily and the Ilands betwixt it and Italy and to giue them 2200. Talents of siluer and all their prisoners without ransome In the second War Punicke the Romanes hauing lost many battels spent their men and consumed their Treasure Scipio being chosen Consull desired notwithstanding to go with an Army into Affricke holding that the best course to end the Warre in Italy But Fabius misliked thereof as did also the most of the Senate wishing him to go agaynst Hanniball and to driue him out of Italy and so to quiet his owne Country before hee inuaded an other alleadging also that they were not able to maintayne two so great Armies as one in Affricke and another in Italy against Hanniball who if he should besiege Rome Scipio could not so easily be called from Affricke as Fabius was from Capua to succour Rome They alleadged also the Death of his Father and Vocle in Spaine after their many great Victories and the ouer-throw of Athens by sending a yong man to inuade Cicily The vncertainty of the fauour of Syphax and Masinissa and the certainty of all those Countries to be their enemies To which Scipio answered that he was Consull not to continue Warre but to make an end of Waâ—â—â— and that 〈◊〉 greater courage a man doth assault his enemy then 〈◊〉 fend his owne and that Agathocles King of Syracus seeing Cicily troubled with Warre turned it into Affricke from whence it came and that a Captaine ought to follow his good fortune and occasion and that strangers should well know wee haue courage as well to inuade Affricke as to defend Italy and that there is a Romane Captayne dare vndertake as much as Hanniball and will force him to returne to defend Carthage In the end after long arguing of the matter it was granted that Scipio should passe into Affricke which hee did and forced Hanniball after hee had continued Warre in Italy sixteene yeares to returne home then ouer-threw him and made Carthage glad to accept of any conditions of peace Which was that Carthage should liue in liberty and vse their Lawes and possesse the Townes and Countryes they had before the Warres and that they should yeeld all Rebels Fugitiues and Prisoners and all their Gallies sauing ten and all their Elephants tamed and should tame no more that they should not make Warre neyther with Affricke nor without but by permission of the Romans and that they should deliuer 100. Ostages the yongest not vnder 14. yeares of age nor the eldest aboue sixty yeares with diuers other conditions The Oracle of Apollo answered those of Cyrtha that if they would haue peace at home they should make continuall Watres abroad But a good peace is alwayes to be embraced by a Prince and also to be offered to his enemy For as the Frenchman saith La roue de la fortune n'est pas tousours vne The wheele of Fortune is not alwayes one In the first War Punike Appius Claudius offered the Carthaginians peace in respect of the alliance betwixt the Romanes and them which they refused but after they fearing the Romanes sent to the Consull Attilius for peace who denyed them thereof because they had refused it before of Claudius which made them desperate and caused so long and grieuous Warre And after the Battell of Cannas Hanniball sending to Carthage for more ayde Hannon a graue Counsellour would haue had them to haue made peace with the Romanes whose counsell they refused which brought ruine vpon themselues Yet Scipio after hee had ouerthrowne Syphax and Asdruball being sent to by Carthage for a peace denyed them not but sayd though he had the Victory almost in his hands yet would hee not refuse to treate of peace that all Nations may vnderstand that the Romanes do both begin and finish their Warre most iustly and the reupon set them downe conditions of peace which they seemed to like in retaining the time only til Hannibals comming home who was sent for and vpon his arriuall he himselfe moued Scipio to peace who told Hanibal that Carthage had but dissembled with him till his returne and broken the truce Therefore he demanded amends besides the conditions first offered which if he thought too hard then to prepare himselfe to Battell The next day Scipio ouer-threw Hanniball killed 20000. and tooke as many prisoners Then Hanniball confessed himselfe to be vanquished and told Carthage they had no way but accept of any conditions of Peace Antiochus seeking to the Romanes for peace had conditions offered which he refused and was ouer-throwne then glad to accept of any conditions The Common-wealth of Tyrus sent to Alexander Magnus offering him what obedience and subiection hee would require of them so neyther hee nor his men would enter their Citty Alexander refused it disdayning that one City should shut their Gates agaynst him to whom the whole world was open but after foure months siege bee would haue accepted of that offer and they then would not being growne bold and proud Whereupon Alexander with a furious assault tooke the Towne spoyled it and put all the Inhabitants to the sword or to bee slaues But King Clotaire of France refusing the submission of the Turingians who had rebelled agaynst him mâ—â—e them desperate and by desperate fight they ouer-threw the King who hardly escaped The Earle of Flanders likewise refusing the submission of his Subiects was by them ouer-throwne and in the end they submitted themselues to Edward the third King of England By this it doth appeare what hurt may grow by not giuing peace demaunded and not accepting of peace offered Therefore Appius Claudius of Sabine because the Sabines would not yeeld to Peace did forsake his Countrey and went to Rome where he was made a Cittizen of Rome FINIS