Hectors harnesse quite was of supposing none so nie When great Achilles watcht in place in Hectors face to flie And with his speare hée thrust him through from Hectors side to side Thus famous man and Phrigian Prince thus Troyan Hector died ¶ Thimistocles death THat noble Gréeke Themistocles by Artaxerxes forcde To fight agaynst his natiue soyle in harnesse braue was horsde But marke a valiaunt minde beholde a famous déede To hurt his soyle this noble Gréeke did féele his heart to bléede To voyde this wrath of Perseans Prince hée bloode with poyson dranke And so to die that so did liue hée gladly God did thanke ¶ Marcellus death MArcellus in his glorie great triumphant Uictor oft The Spurre of Rome and Romane guyde in state aduaunced loft Who by the Senate sage was sent to Massinissa King And charged that from Africk fieldes an aunswere he shoulde bring On surging Seas of wambling waues vnto his busines bent Dame Fortune doth with flattering feates such loftie mates preuent ¶ Nero his death IN lust who leadeth life with Tyraunt Nero here Must with Nero ende his life as did in Rome appere Who slue his Mayster Seneca who did his mother kill Who spoyled all who spared none who last him selfe did spill Whose death as ioyfull was to Rome as Rome his life detest That into Tiber he being deade the Romans threwe this beast ¶ Hercules death WHich Dragons Lions Tigers wilde which beastes so fierce did tame Which Castles Countries Townes and Towres loe death subdued the same What Hercules hadde at Nessus hande the same with flames did frie Wherein that ofspring great of Goddes and impe of Ioue did die ¶ Herods death WHen Herode raigned in Iuda King his lothsome life to ledde On sucking babes and infantes bloode this cruell tyraunt fedde To séeke our Sauiour Christ he kilde the babes of Iuda lande And thought our God coulde not escape his fomie blodie hande Of Wormes this Herode was deuourde of vermin loe and mise His bones his fleshe was all consumde and eaten vp of Life Seleucus king of Siria his death SEleucus King of Siria lo Antiochus sonne the great To whome in middest of ioyfull state did fortune vse this feate That mounted high on stately stéede with princely port to ride From pompe from pride from horse he fell and there Seleucus died That earst in Siria had such fame and liued long in mirth With crawling créeping wormes hée lieth starcke naked in the earth Traians death WHen twentie yeares had Traian rainde in Romane Empire lo In Citie called Seleucia died from Persea comming fro Whose noble dayes and happy yeres while yet in Rome hée dwelt Both Rome and Romanes then reioycde no griefe in Rome was felt He rightly ruled Rome by lawe he Romane safegarde sought To punish vice and hate eche sinne Plutarchus him hath taught King Anceus death WHo thinkes to ioye shall hap to wo who thinkes to liue shall die Who thinkes to spéede shall often misse thus fortune friendes doth trie As Anceus King of Samos sought to slea a sauage Bore Was by the Bore he thought to kill constraynde to die before ¶ Heliogabalus Emperour of Rome his death BEholde another Gorgon grim a monster Cyclop lo Whose lothsome life and wicked wayes all Rome did feare I know The sincke of sinne the shape of shame the beast of Rome was calde The cruelst scourge the sorest plague that euer Rome haue stalde This monster murthered in a iakes and halde through Rome in stéetes And after throwne to Tibers streames shut in his shrowding shéetes FINIS ¶ Of Memorie and Obliuion SOme hold that opinion that in the auncient tyme whiles yet the worlde florished not in learnyng that memorie then was moste sette by and esteamed for what so euer was seen or heard was then committed vnto Memorie and not recorded in bookes whiche Socrates saied after the vse of letters were had the vertue of Memorie decaied for the care whiche then was in harte and memorie with feare and diligence to obserue is of all now put in bookes that now our memorie is put in writyng and then was it fixed in minde in so muche that noble Athenian Themistocles passyng by Simonides schoole who as some suppose taught firste the arte of Memorie beyng demaunded whether he would learne the arte and facultie of Memorie answered that he had rather learne how to forgette thynges then to keepe thynges in Memorie for I can not saied he forgette what I would and I haue thynges in Memorie whiche faine I would thei were out of Memorie Seneca doeth so report of hymself that he was of suche perfect Memorie that he could reherse after one by hearing twoo huÌ„dred verses yea a greater maruaile of Memorie he could recite twoo thousande names of men beyng repeated once before hym with as good a Memorie as he that firste named them The like we read of Aelius Adrianus a capitain that hauing a greate armie vnder hym of soldiours if any were absent in any place about any businesse he had in Memorie the name of the persone the name of the place and the cause of his businesse Of this excellent Memorie to their perpetuall fame was kyng Cirus and Scipio the one a Persian the other a Romain whiche had this fame by Memorie that either of theim could seuerally call their soldiours by name euery one after an other whiche is moste rare yea moste maruailous hauyng so many alwaies vnder them as both Rome and Persia were chiefly in their daies by them defended to be able to name so many soldiours as either of them both had in armie Their Memorie was suche thâ—n that thei maie not be forgotten now Iulius Caesar was as muche renowmed for that Plinie reported that he could dooe suche thynges by Memorie as in readyng in talkyng in hearyng and in aunsweryng at one tyme that no fault could be founde in either of these fower qualities at one tyme practised whereby he deserueth no lesse praise by his Memorie then fame by his actes Diuers excelled in tyme paste in Memorie as Horâ—ensius a noble Oratour of Rome was able to speake in any place any thing which he premidated priuatly without studie openly he had more truste in his Memorie then in bookes Carmides of Grece was so famous for this facultie that he neuer heard any readyng but he could repeate it worde by worde without writyng were the writyng or readyng neuer so long he would not misse a sillable Cyneas a noble and a famous Oratour one of the counsailours of kyng Pirrhus beyng sente from Epire vnto the Senatours of Rome as an Ambassadour he but once hearyng the names of the Senates before he came vnto the Senate house where when he came he named them orderly by name euery one after an other that all the Senatours were in a greate admiration of his Memorie in repeatyng so many names in openyng so many matters in coÌ„cludyng so
ioyne these Legendes of lyes of olde women with friuolous figmentes of Poets which likewise affirme the like folly of fiery Phlegeton of frostye Cocytus of the water of Stygia of the flood Lethes and of Acheronta with other such when all Paganicall rites and fonde foolishe obseruations first grewe I meane of fables of the Poets and not by the reading of the holy Scriptures O blinde baiardes in séeking that which they coulde neuer finde so And as they coulde prooue and say that the body came out of the earth the moysture out of the water â—he breath of man by the ayre and the heate of man by the fire so coulde they not know the worker thereof how wit and wisedome came from God how all things was made by him of nothing This knew they not not that they wanted learnyng but that they wanted grace They could appoint planets in their seuerall places in their due seates and iust Mansions as Iupiter in the liuer Saturne in the splene Mars in blood Sol in the heart the Moone in the stomacke and Venus in the reynes but they coulde not agrée in appointing a place for the soule They coulde likewise appoint seates for the bodies superiour in man as the Ramme in the head the Bull in the necke and the Crab in the heart the Lion in the breast and the fishe in the foote and so of others but they coulde in no wise find a seate for the soule True is it saide that God reuealeth wisedome vnto babes and hideth the same vnto the sages of the worlde â–ª Hence groweth the beginning of all heresies according vnto the prouerb The greatest Philosophers the greatest Heretickes Hereby I say grewe almost the inuention of Philosophie coequall vnto the veritie of the gospell from the which Paule the Apostle crieth vpon all men to take héede of flattering Philosophers If in this place I shoulde shewe their opinions concerning our God and Creatour I should séeme tedious For Diagoras and Theodorus affirme that there is no God Epicurus iudged that there is a God but that he had no care ouer earthly things Thales sayd that God was a minde which made all things of water Cleanthes supposed God to be the ayre onely Alcineon iudged the Sunne the Moone and the stars to be onely God Parmenides maketh God to be a continuall circle of light which is called Stephanen Crisippus nameth God a deuine necessitie Anaxagoras supposeth God to be an infinite minde mooueable by it selfe so doth Pythagoras likewise iudge Yea Aristotle imagined God to be of proper nature as the worlde or the heate of the Heauens or the diuinitie of the minde which eyther of these three he nameth God and so infinite are they that so simply conceaue the maiesty of Godhead that farre wiser had they séemd vnto vs by silence therin then by vttering of suche fonde phantasticall opinions where too much errour and folly are vnto all men euident ¶ Of vvorshipping of gods and religion of Gentyles NVma Pompilius the seconde king of Rome being studious to drawe the ignoraunt and rude people to some profession of religion was the first that appointed sacrifices vnto Iupiter and vnto Mars In Rome euen hée elected viâ—gines vnto Vesta and appointed certen orders in choosing of the same None by the lawe of Numa might bée taken vnder sixe-yeres olde and none aboue terme to bée a Vestal virgin which virgines should bée thirty â—eâ—eâ— religious and vowed vnto Vesta of the which thirtâ— yeres the first tenne yeres â–ª they shoulde learne the orâ—â—der and fashion of the sacrifices and religion of the goddesse Vesta The seconde tenne yeres they shoulde sacrifice and employ the ceremonies with rites and â—onours belonging vnto Vesta â–ª The thirde tenne yeres they shoulde as graue Matrones learne the others 〈◊〉 chosen to bée perfect in the rites ceremonies of Vesta â–ª Then if any of them woulde marry they might after thirty yeres continuaunce so do If any of these Vestal virgines were conuicted of whordome the law was â–ª in open sight of the City of Rome she shoulde bée brought vnto the gate called Collina and there aliue be burned Againe if the fire at any time in the Temple had gone out by any meanes their kepers with scurges shoulde whip and scurge them almost vnto death The same Numa to make the people more religious appointed twelue men called Salij with painted garmentes singing verses in the praise commendations of God Mars with solempne dauncing and playing rounde about the City Amongst other sacred orders hée made certen Priestes called Feciales these punished offendours these reuenged the wronges of Legates these redressed all iniuries offered and committed within the City of Rome these Priestes appointed rites and ceremonies made sacrifices vnto the goddesse Bona Dea in a Temple erected vnto their goddesse vppon mount Auentine here might no men come to do sacrifice but all women Of this goddesse Bona Dea doth Cicero make oft mention in diuers of his orations and inuectiuos made against diuers pernicious and wicked of the City as Cutelin Clodius and others There was in Rome another kinde of religion dedicated vnto Flora the sacrifice whereof was called Floralia This Flora as both Liuius and Dionisius do report was a common strumpet which for that she made the whole citie of Rome her hâ—yre â–ª being wealthy at her death she was therefore thought to bée of the Romanes the goddesse of fruites and was honoured of all the lewde women in braue garlandes decked with all of flowres in gorgeous apparell and this was done in the moneth of May. The goddesse Ceres began then to bée famous for she had hir feasâ—es and sacrifices named Cerealia by the Priestes appointed she was thus honored the Priestes in white garments and with lanternes and firebrands in the night time woulde come vnto the Temple they abstayned from Wine and auoyded venery for a certen time they had appointed euery fift yere a great fasting Minerua likewise began to haue such honour in Rome that she had thrée seueral kindes of sacrifices one of a Bull the seconde of a Crane the thirde of a Weather The Romanes did celebrate in the beginning of the spring such feastes and sacrifices vnto Berecynthia called the mother of the goddesse that euery man did offer of the chiefest thing that hée did possesse to pleasure their goddesse There were diuers other kindes of sacrifices and vaine supersticious ceremonies obserued then in Rome whose beginninges procéeded from the inuention of deuyls which of long time were honoured as gods for then men sought no helpe but of their gods which were rather deuyls as Polidorus in his fourth booke affirmeth of a certen rich man in Rome which had thrée of his sonnes sore sicke of the plague this man was named Valesius who euerye night at whome in his house besought his housholde goddes called Penates to saue his children
and penurie It is not straunge that Agathocles the potter Iustinius the svvinehearde yea Archilaus borne of a bond-vvoman shoulde be aduaunced vnto regall seate That sage Greke therfore Pittachê° in the temples of Mittilena depainted a brode ladder vvhere some did ascend and some discend to notifie the state of fortune Some hongry feeding at the Table of Tantalê° Some toyling to rol the stone of Sisiphê° Some striuing vvith the burthen of Atlas Some busie to fill the empty buckets of Belides and some carefull to turne the vvheele of Ixion vvhereat I knovve not vvhether the vvise may laugh rather at the folly of the same vvith Democritus or vveepe at the miserie of the same vvith Heraclitê° Hovv happy is he that sayleth by Scilla vvithout daunger that passeth by Ciclops dennes vvithout perill that goeth vnto Lotophagos and not hindered that drinketh vvith Cirses and not infected that heareth the Cirenes and not allured In fine that entereth vnto hell and not conuicted yea tvvise happye is that contented man vvho hauing nothing possesseth all thinges and hauing all thinges possesseth nothing By this onely Biton the siely argiue vvas preferred before Cirus king of Persea by Solon By this Aglaus the poore Arcadian vvas aduaunced before Cressus King of Lidia by Apollo And by this onely vvas Gangeticus vvoont to say that hauing but bread and vvater he vvoulde not chaunge life vvith Iupiter for had that renovvmed Pirrhus beene contented vvith the kingdome of Epire he had neuer beene slaine by a simple vvoman at Argos Had Siphax beene satisfied vvith all the dominion of Numidia he had neuer died a captiue in Rome And had that great conquerour Alexander beene sufficed vvith one vvorld he had neuer vvept vvhen he heard that there vvere diuers vvorlds Such gredy desire of vvealth such vaine ostentation of life that al Athens coulde not abide tvvo Alcibiades All Sparta might not suffer tvvo Lisanders nor all the vvorld might maintaine tvvo Alexanders Such vaine glorye of selfe loue such felicitie in the vvorlde yea such ambition of honour vvith men that poore Temison a Gardener vvoulde be called Hercules in Cipris simple Menecrates a Phisition vvould be called Iupiter in Greece and foolish Hanno a Citizen vvoulde be called a God in Carthage So that some put their cheefe felicitie vvith Crisippus in the vvorlde some vvith Antisthenes in fame after death Many vvith Themistocles in descending froÌ„ a hie linage A number vvith Simonides to be vvell beloued of the people Diuers vvith Palemon in eloquence others vvith Euripedes in a faire vvoman and others vvith Sophocles in getting of children Seely Herostratê° burned the temple of Diana to become famous Pausanias slue Philip King of Macedonia to be spoken of Desire vnto fame made Iuliê° Caesar to enuy the marshall monumentes of Alexander in Gades made Alexander vveepe at the fame of Achilles in Phrigia made Achilles crie out at the renovvme of Theseê° in Greece and made Theseê° starke mad at the enterprises of Hercules in al places VVherfore that learned Philosopher Plato termed enuy Serra animae VVhy vvas Perdicca enuied for his noble magnanimitie VVhy vvas Lysimachê° hated for his approued experience And vvhy vvas Antigonê° disdained for his politick vvisdome so that Plini saith most true that there is no light vvithout shadovve nor no vertue vvithout enuy VVhich if your vvorship sometime bestovv your selfe to reade some booke or other you shall in reading diuers bookes knovv and perceaue the causes thereof for as the Bee gathereth of some hearbe Gumme of another the refuse of VVaxe of an other Honye so in reading diuers bookes diuers profites of Rethoricke the vvaye of persvvation of Logicke the sleight of reason of histories the orders of countreys of Philosophy the secretes of nature and of diuinitie the path of life vvherefore Alphonsus the great King of Aragon being a long time sicke in Capua geuing him selfe to reade Titus Liuius of the marshall feates of Romans and Q. Curtiê° of the noble actes of Alexander the great hauing thereby recouered his health vvas vvoont to say that he neuer hearde better Musicke then he hearde in Liuie nor neuer had better Phisick then he had in Curtius Augustê° Caesar therfore vvould neuer be vvithout Virgil in hande nor Alexander the great vvithout Homer vnder his Pillovv Happy vvas Pompeius vvhen hee had Cicero in his bosome and glad vvas Scipio vvhen he had Enneus in his sight yea Dionisius the tiraunt vvoulde honour Plato and Antigonus the cruell geue place to Zeno. So as Alphonsus saide there is no svveeter Musicke then in reading there is no better Phisicke then in reading and there is no sounder counsell then in reading There is mirth there is sadnesse there is vvisedome and knovvledge there is persvvasion and there is vvarning vvhich if your vvorship do folovve but Appelles sayinges vnto his schollers that no day shoulde passe vvithout the reading of one line or to imitate Hortensius â–ª sometime of the day either to reade aske or to learne something I knovve you vvill say vvith Solon Indies senesco multa discens trusting to call to minde that short and svveete sentence of Epaminondas vnto his friende Pelopidas that no good nature ought to go out of his house in the morning but before he returneth home he vvill vvinne one friende or other forgetting not the saying of Tiberius the Emperour vvho thought that day yll spent in the vvhich he did good to no body or profited no man Thus doing your vvorship shall encrease in knovvledge multiply your freendes aduaunce your fame and enioy felicitie of life ¶ Your seruaunt Lodovvicke Lloide TO THE READER VNvvise much vvere I beeing base and barren if I thought to escape that which Homer that sweete and sugred Mecaenas of Greece might in no wise auoyde Simple were I to seeke to auoyde that which the wisest and the learnedst Socrates and Architas coulde not shunne therefore euen as the Rhodians and the Lacedemonians in the games of Olimpia were taunted of Diogenes the one for their brauerie the other for their raggednesse so these Cinikes sortes finde faulte with the good aswell as the badde Lucullus a noble Romane demaunded of the Philosopher Seneca what best he might doe to please Nero the Emperour and not to offende the common people had in aunswere to doe much seruice vnto Princes and to vse little taulke and to shewe humanitie vnto the commons Knowing well gentle Reader how ready the most part are to accuse the learned and hovv fewe are willing to excuse the ignorant I am contented rather to be reprehended for my good will in penning this pilgrimage of Princes than to be commended by that vvhich may prooue my ydle lyfe by silence Being mindefull of the youth of Egypt how they shoulde make account vnto their magistrates of paine and trauell most willing to accomplish something that might discharge the same I tooke this laboure in hande in that that I coulde to the vttermost to
sobbes sighes and silence she came to Christe Better sayth Zeno it is to fall from foote or horse than to lie in tongue Euen so the learned Athenians obserued silence in such estimation that though Athens was counted the well of wisdome the flower of Philosophie where all the world came to learne to speake yet learned they silence in suche sorte as that worthye Gréeke Themistocles at that time he was banished Athens and enforced to goe into Persea where he was much esteemed and honorably receyued and being intreated of the King to shewe the state of his countrie Themistocles besought the king to graunt him one yere to learne the Persean tongue and then the king shoulde be certefied in all poyntes that he woulde demaunde of Themistocles O famous Gréeke though banished from Athens yet obserued hée the lawe of Athens forgot not silence which was so honoured in Gréece though hée was in Persea a place sayth Curtius where silence was so magnified that sharpe punishment was prouided for tongue taulking The people of Sparta were noted as men giuen most vnto silence hating so superfluous wordes that when the Embassadours of the Abderites as Plutarch maketh mention had made a long and a tedious oration before King Agis of Sparta and after much time spent and many wordes in vaine bestowed as tongue talkers doe taking their leaue from Agis willing to haue an answere to theyr King of Abderites salute your king sayth Agis from me and tell him as long as you spake so long helde Agis his peace letting them to vnderstande of theyr much folly in babling The like aunswere receyued the Embassadours of Samos after a long Oration and tedious talke of Cleomenes King of the Lacedemonians saying the first part of your Oration I forgot the second parte I vnderstande it not and the thirde part I doe not well alowe That Tayler is not expert that maketh Hercules hose to a childes legge nor that Shoomaker can be good sayth Agisilaus that frameth Titorâ—â—us shooe to that little Molons foote neyther may he be counted wise that speaketh muche to none effect Wherefore the first thing which that auncient and learned Pithagoras taught his Schollers was carefullye to kéepe silence It was Pythagoras lawe that none of his schollers might speak any thing in fiue yere space after their first comming vnto schoole It was no lesse carefull vnto Pythagoras to teache them silence than it was painefull for them to learne silence Most harde and most difficult is that silence vnto a young man that one Messius pined and tormented himselfe thrée yeares as Plini sayth for silence sake But Simonides sayd sometime to a still man amongst a number of wisemen If thou be a foole sayde he thou doest the part of a wiseman to holde thy peace but if thou be wise thou art a foole that thou doest not speake to wise men and so I ende silence to follye is great wisdome and silence to wisedome is méere folly Cleanthes therefore being desired of a Gentleman some shorte wise sentence to instruct his sonne with all sayde learne onely this word to thy sonne Siga that is silence That noble and renowmed philosopher Zeno at what time he had prepared a banquet in Athens to receyue the Embassadours of Antigonus King of Macedonia where certaine learned Philosophers and eloquent Orators were present after many large and subtill disputations and great ostentation of Rethoricke betwixt them had at supper Zeno being demaunded of the Embassadours why hée kept silence all that while aunswered that to kéepe silence is greater knowledge than to speake for silence sayde Zeno is most difficult to obtaine and most harde to kéepe and therefore most rare founde A Gentleman in that company then named Agatho hearing Zeno so commending silence being no lesse desirous to leare silence then being learned to kéepe it prepared a great stone and healde it in the roufe of his mouth thrée yere to auoide ydle wordes superfluous talke and to learne sober silence and vertuous taciturnitie Alexander the great when his mother Olimpias did send letters from Macedonia vnto India where then he was at warres wherein were written muche concerning the state of Macedonia and great complaynts made on Antipater with diuers more secret councelles sealed he reading these newes his friende Hephaestion who knewe all the secretes of Alexander looking and reading the letters with the King vnto the ende then Alexander toke his signet from his finger after perusing of these letters ioyned it close vnto Ephaestions mouth saying Sith in friendeship you fayle not in silence breake not A showe of silence in Alexander honored but of Princes which honoured silence Iulius Caesar most estéemed the same he may iustly chalenge for sobrietie in drinking and modestie in taulking the garlande of prayse Who after long warres with Pompeius the great sometime his especiall friende yea and marièd to Iulia Caesars daughter being conuicted in Pharsalia and enforced to flee vnto Egypt his treasures substaunce and welth being brought vnto Caesar in a great cheast where diuers sealed letters and great councelles Caesar founde which he neuer opened for silence sake tooke them all togither and threwe them into the fire for that all men might learne how much hée estéemed silence this done vnto Pompeius at Pharsalia and the lyke vnto Scipio at Thescus he sayde vnto his souldiours that it behooued a Prince to finde out friendes rather than sâ—arch out foes The noble Emperour knew well by reading of Pompeius letters he might be mooued to diuers iniuries by opening of Scipios secrettes he might accuse diuers wrongfully therefore he had rather purchase by silence friendes than by breaking of counsell mooue enmitie Howe sure and safe is the rewarde of silence hystories of Gréeke and Latine can well report Had Calisthenes followed the councell of his Mayster Aristotle eyther merily or neuer to speake vnto a Prince he had neuer founde fault with Alexander by speaking to anger Alexander and to harme himselfe Hadde not learned Seneca so reprooued the Emperour Nero and tyraunt of Rome with wordes he had not béen rewarded with death If the Poet Neuius had not written his minde vnto Metellus If Chius had not béene familier in talke with king Antigonus they had saued lyfe by silence which haue purchased death by talking Therfore Phocion that wise Gréeke which sugred Demosthenes called the rasor of Athens was alwayes afrayde as Plutarchus sayth least anye sodaine sillable or foolishe worde might escape his tongue imprudentlye So that silence gayneth lyfe and wordes causeth death as Linus the auncient Musition at what time with Hercules he founde fault for that he was Linus scholler and taught him on instrumentes for wordes speaking of Linus vnto Hercules he was slaine of his owne mayster so that silence vnto Princes is most nâ—cessarie O noble silence O rare vertue O most worthy Iuell thou hurtest no
Marcus Antonius was conuicted by Augustus Caesar the Emperour she had rather to bee ouercomed with Serpentes then subdued by Caesar. With this death was Opheltes Lycurgus sonne kyng of Menea vanquished Again some of wilde Bores and ragyng Lions perished as Anceus kyng of Sâ—mos and Paphages kyng of Ambracia perished in the like miserie the one by a Boore the other by a Lion Some by Dogges as Linus Apollos sonne Plini in his seuenth booke maketh mention of a Quéene in Bythinia named Cosinges kyng Nicomedes wife whom her owne dogges slue and tare in péeces Euripides that learned Greeke commyng in the nighte tyme from Archelaus kyng of Macedonia with whom he had béen at supper was by an ill willer of his mette named Promerus whiche set his dogges to mangle hym vnto death EueÌ„ so were Heraclitus and Diogines bothe Philosophers by dogges likewise deade I maie not forget so greate a Prince as Basilius the Emperour of Macedon which in huntyng emongest his lordes and nobles yea emoÌ„gest thousandes of his Commons he onely meetyng a Harte in the chase was prickt in the legge and so died As for Seleucus kyng of Siriae soone vnto Antiocus surnamed the GOD and Bela kyng of Pannonia thei were bothe throwen by their horses and so died If these mischaunces happen vnto princes in the middest of their glorie and state what is it then but miserie of mortalitie and pilgrimages of Princes sithe nothyng expelleth fate nor can auoide death Some so wearie of life some so fearfull of death that thei threwe them self vnto waters to be drouned others for all diligente feare watchyng for death were moste shamfully notwithstandyng by death preuented Fredericke the Emperour marchyng towardes Ierusalem after that he had taken Cities and Tounes in Armenia in passyng through a little riuer he was drouned Decius that noble and stoute Kyng enforced to take his flighte from the Gothes with whom he then was in warres was drouned in the Marishe grounde Marcus Marcellus after that he had been a Consull in Rome three tymes before the thirde warres betwixte the Romains and the Carthagians was likewise by a shipwracke cast awaie Howe many noble Princes were drouned with Pharo kyng of Aegypte in the redde sea we rede in the sacred scriptures How many again that seas and waters spoiled from life wee reade of whiche altered the names of the seas and waters when thei were drouned with their owne names As by Aegeus kyng of Athens death the sea Aegeum was called By Tirrhenus death king of Lidia the sea was called Tirrhen And so kyng Tyberinus altered the riuer named Aelbula by his death to be the Riuer of Tiber. Againe the Sea HellespoÌ„t by a woman named Helle. The sea Hesperides by the maides called Hesperides So by Icarus and Myrtilus the sea of Icarus and the Sea Myrton were spoken To many wer by waters spoiled as we se daily by experience As for honger diuers Princes againe died yea compelled to eate their owne fleshe as Erisicthon and Neocles a Tyraunt of Scycioma whiche for his cruell tyrannie vnto Athens he tasted of the same feaste hym self It is written in Curtius that Queene SysigaÌ„bis kyng Darius mother died of honger Who so readeth Chronicles shall finde diuers mischauÌ„ces happen vnto princes from tyme to tyme for that thei bee enuied at for Vlixes the Greke leste any ofspryng of Hector should rise in Phrigia to reuenge the falle of Troye and his countrey caste Hectors sonne Astianax ouer the walles a liue EueÌ„ as somtime Lycurgus king of Thracia was of his owne Subiectes throwen headlong vnto the sea for that he first mingled water with wine How many famous and noble princes were stoned and by stones deade as valiaunte Pyrrhus kyng of the Epirotes beyng in warres with Antigonus was slaine by an olde woman with a Tile stone at Argos PyraÌ„der at what tyme the Athenians warred against Eumolpus for that he feared famine hidden the wheat from his souldiours was therefore of theim stoned to death Euen so was Cinna the Romain at the warres betwixte the FreÌ„chemen and Rome for the like thing stoned vnto death stoute Cebrion king Priamus sonne was slaine by a stone of Patroclus at the siege of Troy so was Cignus of Achilles at the same time O vnstedfaste Fortune that little stones should ende so many famous liues of Princes O vnprudente Princes that knowe not how nigh alwaies ye are vnto death How many did God punishe and plague with sodaine death for their offences and misliuyng as Mythridates kyng of Pontus Nicanor the soonne of Parmenio kyng of Macedonia as Curtius in his v. booke dooe write died sodainly Sertorius was slaine sodainly at a banquette by Vpenna The Emperour Heliogabalus was killed vpon his stoole at his easemente and throwen vnto Tiber Carbo a noble Romaine after that sorte while he was easyng hym self vpon his stall was commaunded to bee murthered by Pompeius That renowmed and famous Conquerour Iulius Caesar was in the middest of the Citie of Rome where he was Emperour yea in the Senate house murthered and maÌ„gled of Brutus and Cassius Diuers Consuls in Rome died this death as Fabius Maximus Gurges the Senatour and Manlius Torquatus eueÌ„ at his supper died presently Thus some with Thunderboltes did God likewise punishe as Prince Capaneus slaine at the warres of Thebes Tullius Hostilus kyng of Rome was with a Thunderbolt for his insolencie and pride â—laine Zoroastes king of the Bactrians the firste inuentour of Magique was likewise by that kinde of death ouer taken Pride in princes was the onely cause of their falles in so muche the Poetes faine that the greate monstrous and huge Giaunt named Euceladus for his proude enterprise againste Iuppiter was throwen with a Thunderbolte vnto the bottome of Aetna a fierie and flamyng Mountaine The vncertaine state of Princes the flattrie before and the enuie behinde is seen and tried by their death Who liueth so shorte a tyme as a Prince Who dieth so straunge a death as a prince Who liueth in care Who dieth liuyng but a prince was not Sergius Galba and Commodus the sonne of Marcus surnamed Anbilius twoo Emperours of Rome the one by Otho strangled in the Markette place of Rome the other by Marcia his owne Concubine after he ruled Rome xiij yeres Was not I saie Lentulus beeyng taken in conspiracie with that wicked Cateline slaine and mangled at the commaundement of Cicero who then was CoÌ„sull at Rome Likewise Cethegus Gabinius Ceparius and Stabilius for that thei rebelled with Catelin were appoincted by the Senatours to bée strangled in prison Nothyng so vncertaine as the state of princes nothing more deceiptfull then princes again as well proued by histories For Minoes kyng of Crete trauailyng after Daedalus vnto Sicilia was there of his great freÌ„de kyng Cocalus as
reuenged her old loue and requited his seruice then after this sorte She threwe a greate stone after hym and there killed hym and straight for sorowe callyng to minde the old amitie and hidden loue betwene them hāged her self The reuengement y t Cleonimus that noble famous Lacedemonian who hauing his owne wife in suche admiration of impacient loue that he was as muche hated of her as she of hym was honoured and estemed for she loued onely kyng Acrotatus sonne so deare that her housebande Cleonimus vnderstandyng the same went to Epire to kyng Pirrhus perswadyng hym earnestly to come to Peloponesus and to moue warres against kyng Acrotatus wherby he might reuenge the spite doen of his wife in killyng hym whom she loued beste a greate reuengemente as he thought vnto her then to reuenge vpon her owne persone to spoile hym whom she loue better then her self Valerius Torquatus for that he might haue Tuscus doughter in mariage moued warres out of hande and reuenged the same with bloud For what cause did Progne king Pandions doughter of Athens kill her owne sonne Itis and gaue hym to bee eaten vnto his father and her housebande kyng Tereus of Thrace nothyng but to reuenge her sister Philomela whom her housebande defloured her Why did Nero that cruell Emperour kille Seneca his maister and teacher in all his youth for nothyng but to reuenge olde stripes whiche he receiued at his maister beyng a boie For what purpose did Cateline Silla Damasippus Marius and other take quarelles to plage Rome to punishe all Italie to destroie the coūtrey for nothyng but for that thei could not abide one aboue an other Darius after that he had taken the Citie of Babilon he reuenged his old malice after this sort as Herodot in his third booke affirmeth He made thre thousande of the beste within the Citie bee hanged Attila Kyng of Pannonia slue a leuen thousande virgines at the besiegyng of Colonia So diuers wer reuengemēt emongest menne so cruell yea so foolishe that Xerxes and Cirus twoo greate kynges of Persia that when the water of Hellespont molested Xerxes and troubled his soldiours he forth with commaunded that the sea Helespont should haue three hundred stripes and willed three hundred paire of Featters to bee throwen vnto Hellespont to binde the sea Euen so did Cirus for that the riuer Gindes did droune one of Cirus beste geldynges he made his souldiours to deuide the riuer vnto a hundred and fower score small partes to reuenge Gindes rage towarde Cirus thinkyng that by breaking of the greate rage of so greate a streame that he well and worthely requited the iniuries of Gindes These are cruell reuengers too many are of these in so muche that women reuenge their malice after this sorte As Tomiris Queene of Scithia who to reuenge her soonne Mergabites death slue kyng Cirus and twoo thousandes of his soldiours Too great a slaughter for one mannes death and not yet satisfied vntill she bathed Cirus heade in a greate vessell full of bloudde This Beronice Pollia and diuers cruell women beside could dooe the one is dooen with anger and synne the other is dooen with vertue and aduisemente For princes muste vse aduisement in reuenging must vse wisedome in sufferaunce For as Frederick the Emperour was often wonte to saie that Princes that reuenge hastely and specially wrongfully are like faire markes for good archers to shoote at High towers and loftie buildynges are soner fiered with lightenynges then lowe houses and small cottages For Tiberius Caesar Emperoure of Rome beyng in the Senate house to punishe those euills and to reuenge those harmes that were by some of the citie threatened toward his estate God forbidde saied he that Tiberius should haue so muche idle tyme to heare euill spoken muche lesse to reuēge euill doen. Antigonus kyng of Macedonia besiegyng a Castle in Grece wherein a nomber of bolde Greekes vsed for their pastyme and sporte to scoffe this kyng knowyng the situation of the Castle to bee in suche a place that might not bee subdued Thei therefore laughyng hym to scorne as well for his enterprice therein ▪ as also for his slender persone and croked nose whiche kyng Antigonus had saied he would reuenge all their doynges with sufferaunce and hoped thereby to moleste the enemies double Diuers Heathen princes wer acquainted with this reuengement as Lisander Agesilaus and others for vnto God onely belongeth vengeaunce I will not speake here of suche reuengyng of Princes of Countreis of frendes that al men knowe But of rare reuengement whiche Philosophie taught vnto Socrates towarde Xantippe who beyng at supper hauyng a straunge geste named Enthidemum his wife Xantippe beganne to take her housbande vp with tauntyng and opprobrious wordes whiche because he would not auswere and be moued by her chidinges she ouerthrewe the table with all the meate and the Cuppes whiche whē Enthidemum sawe he was amazed at the ragyng of Xantippe beholdyng Socrates in the face to see how he thought of the matter but Socrates vnderstandyng that his geste did maruaile at his wife saied haue not you sometyme at home a Henne that will after longe clockyng with a sodaine flight throwe doune your cuppes with her wyng wherewith Enthidemum was fully satisfied with the wise aunswere of Socrates in reuengyng so greate a faulte Phocion a learned man of Athens was wont to saie that he had rather suffer iniurie wrongfully then to reuenge iniurie sometyme rightfully This man Phocion by whom Athens long flourished at what tyme he was putte to death moste wrongfully of the Athenians euen a little before he should die beyng demaunded whether he would commaunde any thyng vnto his soonne standyng thereby to see his father ende Spake vnto his sonne after this sorte My sonne saied he this I charge and require thée and moreouer beseche that thou will neuer reuenge the wrongfull death of thy father Phocion vpon the Athenians Solon a noble learned Athenian was wont to reuenge his wronges with these wordes If the fissherman suffer the salte water of the Sea to sprinkle vpon his face and vpon his clothes to weate hym for to take Fishe how muche more ought Solon suffer to speake to winne thē to be frendes Surely these three Philosophers deserue more praise and commendation I meane Socrates Phocion and Solon for the reuengyng of the euill with goodnes and vertue Then euer Alexander the Greate or Iulius Caesar or Theseus whiche reuenged euill with euill Wherefore Chilon the Lacedemonian beyng one of the officers called Ephori in the Citie of Sparta his brother demaundyng why he might not bee likewise one of the fiue Ephori as well as his brother saied vnto his brother because I can suffer wronge and thou canste not Therefore princes ought not to doe wrong nor yet reuenge wrōg with wrong but with paciente sufferaunce and goodnesse and doyng good for euill thei shall
betwene the Aegiptians and the Assirians betwene Ptholomeo and Alexander the one kyng of Aegipte the other kyng of Assiria and all for one woman Cleopatra ▪ Augustus the Emperour kepte longe warres for Octauia his sister whiche Anthonius through luste defiled to the spoyle and murther of manie Romaines had Ixiona Kynge Priamus sister not lusted to go with Thelamonius frō Troie vnto Gréece had likewise Helē Menelaus wife not lusted to come with Paris from Gréece vnto Troy the bloody warres and ten yeares siedge betwene the Greekes and the Troians had neuer been written of Homer Had not lust ruled the fiue cities called Pentapolis where Sodome and Gomer were the earth had not swallowed theym vp to the destruction of all the people sauyng Lot and his children If lust had not ruled all the worlde the deluge of Noach had not drouned the whole yearth and all liuyng creatures sauyng Noach his wife and his children Thus lust from tyme to tyme was the onely Monster and Scourge of the worlde And in this oure age luste is nothyng diminished but muche encreased and though not to bee plagued with water accordyng vnto promise yet to bee punished with fire most sure we be vnlesse we detest and abhorre this vice There is a historie worthy to be noted of Princes in Iustine that will not punishe these offences Pausanias a noble gentleman of Macedonia beyng a verie faire yong man whiche Attalus for lust muche abused and not contented wickedly and vngodly to handle the yong man so brought hym vnto a banquet where in his winkyng Attalus would haue vsed hym as before makyng all men priuie how Pausanias was kynge Attalus paramour as a woman thus the young manne beyng ashamed often complained vnto Philip kyng of Macedonia whiche Philip had maried then of late the suster of Attalus and had diuorsed and put awaie Olimpias the mother of Alexander the greate for some suspicion Pausanias I saie after many and diuers complaintes made vnto kyng Philippe hauyng no redresse thereof but rather was flouted and scoft at Philippes hand Pausanias tooke it so greuously that Attalus was so estemed with the kyng beyng the cause of his complaintes and he so neglected that was so mynded he after this sorte requited his shame and iniuries At the mariage of Cleopatra kyng Philippes doughter and Alexander Kyng of Epire in greate triumphes and pompes Kyng Philippe in the middeste of ioyes walkyng betwene his owne sonne Alexander the Greate who then was but younge and Alexander kyng of Epire his soonne in lawe beyng married then vnto his daughter Cleopatra Pausanias thruste hym vnto the harte saiyng minister Iustice and punishe luste Thus died that mightie Prince as well for the bearyng of Attalus faulte as also for his owne wickednesse vsyng the same somtyme with a brother in lawe of his naturall brother vnto his firste wife Olimpias Luste and intemperancie are neuer escaped without iuste punishemente and due vengeaunce Ammon the soonne of kyng Dauid for that he misused his owne sister Thamar was afterwarde slaine Absalon for that he did lye with his fathers Concubine died for it Dauid was plagued for Urias wife The twoo Elders that would rauishe Susanna were put to death This synne is the onely enemie of man For all synnes saith sainct Paule is without the bodie but vncleanesse and luste synneth againste the bodie Therefore to auoide sight oftentimes is to auoide lust Had not Holofernus seen the beautie of Iudith yea marked the comlines of her slepeares he had not loste his heade by it Had not Herode seen Herodias daughter dauncyng he had not so rashely graunted her Ihon Baptiste heade Had not Eua seen the beautie of the Aple she had not eaten thereof We reade in the Genesis that when the sonnes of men viewed the beautie of women many euils happened thereby By sight was Pharaos wife moued in lust toward Ioseph her seruaunt By sight and beautie was Salomon allured to committe Idolatrie with false Gods By sight was Dina the doughter of Iacob rauished of Sichem These euills procede from sodaine sightes Therefore doeth the Prophete saie tourne awaie thine eyes lest thei se vanities The Philosopher likewise saieth that the firste offer or motion is in the eye from sight proceadeth motions from motion election from election consent from consente synne from synne death Wherefore with the Poet I saie resiste the violence of the first assaulte I meane the eyes the euill that happened thereby too long it were to write Luste againe hath an entraunce by hearyng as Iustine in his .xij. booke dooeth testifie of Thalestris Queene sometyme of the Amazones whiche hauyng heard the greate commendations the fame and renowme of Alexander the Greate ventered her life to hazarde to come from Scithia vnto Hircania whiche was as Iustine saieth xxv daies iourneis in greate daunger and perill of life as well by wilde beastes waters as also by forein foes She had thrée hundred thousandes women of Scithia in companie with her I saie for the fame she heard of this great Prince she came from her countrey where she was a Quene to lie with a stranger by luste And whē she had accomplished her minde and satisfied her luste after thirtie nightes liyng with hym she thought she was spead of some ofspryng of Alexander she returned vnto her owne countrie again For as Cicero doeth write we are more moued by reporte oftentymes to loue then by sighte For as by reporte Quéene Thalestris came to lye with Alexander for children sake from Scitha vnto Hercania for his magnanimitie victories and courage So by report came Quéene Saba from Ethiope vnto Salomon to heare and to learne wisedome O golden worlde Oh happie age when either for simplicitie men could not speake or for temperauncie menne would not speake the innocencie of thē then and the subtiltie of vs now the temperancie of their age and the luste of our age beyng well waighed and throughly examined it is easily to be seen how vertuously thei liued in ignorauncie and how viciously wee liue in knowledge For before Aruntius proude Torquinius soonne was by luste moued toward Collatinus wife There was no alteration of states nor chaunge of Common wealthes no banishement of princes in Rome and beyng chaunged for that purpose onely from a Monarchie vnto an other state called Aristocratia it continued so longe in that forme whiche was the firste chaunge vntill Appius rauished Virginius doughter which banished the order called Decemuiri whiche was the second change And thus the popular state whiche had chief rule alwaies of Rome chaunged states of the Citie diuers times for that luste so raigned Thus might I speake of diuers other countries whiche luste was the iust cause of the subuersion therof For of one Venus a strūpet in Cipres al Cipria was full of hores Of one Semiramis in Babilon all Persia lengthe grewe
that he neuer went a liue vnto Rome againe for moste cruelly and falsely was he slaine by Haniball In this falshed and periurie was Haniball muche defamed not as muche corrupted by vilenesse of his owne nature which alwaies in this was not to bee trusted but by the falshode and corruption of the Countrey of whiche it is prouerbially spoken Poeni perfidi false Carthaginians for the people of Carthage delited in falshode â–ª practized periurie and vsed all kind of craftes as the people of Sarmatha were moste false in wordes moste deceiptfull in deedes and moste cruell one towardes an other The Scithians beyng muche molested with warres and driuen to leaue their wiues at home in the custodie of the slaues seruauntes thei hauyng occasion to bee absent iiij yeres whose wiues married the seruauntes brake their former Faithe with their owne housbandes vntill with force and power their seruauntes were slain and so recouered their countreis wiues again Apollonius the chief gouernour of Samâ—os whom the commons of the Countrey from lowe estate had exalted vnto dignitie vnto whom thei committed the gouernment and state of Samios was so false of his faithe towardes his subiectes that hauyng their goodes landes liuynges and liues in his owne hand he betraied theim vnto Philip king of Macedonia their moste mortall enemie That proude periurer Cocalus king of Sicilia slue kyng Minoes of Crete though vnder colour of frendshippe and pretence of talke he had sente for hym Cleomenes brake promise with the Argiues with whom he tooke truce for certaine daies craftely betraied them in the night slue them being sleping and emprisoned against his former faith and promise made before Euen so did the false Thracians with the Boetians brake promise violated faithe destroied their countries depopulated their cities and of professed frendes and vowed faithe became wicked foes and false traitors But of all false periurers and vnnaturall foes shal Zopirus emongest the Persians and Lasthenes emongest the Olinthians to their perpetuall slaunder and reproche bee mentioned of the one borne in the famous citie of Babilon deformed hym self in suche sort with suche dissimulation of forged faithe that hauyng the rule and gouernment in his hande he brought kyng Darius to enioye that through his periurie and falshode that with long warres in many yeres he might not vaÌ„quishe nor subdue The other as falsly I beyng y e onely trust of the citizeÌ„s deliuered Olinthus their citie vnto the handes of their long and greate enemie Philippe kyng of Macedonia What fraude hath been founde alwaies in frendship What falshode in faithe What deceipte in truste the murtheryng of Princes the betraiyng of kyngdomes the oppressyng of innocentes from tyme to tyme in al places can well witnesse the same When Romulus had appoincted Spu Tarpeius to be chief capitaine of the Capitoll the chamber of Rome where the substaunce wealth of Rome did remain Tarpeia Spurius doughter whiche in the night tyme as she wente for water out of the citie metyng Tatius kyng of y e Sabins though he was then mortall enemie vnto Rome in coÌ„tinual warres with Romulus yet by false Tarpeia brought to be lord of the Capitoll thus Tarpeia beyng as false vnto Rome as king Tatius was likewise false vnto Tarpeia for she loking to haue promise kept of Tatius fouÌ„d him as Rome founde her She was buried a liue of Tatius by the Capitoll whiche was called Saturnus mouÌ„t and by her death buriall there named Tarpeius rocke vntill Torquinus Superbus tyme whiche first named it the Capitoll by findyng a mans heade in that place There was neuer in Rome suche falshode shewed by any man as was of Sergius Galba whiche caused there famous cities of Lusitania to appere before him promising them great coÌ„modities and diuers pleasures concernyng the states and gouernment of their citie yeldyng his faith and truth for the accomplishment of the same whose professed faithe allured to y e noÌ„ber of ix M. yong menne piked and elected for some enterprises for the profite of their countrey whiche when false Galba had spoiled these thrée cities of al flowers of their youthes against all promise and faithe slue the moste parte of theim sould and enprisoned the rest whereby he most easely might conquire their Cities men are neuer certen nor trustie in doing when thei are fautie in faithâ— For as the Sunne lighteneth the Moone so faithe maketh man in all thinges perfect for prudence without faith is vaine glorie and pride Temperaunce without faithe and trueth is shamefastnes or sadnes Iustice without faith is turned vnto iniurie and fortitude vnto slouthfulnes The orders in diuers countreis for the obseruation of frendship and for maintenaunce of certen and sure loue one towarde an other were diuers othes The noble Romains at what tyme thei sweare had this order he or she to take a flint ston in his right hand saiyng these wordes If I be gilty or offende any man betraie my countrey or deceiue my frende willingly I wishe to be cast awaie out of Rome by great Iupiter as I cast this stoan out of my hand and withall threwe the stoan awaie The auncient Scithians to obserue amitie and loue had this law They powred a greate quantity of wine in a greate Boule or a Cup and with their kniues launced some parte of their bodies letting their bloud to runne likewise one after an other vnto that cup and then minglyng the wine and blood together tipt the ende of their Speares â–ª and ther Arrowes in the wine takyng the boule in hand drank one vnto another professing by that draught faith and loue The Arabians when they would become faithful to anie to maintaine loue thereby had this custome one should stande with a sharpe stoan in his hande betwixt two and let blood in the palme of their handes and takyng of either of theim a péece of their garment to receiue their blood anointyng and diyng seauen stones in the blood callyng Vrania and Dyonisius their Gods to witnesse and kéepyng the stoanes in memory of frendship would depart one from an other The like lawe amongest the Barctians goyng vnto a diche and standyng thereby saiyng as Herodotus affirmeth as long as that holowe place or diche were not of it selfe filde vp so long desired the Barcians amitie and loue In readyng of histories we finde more certentie to haue been in theim by prophane othes then trueth often in vs by Euangelist and Gospell othes lesse periurie in those Gentiles swearyng by Iupiter or Apollo then in Christians swearyng by the true and liuynge God more amitie and frendship amongest them with drinkyng either of others blood then in vs by acknowledgyng and professyng Chistes blood When Marcus Antonius had the gouernemeÌ„t of Rome after Caesar was murthered by Brutus and Cassius and hauyng put to death Lucullus for his consente therein Volumnius hearyng of his frende Lucullus death came
the King in talke at his returne hée was beheaded â–ª Euen so Euagoras for that hée called Alexander the sonne of Iupiter was punished vnto death The Lacedemonians feared flattery so much that they banished Archilogus onlye for his eloquence in a Booke that he made Flatterie was so odious in Rome that Cato the Censor gaue coÌ„maundement to expell certen fine Oratours of Athens out of Rome least with fayre speache and flattery they might annoy the state of Rome what is it but flatterie can compasse what may not sugred Oratours mooue what coulde not Demosthenes doe in Athens what might not Cicero perswade in Rome King Pirrhus was woont to saye of Cineas his Philosopher that hée won more Citties Townes and countries through the flattering stile of Cineas than he euer subdued with the strength and force of all the kingdome of Epire. But to auoyd two much iarring of one string which as Plutarch sayth is tedious to the reader for nature is desirous sayth Plantus of nouelties Leauing flatterye as counsaylour vnto Princes hayle fâ—llowe with noble men chamberlaine with Ladies chiefe gouernour of the common people To speake a little of those that fledde flatterie it was the onely cause that Pithagoras that noble Philosopher forsooke his countrie Samos the whole occasion that worthy and learned Solon fledde from Athens the chiefe matter that made Licurgus to renounce Lacedemonia and the onely cause that made Scipio Nasica forsake Rome for where flattery is estéemed there truth is banished where flatterie is aduanced and honored there truth is oppressed and vanquished In fine flatterie findeth frindeshippe when truth getteth hatred as prooued in the histories of Senica and Calisthenes two famous Philosophers the one Maister vnto Nero Emperour of Rome â–ª the other appoynted by Aristotle to attende vppon Alexander the great King of Macedonia which Philosophers bycause they would not féede the corrupt natures insolent mindes of these prowde Princes with adulation and flatterye they were both put to death Seneca by Nero for his paine and trauell taken with the Emperour in reading him philosophie while Nero was young Calisthenes by Alexander for that he inueyed against the Meedes and Perseans who vsed suche flatterie that Alexander commaunded all men to call him the sonne of Iupiter Euen so of Cicero and Demosthenes the one the soueraigne Orator and Phaenix of Rome the onelye bulwarke of all Italie the other the sugred Anker the patron of Athens and protector of all Gréece After they hadde sundrie and diuers times saued these two famous Cities Rome and Athens the one from the pernicious coniurations and priuie conspiracie of that wicked Catelin and his adherentes the other from the prowde attemptes and long warres of that most renowned warriour Phillip King of Macedonia yet were they after many vertuous actes done in their countries and for their countries from their countries quite banished and exiled Cicero for Clodius sake Demosthenes for Harpalus which the Romans tooke so heauily that twentie thousande ware mourning apparell with no lesse heauinesse in Rome than teares for Demostenes in Athens Flatterye then was of some so hated that noble Phoceon and learned Athinian was woont to say to his fréende Antipater that he woulde take no man to be his fréende that hée knew to bée a flatterer And most certen it is that hée at this day that can not flatter can get no fréendship according vnto that saying of Terence obsequium amicos c. For euen as Aristides of Athens for his manifolde benefitâ—s vnto the Athenians was by flattery preuented and for trueth banished so likewise was Thucidides being sent as an Embassadour from Athens vnto Amphipolis a Cittie betwixt Thracia and Macedonia whiche King Philip kept by force by flattery preuented and exiled True seruice is often rewarded with anger and wrath of Princes as Thrasibulus a noble captaine and famous for his truth was banished out of Athens Lentulus the defender of Italy exiled from Rome Dion of Siracusa hunted out of his countrey by Dionisius euen that renowmed Hanibal the long protector of Carthage compelled after long seruice to range abrode like a pilgrime euery where to séeke some safegarde of his life Too many examples might be brought of Gréeke and Latin histories for the proofe hereof The chéefest Ancker and the strongest bulwark of common wealth saith Demosthenes is assured faith without flattery and good wyll tryed in the Commons plainnesse without deceit boldnesse and trust in the nobles Flattery is the only snare that wisemen are deceyued withall and that the Pharisées knew well when that they woulde take our Sauiour Christe tardie in his talke they began to flatter him with faire wordes saying Maister wée know that thou art iust and true and that thou camest from God Euen so Herode willyng to please the Iewes in kyllyng Iames the brother of Iohn in prisoning Peter in pleasing the people with flatterie that when Herode spake any flattering phrase the people straight cryed out saying this is the voyce of God and not the voyce of man so swéete was flatterie amongst the Iewes The flattering frindes of Ammon knowing the wickednesse of his minde and his peruerse dealing toward Mardocheus did not perswade Ammon from his tiranny but flattered with fayre wordes and made him prepare a huge Gallowes for Mardocheus where Ammon and hys children were hanged Likewise the young man that came to flatter king Dauid saying Saul and his children are deade was by Dauid for his flatterie commaunded to die Tertullius wheÌ„ he was brought to dispute with Paul first he flattered Faelix the President of the Iewes because with flatterie he thought to win the heartes of the hearers In fine flatteres will as the false prophetes sometime that did perswade Achab king of Israell of great fame and luck in the warres to come I saye they euen so will flatter their friendes of all good successe to come and passe with silence the truth present ¶ Of Pride PRide is the roote of all euill the sinke of all sinne the cause of all wickednesse the auncient enemy to the seate of GOD before man was made it did attempt the angels The outwarde pompe and vaine ostentations of shiftyng shewes from tyme to tyme from age to age maie be a suffient profe how prone howe bent and howe willyng we bee to honour pride Eusebius doth reporte that Domitianus the Emperour by an order of lawe charged al men to call him Dominum Deum Domitianum That is to name hym Lorde and GOD Domitian certenlie to heigh a stile though he was an Emperour to be called a God Likewise wee reade of a certen king in India named Sapor whiche would be called kyng of kynges brother vnto the Sunne and Moone felowe vnto the starres Aelianus a Gréeke historiographer in his 14. boke entituled of diuers histories doeth write of one Hanno borne in
that comparisons bee odious emongeste equalles and certaine more odious is it emongst vnequalles as betwene the riche and the poore But sithe the state of man is so diuers that some is contented with little and some neuer with muche Some toilyng and tramplyng hauing all thinges as though thei had nothing And some againe quiete and carelesse hauyng nothyng as though thei had all thynges consideryng that contentation of mynde and quietnesse of harte is the chief felicitie and soueraigne good of the worlde waiyng beside that pouertie is sure and saufe euery where and riches vnsure and dangerous at all tymes And that pouertie is carelesse and wealthe carefull I see not but by comparyng of the liues of Emperours Kynges and Princes of the worlde vnto selie poore menne But the state of the poore is better then the state of the riche as by Apollos Oracle proued of one Aglaus a poore manne in Arcadia preferred for his contentation before Kyng Cressus of Lidia whiche tooke hym self the happiest manne in the worlde for his wealth What profited kyng Darius to vanquishe the Persians and to be Kyng of Babilon and to haue out of Asia fiue hundred thre score and fiftene thousande Talentes yerely paied of tribute for he loste not onely all his wealthe but also his life for his wealthes sake by Alexander the great What profited Alexander again after that to haue the wealth of Persia the substaunce of Macedonia yea to haue all India and Asia and almoste the whole worlde in subiection and yet to bée poisoned of Antipater and lefte vnburied without regarde thirtie daies in Babilon for wealth was the chief cause of his death Was not poore Plautus and simple Cleanthes more happie in life then these two famous Kynges thei quietely with bakyng and bruing and appliyng their bokes liued a long tyme saufe and sounde These Princes were neuer at reste vntill one destroied an other in their youth and prime tyme. Kyng Xerxeâ— and Cirus gotte suche aboundance of wealthe by warres suche substaunce suche treasures that beeyng thereby disquietted and puffed vnto Pride to take enterprises in hande through perswasion of wealthe that the one after he thoughte to spoile and robbe all Grece was slaine by Artabanus the other thinkyng to subdue all Scithia was vanquished by Tomiris Queene of Scithia a woman and so bothe these proude Princes of wealth loste wealthe life and gooddes Was not Philemon and poore Acaetes which liued vnto the laste course of Nature quiete at reste more wise happie then thei If quietnesse of mynde if longe yeres if sauftie and soundnesse of life if perpetuall healthe maie perswade felicitie of life â–ª If poore Faustulus a Shepherd whiche somtyme founde in Romulus lefte of all men forsaken of his parentes hated of his freindes and nourished hym This Faustulus liued more mery yeres in keping of his Shepe a Shepherd then Iulius Caesar did in rulyng of Rome an Emperor For this Shepherde ended his life in old age this Emperour was murthered in the Senate house within fower yeres after he was elected Emperoure Was not Codrus a poore Poete and his wife Procula more luckie and happie to ende their daies after long life quietly then kyng Ninus and his wealthie Quene Semiramis that killed her housebande for the kyngdome of Assiria and after she likewise was slaine by her owne soonne Ninus for the obtainyng of the wealthe and substaunce thei had lefte was loste Examples are to many for the proofe hereof Solon a wiseman of Grece did preferre before riche and wealthie kyng Cressus Biton and Cleobis brethren twoo poore menne of Argiâ—e The poore familie of one Aelius in Rome where there were seuentene brethren hauyng but one poore fielde for their heritage liued longer proued happier and died more godly and liued more coÌ„tentiuely then the familie of Caesar. What was the cause that the Indians Babilonians Arabians and Lidians were spoiled destroied and murthered their greate substauÌ„ce â–ª treasures and wealthes of the Countreis If we examine well the doubtes and daungers of wealthe and waigh likewise the sauftie and surenesse of pouertie we must nedes preferre the quiete state of poore menne if thei be wise before the state and Fortune of Princes The worste lucke that can happen vnto a poore manne is to become riche for then he commeth from sure life to hasarde him with death And the beste that can happen vnto a riche manne is to become poore thereby is his life saued though his wealthe bee spoiled Howe Fortune dealeth in this poincte it is in diuers places of this booke mencioned The worst thyng that could happen vnto Demosthenes and Cicero was that they were aduaunced from their sounde state vnto honour and dignitie Wherby their liues wer lost the one beyng a consul of Rome the other the patron of Athens The worst thyng that could happen vnto Tullius Hostilius and vnto Torquinius Priscus was that thei wer aduaunced the one from a Sheparde the other from a banished straunger to be kynges of Rome If I should rehearse in this place howe many poore menne by callyng theim vnto wealth and honour haue been banished afterward slaine and imprisoned both in Rome in Gréece and in all the world I might séeme well vnto the reader more tedious then delectable If on the other side I should repeate how many Princes haue escaped death by loosing their Crownes and Scepters I were no lesse werie then fruictlesse Therfore I saie there is care and daunger in wealth and ther is quietnesse and safetie in pouertie The pleasure that Lucanus had in this worlde was nothyng elles but a poore Garden wher alwaies in his life he vsed to solace him selfe and when he died he commaunded his Graue to be made there where beyng dead he was buried Mecoenas had suche a Garden in Rome where all his feli-Citie was the Emperour Octauius might in no wise allure Mecoenas out of his Garden no more then Alexander the greate could moue Diogenes to forsake his Tunne to become wealthy here againe might bee brought those wise men that refused wealth and substaunce fled from honour and dignitie to liue quietly in pouertie but bicause I meane to be brief in all thinges I will omitte prolixitie Plinie doeth reporte that Protogenes a poore Painter was content to liue al the daies of his life in a little cottage that he made hym in his garden Plutarche likewise in the lief of Nicia doth write that Lamachus was so poore that when the people of Athens would make hym their king he wanted I saie Shues on his feete and yet had rather be poore Lamachus in safetie then to be kyng of Athens in danger For when a poore man named Hilarion met with certen Robbers and Theues and being demaunded of the Theues how chaunced that he feared not to walke alone in the night bicause saied hee I am
poore and therefore I feare no manne who séeth not the daunger of the one and the surenesse of the other for Arison was wont to saie that pouertie was as it were a Lantarne to beholde the wickednes of the worlde for pouertie is the true Nourse of all good vertues Licurgus beyng demaunded of certaine Citizins of Sparta howe might men auoide their enemies hee answered by pouertie wherefore Licurgus made lawes and decrees amongest the Lacedemonians that no Soldiers should spoile the enemies though they were dead in the filde for he feared lest wealthe should bee the distruction of Sparta For wealthy men are enuied at and hated and euery where sought by snares to be destroied whiche pouertie escapeth That wise Greke Solon was wont to saie that wealthe was the mother of excesse excesse the mother of luste luste the mother of violence and violence the mother of tyrannie Therefore saieth Pithagoras that wealth muste bee ruled with wisedome as the wild horse is tamed by the bridle Simonides when he was demaunded which was better wealth or wisedome he saide after this sorte I doubte muche said he for I sée so manie wise men frequentyng the riche mannes companie that I knowe not whiche ¶ Of Death DEATH is the laste line of all thyng the discharge of all couenauntes the ende of all liuyng Creatures the onelie wishe of the good and the verie terrour of the wicked And for that the life of man is diuers so is Death variable of sonderie sortes and fashions as by experience seen and knowen in all Countries Nothyng is surer then death nothyng more variable then Death For Pindarus that wise and sage kyng of the Liricans beeyng demaunded of certaine Beotians what might beste happen vnto manne in this worlde euen that saied he whiche chaunced vnto Trophoniuâ— and Agamedes meanyng Death For these men after thei had builded a newe temple vnto Apollo demaunded of God Apollo the beste reward that he could giue vnto them thei thinkyng to speede of some dignitie or some worldly substaunce were rewarded within seueÌ„ daies after with death The like we reade in the firste booke of Herodote where the mother of Biton and Cleobes twâ—o yong menne of Argos kneelyng before the Image of Iuno besoughte the Goddesse to bestowe some excellent good thyng vpon her twoo soonnes for their paine and trauaill that thei shewed toward their naturall mother in drawyng the Chariot tenne miles in steade of horses but the Goddesse willyng to shewe the beste thyng that could bee giuen vnto manne the nexte night followyng quietly in bedde as thei slepte died Wherefore very well did Aristippus aunswere a certaine manne whiche asked how Socrates died Euen in that order that I wishe my self to die â–ª Giuing to vnderstande that any death is better then life That noble Philosopher Plato a little before he died as Sabellicus doeth write did thanke nature for thre causes the firste that he was borne a manne and not a beast the seconde that he was borne in Greece and not in Barbarie The thirde that he was borne in Socrates tyme who taught hym to die well Hermes that great Philosopher of Egipte euen diyng so embraced death that he called vpon that diuine spirite whiche ruled all the heauens to take mercie vpoÌ„ hym beyng right glad that he passed this toilyng life Suche is the snare of death that some in halfe their daies in middest of their fame and glorie die As Alexander the greate in Babilon Pompeius in Egipte and Marcellus whiche beyng a yonge man of greate towardnesse and soonne by adoptioÌ„ to the Empire of Rome died Euen Albius a Romaine knight in flourishyng yeres ended his race And M. Caelius one of Ciceros scholers a very eloqueÌ„t Oratour and of greate fame beyng in a maner a boie died It is straunge to see the shiftes of death in how diuers and sondrie fassions it happened vnto Princes alwaies that some merie in their bankettes and drinkyng wer slaine As Clitus of Alexander the greate beyng his sisters brother and his chief frende Ammon of Absalon being bidden vnto a banquette was slaine of his owne brother yea all the Embassadours of Persia were coÌ„maunded to bee slaine euen drinkyng at the Table by kyng Amintas soonne of Macedonia Some ende their liues wantonnyng with women and plaiyng in chambers as that renoumed Greke Alcibiades beeyng taken in Uenerie with Timandra was slaine of Lisander EueÌ„ so Phaon Speusippus the Philosopher died likewise Some bathyng theim self were choked by their owne wiues As Agamemnon that famous Greke by his wife Clitemnestra And Argirus Emperoure of Rome by his wife Zoe Diuers in prison as Captiues died as Aristobulus Emnenes Aristonicus Marius Cleomenes Iugurth Siphax famous and renowmed Princes Diuers in Iacques slain as that beast Heliogabolus whom Rome so hated that he fledde vnto a Iaques and there was killed and after drawen thorowe the streates and throwen vnto the Riuer Tiber Gneus Carbo a manne of great dignitie and power of Rome was commaunded that he should bee slaine as he was sitting on his stoole of ease by Pompeius in the thirde tyme of his Consulshippe in Rome Thus shamfull diuers died and thus famously others died The snares of death the hookes of tyme the ende of manne was alwaies vnknowen Patroclus knewe not that he should bee slaine of Hector Hector neuer thoughte he should bee killed of Achilles Achilles neuer doubted his death by Paris Paris neuer iudged that he should be vanquished by Pirrhus Neither Pirrhus was certaine that he should bee ouercomed by Orestes so that no manne knoweth his ende where howe and when he dieth and yet all menne are certaine and sure that thei haue an ende that thei muste needes die The feare of death hath muche ouercome the stoutest and worthiest souldiour â–ª Wee reade that Asdrubal of Carthage a noble and a famous Capitaine a longe tyme and yet at length beyng conuicted by Scipio he for feare of death kneled before Scipio embracyng his feete and so fearefull that his owne wife was ashamed of his doynges Yet had this noble Capitaine rather bee a laughyng stocke vnto the Romains a bonde manne vnto Scipio runnyng a foote like a lackie before his triumph then to die manfully in the behalfe of his Countrie whiche valiauntly for a tyme he defended Perpenna likewise a famous Romaine beyng taken in Spaine after Sertorius was deade by the Souldiours of Pompeius in a wooddie place full of Groues fearyng leste at that instante he should be slaine by Pompeius souldiors made them beleue that he had diuers thinges to speake vnto Pompeius that the enemies had in hande to bryng to passe against Pompeius rather had Perpenna betraied his frendes and his fellowes yea and all his Countrie vnto his enemie PoÌ„peius then that he should bée in the feare of death A greater feare of death we read in that booke of
Fulgosius of that noble Vitellius who after he had vanquished and slaine diuers nobles and shewed greate wronges vnto the Emperour Otho and vnto Sabinus brother vnto Vespasian the Emperour beyng in feare of his life by Vespasian and being taken by the souldiors he besought leste he should die presently he might bee kepte saufe in prison vntill he might sée and speake with Vespasian the Emperour Suche was his feare that he did hide hym self in a chest like a wretch leste vpon a sodaine he should die So fearfull was Caligula and Caesar of death euery where that he would neuer goe abroade at any Lightenynges or Thonder but with his heade couered with all kinde of thynges whiche mighte resiste the violence of Thounders and Lightenynges Misa kyng of the Moabites and Ioram kyng of Iewrie beyng besieged by the enemies and in daunger of death thei inuented all giles all policies and inuentions right or wronge to saue life thei sacrificed their children to mitigate the rage of the Goddes leste thei should die The loue that diuers had vnto life and the feare the same self had vnto death were to bee noted worthily consideryng howe sore men are vexed with the fear of death ▪ Antemō was so desirous to liue and so fearfull to die that skante would he trauaill out of his house abrode any where and if he wer compelled to goe abrode he would haue twoo of his seruauntes to beare ouer his heade a greate brasen Targatte to defende hym from any thyng whiche mighte happen to doe hym hurte Theagenes in like sorte would not goe out of his house without he had consulted with the Image of Hecates to knowe what should happen to him that daie and to vnderstande whether he might escape death or no Commodus the Emperoure would neuer truste any Barbour to shaue his bearde lest his throte should bee cutte of Masinissa kyng of Numidia would rather committe his state and life vnto Dogges then vnto men as his garde to keepe and defende hym from death To speake of Bion of Domitianus of Dionisius of Pisander of thousandes more whiche so feared death that their chief care and studie was how thei might auoide the same The feare of death causeth the soonne to forsake the father the mother to renoūce the doughter the one brother to deny an other and one frende to forsake the other In so muche Christ himself was forsaken of his Disciples for feare of death Peter denied him and all the reste fledde from hym and all for feare of death Behold therefore how fearfull some are how ioyfull others are How lothsome some how willyng others haue been to die Some desperately die beyng wearie of life As Sabinus Iuba Cleomenes some hangyng thē self some burnyng them selues some drouning thē selues thus with one desperat ende or other thei died But fith euery man muste die it were reason that euerie man should prepare to die for to die wel is nothing els but to liue again Wherfore certen Philosophers of India called Gymnosophistae beyng of Alexander the great cōmaunded to certain hard questiōs whiche if thei could absolue they should liue otherwise thei should die the eldeste of their cōpanie was made a iudge in that matter by the said Alexander The first question was demaunded to know whether there wer more liuing or dead to the whiche the first philosopher saied that the quicke are more in nomber for that the dead haue no being no place no nōber The second question was whether the lande engendered more or the Sea to this answered the second philosopher and said the Land did engender more for that the Sea was but a portion of the Lande The thirde question was to knowe what beast was most subtill that beast answered the thirde Philosopher that man can not discerne Fourthly it was demaunded why they beeyng Philosophers were so induced to perswade the Sabians to rebellion bicause saide the Philosopher it is better to die manfully then to liue miserablie The fifte question was whether the daie was made before the night or the night before the day to the which it was answered the daie The sixte was to vnderstande howe Alexander the greate hym selfe might get good will of the people in shewyng saied the sixte Philosopher thy self not terrible vnto the people The seuenth to aske was whether life or death wer stronger and it was answered life The eight was to knowe howe longe a manne should liue vntill saied the eight Philosopher a manne thinketh death better then life The last question was proposed of Alexander to knowe how might a mortall man be accompted in the nomber of the Gods In dooyng greater thynges saide all the Philosophers then man is able to dooe For that they knewe this proude Prince would be a GOD and that he would learne of the sage Philosophers how he might voide mortalitie he was answered sharpely for that hee should knowe hym to be a man and beyng a manne he should make himself readie to die for death is the rewarde of sinne and death is the beginnyng of life againe vnto the good as Aulus Posthumius in an Oration whiche he made vnto his Souldiours said It is geuen both to good and bad to die but to die Godly and gloriously is onely geuen vnto good men For so Hector speaking in Homer said vnto his wife Andromacha that she should not be sory for his death sith all men must die Though some with the Galathians dooe contempne death that thei fighte naked and are perswaded with the Pythagoreans that they shall neuer die but passyng from one bodie vnto another yet some die ioyfully as the brethren of Policrita beyng taken captiue by Diognitus ▪ Emperour of Milesia she beyng vsed verie ill at the Emperours hands did sende Letters to Naxus vnto hir brethren at what tyme the people of Milesia were Feastyng Drinkyng and Banquetyng at their greate solemne feast Then the brethren of Policrita came and found the Emperour drinkyng and all his people ouer charged with wine slue the most parte of theim prisoned a nomber and brought their sister home to Naxus where assone as they came home died for Ioye of the victorie Euen as Philarchus somtime in his great triūphe criyng out O happie howres and ioifull daies was taken in suche a Feuer that brake his vaines at that verie instaunt for gladnes He is coumpted moste wise that knoweth hymself To ioye to muche in prosperitie to be aduaunced and extolled when fortune fauours without all feare of ill happes to come is follie To be vanquished and subdued in aduersite without hope of solace and goodnes to come is méere madnesse Therefore the Sages and Wisemen knowyng that death was the last line of life did endeuour in their liues how they might die well briefly for examples of liues I meanes to note fewe sentences of these wisemen whiche they vsed as their Poesies and thought good to shewe